Aspenpaw sat tensely, her tail tip flicking. Beside her, Icepaw was sitting just as stiffly, both of their gazes pinned on the leader's den. When they had returned to the camp, Ravencall had emerged from his meeting with Silverstar and told Aspenpaw that she would be attending the gathering that night, but that Tigerfang had stayed behind to discuss another matter. Both she and Icepaw had not moved since, anxiously awaiting Tigerfang's return.

Robinblaze and Creekshadow padded into camp, the three other apprentices behind them. Between the five of them, they'd only managed to catch a blackbird and two shrews. As they walked in, Drypaw looked over to where Aspenpaw and Icepaw were sitting before nudging the other two. They quickly deposited the prey onto the freshkill pile before hurrying over to their friends.

"What's going on?" asked Drypaw as they reached them.

"Aspenpaw's going to the gathering tonight." Icepaw quickly recounted. "But Tigerfang is still in with Silverstar."

The other three apprentices glanced towards the leader's den. Drypaw went and sat on Aspenpaw's other side, gently leaning into her friend. "Don't worry, I'm sure everything will be alright." She purred encouragingly.

Badgerpaw and Shadowpaw were both looking at the leader's den with interest. "I wonder what it's about." Murmured Badgerpaw.

"Maybe he's advocating for your assessment!" mewed Shadowpaw, his ears pricking with excitement. "Aspenpaw, you could be a warrior soon!"

Aspenpaw said nothing, her eyes still fixed on the entrance to the den. Her tail was beginning to lash anxiously. Drypaw seemed to notice and she pressed herself closer to her friend. Shadowpaw shifted himself between Aspenpaw and Icepaw. As Drypaw leaned in further, it pushed Aspenpaw making her lean slightly towards Shadowpaw.

"It could be." agreed Badgerpaw. "You've been an apprentice longest. It's been... six moons, right?"

She nodded stiffly. For some reason, she couldn't shake the feeling that it was something... somehow worse.

"Here he comes." Mewed Icepaw getting to his paws as Tigerfang emerged from the leader's den, his expression angry. Aspenpaw got to her paws, waiting for him to come and speak to them, but he strode straight past them walking towards the fresh-kill pile.

She frowned and followed him. "Tigerfang?" she mewed dashing to catch up. "Is something the matter?"

He looked down at her, his single eye still alight with rage. She felt herself flinch but didn't back away. "I told Silverstar I thought you were ready for your assessment. She has refused."

Her eyes rounded. "Oh... I see."

He paused. "Don't think I'm angry at you." He said, trying to make his voice calmer, though there was still a growl there. "But why make me your mentor if she's not going to listen to my judgement?"

She shook her head. "I don't know."

He gave another little growl. "I'll keep asking her. Don't worry, you'll be a warrior soon."

She smiled at him. "It's alright. I can wait."

He tried to smile back at her. "Get yourself some prey and rest up for tonight." He mewed padding off towards the very small prey pile. He picked up a mouse and made his way towards Blackheart.

The other four apprentices approached her. "What was it?" asked Icepaw, watching Tigerfang settling down.

"He told Silverstar I'm ready for my assessment." She murmured. "She said no."

Shadowpaw looked at her shocked. "Why?"

Drypaw shrugged. "Well... at least this means we can stay together in the apprentice den a bit longer."

Aspenpaw purred at her optimism. "Come on, let's get something to eat." She mewed leading them towards the prey pile.

"How much further is it?" mumbled Drypaw as they padded along the shore of the lake.

"Not much." Mewed Badgerpaw from a few paces ahead. He was walking alongside Creekshadow and was therefore behaving perfectly so as not to embarrass her. Drypaw looked up at Robinblaze, sticking close to his side. He looked down at his apprentice, his eyes soft.

Aspenpaw padded along behind them, keeping pace with Tigerfang, which was difficult considering how much larger he was than her. They were fast approaching the island where the gatherings were held. The scent of Windclan hung strong in the air. Up ahead of them, Silverstar was walking with her head down, Ravencall just behind her with Shadowpaw padding proudly alongside him.

After a short while, they came to a large log which connected the island to the shore of the lake. Without hesitating, Silverstar sprung up onto it and began to walk across, placing her paws daintily. Ravencall hopped up after her, stepping confidently as though he'd done this a hundred times before, Shadowpaw close behind him, placing his paws where his mentor's had been. The senior warriors followed, each of them padding across with the confident grace that suggested they had done this many, many times.

Creekshadow hopped up, Badgerpaw padding at her heels. He looked a little unsteady as he went but confident enough. Drypaw was looking at the bridge, her eyes full of uncertainty.

She looked up at Robinblaze who touched his nose to her ear. "You go first. Then if you slip, I can catch you." She gave a little nod and hopped up, her mentor leaping up behind her. She slowly walked across. Aspenpaw noticed that she had her claws out and was digging them into the trunk. At one point her footing slipped a little but Robinblaze immediately nudged her back into place. Finally, she hopped down on the other side, her pelt still sticking up in anxiety. Robinblaze hopped down beside her and quickly lapped her pelt flat.

Tigerfang looked down at Aspenpaw. "Do you want to go first too? So I can catch you?"

She shook her head. "I'll just look at where you put your paws." She mewed.

He gave a nod and hopped up onto the log bridge. She sprang up beside him, her soft paws stepping exactly where he placed his paws. She focussed on where she placed her paws rather than on how much further she had to go. Before she quite realised, Tigerfang was springing off the end of the log bridge. She leapt down beside him and he looked down at her proudly. "Well done." He mewed softly.

As the last few cats trotted over the bridge Aspenpaw snuffled at the air. "I can smell other cats." She mewed, trotting towards the ferns.

Shadowpaw grabbed her tail. "Not yet, we have to enter behind Silverstar." He whispered.

She gave a nod. "Right, thanks."

Silverstar was padding towards the brush, scenting the air as she went. The rest of the clan began to follow her into the ferns. Drypaw appeared beside Aspenpaw. "Ready?"

"As I'll ever be." She replied, laying her tail on her friend's back as they padded forward.

They emerged from the brush into a small clearing which was full of cats, all twining around one another and speaking excitedly. Tigerfang glanced around and padded over to a group of Windclan and Riverclan toms who were milling around together, Blackheart quickly joining him.

"Badgerpaw! Shadowpaw!" called a voice. They looked up as two Riverclan apprentices bounded over. "Come on, we're all already sitting together." Mewed a black and grey tom. He suddenly paused. "Who are these?"

Shadowpaw beckoned them over. "This is Aspenpaw and Drypaw. They're our friends from Thunderclan."

The other apprentice, a mottled grey tom approached them, his tail raised amicably. "Hi! I'm Pebblepaw, and this here is my brother Nightpaw. Are you both training to be warriors?"

Aspenpaw nodded. "Yeah. I've been training for six moons, but this is my first gathering."

"Mine too." Nodded Drypaw.

"No kidding?" Mewed Pebblepaw, his eyebrows raised. "Well Nightpaw here is going to be a warrior, but I'm going to be a medicine cat."

"Wow." Drypaw's eyes widened. "But didn't you want to be a warrior?"

He shook his head. "Nope, I like helping cats, and the herbs are interesting to learn about."

Nightpaw rolled his eyes. "Well I like learning to fight. It's better than sitting around learning about smelly herbs."

Pebblepaw cuffed his brother. "I know how to fight!" he mewed defiantly. The two toms suddenly began tussling together.

"You'll have to forgive them." Muttered a voice behind them. They turned to look at the stranger. A grey and white tom who smelled of the moors was stood his tail flicking slightly. "They're not long out of the nursery. Everything's still a bit of a game to them."

"Hello Echopaw." Mewed Badgerpaw, nodding at the tom. "How are things in Windclan?"

The tom lifted his head slightly. "It's Echobreeze now." he mewed loftily. "I got my name half a moon ago."

"Congratulations!" Shadowpaw mewed enthusiastically and Echobreeze gave a nod of thanks.

"Aspenpaw!" called a voice and she looked up to see Maplepaw hurrying towards her. The cream calico's eyes were wide with concern. "It's really good to see you. Is Icepaw still not well enough to come?"

She shook her head. "No, but he told me to say hello."

In fact, there were a lot of things Icepaw had debated asking them to say to Maplepaw. Many of them were far more long-winded, so Aspenpaw had decided to stick to the most basic option.

It was enough. Maplepaw's green eyes lit up. "He did? Oh... well tell him I say hello back!" She paused, glancing over her shoulder at the other Windclan cats and trying to flatten her fur. "And how are you Aspenpaw? How's your training going?"

"Fine." She said shortly. She didn't know why, but the pretty she-cat's interest in Icepaw still made her very uncomfortable.

"Maplepaw!" Shadowpaw padded over. "So great to see you! Icepaw sends his regards. He said he misses you, but he told us not to say that." He said with a wink.

The she-cat giggled. "Well, you can tell him I miss him too." She whispered like it was a secret. "I hope his back is doing better soon. I can't wait for him to be able to come to gatherings again."

"Aspenpaw?" She looked up at Tigerfang's beckon. He gestured with his tail for her to come over. She dashed across the clearing to him. He gestured around the circle of toms that he and Blackheart were sitting with. "This is Blackheart's kit and my apprentice." He mewed, and Aspenpaw could have sworn she heard a flicker of pride in his voice. "Aspenpaw, this is Stoneclaw and his old apprentice Rippleshine of Riverclan and Cricketnose of Windclan." He gestured to each cat as he said their names. "We've all been friends a long time."

Aspenpaw dipped her head respectfully. "Pleased to meet you all."

"Great Starclan, she's Silverstar's kit?" mewed Rippleshine, looking from the apprentice to where her mother was greeting the other leaders. "She looks nothing like her mother."

Stoneclaw cuffed him gently. "That's hardly our place to say." He said firmly before looking back at Aspenpaw. "I see you've already met my own two kits." He mewed fondly. "They're boisterous now, but they'll do fine."

Cricketnose nodded. "And I see you met my old apprentice." He mewed nodding to Echobreeze. "He means well, but he can be a little... well... aloof is a good way to describe him." He gave a slight chuckle. "Though if what Blackheart tells us about you as a kit is anything to go by, we can see that cats can change. I can hope that he'll grow out of it."

She gave a slight chuckle in response. "I certainly hope so." She mewed, feeling herself warming to the other clan cats.

A yowl suddenly rang out from the tree with low hanging branches, announcing the start of the gathering. Aspenpaw dipped her head again to the toms before hurrying back to where her friends were sitting.

At the front of the gathering, underneath the tree sat the deputies and the medicine cats of the other clans. She immediately recognised Harestar up on the branch with Swiftwing and Morningmist below him.

"That's Willowstar of Riverclan." Whispered Shadowpaw when he noticed her looking. "And her deputy, Voletooth and medicine cat, Cygnetwhisker."

Willowstar, who had called the beginning of the gathering sat back, nodding to Harestar to begin. He got to his paws. Aspenpaw couldn't help but marvel for a moment how steady he was considering his age.

"Welcome all." He called gazing around, his eyes warm. "It's good to see you all again, as well as some faces we have not seen before." A murmur of agreement ran around. "It has been a hard leaf-bare for all of us, but Windclan emerges as strong as ever." He looked towards where the Windclan cats were sitting. "We have welcomed two new warriors in Windclan. Echobreeze and Nightblizzard have completed their training and are doing well."

"Echobreeze! Nightblizzard!" Windclan began to chant the new warriors' names and several cats from the other clans joined in. Aspenpaw peered over at the Windclan cats and spotted Echobreeze sitting up straight looking proud. Beside him, a smaller black and white she-cat was sitting looking around, smiling sheepishly at the attention.

"We had a little bother with a fox about a quarter moon ago." Continued Harestar, but a patrol led by Sunstream soon saw it off. They were incredibly brave and we've not heard a peep from it since." He gave a sombre nod to a calico she-cat near the front of the group of Windclan cats. She nodded back. "That is all I have to report for now." the leader mewed stepping back and sitting down.

Silverstar got to her own paws with a nod at the Windclan leader before turning to the gathered cats. "Thunderclan is strong and healthy." She announced. "We have welcomed two new warriors too, Dawnlight and Mistgaze." The other cats took up the cry as they did with the Windclan warriors. "The prey is running strong and our apprentices are doing well." She promptly sat back down. A slight mutter ran around the crowd. Her report had been awfully short.

Willowstar looked at the Thunderclan leader a little surprised before getting to her own paws. "Well there seems to be a pattern emerging." She announced. "Riverclan have also welcomed two new warriors in the last moon. Ashfeather and Jaysong completed their training and we have welcomed them as full warriors of Riverclan."

"Ashfeather! Jaysong!" the cats in the clearing all took up the cry and the Riverclan cats all looked to two of their smaller members who were both sitting with their chests puffed out proudly.

"Moreover, we welcome Stoneclaw and Darkflower's kits as our newest apprentices, Nightpaw and Pebblepaw." The cats took up this cry too. Once they had quieted, Willowstar continued. "We had a little bother with foxes too." She dipped her head to Harestar. "Thank you for warning us about the one you were having problems with." The Windclan leader dipped his head back. "We had two patrols, one led by Whitetail and one led by Russetstrike, both of whom managed to rid the foxes from our territory." Many of the cats turned to congratulate the two she-cats who were sitting close together. Whitetail graciously accepted the congratulations while Russetstrike sat stoically watching the leader.

When the noise died down, Willowstar looked around seriously. "I must now tell you of a vision that Cygnetwhisker had recently. We all remember the prophecy that Alderheart gave to Silverstar on his deathbed. 'The shadows will return to the forest. Those that join will make them stronger than before.' Well Cygnetwhisker has seen something which could pertain to it." She gestured to the light grey medicine cat before sitting down.

Cygnetwhisker got to his paws, looking around at the other cats. "I had a vision." He mewed. "In the vision, I was standing in the Riverclan camp when I saw shadows of cats erupting from the dens, walking around amongst the Riverclan cats. I then found myself in the Windclan camp, and the same thing happened there, and again saw myself in the Thunderclan camp and the shadows walked amongst the cats."

The clan cats looked at one another confused. Mutterings began running around the clearing.

"But what does that mean?" demanded Silverstar, looking both angered and afraid.

Cygnetwhisker looked up at her. "I believe it means that the shadows have already returned to the forest." He told her. "They are within the clans."

---

Ok... so there's a lot of people who volunteered their cats so this bit's gonna be a bit long

*INHALE*

Creekshadow belongs to Hannah Rowe
Drypaw belongs to Meadow Leon Flower
Badgerpaw belongs to Nicholas Mullen
Stoneclaw, Darkflower, Pebblepaw and Nightpaw belong to Hannah Nethery
Echobreeze and Rippleshine belong to Lily Mustain
Whitetail belongs to Rebecca Hymers
Ashfeather belongs to Julia Dedvalosky
Russetstrike belongs to Jenny Matthews
Jaysong belongs to Kami Bennett
Cricketnose belongs to Katie Evans
Sunstream belongs to Caitlin Collyer
Nightblizzard belongs to Megan Marie

*whew*