"No, the rabbit would see your tail and hear your breathing before you could stalk upon it." Wingtail scolded, her long tail fur bristling. Her apprentice, Quillpaw, mewed quietly, "Sorry."

"Now," Wingtail padded away from him. "Try again, this time, keep your tail down and breathe more silently."

Quillpaw nodded.

Wingtail turned to Northstorm. "He's usually great at hunting. I guess he's nervous at being…you know."

Northstorm had been ordered by Cougarstar to individually assess the apprentices. He stared at the apprentice. "Don't worry. His great battle skills will cover up his hunting mistakes,"

Wingtail let out a sigh of relief, Northstorm noted.

"Quillpaw," Northstorm asked. "What do you smell?"

Quillpaw tilted his head, his mouth ajar. "Vole!" he piped excitedly, then raced through the bushes.

Northstorm nodded. Several minutes later, Quillpaw appeared, a dead vole dangling from his mouth.

"Excellent," Northstorm praised. Quillpaw's eyes lit up. "I'll report to Cougarstar your progress. I expect you to become warriors soon."

Quillpaw followed Wingtail and Northstorm back into camp and dropped his vole in the fresh-kill pile.

It had been half a moon since Cougarstar had told Northstorm about Reedstar's prophecy. Tonight, the Clans would gather at a peaceful meet called a Gathering at Frozenpines, a place in the centre of the Clans. As deputy, it was customary for Northstorm to attend.

Cougarstar sat grooming himself on the Precipice. Northstorm padded over to him.

"All of the apprentices are doing well. I believe it Quillpaw's, Stiffpaw's, and Breezepaw's warrior ceremonies are close."

"Good," Cougarstar said. "Bring Hailstorm, Snowstorm, Oakpelt, Dawnsky, Rainsky, Loyalheart, Breezepaw, Quillpaw, and Stiffpaw to the Gathering."

"Yes, Cougarstar." Northstorm nodded.

The silver moonlight turned Cougarstar's pelt white. NorthClan lay at the edge of the wood surrounding Frozenpines, awaiting Cougarstar's signal to enter the Gathering.

With a flick of Cougarstar's tail, NorthClan raced down the slope leading to the four, tall, white birch trees.

PineClan and StoneClan were already there. Cats dotted the clearing, conversing happily with one another.

Cougarstar went to join the other leaders standing on top of the Longrock, a grey stone that leaders stood on when they talked to the other Clans.

Arrowstorm, a tortoiseshell-and-white tom whom Northstorm had befriended, padded over to him. "Northstorm!" Arrowstorm chirped. He was followed by a small black tom. "I've gotten an apprentice! I'm a mentor now! This is Sharppaw,"

Sharppaw bowed his black head. Northstorm had not received an apprentice yet, but he expected one soon.

"That's great, Arrowstorm!" Northstorm said.

Arrowstorm asked, "How're your kits?"

Northstorm nodded proudly. "They are growing. It is almost time for their apprentice ceremonies."

"Hopefully, you get one of your own! I'll see you around," Arrowstorm said. He turned his back and walked away, Sharppaw following at his heels.

Northstorm turned and caught the cold blue eyes of Iceshard, the IceClan deputy, staring one tail-length away.

"Northstorm," he said, giving a slight nod of his head as a bow. Northstorm did the same, repeating, "Iceshard."

Iceshard had probably heard about the incident with the IceClan patrol that occurred about a moon ago. Iceshard had probably not been happy, especially because Blizzardstar, who was among the patrol that night, was his mate.

Silence past between them for what seemed like six moons until Iceshard stalked away.

An authoritative she-cat's voice rang from the Longrock, calling, "Let the Cats of all Clans gather below the Longrock to hear our words."

Northstorm whirled around to see Blizzardstar, the blue she-cat leader of IceClan. Blizzardstar turned to the other leaders, and, after a brief discussion, Mountainstar, the StoneClan leader, stepped forward. The moonlight turned his dark grey pelt sort of a whitish-grey.

"StoneClan has had the privilege of adding a new warrior to our Clan. Goldenpaw is now Goldenfur."

The Clans raised their voices and chanted, "Goldenfur! Goldenfur!"

Northstorm spotted the golden tabby tom shift from paw to paw, embarrassed but proud.

Mountainstar waited until the chanting stopped. "StoneClan has lost prey. We suspect this may be due to rogue cats or dogs."

Blizzardstar stepped forward as Mountainstar backed away. She reported the lake next to IceClan and PineClan borders had frozen-over but the ice should break soon.

"Also, IceClan has been joined by a new warrior. Longpaw is now Longwhisker."

The Clans chanted his name once more as the sleek white tabby sat proudly next to Lightfur.

After the chant, Blizzardstar also peered coldly around the clearing. "We have also had other Clans step foot on our borders." She fixed her gaze on Northstorm. "This is intolerable. If any other Clan steps foot on our borders, they will be in danger."

She backed away slowly. Woodstar, the PineClan leader, talked about getting four new apprentices and prey disappearing from his Clan.

Cougarstar did not talk much leader. He warned the other Clans of the deadly rogue cats, but, surprisingly, he did not say anything in defence of his IceClan's threat.

Blizzardstar stepped forward. "StarClan calls this meeting to an end."

Cougarstar leaped down from the Longrock and mewed a few comments to the other cats before signalling his Clan back to camp.

Northstorm followed Cougarstar backed to camp, who was a silent as the wind. When they got back to camp, he grabbed Quillpaw's vole from the fresh kill pile and insinuated for Northstorm to join him.

Northstorm grabbed a mouse and padded over to where Cougarstar sat perched under the Precipice.

"There wasn't much hostility at the Gathering," Cougarstar commented.

Northstar nodded and purred in agreement as he took a mouthful of mouse. Cougarstar pulled meat off of the juicy vole. When he had swallowed, he said. "We'll have the warrior ceremonies tomorrow for Stiffpaw and Quillpaw."

Northstorm couldn't wait to tell the mentors, Frozentail and Wingtail.

"The next claw moon will give Moonsky's kits their apprentice ceremony. Next half-moon, we will hold your kits' ceremonies. The claw moon after that we'll give Sparrowsong's kits their ceremonies."
Northstorm nodded. "Yes, that sounds good to me."

Cougarstar purred. "Good." He took the last piece of vole and padded away into his den.

Northstorm awoke when the first rays of the sun washed over into the clearing. He had assigned himself, Oakpelt, Rainsky, Dawnsky, and Hailstorm to the dawn patrol. He groomed his fur, and then nudged Oakpelt.

"Oakpelt, patrol time."

Oakpelt groaned. Dawnsky was sharing tongues, or grooming each other, outside the clearing with her sister, Rainsky. Hailstorm was eating a starling while watching them.

Once each had finished their task, Northstorm asked, "Ready?"

They all nodded.

"Hailstorm," he called. The white tom padded next to him. "Lead the patrol. Go across the IceClan and PineClan borders.

Hailstorm nodded and Northstorm dropped back. Oakpelt's ears quivered. "Silence!" Oakpelt hissed.

He suddenly dove into the undergrowth. The other cats followed his example.

Northstorm followed Oakpelt's green eyes to where they were lying on.

Northstorm thought he saw a glimpse of a tail disappearing behind a pine. It reappeared, but this time it belonged to the body of a cat. The cat was massive, its muscles rippling behind its black pelt. It had a thin white stripe running from his muzzle to his tail. It carried crowfood- food that was dangerous, sickening, and shameful.

"Rogues," Rainsky muttered.

After the rogue's scent grew weaker, the patrol leaped out of the bushes. Northstorm felt like his heart was being clawed as he thought of Reedstar's prophecy. The rogue looked strong, hungry, and angry- enough to make unnecessary bloodshed for NorthClan.

Hailstorm's grey eyes darted this way and that. "Hailstorm," Northstorm urged. "Continue. Veer away from the rogue's scent, though."
Hailstorm stayed away from the IceClan border and headed to the PineClan border. The calming silence and thick scent of pines calmed Northstorm and the rest of the patrol, as well.

Once they arrived at camp, the sun was high.

Cougarstar padded up to Hailstorm. "Anything suspicious to report?"

Hailstorm hesitated, then replied, "Yes. A massive rogue passed us carrying crowfood."

Cougarstar winced, closing his eyes for a moment before re-opening them. Northstorm thought he heard Cougarstar murmur, "StarClan keep us safe."

Cougarstar turned to the rest of the patrol. "The warrior ceremonies will commence now."

Cougarstar sped and leapt gracefully upon the Precipice. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather to heed my words."

The warriors and apprentices padded to the Precipice and sat down.

Cougarstar stared down at the bundle of apprentices. "Stiffpaw, please step forward."

Stiffpaw, bewilderedly, stepped forward. His grey eyes shone. His mentor, Frozentail, smiled proudly and his straight tail waved back and forth.

"StarClan," Cougarstar recited. "I bring this apprentice to you, Stiffpaw, as a living sacrifice to the Clan, to the warrior code, and to StarClan. Stiffpaw, do you promise to uphold these orders for the welfare of the cats around you?"

Stiffpaw nodded excitedly. "I do, Cougarstar."

"I ask StarClan to approve my choice. From here, Stiffpaw is no more. He shall be named Stifffoot, and shall serve his Clan as a warrior."

The Clan mates cheered his name, Frozentail the first and loudest among them. "Stifffoot! Stifffoot!"

Stifffoot stared happily at his Clan members. Cougarstar lay his tabby head on Stifffoot's bowed one. "StarClan bless you."

Stifffoot stepped back as Cougarstar leaped back onto the Precipice.

"Quillpaw, please step forward."

Quillpaw courageously stepped forward, his chin up. His hazel eyes glowed proudly.

"StarClan," Cougarstar repeated. "I bring this apprentice to you, Quillpaw, as a living sacrifice to the Clan, to the warrior code, and to StarClan. Quillpaw, do you promise to uphold these orders for the welfare of the cats around you?"

Quillpaw declared. "I swear."

Cougarstar nodded. "I ask StarClan to approve my choice. From here, Quillpaw is no more. He shall be Quillfur, and shall serve his Clan as a warrior."

"Quillfur!" The Clan cheered. "Quillfur!"

Cougarstar pressed his head against Quillfur's. "StarClan guide you."

Quillfur padded away, and Wingtail rubbed her muzzle against his and gave him a lick on his rough brown fur. She whispered a quick word of encouragement.

"As StarClan has decreed," Cougarstar called out. "Quillfur and Stifffoot must keep a silent vigil and watch the camp. Your vigils begin at moonrise and end at sunrise."

The Clan burst out in yells, some yelling each new warrior's name. Northstorm padded over to Stifffoot. "Well done, Stifffoot." He purred. He gave Stifffoot a quick lick on the head. Northstorm turned and padded over to Quillfur. "Congratulations, Quillfur."

Quillfur's hazel eyes shone proudly. "Thank you, Northstorm!"

Northstorm nodded. "Serve your Clan well."

Quillfur purred in agreement. "I promise, Northstorm! I will serve our Clan to the very day I join StarClan!"

"Good," Northstorm mewed. He rubbed Quillfur's muzzle, and, in return, Quillfur respectively licked his shoulder.

Frostpelt stood on the side of the clearing with Cougarkit, Yellowkit, and Skykit bouncing around her paws.

"I want to be up there soon!" Skykit declared.

"Yeah, that was awesome!" Yellowkit purred.

"It must be an honour," Cougarkit mewed.

"Soon, my kits." Frostpelt purred, giving her kits a quick lick on their shoulders. "Soon…"