"Get up, you lazy furball!" Skyfeather heard Tawnyspot mew desperately. "Icepaw's waiting for you."

Skyfeather yawned deeply and fumbled around in her mossy nest. She didn't want to leave the nursery. Her belly felt even bigger this morning, and she could barely stand up.

Reluctantly, she got to her paws and padded slowly out of the nursery. Tawnyspot followed her in curiosity.

"What is it, Icepaw?" Skyfeather sighed as she approached the white-and-brown apprentice.

"It's Stormstar," he mewed gravely. Skyfeather widened her eyes. She was listening now. "He wants you with him while he—"

Skyfeather looked down. She knew what Icepaw was going to say, and was grateful that he hadn't said it. Solemnly, she left Tawnyspot and Icepaw behind and padded quietly to the leader's den. Stormstar was inside, and uneaten blue bird resting by his paws.

"Hey, Stormstar," Skyfeather mewed softly. She curled up next to her mate and rasped her tongue over his pelt. "I'm here now."

Stormstar wheezed something that Skyfeather couldn't quite make out, but she did hear the word "love" in it. A purr escaped her muzzle as she pressed her nose into Stormstar's side.

"Lead the Clan to the Gathering," Stormstar wheezed suddenly.

Skyfeather blinked. "But, Stormstar, I can barely walk with my kits!"

"You're the only one who can do it," Stormstar rasped on. "I wouldn't rely on any other ca…"

Stormstar couldn't finish his sentence, since he was cut off by an outburst of coughing. When he finished, he rested his head down again and didn't say any more.

Skyfeather stood up and padded out of the den. She looked up at the stars of Silverpelt. Her afternoon nap had been disturbed with dreams of RainClan cats howling in despair and agony. She didn't get much sleep, and now she had to travel the long distance to Fourtrees? At least EmberClan would be with them.

Reluctantly, she leaped on top of the Highrock and called the customary Clan gathering words.

As the able RainClan cats began to come from their dens, Skyfeather noticed for the first time how scrawny RainClan looked. She would have to take all of her able warrior to the Gathering in order to look strong to the other Clans.

"Stormstar has told me to lead the Clan to the Gathering," Skyfeather announced to the Clan. "I have decided to take all of my able warrior, and Moonflower in order to look strong to the other Clans. We don't want them to think we're not strong enough."

"But without Stormstar or Sparrowstripe, we'll look weak anyway," Littlerock called out.

Skyfeather nodded. "We'll simply have to tell the other Clans that they couldn't make it for reasons that they don't need to know."

Littlerock nodded. Just then, Icepaw came out of the elders' den. "Skyfeather," he called up to the Highrock, "I'll go with you."

Skyfeather shook her head. "I'm sorry, Icepaw," she meowed. "But I'm not letting you leave these sick cats along. Some cat has to stay behind and care for them."

Icepaw nodded. "Yes, I know, but I can't do much for them now," he called. "If I stay, it won't matter."

Skyfeather swallowed the hard lump in her throat. Was Icepaw saying that all the cats with greencough were doomed, that their death was inescapable?

"Icepaw, I'm not giving up hope," Skyfeather meowed icily. "You're going to stay here and care for them."

Icepaw shrugged. "All right," he replied. "But no matter what I do, it won't help."

Skyfeather leaped down from the Highrock and stormed up to Icepaw. "You, young apprentice, will do every little thing you can do to help these sick cats, because they are your Clan. A warrior loves his Clan more than anything else in StarClan's forest, and you will even die for it."

Icepaw, scared into obeying Skyfeather's orders, nodded. Shaking, he padded back into the elders' den to care for Goldenheart.

Skyfeather padded into the centre of the clearing. The rest of her cats followed her out of the camp and into the undergrowth, headed for Fourtrees.

Longstar and Streamstar were both rather confused when Skyfeather hopped up onto the Great Rock.

"Skyfeather?" Longstar questioned. "Has Sparrowstripe died? Where's Stormstar?"

"Stormstar and Sparrowstripe couldn't make it to the Gathering tonight, and placed me in charge to speak for RainClan," Skyfeather explained. She felt a tremendous amount of relief when neither leader pressed her further. She didn't want them to think that the two cats were sick with greencough.

When Skyfeather looked down into the clearing, she felt a sudden weight drop down on her shoulders. It felt weird, standing above the rest of the cats. She saw Bluetail being greeted by many LightClan cats warmly. Apparently she had made some friends while guarding the sugar river in LightClan's territory. She recognized the cat named Hearthpaw who had grown a liking to the blue-grey warrior.

"Shall we start the Gathering?" Streamstar questioned the other cats.

Longstar nodded. "Go ahead, Streamstar."

Skyfeather listened as Streamstar called out to the cats below and gathered them together. Once they were silent and waiting, Streamstar stepped forward.

"We welcome Skyfeather to the Great Rock tonight," he began, turning to the silver queen. "She is a queen, but she will be taking Stormstar's place for the Gathering."

"Where's Sparrowstripe?" the LightClan warrior, Stoneclaw called out. "Shouldn't he be taking Stormstar's place?"

"Sparrowstripe couldn't make it either," Skyfeather answered. Pressure dropped onto her shoulders once more as every eye in the clearing turned to her. "He had to stay in the camp with Stormstar."

Streamstar nodded. "I will begin the Gathering," he meowed. "We welcome a new warrior, Blackstone, to the Gathering."

Skyfeather looked down to see a jet black she-cat nod her head in acknowledgement. Her eyes were a very unusual grey-ish blue, which probably brought on the name.

Streamstar went on about how life in his new territory was going well. He also stated that EmberClan would not hunt in the sugar river, for they knew it belonged to RainClan.

Next Longstar stepped up. "Instead of welcoming new warriors or apprentices," he began, "we must grieve for one. Last Gathering, we lost an apprentice, Whitepaw." Longstar turned to Skyfeather. "Since he was in RainClan first, we figured he went back there."

Skyfeather swallowed hard and shook her head. "We haven't seen him, Longstar," she meowed formally. Might as well act like a leader while on the Great Rock.

Longstar sighed. "LightClan thinks that, if he didn't go to RainClan, that he couldn't take Clan life and left the forest once and for all."

Skyfeather nodded. "If we see him, we'll let you know."

Longstar nodded and continued with LightClan news. When he was finished, Skyfeather realized that it was her turn to speak. Nervously, she padded forward to the highest part of the Great Rock. She looked down at the watching, waiting cats and shivered gently. Here goes, she thought silently. StarClan, help me.

"Unfortunately, since both Stormstar and Sparrowstripe couldn't make it to the Gathering, they put me in charge," she started. "Their whereabouts do not concern you." As the cats below murmured their agreement, Skyfeather continued, "Prey has been plentiful in the forest, as Streamstar has said. I'm sure Stormstar will be glad to hear that EmberClan has agreed to stay away from the sugar river, and I'm sure you intend to keep this promise. But, just to be sure, I will tell Stormstar to send out a warrior each day to the riverside with a thirsty EmberClan patrol."

"Are you saying you do not trust us?" and EmberClan cat yowled from the crowd.

"Patience, Redflower," Streamstar meowed calmly. "I'm sure Skyfeather doesn't mean anything offensive."

"Yeah, well, she's not a leader or a deputy," Redflower sneered under her breath, Skyfeather had to strain her ears to hear it.

Ignoring the rude comment, Skyfeather turned to the other leaders. "When there isn't more to say, how do we end the meeting?"

Streamstar chuckled heartily. "Just nod to the cats and jump off."

Skyfeather turned to the cats below her, staring up at her intently. She nodded formally and leaped off of the Great Rock to gather up the RainClan cats.

"Skyfeather!" Skyfeather turned around to see Tawnyspot loping toward her. Next time, she reminded herself, I'm not taking Tawnyspot. "Skyfeather, I can't find Oakleaf anywhere!"

Skyfeather scowled. "I told you to stay away from him, anyway."

"But he's not here!" Tawnyspot insisted. "He promised he'd be at every Gathering for me!"

Skyfeather sighed. Then she remembered what Streamstar had said about the Twolegs who had taken many EmberClan warriors…Oakleaf was one of them!

"Tawnyspot, I—"

"Skyfeather!" The silver queen spun around to see Sandstorm sprinting toward her. "Skyfeather, it's horrible," the sandy medicine cat began, her voice panicky. "Mudface has been killed, by a monster from the Thunderpath."

Skyfeather hung her head. "I'm so sorry, Sandstorm," she mewed.

"There was a lot of prey beside him, which was the confusing part. We also scented a strong scent of RainClan around him, and Thunderheart thought that a RainClan patrol had killed him, but felt bad about it, so caught some fresh-kill for him…I can't believe him, Skyfeather! I just can't!"

Skyfeather widened her eyes. Snowstorm! Who else would it have been other than the patrol she sent out to find Valley?

"Sandstorm," she started, but couldn't find words to finish. She was saved by a call from Streamstar.

"I have to go," Sandstorm mewed hurriedly. "I'll see you next Gathering, or hopefully sooner. Please, keep Mudface in your prayers to StarClan."

Skyfeather nodded as the medicine cat pelted away to the sugar river with the rest of her Clan.

"Skyfeather," Tawnyspot mewed as the two started padding after the EmberClan Gathering patrol, "what were you saying about Oakleaf?"

Skyfeather swallowed. She didn't know how to break the horrible news to the small tortoiseshell. "Tawnyspot," she started, "Streamstar brought this news some time ago at a Gathering you didn't attend. Well, he said that a group of Twolegs came and took many of EmberClan's warriors, and…Oakleaf was one of them."

Tawnyspot stared hard at her paws for a moment before shouting, "No! It can't be! He never would let that happen! Are you telling me he's a kittypet now?"

"I'm not saying anything like that," Skyfeather meowed calmly. "Thistleclaw came back. Why not Oakleaf and the other warriors? I have a feeling that we're going to see him again."

Tawnyspot nodded, although she didn't look convinced. She padded along silently and crossed the sugar river, of course with some difficulty due to her kits. Darkstep and Silverwing helped the two cross safely, their kits unharmed.

When they made it back to the RainClan camp, Skyfeather shivered as a tremble curled up her spine. The camp was silent—deathly silent. Icepaw slowly and quietly trotted forward from the medicine cat's den to greet the incoming cats.

"How was the Gathering?" he mewed loudly against the quietness of the night.

"Shh!" Skyfeather silenced him as the cats around her plodded to the warriors' den, Tawnyspot and Moonflower to the nursery and elders' den. "You don't want to wake the whole Clan!"

Icepaw shook his head. "It won't matter, Skyfeather," he meowed. "Even if I screamed that a badger was in the camp, no one would look twice." He paused and started to turn around when another thought caught him. "Oh, and Skyfeather, Stormstar wants you to be with him tonight. I suggest you bring some fresh-kill for the morning. He hasn't eaten all night."

Skyfeather nodded and trotted over to the pile of fresh-kill. She snatched a chaffinch from it and padded over to the leader's den. Stormstar was inside, and his breathing was quiet and short.

Nervously, she dropped the chaffinch near Stormstar's front paws and lay down beside him. "Hey there, Stormstar," she mewed softly. "I'm here. You sleep now. Get your rest."

Skyfeather rested her head on her paws and closed her eyes, waiting for sleep. But sleep wouldn't come. The entire night, she was thinking about Tawnyspot and how worried she must be for Oakleaf. She thought about Goldenheart, and Icepaw's prediction for the whole Clan. But most importantly, she thought to Snowstorm and Cherrypaw, and the rest of the patrol. Were they managing through the journey? Did they really kill Mudface? Surely Snowstorm wouldn't allow such a thing. Skyfeather shook off the thought and tried to get some rest.

She was awoken in the middle of the night to an outburst of coughing from Stormstar. She brushed her tongue across his pelt reassuringly, but the splutters would not cease. Eventually, the coughing died, and his slow, wheezy breathing diminished to silence.

"Stormstar…" Skyfeather murmured, pressing her nose against his matted, dark grey fur. "Don't leave me ever again. Please don't catch greencough again…"

Stormstar's eyes shot open. "Skyfeather?" he rasped. "Skyfeather…"

Skyfeather shoved her forehead against Stormstar's. "I haven't heard your voice in the longest time…" she mewed, eyes glistening. "I've missed you."

Stormstar purred with her for a long moment before meowing, "I missed you too, Skyfeather." When the two were content with each other's presence, Skyfeather rested her head on Stormstar's back and closed her eyes. Now that she was sure Stormstar was okay, she could sleep much better, and unconsciousness filled her senses.