"Stonetooth! Stonetooth! Stonetooth!" The yowls of the new warrior's name, Stonetooth, formerly Stonepaw, could be heard throughout the RiverClan camp. Out of all of the yowling, Larkpaw's yowl could be heard the loudest.

Stonetooth padded up to Larkpaw, his kithood friend, after the ceremony had finished.

"Maybe you should go catch a carp for me." Stonetooth tried to tell Larkpaw in a serious voice; he failed miserably, however.

Larkpaw grinned playfully at Stonetooth.

"Just because you're a warrior now doesn't mean you get to boss me around!" Larkpaw whined.

"Of course it does. I'm your senior. I'm in a higher position of power." Stonetooth purred.

"Well, yes, that's true," Larkpaw rolled her eyes, "but that doesn't mean you can abuse that power, you fish-brain! Plus, you just became a warrior! You haven't even been a warrior for half of a moon!"

"I suppose so." Stonetooth rolled his eyes playfully. "I shouldn't be bossing small apprentices like you around."

Larkpaw snorted. "You're only taller than me by half of Rattail's tail!"

"You mean that grumpy elder from ShadowClan?!" Stonetooth asked, slightly offended.

"No, he's not an elder yet." Larkpaw meowed. "He's still a warrior. Though I suppose he'll be living with the elders soon. Just like I'll be living in the warrior's den, as a warrior in half of a moon if I pass my assessment!"

"If you're tall enough, that is." Stonetooth meowed, letting a small mrrrow of laughter escape him.

"Hey! That's not funny!" Larkpaw retorted. "Plus, as far as I know, there isn't a certain height you have to be to become a warrior!"

Stonetooth purred again. "There should be."

Larkpaw let out a snort of resentment. "Then does that mean you can't be a warrior because you're too tall?"

"I'm not too tall! You're just too short!" Stonetooth playfully shouldered her.

Larkpaw purred, and rolled her eyes at him. "Says the cat who admitted that he was too tall when he was an apprentice."

"I didn't say that!" Stonetooth defended himself.

"Yes, you did!" Larkpaw purred.

"No, I didn't-" Stonetooth was interrupted by the Clan deputy, Lilywhisker.

"Break it up, you two!" Lilywhisker meowed, purring slightly at the sight of the two Clanmates arguing. "Stonetooth, how would you like going on your first hunting patrol as a warrior?"

Stonetooth's brown eyes gleamed with excitement and anticipation. "When? Of course I would! I would love to!"

Larkpaw purred at her friend's excitement. "Be quiet, Stonetooth, or you might scare all of the fish away."

"You be quiet!" Stonetooth meowed, moving his paw to cuff her on the ear. Larkpaw ducked and Stonetooth missed.

"Frog dung..." Stonetooth muttered. "I'll get you next time."

"Good luck trying." Larkpaw mewed smugly.

"Alright, you two. Anyways, Stonetooth, we're about to leave, so hurry up." Lilywhisker ordered him, padding toward the camp entrance.

"Okay, coming!" Stonetooth called to her. "Bye, Larkpaw! Catch you later!"

He raced off.

Larkpaw let out a small purr of amusement. She turned around to go to the apprentice's den, but when she turned around, Shadepath, her mentor, was right in front of her.

"Have you forgotten already, Larkpaw?" Shadepath meowed, slightly annoyed. "We're supposed to be practicing your battle skills right now. I said we could do it after the ceremony, and it's after the ceremony. We should already be at the Beech Copse by now!"

"Huh-? Oh, I'm really sorry, Shadepath!" Larkpaw flattened her ears in embarrassment. "I'll make it up to you by training even harder today!"

Shadepath let out a small purr. "I don't see how much harder you can work. You've been working almost nonstop ever since you were made an apprentice."

"Sorry!" Larkpaw squeaked.

"Nothing to be sorry for. Now, let's get to the Beech Copse." Shadepath turned on her heel, walking briskly toward said place. Larkpaw trotted after her.

Once Larkpaw saw the thick clusters of beech trees, she trotted a bit faster. Once Shadepath and Larkpaw slipped in through the gaps between the trees, they immediately stood across from each other, tails swishing and their backs slightly arched.

"How about you try out the leap-and-hold tactic I showed you a while ago? It really comes in handy if you're smaller than most warriors." Shadepath told Larkpaw.

"Okay." Larkpaw agreed, slightly disgruntled; her mentor had just called her small! While Larkpaw wouldn't deny that she was a lot smaller than most apprentices, she didn't like cats continuously pointing it out to her.

"Ready?" Shadepath asked. Larkpaw nodded her brown and white head, and brown eyes gleaming with anticipation.

"Go!" Shadepath yowled. Larkpaw sprinted and leaped at Shadepath, who quickly sidestepped. Larkpaw landed on the ground on all fours, digging unsheathed claws into the ground to stop her from sliding. Larkpaw sheathed her claws again, and faced her mentor.

She circled Shadepath with her back arched. As Shadepath moved to make a front paw blow, Larkpaw ducked and ran behind her mentor. She jumped onto Shadepath's back, making sure to keep her claws sheathed.

Shadepath, reacting quickly, dropped down and rolled over. Larkpaw hopped off her mentor's back before she was squished. Larkpaw was panting slightly, and her brown orbs gleamed with anticipation.

"Great job!" Shadepath praised her apprentice. "How about we try the jump-and pin move I taught you about a half of a moon ago?"

Larkpaw nodded, her eyes still gleaming with excitement and anticipation.

Shadepath and Larkpaw lined up a couple of tail-lengths across from each once more, eyes focused and sharp, looking for movement of their opponent. Larkpaw arched her back, slowly stalking backward, away from Shadepath. Shadepath ran toward Larkpaw as Larkpaw leaped backwards, jumping off of a nearby beech tree. Larkpaw landed on Shadepath's back, clinging on like a burr, but with her claws sheathed. Shadepath moved to roll, but Larkpaw raised a paw and landed a weak front paw blow on her mentor's head. Shadepath rolled over just as Larkpaw leaped off, and in front of her mentor. She reared on her hind legs, swiping her sheathed paws at Shadepath's muzzle and the top of her head.

Shadepelt backed up a couple of steps, and leaped toward Larkpaw, who tried to sidestep, but she was too late. Shadepath pinned Larkpaw down, and Larkpaw pummeled Shadepath's belly with her hind legs. This had no effect, so Larkpaw went limp, playing dead. Shadepath grinned in triumph, thinking that she had won the mock battle, and moved to get off of Larkpaw.

Larkpaw, however, didn't give up that easily. Larkpaw sprang up, moving most of her weight toward the front of her body to make her blow more effective. Shadepath, too shocked to react, tried to roll over to her right, but didn't make it in time.

Larkpaw pinned Shadepath down, and placed a paw over her throat. Shadepath surrendered, and Larkpaw hopped off of her.

"Nice job!" Shadepath panted, after taking a moment to catch her breath. "I taught you well, didn't I?"

Larkpaw purred. "Of course you did! You're one of the best warriors in the Clan!"

Shadepath purred. "No, I'm not. Anyways, we should probably get back- you want to find out if you're going to the Gathering tonight, right?"

"Huh?" Larkpaw asking, tilting her head to the side. "Oh, yeah! Tonight is the full moon!"

"Of course it is. Now hurry back to camp to go find out!" Shadepath ordered. Larkpaw quickly dipped her head in thanks, and raced off to camp.

She entered camp, and arrived just in time to see Troutstar beginning to announce the names of the cats attending the Gathering.

"Larkpaw, Shadepath, Carptail, Minnowstrike, Pikefur, Oakstep, Blossompaw, Salmonfur, Leaffur, Mudfoot, and Twigpaw." Troutstar announced, padding back to his den. Lilywhisker nodded curtly toward the warriors attending the gathering. It had become Lilywhisker's way ever since she became deputy to just nod her head at the attending cats, silently signaling for them to rest up and eat something before the Gathering.

Larkpaw silently cheered before looking for Stonetooth. Stonetooth must've been looking for her, too, because a heartbeat later, Stonetooth came bounding up to her.

"Are you excited?" Stonetooth asked her.

Larkpaw playfully rolled her eyes. "Of course I am, frog-brain."

He gently cuffed her on the ear. "You don't have to be so mean about it!"

"Sorry." Larkpaw purred, trying not to laugh, but failing miserably, letting out a mrrow of amusement.

"Anyways, I should probably rest and then have something to eat before the Gathering." Larkpaw meowed, padding over to the apprentice's den. She lie down in her mossy nest lined with feathers and reeds, and fell into a light, yet peaceful, sleep.

___________________________________

Larkpaw awoke after what seemed like just a couple of heartbeats, however, it was sun-down now, instead of sunhigh, like it was when Larkpaw fell asleep.

Larkpaw stretched quickly. She padded outside the den, heading over to the fresh-kill pile. She grabbed a small carp and sat down next to Stonetooth.

"Okay, so I know that this is our the sixth Gathering in our entire lives, but, is it just me, or is it still really exciting?" Larkpaw meowed, taking a bite of her carp.

"You're just overreacting," Stonetooth teased her, "And besides, it's not like this is going to be any different from all of the other Gatherings that me and you have attended. It's just that I won't be there. I'll be sitting vigil."

"You're probably right." Larkpaw mused, thinking back on all of the other Gatherings they had went to as apprentices. They had been to every Gathering held when they were apprentices, maybe because she was Troutstar's niece, or simply because they worked hard; no cat knew except for Troutstar himself.

The only really exciting thing that happened at the Gatherings that Stonetooth and Larkpaw had been to was listening to the gossiping queens and eavesdropping on the elder's conversations.

"But it's too bad that you won't be there." Larkpaw meowed sadly. "I wish you were."

"Me too." Stonetooth meowed sadly. "But it won't really be any different."

Larkpaw was about to meow something back, but then Troutstar came out of his den with Lilywhisker.

Troutstar padded toward the center of camp with Lilywhisker at his side.

"Those cats who have been chosen to go to the Gathering tonight, please gather around! We will be leaving shortly!" Troutstar yowled.

"Sorry, I should go!" Larkpaw meowed. "Bye!"

"Okay, bye!" Stonetooth meowed after her.

As Larkpaw trotted over toward Troutstar and Lilywhisker, she could see the slightly annoyed or sad faces of those cats who weren't able to come, and the excitement gleaming in the eyes who were chosen. Larkpaw could clearly see the disappointment is Stonetooth's eyes; Stonetooth had to sit vigil for the night.

"Tell me what happens, okay?" Stonetooth meowed to Larkpaw. Larkpaw nodded, and licked his ear affectionately before padding toward Troutstar.

Larkpaw could see the other warriors that were attending padding over, and she heard Troutstar meow.

"Is every cat attending here? Good, now let's get going! We wouldn't want to be late." Troutstar meowed loudly, and starting walking in the direction of the stepping stones. Lilywhisker followed right behind him, as did the other cats coming to the Gathering.

Larkpaw couldn't wait. She bounded toward the front of the group of cats. Shadepath trotted over to Larkpaw.

"It's your sixth Gathering, Larkpaw. How is this still so exciting?" Shadepath meowed, a gleam of amusement shining in her eye.

Larkpaw purred. "I can't help it!"

Larkpaw hopped on the stepping stones along with her Clanmates in front of and behind her. Soon, the group of RiverClanners arrived at Fourtrees.

Larkpaw watched as Troutstar hopped onto his spot on the Great Rock. She looked around, and saw only ShadowClan.

"It looks like we're the second ones here." Larkpaw meowed to Shadepath. She looked at Featherleaf sitting near the edge of the Great Rock, to the left of Troutstar. Lilywhisker sat near the edge of the Great Rock as well, but to the right of her superior. The ShadowClan leader, medicine cat, and deputy sat in the same formation.

Larkpaw licked her paw and drew it over her head. She did this several times until she saw ThunderClan arrive. Larkpaw saw a just one ThunderClan apprentice that she recognized, but the rest of them she didn't know.

The ThunderClan apprentice that she recognized, Foxpaw, padded over to her.

"What do you want?" Shadepath hissed at the ThunderClan apprentice.

"I wanted to just make friendly conversation, but it seems that you fish-breaths don't want to talk." Foxpaw retorted, annoyance gleaming in her dark yellow eyes. She stomped away toward a group of ShadowClan apprentices.

Shadepath just glared at her and stalked off.

Larkpaw rolled her eyes and continued looking at the other cats. She saw a brown tortoiseshell she-cat. Why did the she-cat look so... sad? Angry? No, that wasn't it... it was more like... spiteful. Was she alright? Should she talk to her?

She was snapped out of our thoughts as she heard cats. WindClan cats came bounding into the area, sitting down and the leader, deputy, and medicine cat hopping onto the Great Rock swiftly, honoring the title of agile moor runners.

"Alright. Since every Clan is here, we shall begin the Gathering!" Vulturestar yowled. His broad shoulders were visible through his gray pelt. "Finchstar, would you like to start?"

Finchstar dipped her brown head with darker brown markings toward Vulturestar, and meowed, "Of course."

"WindClan is doing well. We have plenty of rabbits and other prey, and our Clan is thriving. We also ran across quite a bothersome badger in out territory, but we chased it off. That is all." Finchstar meowed, taking a step back. "Vulturestar, how about you go next?"

Vulturestar nodded. "Yes, I will go next. ShadowClan is doing well. We have plenty of prey. The only concerning thing is that we also had to chase out a badger from our territory today. Morningmist bravely chased the badger away with her patrol. It headed toward ThunderClan territory, so please be careful, Thrushstar."

Vulturestar took a step back, nodding toward Thrushstar.

Thrushstar eyed him suspiciously. "Alright. I will heed your word and make sure to keep my patrols on the lookout. On that note, I will go next. We also chased off a badger a couple sunrises go. We have a new apprentice, though they are not here at the moment. That is all."

Troutstar took a small step forward. "We have a new warrior, Stonetooth."

Yowls of, "Stonetooth!" Rang throughout Fourtrees. Troutstar waited until the yowls died down, and then continued.

"Fish are plentiful and practically leaping into our paws. Our Clan is healthy and thriving. We also encountered at badger. RiverClan is fine, however, and no major injuries were sustained. That is all." Troutstar dipped his head, taking a step back.

Thrushstar took a large step forward, eyeing Vulturestar.

"It's nice to know that you admit it." Thrushstar growled.

Vulturestar look at him in shock, his mouth open. "What are you talking about?! What are you accusing my Clan of!?" He hissed.

"Silverfur was found dead in her nest this morning- with the scent of badger on her!" Thrushstar snarled at him.