The apprentice gasped. "W-wha?" She mouthed.

Stormstar looked at his paws, and Vinestar chuckled. "Tell her," He meowed mockingly.

The WindClan leader raised his head to look at Horsepaw's special, purple eyes.

"I was originally part of RiverClan when I was a kit, apprentice, and when I turned into a warrior." He began sadly. "Then WindClan got a terrible sickness that killed almost every warrior, apprentice, queen, and kit. The leader died. They had no leader or deputy. All they had was two apprentices, four warriors, a medicine cat, and one queen.

"So Vinestar sent his strongest warriors of the clan to help build up WindClan. I was one of the strongest warriors, so I moved clans temperately. Well, that's how long Vinestar wanted me to stay.

"Anyway, all the cats in WindClan elected me as the new leader, since the deputy and leader both died from the sickness. I gladly accepted and became Stormstar. When it was time to go back to RiverClan, I didn't go. I couldn't. I had a clan to run! I just hoped Vinestar would see that now. He still hasn't forgiven me." Stormstar explained, glaring at his former leader. Vinestar returned the gesture.

Horsepaw was speechless. Her eyes were wide, mouth open.

"You don't have to say anything." Stormstar sighed. "I just thought that you'd forgive me. You're a kind cat, Horsepaw. I thought maybe you'd understand..." He looked at his paws.

Horsepaw got out of her trance. "I–" She began mutely.

"HELLO!" A cat called from the Big Rock. "We have a Gathering to assess!" Another head popped up beside the first's.

"Coming, Waspstar." Stormstar answered, not taking his eyes off of Vinestar as he spoke to ShadowClan's leader. He jumped up the Big Rock and joined the leaders. Vinestar did the same. Horsepaw padded to the front of the rock and joined the other clans.

"There you are. I wondering where you went!" Fishpaw's clipped meow sounded beside her. The little apprentice was sitting next to Rainpaw, but turned to address his new friend. Rainpaw smiled and waved her tail at Fishpaw and mouthed, "I think he likes me!"

Horsepaw stifled a giggle. "Hello, Fishpaw," She mouthed to the deaf apprentice. He smiled and settled down beside Rainpaw. Horsepaw did too, and turned to the leaders.

Lightningstar stepped up first. "ThunderClan has been thriving. Prey has run well, and we welcomed to new warriors into the Clan; Hailstorm and Frostflower!"

He stepped back and let the two new warriors bask in their glory as the clans called their names. Two warriors close to Horsepaw held their head high as cats around them yowled loudly.

Waspstar stepped up. "ShadowClan is fine. We killed a fox near the ThunderClan border a few days ago. It didn't hurt any cat badly, just a few scratches that Fawnstripe and Juniperpaw could handle." She looked at the medicine cats gratefully.

Horsepaw shuttered inwardly. Waspstar was a killer. She didn't let any animal out of her territory without bad wounds, or death. Especially badgers, because one of them killed the former leader Fruitstar, her mother.

Stormstar stepped forward. "WindClan is doing well. We had a new litter of kits, Applekit and Splashkit. Sadly, Whiteheart died giving birth to them." He bowed his head in respect.

A few gasps and wails escaped the crowd. WindClan cats also bowed their heads, and Horsepaw felt a sharp pang of grief for the queen. The leaders looked sympathetic, except Waspstar who rolled her eyes and scowled in disgust.

"I am sorry for your loss, Stormstar," Vinestar said with fake sympathy. Only Stormstar and Horsepaw could tell, from the look in his eye. "RiverClan is basking in prey this new-leaf. The river is bursting with all the fish. We recently had two new apprentices; Darkpaw and Bushpaw!" He smiled at two little apprentices near the front as the clan yowled their names.

Once all the leaders finished, the cats shared tongues for a moment while the leaders talked on the Big Rock. When they broke up, the clans left one by one. WindClan was the last to leave, and Horsepaw actually was sad as she said goodbye to Fishpaw. She was also the last to leave in her clan, with Rainpaw beside her, but only half listening to the apprentice, as she recalled what happened with her leader.