Brightstar, Leader of Clan Lunaris, bounded down the beach toward Twostones; but since tonight was a Gathering of the two Clans, Clan Lunaris and Clan Solashon, he would be called is official name, Star Bright. The rest of his Clan's party ran alongside him. His son, Ripmoon padded next to him. This was Ripmoon's first Gathering as a Warrior, he had been known as Rippaw until today. Brightstar's eyes gleamed with pride, Ripmoon's apprenticeship had been shorted than most, since he was so good at hunting and fighting, in fact, Ripmoon had single-pawedly defeated a fox that had broken in to the nursery, where his mother, Darkflower was with his younger brother, Shadowkit. Both queen and her kit had been asleep, so if Ripmoon hadn't noticed the fox, Shadowkit would have surly been eaten. But Ripmoon had seen the fox, and it was one who had troubled the Clan before, Ripmoon could tell by the scars on the fox's flank it was the one that had given the injuries that led to the death of Nightrain two moons earner. The young gray tom had immediately attacked the fox, and regardless of injuries, had kept slashing and biting at the fox until it turned-tail and fled. Yet even then Ripmoon had chased after it and didn't let go until Brightstar had pried him off of the gravely hurt and dying fox.

Brightstar turned to his deputy, Streamingcomet, "You know what might happen at this Gathering or the next one. What will your choice be?" the leader asked his deputy.

The orange cat replied, "Like you, I have a mate and kits. They cannot go on a long journey. There is nothing wrong with the beach forest. I am staying here."

Star Bright nodded, "I agree, we are safe here. I talked with Star Ray the other day; he does not want to move either. Raystar also has kits, he told me there were five of them, and they are still less than a moon old. But our Clan is getting smaller, and neither of us wants to force our cats to stay. If we did, they would just rebel, or wait for a leader who wants to leave or doesn't care."

A black she-cat with white paws mewed, "Brightstar, I smell Clan Solashon," the she-cat's tail pointed to their right; "they must be near Twostones!"

Brightstar sniffed, "You're right, Snowstep," he paused and yowled, "Clan Lunaris, to Twostones!

Clan Lunaris filed down the hill into the hollow. Clan Solashon arrived at the Place with Stones Numbered Two (twostones official name). In the center of the hollow, there was a sand dune where the leaders stood to address the Clans. The cats mingled together, greeting old friends and meeting other cats. Lightningheart, the medicine cat skidded around Star Bright and headed toward a white she-cat, Flowerpelt, Clan Solashon's medicine cat. Brightstar passed a dark tabby warrior, he stopped, "Greetings Darkpelt, how are you?"

Darkpelt replied, "Good, although getting apprentices to get ticks out of the elders pelt can be a hassle. And the elders always complain to me about it. I suppose 'cause the deputy oversees the training."

Brightstar grinned, "Yes that happened to me as well. You wouldn't believe the amount of complaining elders can do. Take care."

Darkpelt dipped his head, "You too, Star Bright."

Star Bright nodded to Star Ray, and then climbed up the Dune From Which Leaders Speak, or the Speaking Dune.

Star Ray mewed, "Clan Solashon, Clan of the Sun, and Clan Lunaris, Clan of the Moon, we gather here tonight, as ordered by the Clan of the Stars. Star Bright, would you like to speak first?"

"Thank you Star Ray," Brightstar mewed, "Clan Lunaris is doing fine. We have a new warrior here tonight, my son, Rippaw, is now Ripmoon." Star Bright paused as the cats welcomed the new warrior, "He defeated the fox that last moon killed Nightrain. Blueheart's kits born three moons ago now have names. They are: Badgerkit, Barkkit, Shorekit, Nightkit, and Streamkit. Other than that, our prey is running, and we are thriving."

Star Ray stepped forward, "Clan Solashon also brings a new warrior, Lynxpaw, my son, has taken the warrior name of Lynxsun. My mate, Hollyberry, gave birth to five kits at half moon. They are: Leopardkit, Whiskerkit, Clawkit, Treekit, and Shellkit. We also have two new apprentices: Foxpaw and Rabbitpaw. Clan Solashon is doing fine and has plenty of prey."

Brightstar found the path on the Speaking Dune and skidded down it, Raystar behind him. On the way down Star Bright mewed, "About leaving, you still don't want to go right?"

Raystar mewed, "What, Yes, of course I want to stay, why," the golden tom sounded weary, "have you changed your mind and want to go?"

"No!" Brightstar mewed, "I just wanted to make sure of your position. And make sure it's not just because you have kits that can't make a journey."

Raystar sighed, "You're right to be suspicious, but even if my kits were apprentices, or warriors even, I would still want to stay."

"Good," with that, Brightstar bounded away to join his Clan and go back to the camp.

The Gathering patrol arrived at camp around moon-high, however, much of the clan was still awake.

The Clan Lunaris camp was a dip in the forest on the edge of the beach surrounded by brambles, gorse, rocks, vines, a mound of sand on one side, and some dead trees. Ripmoon went immediately to the nursery. Darkflower was sitting in her nest next to Blueheart, watching their kits play. Ripmoon noted with pleasure that Cometkit, his other brother, was out Lightningheart's den and back in the nursery after he had a fever and cough.

Blueheart mewed, "Hello, Ripmoon, how was the Gathering of The Stars, Sun, and Moon?" giving the official name for the event.

"It was fine," Ripmoon mewed, "Star Ray's son is now a warrior, and Hollyberry has five kits. And they have two new apprentices, although they were apprenticed the day after the last Gathering."

"Wonderful," Darkflower mewed, "Isn't Mintear in the nursery as well?"

Blueheart nodded "Yes, her kits were born two moons ago, Heartkit and Stepkit." Blueheart looked up, "Ripmoon, would you mind getting us some prey that has been freshly killed?"

Ripmoon nodded and went to the pile of prey in a alcove protected by three boulders. He picked out three mice and a juicy vole, he was heading back to the nursery when Lightningheart called him.

"Ripmoon," the golden medicine cat mewed, "are you taking that prey to your mother and Blueheart?" When Ripmoon nodded he continued, "Then would you take this feverfew to your brother? I don't want him to get sick again."

The young warrior entered the nursery with the prey and herb, "Here you go, take your pick." He mewed to the too queens.

Cometkit bounced up to him, "Can we have a mouse to ourselves? Huh? Huh? Huh?"

Ripmoon purred, he looked at Darkflower, who nodded, "Cometkit, if you eat this feverfew," he pawed the herb next to him, "I'll get you and Shadowkit a mouse."

"Ok," Cometkit ate the herb quickly. Ripmoon smiled, and headed to get another mouse, after a moment's thought, he grabbed a vole as well.

Cometkit cannoned into Ripmoon at the entrance, Ripmoon dropped the mouse, and Shadowkit grabbed it. Then both kits disappeared into the nursery. Ripmoon entered once more, than pushed the vole towards Blueheart. "Here, this is for the kits," he sounded embarrassed, "they're at weaning now, right?"

Blueheart nodded, "Thank you, Ripmoon. Yes, they are weaned fully off milk."

Badgerkit added, "Ooo, yay, fresh prey. Thanks Ripmoon."

Ripmoon mewed, "Your welcome, Badgerkit." Ripmoon turned to leave; he wanted to ask his father something.

Ripmoon padded over to the part of the camp where the dead trees and sand/rock dune met. Star Bright's den was a cave in the dune supported by thick braches. He spoke from the tree next to his den, called the Moontree. The warriors den was a crack in a rock that led to a spaceish cave with a tunnel to more cave space. In the second cave there was another crack that led to a tunnel that went all around the camp boundary, and other entrances in the camp, as well as one outside. The medicine cat's den was a clearing that vines separated from the rest of the camp, there was a hole through the vines that had to be widened from time to time. Lightningheart slept in a bush on the edge of his clearing. The elders den was in one of the tree a trunk near Lightningheart's clearing. Apprentices slept in another cave with an entrance to the tunnel. There was also an entrance behind the nursery and medicine cat's den, which were right next to each other. When in time of attack, the Clan would use the tunnel as a place of safety. Fresh-kill was always in the tunnel, and the entrances were hidden.

Ripmoon padded up to the entrance of his father's den, "Brighstar?" he mewed.

"Ripmoon, come in," his father's voice boomed out of the sand.

Ripmoon entered, he saw that Streakingcomet was there. Good, he thought. "Brighstar, I have a question…"

Brightstar mewed, "Well, what is it?"

"I was wondering if when he is ready, I can be Badgerkit's mentor."

"Hum," Brighstar mused, "You're a young warrior," he added "Why do you want him?"

Ripmoon scuffed his paws in the dirt, "Well, he looks promising." Ripmoon paused "And… he's polite." He added a bit sheepishly.

"How is he polite?" Brightstar asked.

"Well, I was getting a mouse for Shadowkit and Cometkit, then thought that Blueheart's kits were about to start weaning, so I got then a shrew. Badgerkit was the only one of the five to thank me, and he waited to eat until Blueheart had finished divided up the shrew."

Brighstar turned to Streakingcomet, who looked ready to burst with pride, "Streakingcomet, Badgerkit is your son, so what do you think?"

"I would be honored for Ripmoon to mentor Badgerkit. Even though he is young, it will be three moons before Badgerkit is apprenticed. Besides, Ripmoon did avenge my brother, Nightrain, by killing that fox, and he was only an apprentice then."

Star Bright nodded, "Very well, Ripmoon, you may mentor Badgerkit, but don't tell him."