Brookshadow padded along next to Lightfur and Featherdapple, heading over to the Gathering on the island. Brookshadow was excited to see her friends again, the offspring of Gingerleaf and Heronwing. Gingerleaf had two litters, and Brookshadow had made friends with both of them. Both of her litters had only two kits, but they were wonderful all the same. The first litter was a bit closer to Brookshadow's age, three moons younger than them to be exact, but the other litter wasn't too much farther behind them, about seven moons. Brookshadow felt something brush her fur as she was about to get onto the tree bridge that led to the island where the Clans gathered every full moon. She glanced over to see Aldershade, looking exceptionaly eager for the Gathering. Not wanting to get knocked off the bridge in his excitement, she let Aldershade go first, then followed right behind.

Almost as soon as his paws touched the ground again, Aldershade began to race into the trees on the island. Brookshadow jumped forward and caught his scruff, preventing him from leaving, and he shook her off and stared at her.

"What are you doing?"

"Keeping you from running blindly into the Gathering! You seem so eager to see the other Clans." Brookshadow said.

"Well, sorry." He said, then padded more slowly through the trees. Brookshadow rolled her eyes and followed, only to see that Aldershade had rushed over to RiverClan cats, and as she searched, she spotted Gingerleaf, being greeted warmly by Aldershade. Sighing, she padded over to her and purred in greeting.

"Hey, Brookpaw. How are you?" Gingerleaf asked.

"Actually, it's Brookshadow now."

"Wow, you're a warrior! Congratulations!" Gingerleaf turned to Brookshadow's siblings. "What are they called?"

"Flintpaw's Flintwhisker, Treepaw's Treepelt, Featherpaw's Featherdapple, Lightpaw's Lightfur, and Cresentpaw's Cresentcloud." Brookshadow told her.

"Wow, what wonderful names!" She purred, then turned to Aldershade. "I need to talk to you. Alone, please."

Brookshadow nodded and began to pad away, back to her siblings. Flintwhisker flicked his ears questioningly.

"Where's your mate?" He teased.

Brookshadow felt her pelt heat up slightly. Flintwhisker was talking about one of Gingerleaf's kits, Pikepaw, last time she had seen him. "For the last time, Flintwhisker, he's not my mate!"

"Sure he's not. I don't blame you. He does have an awesome disposition." Flintwhisker continued.

"Flintwhisker, if you don't stop, I'm gonna bite you."

"Or you'll get Pikepaw to do it."

"Alright, enough, Flintwhisker." Lightfur said, standing and stretching. "I'm curious about what they're talking about. I'll be back." She slipped off before anyone had time to argue.

Featherdapple sighed. "This can't be good."

"Where Lightfur goes, trouble usually follows." Brookshadow agreed.

"Guys, you have to have more confidence in Lightfur. While, yes, trouble can follow her around, so does discovery." Treepelt said.

"I guess that's true," Flintwhisker said, his gaze wandering.

Brookshadow watched the spot where Lightfur had disappeared. Then, a reddish-orange pelt got her attention, and she turned her gaze onto the cat approaching them.

"Oh, look, it's your mate, Brookshadow! Aren't you happy to see him?" Filntwhisker hissed into her ear teasingly.

"I can still bite you." Brookshadow hissed back, then padded up to Pikepaw.

"Hey, Brookpaw!" He said, touching his nose to hers in greeting.

"Well, actually-" Brookshadow started, but someone hissed into her ear.

"I have to talk to you immediately. As in, now, Brookshadow!" Lightfur hissed.

"Can't it wait?" Brookshadow asked her, her tail-tip flicking in irritation.

"Not really," Lightfur said, padding back to their siblings. "You can talk to him after the Gathering!"

Shooting an apologetic glance at Pikepaw, she followed Lightfur back to their littermates. "I'll sit with you during the gathering!" She threw over her shoulder before catching up to Lightfur and sitting next to her, flicking her ears questioningly. "Okay, what is it?"

Lightfur looked seriously at all of them. "Okay, I promise you that none of this is a joke. So, I followed them and listened in on their conversation." She took a deep breath. "So you guys know Gingerleaf and Heronwing's second litter?" She waited while they all nodded. "Well, the kits aren't Heronwing's."

"Of course they are!" Brookshadow said. "Gingerleaf and Heronwing are mates! Who else's kits could they be?"

"Think about it. Who, other than Heronwing, has a strong relationship with Gingerleaf. Who do the kits look like?"

"I remember hearing Gingerleaf say something about who they looked like, when they were old enough that she could come to the Gathering.... But who?" Flintwhisker wondered aloud, his ears twitching.

"She said they looked like... They looked like... Aldershade! Wait, Aldershade? But...." Cresentcloud said, confusing herself. "Lightfur, tell me it's not what it looks like!"

Lightfur nodded. "It is. Gingerleaf and Aldershade are mates, too. Apparently, Aldershade thought that she really was mates with Heronwing, too, but she didn't have any kits with him. Gingerleaf said that the second litter was Aldershade's, but not the first one."

Flintwhisker nudged Brookshadow with his nose. "You still have a chance at being Pikepaw's mate, then."

"Stop calling him my mate!" Brookshadow snapped, her fur bunching up.

"Woah, calm down. It's just a joke. I'm teasing you." Flintwhisker said, a hint of annoyance in his mew.

"So? Even teasing gets annoying sometimes. So just stop." Brookshadow growled.

"What if I don't? Brookshadow, there are going to be other cats who won't listen to you, and will keep bothering you until you do something about it. Either toughen up, or learn to ignore it."

"Ignore it? Not possible, because then you'll get mad at me for ignoring you."

"Stop arguing, you two." Cresentcloud sighed.

"Well, at least it won't bother you anymore if you ignore me!" Flintwhisker hissed, seemingly not hearing Cresentcloud.

"Shut up, Flintwhisker!"

"Who's going to make me?"

"STOP ARGUING!" Cresentcloud shouted at them, making them both jump. She continued in an aggravated tone, "It's a full moon, no one here's going to break the truce. Flintwhisker, stop teasing Brookshadow. She obviously doesn't like it, and she told you to stop, and as her brother, you should respect that."

Brookshadow felt her pelt prickle with annoyance and relief. On one paw, she could fight her own battles. But on the other paw, she was grateful that Cresentcloud had told Flintwhisker off. Sighing, she looked back at Lightfur.

"Okay, are we done here?" Brookshadow asked her.

Lightfur turned her gaze to her, shocked. "Really? This isn't at all important to you? Our father-" She emphasized each word, "is mates with a RiverClan Warrior!"

Brookshadow shrugged. "It doesn't bother me. This seems to happen all the time." In truth, Brookshadow was unsettled. But she wasn't going to let it show.

Lightfur tried again. "Our father! And a RiverClan Warrior!"

Brookshadhow hissed in annoyance. "Yes! And? What's the big deal?"

Lightfur scoffed, her tail lashing. "Fine, whatever, go and talk to your stupid friend."

Brookshadow huffed and started to pad away, her ears twitching when she heard a few more remarks.

"Lightfur, don't be bothered by it. She obviously doesn't care because she wants to be mates with a RiverClan warrior, too."

There was a growl then a hiss from Lightfur. "Shut up!"

Brookshadow was more than a little irritated at the thought of being held back by something as... she searched for the word... Stupid, honestly, as bringing news that her father and a RiverClan warrior were mates. Why did Lightfur care? It wouldn't be her reputation that would get hurt if the Clan found out. Plus, they couldn't make Aldershade do anything. It was none of their business. Brookshadow rolled her eyes and went to search for Pikepaw. It was easy to spot him, seeing as most of the RiverClan cats were brown or gray colored. She padded up to him, and as he spotted her, his eyes lit up in joy.

"What did Lightpaw want?" He asked when she was close enough to hear.

"Nothing, really. Oh, and we're not-" Brookshadow groaned as she was interuppted again by the Clan leaders, who were silencing the cats so they could speak. Brookshadow growled under her breath and sat down next to Pikepaw. As she looked at him, she saw their difference in size: almost none. Pikepaw was only three moons younger than her, being in the first litter as he was. WindClan's leader, Onestar, spoke, snapping her back to reality.

The other three Clans reported things like full freshkill piles and such, and so did ThunderClan, but Bramblestar had more to announce than just plentiful prey.

"We have six new warriors," He announced. "These cats are littermates, and you already probably know who they are." His gaze traveled accross the cats, until he found each of the new warriors. "Flintwhisker, Treepelt, Lightfur, Brookshadow, and Cresentcloud."

Cheers went up around her, and Brookshadow looked over at Pikepaw, who was looking at her, wide-eyed.

"I didn't know you had become a warrior!"

Brookshadow chuckled. "I was trying to tell you, but there were distractions."

Pikepaw nodded, then said, "It'll be me next. I'm having my warrior assesment this moon," He announced proudly.

"Wow! Then it will be you next! Good luck." Brookshadow said.

Pikepaw purred, then turned as he heard his voice being called, and Brookshadow saw Pikepaw's mentor, Lakeheart, padding up to them.

"It's time to go, Pikepaw," The gray tabby said.

Pikepaw nodded. "I'll be there in a second." As his mentor left, Pikepaw turned back to Brookshadow. "See you next full moon?"

"If I'm here," Brookshadow said. Pikepaw touched noses with her, then retreated back to his Clan, who were begining to slink away from the island. Brookshadow stood and began to pad back to her littermates, and she narrowed her eyes at Flintwhisker, who stayed away from her, and Lightfur narrowed her eyes at Brookshadow, who stayed away from her.