<I'm sorry for taking so long. I'll hopefully get my act together this week. Anyways, let's hope you all don't kill me after this chapter!>

It took the other clans longer to spot Birdwing than expected. And it was only when Lakerock walked up to him to talk that some Willowclan cats spotted him, and the whispers started from there. Eventually those whispers reached the Oakclan cats, and then reached Egretstar just as he was making his way to the rock that leaders gathered on.

"Turtlestar!" Hissed the Oakclan leader, being careful as to not cause a scene. "What's this I hear about Birdwing being here with your clan?"

Snakestar and Cypressstar, the leaders of Birchclan and Willowclan respectively, looked at their fellow leaders curiously. They wisely stayed away from the two, but still kept an ear open.

"You hear the truth." Said Turtlestar, not really bothered by the question. He had expected this afternoon.

Egretstar glared at him. "Why have you taken him in? Don't you think there was a reason Nightstar exiled him?"

"You'll find out." Said the Spruce leader, looking up at the moon that now hung high in the sky.

And so, the gathering began.

Cypressstar was the one who began the gathering. "Willowclan is doing well. We have two new apprentices, Wingpaw and Echopaw."

Out on the crowd two cats sat slightly taller.

"Our warriors have scented cats on our territory leading close to Oakclan." She continued on before Egretstar could make any snide comments. "They don't carry the scent of any clan cat so I believe their rogues."

"Thank you Cypressstar." Said Egretstar, dipping his head slightly in thanks. "I'll be telling the patrols to keep an eye out for any strange scents."

Down below amongst the deputies the Willowclan deputy, Lynxfoot, snorted. "Sure you will."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Growled Heatherblaze, her pale brown fur standing on end.

Lynxfoot scoffed. "Please, how much has he done patrol and hunting party wise?"

"That's my duty." Hissed the Oakclan she-cat, tail flicking angrily.

"And when you're unable to?" Asked Greenclaw, remembering last moon whe Heatherblaze has been sick and unable to attend the gathering. "Surely he must do the patrols then?"

Instead of answering the rest of the questions she turned and looked back up at the leaders. And seeing that she wasn't going to say anything else, so did the other deputies.

"Birchclan is also well." Said Snakestar, her calm voice easily traveling over the clearing. "We have a new warrior, Cinderhawk, and also a new apprentice, Honeypaw."

Both cats, who were sitting next to each other, raised their heads proudly.

"That's all Birchclan has to report."

Egretstar stepped up after her. "Oakclan has nothing to report other than that one of our senior warriors, Pineheart, has moved into the elders' den." The yellow eyed leader glared at Turtlestar. "Though I just have to ask a question. Why has Spruceclan taken an exiled Oakclan cat in?"

Murmurs filled the clearing, but Birdwing kept his head held high. He could care less what these cats said about him, as long as his siblings didn't have to endure any of it he was fine.

By the deputies a wicked smile crossed Greenclaw's face, and cats noticed.

"What's going on?" Asked Lynxfoot, looking from the Spruceclan deputy to its leader. "What's Turtlestar going to do?"

The massive tom didn't answer the question, simply focusing on watching the show.

"I'm glad you asked!" Started Turtlestar, walking to stand at the edge of the rock so everyone could hear him well. "Spruceclan has let Birdwing in because unlike somecats we don't judge based on things cats have no control over."

"Like?" Prompted Snakestar.

"Like being half-clan."

The deputies looked a bit disappointed when he said that.

"Is that it?" Asked the Birchclan deputy, Mudgaze. "I can agree that's harsh, I don't get why you're looking so smug."

"Because there was more than one cat exiled." Replied Greenclaw, and no one expected him to elaborate this time.

Turtlestar looked back at Egretstar with a glint in his eyes. "And of course, unlike somecats, we don't exile kits."

And just like that outrage swept the gathering, cats shouting at Egretstar and the Oakclan cats, cats going up and asking Birdwing about it, some saying that Turtlestar must be lying.

"He's right!" Shouted a ginger tabby tom. Birdwing recognized him as Coopercloud, the Oakclan medicine cat. "Two moons ago, back when Nightstar was still leader, Birdwing, Sparrowflight, Russetkit, Jaykit and Primrosekit were all exiled after their mother's death."

Now outraged started for real and cats were close to attacking each other.

Cypressstar saw this and called out, "Willowclan! We are returning home!"

Some of the clan backed away, but there were still some who didn't.

"Now!" Growled Lynxfoot. And with both the leader and deputy ordering them to go the clan left.

Turtlestar went to do the same but before he could a paw came to swipe at him. He managed to dodge by jumping down to a smaller rock that was under the ledge. Looking up he met the burning eyes of Egretstar. "Egretstar!"

The white furred leader hissed down at the gray-brown leader. He looked ready to pounce when the clearing was shrouded in darkness.

"Look what you've done now!" Snapped Snakestar, ears low.

Egretstar looked ready to still attack Turtlestar, but decided against it and retreated back to Oakclan territory with the clan following right behind him.

The remaining leaders gave each other respectful nods before going back to their own territories.

"The nerve of him!" Hissed Whitehawk, falling into step with Birdwing and Greenclaw. "Who made him leader?"

"Nightstar." Grumbled Birdwing in annoyance. "A mouse-brain who picked a mouse-brain."

"Those are far too kind words to use." Huffed Greenclaw before trotting up to Turtlestar. "Hey, are you ok?"

The dark gray-brown tom nodded. "Yes, he didn't touch me at all."

"Good."

The rest of the journey back was relatively quiet, with small talk falling over them.

It was when they got back to camp that the day made a real turn for the worst.

Sunpaw was sitting by the nursery with the kits wrapped in his fluffy tail, his eyes were wide and horrified but he did his best to hide it from the kits. Aspenmoss, the only elder who remained in camp, was speaking with a visibly distressed Cedarfall.

"What's going on here?" Asked Turtlestar, keeping a calm voice as to hopefully calm some cats.

Cedarfall looked at the medicine cats dan, which didn't escape Greenclaw.

The massive deputy grew worried in seconds. "Has something happened to Sparrowflight?"

This instantly made Birdwing pay even more attention.

"It does." Said Cedarfall. "I had noticed some things that all pointed at one thing, but since I'm not a medicine cat I went to someone who would know."

"Which was Aspenmoss." Concluded Birdwing. Aspenmoss had been Frostfoot's mentor back when she was an apprentice.

"Yes. So I asked her to come and see if my worries were justified or not. And they were justified." The gray and white warrior looked down at his paws at that, afraid to meet anycat's gaze.

"What's wrong with my brother?" Hissed Birdwing, tail swishing anxiously. He had a feeling he, nor anycat else for that matter, was going to like the answer.

"Sparrowflight has yellowcough."

<I wonder how many of you know what yellowcough is, or what it entails for that matter. I'll leave you all to figure that out. Anyways here's some art!

The first picture is Sparrowflight (pinkish-red) and Birdwing (Magenta). And the second picture is Flintshade (aka TFC. Which will be my second time drawing him both over all and as a cat)

That's all from me for now, so stay safe and have a wonderful time everyone!>