A/N: Hey everyone! I've got a lot of inspiration for this fic right now, so you can look forward to a lot of updates, some of which happening today.

With so little time before their warrior ceremonies, I'm going to make this chapter the last chance to put input in for their warrior names. Right now the names I'm struggling to make a decision on are:

Mistypaw: Mistysong (for the silver tongue she's going to develop), Mistypelt (self-explanitory), and Mistypool (-)

Stonepaw: Stonefoot, Stoneheart, or Stonefrost (for his level-headed and logical approaches...? Idek.)

Shiverpaw: Shivermist or Shiverfrost

So without further ado, here's the next chapter! There's some drama coming~!

Chapter 9

Something was different. Mistypaw couldn't put her paw on what it was, but ever since Stonepaw and Sorrelpaw had gone on their Highstones journey, things hadn't been the same. Well they have been, the sleek blue-gray she-cat corrected herself with an inward frown. But they haven't been. They were so close to the end of their training that it hurt—just three days ago she and Shiverpaw had been taken by their mentors to Highstones and back, but Mistypaw had been so perturbed by their brothers' strange-but-not-strange behavior that she'd hardly been able to enjoy the journey. She could tell that Shiverpaw had noticed, too, but with Whiteclaw constantly mooning around her it was impossible to talk to the white and gray apprentice about it. So what am I supposed to do?!

Mistypaw let out a faint hiss, narrowing her eyes into a frosty glare as she stared down into the river. The first unfortunate fish to catch her eyes suffered for it, hooked almost instantly out of the water and killed with a quick, frustrated blow.

"Nice catch."

Mistypaw spun quickly, her fur bristling as the scent of ThunderClan swept over her senses. Oh. She didn't relax, even when she'd recognized Redpaw's distinctive tortoiseshell and red coat. She remembered vividly how ThunderClan had stood by and let Brambleberry die—and how they would have done the same to Sedgenose's kits if Shiverpaw hadn't disobeyed Loudbelly's orders. She also remembered how Redpaw had saved her sister.

"Were you using your tongue as bait or something?" Redpaw strolled to the edge of Sunningrocks, stopping with his toes on the RiverClan scent markers. "Mistypaw, right?"

Mistypaw tried to think of something to say—something dry and witty to send him running, something to express her gratitude for his standing in between Thistleclaw and Shiverpaw—but in the end she only spun back around, her plumy tail brushing his muzzle as she lashed it and snatched her fresh-kill up. She stalked to the river and plunged in, paddling quickly to the other side and disappearing into the safety of the reeds. You minnow-brain! That wasn't witty, that was ridiculous! Still, she pushed on. She gathered the prey she'd caught on her way to the river and trudged back to camp, her shoulders slumped under the weight of the thoughts spinning in her head.

She nearly ran straight into Stonepaw as she shouldered her way through the sedge tunnel.

"Oh, Mistypaw," the blue-furred apprentice averted his eyes. "Nice catch."

Mistypaw lashed her tail and dropped her fresh-kill. "Listen here, Stonepaw-"

"Mistypaw, there you are!" Loudbelly's voice cut off her furious remark. "You've been chosen for the Gathering tonight, come eat and get some rest."

"I've got to go out again," Stonepaw supplied quickly, "sorry, we'll talk later, I promise."

With a vehement hiss, Mistypaw snatched up her fish and vanished into the camp.

Needless to say, Mistypaw's mood could have been better when the time came to leave for the Gathering. It was known that Crookedstar planned on challenging Sunstar for the way his warriors behaved during the floods, and Silverpaw was babbling eagerly beside her like it was her very first Gathering all over again.

"I wonder if Thistleclaw will be there," she flexed her claws. "When we've become warriors he won't dare show his face around Sunningrocks again."

Sorrelpaw snickered. "By the time you've become a warrior Thistleclaw will be an elder, don't get your hopes up."

It was all Mistypaw could do to roll her eyes. "Knock it off, you two, or we're going to be left behind."

Oakheart and Crookedstar were joining them, and with a quick skim of the gathered cats, Crookedstar nodded and dove into the sedge tunnel. As swift and powerful as the river, his Clan-mates flowed after him. Mistypaw brushed past Sorrelpaw and Silverpaw to run by her mentor's side. Loudbelly welcomed her with a flick of his ears, and Oakheart flashed a warm glance over his shoulder.

They didn't slow until they neared Fourtrees, and Mistypaw came to an easy halt between Loudbelly and Leopardfur. The run had cleared her mind and lightened her mood, enough so that she raised her tail in a friendly greeting when Silverpaw caught up to her. Crookedstar flicked his ears and his patrol flooded down into the clearing. They were the last Clan to arrive, but with clear skies and bright moonlight, it seemed the other leaders were reluctant to start. Silverpaw bounced in place beside Mistypaw.

"Should we go talk to WindClan?"

"As long as they're not talking to any ThunderClan cats," the blue-gray apprentice sniffed haughtily.

Silverpaw's ears flicked back in distaste at the thought as she scanned the Gathered cats for the apprentices she'd met in WindClan. Mistypaw surveyed the Clans herself, noticing the rift between her own Clan-mates and ThunderClan. Not a single RiverClan warrior had approached a ThunderClan cat, and even as she watched, Graypool got up and walked away from a group as a ThunderClan warrior joined it. We'll never forgive them for killing Brambleberry.

"Ah, over there!" Silverpaw trotted away, leaving Mistypaw to follow more slowly. Sorrelpaw was already there, talking energetically about his trip to Highstones to a group of ShadowClan and WindClan apprentices. Mistypaw recognized Russetpaw and Tallpaw of ShadowClan, and Tornpaw of WindClan.

"Then," Sorrelpaw welcomed them to the group with a flick of his tail, "Crookedstar went in to share dreams with StarClan. It was eerie how quiet it got—and the wind itself seemed to carry the whispers of StarClan."

Mistypaw felt a chill creep down her spine. She too, had felt as if the wind was speaking to her when she'd journeyed to Hightstones. Duskfall and Graypool had seemed deaf to it, but Shiverpaw had grown jumpy after peering into Mothermouth, and Mistypaw had shared in her sense of unease.

"It's true," Tornpaw nodded matter-of-factly. "The wind that blows from beyond Mothermouth carries the voices of our warrior ancestors across the moors. Barkface often sits on the lookout rock when the wind blows from Highstones, listening for signs."

Silverpaw's eyes were as round as the full moon. "I can't wait to journey to Highstones…!"

"You've still got a lot of training to do before then, Silverpaw," Tallpaw pointed out with twitching whiskers. "Blackfoot said he would take me only days before my assessment."

Russetpaw nodded. "Featherstorm said the same to me."

Sorrelpaw opened his mouth, but was cut off by Crookedstar's yowl for the Gathering to begin. Mistypaw sat beside her brother, turning her attention to the Great Rock as all four leaders to their places.

"Hey."

Mistypaw whipped her head to the side as another soft pelt brushed her own, a ripple of apprehension and irritation flashing through her fur as she recognized Redtail. She swallowed the his rising in her throat and pointedly turned her attention back to the Clan leaders.

Sunstar, she realized, was stepping forward to speak first. Crookedstar shouldered him aside rather abruptly, stepping to the front of the rock with a lashing tail.

"It is with great sorrow that I must announce the passing of Brambleberry. She hunts among StarClan now," he paused, allowing the shocked murmurs and distressed wails to flood Fourtrees. Only when they began to die down on their own did he turned his piercing green gaze to Sunstar. "And it is ThunderClan's fault!"

The ThunderClan leader bristled to twice his size. "What?"

"You heard me," Crookedstar's voice adopted a chilling calm. "Our camp flooded—by StarClan's grace we've already moved back and made it even stronger than before—and in the floods, the nursery broke apart, sweeping away Sedgenose's litter." Gasps of horror rippled through the Clans, and many turned to look for the queen and offer their comfort. That's right, Mistypaw thought, her mind spinning. Let them feel what we felt. Then they'll see the truth.

"Fortunately," Crookedstar continued, "Brambleberry had gone back to retrieve some herbs. She saw their nest being carried towards Sunningrocks by the current and immediately dove in to rescue them. That's when a ThunderClan patrol showed up. They crouched on the opposite bank and watched as the raft the kits' nest had made bumped against the solid ground they stood on. Your warriors, Sunstar, watched, as that little raft broke and sent one kit into the water. And when he tried to climb up the nearest ground he could find? Your warriors kicked dirt and rocks down at him and threatened Brambleberry that any cat—no matter the age or position—that set paw on their territory would be killed."

Outraged yowls rose from every Clan, and though he was silent, Mistypaw chanced a glance at Redpaw and saw that his amber eyes were stretched wide.

"No such-"

"It did," Crookedstar snarled, cutting Sunstar off before he could defend his warriors. "Your warriors watched Brambleberry struggle to save Sedgenose's kits while trying to drown that one that had fallen off of the raft. And when one of our apprentices braved their hostility to save him, they tried to kill her as well." He swept on furiously, "The warrior code clearly states that kits—no matter which Clan they come from—are to be aided if they are in danger. Thistleclaw, Tigerclaw, and his apprentice, have all gravely broken that code. Because of them, Brambleberry is dead and one of Sedgenose's kits its grievously ill. I demand that you take responsibility."

From where she sat, Mistypaw could see Thistleclaw as he sprang to his paws. "Are you just going to take this fish-face's word on this, Sunstar?" He lashed his spiky tail as he yowled up to his leader. "He's lying!"

"Lying?!" Loudbelly sprang up beside Graypool, spitting vehemently. "I was there, too, I watched you try to drown Stripedkit!"

"And it was my apprentice you tried to kill," Graypool snarled.

Mistypaw could feel Sorrelpaw bristling beside her, and she willed her brother not to do anything rash.

"So what?" Mistypaw pricked her ears, spotting Tigerclaw's apprentice, Darkpaw, muttering to his Clan-mates just a few cats in front of her. "What's one kit and a medicine cat? It just makes it easier for us to take Sunningrocks back."

Sorrelpaw let out a low growl and stalked forward a few paces. "What did you just say?"

Darkpaw whipped around to face him, undaunted by Sorrelpaw's broad shoulders and deep growl as he sneered, "I said who cares. One less mangy, fish-faced kit to steal ThunderClan prey."

Before Mistypaw could move, Sorrelpaw had launched himself at Darkpaw. The gray-and-black tabby screeched, as if he never expected Sorrelpaw to have to the gall to attack him.

"Sorrelpaw, no!" Mistypaw lunged after her brother as the two apprentice fell into a shrieking tangle of fur and claws. She was surprised when Redpaw launched after her.

"Darkpaw, you mouse-brain!" He reached them first, taking Darkpaw's scruff and ripping him free of Sorrelpaw's claws. Mistypaw put herself between her littermate and the victim of his temper.

"Let go of me, Redtail!" Darkpaw thrashed about even as a thick cloud passed over the moon, shrouding Fourtrees in darkness. Mistypaw couldn't help but to prick her ears. Redtail? He was given his warrior name?

"StarClan are angry," Heatherstar's voice carried a chilled edge. "I think they express their displeasure in your warriors, Sunstar."

Misytpaw nudged Sorrelpaw back into his spot. "I'd be willing to bet they're showing their displeasure with you, minnow-brain!" She hissed under her breath. "Leopardfur is going to have your pelt off when we get back to camp, and I'm not going to save you!"

The cloud drifted aside, leaving Raggedstar to step forward. "If that was a sign of their displeasure, then the clouds clearing must be a sign of their agreement with Heatherstar's statement." He narrowed his eyes at Sunstar. "ShadowClan is as proud of its strength as any Clan, but not a single one of my warriors would leave a kit—even reeking of ThunderClan scent—stranded on the Thunderpath. You should be ashamed of your warriors." He lashed his tail and continued, "Regardless, we should finish this Gathering quickly. ShadowClan has little to report; the floods receding have left the marshes rich with prey."

He flicked his tail to beckon Heatherstar forward. She dipped her head graciously and announced, "WindClan also has little to report. A litter of kits has been born to Wrenflight, and the prey is running exceptionally well in the moorlands as well."

Sunstar didn't try to step forward, and no leader offered him the chance as Raggedstar called the Gathering to a close. Mistypaw stood, more than ready to be rid of the tension that crackled through the clearing.

"Mistypaw, wait," Redtail took a step after her, his ears back and tail low. "I didn't know what was happening before I arrived," he murmured quickly when she glanced back at him over her shoulder. "If I had been there instead…"

Mistypaw narrowed her eyes into a frosty glare. "You weren't there instead," she mewed coldly. "I appreciate you saving my sister's life, but I will not waste my time listening to you make excuses for your Clan-mates or yourself. The warrior code was broken, and all of ThunderClan is responsible." With one last spit, Mistypaw turned and padded quickly after her brother as he stormed to Leopardfur's side. The golden warrior didn't look pleased, but she didn't say anything as Crookedstar rallied them together and led the way out of Fourtrees. Mistypaw could help the regret that pricked her pads at how sharp she'd been with Redtail. He had, after all, saved Shiverpaw's life.

But Mistypaw knew she couldn't trust the tortoiseshell warrior, or the flutter in her heart every time his gaze met her own. I meant every word I said, she assured herself silently. No matter what, ThunderClan must answer for what they've done.