And here is Chapter 4, 'scuse the late update, I had a report due. Voila…

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

The moon was already climbing into the sky as the ThunderClan warriors departed from camp on their way to island for the Gathering. Firefall, Mothwhisker, Ravenfeather and Waterwhisker padded next to each other. The four of them, including Owlfight and Grayfang, had grown quite close over the past leafbare, finding comfort in each other during the grim moons of cold, hunger, and sickness. Willowsong and Cinderstep were also with them occasionally, but with both she-cats now confined to the nursery, their group remained a six-cat crew.

The subject of Waterwhisker and Willowsong was one that was often brought up on warm newleaf afternoons when they were all sunning themselves outside the den, and it had become a constant area of teasing for both warriors. When Mothwhisker asked Waterwhisker about his mate, he would blink nervously and look away, a sheepish smile on his face. Willowsong would always just laugh and say that she and Waterwhisker had been best friends as apprentices, but Firefall and Ravenfeather had been too blind with envy for Owlflight and Cinderstep that they had been completely oblivious. This usually got everyone quiet, because that subject was still a sore spot between the three she-cats, no matter how many moons had passed.

When asked, it was hard for Firefall to recount what had happened between her and Owlflight. After Cinderstep was injured and Grayfang began to pad after Ravenfeather, they had been pushed together both willingly and unwillingly, and hadn't noticed until it was plain in every other cat's eyes.

The ThunderClan cats descended into the hollow like water pouring off a leaf. After so many patrols together and battles fought beside each other, the ThunderClan warriors moved fluidly and with practiced ease. Firefall always felt a surge of pride and superiority when ThunderClan entered the clearing. Despite the hardships of leafbare, ThunderClan was thriving, and had a huge Clan of strong, healthy warriors to show for it. In Firefall's eyes, the other Clans seemed weak and scrawny compared to her own.

This was Firefall's second Gathering as a warrior. On the first, she and Ravenfeather had gone alone, and it seemed even more daunting than when she had gone as an apprentice. Now, with their whole group, minus Owlflight and Grayfang, marching alongside their golden leader and his fiery deputy, it seemed that nothing would ever defeat ThunderClan.

With the ThunderClan warriors tonight were also three new apprentices. In reality, there were six ThunderClan apprentices, but this would be the first Gathering for only three. Rabbitpaw and Nettlepaw were nearly finished with there training, and had already been to several Gatherings, and Mirepaw had been to his first a couple moons ago. But Snowpaw, Sandpaw and Cavepaw, Goldbrook's second litter, were here for their first time.

Firefall took pleasure in showing apprentices around, and as soon as the ThunderClan cats had begun to mingle with the other Clans (WindClan and RiverClan, for ShadowClan hadn't arrived yet), she and Ravenfeather snatched the bewildered siblings up and took them around the clearing.

"Elders sit there," Firefall meowed, indicating the place where Squirrelclaw was now stooping down to speak with a skinny tabby WindClan elder.

"And that's where senior warriors talk about battles, it's very interesting, you learn some good techniques there," Ravenfeather explained, gesturing at the group of senior Clan warriors.

"Where do apprentices go?" Sandpaw queried eagerly, her bright blue eyes darting around the clearing with a hungry fascination.

"I suppose you could go anywhere you want, but we always sat right over there," Ravenfeather replied, leading the three younger cats to a worn patch of grass, rubbed by countless sets of paws until it was mostly bare dirt.

Firefall followed, and the five cats sat down in the grassy patch with two other RiverClan apprentices. Firefall recognized Washpaw and Fastpaw, the two toms that she had spoken to on the night of the Gathering when she had met Darkfang in the woods. She quickly pushed the memory away, preferring to forget it as quickly as possible.

"This is Snowpaw, Sandpaw and Cavepaw," Ravenfeather meowed to the other apprentices. Sandpaw glared sharply at her for a moment, and then turned and began to talk very fast to the two RiverClan cats. Ravenfeather suppressed a laugh, and she and Firefall stepped away to talk together while keeping an eye on the ThunderClan apprentices.

"We were never like that," Firefall said haughtily, a spark dancing in her eye.

"Oh come on, mouse-brain, we've only been warriors for a couple of moons," Ravenfeather replied with a shake of her head.

"I know, but really, we weren't like that. I'd swear on StarClan that I had some dignity, even as an apprentice," Firefall mewed, frowning.

Ravenfeather narrowed her eyes and raised her chin, her tail twitching. "Yes, Firefall," she drawled in a dry, mocking tone, "If any cat had dignity, it was you." She kept a straight face for a moment and stared at Firefall out of the corner of her eye, before the black she-cat burst out laughing. Firefall snorted, her whiskers quivering.

"You're the worst friend, Ravenfeather, I honestly don't know why I put up with you," she said, turning away and feigning anger.

Ravenfeather gave her a knowing smirk. "I'll bet its because I cover for you when you sleep until sunhigh every day. That's as good a reason as any isn't it?"

Firefall gasped with mock surprise and opened her mouth to reply, but she never got the chance, because at that moment, ShadowClan emerged from the trees.

A collective gasp and a few cries of surprise echoed around the clearing, and Ravenfeather uttered a little whimper of shock. The small group of ShadowClan warriors looked as if they had all been run over by monsters on the Thunderpath, and perhaps chewed up and spit out by badgers after that.

Gravelstar was at the head, with a mud-stained Windfoot by his side, and behind them were seven or eight tired looking ShadowClan cats that seemed barely able to stay on their feet. And as Firefall anxiously scanned the crowd, she found one figure that she had never thought to see again in her life.

"Twilightpaw," Ravenfeather breathed, echoing Firefall's astonished thoughts.

"But I thought-" Firefall began, and Ravenfeather finished her sentence, "She was dead." They both fell silent, as did the entire clearing, as Gravelstar leaped unsteadily onto the branches of the Great Oak.

"What did this to you?" Froststar mewed in disbelief, as the other leaders made room for the huge gray tom.

"In time," Gravelstar rasped, and the she-cat fell silent.

Lionstar stepped forward now, his face betraying no emotion. "The Gathering shall begin. I will speak first," he meowed. Gravelstar flashed a grateful glance, and then bent down and began to slowly lick his wounds.

"ThunderClan prospers this newleaf!" the tall golden tom yowled. There were a few halfhearted cheers from the ThunderClan cats. "We have three new apprentices. Sandpaw, Snowpaw and Cavepaw, and Vinetail has given birth to a litter of two. If any Clan decides that they want a slice of our territory, they'll have to rethink their plan." Lionstar dipped his head to the other leaders amid some more raucous cheers from Sunblaze and Sootstreak.

Tanglestar stepped forward quickly after, and began to speak rapidly into the air, his eyes focused on nothing in particular. "WindClan prospers we have a new apprentice Loop-paw and many kits also Grassnose is a warrior and the prey is running well and WindClan has nothing else to report." He finished with a slight choke, cast a narrow-eyed glare at Lionstar and then scrambled backwards.

"Strangest cat I've ever seen," mumbled Ravenfeather quietly.

"I'm surprised he ever got to be leader. He's the most mouse-brained fool of cat that ever was, I'm sure," Firefall meowed. Ravenfeather snickered and twitched her tail.

It was Froststar's turn to speak. Firefall had always admired the pretty gray she-cat; she hoped that she was as graceful and confident a warrior as the RiverClan leader.

"RiverClan has had a hard leaf-bare, but we have recovered well, and like ThunderClan and WindClan, have new kits and warriors. Duskfur has given birth to two beautiful she-kits, and Flowerfur and Stoneheart are now warriors. There have no sins of twolegs near our border, and the river is full of fish. Tanglestar, I would like to remind you that the alder copse near the horseplace is RiverClan territory, and will remain so." She swished her tail and then stepped back.

A hush fell over the crowd as Gravelstar looked up and took a weary step forward.

"I can see that you are all eager to know what has happened to my Clan. Well, I will tell you, and I say this: beware yourselves. You all probably know Darkfang, the ThunderClan traitor."

A surprised murmur swept across the hollow. Firefall's stomach plummeted at the sound of the name, and she turned to Ravenfeather, who had a look of miserable horror on her face.

"He's a twofaced liar and a murderer!" snarled Snakefang. Gingerfoot was her brother, and she had been particular hurt when he had died, not to mention her mother, Ambertail who was killed at Darkfang's own claws.

"We know Darkfang. He took the lives of two of our warriors in the Battle of the River, with ShadowClan, a few seasons ago," Lionstar spoke up quietly. His eyes were dull with grief. After Ambertail's death he had stayed in his den for days, and when he came out it seemed as if he had left half of himself behind.

Gravelstar gave a derisive laugh and continued, "Well, it is good that I am not alone in wishing him dead." Again, there was a ripple of surprise.

"Surely he hasn't murdered a ShadowClan warrior too?" meowed a shocked WindClan warrior.

"He has." The two words fell like stones from Gravelstar's jaws, and now the clearing was completely silent. "He and a group of rogues attacked our camp yesterday. Treeclaw and Flowpaw are in StarClan now, and Quickfoot's life hangs by a thread."

The finality of the statement made Firefall's breath catch in her throat.

"I do not mean to be forward, Gravelstar, but how did a mere band of rogues wreak such havoc on a strong Clan such as yours?" Lionstar said. His gaze was sharp now, and Firefall was pleased to see the old Lionstar returning.

Before Gravelstar could answer, Redstorm rose to his feet and meowed. "We scented rogues near our border today. There seemed to be many of them, six or even more. Darkfang is up to something, and it disturbs me not to know what. He's as wily as a fox and as cold-hearted as a hawk. There is nothing that pile of fox-dung won't do to get his way. I'd advise all the Clans to be aware if he's gathering followers."

He didn't need to say it, but it was in every cat's mind. It's like the legend of Tigerstar and Firestar, repeated, Firefall thought to herself grimly.

"They call themselves FangClan." Gravelstar's cry cut through the thoughtful silence like an ice-cold claw.

"They've created a Clan?" yowled Sootstreak in disbelief, her whiskers quivering.

"That's absurd! And who's the leader?" meowed a RiverClan she-cat.

"Darkfang. They call him Darkstar. His deputy is a silver tom. There are some Clan cats as well – Blackstripe of my Clan and our medicine cat apprentice, Huntedwing. I believe that other Clans have lost cats as well. Have you not?" He cast a challenging glare at the other leaders.

Tanglestar merely gave a curt nod, but Froststar stepped forward, a shocked look on her face. "Shrewtail and Tabbypelt were missing, but we supposed…I had no idea…they were good warriors. Both of them, always loyal. I never thought this might happen. I'm terribly sorry, Gravelstar. We will do everything we can to destroy this 'FangClan'."

Gravelstar nodded gravely. "I understand, Froststar, I feel the same way about the warriors of my Clan who have deserted. Lionstar-" Gravelstar cut off the golden tom as he tried to explain. "I don't blame you either Lionstar, I know that you are a good, honorable tom, and Darkfang is no fault of yours."

There was a general nodding of heads. "The silver tom, the deputy of FangClan is Ghostface," meowed Waterwhisker during the silence.

"Ah yes…" A glitter appeared in Gravelstar's eyes. Firefall was beginning to be a bit shocked by the ShadowClan leader's lack of "evilness", but now she felt relieved to see the familiar dark smile on his face. "The half-Clan kitten. We killed his sister, if I remember. Perhaps that's why he so viciously attacked poor little Flowpaw." There was a grim laugh behind his words that caused a bit of bile to rise in Firefall's throat.

The other cats seemed unperturbed by this. After all, this was natural ShadowClan behavior.

"I m without a doubt that the Clans should band together against this new menace," Lionstar meowed after a moment.

Gravelstar began to open his mouth, a frown on his face, but Lionstar interrupted him. "I don't mean joining Clans or anything mouse-brained like that, but we have a common enemy now. If any cat scents FangClan in their territory or his harmed by a FangClan patrol, they must send word of it to each Clan leader immediately. This way we will always have an idea of FangClan's whereabouts, and be prepared if an attack is coming."

Frost immediately meowed her agreement. The other two leaders hesitated, but finally Gravelstar relented, consenting that it was a good idea, even it seemed a bit unnecessary. Tanglestar seemed as if he was on the verge of refusing. Until his deputy hissed in his ear, and then he called out, "WindClan agrees."

Now that it was decided, and there was not much more for either Can to say, the leaders leapt down from the tree, and the Gathering was over.

Firefall and Ravenfeather seized the few moments before they had to follow their Clan home to talk to Windfoot and Twilightpaw. They found both of the cats seated together at the edge of the group of ShadowClan warriors.

"Windfoot! Twilightpaw!" Ravenfeather hissed from behind them. They both spun around to face the two ThunderClan warriors.

Firefall expected Twilightpaw to yowl with joy and run to greet them, but she surveyed them both with a level blue gaze, and made no move to come forward.

"What are you doing here?" Windfoot hissed. "ThunderClan is leaving!"

Ravenfeather looked hurt. "We wanted to talk to you," she meowed quietly.

Windfoot sighed. "There's not much to say. Twilightpaw is my apprentice now."

Firefall grinned. "That's great! How's ShadowClan, Twilightpaw?"

"It's my home now," replied the black she-cat simply. She blinked once, twice and her whiskers trembled a bit, as if she wanted to say something else, but then Gravelstar called to his Clan, and she turned away. As they left, Firefall realized with a jolt that Windfoot had twined his tail with hers.

"We used to be pretty good friends with her, remember?" Ravenfeather mewed sadly as she loped away to rejoin their Clan. "And Windfoot."

"Things change, Ravenfeather. Besides, they're not even our Clanmates anymore. They wall different paths."

Ravenfeather sighed, but she looked up at Firefall with a questioning stare. "I thin you're wrong, Firefall. In the darkness there is fear, and before the red dawn, when light may shine, all must be brave. Remember that? I think we walk the same path. We always have."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o