A/N: As promised, your double update! Enjoy!

Chapter Four: First Gathering Pt.2

Brackenpaw sat down a couple tail-lengths away from the other apprentices, a frown carved onto his face.

Rabbitkit walked up to him, "Good race, Brackenpaw, I figure that you should know that I'm the fastest kit in ForestClan. I can even sometimes beat Sunpaw and Bonepaw, so don't worry."

"Thanks," he muttered before getting up and heading towards one of the FieldClan warriors.

Rabbitkit starred at the ground. What a wreck her first gathering was turning out to be!

"Hey, don't worry, Brackenpaw's always like that," a squeaky voice sounded from beside her.

Rabbitkit shrugged, meeting the she-kit's green eyes.

"I'm Cherrykit," the black and gray kitten meowed, "I'm four moons old and this is my first gathering! What about you?"

"I'm Rabbitkit," she replied, "Same here. My mother is Breezeheart and my father is Cloudwhisker. Oh! And I almost forgot- this is my brother Snowkit!" she tapped Snowkit's shoulder with her tail.

Snowkit spun around, his gaze flickering from Rabbitkit to Cherrykit.

"What hap-happen to your ta-il?" he asked.

Cherrykit wagged her little stubby tail, bringing it to Rabbitkit's attention, "I was born that way. My mother has a short tail and so does my brother."

Snowkit tilted his head, not understanding.

"He's deaf, Cherrykit," Rabbitkit's voice shook slightly; then she turned to Snowkit and spoke slowly, "She was born that way."

He nodded his head in understanding.

"How come he understood you?" Cherrykit asked inquisitively.

"He can read my lips, but you can't speak to quickly. That's why he didn't understand you," Rabbitkit replied.

Cherrykit smiled, "That's so cool! Hi Snowkit! My name is Cherrykit and I'm your age!"

"Hi Ce- Cerykit," Snowkit grinned.

Blizzardstar's voice broke the idle chatter, "Cats of FieldClan and ForestClan, welcome to the gathering! Lionstar, would you like to go first?"

Rabbitkit realized that the cave had filled back up with cats and a large pile of freshkill was in the center of the area.

Lionstar dipped his head to the ForestClan leader, "FieldClan has prospered over the past moon. Also Mistystripe's kit, Yarrowkit, has reached his sixth moon!"

A large ginger tabby tom-kit near Rabbitkit approached the ledge the leaders were standing on.

"Yarrowkit, from now on you shall be known as Yarrowpaw," Lionstar announced, "Your mentor will be Ashfall. Ashfall, you have shone great courage and talent and I expect you will pass these onto young Yarrowpaw. Yarrowpaw! Yarrowpaw! Yarrowpaw!"

Rabbitkit joined in the chant with the rest of the clan cats and Yarrowpaw shyly grinned, touching noses with a dark gray tom.

"Also Clawkit, Patchkit, and Cherrykit have reached their fourth moon and are attending their first gathering. That is all," Lionstar sat down, allowing Blizzardstar to take the spotlight.

The white leader smiled, "ForestClan is also doing well. Breezeheart and Cloudwhisker's kits, Snowkit and Rabbitkit, have reached their fourth moon and are attending their first gathering, too. Velvetstep's kit, Goldenkit, will reach his sixth moon by next gathering. We also have two apprentices who have completed their warrior training and are ready to become warriors. Hazelpaw, Graypaw, please step forward."

Graypaw had joined his sister's side and they both made their way over to the ledge.

"Go Hazelpaw!" Sunpaw yowled; then nervously looked at her paws as every head turned towards her.

Blizzardstar shook her head, choking back a fit of laughter, "Cloudwhisker, Songheart, do you agree that your apprentices are ready to become warriors?"

"Graypaw is a brilliant hunter and has fighting skills that match any normal warrior," Cloudwhisker dipped his head to his sister, his eyes showing his nervousness.

"Hazelpaw has excellent reaction timing which makes her fighting supreme. She is an efficient hunter but tends to be jumpy from time to time-" Songheart paused.

Hazelpaw drew in her breath.

"But that should leave as she matures. She is most definitely ready for her warrior title," Songheart finished.

Blizzardstar nodded, "Very well. Hazelpaw, Graypaw, do you promise to follow the warrior code and to defend your clan with your life?"

"I do," Graypaw stood proudly.

Hazelpaw's voice shook as she copied her brother, "I do."

"From now on Graypaw, you shall be known as Grayscar. Hazelpaw, you shall be known as Hazelblossom. May StarClan give you both many moons to serve your clans and may you train the future generations wisely. That's all for ForestClan" Blizzardstar jumped down from the ledge and greeted both of the new warriors.

"Grayscar, Hazelblossom, Grayscar, Hazelblossom!" Rabbitkit joined in with the cheer.

"And that means we can eat now!" Sunpaw raced over to the freshkill pile.

A hushed noise fell over the clan cats as a ragged-looking rogue stumbled out of the tunnel and into the cave. She fell to her side, panting heavily.

Blizzardstar gasped, "Nadia!" she sprung over to the black she-cat.

Feathersky was already there, "Mosspaw! Sunlily!"

A FieldClan cat joined Feathersky and her apprentice.

"Who's that?" Cherrykit asked.

Rabbitkit shrugged, "I can ask Ravenheart! He knows a lot about our clan history!"

"Who?" Cherrykit tilted her head.

"Ravenheart, he was Blizzardstar's apprentice and he's the best storyteller in the clan! He's over there-" Rabbitkit raced up to the black ForestClan tom.

Ravenheart spun around, "Oh, hey Rabbitkit," his eyes continued to stay on the rogues limp form.

"Ravenheart, who is that?" Rabbitkit asked, "Cherrykit and I were wondering."

"Nadia. We haven't seen her in moons. She helped our clan from time to time and one time she stopped a huge greencough outbreak by giving Feathersky catnip," Ravenheart now focused his attention on Rabbitkit, "Go find Snowkit and your mother."

Rabbitkit nervously nodded and headed back over to Cherrykit, "I have to go, see you next gathering!"

"Aww…" Cherrykit complained, "Why can't you stay longer?"

Rabbitkit shrugged, "I'm just following orders-"

Lionstar cut off their conversation, "FieldClan is leaving. Only Sunlily and Rockpelt will stay here until ForestClan can take Nadia back to their camp."

Blizzardstar's voice rose above the commotion, "All of ForestClan is leaving except for Dovetalon, Cloudwhisker, Forestpath, Ravenheart, Feathersky, Mosspaw, and I. Breezeheart will lead you back to camp."

"Rabbitkit, Snowkit, come on," Breezeheart called.

"Bye Cherrykit!" Rabbitkit turned to her friend but realized that she had already left with FieldClan.

"Rabbitkit! Snowkit!" Breezeheart called once again.

His pelt was neatly groomed, flawless. There were perks to being the prince of the town.

"Akain, you know that your father wouldn't want you to sneak away again. Imagine what the clan cats would do if they found you?! They would surely torture you for being his son. Imagine how cruel they would be just because you have parents that are high status!" the white she-cat beside him rambled on.

"Frost?" Akain glared at her.

"What? I'm just-"

"Shut up," Akain growled, "Will you ever leave?"

"Sorry sir, yes sir," Frost scurried off.

Akain dug his claws into the ground, ripping out large chunks of grass. A sly grin formed on his face as he looked up. An old, burnt down twoleg den stood out in the horizon. Akain smirked and made his way towards it. The guards at the door dipped their heads to him.

"Rise," Akain's voice was stony.

"Prince, sir, may I ask what you need from your humble servants?" the one tom asked, his voice shaking.

Akain glared at him, "Stop quivering, mousebrain."

He immediately straightened up.

"I want to see the prisoner Nimble, the young daughter of the loner Nadia."