Young Writers Society

The full moon rested in the sky, the shine of the stars casting shadows on the forest floor. Riverpaw quietly stepped over loose twigs and the occasional fallen leaf as he followed the rest of his Clan to Fourtrees.

"It'll be cool tonight," Speckleheart mewed.

"Leaffall and leafbare are nearly upon us," Sunsetfur agreed. "With so many new warriors, though, I think we'll last until newleaf just fine. Ripplewhisker and Minnowfeather make a fine pair as hunters."

"Hopefully nothing else," Halfface grunted roughly. "There are already too many elders, and there are more kits on the way as we speak. Kits born this late in the year can't withstand the cold."

"We withstood the cold," Riverpaw pointed out, turning his head to look at the elder. "Tinybird and Bluethorn, too. We didn't lose a single kit last leafbare that I know of."

"No," Halfface admitted, "but we lost good cats nonetheless. Too many good cats."

"Poor Greenpaw would've made a good warrior if she'd lived," Stream mewed. "She was the one that found me after a badger attack."

"I didn't know that," Riverpaw replied. He knew that Stream had been a rogue once, but wasn't sure of the circumstances of her coming to RiverClan. Really, he knew more about Quickflash and Tinypaw than he ever knew about Stream.

"Let's pick up the pace," Swiftstep grumbled, pushing past the others. "We're going to a Gathering, not to share tongues with ever kit, apprentice, and elder from the Moonstone and back!"

"...isn't that the point of a Gathering?" Sunsetfur mewed beneath her breath.

"I thought so, but apparently your old mentor disagrees," purred Halfface humorously. "He's the oldest cat in any Clan, except maybe Antstar. He deserves a pinch of slack, but he does have a point about moving faster."

"Agreed," Shorestar added as she neared the front of the group. "Let's pick up the pace; I wouldn't be surprised if we were the last ones there at this rate."

- - - - -

Riverpaw wrapped his tail tightly around his paws as he, Pinestep, and Cloudwing pressed their pelts together. "It got cold fast," the SkyClan medicine cat mewed quietly, teeth lightly chattering. Her pelt was thin, and she looked bonier than several of the other WindClan cats.

"It'll be warmer tomorrow morning," Honeypaw replied, wiping his paw against his nose. His long, thick gray fur looked cozy and warm. "I've found that leaf fall is the best season. Tends to be neither too cold nor too warm."

"That's what new leaf is for," snapped Swanfeather, who was curled up with Pearnose nearby. "These old bones weren't made for the cold."

"But you came for the gossip nonetheless," Pinestep teased gently, eyes gleaming brightly.

The pale gray elder rolled her green eyes. "Gossip is the best medicine, Pinestep, a kit could see that, clear as day."

All of the medicine cats mrrowed with laughter at the elder's remark. Riverpaw himself twitched his whiskers, chortling before glancing around the clearing. He saw Ripplewhisker seating with a ginger and white she-cat, with Havenwing glaring at them both, with Graystream silently sitting beside Strikeclaw. "Give me just a moment," he whispered to his mentor, rising to his paws.

"I can't believe that we became warriors, Appledawn!" Ripplewhisker mewed excitedly. "It feels like we were both apprentices for absolute ages!"

"I know, right?" Her blue eyes sparkled beneath the light of the moon. Suddenlly, she turned her head and looked right at Riverpaw. "Hello there!" she cheerfully meowed. "How are you, Riverpaw?"

"Er... I'm alright, Appledawn." He glanced over at Havenwing before continuing on. "I just wanted to make sure everything was okay over here."

"It's fine," Havenwing grunted, dark green eyes narrowed at Appledawn. "I'm waiting for the leaders to get this over with so that we can just leave already."

"Pay attention," Strikeclaw snapped quietly, "and you'd see that they're ready to begin."

Indeed, all five leaders were seated side by side on the Great Rock. Feeble Antstar looked like he was on his last legs-- Riverpaw noticed that more patches of fur were missing than last moon. What remained of Antstar's sandy pelt was matted and knotted. "ShadowClan... has little to report," the ancient cat wheezed. "Skunkkit was born to Brightfeather, and the prey has been running well." He laid back down, quietly wheezing. Riverpaw glanced at Honeypaw and Aspenthroat, both of whom looked away.

"I am proud to be back to leading my Clan at Gatherings since the birth of my kits," Flintstar announced as she began to speak. "We have some dangerous news to report, however-- one of our warriors, Fallenwillow, has become a rouge. He is dangerous; do not welcome him in your Clan."

Murmurs broke out among the gathered cats. Quickflash nestled closer to Tinybird. Riverpaw remembered that Fallenwillow was the reason that they had left WindClan to begin with. "I hope no cat gets hurt," the healer mumbled.

"In other news, I am afraid to announce that One-ear has joined StarClan. We hope that she may have many seasons of rest."

Shrewstar puffed out his black chest fur as he rose next. "SkyClan has stayed strong over the past moon. A group of kittypets decided that they ought to give forest life a try, but we gave them some claw marks to remember us by." The skinny cat sat back down and tapped Shorestar with his tail.

The pale gray she-cat's green eyes surveyed the clearing. "RiverClan is proud to present five new warriors to the Clans: Tinybird, Bluethorn, Graystream, Ripplewhisker, and Havenwing have all passed their assessments."

"Tinybird! Bluethorn! Graystream! Ripplewhisker! Havenwing!" the Clans cheered.

"Additionally, I bring more good news-- we have new kits on the way."

"New kits?" Riverpaw whispered to Ripplewhisker. "No she-cat has moved to the nursery recently..."

"Not that I can think of," his brother agreed. "Unless some cat told Shorestar first."

"I will soon leave Tawnybird with more control over Clan life," Shorestar continued. "I am expecting a second litter of kits. Flintstar will not be the only leader with little ones bouncing around her nest."

"Congratualations," purred Flintstar.

"Indeed," Antstar added. "You've brought up some very fine young warriors."

"Wait-- what did she say?"Lightningsong exclaimed. "She's expecting more kits? Whose?"

"Mine," Strikeclaw answered the elder.

Riverpaw, Havenwing, Ripplewhisker, Graystream, and Lightningsong all stared at the senior warrior, dumbfounded by his statement. "What do you--" Riverpaw began.

"Shush," whispered a ShadowClan elder, "keep your mouth shut."

Flamingstar had taken his spot to speak next. His dark ginger fur looked a bit dull, and his green eyes were dark. "I come with both good news and bad news tonight," he meowed. "Appledawn was made a warrior two sunsets ago."

There were scattered cheers of "Appledawn! Appledawn!" from the assembled cats. Apparently some were either still shocked by Shorestar's announcement or startled by his opening statement.

"But I also come with bad news... at least, bad news for myself." He paused for a moment and flicked his tail. "I have done something and shamed myself in the eyes of StarClan. I dare not share what it is, but I have come to make announce that I will go to the Moonstone tomorrow with Pearnose and Morningstep and ask them to take my nine lives away. I will go into self-exile and leave Morningstep to care for my Clan."

"What?" growled Shorestar. "You make some mistake, and rather than deal with your actions, you run away?"

"I must agree with Shorestar on this," Shrewstar added.

"As do I," agreed Antstar."

"And I," said Flintstar. "Leaders make mistakes, and sometimes StarClan is unhappy with us, but that is why we have nine lives-- we are to learn from our mistakes and work to make amends."

"I cannot do that in these circumstances," answered Flamingstar flatly. "My mistake... it will cost many lives. It has already cost lives. From more than just my Clan." The ThunderClan leader looked away and hopped off the rock. "This Gathering is over. We are going home."

Riverpaw stood and immediately went to Pinestep. "This is the most dramatic Gathering we've had since Sunningrocks... I have questions that I need answered."

The ginger and white she-cat nodded. "We're going to have a long talk tonight... trust me. And we'll probably be awake most of tomorrow, too, so be quick with your goodbyes-- I have a secret to let you in on."