"Thistlepaw, your mentor will be Mossheart. Mossheart, you shall pass on all your warrior knowledge to this apprentice and train them well," Ashstar meowed.

Mossheart excitedly touched her nose to the little cat's nose. "I will, Ashstar," She meowed. "I'll protect you, little one," She whispered. 

Thistlepaw's little strange purple eyes shone and then she closed them. "And I'll be the best warrior!" She whispered.

"Slatepaw! Amberpaw! Snowpaw! Thistlepaw!" The Clan cheered. 

"Tonight we also have a gathering!" Ashstar called. "And I'll be taking Jaywing, Cinderheart, Mossheart, Bramblehawk, Ivypool, Sootwing, Fluffypaw, and Firepaw. Flower and Rust, you'll also come, since you need experience of a Gathering," Ashstar meowed.

"Gatherings sound exciting!" Flower meowed.

"Yeah, from what I heard from my Clanmates," Rust meowed. 

Bramblehawk bristled at the word 'Clanmates' 

"We shall be leaving in a little while," Ashstar meowed. 

Jaywing was eating a piece of fresh-kill with her mate, Graystripe. She licked her paw and drew it over her head. 

"I can't wait to go to the Gathering!" Fluffypaw mewled. 

"It'll be so exciting!" Firepaw meowed, his fur fluffing up.

Ivypool and Stoneheart watched them, purring. They rubbed their muzzles together.

"Ashstar should've let our kits go," Graystripe sighed. 

"They'd be bouncing around all over camp until they have no energy," Jaywing purred. 

Stoneheart then coughed. 

Jaywing bristled, horror pricking her pelt. She then walked over to her brother. 

Stoneheart crouched on the ground, Ivypool beside him, she lay her head on his back.

"Stoneheart, are you ok?" Jaywing asked. "You coughed."

Stoneheart looked up. "I don't really feel good," He meowed.

Jaywing ran to the medicine den. She padded into the medicine den, brambles swishing behind her. "Mothstripe!" She meowed.

Mothstripe turned towards her. Her pelt was ruffled. It had been two moons since Ashstar had brought Mothstripe back. 

"Mothstripe, what's wrong?" She asked. 

Mothstripe turned away from her. "Nothing," She muttered. 

Jaywing stared at her daughter. Her pelt was ruffled as if it hadn't been groomed in days. "Stoneheart coughed and he said he doesn't feel good. I think he might be sick; could you go and check?" Jaywing asked.

Still, Mothstripe didn't turn to look at her. Her pelt seemed so dull, almost like she was a ghost. She twitched occasionally. "Get Alderheart to check him," She meowed. "I'm....busy," She meowed.

Jaywing was about to get Alderheart, who was sitting near Ashstar's den, but she was suspicious about her daughter. "Busy? What are you doing?" 

"Nothing. Sorting.....herbs," Mothstripe stammered. "Leave me alone," She growled. "Don't let Stoneheart stay sick if he is, just go get Alderheart."

"Something's wrong," Jaywing meowed. "Mothstripe-"

"Get Alderheart!" Mothstripe growled. "Leave me alone!"

Jaywing backed away from the den. "O-ok, If that makes you happy," She meowed, turning away from her daughter. She saw Alderheart sitting at the prey pile now. She padded over to him. "Alderheart! Could you check on Stoneheart? He said he doesn't feel too good, and he coughed."

Horror glittered in Alderheart's eyes. He padded past her and ran over to where Stoneheart was. He put his paw to the deputy's head. 

Jaywing ran over to him. Ivypool stared at Stoneheart, her eyes widened. "I-is he ok?" She asked. "Stoneheart, please don't be sick!"

Alderheart's eyes widened. "Oh no! This isn't good!" He mewled. "He's warm, and he's sick," Alderheart pointed out. "We haven't found any herbs for sickness!" 

"We've only found poppy seeds and catmint though, right?" Jaywing prompted. 

"We did  have catmint, until some animal came by the place where it grew and ate it!" Alderheart growled. "We only have a few stalks left! And that's nothing compared to this cough he has," Alderheart muttered. "We don't have any other herbs for this kind of stuff; we haven't found anything out here!"

"Treat him with all you have!" Ivypool meowed. 

Jaywing looked at her. "Alderheart's going to try that," She meowed. She looked at him, hoping that he'd have a look of hope in his eyes, but his eyes were dull. 

"Don't let him die, please, StarClan," Jaywing whispered. She padded away from Alderheart, going back to the medicine den. She found Mothstripe there. "Mothstripe, after the Gathering, can you come into the forest with me to hunt for some herbs? Like catmint? Or any herb that can treat a sickness?" She asked.

Mothstripe didn't turn around. 

Jaywing padded up to her daughter, her paws prickling. "Mothstripe," She whispered.

Mothstripe- as soon as Jaywing's paw touched her shoulder- turned around, her eyes blazing with pain and fear and anger. This wasn't Mothstripe....she's never acted this way...

Jaywing's pelt bristled. Her daughter looked scared....like she was afraid of someone or something.

"Mothstripe-"

"ThunderClan! It's time for tonight's gathering!" Ashstar's voice rang outside.

Jaywing looked at her daughter. She breathed hard, her amber eyes glowing like a small orange flame in the dark. Jaywing turned away from her and headed outside, padding to where all the chosen cats stood. 

"Tonight, our deputy Stoneheart could not make it because he got sick," Ashstar announced. "But we hope he gets well enough for the next days to come," He meowed.

Harestar dipped his head and closed his eyes. "WindClan has two new warriors. Dovepaw and Eaglepaw have now become Doveclaw and Eaglefeather. WindClan shall mourn Bunnypelt's death tonight, Ashstar," He added, looking at Ashstar. 

Ashstar glanced at him. "Thank you, Harestar," He meowed.

"I respect Bunnypelt," Harestar added. 

Ashstar looked at him. "I think that's all for tonight," He meowed. "ThunderClan, we shall start heading home!"

"Stoneheart!" A voice meowed.

Alderheart ran over to the medicine den, his paws skidding on small rocks. 

Ivypool was in the medicine den, but Mothstripe was not. Ivypool's fur was ruffled. She crouched over Stoneheart. Alderheart's heart felt like a stone as he saw their two kits, Firepaw and Fluffypaw, standing in the entrance, hanging back and watching their father suffer. 

Stoneheart coughed violently, and he looked and sounded as if he couldn't breathe.

Alderheart ran over to them and touched Ivypool's shoulder lightly with his tail. "Ivypool, fetch some wet moss for me," He told her. 

Ivypool quickly got up and ran out of the medicine den. 

Alderheart crouched over Stoneheart, putting his paw on his head. The deputy felt warm. "Stoneheart," He muttered gently. Alderheart pushed a stem of catmint towards him. "Eat that."

Stoneheart opened his eyes; they were a dull yellow and they looked glassy. He slowly moved his paw to push the herb into his mouth. Then he ate it and wrinkled his nose, but swallowed it anyway.

Alderheart hoped he'd be ok. He looked up to see Firepaw and Fluffypaw trembling in the entrance of the den. "He's ok, don't worry about him, go back to your duties," Alderheart called to them. 

"Are you sure?" Firepaw asked. 

"I'm sure," Alderheart told them, although he hated to lie to them. 

Ivypool pushed past them, dripping moss in her jaws, and padded over to Alderheart. She set the moss by Stoneheart's jaws so he could lick the water. 

"Thanks," Alderheart praised the she-cat.  

She crouched down by her mate once more, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Ivypool, let Stoneheart rest. You might get sick as well," Alderheart meowed. 

Ivypool didn't move. 

"Watch over him while I'm out," Alderheart sighed. "I have to do something."