On a full moon night, one of the clans was ready to get going to the gathering. Their clan was much darker then the other clans surrounded by trees covering the bright moon and stars. A bluish-grey tom was leading his clan to the Fortress where the other clans would be waiting. As he was leading his clan two toms, one a pale ginger tom with a white muzzle and the other was a dark brown tom with black markings, and the fur on his tail made it looked ragged.
The two toms had two smaller toms, who were also brothers, right next to them, both looking nervous that their going to their first Gathering. One tom, a light brown one with creamy brown paws nudged the other tom, a black one with fluffy fur to look at him. "Hey where going to be fine. I promise." The brown tom said.
The black one didn't say a thing and just followed his brother to the Gathering. "Darkpaw. Sparrowpaw." The blue tom said. The two looked up at the their leader. "I want you two to be on your best behavior tonight at the Gathering."
"Yes. Shadowstar." The two toms said at the same time.
"You'll be fine, Sparrowpaw, just ask Foxpaw or Birdpaw for anything if you don't understand it." The golden tom said.
"Ok. Thanks Goldjaw." Sparrowpaw said giving a smile for the first time. Goldjaw smiled and followed Shadowstar. By the time they got there, Sparrowpaw and Darkpaw saw so many cats at the Gathering all were talking before anything started. The two cats sat next to the cats from their clan and just looked around seeing all the cats.
Then a dark brown tom came by and sat next to Darkpaw, while a pale ginger tom with a fluffy tail sat next to him. "Hey you two." The brown tom said.
"Oh, hey Foxpaw." Darkpaw said, finally speaking tonight.
"So want to know about the cats up there?" He asked showing the four cats sitting on a rock facing the cats, starting the Gathering.
"My guess their the other leaders." Sparrowpaw said seeing as Shadowstar went up between Ravenstar and another tom with silver fur and a mark on his eye.
"Right." Foxpaw said. He then looked at Ravenstar. "This there is Ravenstar, leader of LightClan she's been a leader for many moons, around the time Shadowstar was leader." Foxpaw explained.
Darkpaw and Sparrowpaw looked at her, and turned their head to the silver cat next to their leader Shadowstar. "You know, about Shadowstar already, the leader of our Clan, DuskClan. But the cat next to him is Silverstar, he hasn't been a leader for long, he became leader of FreezeClan just a couple moons ago."
Darkpaw saw the mark on his eye. "What happened to his eye?" Darkpaw asked.
"Don't know, he got it in one of the battles he and his clan were in." Foxpaw guessed.
"And there," Foxpaw smiled seeing the next leader. She was a she-cat with long white fur, with a pinkish tint to it. Her eyes sparkled as well."
"The leader over there." The pale ginger tom, Birdpaw, decided to finish to what Foxpaw was going to say. "That's Cherrystar, the leader of GustClan."
"Wow. She's beautiful." Sparrowpaw said giving a small blush seeing her.
"I know, lots of cats fall for, but she's been leader for so long once she looses her lives many cats will miss her." Birdpaw explained.
Sparrowpaw and Darkpaw frowned remembering a talk they had about how leaders only have 9 lives, and once they loose them they'll join other fallen warriors in StarClan. The four apprentices stopped talking and listened to the leaders talking about news from this past moon.
The two brothers stayed quiet, and listened to the cats talked. It wasn't that interesting, and they couldn't leave, so all they had to do was look like they were paying attention.
"In DuskClan." Shadowstar started. "We have two new apprentices," as he said this Sparrowpaw and Darkpaw looked up. "They were loners living in the forest, alone and we took them in naming them, Sparrowpaw and Darkpaw." Shadowstar looked in their direction making cats turn around seeing the cats.
Darkpaw was nervous and looked down, but Sparrowpaw stood proudly like he was already a Warrior. Most of the cats murmured even mumbling 'Rouge' or 'Kittypet.' Sparrowpaw got nervous and looked at his leader if he could speak. Shadowstar must of saw, and nodded. Sparrowpaw smiled and went up to speak.
"Thank you for letting us stay at the forest, we'll train hard to become excellent Warriors." Sparrowpaw said. The other cats remained silent and stared at the young apprentices. To break the silence, Ravenstar decided to speak.
"To end this Gathering." Ravenstar started getting most cats attention, even Darkpaw's and Sparrowpaw's, "all warriors should go back to their clans by themselves, the leaders will be having a private talk with our medicine cats."
The cats looked at each other being confused why they have to go back and not their leaders or medicine cats.
"And why is that?" A GustClan warrior asked.
"It none of your business Hollyshine." Another cat, the deputy of GustClan said.
"Now, Nightwing," Cherrystar started. "We can't start a fight tonight, its important for the leaders," Nightwing sighed and nodded. "The deputies will lead the clans back to the territories tonight, and will be back soon."
The Gathering then ended, and the deputies of each clan guided the cats back to their clans, as the leaders and medicine cats stayed behind. Once all the cats were gone leaving the leaders and medicine cats alone in the Fortress on a cool breezy night.
"So I'm guessing you all know." Silverstar started, seeing none of them was speaking up. The leaders nodded. Silverstar sighed. "This is ridiculous, why can't we tell are Warriors about this!" He hissed.
"If we did," Ravenstar spoke up, "cats would go into a panic, and who knows if this terror is someone we trust in our own clans if they heard the whole forest would be in danger."
"Your right Ravenstar." A golden she-cat with light golden mixed in with her beautiful golden fur spoke up. "Not only that cats would start blaming each other, and many would get injured fighting each other." Her voice was calm and sweet, having concern for her fellow warriors.
"Yellowflower is right." Shadowstar spoke up. "We should just wait till this terror strikes, or some sign StarClan sends us." He said.
"If they strike cats would be dropping dead." Silverstar said glaring at the DuskClan leader and medicine cat.
"They don't mean it like that." The FreezeClan medicine cat spoke up. She had pale ginger fur and a dark ginger mark on her tail.
"I know that Honeypelt, but do you want cats in our clan killed by this danger?!" Silverstar hissed, making the medicine cat flinch.
"Silvestar!" Cherrystar yelled getting the cats attention. "I know you don't want any of your cats getting killed," she bowed her head and looked at the stars, "same with my clan." She whispered.
"Same with all are clans Cherrystar." Ravenstar said putting her tail around her shoulders. Ravenstar looked up and saw some clouds covering the stars. "Listen it's getting late, and StarClan wants us to go back to our clans before any more happens." Ravenstar then let go of Cherrystar and ran off. "Goodnight, tomorrow is a big day for LightClan." Ravenstar said and she ran off going back to her clan with Treeleaf following her.
The rest of the leaders, along with their medicine cats agreed and all went their separate ways.
Shadowstar and Yellowflower where walking back to DuskClan thinking about the private meeting from earlier, but their thoughts stopped when they saw Darkpaw doing some training with his mentor, the dark brown cat from earlier. Yellowflower glared at the dark brown cat, but Shadowstar had concern for Darkpaw. "Raggeddrop!" He yelled, getting the brown tom's attention.
Raggeddrop walked toward Shadowstar and Yellowflower. "I thought this apprentice should be getting some rest." Shadowstar said.
Raggeddrop glared, "I wanted to give my apprentice some training before he went to sleep." He said giving a smile and walking to the Warriors den. As he did, he was still getting glares from Yellowflower and a small frown from Shadowstar.
Yellowflower went towards Darkpaw and helped him up. "You okay?" She asked. Darkpaw nodded and gave a small smile. Yellowflower checked to see if he had any wounds on him, but so far nothing, but a scratch. "You seem fine, nothing injured, but I think you should get some sleep."
"Okay." Darkpaw said as he went to the Apprentice's den. Yellowflower smiled and went into her own den, and so did Shadowstar. Darkpaw sighed and slept in his nest next to his brother, Sparrowpaw, who was already sleeping. Darkpaw just lied down, until his eyes drooped and he fully closed them falling asleep.
As Darkpaw was asleep he started to dream. In his dream he was walking through the forest, and right next to him where three cats. Darkpaw stood there, fearing they're going to attack him, but instead they ran off. Darkpaw ran after them, and stood still seeing blood all over the forest, and shadow figures facing him, however the three cats from before came and they where ready to attack the shadows, but before he can see more, he was woken up from his dream.
"What was that just now?" Darkpaw asked himself.