I worked hard on this chapter, even though I'm not quite proud of it. The length of it has drifted lower, but I may return back to the small length of the beginning chapters of the story so I can update more constantly. I write very slow due to me wanting to put the words perfectly into the story. Also, I suffer constantly through writer's block and have delayed me a little in writing the chapters. I've also had lack of inspiration since this is the fourth chapter I've written without a review. I've also been very irritable lately due to me being overwhelmed. This is what I get for overworking myself, especially since I'm eleven... Please Read-&-Review because it'll take a little time out of your day to make mine better. Thank you, and the next chapter will be very fun to write because that'll be when someone... ah, just wait until it comes out. xD

To my reviewers:

Random Person In ur Bushes - You reviewed almost all the chapters! Thanks you. :D

Icestar of ForestClan - Thank you for pointing out that mistake. That line is fixed, thanks to you for pointing it out. C:

brackenfurlover123 - Thanks, and I hope you find time to read it.

GinnyStar - I appreciate you reviewing and I'm delighted by your feedback!

()()()()()

AN: I'd like to point this out; the beginning was very tough to write since I wrote this during a major writer's block... Hope it didn't turn out too terribly.

Approximate words in Chapter 11: (3,401)

Chapter 11

"Why have you harmed Jadepaw?" Ashstar demanded. It was the evening of the day Dawnpaw had critically damaged Jadepaw in retaliation of Jadepaw's hostile taunts. After they had taken Jadepaw to the medicine cats' den, Ashstar had called Dawnpaw to his den for a direct explanation of Dawnpaw's battle with him. Ashstar lay on his moss bedding, the sunset casting shadows among his light gray fur, almost completely engulfing him in darkness. The sun was sinking below the horizon, the sun's glittering rays dimming into twilight.

After an extensive moment of silence, Ashstar flicked his tail in annoyance. "Well?" He croaked, his throat barely enduring a snarl.

Dawnpaw's mind was spiraling, his mind completely focused on summoning up words that completely explained his actions without appearing to intentionally harm Jadepaw that severely. "It was all on accident." Dawnpaw attempted to keep his voice stern and straight, but failed. "I never meant to harm Jadepaw, we were just. . ." He trailed off in search of words. "Having a small argument."

"Oh?" Ashstar seemed to be losing his patience. "So that's why you almost murdered Jadepaw?"

Dawnpaw flinched at his words, his heart making a gigantic leap. He couldn't answer any of his questions without appearing as if he deliberately meant to harm Jadepaw. Dawnpaw couldn't help but make out a thought that was hidden in his mind. Are they right? Did I actually mean to harm him?

Shaking his destructive thoughts away, he burned his gaze into Ashstar's dark green eyes. How was he going to answer him? "I accidentally did it. I wasn't trying to murder him, I just lost my temper." Dawnpaw's anxiety began to shallow as he thought he had chosen the right words.

Ashstar allowed his gaze to burn into Dawnpaw's pelt hotly, keeping an ice cold stare at him. After a few heartbeats, which seemed almost like a moon to Dawnpaw, Ashstar released his hostile activity, and exchanged it with affection.

"I understand." Ashstar's voice was much softer and charitable. "But I have no choice but to discipline you. You'll have elder duty until I say otherwise. You are still chosen to come to the Gathering, but make sure you don't make a mistake like that again. Jadepaw's wounds weren't severe enough to kill him, and should return to his apprentice duties in two sundowns. You may leave my den to begin your punishment. Eclipsefoot should have mouse-bile for removing the elders' ticks."

Relief flooded itself over Dawnpaw's body, allowing his mind to be greeted with warm rest. All he had to do was attend to the elders until Ashstar dismissed him from his punishment. Dawnpaw turned his back to Ashstar and began to trot toward the exit of Ashstar's den, and turn his direction toward Eclipsefoot's den.

Before Dawnpaw could reach the mouth of the medicine cats' den, Lightpool emerged from the gorse tunnel and rushed over toward him. Panting, she summoned up words. "What did Ashstar say?" Lightpool remained calm, but clearly allowed her curiosity to be shown. She had been awestruck at the sight of Dawnpaw's accidental injury toward Jadepaw, but seemed to understand that he didn't intentionally try to harm Jadepaw.

Dawnpaw sighed with annoyance, flashing a glance at the entrance of Eclipsefoot's den. "Ashstar told me that I have elder duty until he tells me otherwise," he explained. "I'm still able to attend the Gathering."

Lightpool brightened at this. "That's great," she praised. "I have to keep my warrior vigil tonight, so I'm not able to go."

Lightpool's light brown fur began to dim with the rays of the sinking sun, almost sinking itself in the earth completely to allow night to sweep among them. "Yeah," Dawnpaw replied. "I better fetch the mouse-bile to attend to the elders before we set out for the Gathering. It won't be long from now."

Lightpool nodded. "Okay," she meowed. "Hopefully Ashstar doesn't make you stay on elder duty for too long!" Lightpool added the last part whimsically while she trotted toward the gorse tunnel. Dawnpaw kept his gaze fixed on Lightpool for a few heartbeats until she vanished into the depths of the tunnel.

Dawnpaw released his sustained stare and forced his attention toward retrieving mouse-bile from Eclipsefoot. Pressing himself inside the entrance, he caught sight of a moving blue gray shape scurrying around the den. It was Eclipsefoot attending to Jadepaw's injuries that Dawnpaw constructed. In an attempt to catch Eclipsefoot's attention, he suppressed a mew from his jaws.

"Eclipsefoot?" He meowed, awaiting for her green gaze to be fixed on him. Eclipsefoot twisted her head to gaze at Dawnpaw, opening her jaws to utter words.

"Welcome Dawnpaw," she mewed with soothing affection as she pressed cobwebs onto Jadepaw's open wounds that still dripped blood. She obviously was trying to avoid a conversation about Dawnpaw's past actions. "What do you need?"

Dawnpaw observed Jadepaw's motionless body for a quick moment before responding, his eyes struggling to avoid gazing at the results he had caused. "I need mouse-bile," he replied. "Ashstar gave me elder duty for a punishment."

"Ah, well I have some in stock," she meowed, keeping her voice steady and friendly. "Just hold on a moment."

Dawnpaw observed Eclipsefoot stalking around the den, stumbling over herbs as she scavenged her den for mouse-bile soaked moss. The sun was barely leaning over the horizon, glittering flickering red rays upon the clearing. They would have to depart for the Gathering soon and make the journey to Fourtrees. Excitement prickled at his paws like thorns would in his bedding. This was going to be his first Gathering. As Dawnpaw was clinched in the grasps of bliss, Eclipsefoot dabbed him with her paw to possess his attention.

Dawnpaw shook off the clinging excitement that still dwelled in his body, and focused his attention toward Eclipsefoot. Eclipsefoot flicked her tail at the damp moss that lay on the ground.

"There's the moss," Eclipsefoot meowed. "Make sure you don't get any of the bile on your tongue, or you'll have that taste stay in your mouth for days."

Dawnpaw nodded and bent down to grasp the moss where there was no bile, and headed toward the elders' den, dragging his moss across the clearing with disappointment, the past still comprehensible in his mind as clear as the stream near the border of RiverClan.

***

The full moon glittered in the starlit sky, the moon hovering above the forest. Ashstar led the ThunderClan cats, who were chosen to come, up the slope toward Fourtrees. Dawnpaw had remained behind Snowtail, his body soaked in warm anticipation. Dawnpaw's conversation with Grayfur played in his mind rapidly. Fourtrees was the place where all the Clans joined together. Every full moon the Clans met here with their warriors under the sacred truce set by StarClan to exchange news and other things that was present in their territories.

Ashstar came to a halt at the top of the slope, his gaze burning onto the clearing that was presented to him. Dawnpaw had stayed at the back of the group with Snowtail, awaiting for Ashstar's signal to enter the clearing. Dawnpaw caught a glance at the tips of the four oaks that gave the clearing its name. In the distance, he could catch the mingled scent of WindClan, ShadowClan, and RiverClan, all of the cats' scents unfamiliar.

Eagerness clawed at Dawnpaw's body as he fixed his gaze at the top of the four oaks. The stars of Silverpelt glimmered in the sky as if their warrior ancestors were gleaming down upon the clearing, making Dawnpaw's paws tingle with excitement. Dawnpaw felt confident of meeting new warriors and apprentices of rival Clans, even though this was his very first Gathering. Dawnpaw still wished that Lightpool could have came along, but she had to remain at camp sit vigil for her warrior ceremony. Lightpool seemed to be the only friend he had in camp, besides his mentor, Snowtail.

Dawnpaw brought his gaze upon Ashstar as he delivered the signal to move down into the clearing, where the other Clans were, with his tail. Dawnpaw leaped over the edge of the hollow, racing down the slope behind Snowtail eagerly. Pushing himself through the bushes to present himself into the clearing, he remembered his fight with Jadepaw. Regret stabbed at Dawnpaw's heart violently as the memories flashed in his mind. Do I deserve to come? He interrogated in his mind.

The moon glittered among the clearing, revealing a huge amount of cats. Excitement reveled through his mind. This was the most cats he had ever seen in his life! Ashstar bounded toward the Great Rock, where all the leaders exchange news with the other Clans. Some cats were seated beneath it already, and others were uttering words to each other. Dawnpaw could hear unharmful gossip summoned from a few of the cats that were spread amongst the clearing. Dawnpaw felt lost with all the crowds of cats surrounding him, his mind spinning with confusion.

Dawnpaw could make out a snow white shape at the tip of his gaze, the shape zooming toward him. It was Snowtail. Snowtail positioned herself in front of Dawnpaw, her bright blue eyes gleaming passionately. "Dawnpaw, I'd like you to meet a few cats I know," she meowed.

Dawnpaw's heart felt like warmth grasped at his heart. He'd love to meet new cats. "Okay," he meowed eagerly, padding after Snowtail when she flicked her tail to follow her.

Snowtail brought him across the clearing to a group of unfamiliar cats that all had the mixed scent of RiverClan and WindClan. One was a dark brown tabby tom with black stripes, his eyes gleaming at the sight of Snowtail and Dawnpaw. Beside him was a beautiful tortoiseshell she-cat, her gaze fixed sternly on the two approaching cats.

"Snowtail!" the tortoiseshell meowed with warm greeting. With a glance at Dawnpaw, she added, "So this is your apprentice you've been telling me about?"

Dawnpaw turned his gaze to Snowtail, awaiting her response. "Indeed, Spiritheart," she mewed. "He's a fast learner and will make a fabulous warrior." Dawnpaw's body filled with embarrassment at her courteous praise.

This time the dark brown tabby spoke. "He appears to be strong and healthy," he meowed. "I agree with you, Snowtail. I can't wait to see how well he will turn out!"

Dawnpaw's eyes glowed with his praise, touching noses with the two warriors. The two cats appeared to be young warriors, and Dawnpaw guessed this was their first Gathering as a warrior. Snowtail gazed as Dawnpaw greeted the pair of cats, and broke into conversation as they finished.

"Thank you, Rustwing." Her voice was smooth with affection. "Is all well in RiverClan?"

"Yes," Rustwing meowed, matching her friendly tone. Turning his gaze to the tortoiseshell, he added, "Spiritheart, is all well in WindClan?"

"Yes, prey is plentiful despite the approaching leaf-bare," Spiritheat meowed. Dawnpaw wondered how that was possible, since he realized that prey has been scarce in ThunderClan territory. Dawnpaw's thoughts were cut off as Snowtail began to speak once more.

"All is well in ThunderClan," Snowtail meowed, with a glance at Dawnpaw. Dawnpaw suspected that was a lie, but remained silent.

Dawnpaw glanced at the summit of the Great Rock. Dawnpaw noticed that there were a few cats waiting on the moonlit summit, gazing down on the clearing with bright eyes. After a few heartbeats, two other cats sprang next to them. All of them were quite young, but appeared to be strong, their massive muscles bulging out of their heavy shoulders. Dawnpaw recognized Ashstar positioning himself next to a pale gray she-cat, who was between a blue gray she-cat and a long-haired silver tom.

Snowtail glinted her gaze upon Dawnpaw's black and gray fur, lowering her head to mutter words in Dawnpaw's ear. "That's Runningstar," she meowed, pointing her nose to the young silver tom that sat upon the Great Rock.

"That's Leafstar," she continued, pointing her nose to the pale gray she-cat that was among the four cats of the Great Rock. "And that's Rainstar." She removed her nose in the direction toward Leafstar and fixed it upon the blue gray she-cat he had noticed earlier on the Great Rock.

The leaders spoke to one another before Ashstar, the eldest of the clan leaders, motioned himself toward the front of the Great Rock, and released a yowl to possess the crowd's attention. All the cats flashed their gazes among the Great Rock where all the leaders were, all seeming to begin to listen with interest.

"Cats of all Clans, welcome," Ashstar rasped amongst the leaders so all the cats in the clearing could hear him. Turning to face the other leaders that were sitting among the Great Rock, he asked, "Who will speak first?"

Leafstar sprang from where she sat, padding beside Ashstar. "I will." Her voice was stern and serious. The moon glittered high in the dark sky, the glimmering rays of the moon casting itself among her pale gray fur, making her fur appear as bright as the stars of Silverpelt.

"Prey is plentiful in ShadowClan, and remain strong and prepared for leaf-bare," Leafstar rasped. Dawnpaw listened quietly and excitedly to the news of ShadowClan. They appeared to be thriving as she mentioned that they had gained a new warrior and new kits.

After Leafstar ended her news, she stepped back to allow Runningstar to speak. "WindClan remain the same as ShadowClan; prey is plentiful and we remain strong. We have gained new apprentices and new kits and are well prepared for leaf-bare." With a glance at the gleaming moon, he added, "We have ran into trouble with a badger, but our warriors Darkstep and Yellowfur drove it off our territory. Hopefully it's ridden from the forest."

This news made a few cats stir with the thought of the badger camping on their territory, but remained calm and didn't demand the direction of where they drove off the badger. Runningstar stepped back and signaled with his tail for Rainstar to come forward.

Rainstar stalked to the front of the Great Rock with a glance at Runningstar, who positioned himself next to Ashstar. With an uneasy glance at the crowd of the cats, she meowed, "RiverClan's prey is plentiful as well, with plenty new kits, apprentices, and warriors. We are well prepared for the upcoming leaf-bare." With the words summoned, she drew back at the side of the Great Rock, flicking her tail for Ashstar to come forward.

Ashstar faced the crowd of cats. "Our prey has been left scarce, with fewer kits and fewer apprentices." Turning his gaze at Dawnpaw, he added, "We found a strange scent at the side of our territory, near the Thunderpath at ShadowClan's border. May I ask you, Leafstar, if you have picked up this scent as well?"

Leafstar's eyes stirring with uneasiness. "Yes," she answered, flicking her tail disturbingly. "Olivefur's night patrol had caught it near the same area. We figured it was just a rogue who had just come to hunt, but must have gone." Leafstar's gaze flashed at a ginger tabby tom at the foot of the Great Rock. Dawnpaw figured it was Olivefur.

"Very well," Ashstar meowed. "If you scent it again, feel free to send a messenger into our camp to notify us." Ashstar flashed his gaze back at Dawnpaw. "We have gained two new apprentices and a warrior. We have brought homeless loners into our clan and are currently being trained as apprentices," Ashstar pointed with his nose toward Dawnpaw to address the Clans where he stood.

Exasperated yowls broke out amongst the crowd. He could hear an unfamiliar dark gray tom at the back of the clearing yowl, "Has ThunderClan gone mad? Why bring loners inside your clan!"

Embarrassment flooded throughout Dawnpaw's scrawny body as the cats in the clearing burned their gazes on him with anger.

Ashstar yowled to break the silence, ignoring their hostile protests. "ThunderClan has run short on warriors, and I admit that we are weak at the moment. We have had rapid deaths amongst the clan, and we found this loner when he was a kit. He was helpless and starving. We couldn't just leave him to die, and we needed more warriors. It was only sensible to bring him into the clan," he snapped.

The yowling died down, murmurs of agreement ran from the crowd. "Dustheart and Swiftpelt's kits have been deceased." Cats from the other clans began to break out into murmurs at this, but continued to listen to Ashstar without question. Dawnpaw listened as he reported more news about ThunderClan, addressing the new kit, Shadekit, and the new apprentices. He mentioned Lightpool's warrior ceremony while he exchanged his news, the Clans chanting her name to congratulate her, despite her not currently present at the Gathering.

As the Gathering drew to a closing and the cats began to separate into their own Clans, Dawnpaw followed Ashstar back to camp with the group of ThunderClan cats drowsily, anticipating to get some rest for tomorrow's elder duty. Lightpool would still be on her sit vigil when they arrived back inside their territory, and he couldn't wait to see her again. Dawnpaw couldn't help but wonder how well Shadekit and Jadepaw were doing. A sudden realization raked across Dawnpaw's mind. Both of their injuries were caused by him. Dawnpaw gritted his teeth and as they entered the clearing of ThunderClan territory, he couldn't help but drift off into wondering if Ashstar made the right choice to bring him inside the Clan. All he had brought to ThunderClan was blood-shed and hatred. How long would it be until he was promoted a warrior so he could journey to find the rogues in search of more answers of the prophecy? Or will it be too late?