The clearing was awkwardly silent as Cherrypaw stepped over the border and into Fourtrees. The rest of the RainClan cats gathered around her, looking around in confusion.

"Sparrowstripe?" Cherrypaw heard Bluetail mew. "Where is everyone? We're usually the last to get here!"

Cherrypaw looked up. Since Stormstar was sick with greencough, Sparrowstripe was filling in for him.

"I don't know, Bluetail," Sparrowstripe replied. Cherrypaw could sense the excitement radiating off of his pelt as he spoke the words. Every cat in the Clan knew he wanted to be Clan leader, but was too loyal to kill Stormstar just for the position, unlike the wicked Tigerstar.

A whiff of LightClan caught up in Cherrypaw nose. She inhaled deeply, catching a thick scent of Longstar.

Suddenly, a LightClan Gathering patrol erupted from the underbrush of the forest. They pelted down the steep slope and halted at the edge of the clearing. Eventually, Longstar signalled the okay to enter and the LightClan cats entered the Fourtrees clearing.

Immediately, Longstar leaped on top of the Great Rock. Confused, Cherrypaw watched Sparrowstripe hop up next to him. The two exchanged urgent words before Longstar yowled out a call to silence the mingling LightClan and RainClan cats.

"Where's EmberClan?" a LightClan cat called out. "We can't start the Gathering until every Clan is here!"

Longstar nodded in understanding. "Yes, I know," he agreed. "But I have grave news to tell the RainClan cats."

The LightClan cat silenced herself and sat down, listening intently.

"Twoleg tree-eaters have torn down the Great Sycamore in our territory," Longstar announced. "They've also gotten the Owl Tree, and are making their way along the streams toward Sunningrocks."

Sparrowstripe spoke up now. "If Sunningrocks are taken, and all the trees in the tree-eater's way, then LightClan won't have any shelter from the Twolegs."

Cherrypaw saw Gingerfoot stand up. "Shouldn't we really wait until EmberClan gets here to share this news?"

"EmberClan isn't here!" Longstar hissed.

All the cats in the clearing grew instantly silent.

"Streamstar came into my camp to visit," continued Longstar. "He told me that there were barely any trees left in his territory, and that he needed to move quickly. He also said that they might not be able to make the next Gathering."

Sparrowstripe spoke now. "But can't you see that StarClan is angry at us for not waiting a little longer? Look up at the sky!"

Cherrypaw tilted her nose upward to see clouds threatening to shade the moon from view. She stood up. Suddenly, as all the cats' eyes turned to her, she felt self-conscious. "Um…" she stammered. "Well, I think we should wait a little longer. Maybe EmberClan will come to the Gathering."

Almost instantly, Cherrypaw caught a trace of EmberClan scent float toward her on the breeze. She opened her jaw to breathe in the scent, and noticed that it was getting closer and closer. "There they are now!" she called.

Streamstar didn't wait at the edge of the clearing. He immediately trotted into the clearing and hopped atop the Great Rock.

Cherrypaw looked around the emerging EmberClan cats in horror. Streamstar had brought his entire Clan! Queens were gripping mewling kits tightly, praying to StarClan that they could survive staying outside the camp for too long. Limping elders followed the queens and flopped down on the grass, licking their wounds.

"Streamstar, why is your entire Clan here?" Sparrowstripe asked.

Streamstar didn't bother asking Sparrowstripe what he was doing on the Great Rock. "The Twolegs have seen us. They came to our camp with nets and monsters with large openings in the back of them. They took many of our warriors. Some of them including Petalfur and Oakleaf."

Cherrypaw perked up her ears. Oakleaf? The name sounded familiar, but she couldn't quite remember where she'd heard it.

Suddenly, a sharp movement to her right caught her attention. She saw Skyfeather limping quickly to the back of the group and whisper something urgently into Leafstripe's ear. Leafstripe simply nodded and Skyfeather sat down again, looking up at the Great Rock.

Longstar looked down at his paws. "I'm sorry, Streamstar," he meowed. "But where will you go now, without a camp?"

Sparrowstripe stood up. "I've sent patrols along the outskirts of our forest. So far, we haven't found an edge to the forest, and there are no badger sets, or fox holes." He paused. "Streamstar, EmberClan can come and live behind RainClan. There's plenty of forest to divide the territory."

Streamstar nodded. He remained calm and collected, but Cherrypaw couldn't miss the note of desperation and heavy relief in his voice as he mewed his thanks to Sparrowstripe.

"Now, Sparrowstripe," Streamstar meowed while sitting down. "What brings you here in Stormstar's place?"

"Stormstar couldn't make it to the Gathering," Sparrowstripe called out to the cats in the clearing. "He feels ill and was unable to come."

Streamstar nodded. "I'm deeply troubled. Such a great leader you have."

Sparrowstripe nodded. "Thank you, Streamstar."

The rest of the Gathering went on as usual. Longstar finished up and told Streamstar and the rest of EmberClan about the Sunningrocks expedition and the Great Sycamore and Owl Tree.

Sparrowstripe spoke next of RainClan's new queen, and other news. When he stepped back, Streamstar spoke once more of his missing warriors and a queen named Dawnfur. Dawnfur's kits were still alive and in the Clan, and another queen, Missingfoot, agreed to take care of them. When Cherrypaw looked over at the queen struggling with the kits, she noticed that she was missing one front paw.

Disturbed with the image, Cherrypaw quickly looked away to see that the Gathering had broken up. She got to her paws, ready to leave Fourtrees with Snowstorm when she spotted Skyfeather trotting toward them, her belly flopping around.

"Skyfeather, I really think you shouldn't be running," Snowstorm commented, stifling a purr.

Skyfeather didn't respond. "Go now," she mewed urgently, catching Cherrypaw off guard.

"Now?" she questioned in shock. "But…shouldn't we get ready? We don't even know where to go!"

Skyfeather nodded. "Yes, I know," she replied. "But Icepaw told me that he saw something from StarClan. He didn't tell Leafstripe because he wasn't supposed to, according to Firestar. But Firestar told him that you should travel through EmberClan's new territory now, before they settle, and find the edge of the forest. Whitepaw's waiting at the bend in the sugar river for you, along with Frostfur and Dustcloud." She paused. "Please! Go now, before another cat spots you!"

Before Cherrypaw could react to her brother's visions, Skyfeather dropped five leaf packets in front of her and her mentor. "Eat them," she muttered quickly. "They're travelling herbs." And with that, the silver queen trotted away and out of sight.

When Cherrypaw and Snowstorm reached the bend in the sugar river, Whitepaw, Frostfur, and Dustcloud were already there, chatting urgently. Cherrypaw noticed Whitepaw and Frostfur talking leisurely, but shrugged it off.

"Okay, every cat's here," Snowstorm meowed. She dropped the leaf packets on the grass and sat down. "We're all going to be ridiculously tired if we don't sleep now. I suggest we all get some sleep before eating these and setting off."

"But Skyfeather said to go now," Cherrypaw insisted. "I think we should listen to her. If we don't go now, EmberClan will think we're trespassing."

Snowstorm pondered that for a moment, but eventually nodded. "You're right, Cherrypaw. How about we eat the strengthening herbs now and save the hunger ones for later. No one here is hungry, right?" When none of the cats responded, she went on, "Good."

Cherrypaw leaned down and grabbed a leaf packet. When she opened it, there was a neat stack of golden herbs piled next to some light green ones.

"One problem," Frostfur mewed. "Which is which?"

"Eat the green ones," Cherrypaw meowed confidently. "Icepaw told me how to distinguish them."

Snowstorm nodded and quickly lapped up the strengthening herbs. Cherrypaw leaned down and took one strip in her mouth. Instantly, she spat it out in disgust.

"It tastes like crowfood!" she hissed, crouching down away from the herbs.

"Cherrypaw," Snowstorm scolded, swiping her pink tongue over her muzzle briskly. "Eat them. They'll increase your strength."

Cherrypaw "hmphed" and bent down to lap up the herbs when she heard a noise behind her. "What was that?" she hissed.

Whitepaw took a step toward where the noise came from. "It sounded like a snapping twig," he meowed. "It can't have been anything serious."

But he was wrong. As Cherrypaw swallowed down the last of the light green herbs, something dark red slashed past her. She jumped up and stared after the creature, eyes wide with terror.

"A fox!" Frostfur cried.

Quickly, the cats scattered. Cherrypaw darted straight across the RainClan borderline and into the safety of the LightClan trees. Hopefully no cat would spot her there.

"Cherrypaw!" Snowstorm hissed, pelting across the border and into the LightClan territory after her apprentice. "Get out of here! This is LightClan territory!"

Cherrypaw crouched down. "Look!"

Snowstorm looked up to see the fox sniffing at a trembling Dustcloud. Its lips were drawn back in a snarl as Dustcloud batted out blindly with unsheathed claws.

"Oh, Dustcloud!" Snowstorm let out in a hiss, and Cherrypaw realized that her mentor was Dustcloud's mother. Quickly, she dashed out of the trees and straight for the fox. Cherrypaw widened her eyes and strained to see through the clumped ferns to see what her mentor was doing.

Snowstorm head-butted Dustcloud away from the fox just as it was plunging forward. The two bounded away from the confused animal and into the sugar river.

Now Cherrypaw was alone.

"Snowstorm!" she called out in a weak voice. She didn't want the fox to notice her hiding safely in the shelter of the LightClan trees.

But just as she called out, the fox snapped its attention to her. Slowly, it started creeping forward through the grass until it was only a tail-length away from the trees.

Cherrypaw, shaking with terror, crept backward. She was about to make a run for it when she heard something behind her. Before she knew it, four LightClan cats burst out of the trees and leaped right over Cherrypaw's head. All four of them attacked the fox, clawing and leaping at its ugly body. Eventually, the fox disappeared across the Thunderpath and into the grassy area across from it.

The LightClan patrol slowly made its way back into the trees. Cherrypaw, frightened into stillness, only stared at them as they padded softly toward her.

"You, young RainClan apprentice," the leader of the patrol meowed firmly. "What are you doing here?"

Cherrypaw could only speak in soft whispers. "I…I was…running f-from the…um, the f-fox…" she stammered.

The leader nodded. "I could see that. Why don't we escort you back to RainClan's territory?"

"Leafpatch, all four of us?" another warrior questioned. "I say we let her make her way back on her own."

"That's unfair," a small apprentice defended. His pelt was jet-black, and he had little white stripes all over his body. His eyes were a sunset orange, and glared straight at Cherrypaw. "She's only a helpless apprentice."

"As are you, Midnightpaw," the warrior put in.

"Stoneclaw—"

"Stoneclaw made a point, Midnightpaw," Leafpatch interrupted. "I suggest you keep quiet." Leafpatch turned to Cherrypaw. "We'll take you back as far as RainClan's temporary border across the sugar river."

Cherrypaw nodded. Just as long as they didn't take her all the way to the camp. Then she'd never find Snowstorm and the others.

As the patrol set off toward the sugar river, Cherrypaw realized that the fourth cat, by the looks of it, an apprentice, hadn't said anything in defence or offense. She had remained quiet, and still was.

When the group of cats reached the sugar river, they stopped. Cherrypaw continued walking.

"Do you want Midnightpaw here to escort you through the forest and to your camp?" Leafpatch asked tentatively.

Cherrypaw shook her head swiftly. "No, that's all right," she answered. "Thank you." But as she cast one last look at Midnightpaw, he looked a little smug and crestfallen at the same time.

Cherrypaw plunged into the river and swam with brisk, strong strokes to the other side. When she reached it, she clambered out and shook her pelt hastily. She looked back across the river to see the patrol walking away, but Midnightpaw quickly cast a glance over his shoulder at her and waved his tail in a good-bye. Cherrypaw waved her tail as well before pelting deep into the woods.

A/N: Sorry it took so long to update. I've been real busy. Because of my religion, I celebrate Christmas on January 7th. I know, weird. But it's religion; what can I say? I've been busy buying presents and visiting relatives, so I'm sorry. Reviews! Next update after...let's say two reviews, shall we? Buh-bye! ;-D