Ravenflight padded with the other WindClan cats towards the Gathering Island. It was the first Gathering since she'd returned, so she was a little nervous. Wolfpaw had proven to be nice, and they had become firm friends. While she disapproved of messiness, Wolfpaw respected her decisions and they incorporated fun into boring tasks, like gathering moss.

"We're here," Crowstar announced. "Let's go." He led the way across the tree bridge, dipping his head to the ThunderClan cats who were arriving after them.

Luckystar, the leader of ThunderClan, was staring straight at Ravenflight. She watched Ravenflight with something curious in her eyes, as well as pride. She then turned to gaze at Ebonypaw and Amberpaw.

I wonder why.

Crowstar, Luckystar, Hailstar and Rowanstar leaped onto the great oak.

"I will start, since all three of you have a Clanmate returning," Luckystar purred. "ThunderClan is doing well. Snowfall has given birth to two kits, Whitekit and Leafkit. We also bring two new apprentices to this gathering, Skyheart and Stormcloud! Other than that, prey is running well, and we are prepared for the leaf-bare coming ahead."

"Skyheart! Stormcloud!" The Clans cheered. Ravenflight noticed a gray tabby ducking his head; that must be Stormcloud, and the light ginger tortoiseshell next to him must be Skyheart.

"I will go next," Hailstar dipped his head to Luckystar. "As you all probably know, Amberclaw has returned to us. She received her warrior name for completing the quest."

Ravenflight spied her friend staring at her paws. She tilted her head. It wasn't like Amberclaw to be shy.

"Fawnkit and Duckkit are now apprentices as well. That is all RiverClan wishes to share," Hailstar nodded to Rowanstar. "Your turn."

The Clans quickly cheered for Amberclaw, Fawnpaw and Duckpaw before Rowanstar spoke. "Ebonypaw has returned to her Clan as a warrior, she is now Ebonywind. Rosedusk has given birth to a single kit; Foxkit."

"Ebonywind!" Ravenflight felt herself yowling.

"My turn," Crowstar purred. "Ravenpaw has returned to become Ravenflight. She has been taking over Wolfpaw's training. Thank you, Willowshine, for beginning his apprenticeship. Lilystream has given birth to Lightkit and Blackkit. Prey is running into our paws, which is surprising for leaf-fall, and all our cats go to their nests with a full stomach every night."

Ravenflight licked her chest fur embarrassedly as every cat cheered her name. She scanned the crowd and noticed Amberclaw wasn't cheering.

Something is definitely wrong.

"I don't see any reason to rush home, so let's stay awhile," Luckystar suggested. She received warm nods from the other leaders.

Ravenflight quickly left the other medicine cats in their circle and found Ebonywind. "Is it just me or is Amberclaw acting weird?" she burst.

"No." Ebonywind said coldly. "But you shouldn't be that excited to see me. We're not Clanmates anymore, after all."

Ravenflight shrank back. Ebonywind was the same as Amberclaw! She hurried back to the medicine cats and pretty much just stared at her paws the whole time until Crowstar gathered the Clan to leave.

Back in camp, Ravenflight lay on her nest, unable to sleep. Amberclaw and Ebonywind had just...drawn away from her. But why? Resolving to ask them about it next time they met, Ravenflight fell into uneasy dreams.

"Ravenflight, you must listen to me," Ravenwing seemed to be talking to her, but his voice faded in and out. "You will learn something, a secret...been kept since...birth...it'll affect...you know...just don't be too angry...I can't be here long, your sleep isn't deep enough for me to talk..." his fuzzed up image disappeared.

"Ravenwing!" Ravenflight called. "Come back! What secret? What has it got to do with me?"

No one answered. Fog wrapped Ravenflight up and she sighed, ready to open her eyes. A yowl pierced the air. She snapped open her eyes, and to her horror, Acornheart was in the medicine den with a bloodied leg. Bramblepelt and Tinypaw had accompanied her here. Ravenflight glanced up at the sun; it was sunhigh. Wincing, she retreated into the herb store for some cobwebs.

"Where's Wolfpaw?" she demanded.

Bramblepelt shrugged. "I'll find him."

Ravenflight didn't reply, she was too busy applying cobwebs to Acornheart's leg. Acornheart herself had dropped into unconsciousness.

"Tinypaw, what happened?" Ravenflight addressed her friend.

"We were out on a border patrol, Acornheart, Bramblepelt, me and Mosspaw, and we saw a badger! It was huge. It saw us and we ran, but we were leading it to camp." Tinypaw's eyes grew wide. "So Acornheart and Bramblepelt sent me and Mosspaw for reinforcements and then we brought Hawkclaw, Harespring, Owlfur, Rabbitleap, Sandheart and Palefeather."

"What happened next?" Ravenflight paused in smearing a poultice of goldenrod on the wound. Acornheart winced in her sleep and her legs twitched.

"The badger swatted Acornheart into a tree, and we all heard a crack. She stopped moving and the badger tried to tear her apart! Then, Sandheart stopped the badger and it bit Sandheart. We drove off the badger, but Owlfur died." Tinypaw whimpered.

"Owlfur died?" Ravenflight dropped the marigold she was holding. "Our mother died?" She mewed thickly.

"Yes," Tinypaw's eyes clouded.

"Here, eat these," Ravenflight grabbed a few leaves of thyme. "You'll need it for the shock."

"T-thanks," Tinypaw muttered, making a face at the taste.

"Send Mosspaw in here," Ravenflight ordered.

Tinypaw dipped her head and trudged out of the den sadly.

Ravenflight picked up the marigold and chewed it up, adding a few dock leaves to the poultice. She licked it onto Acornheart's leg wound. Ravenflight decided while she was treating her, she might as well treat the other scratches and bruises. Acornheart suddenly stirred.

"Acornheart, you okay?" Ravenflight mewed stiffly.

Acornheart licked her lips but didn't speak. Ravenflight looked around for the spare moss she kept and dipped a bundle in the small stream of water in the den. She put the wet moss at Acornheart's lips, who lapped it up thankfully. "My head hurts," Acornheart mewed.

Ravenflight flicked her tail to show she had heard but continued dragging moss towards the patient. Quickly making a nest, she gestured for Acornheart to climb into it. Acornheart blinked but eased her body into the nest, giving Ravenflight some more room. She quickly felt Acornheart's head. "You have a few bruises on your head, but they'll heal. What I'm worried about is your leg." She announced.

Paw steps at the entrance of the den made her freeze. Thankfully, it was just Wolfpaw, Sandheart, Tinypaw and Mosspaw.

"Good, Wolfpaw, you're here. Where've you been?" Ravenflight narrowed her eyes.

"Out, collecting herbs." Wolfpaw replied meekly.

"Then where are your herbs?"

"I dropped them."

Ravenflight shook her head. "You should've taken them. Now that you're here, I need you to treat Tinypaw and Mosspaw for their shock and scratches. Their mother just died in front of them, for StarClan's sake!"

Wolfpaw nodded and grabbed some thyme, cobwebs and goldenrod from the herbs tore. Ravenflight gave a nod in approval. She turned to Sandheart. The she-cat had a large bite on her belly, and she was groaning in pain.

Ravenflight continued mixing up the poultice she had been making and applied it to Sandheart's wound. "How's your wound, Acornheart?" she called over her shoulder.

"It hurts like the Dark Forest. I'd give a few mousetails for it to stop hurting." Acornheart growled.

"Wolfpaw, how many poppy seeds should we give Acornheart?" she asked her apprentice.

"F-five?" Wolfpaw stammered nervously.

"Five would make her sleep deeply," Great StarClan!

Wolfpaw seemed to have bees in his brain today. "Go to the store and fetch three poppy seeds for Acornheart."

Wolfpaw scurried into the store and returned with the poppy seeds. He lay them in front of Acornheart, who lapped them up with a sigh of relief. Acornheart curled up in her nest and soon fell asleep. Ravenflight turned her attention to Sandheart. "Which is your most painful wound?" she asked.

"My bite," Sandheart gritted her teeth as Ravenflight smeared some comfrey root, chewed up in a poultice, onto it.

"Wolfpaw, make a nest for Sandheart. What did you treat Mosspaw and Tinypaw with?" Ravenflight called, seeing the warrior apprentices lingering nervously at the den entrance.

"Thyme for the shock, juniper berries, and cobwebs for their scratches." Wolfpaw recited.

"Why in StarClan would you use juniper berries? They don't exactly need strength right now; they need a capable medicine cat to take care of them!" Ravenflight almost yowled.

Wolfpaw shrank back.

"Alright, after you've made a nest for Sandheart, fetch some goldenrod," Ravenflight rolled her eyes.

Ravenflight made a large nest for Mosspaw and Tinypaw, they'd feel better if they could sleep together, while Wolfpaw made a nest for Sandheart and went into the herb store to bring her some goldenrod.

"Tinypaw, Mosspaw, here, have three poppy seeds each, and rest." Ravenflight pushed the seeds towards them. "I'll have more herbs ready for your scratches when you're awake."

Tinypaw nodded sleepily after lapping the seeds up while Mosspaw was already in the nest.

"Wolfpaw, good, you're back. Go find the other injured cats and treat their scratches with goldenrod and cobwebs. If a cat is injured seriously, send them in here." she instructed.

Keeping an eye on her four patients, she organized the herb store again. Acornheart's tail twitched restlessly while Sandheart barely moved. Mosspaw and Tinypaw had curled up together in their nest. Movement distracted her and she stood up after separating the cobwebs from the ragwort leaves.

"Ravenflight, Palefeather is dying!" It was Stonetail, his yellow eyes panicked with sheer terror.