A full moon hung over the forest, breaking through the small layer of mist as WillowClan prepared for their first ever Gathering with LeafClan. Echostar watched with slight impatience as the warriors he chose to go got ready. This group included Blacktail, Tallwhisker, Forestgaze, Amberstorm, Mistpelt, Crookedtail, and Cassie, who was now called Shadowclaw. She had agreed to receiving a warrior name half a moon ago.
"Is everyone ready?" he called over his shoulder.
"As we'll ever be," Shadowclaw murmured as she stood close to Echostar. Over the moon that the cats had been an official Clan, the two had gotten closer than before.
The tom twined his tail with hers and mewed, "Don't worry, it'll be fine."
"But what if there's a fight?"
"It's against the will of StarClan. The moment that moon is covered by the clouds, the Gathering's over."
She nodded, but Echostar could tell that she was not convinced. He gently moved away from her and began walking into the forest towards the gorge just outside the vast trees and the soft ground.
"I don't like this one bit," Echostar heard Amberstorm mutter. "I have a feeling that they'll conveniently forget about the truce."
"I doubt it," Blacktail replied. "Remember, they are just as StarClan-fearing as us."
"Well, most of us," Mistpelt snarled, which got her a hiss from Amberstorm.
Echostar whirled around to see the two warriors glaring at each other, hackles raised and claws unsheathed. Beside Amberstorm was Blacktail, looking very nervous.
The leader jumped between them and growled, "Stop it! Nothing good comes from fighting your Clan mates. And on the night of a Gathering of all things!" He tried to hide his surprise with exasperation. Since when did these two hate each other so much? He thought.
"Yes, Echostar," Mistpelt turned away, but not before sending a glare at Amberstorm, who just simply walked ahead with Blacktail scrambling after her.
"Is everything alright now?" Crookedtail asked.
Echostar sighed. "I think so." He made his way back to the front of the group, where he saw Amberstorm.
"Listen," he said to the tabby. "I don't know what's going on between you two, nor do I want to know, but this has to stop."
"She deserved it!" Amberstorm yowled. "She-
"I don't care what happened. Just stop."
He felt his fur grow hot as the she-cat gave him a seething glare once he had pushed past her. At that moment, Blackstar's prophecy flashed through his mind. I'll keep a close eye on Amberstorm.
-------
Amberstorm looked around the clearing, noticing that none of the LeafClan cats had come to greet them. I suppose it's to be expected. After all, they've never been to a Gathering before.
"Not very welcoming, are they?" Blacktail hissed in her ear.
She merely shrugged. "I could care less about them. With or without a Gathering, they're still our enemies."
"I suppose you're right. I just miss bragging about my hunting skills to other apprentices during things like this!"
Amberstorm shook her head at her best friend and sighed. "Crazy furball."
Before the black tom could reply, a yowl echoed across the gorge. Sitting on a large flat rock were the two leaders.
"As we sit here tonight under the stars of Silverpelt, I welcome you all to WillowClan and LeafClan's first Gathering." Elmstar's voice rang out true and confident while Echostar was sitting there, looking slightly uncomfortable.
Not noticing, the she-cat went on, "LeafClan is doing well this newleaf. Our apprentices' training is well and we have plenty of food. Also, I would like to announce that I have welcomed Rainkit as an official cat of my Clan."
Amberstorm felt a growl rising in her throat. How dare she mention that at a Gathering!
"WillowClan is also doing well," Echostar began when Elmstar fell silent. "I have received my nine lives from StarClan."
"Oh? So you have found the Starlake?"
"No…I have not," he admitted to Elmstar. "StarClan summoned me themselves."
Elmstar sat down. "I see."
"I have also chosen my deputy," he continued. "WillowClan's first deputy is Crookedtail." There were a few murmurs of congratulations from LeafClan.
After having nothing else to report, the two leaders jumped of the rock, but paused to share a few words before they went back home. The two medicine cats, Forestgaze and Blackspots were soon called over.
Amberstorm turned to Blacktail and asked, "What do you think they're doing?"
He shrugged. "Probably discussing something about the Starlake. The Echostar and Forestgaze will need to know where that is, after all."
"True."
Eventually, the four cats finished speaking and Echostar and Forestgaze padded over to the small group of WillowClan cats that had formed.
"Sorry about that," Echostar mewed.
Mistpelt purred. "Don't be. That's what Gatherings are for; to talk to cats from different Clans. It's also essential for you and Forestgaze to know where the Starlake is."
It took all that Amberstorm had not to roll her eyes. What a faker! She thought.
"Let's head back," Tallwhisker told the group. He was clearly not enjoying being away from Speckledpelt and Birdsong for the first time in a while.
Crookedtail nodded. "Yes, let's."
-------
The moment the cats set their paws in WillowClan camp, Sunkit came running up. "How was it?" the golden tom mewed.
Amberstorm shrugged. "Pretty boring. You didn't miss anything."
"How is Rainkit?"
The tabby felt a wave of pity wash over her. The kit must have been missing his sister as much as Firestorm was. "She's doing great," she replied. At least, that's what Elmstar made it sound like.
Sunkit purred. "That's good! I can't wait until we're apprentices. Then we can see each other every moon!"
Amberstorm faked a smile and nodded. It was killing her to know that Sunkit didn't realize that the moment he and Rainkit were made into apprentices, they weren't brother and sister. They were rivals; fighting against each other for honor and to defend their borders.
She didn't notice Blacktail come up to her when the kit had run off at the call of his mother. She jumped slightly when he meowed, "What's wrong?"
"He doesn't know," she replied quietly. "He doesn't know that he'll have to fight Rainkit someday."
"Maybe not," the tom mewed, optimistically as always. "Maybe they'll never run into each other."
Whirling around, Amberstorm hissed, "Blacktail, think realistically for StarClan's sake! They have their whole lives ahead of them! Besides, there are two Clans in this forest and if you haven't noticed, neither of them is very big!"
"I know, I know. You don't have to claw my ears off."
"Sorry," she mumbled. "I just don't want them to feel torn between their Clans and their relationship."
"Wow, Amberstorm," Blacktail purred. "That's not like you."
"Shut up, fox-dung!" she hissed.
"Now that's more like you."
-------
Mistpelt looked at the black, foreboding clouds that were approaching the forest. Fox-dung, she thought, a storm. Looks like I'll have to go ahead and speak t her.
Swinging her head from side to side, she saw that LeafClan had disappeared into their own territory. I'd better move out. She bounded forward until she was at Echostar's side.
"Echostar," she panted. "My paws are a bit restless. If it's alright with you, I'm going to go on a late-night hunt."
The tom looked confused for a moment, but nodded. "Very well. Just make sure your back by sunrise.
"Alright, thank you."
"Mouse-brain," she muttered when she was out of earshot. "If only he knew."
She ran deeper and deeper into the forest until she was right up against the border that separated the two Clans. She drank the air to make sure there weren't any cats to see her before crossing the scent-line. Pricking her ears, she realized that she was on the same trail that she and her Clan mates had taken when they first came to the forest. Perfect.
Before she knew it, a strong wave of LeafClan scent hit her. She quietly slipped under a patch of bracken and looked around the rival Clan's camp. She dragged herself back out of the bracken and slithered towards the old fox den that she knew as Elmstar's den. Right as she was in front of the entrance, Mistpelt heard the cry of an apprentice.
-------
Elmstar unsheathed her claws as she heard Frostpaw's yowl. An intruder! She thought as she dashed out of her den. Not scenting her because of the wind, she almost slammed into a silver she-cat.
"You!" she snarled when she recognized the WillowClan warrior. "What are you doing in my camp?!"
The other cat stood up straighter and replied, "It's me, Mistpelt, Elmstar. I have a favor to ask you."