Rain fell gently from the dove grey sky through the leafy canopy of ShadeClan territory. Almost one moon had passed since Volestripe and Sparrownose had joined ShadeClan and, to everyone's surprise, both had proved to be quite competent at hunting. There was still much for them to learn so they remained apprentices with Lilypaw, Bramblepaw and Hazelpaw. Tonight was a full moon, tonight was the Gathering.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Mossrock for a Clan meeting!" yowled Dapplestar, her silver pelt already sodden. Despite the rain, cats still quickly poured around the stone.
"The cats going to tonight's Gathering are: Blizzardfur, Blackwhisker, Sorrelwing, Patchface, Logflight, Cloudmist, Volestripe, Heronstrike, Sparrownose, Daisytuft, Hazelpaw, Bramblepaw and Petalpool. Eat and rest now, we will leave shortly."
Volestripe trotted over to where Sparrownose and Daisytuft were sharing a pigeon. As he approached them, he caught a spark of something in Sparrownose's amber eyes- a brief flash of resentment. He was shocked. Sparrownose had always been happy to see him, he had never made him feel unwanted.
"Hi Volestripe. Are you excited? It's your first Gathering after all." questioned Daisytuft.
Volestripe forced himself to sound enthusiastic, "Yeah, of course!"
"Have you eaten?" she asked.
Volestripe shook his head, not hungry. Any further conversation was cut off as Dapplestar went to stand by the camp entrance, a sign for all cats attending the Gathering to hurry up. Volestripe left Sparrownose and Daisytuft to finish their meal and went to stand with Logflight at the entrance, passing Bramblepaw, Lilypaw and Hazelpaw on his way.
"Promise you'll tell me everything that happened? Please?" Lilypaw begged. "Please?"

The walk to the White Clearing was quiet and uneventful. Volestripe spent his time either walking beside Cloudmist and her brother Heronstrike or with Sparrownose and Daisytuft, feeling strangely lonely. What had he done to irritate Sparrownose? He let out a small sigh. Suddenly Dapplestar lifted her tail and every cat stopped moving. After a brief moment of silence, Dapplestar dropped her tail and disappeared over a grassy ledge, Rocknose at her heels. The rest of the Clan followed them over and the sight before Volestripe shocked him. A section of forest, every tree a white birch, with a clearing in the middle. ShadeClan walked forward and entered the trees. Within the clearing stood a single solitary stone that reached many tail-lengths into the crisp air. The smell of forest after rain gave everything an earthly scent of mulch. ShadeClan had been the second to arrive, FenClan the first. The scent that the FenClan cats carried could be compared to stagnant water and mud unlike ShadeClan who smelled like fresh growing things. While Dapplestar made her way over to a brown tabby tom with green eyes, the cats of ShadeClan mingled with those of FenClan. A white she-cat with calico patches and a feathered tail walked towards Sparrownose, Volestripe and Daisytuft, a young white and brown tabby she-cat with her.
"Daisytuft, it's good to see you. How's the prey running?" purred the she-cat, "And who are your handsome friends?"
Daisytuft purred, "It's nice to see you too, Poppypelt. The cream is Sparrownose and the tabby is Volestripe."
Poppypelt smiled, "It's good to meet you both. This is my apprentice Brightpaw."
Brightpaw dipped her head to them, her amber eyes full of shyness.
"Looks like ValleyClan's arrived." remarked Poppypelt.
Volestripe opened his mouth and caught a whiff of long grasses and strong winds as a new set of cats entered the clearing. A ginger she-cat with a white muzzle raced easily towards the towering stone and, without breaking stride, sprang onto its tip.
"That's Sunstar," said Poppypelt, "her deputy is Windleap, the brown and white tom standing with Goldthorn. Brokenclaw, our deputy, is near the Medicine Cats. He's the grey tom."
"Thanks," Volestripe started only to be cut off by Sparrownose.
"Who are the Medicine Cats?" he interrupted.
"From FenClan is Icefall-the white tom- and Minnowpaw- the grey she-cat. ValleyClan's Medicine Cat is Leafcloud."

"The Gathering will begin!" yowled a tom from atop of the rock.
"FenClan will start."
"That's Reedstar," whispered Poppypelt, "he's-"
Whatever she said went unheard as Reedstar spoke again.
"The prey is running well and we have no deaths to report." he began. "A rouge she-cat was found on FenClan territory. She attacked Darkfoot before running off. Apart from that, all is well in FenClan." he concluded.
"What did the rouge look like?" questioned Dapplestar.
"A brown tabby with a white patch on her chest and yellow or amber eyes."
"If you don't mind Sunstar, may I speak next?"
"Of course."
Dapplestar spoke louder, voice projecting across the White Clearing.
"ShadeClan welcomed two toms into our Clan nearly a moon ago. Their names are Sparrownose and Volestripe." many pairs of eyes in many different colours turned their way and, embarrassed, Volestripe licked at his chest fur.
"They have both proven to be fine hunters. We have not been bothered by any threats this past moon and for that I am grateful." Dapplestar moved backwards to allow Sunstar to speak.
"Grasslight kitted at the beginning of this moon," she started, "two healthy toms and a beautiful she-kit named Antkit, Owlkit and Whisperkit."
To Volestripe's surprise, every cat, no matter the Clan, began to call the kits' names alongside the name of their mother. He joined in proudly.
"The prey is running well and, apart from a fox scent found just inside the border, we have not been disturbed this moon."
"Then this Gathering is over." Dapplestar announced before leaping off the stone.

"Volestripe, Sparrownose, this is Bluetail, Acornheart and Cloudsky." informed Cloudmist as she walked over. "Bluetail and Cloudsky are Valleyclanners and Acornheart is obviously a FenClan warrior."
"Hello." smilled a blue tabby tom with a white belly and green eyes.
"Nice to meet you." muttered a white she-cat with grey patches and amber eyes in a tone that suggested otherwise.
A brown tabby tom with yellow eyes nodded his head at the two toms.
A chorus of 'hello's and other greetings were exchanged but, before they could say any more, Dapplestar called for ShadeClan to leave. Saying goodbye, Cloudmist, Sparrownose, Daisytuft and Volestripe went to catch up to their Clan.