It was the gathering that night.
Dandelionpaw and Starflame were both going, so they perpared together. After sharing  a sparrow, they began to groom each other; Dandelionpaw flinched away from Starflame's touch. Though her tongue was warm and soft, she didn't want to be licked by it.
Starflame reeled back when she moved. "S...sorry,"Dandelionpaw  meowed. Starflame let out a content purr. They laughed together for a little while, until Garlicwhisker padded up to them. "It's time to go,"the deputy ordered.
"Alright, keep your fur on!"Starflame snorted. Garlicwhisker shot her a warning scowl.
"We're just coming, Garlicwhisker," Dandelionpaw retorted, annoyed at the treatment that Starflame was receiving. They met with the other cats that were going just outside of camp.
"Let's go!"Lightstar commanded.
The cats trotted through the undergrowth. The Greenleaf  weather made it overgrown and messy; Dandelionpaw tripped twice. Suddenly, Starflame's ears prickled up. She disappeared into the earth and emerged again a moment later with a mouse in her jaws.
"Well done,"Lightstar complimented. He glanced around for the swiftest cat,"Nightfur, run back to camp to give ThunderClan it and run back; we'll wait just in front of Fourtrees, "
The black tom nodded and took off. As it turned out, Nightfur reached them before they did Fourtrees. He was panting heavily when he reached the patrol.
ThunderClan were the first to arrive. Dandelionpaw caught a glimpse of Breezeshine clawing up a great oak,"Oh my StarClan! I'm a SkyClan cat!"he exclaimed. Frostedrose did a face-paw. She watched her siblings in amusement. She and Thorntail settled. ShadowClan approached the hollow after a while. She let out a purr when Batheart appeared beside her.
"Hey. How are things in ShadowClan?" She asked.
"Eh? They're fine. Yeah. Prey running, herbs growing. Yeah, it's...it's...it's fine,"Batheart rasped.
As hard as she tried, Dandelionpaw couldn't shake off the feeling that something was wrong. She tried to forget it. After a while, the other Clans were Gathered in the clearing.
"Let the Gathering begin!"Jewelstar yelled. Lightstar shot her an annoyed scowl,"I will begin.
ShadowClan is in excellent condition. The only problem is, we have hardly any prey. Our kits are starving and barely pulling through. Our warriors find enough scraps to keep our stregnths up. The twolegs invade our homes; we need land,"
"It's true,"Violetstar put in,"We're starving!"
Dandelionpaw barely supressed a snort at the sight of their plump, glossy bodies. A cat-she thought they were from SkyClan-let out a growl.
Jewelstar dipped her head, grateful for the RiverClan leader's support, "ThunderClan, WindClan, SkyClan this is your last chance,"
"Or else what?"Firethroat stood up and snarled at the leaders. Soon cats from all five Clans were up. Dandelionpaw winced when Starflame popped her head up, then relaxed when she thought better of it.
She couldn't make out any words from the arguing. "Silence!"Starstar demanded,"Jewelstar, Violetstar, as Firethroat said: Or else what?"
The two leader exchanged sinister smiles; Dandelionpaw shuddered.
"This Gathering is at an end. Go," Violetstar declared.
As they backed away, Dandelionpaw caught an apologetic glance struck by Dragonflyheart.
                           ☆☆☆

"What in StarClan happened here?" Lightstar exclaimed.
Tallpime coughed outside the nursery
"They asked for land again, didn't they?"he rasped.
"Uh-huh,"
"RiverClan and ShadowClan attacked whilst you were away...and..."Tallpine broke off, staring at a few things behind him.
Spiderclaw, Underforge, Coraltail, Goldenpod and Vixenbird.
"No..."Stonebrook whispered
Lightstar shook himself,"Thorntail, prepare their bodies for vigil and-"
He broke off at a sudden movement.
"Shad...ShadowClan...and RiverCla...Clan have they gone?"Goldenpod rasped.
"Goldenpod!"Frostbitewhisper rushed up to his daughter, purring,"We thought you were dead! And yes, they're gone,"
Goldenpof let out an unsteady mrrow. She limped when she got up.
"Come to the medicine cat den,"Dandelionpaw ordered. She obeyed, too battered to argue.
"Wow!"she muttered, struggling to lighten the mood,"There'll be a strong smell of lavender!"