This chapter is from Mudpaw's point of view. I thought I'd better say so just so you don't get confused. I'm going to be doing a lot of the chapter's from the points of views of some of the other cats, just because I think it's always interesting to take a break from the main character and see what's going on in one of the other characters' heads. Anyway, enjoy!

Chapter 2

Whoa, thought Mudpaw as Cottonstar led the Clan down into Fourtrees. He had never been to the place at nighttime before, and he had to say, it looked absolutely splendid bathed in the light of the full moon. Each of the leaves on the four solid oaks was outlined in silver, and that made the entire clearing glow like a large star. He could scent that WindClan was the first Clan to get here, and couldn't stop a smirk from spreading across his features at that. I always knew WindClan was the best! he thought to himself.

Just then there was a rustling from the bushes at the top of hill on the ThunderClan side of the clearing. Mudpaw turned his head sharply just in time to see the ThunderClan cats speeding down the hill and spilling out into the clearing. He watched as one of the ThunderClan cats, a large dark mottled tabby tom, pushed his way through the throng of cats and leaped up onto the Great Rock alongside Cottonstar. "Greetings, Razorstar," murmured the white she-cat softly.

"Hello, Cottonstar," returned Razorstar, and Mudpaw realized that he must be ThunderClan's leader. He stared hard at the tom, never having seen the leader of another Clan before. He wondered what qualities he possessed to make a good leader and whether any of the ThunderClan apprentices thought the same about Cottonstar. Just then, Razorstar seemed to notice him staring, and swung his head around to stare at Mudpaw. The small WindClan felt as the amber eyes of Razorstar could see straight through him, and, shuddering, turned to see if he could find any friendly ThunderClan.

Mudclaw sighed and nodded his head, though privately he wished that he had never spoken to the cat he was now engaged in a more-or-less one-sided conversation with. He was currently listening to what seemed to be the life story of this dreadfully boring ThunderClan apprentice named Foxpaw, and all he could think of was how much he wished that a hawk would swoop down out of the sky and carry him away, if only he could escape this dangerously boring exchange without appearing rude!

"So then," continued Foxpaw, pausing to almost choke on his own laughter, "So then me and Brindlepaw chased the squirrel right up the tree and it threw acorns at us! Our pelts stung for moons afterwards!"

Mudpaw nodded in a not-so-interested sort of way and, while Foxpaw was laughing again, rolled his eyes. Foxpaw was just about to continue when Mudpaw interrupted. "I'm sorry, I think I've just spotted a friend. Thanks for this very entertaining conversation."

"Sure. Anytime." said Foxpaw, as if he didn't realize that he had just been blown off by a younger apprentice. Mudpaw hastened away, fervently hoping that Foxpaw would just drop dead before he made someone else die from listening to his boring converstion. He was so busy hoping this and being relieved at finally escaping Foxpaw that he didn't notice the pale gray she-cat crossing in front of him. He crashed into her and sent both of them tumbling to the ground.

"I'm sorry!" he apologized hastily, leaping to his paws. "I should have been paying attention to where I was going. I-"

"Forget about it." interrupted the pale-gray she-cat, blinking her blue eyes at him. "It's nothing an introduction and a seat when the Gathering officially begins won't cure." She smiled, "So what's your name? I'm Willowpaw."

"I- I'm Mudpaw, of WindClan." stammered Mudpaw. He had never stammered before in his life, and all of a sudden his mouth felt very dry.

"Well Mudpaw, nice to meet you." She suddenly swung her head very sharply to look over her shoulder, her muzzle lifted high as she scented the air. "Hey, ShadowClan and RiverClan have finally decided to show up! It's about time! Hey, since it seems like the Gathering's going to start soon anyway, what do you say about getting those seats?"

Mudpaw just sat there stunned as Willowpaw began to saunter off. Half of what she had just said hadn't yet begin to be processed by his brain, and he was still pretty surprised that she thought it was nice meeting him. It therefore came as quite a surprise to him when he heard her asking him, "Are you coming?" and looked up to see her almost two fox-lengths away from him and looking back over her shoulder.

Recovering quickly he stumbled to his paws and hastened to catch up with her, saying, "Yeah, I'm coming," as he did so. He caught up with her and the two headed for a seat a respectable distance from the Great Rock, but not so far away that they couldn't see. As the Gathering began, the two sat in a comfortable silence, listening intently to the different leader's speak, but not a single word of what they were saying registering in their minds.

Author's Note: Yeah, okay, I realize it's a little short, but the next chapter is going to be longer, I promise!