(Cat above is Wolfpaw, drawn by me!)

The wind whipped at Wolfpaw's fur as he crouched over the forest floor, taking in the scents around him. Suddenly a rabbit climbed out of it's home. Excitement rippled through him. If I can manage to catch this, it'll be my first rabbit!

The plump rabbit sniffed at the grass while Wolfpaw watched, waiting for the right moment. His prey, oblivious to the fact that it was being watched, turned away trying to find more food to eat. Feeling that this was the right time, Wolfpaw crouched lower, ready to pounce. He reared back and leapt but before he could land, the rabbit scurred back into its home causing Wolfpaw to fall to the ground.

Mousedung! I was so close. Wolfpaw rose to his paws, shaking the dust from his dark gray and white pelt.

"Hey, Wolfpaw!"

Wolfpaw turned around to see Neetlepaw slipping through a bush. The brown tabby apprentice was Wolfpaw's closest friend. They always hunted together, trained together, and patrolled together.

"Hi, Neetlepaw." Wolfpaw grumbled.

"What's wrong?" Neetlepaw asked.

"I almost caught a rabbit. It would've been my first one and Stormleap would've been impressed." Wolfpaw replied.

Neetlepaw let out a purr of amusement. "Stormleap will be proud of what you caught. It's not like it's leaf-bare."

Wolfpaw let out a small purr of amusement. "Where are your catches?"

"I burried them." Neetlepaw explained. "I wanted to see how you were doing."

Wolfpaw smiled. "Well, I'm ready to go back. I have some prey I burried too."

"Great! Come on." Neetlepaw mewed.

The two apprentices began trekking back to camp, stopping along the way as Wolfpaw and Neetlepaw collected their burried prey. As they slipped through the thorn tunnel, a large gray tabby tom approached them.

"How was your hunt?" He asked.

"It was great, Stormleap." Wolfpaw told his mentor.

"Good." Stormleap mewed. "Drop off your catches and go rest. We'll be leaving for the gathering soon."

The two apprentices nodded and raced to the fresh kill pile. They dropped their prey off then turned and head to the apprentices' den. Outside the den, sat two more of ShadowClan's apprentices. Toadpaw, one of the younger toms, and Hawkpaw, Neetlepaw's brother.

"Hi, Toadpaw. Hi, Hawkpaw." Wolfpaw greeted.

"Hi." The two toms greeted back.

"Has Antstar announced the cats going to the gathering?" Neetlepaw asked. 

"Not yet." Hawkpaw replied. "Even if we don't go, Pinepaw can tell us what happened. He always gets to go."

Neetlepaw rolled his eyes as Hawkpaw mentioned their other brother. "Of couse. He's the medicine cat apprentice."

Wolfpaw let out a small laugh at his two friends. He anticipated his leader announcing the cats attending. His siblings, Batpaw and Owlpaw had gotten to go last time but he hadn't. Hopefully I'll get to go tonight.

"Wolfpaw!"

Wolfpaw shook his head in surprise. A lithe blue gray she cat had slipped out of the apprentices' den and was now sitting in front of him.

Wolfpaw licked his chest fur in embarrassment. "I'm sorry, Jaypaw. What did you say?"

"I asked if you wanted to train together tomorrow." Jaypaw mewed. "Or at least hunt together." 

"Sure." Wolfpaw meowed. "I'll ask Stormleap."

"Look." Toadpaw mewed.

The apprentice turned to see Antstar emerge from his den then leap onto the Pinebranch. "The cats attending the gathering are Goldenblaze, Torntail, Leaffall, Cinderfern, Shadefur, Rosebush, Hawkpaw, Neetlepaw, Wolfpaw, Jaypaw, and Hollypaw."

The black tom leapt from the branch and headed to the thorn tunnel, his deputy Dewspark behind him. Most of the attending warriors began to gather and Wolfpaw saw Rainfeather emerge from her den. Pinepaw, Hawkpaw and Neetlepaw's brother, followed her.

"We should go gather too." Wolfpaw suggested.

"Then what are we waiting for!" Jaypaw exclaimed, bolting to the gathered cats.

The three toms laughed at their denmate's enthusiasm and bolted after her as Hollypaw slipped out of the den and followed. The five young cats pushed their way through the gathered cats, wanting to be at the front.

"Let's go." Antstar mewed with a flick of his tail.

He slipped through the thorn tunnel followed by Dewspark, them the rest of the gathered cats. Wolfpaw felt his excitement grow as he padded beside Neetlepaw. What news would the other clan's have? Who would he see? Would he meet anyone new?

As they reached the tree bridge, Wolfpaw could smell the scents of the other three clans. He leapt after his clanmates onto the tree and onto the island. He followed Neetlepaw, Jaypaw, Hawkpaw and Hollypaw to where a group of apprentices sat. Wolfpaw recognized a couple of them: Adderpaw, a strong looking dark brown WindClan apprentice, and Fishpaw, a lither silver tabby apprentice from RiverClan.

"Hey, Wolfpaw!"

Wolfpaw's ears twitched and he turned to see a dark brown amd white tom running to him. "Hi, Fallowpaw!"

The young ThunderClan apprentice was only a couple days younger than Wolfpaw. Next to Neetlepaw, he was Wolfpaw's best friend. They would never really talk to any other cats at gatherings, if the other was there.

"How's ThunderClan?" Wolfpaw asked.

"We're great." Fallowpaw replied. "How's ShadowClan?"

"Same as always." Wolfpaw answered. "Sparrowleap's kits came. Two she cats and a tom."

"That's great." Fallowpaw mewed.

Before he could say anymore, a dark gray she cat padded up to them. Wolfpaw recognized her as Shadedpaw, a ThunderClan apprentice and good friend of Fallowpaw.

"Fallowpaw, Driftstone wants to see you." Shadedpaw mewed.

Wolfpaw turned his head to one side. Why would the deputy of RiverClan want to see Fallowpaw? Fallowpaw was a well respected apprentice. He was loyal, obedient, and wise for his age. But the deputy of RiverClan?!?! Fallowpaw's just an apprentice.

"Okay." Fallowpaw meowed. "I'll be right back."

The dark brown and white apprentice followed Shadedpaw to the roots of the tree where the deputies sit. He saw Driftstone meow something to Fallowpaw, who gave a look of surprise. What are they talking about?

"Let the gathering begin." Came a booming voice from the tree. It was Emberstar, ThunderClan's leader. "I'll begin. All is well in ThunderClan. Prey is plentiful and a couple of days ago Puddlethorn gave birth to a healthy litter of kits."

Several joyful mews rippled through the island. The ginger leader flicked his tail, signaling that he was done. Kestrelstar, a beautiful reddish brown she cat, lifted her chin to speak.

"I'll go next. Windclan is doing well. Prey is running and we have two new warriors: Fernshine and Curlyfur." She announced.

Wolfpaw joined in calling the new WindClan warriors' names. As Kestrelstar signaled the end of her turn, RiverClan's leader Havenstar took her turn.

"RiverClan is doing well." She mewed. "Fish are plentiful. Rapidwave has retired from his warrior duties and has moved into the elders' den."

A few cats called out the new elder's name and Havenstar nodded to Antstar. The black tom turned to face the gathered clans.

"All is well in ShadowClan. Sparrowleap has given birth to her first litter of kits." He mewed. "Other than that, ShadowClan has no other news."

"Then that concludes this gathering." Meowed Emberstar.

The four leaders leapt from the tree, calling out to their clans. Wolfpaw looked around for Fallowpaw, so he could tell his friend goodbye. But to his dismay, he couldn't find the dark brown amd white apprentice. Wolfpaw sighed and turned to follow his clan.

As he walked beside Neetlepaw, he couldn't help but wonder why Driftstone had wanted to see Fallowpaw or what they had talked about. The apprentice said he'd be right back but he never did. Had he sat with Driftstone and the othef deputies the entire gathering?

As the clan returned, Wolfpaw followed the other apprentices to their den. He curled up in his nest, wrapping his tail comfortably arounf himself. As he dozed off to sleep, Wolfpaw's mind kept racing with questions. But there was one that bothered him the most.

Why did Driftstone want to see Fallowpaw?

A/N: So that's chapter 1. Why do you think Driftstone wanted to see Fallowpaw?