It has been five moons since Emberpaw joined the clan. Sunpaw have received her medicine cat name of Sunstream and the clans have not cause any trouble.

"It's time for the Gathering," Appleshade reminded Froststar. Her eye twitched. "I almost forgot."

"I will bring Emberpaw this Gathering," she mewed. "Sparrowshadow and Lilyflower too. They haven't been to the Gathering for a few moons."

"I will call the cats you chosen to get ready,"Appleshade mewed.

~~~~

Froststar could sense Emberpaw's excitement as he talked comfortably to Honeyfrost.

They might be mates soon, she thought. She turned to her deputy and mewed, "I would like to talk to you after the Gathering."

Appleshade nodded and carried on walking. Soon, the familiar four trees that is their Gathering place came into sight, and Froststar sped forward to signal the clan to follow her.

ThunderClan was the first to arrive, followed closely by ShadowClan. Froststar felt relieved that ShadowClan have not made any threats; near leaf-bare is no time to battle.

Duskstar dipped his head to her as she jumped up the Great Rock. Suddenly, it occurred to her that Duskstar looked older, and tired.

Jaggedtail glanced at his leader with worry, but his apprentice, Shimmerbreeze, mewed a few words in his ear.

WindClan came next, Dovestar quickly hopped up the rock while her deputy, Dawnflight, eyed the other clans warily.

What is with ShadowClan and WindClan? she wondered.

RiverClan came last, and Greenstar gave the other leaders an apologetic look.

"I will start first," it was Duskstar who spoke. "ShadowClan have been doing well, and we have two new apprentices: Hawkpaw and Fallowpaw."

"Hawkpaw! Fallowpaw!" the clans yowled, but not with the usual tone that they used.

"Two of our warriors are missing!" he hissed after the call died down. "Frogtail and Deerfoot went missing after having a patrol last night and didn't return."

"Are you accusing us, Duskstar?" Greenstar questioned. "Because RiverClan didn't take your cats."

"No," he growled. "I am saying it to warn the cats that took my warriors, not to your clans."

Before an argument broke out, Dovestar stepped forward. "WindClan also have missing cats. Wolfpetal and Woodear disappeared. They were last seen in the morning, talking in the nursery."

This time, the clans remained silent, except for a blue she-cat who spoke, "I'm sure that one of you have taken my brother."

"Berryclaw, I know that you are worried about Woodear, but he is a warrior and he can take care of himself," Dovestar reassured her.

Greenstar sighed and mewed, "Let's continue the Gathering. I will go next. RiverClan has no missing cats, but rogue scents are present in our territory. We suspect that they are stealing our herb supply. Other than that, we have three new apprentices: Sagepaw, Treepaw and Rainpaw."

"Sagepaw! Treepaw! Rainpaw!" the call was slightly more hollow than the previous one.

Froststar began to speak. "ThunderClan has also no missing cats. Our borders are safe currently but just a few days ago, rogue scent was scented near the Twolegplace border, mixed with the scent of the other clans."

Duskstar's eye twitched while Dovestar remained silent. "The Gathering is over!" Greenstar yowled.

Froststar gathered her cats to follow her and Appleshade whispered in her ear, "Do you think it is Longdrop's band of rogues?"

She nodded, fixing her eyes onto the forest, suddenly so unwelcoming and dangerous. "Something is not right," she muttered. "I could feel it."

As soon as she finished speaking, they were ambushed by about nine rogues, who were aiming for the younger warriors. Emberpaw snarled angrily as one pounced onto him and Honeyfrost swiped at the rogue swiftly.

Lilyflower was pinned down and the rogue tried to claw at her, before Froststar jumped onto him.

The rogues quickly fleed soon after and Froststar ordered, "Webfoot, Emberpaw, follow them! I will come with you. Appleshade get back to camp with the others."

Appleshade nodded quickly while Froststar followed Webfoot, who was following the rogues.

Emberpaw was ahead, quite well hidden thanks to the darkness. "This way," the older warrior mewed to Emberpaw.

The rogues' scent trail led to Twolegplace, as Froststar suspected. "The scent leads there," Webfoot mewed, looking at a nearby Twoleg den.

"Stay here," Froststar mewed. "We can hear from her. Going closer may be dangerous."

Emberpaw nodded, his ear pricked.

Froststar managed to catch what the rogues are saying. "We did as you told, soon, their leader will go in and we shall ambush them."

Another voice, deeper and more frightening, growled, "Are you sure that it will work?"

"Yes," the rogue replied. "They were chasing us."

"Good," he laughed.

Froststar wanted to hear the rest of the conversation but Webfoot hissed, "Froststar, we need to go now!"

She nodded reluctantly and Emberpaw quickly followed them as they sped off.