"Wake up!" Shrewpaw hissed in Darkpaw's ear, "It's almost dawn!"
Darkpaw jumped up and looked around his den. Goldenpaw and Longpaw were still asleep. He hoped he hadn't woke them. He crept out of the den with Shrewpaw, and headed towards Tinyberry and Stonecloud. Aside from them, Bluetail was the only cats up.
"I hear Nightkit is sick." Stonecloud mewed.
"He is." Shrewpaw answered for Darkpaw.
"The question was for Darkpaw!" Tinyberry growled.
"Go visit him," Stonecloud mewed, "then we shall leave."
Darkpaw ran to Whitewhisker's den. Inside, he saw Nightkit and Silverkit. "Is she sick to?" he asked her.
"No, just being a little helper." Whitewhisker purred, "But Brighteyes has caught the Greencough."
"I hope it doesn't get too bad." Darkpaw mewed.
"Trust me," Whitewhisker meowed, "nothing could be bad compared to last year's Greencough epidemic. All the clans caught it bad, and lots of snow just made it worse. It has been like that for three straight leaf-bares. All the clans went from very large to rather small in just 12 seasons." Her eyes seemed to be in the past.
"Ok, bye!" Darkpaw called as he ran out.
"Any news?" Stonecloud asked.
"Brighteyes is sick too.
"She's strong, she'll survive." He reassured.
"I agree." Tinyberry mewed, "Now let's get a move on!"
"Darkpaw, head for the cliffs. Shrewpaw, head for the stream. Meet here around sunhigh."
Shrewpaw and Darkpaw went their separate ways. At the top of their territory was a stream that arched in before entering a lake in Shadowclan territory. The forest stretched from this stream to the cliffs. Beyond the cliffs, was a beach, which led to the mighty River. Few had crossed the river and lived to speak of it. But in the center of the River, the moon rock lay. This is where Starclan communicated with leaders and Medicine Cats. Riverclan was next to them. They fish in the River and the part of the stream in their territory because the Twolegs built a monster camp, thunderpath and a wooden path. Their camp was now under the wood path. Twolegs usually shared tongues on Riverclan's half of the beach. In the Middle of all the territories, stood the tallest oak in the forest. It was known as Talltree. This is where the four clans would gather in peace every full moon. The four leaders sit upon it's branches and share news. One day, Darkpaw thought, maybe I will be privileged enough to sit upon those branches.
His thoughts were interrupted when he reached the cliffs edge. The sun was in the sky by now. He could not scent any prey at first, but then a swan caught his eye. That bird could feed half the clan. He thought. Then, he noticed something in it's beak. Owlkit! Darkpaw realized. He jumped off the cliff and raced to the swan. He jumped on it's back and the swan started shaking around. He noticed Stonecloud coming down to help. Darkpaw grasped it's neck tight between his teeth and Stonecloud rescued Owlkit. The bird collapsed.
"Starclan, thank you for the life of this swan." Darkpaw mewed.
"Don' thank Starclan!" Owlkit spat, "It tried to eat me!"
Stonecloud ignored her, "Drag the bird back to camp. I'm afraid your evaluation is over." He turned to Owlkit, "Your ear is bleeding."
"That mangy piece of Foxdung chewed it off!" Owlkit replied.
"Where did you hear that word?" Darkpaw asked, amused.
"Mudpelt."
Stonecloud and Darkpaw started laughing. Neither had ever heard Mudpelt say something close to as bad as that. Much of the journey after that was silent.
When they entered Thunderclan, they saw a camp in panic.
"Stonecloud!" Heatherspeckle wailed, "a swan came into camp, and took-" she cut herself off when she saw her kit, "Owlkit!" Heatherspeckle joyfully took her kit from Stonecloud and went over to the medicine cat's den.
Blackthroat padded over, "The swan thing must have ended the evaluation."
"Pretty much." Stonecloud responded, "But he did kill the bird."
"No help from you?"
"None"
"None what?" asked Shadestar, padding over.
"Darkpaw killed this swan with no help from Stonecloud." Blackthroat reported.
"Amazing!" Shadestar praised, "Bring that to the elders, then come to my den."
Darkpaw dragged the bird across camp to the elder's den. When he got into the den, all three elders looked up.
"Is that for us?" Mudpelt asked.
"Yes." Darkpaw replied, dropping the swan.
"Thank you!" Mousestalker called, as Darkpaw sprinted to Shadestar's den.
"Enter." Shadestar mewed. Darkpaw walked in. The den was dark, smaller than the apprentice den, filled with soft moss, and smelled of flowers. Darkpaw then sat down.
"I was very impressed with not only the catch of the bird, but the rescue of Owlkit." She paused, and twitched her whiskers, "How would you and Shrewpaw like to go to tonight's gathering?"
Darkpaw felt a sense of pride. He had been asked personally by his leader to go to his first gathering! "We would love to!" He mewed, trying to remain calm in front of his leader.
"Excellent. Be ready to leave by sunset. Eat before that, and tell Shrewpaw for me."
Darkpaw dipped his head in respect, and walked out. He hopped over to the fresh-kill pile and picked up a mouse. His paws were tingling, His first gathering! In the past, Leafpaw and Bluepaw had always gone to the gatherings. But, they were warriors now. Darkpaw finished the mouse, and decided to visit Nightkit.
Whitewhisker's den was loud and crowded. Nightkit and Brighteyes were in one corner with Silverkit tending to them, Owlkit was having her ear treated, and Lionkit was vomiting. To top it off, Owlkit was wailing and Heatherspeckle was harassing Whitewhisker with questions.
"Is the a bad time?" Darkpaw asked.
"The worst." Whitewhisker answered.
"What could I do to help?"
Whitewhisker's ears pricked. "You mean it?"
"Of course."
"Move Brighteyes and Nightkit to the empty hollow, so the sickness doesn't spread." Darkpaw open his mouth to say something, but Whitewhisker was faster, "Take Lionkit to the dirtplace, I don't want him damaging my herbs. Tell Heatherspeckle Owlkit Is fine."
"I'll try…" Darkpaw mewed. He padded up to Nightkit. "Go to the hollow on the other side of camp."
"Ok!" The kit squeaked. He ran over there.
Darkpaw turned to Brighteyes, "Do you need any help?"
"Of course not!" The old she-cat answered, "Come on Silverkit." They left.
Now for Lionkit. "Heatherspeckle," Darkpaw began, "Owlkit is okay. She can leave. It would be better if you took Lionkit to dirtplace, so he won't damage any of Whitewhisker's herbs."
"Ok." Heatherspeckle mewed. Owlkit skipped out as she picked up Lionkit.
"Thank you." Whitewhisker began, "I needed the quiet."
"No problem." Darkpaw replied, "Do you want a mouse or something?"
"No, but thank you. I already ate."
"Ok, then, see you later!" Darkpaw walked across the clearing and sat down near the camp entrance and sat down, waiting for Shrewpaw to return with loads of fresh kill.
Blackthroat emerged from Shadestar's den and sat down next to him. "Waiting for someone?" He asked.
"Yes, Shrewpaw. I am telling him we are going to the gathering tonight."
"This is your first."
How did he know that?
Blackthroat continued, "There's something you need to know."
Darkpaw's ears pricked. The look in Blackthroat's
"I am-"
He was cut off by the arguing of Tinyberry and Shrewpaw. "I'd bet my tail Darkpaw caught five times as much prey as you did!" Tinyberry snarled.
"That's because Stonecloud doesn't make noise every time Darkpaw's about to pounce!" Shrewpaw agued.
"Calm down, you two!" Blackthroat cut into there fighting.
"Shrewpaw only caught three rabbits all morning!" Tinyberry spat at the deputy.
"Show your deputy some respect." Shrewpaw growled.
"Show your mentor some respect!" Tinyberry retorted.
"Both of you, eat you're going to the gathering." Blackthroat mewed. He whispered something else in Tinyberry's ear, and then they padded away.
Shrewpaw picked up a mouse and started eating. "How did your evaluation go?" He asked.
"I didn't have one. A swan was trying to eat Owlkit on the beach, I saved her."
"I could have caught five rabbits and three mice, but Tinyberry kept scaring them off with her noise."
"Well, we still get to go to the gathering tonight."
At sunset, Shadestar, Blackthroat, Whitewhisker, Rockfall, Stonecloud, Icefur, Tinyberry, Sageleaf, Leafears, Shrewpaw, Darkpaw, Mousestalker, and Mudpelt left for the gathering.
"Are you excited?" Darkpaw asked Shrewpaw.
"Yes" He answered.
"Me too! Our first Gathering!"
"I wonder what it will be like?"
"I remember my first gathering." Mudpelt cut in, "All the leaders are different now."
"How long have theses leaders been leaders?" Shrewpaw asked.
It was Rockfall who answered, "Rainstar, Windclan's leader, is only in her tenth Moon. Cinderstar, leader of Shadowclan, is also new, in her fifth season. Barkstar has been leader about 16 seasons. Now Shadestar," He glanced over at the leader, "Is in her Thirteenth season." More quietly, he added, "She only has three lives left." He padded off.
"Thank you!" Darkpaw called.
Thunderclan was the first to Talltree. A short while later, Shadowclan arrived. Ravenwing, a medicine cat came up to Whitewhisker. "Any news on that prophecy?" She asked.
"What prophecy?" Whitewhisker asked.
"You know, that one you received in Greenleaf, 'A Great Darkness Will Fall Upon The Clans'? Surely you haven't forgotten?"
"Let's go talk to other apprentices." Darkpaw suggested. They padded over to a tabby tom. "Hi, I'm Darkpaw and this is Shrewpaw."
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Treepaw!" The tom replied, "Over there, that's Poppypaw." He leaned in. "She's so full of her self. She thinks she's all that and more because her dad is the deputy and she's pretty."
Windclan and Riverclan then arrived. Darkpaw wondered if the gathering would start soon. The leaders soon took their spots on Talltree, followed by the Deputies. Shadestar then yowled the Gathering to order.
The clearing fell silent.
"I will begin tonight," Barkstar, the leader of Riverclan, growled, "with a warning." He glared at Shadestar, and Darkpaw tensed. Was the leader going to say something about Thunderclan?