"The cats who shall be going to the gathering are Sprucefrost, Acorncloud, Dusksong, Dawnsong, Chestnutpaw, Sageswirl, Hollypaw, Sunpaw and Honeypaw" Goldstar announced, "Thrushheart and Mothpaw shall not be attending this moon because Silkeyes may be kitting around that time"

The leader paused as murmurs and gasps spread across the clearing, but nobody was surprised. It was sunset the next day, and Honeypaw couldn't help but feel that nobody liked her; Acorncloud had been reluctant to train her that day, Berrypool seemed to avoid her, the list went on. Sunpaw nudged Honeypaw excitedly, but Honeypaw couldn't take her eyes off Mothpaw. Once Goldstar had leapt off the Brackenrock, Mothpaw padded over to Honeypaw, worry and annoyance in her expression.

"I really need to go to the gathering or I have to wait a whole other moon to find out who my father is!" She cried. Honeypaw pressed her side against the silver tabby's flank somewhat comfortingly, "I'll help you. Let's ask Thrushheart, together."

The two she-cats padded to the medicine den to see the tortoiseshell tom, his amber eye flashing with worry and his blue eye with anticipation. He was replacing the moss in his nest, shuffling small scraps over to make room for bigger ones.

Honeypaw waited for Mothpaw to speak, but the moment didn't come. The medicine cat apprentice was frozen on the spot, shaking her head slowly. Nudging her forward, Honeypaw gave her a reassuring smile. She heard the apprentice take a shaky breath.

"Thrushheart, can I go to the gathering?" She asked, hope in her eyes.

Thrushheart spun back on his paw, flinging moss into the air. "No, Mothpaw, this is too important." He replied, with a dismissive tone to his voice. However, the silver apprentice kept her paws firm on the ground.

"Please Thrushheart, it's important!" She mewed, her voice an octave higher. Desperation was thick in her voice.

"You've been to four gatherings and most of the time you didn't want to be there. Your mother will be kitting soon, you know that. What is so important that you have to go to the gathering?"

Mothpaw stared at her mentor, who seemed severe, his eyes were narrowed, his mouth was in a frown and the reddish-orange light illuminated his features. Honeypaw was brought back to the first time she had been in the medicine den. Sun had been streaming through a hole in the hollow tree, Thrushheart had been smiling at her, he seemed relaxed and jolly, not severe. This wasn't the Thrushheart she remembered. Perhaps people change when under stress.

"Perhaps if you told me what you'll be up to, I'll let you go" The tortoiseshell tom meowed, wrapping his tail around his paws.

The offer was tempting, both apprentices knew that. Honeypaw saw Mothpaw flick her tail in consideration. When the silver tabby said nothing, Honeypaw said, "We're going to figure out who-"

"Who knows where to find yarrow!" Mothpaw mewed quickly. Thrushheart tilted his head quizzically. Honeypaw knew it wasn't the best excuse Mothpaw could come up with; questions like that might make Thrushheart doubt his mentoring abilities, just as Acorncloud did.

Thrushheart blinked in surprise. "You can ask me where to find yarrow, Mothpaw, and anyway, other medicine cats will only know where yarrow is on their territory" He remarked. His face relaxed, but there was still a tenseness to it. "That is still no excuse, you shall stay here whether you like it or not" Thrushheart said firmly, rising to his paws, "Make yourself busy, remember what each of these herbs do and recite it". The medicine cat dropped a bundle of herbs at her feet.

Mothpaw glanced desperately at Honeypaw, with a look that said, Please, find him, before turning around and mumbling names of herbs. Honeypaw glanced at the muddy-coloured splat on her hind paw before dismissing herself.

The last of the crimson light bathed the clearing. Acorncloud was deep in discussion with Sprucefrost, who seemed to be mewing anxiously, Dusksong and Dawnsong were purring at eachother, much to Honeypaw's surprise, Sunpaw, Chestnutpaw and Hollypaw were gathered around Sageswirl, who was recounting the day when he lost his ear. Honeypaw's eyes narrowed at Hollypaw, who was happily commenting on the elder's adventures.  Excitement flooded her at last, when the tension had blown away. My first gathering! She thought, delighted. She bounded over to the elder and the apprentices.

"Mosswave pounced, knocking me to the ground, my breath escaping with it. I struggled under his weight until I decided to collapse, fake my death. He came off of me, satisfied, but oh how surprised he was. I leapt up, claws unsheathed. I tore his side, blood spilled. It was a fierce battle. He left without sight as I left without an ear. Another victory for FernClan" He finished, grinning at the ring of apprentices.

"You're very brave, Sageswirl!" Hollypaw said, admiration in her tone. Suck up, Honeypaw spat to her silently, before blinking in surprise at her thoughts.

Chestnutpaw glanced at the stub at the top of Sageswirl's head. "Is it all forgiven? Between you and Mosswave, I mean" He asked, concern thick in his voice.

The cream-coloured tom turned his head to the apprentice and, for the first time, Honeypaw realised how much he looked like Vanillawish. Tears filled her eyes, but she blinked them away. The broken body, blood soaking her fur...

"Oh yes," Mrrowed Sageswirl, "When you are as old as us, you realise it wasn't about the battles, it was about the lessons you learn on the way; all is forgiven, in fact, we are closer because of it"

Sunpaw flicked her bushy tail in acknowledgement, which brushed Honeypaw's ear. The cinnamon apprentice turned her head and purred at the sight of her sister.

"I was wondering where you have been!" She meowed, cuffing Honeypaw on the ear playfully. Honeypaw responded by nudging her happily. Chestnutpaw grinned at Honeypaw, who's heart warmed at the sight of the handsome tom. He had the eyes of Ebonytail, with the exception of golden shards, which reminded Honeypaw of sunlight: warm and welcoming. Sunlight on an ocean.

"To the Ruinstones!" Goldstar yowled, starting to race away from the clearing. Honeypaw was immediately taken back to reality as she charged after Goldstar.

The Ruinstones was on a small island in Lakeclan territory. The cats called it the Ruinstones due to the crumbling ruin, that had almost sunk into vegetation. It was known that FernClan crossed a rushing river via a tangle of vines, LakeClan swam and MoorClan walked around. DeathClan never took part in the gathering; the leaders of each clan forbade it. Not many young cats knew why though.

------------------

The band of Fernclan cats had made it to a tall oak with a tangle of vines dangling downwards. Goldstar tugged the vines to make sure it was safe before turning back to the apprentices to say, "Watch carefully". With grim determination, Goldstar clambered up the vibes, her hind paws springing up. The vines began to swerve towards the island, which was hidden by a cloud of fog. Moonlight shone into dark water, which rushed away. Honeypaw shuddered to think how deep it was. Goldstar flicked her tail back and forth, which seemed to control the tangle. Once she was steadily rocking towards the island, the leader leapt off, sending the vine flying and Goldstar's paws hitting cool earth.

Sprucefrost came next, then Acorncloud, Dusksong, Dawnsong and, with some assistance from Chestnutpaw, Sageswirl swung onto the island, swallowed by mist. The apprentices looked at eachother nervously, knowing they'd be next.

"Apprentices go two at a time!" Goldstar called. Sunpaw took a pawstep forward, hissing when Hollypaw shoved her out the way and mounted the vine. Chestnutpaw clambered up afterwards, meowing a hasty apology to Sunpaw for his sister's behaviour. The two litter mates's tails swung in sync, causing enough momentum to land on the island.

"C'mon, Sunpaw, Honeypaw, it's easy!" Hollypaw snickered from the shadows. Honeypaw glanced at Sunpaw, who rolled her eyes. They both scrambled up the vine, which rocked side to side. The two apprentices propelled it forwards, almost falling off as Hollypaw's fawn-coloured face peered out the mist and said, "Boo!". Only to be scolded by Sprucefrost.

"On three" Sunpaw meowed to her sister.

"One-"

"THREE!" Sunpaw yowled, leaping off the vines, sending Honeypaw swinging backwards. The golden-brown tabby yelped as she desperately clung onto the vines, claws now unsheathed. She wasn't able to sigh in relief when she saw her sister had made it. Honeypaw heard a mumble coming from the fog before a confident, steady voice spoke, "Honeypaw, take your hind paws off of the vines and use them to swing the branch"

Honeypaw's eyes widened in terror, the black stream gurgling hungrily. However, the voice that spoke was Goldstar's, so she knew she must impress her. I pulled off the falling off the tree thing, surely I can do this? She thought. Realising she couldn't stay on the vines forever, on LakeClan territory, she cautiously took her hind paws off of the tangle, wincing as her legs trembled. Taking a deep breath, she swung her hind legs back and forth, along with her tail. The bunch of vines swerved towards the island and, praying to Starclan quickly, she leapt off, crashing into the ground with her eyes closed. The chilly air ruffled her fur as she soared through the mist. It took her a few seconds before she opened her eye, to see a guilty-looking Sunpaw, a concerned Chestnutpaw, and a sniggering Hollypaw.

"Honeypaw I'm so sorry! I just got excited! Please forgive me!" Sunpaw mewed quickly. Honeypaw nodded slowly, biting her tongue to stop her from hissing as her shoulders ached.

"Honeypaw, are you-"

"She's fine Chestnutpaw," Hollypaw hissed under her breath, "Stop caring so much, she won't die"

Honeypaw blinked in surprise as she heard Hollypaw's voice. The she-cat had her eyes narrowed as she stared at Honeypaw. It made her skin crawl. Lifting herself to her paws, she ignored the constant sting in her- well, everything.

"Are you hurt?" Goldstar and Sprucefrost meowed in sync. Honeypaw shook her head; if they found out she was hurt they'd send her back to camp, so she wouldn't be able to look for Mothpaw's father.

"Well then, let's continue"