A full moon shone brightly in the sky, shedding light on the cats who were gathering at fourtrees. WindClan and SkyClan were the first to arrive. Starfaith sat down with Silverberry by the roots of a great oak, watching as Gladestar leaped onto the great rock and meowed a greeting to Ravenstar.

"Hello," Ryeheart purred and leaned forward to touch noses with each of the WindClan medicine cats. "I hope all is well in your clan?"

Silverberry purred and curled her tail around her paws. "Yes, we are very well. How are things in SkyClan?"

The brown tabby turned his head to look at his clanmates, who were mingling with the WindClan cats and meowing greetings. "One of our elders died, sadly," He meowed. "But besides that, we are well."

Starfaith strained to see over the heads of the crowd of cats in the clearing and brightened when she saw Depthstar arrive with ShadowClan. Cobratail, Hawkfeather, and Dewstorm were close behind him. 

As the ShadowClan warriors branched off to speak to the cats already gathered, Depthstar continued through the crowd with his deputy and medicine cats. While Cobratail went to join Snowfalcon and Sandblaze, Depthstar dipped his head politely to Starfaith and the other medicine cats before joining the other leaders on the great rock.

"Greetings," Hawkfeather meowed, glancing over his shoulder. "I don't expect this gathering to last long. It's going to storm." Beside him, Dewstorm sighed and shook his head.

Silverberry blinked. "What do you mean?" She asked, looking up. "It's a clear night."

"Yes," Starfaith agreed, tilting her head. "And it would only storm on a full moon if StarClan were angry about something."

"Exactly." Hawkfeather's eyes were dull and grim as he looked over his shoulder through the crowd. "Like if a future murderer was here, and-"

Dewstorm gave his mentor a sharp nudge with his shoulder. "That's enough, Hawkfeather!" He snapped, and the tabby flattened his ears. "You're being ridiculous."

"Just because you're a young cat doesn't mean you know everything," Hawkfeather retorted, his eyes flaring with frustration. "One day, you'll see that I'm right!" With a growl and a lash of his tail, he padded away to speak to Otterpelt, who had just arrived with RiverClan.

 The medicine cats stared after him for a moment, then turned to Dewstorm. "What is he talking about?" Silverberry asked in bewilderment. "Has he gone mad?"

"Pay no attention to him," Dewstorm let out a sigh, his fur flattening. He was clearly very frustrated with his fellow medicine cat. "He's not himself these days. I... I suppose it's age."

As Ryeheart and Silverberry exchanged a solemn look, Starfaith stepped forward to sit close to Dewstorm. She could see right through is lie. Hawkfeather is still paranoid about Bloodkit. "Hello, Dewstorm," She meowed quietly.

The gray spotted tom looked at her, and the frustration faded from his eyes. "Starfaith, I'm so glad you're here," He murmured with a glance at Hawkfeather. "He's getting very difficult to deal with."

"I understand." She rested her tail around him and looked behind her at the other cats. "Bloodkit is here, isn't he? He's been apprenticed?"

Dewstorm turned his head and nodded toward the group of ShadowClan cats. "Bloodpaw is there, just behind Greenpine and Cliffshade."

She followed his gaze and spotted the dark red tabby apprentice. He was watching the clan leaders on the great rock, his yellow eyes nervous, but full of interest. Beside him, a black and white apprentice was pointing toward the leaders with his paw, pausing and looking at Bloodpaw occasionally with blue eyes full of patience and happiness.

He seems like any other apprentice to me. Starfaith thought as she watched the young tom laugh with his companion at something he said. "That apprentice beside him is Swiftpaw, isn't it? Poisonedsap's kit?"

"That's right," Dewstorm replied. "They've been friends since they were kits." He paused and returned his gaze to Starfaith, and she looked away from Bloodpaw. "Speaking of kits, my sister, Diamondrain, has had hers," He purred.

Starfaith let out a warm purr. "That's wonderful! What has she called them?"

"Mistykit and Coldkit," Dewstorm meowed, his yellow eyes warm with pride for his sister. "They're both very excited to become apprentices, but they still have a few moons left to wait."

"It's the hardest part of being a kit," Starfaith purred in amusement, and he chuckled. 

After a moment, Dewstorm lifted his gaze to the sky. "Anyway, Hawkfeather is talking nonsense. It's a clear night. Just look at all the stars!"

She followed his gaze to the twinkling lights in the night sky, expecting the sight of them to comfort her as it always did. But it sent a chill down her spine as she remembered Hivepelt's words.

A star will die.

The words echoed in Starfaith's mind. For several nights now she had lay awake in her nest, struggling to interpret the prophecy. The words seemed so simple. But their meaning was not.

A star. Something bright, heavenly, a light in the darkness of night. Could it be a cat? As Strawberrystar sprang up onto the great rock in front of her, she dropped her attention from the stars to the clan leaders, a jolt of dread spreading through her like an icy flame.

A star... The leaders have "star" in their name... Will one of the clan leaders die? She wondered anxiously. Gladestar is the oldest of the leaders... She stared at the golden tabby for a moment, then looked toward Silverberry, who was greeting Spicewhisker. I should talk to Silverberry about it after the gathering.

"Are you alright?" Dewstorm stared at her worriedly, noticing that she was distracted.

Starfaith returned her gaze to him and hesitated, considering confiding in him about her prophecy. It might only be WindClan's business... Should I share it with a ShadowClan cat, even if it's Dewstorm?

"Cats of all clans!" 

Ravenstar's call from above interrupted her thoughts, and she looked up at the leaders as he spoke. "Welcome to the gathering. I will begin. The prey has been running well in SkyClan," He shot Strawberrystar a cool glance. 

Starfaith hadn't been listening to the leaders conversation while thinking about the prophecy, but she was willing to bet that Strawberrystar had been bickering again. It happens nearly every moon!

"We have two new warriors, Goldenmoon and Brackenleaf!" After the cats cheered for them, Ravenstar dipped his head and stepped back. "That's all I have to share. Frostedstar?"

The white furred Riverclan leader stepped forward. "RiverClan is well," He meowed, looking down at the medicine cats. "Otterpelt expects that she will have an apprentice soon. One of our kits has taken an interest in the ways of a medicine cat."

The medicine cats looked at Otterpelt in surprise and interest. A new medicine cat joining them was exciting news.

"Is it Sagekit?" Hawkfeather asked Otterpelt, seeming to have calmed down about Bloodpaw. "You spoke highly of her at the last moonstone meeting."

Otterpelt purred. "Yes. She won't stay away from my den, and I can't keep her away any longer!"

"That's wonderful!" Silverberry purred, her green eyes warm. "Training an apprentice is a great experience."

"I can't wait to meet her," Starfaith purred, and Dewstorm nodded agreement.

As Gladestar spoke, Dewstorm leaned close to Starfaith. "I wish we could see each other more often," He murmured. "I think about you a lot. Yesterday I almost gave Foxtail coltsfoot instead of watermint for her bellyache."

"I've been distracted too," Starfaith admitted, embarrassed. "Sometimes I don't even realize a cat is talking to me. Silverberry tells me to get my head out of the clouds." She hesitated, unease prickling through her fur. "We need to stay focused on our clans, Dewstorm," She whispered. "We can be together so long as we fulfill our duties."

The spotted tom rested his tail around her. "I know," He meowed quietly. "I want to be the best medicine cat I can be. I know you do too."

Starfaith noticed that Gladestar had finished speaking. "Yes, of course," She murmured to him. "Our clans come first. We must not think about each other when our clanmates need us." She looked up as Depthstar took his place at the front of the great rock.

"ShadowClan is very well," Depthstar began. "We have plenty of prey, and plenty of apprentices. Speaking of which, we've made a new apprentice this moon." He looked into the group of ShadowClan cats. "Bloodpaw!"

Icy silence gripped the clearing, and Starfaith watched Bloodpaw as his prideful expression was quickly replaced by dismay. He looked frozen as the eyes of every cat fell on him. She felt a stab of sympathy for him. No cat is going to cheer his name. She exchanged a disappointed look with Dewstorm. As medicine cats, we can't. Only warriors can start the chant. 

She glanced over at Hawkfeather. The tabby tom was hunched over with his back to the crowd, as though he expected StarClan to strike down the new apprentice with lightning at any moment.

On the great rock, the leaders exchanged surprised looks. "Bloodpaw?" Frostedstar exclaimed.

"Who named their kit Bloodkit?" Ravenstar asked in bewilderment. "That's not a name for a kit."

"Bloodpaw?" Strawberrystar scowled, and stood, glaring at the ShadowClan leader. "Really, Depthstar? You came here a few moons ago with a Revengepaw! What kind of names are you giving your cats these days? Has ShadowClan gone rogue?"

They are unusual names... Starfaith thought. But I know why Bloodpaw has his name. It was not given to make him sound threatening or fearsome.

Depthstar bristled, then calmed himself and glared steadily at the ThunderClan leader. "Don't question me and my clan, Strawberrystar," He growled. "Perhaps you should start questioning your own clan."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Strawberrystar bristled.

What is Depthstar getting at? Starfaith wondered, glancing beside her at Dewstorm questioningly. He looked uncomfortable, not meeting her gaze.

"Cats of all clans," Depthstar looked away from Strawberrystar and to the cats gathered below. "Several moons ago, one of our warriors, Maplefur, was found dead on ThunderClan's side of the border."

As cats murmured anxiously, Depthstar continued. "I have considered alternatives, but there is no other explanation." He narrowed his blue eyes at the ThunderClan leader.

Strawberrystar's amber eyes lit with disbelief as he spoke. "Are you accusing my warriors of murder?" She hissed.

"Yes," The ShadowClan leader meowed firmly, and the clearing burst into yowls of shock and fury.

"That can't be!" Starfaith gasped and turned to Dewstorm in shock. "Warriors don't kill other warriors."

Her companion's eyes were filled with unease. "He was found in ThunderClan territory," He meowed quietly. "What other explanation could there be?"

She had to admit he was right. But how could any cat break the warrior code in such a way? Why would ThunderClan want Maplefur dead?

Oaktuft of ThunderClan leaped to his paws. "That's crazy! What reason would we have to kill one of your warriors?"

"That's what I'd like to know." Depthstar shot back, glaring down at him.

Strawberrystar's fur was fluffed up as she furiously stepped toward the ShadowClan leader. "You must be out of your mind to accuse us like this!" She hissed in his face. "ThunderClan cats do not break the warrior code!"

"One of your warriors must confess." Depthstar lashed his tail as he held her furious gaze. "You've always been too proud of your clan, but you must admit that not all of your warriors are-"

"Don't you dare call my warriors disloyal!" Strawberrystar unsheathed her claws, and Starfaith's blood ran cold in her veins. They can't fight! This is a gathering! Suddenly, a horrible thought came to her. The prophecy! What if Strawberrystar kills Depthstar tonight? She rose to her paws and stared up at the leaders anxiously.

Dewstorm looked at her sharply. "Starfaith?"

"She's going to attack Depthstar!" She whispered, ready to interfere. She couldn't fight, but perhaps she could reason with the quarreling leaders before any blood was spilled.

The ShadowClan medicine cat touched her flank with his tail. "They won't, it's alright," He murmured. "Strawberrystar is prickly as a thorn bush, but she won't attack him. She's better than that."

To her relief, Frostedstar stepped between the two leaders. "Enough. This is a truce. There will be no violence." He glared at Strawberrystar, then Depthstar. "Every cat just tell the truth."

"The truth has been told!" Strawberrystar pushed past Frostedstar and glared at Depthstar furiously, her tail lashing madly. "ThunderClan is not responsible for the death of your warrior! Understood?" She spat.

Depthstar hesitated, seeing that this was an argument that he couldn't win without a fight. "Very well. Perhaps I was wrong."

"Yes, you're very wrong," Strawberrystar glared at him for a moment longer, then spun around. "The gathering is over! I have nothing to say." She leaped down from the great rock and lashed her bushy tail at her clanmates, and they began following her.

The other cats stared after her in amazement. Frostedstar, Gladestar, and Ravenstar exchanged troubled looks before jumping down and calling on their clanmates. 

Depthstar huffed out a sigh and leaped down, waving his tail. "ShadowClan, let's go home."

As Hawkfeather padded over to his leader, Dewstorm turned to Starfaith. "Goodbye," He meowed quietly. We'll meet again soon." He touched his nose to hers before hurrying after Hawkfeather.

Starfaith stared after him, growing uneasy as she thought about the prophecy. Could Maplefur's death have something to do with it? If Depthstar and Strawberrystar go into battle, will one of them die?