The Great Oak, the massive oak tree found on the border of BirchClan and CedarClan where Gatherings took place, loomed over the two clans sitting beneath it. Acornpaw gazed up at it's large tangled branches and dark green leaves. She sat down next to Emberpaw, who was glancing over at CedarClan's cats.

"We should go over and talk to the other apprentices. Maybe they'll share the dog attack story," Emberpaw suggested.

Acornpaw nodded at her request and they padded over to CedarClan's group of cats. The five apprentices, who all reeked of pine trees and moist moss, were busy chatting away. Acornpaw and her sister awkwardly stepped into their group of cats, feeling out of place among these strangers. What if they weren't friendly? Acornpaw thought, now having second thoughts about visiting them.

But these apprentices didn't look at all threatening, or so Emberpaw thought. A fluffy white tom noticed the two BirchClan she-cats approaching them and turned his head, smiling at them as a greeting. Acornpaw flashed a quick grin and him, relieved that he wasn't hostile.

"Are you two from BirchClan?" The white tom started the conversation.

The she-cats nodded, Acornpaw now feeling awfully shy when the other apprentices' eyes looked over at her. Emberpaw seemed more relaxed and, to Acornpaw's surprise, looked happy to be with them. "My name's Emberpaw, and this is my sister Acornpaw," She introduced them.

"I'm Skypaw. It's nice to meet you," The tom mewed. He flicked his tail over at a smaller white she-cat. "That's my sister, Cherrypaw. She's a bit quiet, so don't be surprised if she doesn't speak to you," He told them. The other three apprentices went around saying their names; Badgerpaw was a grey tuxedo tom, Ashpaw was a grey tabby tom, and Dovepaw was a light grey she-cat. Badgerpaw looked the most fearsome, according to Acornpaw, with his scarred eye and torn shoulder. Maybe he was the one who survived the dog attack, she wondered.

Badgerpaw noticed Acornpaw looking at him and scowled, causing the younger apprentice to turn and look away, flustered. Emberpaw was busy chatting away with Skypaw and Dovepaw, but Acornpaw was too nervous to say anything.

Ashpaw noticed this, and wanted her to feel more welcome. "So, what's it like in BirchClan?" He asked, getting Acornpaw's attention immanently.

"It's nice. Like normal clan life, I guess," She spoke quietly, but it was loud enough for the others to pick up on it. She sat down to try and relax herself, putting her tail over her shaking paws.

The grey tom giggled softly at what she said. They were both silent for a moment before the brown she-cat spoke again. "I heard Duskstar's kits became apprentices. Are they nice?" She asked him.

He laughed at her question. "Badgerpaw, Dovepaw, and I are his kits. I like to think we're pretty nice." His gaze drifted over to Skypaw. "Hey, you should tell them the dog attack story!" He suggested.

The white tom turned his head to look at both of the BirchClan sisters. "Well, I was in a border patrol near twolegplace, when suddenly a massive black dog sprang out from behind a sleeping monster! It chased me through the forest until I tripped on a tree root and had to face him. Then, out of nowhere, Badgerpaw pounced on its shoulders and bit down hard on its neck, but it knocked him off. It gave him a nasty scar on his shoulder before some warriors chased it off."

Emberpaw gasped at his story, her eyes as wide as stones. "So that's how you got your scars! They look so cool, you look even stronger with them!" She commented.

Badgerpaw, however, didn't appreciate her observation. "Are you saying that I look weak without them?" He retorted.

"No, no, not at all! I was just saying-"

The grey tom stood up, his hackles raised and teeth bared. "I could easily beat a scrawny, little BirchClan kit like you, even without my scars," He hissed.

Skypaw barged in between the two apprentices. "Let's not fight, okay? I think the leaders will start talking soon," He mewed calmly, despite the current argument.

"Right, we should go back to our clan." Emberpaw turned away with a quick motion, her pawsteps at a faster pace than usual.

"Sorry about that," Acornpaw muttered to her, though it didn't seem to help her feel any better.

"It's fine." Once they had reached the other BirchClan warriors, Emberpaw sat down near the other apprentices. 

Acornpaw found a spot next to her and Cloudpaw, who was cleaning her pelt. "Have you talked to any of the other apprentices?" She asked her friend.

The white and grey she-cat nodded. "I spoke to Mosspaw of MeadowClan. She's nice," She purred.

Acornpaw noticed that Emberpaw went to the back of the group of cats to be with Tigerpaw. Perhaps she has a crush on him, She wondered.

Once Duskstar, the CedarClan leader, stepped forward on one of the large branches of the Great Oak, the clans were silent. "CedarClan has been great this past moon. My kits: Ashpaw, Badgerpaw, and Dovepaw, are now apprentices and Foxtail has earned his warrior name." The cats erupted in a chant of the cats' names. Duskstar stepped back to allow Starlingstar to talk.

The jet black she-cat, whose pelt shone in the moonlight, shyly looked at the cats who watched her with bright eyes. This must be her first Gathering, Acornpaw noticed. "Falconstar passed away a few days after the previous Gathering, but I have taken his place. MeadowClan is still strong, and prey is running well. There have also been a few sightings of rogue cats roaming outside our territory, so you may want to watch for them," She mewed, then stepped back.

Cherrystar was next to speak. She looked calm, her ginger pelt gently swaying in the breeze. "We are doing well; prey is plentiful and no illness has been seen in our warriors. Owlflower's kits were born, and are-"

A sudden yowl sounded from the bushes behind the BirchClan cats. Every warrior turned their heads in surprise, their eyes squinting to see if anything was there. The Great Oak was eerily quiet, other than the soft murmurs from the cats.

Mothface, who was sitting closest to the scene, began walking into the bushes. She gasped suddenly, taking a step back when she saw what was hidden there. Reluctantly, she reached down to grab something, which looked like a cat. Was it a body?

The warrior padded out and dropped the dead cat, small enough to be an apprentice. Its flame-colored fur was matted with blood, and its green eyes stared at nothing, lifeless and empty. A single slice in its throat had been enough to kill it.

That's when Acornpaw noticed something.

"Emberpaw!"