Stoneclaw never allowed his gaze to stray too far from his kits. As long as the bloodthirsty rogue, Bloodshed, still lived, his kits would always be in danger. His sister, Cloudpool, had already lost one of her kits to the rogue; the others had been lost to rocks that fell and crushed the nursery.

Stoneclaw wouldn't allow anything to happen to his kits. He would die to protect him, which he made very clear to his mate, Silverwing. Ashkit, his son, would make a great warrior. He would become an apprentice soon. Stoneclaw hoped that he would be apprenticed to a great cat, and thus, become a great cat.

Rosekit, on the other hand, seemed to have no interest in becoming a warrior. She seemed destined to become medicine cat; which Stoneclaw respected. MudClan currently had no medicine cat, as their old one, Brownfur, had left to join Bloodshed and his followers.

Bloodshed seemed to be building an army. Several MudClan cats had left to join him, and though they had no news from GreenClan, Stoneclaw guessed that they had also lost warriors. There was meant to be a gathering that night. Stoneclaw planned on going, mostly to learn how Bloodshed had affected GreenClan. He dreaded having to leave his mate and kits behind with so few cats to protect them, but Stripedstar wouldn't allow any more kits to be killed.

"Every cat will attend the gathering. Silverwing and her kits included." The leader announced before they set off to leave. Stoneclaw's kits were only a quarter moon away from being apprentices, but they still were definitely not old enough to attend a gathering.

"They can't!" He growled at his leader, but she ignored him.

"We leave after we finish eating. Be ready." Stripedstar leaped off of her den, signaling that her announcement was over. Stoneclaw glared at her as she settled down beside his father, Owlflight, to eat.

"Hey, guys!" A familiar voice sounded from beside the nursery. Then Spidereye, one of Silverwing's closest friends, appeared with a squirrel clutched in her jaws. "Mind if we eat together?"

"Not at all!" Silverwing sat up. "I'll fetch us some prey."

"Bring me a fish, if you can!" Stoneclaw said. Spidereye settled down next to him, while Ashkit bounded after his mother, eager to help carry some of the fresh-kill. Rosekit stayed where she was, her silver tail curled neatly around her paws.

"Ouch!" Yowled a voice outside the nursery. A moment later Robinwing appeared with Ashkit clinging to his tail. "Teach your kit to control himself." He muttered.

Silverwing appeared, pulling Ashkit away from Robinwing. "He's only a kit." She flicked the grey cat with the tip of her tail.

"I hate kits. I'm never having any!" Robinwing spat, swatting Ashkit away from him. The kit tumbled into his sister, who squealed and jumped back.

"Be nice to the poor things!" Spidereye said. "They're not evil. They're cute!" She prodded Rosekit with her paw, licking her on the head.

Robinwing rolled his eyes and settled down to eat. "What do you think about them going to the gathering?"

"I hate it." Stoneclaw growled. "I can't believe any cat would think it's a good idea to bring kits to a gathering!"

"It's for their own good. It's dangerous without the clan to protect them." Silverwing disagreed. "I'd feel safer with them at the gathering than at camp."

Stoneclaw spat angrily at the ground, but didn't bother arguing anymore. The cats finished their meal, only speaking once Cloudpool arrived to tell them that it was time to go to the gathering.

"I can't wait!" Ashkit squeaked, bouncing along beside his mother.

"You don't leave my side, okay? It's dangerous." Silverwing said.

"Okay!" Rosekit agreed. Ashkit scoffed, biting his sister's tail. She yelped and slapped him in the head with a tiny silver forepaw.

The clan slipped out of the cave, making their way down the river. Stoneclaw watched Ashkit and Rosekit closely, making sure that they didn't get too close to the muddy banks of the river. "Is that the gathering tree?" Rosekit asked when a tree jutting out of the river appeared.

"Yes." Stoneclaw replied. GreenClan had already arrived at the gathering, a much larger group than MudClan. "That's GreenClan. You stay away from them, okay?" Rosekit nodded as he spoke, but Ashkit was already dashing over to the few GreenClan cats that had crossed the river to MudClan territory.

Stoneclaw followed him quickly, relieved that Owlflight was speaking with the GreenClan cats. Firepaw was also with the group, along with Robinwing. "Hey, guys." Stoneclaw said. He recognized Skywing, his grandmother, and Windcloud, Firepaw's mother. The two other cats looked unfamiliar.

"Who's this?" He asked, flicking his tail towards the two.

"My sisters!" Firepaw replied. "This is Wavepaw." She flicked her tail to one of the she-cats. "And Dawntail. She just became a warrior!"

Dawntail purred. "Firepaw should be a warrior now. Of GreenClan!" She added with a playful glare at her sister. Firepaw rolled her eyes.

"She'll be a warrior soon enough. Stripedstar will-" Stoneclaw was cut off by a yowl from the gathering tree. He turned to see that Stripedstar had leaped up on top of the branch, signaling that it was the leaders' turn to speak. Beside her was Coldstream, the GreenClan deputy, who was in charge while the GreenClan leader was ill.

Stripedstar announced that many of the cats in MudClan had left to join Bloodshed. Surprisingly, no cats of GreenClan had left. She warned them that they most likely had traitors in their camp, much like MudClan did. Coldstream dismissed this with a scoff.

When the deputy was about to speak, something stopped him. He looked at Stripedstar, who was staring at something hidden in the trees on GreenClan territory. Her eyes were wide in terror.

Stoneclaw turned to see what had scared his leader, instinctively wrapping his tail around Ashkit. Then he saw it; cats. Tons of them. Their scent was mixed, both MudClan and rogue. He recognized their leader at once, a white tom with grey ears.

Bloodshed and his followers had arrived at the gathering.