Agreement

Bluestar lead her group of cats through the forest to the Fourtrees. Along the ravine, Fireheart pads quickly to Bluestar and asked if he can talk to her.

"Take the lead, Tigerclaw," she said in a loud voice.

The large brown tom dipped his head and flicked his tail. The patrol followed him. Nightfrost padded along with them, looking back once at Fireheart and Bluestar. The group reached a patch of grass before the slope. Cats murmured how would they go to the gathering without their leader.

"I will get Bluestar, Dark-."

"I'll get them. After all, the deputy should stand in watch if the leader is temporary gone," Nightfrost meowed, not trusting the deputy after that night. There was no way he was going to let him near his brother if he didn't feel anything about his apprentice's death.

Tigerclaw glared at Nightfrost. Nightfrost almost glared back, but keep a strong look. "Fine, Nightfrost, you get Bluestar and Fireheart."

The black tom dipped his head and ran back to where the two are along the path.

"We all know that Ravenpaw has a vivid imagination. He was badly injured in the battle, and he left before the fighting was over. Can you be sure he didn't fill in the parts he'd missed?"

Nightfrost looked up to see Bluestar questioning Fireheart about Ravenpaw. Why were they talking about Ravenpaw? He knows the dead apprentice was friends with his brother but what Bluestar just asked Fireheart seem to go pass that.

"I don't know. I didn't get to ask him more about it before he was forced to leave."

"What?" Nightfrost decided to disrupt them before he ended up listening for too long and Tigerclaw would come to see what was going on.

"Bluestar, we are waiting for you at the border."

Fireheart twisted his head to see Nightfrost before breathing a sigh of relief. Bluestar nodded.

"Tell Tigerclaw we will be there in a moment, Nightfrost."

Nightfrost nodded and left carefully, making sure they won't see him but staying close enough for him to hear them by hiding behind a clump of ferns. Fireheart continued talking.

"Are you going to bring Ravenpaw back to the clan?"

"No, Ravenpaw is probably happier where he is now. We should let the clan carry on believing that he died. Tigerclaw is a great warrior but he is also very proud. It would be better if he believes his apprentice died in battle instead of running away."

"Is it because Tigerclaw would look for him?"

Bluestar's voice became stern and somewhat impatient. "It is because it is better if Ravenpaw is remembered as a dead hero, not a live coward."

Bluestar suddenly jumped through the clump of ferns. Her eyes looked surprised at him and padded forward with him at her tail. He hears another rustle of ferns as Fireheart's scent becomes stronger.

The group reached the clearing to see Riverclan already there and parted to talk with their friends. His whiskers twitched as Shadowclan scent reached his nose. An old, black tom howled for the meeting to start. Bluestar started first.

"Thunderclan bring to this Gathering their new medicine cat, Yellowfang," she announced formally. She paused while all eyes turned to the old she-cat with the thick fur and flattened muzzle. Thunderclan's medicine cat looked around the crowd slowly until she met the gaze of Runningnose, Shadowclan's new medicine cat. There was a brief pause; then they exchanged a respectful nod.

Bluestar spoke again. "We also bring two newly named warriors—Fireheart and Graystripe."

Every cat stared at them. A black tom padded up, brushing past Bluestar to stand on the highest part of the rock. "I, Nightpelt, have taken over the leadership of Shadowclan," he announced. "Our former leader, Brokenstar, broke the warrior code and we were forced to chase him out."

"The spirits of our ancestors have spoken to Runningnose and chosen me as leader. I have not yet traveled to Mothermouth to receive Starclan's gift of nine lives, but I will make this journey tomorrow night while the moon is still full. After my vigil at the Moonstone, I shall be known as Nightstar."

"Where is Brokenstar now?" called a voice from the crowd. It was Frostfur, the white Thunderclan queen and his decreased friend's, Lionheart's, mate.

"I think we can assume that he has left the forest, with the other banished warriors. He knows it would be dangerous for him to try to return," answered Nightpelt.

Riverclan's leader, Crookedstar, stepped forward. "Let's hope Brokenstar has had the sense to leave the forest for good. His greed for territory threatened us all."

Crookedstar waited for the yowls of agreement to die down before he went on. "While Brokenstar was Shadowclan's leader, I allowed him to hunt in our river. But now Shadowclan has a new leader, and this agreement can no longer stand. The prey in our river belongs to Riverclan alone."

Mews of triumph rose from the other Riverclan cats, but Nightpelt was bristling.

Nightpelt raised his voice. "Shadowclan has the same needs as it did under Brokenstar. We have many mouths to feed, Crookedstar. You made an agreement with the whole of Shadowclan!"

Crookedstar leaped to his paws and turned on Nightpelt. He flattened his ears and hissed, and the cats below fell silent.

Quickly Bluestar stepped between the two leaders. "Shadowclan has suffered many losses recently," she mewed softly. "With fewer mouths to feed, Nightpelt, do you really need Riverclan's fish?"

Crookedstar hissed again, but Nightpelt held his gaze without flinching.

Bluestar spoke again, this time more forcefully. "You have just driven out your leader and several of your strongest warriors! And Brokenstar went against the warrior code when he forced Crookedstar to agree to share the river."

Her icy blue gaze glinted in the moonlight as she growled, "Remember you have not even received your nine lives from Starclan. Are you so confident you can make these demands?"

The whole crowd was waiting for Nightpelt's response. Nightpelt looked away angrily. His tail flicked from side to side but he said nothing.

Bluestar had won. Her voice softened. "We all know Shadowclan has suffered much these past few moons," she meowed. "Thunderclan has agreed to leave you in peace until you have had time to recover." She turned her gaze on Crookedstar. "I'm sure that Crookedstar will agree to show you the same respect."

Crookedstar narrowed his eyes and nodded. "But only as long as Shadowclan is not scented in our territory," he growled.

Muffled mews of relief and agreement sounded in the crowd as the tension on the Great Rock suddenly eased.

"You won't scent us, Crookedstar," meowed Nightpelt. "Bluestar was right—we don't need your fish. After all, we have the uplands to hunt in, now that Windclan have left their territory."

Crookedstar looked at Nightpelt, his eyes brightening. "That's true," he agreed. "This will mean extra prey for all of us."

Bluestar drew up her head sharply. "No! Windclan must return!"

Crookedstar and Nightpelt looked at the Thunderclan leader. "Why?" asked Crookedstar.

"If we share Windclan's hunting grounds, it will mean more food for all our kits!" Nightpelt pointed out.

"The forest needs four clans," Bluestar insisted. "Just as we have Fourtrees, and four seasons, Starclan has given us four Clans. We must find Windclan as soon as possible and bring them home."

The ThunderClan cats raised their voices in support of their leader, but Crookedstar's impatient yowl rose above them. "Your argument is weak, Bluestar. Do we really need four seasons? Wouldn't you rather go without leaf-bare, and the cold and hunger it brings?"

Bluestar looked calmly at the warriors beside her. "Starclan gave us leaf-bare to let the earth recover and prepare for newleaf. This forest, and the uplands, have supported four clans for generations. It is not up to us to challenge Starclan."

Leopardfur, the Riverclan deputy, spoke up. "Why should we go hungry for the sake of a clan that cannot even defend its territory?" she yowled.

"Bluestar is right! Windclan must return!" Tigerclaw spat back, drawing himself up so that he towered above the cats around him.

Bluestar spoke again. "Crookedstar," she meowed, turning to the Riverclan leader, "Riverclan's hunting grounds are known for their richness. You have the river and all the fish it contains. Why do you need extra prey?" Crookedstar looked away and didn't answer.

"And Nightpelt," Bluestar went on, "it was Brokenstar who drove Windclan from their home." The broad-shouldered she-cat paused. "That is why Thunderclan helped you to chase him out."

The Shadowclan leader half-closed his eyes. After a silence that felt like an age, Nightpelt opened his eyes wide and meowed, "Very well, Bluestar. We will allow Windclan to return." Fireheart saw Crookedstar turn his head away in anger, his eyes black slits.

Bluestar nodded. "Two of us have agreed, Crookedstar," she meowed. "Windclan must be found and brought home. Until then, no clan should hunt in their territory."

The Gathering began to break up as the cats prepared to travel back to their camps.

Bluestar touched noses with Crookedstar and jumped down to the forest floor. On the rock, Crookedstar turned to Nightpelt. There was an agreeing look between the two leaders. A look that disagreed with Bluestar's decision.