A full moon lit the clearing, dappling the Clans.
For the first time in moons, the great oaks of Fourtrees swished with leaves.

Poolpelt shivered, exhilaration as the fresh night breeze ruffled her fur.

This was her first Gathering as a warrior—and her first where Clan grudges and rivalries seemed to have been forgotten, at least for the truce. EchoClan looked sleek and well fed; DawnClan were talking with other Clan cats; SmokeClan smelled just like the title of their Clan.

Swiftwing was sharing tongues with a orange and white old she-cat, Mallowfoot; a EchoClan elder while the medicine cats huddled together, talking quietly.
Briarfang and Hawkflame sat with Sparrowheart and Coldgaze.

Dawnstripe sat in a circle of apprentices, purring indulgently while they boasted.
"I climbed my first tree yesterday," a tabby EchoClan apprentice meowed, flexing his claws.
Dawnstripe blinked. "Do EchoClan cats have trees? And climb them?"
"I thought you just ran!" Icepaw mewed.
The EchoClan tabby fluffed out his chest. "I can do both."

"Well, I bet you can't catch squirrels," Blackpaw challenged.
"Yuck." The EchoClan apprentice pulled a face. "Who would want to?"

DawnClan was acting as though their attack on Icerocks had not happened, and the IceClan warriors weren't crowing about their victory.

She then spotted Sunpaw.
She sighed. Better get it over with..
Even as Poolpelt headed toward her, she felt a prickle of unease and guilt.

"Hey," she mewed.
Sunpaw didn't say anything, just nodded her head in greeting.

Poolpelt lowered her head, guilt roaming through her. "I'm sorry.. of what I did. All those moons ago.. You see.. remember that IceClan attack on DawnClan territory? Those cats you killed.. were my parents."
Sunpaw let out a low hiss. "I know, I found out moons later,"

Sunpaw went quiet again then continued, "Why did your Clan do it." Her anger was clear in that sentence.
Poolpelt sighed. "We had gotten a omen from StarClan.. that DawnClan would destroy us. So.. we panicked."

Sunpaw's gaze was cold as she spoke. "My younger sister was dependent on herbs for the entirety of her life, without them she died two sunrises after you darling saviours saved yourself by causing the deaths of some of the cats I cared dearly for."

Guilt and the pain of agony in her heart nearly made tears fall.
She looked away from the cat who was once, her friend. "Look, I came here to apologize.. I get it if you won't but listen.. I was there.. I saw you kill them with my own eyes.. The words you said.. it made me think you were a monster. I was sad, no one to comfort me.. I was angry, too.. I-I wanted to hurt you.. so bad.. but I realized, sometimes you have to let go of all the anger and hatred or else you'll be caught up in the past," she said, thinking of Darkfrost. She continued, "I understand if you don't forgive me.. I'd understand. I would hate me too if I were you,"
Sunpaw took a deep breath and gazed into her eyes "I don't hate you, that thought is ridiculous. I couldn't hate you and I have always understood your anger. I was angry, in fact I am angry at myself still. I won't lie, I have issues but my actions are my own... and I don't know if I can voice how sorry I am, I'm... I'm glad you came to speak with me. I've been wanting to talk to you but I was sure you wouldn't want to speak with me.."

Poolpelt looked back at Sunpaw and let out a sigh of relief. "You're my best friend, I couldn't forget the day we met. Can we be friends again?"
Sunpaw's ears pricked up slightly and her whiskers splaying in a small smile, and she opened her mouth to respond.

"Sunpaw." A sharp hiss sounded them and they turned around. In front of them was a brown tabby tom with a white chest and emerald green eyes.

"Brother, how can I help you?" Sunpaw looked uncomfortable.
Poolpelt glared at the other cat. She did not like this cat. AT ALL. He had a dangerous air towards him. Well, so can I.

The tom saw her and his ears pricked up with clear interest. "You're from IceClan. My name is Pineclaw, and you are?"
Poolpelt looked at them. She remembered Icefrost teaching her that always at gatherings, you should respectful to other warriors. "I am Poolpelt, and your from DawnClan, I assume?"
"Of course. You seem like a promising warrior, what in StarClan are you doing, speaking with my sister." When Pineclaw's cold gaze landed on Sunpaw, she flinched and looked down at her paws.

Poolpelt stepped in front of Sunpaw, snarling at Pineclaw and her fur bristling. "I speak with who I want." There was a firm low growl in Poolpelt's meow.
"I doubt that speaking with a blatant code breaker will help you as a warrior, especially speaking to a cat who brought several rogues to Dawnclan after running away like a coward for moons as she was too weak to live her life as a Dawnclan cat. Then, after it all, slinks back pitifully begging to be allowed to return and continuing to be a burden." Pineclaw stated coldly, gazing at Sunpaw with contempt.

Poolpelt snarled, her eyes in slits and unsheathed her claws. If this fox dung thinks he can control me, then he hasn't met me. She was now very close to his face.
"Well, maybe I don't give a mouse dung of what you think of Sunpaw. And if you have something to say, SAY IT TO MY FACE."

Pineclaw sighed. "I wish I could have gotten through to you but I must leave now." He turned to Sunpaw with a glare. "Make sure to behave tonight, it is beyond me why Emberstar is ever letting you be here tonight." Then he was gone and Sunpaw's fur calmed down.

Silverstar yowled from the great rock. "Let the Gathering begin!"
Silverstar stood at the edge of the stone, moonlight gleaming on her pelt. Silhouetted behind her was Emberstar, Miststar, and Darkstar. Silverstar stepped back as the Clans began to crowd beneath the rock.

Silverstar began, "IceClan's prey is running well. And we have been blessed with two new warriors, Poolpelt and Feathershine!"
Poolpelt felt pride tingle in her pelt as the Clans started chanting her name.

Emberstar nodded. "DawnClan has also be blessed with two new warriors. Pineclaw and Goldenfur!"
Poolpelt then spotted Goldenfur. He was a handsome, golden-tabby tom with eyes the color of the sun. He seemed much friendlier than Pineclaw.

The clan cats started chanting their names. "Pineclaw! Pineclaw! Goldenfur! Goldenfur!"

Darkstar was speaking. His Clanmates watched him, their shoulders stiff.
"It is with sadness that I must announce our deputy, Midnightmist, is moving to the elders's den."
A old, black, she-cat standing at the foot of the rock, nodded solemnly as her Clan called her name.
"Coldgaze will take her place," Darkstar went on.
The cats started chanting. "Coldgaze! Coldgaze!"
Poolpelt chanted in as well. "Coldgaze! Coldgaze!"
A pale mostly white calico tom who gazed down at the clearing with determination, nodding politely to the cats of the Clans.

Poolpelt gave a grin and murmured to Sunpaw, "I feel like he's trying to take my Clan's title."
Sunpaw snorted then used her paw to cover up her laughter.

Darkstar continued, "Newleaf has brought prey and warmth, but also more kittypets," the SmokeClan leader announced. "Only today, a hunting patrol had to a chase out a golden tom from our borders."
Talon? Poolpelt wondered.

Sparrowheart called from DawnClan, "They hide in their cozy nests all leaf-bare and forget that the woods are ours!"
Briarfang curled his lip. "It never takes long to remind them to keep to their own soft lives."
The clans murmured in agreement.

Emberstar looked down at the cats. "DawnClan has increased patrols to remind the barn cats to stay off our land." He looked expectantly at Silverstar.
Poolpelt narrowed her eyes. Would Silverstar tell the Clans about the kittypets intruding on IceClan territory?
Silverstar lifted her chin. "We intend to increase patrols," she paused, suddenly glaring at Emberstar. "To warn off ANY intruders."
Poolpelt shifted her black paws. Why bring up Clan rivalries now? Everyone seemed to agree that it was kittypets causing the trouble. She wasn't the only cat ruffled by Silverstar's challenge. Growls rumbled among the DawnClan cats.

Emberstar's hackles lifted. "Are you accusing DawnClan of crossing your scent line?"
Silverstar shrugged. "I'm not accusing any cat of anything. But IceClan will stepping up patrols from now on." She blinked at DarkStar. "Better safe than sorry."
Poolpelt's belly tightened as anger charged the air.

Gorsefur stood up. "Why accuse the Clans? We were attacking about kittypets!"
Goldenfur growled. "IceClan cats always were a bunch of kittypet friends!"
"Who are you calling kittypet friends?" Briarfang whipped his head around, eyes blazing.
Goldenfur met his gaze steadily. Confidence glowed in the DawnClan warrior's eyes. "You live beside Twolegplace!" he growled. "You're practically denmates."
Arrogant frost-brain! It's his first gathering as a warrior, and he's trying to start fights!?
Dawnstripe bristled. "How dare you, sun-face?"

Miststar called from the Great Rock, "By StarClan, stop!" She looked up at Silverpelt, glittering through the leaves. Wisps of clouds were hiding some of the stars.
Muttering, the Clans fell into a prickly silence.

The EchoClan leader lifted her muzzle. "Kittypets rarely reach our borders."
Echoleap called from below, "They're too slow to chase rabbits anyway,"
"And squirrels," Ravenbird added.
Murmurs of agreement rippled through the Clans, but pelts were still ruffled.

Emberstar purred, "If that is all, this gathering is dismissed!" He jumped off of the great rock, as so did the other leaders.

Poolpelt purred at Sunpaw, "See you at next Gathering. Promise me to TRY not to break the warrior code?"
Poolpelt then noticed Sunpaw's hackles were falling. She must of been angry for some reason, but she couldn't figure why.
Sunpaw's whiskers splayed softly as her hackles fell. "I'm going to miss you, I can't believe I have to wait a moon to see you again and," her whiskers splayed fully now. "I make no such promises." She darted forward, booping Poolpelt mischievously before winking at her playfully and padding away after her clanmates.
Poolplt rolled her eyes and followed after her Clanmates.

She trodded after Feathershine.

"Why did Silverstar try to upset the other Clans?" Poolpelt whispered.
"She was only warning them off."
"But why accuse them instead of the kittypets?"
Feathershine shrugged. "The kittypets aren't here."

That wasn't good enough. There'd been no evidence of other Clans crossing the border. But the kittypets had been crossing and going as they owned the territory.

The morning brought chilliness to the camp. Poolpelt yawned, tired after her last night.
Feathershine had already left on the dawn patrol with Briarfang and Blackpaw.

The newleaf sun shone on the clearing and Poolpelt gathered below Highrock to hear Icefrost name the patrols. She flicked her tail happily when she called her name to hunt with Braveheart, Rainpelt, and Icepaw.

"Poolpelt?" Duskwing was padding from Silverstar's den, the lichen still swishing behind her. "Silverstar wants to speak with you."
"Why?" Had she done something wrong? Perhaps some cat had overheard her ask Feathershine why Silverstar had challenged the Clans and not the kittypets.
Duskwing shrugged and headed for the nursery, her paw steps heavy beneath the weight of her belly. Poolpelt padded reluctantly to Silverstar's den.

She stopped in her tracks in horror as she looked at Silverstar.
Her eyes were not just tired, sleepless eyes..
They were blood-shot now.

Something was definitely wrong with Silverstar.

But Silverstar greeted her as if there was nothing wrong with her eyes. "Poolpelt," she greeted her solemnly.
Poolpelt stared nervously at her, worried that Silverstar will be offended if she pointed out her eyes.

"I've overlooked part of your training," she meowed.
"What?"
"You haven't seen the Moonstone."

The Moonstone! The sacred stone where leaders received their nine lives and where the medicine cats shared dreams with StarClan! Excitement nearly pushed the fear from Poolpelt's mind.

"All young cats should go there to receive StarClan's blessing," Silverstar went on. "I would have taken you before, but the battle with DawnClan and leaf-bare have made the journey too hard. Now I want to share dreams with StarClan, and you might as well come with me."
Will StarClan give her better eyes? Poolpelt thought ruefully.

"Will Feathershine come, too?"
"EchoClan may not trust three warriors crossing their land," Silverstar meowed, "I'll take her next time."
Poolpelt knew they had to cross the moorland to reach Mothermouth, the cave that held the Moonstone. Surely EchoClan would know they were just passing through their territory?

The IceClan leader (luckily) closed her eyes. "Go to Flowertail for traveling herbs," she murmured.
Traveling herbs? Poolpelt wondered if they'd taste as bad as the herbs that Flowertail had given to the cats before the attack on DawnClan. "Should I bring you some?"
Silverstar opened her bloodshot eyes again and shook her head. "I must not eat before sharing with StarClan."
Lucky you! She turned and pushed through the lichen.

Flowertail was already waiting outside the tunnel. Poolpelt tensed. She hadn't said anything about her-so-called destiny since the day the fox came, two moons ago. Would she mention it now?
But she just blinked and pushed the herbs toward her. "Silverstar says she's taking you to the Moonstone."
Poolpelt nodded. Was that curiosity flashing in her eyes?
"Eat these." She turned and padded away.

"Hurry up!" Silverstar called across the clearing. "I want to be there by moonhigh."
Poolpelt quickly lapped up the pile of green leaves, gagging against the bitterness, and raced after her leader.
As she followed after her leader, she noticed her Clanmates murmuring to each other.
Guess I'm not the only one who noticed Silverstar's bloodshot eyes.

They followed the route to Fourtrees, retracing their steps to last night's Gathering. Poolpelt could smell lingering Clan scents as they padded past the Great Rock. It looked strange in daylight—dull and lifeless without the moon's glow.

The grass became coarse beneath her paws as they climbed the slope to EchoClan territory.

"Remember," Silverstar warned as the wind began to whip at their fur and the trees gave way to stunted branches, "no hunting here."
Of course not! Besides, Poolpelt wasn't hungry. Flowertail's herbs had squashed her appetite and made her paws itch to run, but she followed Silverstar's steady pace as she led the way through the heather until the ground flattened out into a wide plateau.

Poolpelt scanned the horizon, looking for EchoClan's camp. How could there been a camp when EchoClan territory basically looked like a wasteland?
But only the sound of the wind streaming over the grass seemed familiar.

Suddenly the ground dipped down at their paws and the whole length of EchoClan's territory stretched out on either side.
Silverstar stopped as the world unfurled in front of them.
The moorland rolled down into a wide, deep valley, where Twoleg nests clustered in knots, small as grass seeds, and far in the distance rose a cliff of tall, jagged peaks.

"Are those Highstones?" Poolpelt breathed.
Silverstar nodded.

The acid tang of the Thunderpath drifted from the valley. Poolpelt could see a thin gray strip winding like a river below them. She had seen the Thunderpath that separated IceClan's forest from SmokeClan territory, but had never crossed it. This Thunderpath looked busier. From there it seemed as though the monsters crawled along like insects, but Poolpelt knew how huge they were and had heard of cats killed at them, traveling at such speed that even the fastest warrior could be caught.

"Come on," Silverstar started down the slope.
Poolpelt could smell the scent markers lining the EchoClan border and see the lush grass coating the slopes below. Her paws ached for its softness.

"Halt!"
A EchoClan yowl made them freeze.

Poolpelt stiffened as Silverstar whipped around to greet the EchoClan patrol. Bracing herself, she turned to see Echoleap and Redstripe, the EchoClan deputy, bounding through the heather, their hackles raised and teeth bared, three more warriors at their heels. 

"Let your fur lie flat," Silverstar hissed.
Poolpelt tried to calm herself, taking deep breaths. We're allowed to cross Highstones, she told herself as the EchoClan warriors pulled up a tail-length away.

Redstripe narrowed his eyes. "Are you going to Highstones?" he challenged.
Silverstar nodded.
The EchoClan deputy circled them, opening his mouth to taste their scent.
"We haven't hunted," Silverstar meowed evenly.
Redstripe snorted. "With IceClan, it's always best to make sure."
Silverstar dug her claws into the peaty soil but said nothing.
"Go on, then!" Redstripe snapped. "And hurry. We don't want you stinking up our land and scaring off prey."

Silverstar turned. Wasn't she going to respond? Poolpelt struggled to keep her fur from bristling with anger, but Silverstar just padded heavily down the slope, head and tail down. There was no fear-scent on her.
But the weariness in her step made Poolpelt wonder what was driving her to share dreams with StarClan. Perhaps she was more worried about the kittypets than she would admit.

Poolpelt could feel the stares of the EchoClan patrol burning her pelt as she headed downhill.
She relaxed only when they crossed the border, her black paws sinking into the soft grass.
From there, Silverstar kept to quiet pathways, winding far from Twoleg nests.

Poolpelt ached with tiredness by the time they neared the Thunderpath, and she was glad of the traveling herbs that kept her hunger at bay.
The sun was dropping behind Highstones, throwing long shadows across the valley. Overhead the moon hung in a pale sky and stars began to blink.

The roar of the Thunderpath shook Poolpelt's belly.
By the time they reached it, an endless stream of monsters was roaring past, eyes blazing. Dazzled, Poolpelt blinked each time one roared past, and wrinkled her nose at its stinky breath.
Silverstar crouched in the ditch at the edge, steadying her with a touch of her tail.
Poolpelt couldn't stop trembling. The monsters pounded past from both directions, their foul hot wind tugging her whiskers and buffeting her fur. How would they get across?

"Stay behind me," Silverstar ordered.
She gulped her forward till her claws touched the stinking black stone, hardly flinching as another monster roared past less than a tail-length away.

Terrified, Poolpelt leaped backward.
"Get back here," Silverstar growled.
Breathing hard, Poolpelt crept to her side as another monster whizzed past.
"Now!" Silverstar shot forward.

Heart pounding in her throat, Poolpelt raced with her, her paws slipping on the smooth Thunderpath, her mind whirling in panic as she saw light bearing down and heard a yowl of a monster hurtling toward them. Blind with terror, she ran with Silverstar, pressing against her pelt until the ground turned to grass beneath her black paws.

"We're safe now," Silverstar panted.
Poolpelt opened her eyes, relieved to find herself on the far edge of the Thunderpath.

Still trembling, she followed the IceClan leader as she headed to Highstones.
The wind chilly with night air, whipped through her fur. She shivered and glanced up. The sun was no more than a glow over the jagged peaks, and the sky was black.

Trembling, she searched out the brightest stars. Cloud that be Whiteclaw and Raindapple watching her first journey to the Moonstone?

The land sloped and steepened, and the grass turned to stone beneath their paws.

Silverstar was breathing heavily. And Poolpelt's belly was beginning to growl. There would be little to hunt on this bare, rocky solid dotted only with heather made ragged by the wind.

She was relieved when Silverstar paused. She lifted her silver muzzle and stared up the slope. "Mothermouth."

Holding her breath, Poolpelt followed her gaze. Above them, as the slope grew steeper and rockier, a hole gaped in the hillside. Square and black, it yawned beneath a stone archway.

Silverstar glanced at the moon glowing high overhead. "It's time."