"It is only in adventure that some people succeed in knowing themselves, in finding themselves."
-Andre Gide

Blossompaw shook the water off her pelt and stared off at the island with a dreamy look in her eyes.

"...Blossompaw?" I meowed, poking her shoulder.

"Hmm? Oh right the Gathering!" Blossompaw meowed cheerfully. "C'mon let's go!"

My sister ran off to the island as if nothing had happened, and something did happen. I just didn't know what.

I followed her and my ears were introduced to the conversations of many cats gathered up in one area, much more than I've seen at camp.

As opposed to my nervous attitude towards the Gathering, Blossompaw leaped to a group of she-cat apprentices and joined in their conversation.

"Ugh, those she-cats are all the same. Gossipy and loudmouthed."

I turned around and once more saw Sagepaw. I was slightly surprised at his sharp comment.

"I don't mean your sister, sister right? I'm just guessing." Sagepaw rambled.

"Yeah, um...this is going to sound crazy. But I need your help." I told the tom. "StarClan told me about a journey to find the Crimson Heroine. And no, she's not dead. She's alive somewhere out there and we need to find her."

"Oh? Okay, but why me?" Sagepaw asked puzzled.

"They picked several of us, and I'm supposed to sense which apprentices are meant to go on the journey." I explained. "There should be one from ThunderClan and another from ShadowClan."

"How about we skip ShadowClan?" Sagepaw almost growled. "The only apprentices are those immature half-bloods over there."

I looked to the three orange cats chatting while pointing at other cats, and noticed the orange tom in the middle and realized that he was another journeying apprentice.

"The tom in the middle is meant to go." I told Sagepaw. He looked at me with disgust and then his ears flattened.

"How do I know you aren't just sending us away so you can plan an attack on our Clans?" Sagepaw growled. "My father Stormclaw would tear you a new one!"

Stormclaw? That name sounded familiar for some reason, but now was not the time for wondering. I had to keep these cats together and find ThunderClan's chosen apprentice.

"Just trust me, I wouldn't take only one apprentice from each Clan to plan an attack." I snapped. "I'd appreciate it if you'd ask him what his name was. But I've got another cat to look for."

I didn't wait for his response, but instead I headed towards the ThunderClan cats and saw my parents talking eagerly to a grey tom with green eyes and a black she-cat beside him.

"Hey, is that one of your kits?" Hailflower purred to Brownpelt, looking at me. "He looks just like you! Him and his sister should meet our kits!"

"Are they here now?" I asked hopefully.

"All three of them are! They're going to be the awesome-est warriors ever!" Hailflower meowed with joy. "The white tom is Snowpaw, the cream she-cat is Ferretpaw, and the grey she-cat is Hogpaw."

I turned around and saw two cats that were presumably Snowpaw and Ferretpaw and felt nothing, meaning the cat would most likely be Hogpaw.

"Where's Hogpaw at?" I asked.

"Over with those she-cats and your sister." Waspwing replied.

I remembered the she-cats Sagepaw had scoffed at and looked to see a grey tabby with green eyes. That was the last cat needed for the journey.

I was about to walk over and steer the grey tabby away from the group but I felt my Dad's tail on my shoulders.

"You trying to court a group of she-cats?" He teased.

"No, I just need to talk to one of them-"

"Dear, you've heard about having relations with cats of other Clans." Spidermoon meowed. "Bad things could happen."

"You two are friends with Hailflower and his mate." I pointed out.

"You know what she means." Dad told me.

I nodded impatiently and walked over to the grey she-cat.

"Hello, don't ya know this is gossiping territory only?" The grey tabby joked, then she followed me away from the group. "Just kidding, what's up?"

"Well, me and three other cats need to find the Crimson Heroine reborn in the mountains." I explained quickly.

"Awesome, an adventure! Finally!" The grey tabby purred without hesitation. "My name is Hogpaw! Who are these other cats?"

"Well I'm coming!" I was shocked to hear Blossompaw meow, running to Hogpaw's side. "Oakpaw, why didn't you tell me? I've been so bored in camp! And why would I miss an adventure searching for our lost aunt-"

"Okay! You can come." I gasped. "If I try to get you to stay I'll be here all night anyway."

"We can get to know each other better!" Hogpaw purred to my sister. "I didn't know this was your brother!"

"One and only! Who else is going?" Blossompaw asked eagerly.

"We are."

I turned around and was relieved Sagepaw and Lionpaw were walking side by side without arguing. Hogpaw looked not any less happy compared to my sister's tail swinging about as I heard her purr.

"You saved me at the river." Blossompaw whispered to Sagepaw. "Thank you again."

"It was nothing really." Sagepaw replied shyly, which seemed unlike him in the short time I knew him.

"Sagepaw was telling me about bringing back the Crimson Heroine." Lionpaw meowed with a slightly deep voice. "Mom always talks poorly of her, stealing her spotlight or something like that."

"What's her name?" I asked.

"Jioveheart."

"Our Clan always talks about her getting knocked up, ruining the prophecy, and taking off to ShadowClan." Blossompaw pointed out.

"Really?" Lionpaw looked faintly surprised. "You two will have to tell me more on the journey."

"This is going to be so much fun!" Hogpaw exclaimed. "Going on a journey for the Crimson Heroine!"

"Shush!" Sagepaw growled.

But it was too late, we looked behind us and a sleek evil-eyed tortoiseshell was staring down Hogpaw. It could only be Tawnystar, leader of ThunderClan.