The droplets of rainwater that clung to every leaf, branch, and every blade of grass shown and sparkled like stars in the pale, evening moonlight.

The soft crunch of paws on grass could be heard as a patrol of cats made their way through the woods.

The black tortioseshell coloring of Faithclaw's smooth pelt ruffled in the warm, greenleaf breeze. Beside her was one of her most cherished friends, a smaller sized she-cat by the name of Acornpelt. On Faithclaw's other side stood Ashstripe. His deep blue eyes watched her carefully, as if trying to decide on something that hadn't yet been spoken. This concentrating moment was snuffed out as a bead of water broke through the forest canopy and landed with wet plop on Ashstripe's dark gray head. Acornpelt let out a small snort of uncontained amusement as Ashstripe shook his head back and forth, to try to remove the wetness that had decided to start an attack upon his head. Beside Acornpelt, two apprentices, Shadowpaw and Rainpaw were quietly giggling as Ashstripe brought a paw upward to smooth out his white tuff of head fur.

"I swear this is Rainpaw's doing..." Ashstripe growled as his pelt fluffed out as more rain broke from the branches.

Despite the rainy weather, the full moon still shown clearly in the sky between the scattered clouds. The gathering at Four Birches was still going to happen as long as the moon could be seen.

"Just because my name begins with rain, doesn't mean I can control the weather." Rainpaw retorted, her slender tail flicking indignantly. "I'm confident in my abilities but not my nonexistent powers of weather control." The gray apprentice continued. "But once I go to StarClan then check back with me on that accusation, Ashstripe."

Ashstripe gave her a side glare. "Alright, come visit me in my dreams. I'll be waiting for the moment when I'm right."

"I'll send down a massive rainstorm right in the Warrior's Den and that'll prove who's right." Rainpaw replied, waving a paw in a falling motion, a smirk plastered on her face.

"Don't you dare..." Ashstripe hissed, leaning over to try to swipe a paw over her ear.

"I will dare, insignificant mortal!" Rainpaw playfully roared, launching herself toward the striped warrior.

"No!" Ashstripe growled, bolting away from the group, his tail trailing behind him as he did so.

"Come back here so I can drench you!" Rainpaw yelled, giving chase.

"You get him, Rainpaw!" Acornpelt cheered,  bouncing on her small toes. This earned a small laugh from Shadowpaw as he watched Acornpelt be her usual, perky, self.

Faithclaw watched the playful scene continue, the corners of her mouth curling up just slightly. Despite the happy gathering mood that surrounded FernClan, Faithclaw's mind was elsewhere. The forest eyes of the starry cat that had appeared after she had been made a warrior, the same one that led her to the forest and FernClan, were still fresh in her mind. And even though a moon had passed since the battle, Faithclaw had a feeling that Darkstar wasn't finished with FernClan. Not yet away.

Faithclaw's mind wandered as the patrol continued on. What had happened after the battle and her and her friends warrior ceremony went on like the seasons. FernClan further secured their borders, the camp was restored, and Thistlestar recovered from the loss of one of his lives.

Faithclaw had worked as hard as any cat to help out with camp repairs, patrols and other things that needed to be done, and now, life could go now normally and peacefully. And yet, Faithclaw couldn't shake the feeling that this was not yet the end of battles she would partake in on behalf of her clan.

Faithclaw took a deep breath and quickened her pace to pad alongside Thistlestar and Hollyhawk. It was time to push those thoughts away, even if it was just for a night. She could think about those things later.

The rest of the journey to Four Birches went well and the clan didn't meet any trouble, unless Rainpaw shaking water onto Ashstripe's pelt counted.

FernClan rose over the rise where the whole moon-bathed clearing could be seen.  DuskClan and FoxClan had already arrived and were conversing in the open dip of land.

Eaglestar and Darkstar were exchanging short lines of speech to one another as they sat on the large rock at the back of the clearing, known as the Great Boulder.

Faithclaw watched as Thistlestar lifted his tail, signaling for FernClan to travel down into the hollow.

Before Faithclaw ventured down after her clan, her eyes trailed to Darkstar. His face looked like cold stone as it always did and a swift shiver passed through Faithclaw as his hard amber eyes found her's across the clearing. After a quick moment, Faithclaw raised her head to gaze up at the sky. The stars twinkled and moon was still bright and full in the blackness.

Taking a deep breath, Faithclaw padded down the smooth slope into the moonlit hollow below.

Her ears picked up bits of conversation as Faithclaw moved through the crowd, searching for a good spot to sit.

"Prey's running well in DuskClan territory?"

"StarClan has brought the rain to replenish the forest territories! Thank the stars!"

"How's life going in your clan?"

"Greetings Faithpaw."

Faithclaw jumped and turned at the sound of her old name. She looked to see a gray, wolf-like tom standing a couple tail-lengths away. 

"Wolfblaze." She replied.

Staring into those amber eyes brought Faithclaw plunging back into the fray of battle.

Just then, a gray furred tom shot toward Ashpaw and pushed him off. Faithpaw let out a yowl and leapt at the scruffy-furred tom. She grabbed him by the shoulders and lugged him off of Ashpaw. The two cats rolled onto the grass, claws dug into each other. Faithpaw let out a gasp as she recognized the scruffy, gray-furred, tom as Wolfblaze, FoxClan's deputy. The FoxClan deputy simply stared at her, his amber gaze traveled across the warriors and found a black-furred tom, Darkstar. Faithpaw was surprised to look a sadness cross Wolfblaze's face. He turned back to Faithpaw and did something that caused confusion to swirl in Faithpaw's belly. He loosened his grip and let his claws drop to ground beneath him.

"You won't fight even though Darkstar ordered you to?" Faithpaw asked, blinking down at the warrior between her paws.

"I was stupid not to see this before..." Wolfblaze muttered, his gaze going back to Darkstar again, who was slashing at every FernClan warrior he could reach. "He's changed from back then... He's corrupt... He's not the cat I once loved and cared for as my brother..." Wolfblaze's gaze trailed back to Faithpaw. "I won't fight in his pointless battles for power... Not anymore..." Despite where her own clan loyalty lie, Faithpaw's heart wrenched in her chest as she noticed that Wolfblaze's eyes were glistening with tears. This was a cat who knew Darkstar before he must've become corrupted by hate, if there ever was a time as such. Faithpaw held his gaze for a moment longer before letting her claws sheath. She got off of Wolfblaze and watched him stand up.

"T-Thank you..." Wolfblaze murmured. "You have spirit, you'll turn into a great warrior... No matter what Darkstar says." 

Faithpaw was touched and she ducked her head in thanks. Wolfblaze's gaze stayed locked with hers until he turned and bounded off to help some of his clanmates, not fighting back, but helping, like an honorable warrior who knew when a battle was not needed.

The soft clearing of Wolfblaze's throat brought Faithclaw back to reality.

"Hello..." She meowed, not really knowing how to respond.

"How are things going in FernClan? Is your clan getting better since the battle?" Wolfblaze asked in a low tone.

Faithclaw opened her mouth to respond, but stopped herself. Was it right to tell Wolfblaze about how things in FernClan were?

He did let me go in the battle... And he seems to regret what he helped Darkstar do...

"Things are alright." Faithclaw answered.

Wolfblaze padded forward and sat down beside the younger warrior. "Were you alright?" He locked eyes with Faithclaw for a short moment.

"Yeah, I was." Faithclaw mewed. "So was everyone else."

"That's good." Wolfblaze replied, meeting her gaze for a second before turning it to the ground once more.

"Did Darkstar...?" Faithclaw asked, hesitantly. 

Wolfblaze's amber eyes drifted up to his leader, who was scanning the clearing. After a moment, Darkstar found Wolfblaze's gaze, his eyes drifted to Faithclaw and they narrowed. Faithclaw's fur prickled with unease as she held his gaze.

"Not directly..." Wolfblaze replied, drawing Faithclaw's attention back to him.

"What does that mean?" Faithclaw cocked her head at him, questioningly.

"Darkstar always seems to be following me around... Whenever I'm around camp or on patrol with him, his eyes are always on me... He is questioning my loyalty, with a piercing glance..." Wolfblaze met Faithclaw's eyes with his own.

"I know what that's like..." Faithclaw murmured, shivering as Darkstar's face flashed in her head. "He looks at me like I'm something to fear..." To kill... Faithclaw thought, briefly. 

"I'd say you are..." Wolfblaze responded. Faithclaw sent him a confused look. A small smile broke onto the deputy's face as he met Faithclaw's gaze. "I meant that as a compliment." Seeing that rare smile, Faithclaw couldn't help but smile back. "I mean, who else would attack an enemy leader when they were just an apprentice, a former kittypet at that." Wolfblaze eyes trailed along her body, upward to her eyes again.

"I guess so.." Faithclaw laughed softly, a warm purr rising in her throat. Despite Wolfblaze being from another clan, FoxClan even, Faithclaw felt surprisingly different around him. In a good way. Those warm amber eyes and that rare kind smile told Faithclaw she wasn't alone in her struggle against Darkstar.

Faithclaw stole a glance at the leaders, seated on the Great Boulder. Eaglestar waved with his striped tail, toward somewhere behind Faithclaw. She turned along with Wolfblaze to see that CreekClan had arrived, Lakestar was in the lead, her tail held in the air. Beside her, her deputy, Daceclaw (a pale silver tom with darker gray stripes and pale golden eyes), was staring ahead as himself and Lakestar led CreekClan down into the gathering hollow.

As the warriors of CreekClan padded over to old friends and fellow clan cats, Faithclaw's eyes found a silver cat, who looked to be older than her by a few moons, chatting happily with an ash-colored tom with deep blue eyes and a smaller apprentice she-cat that had a gray-tan pelt splattered with darker gray spots. The apprentice's bronze eyes shone with excitement as she meowed enthusiastically to the older silver cat. 

Faithclaw's attention was broken as a yowl came from atop the Great Boulder. Lakestar was standing toward the edge of the boulder, her head raised as she waved her tail for silence. 

"Greetings, cats of all clans! It is an honor to welcome you all to this moon's gathering. I would like to start off by saying that CreekClan is doing well. More fish are traveling to our creeks and rivers and CreekClan is well fed this greenleaf. I would also like to announce that CreekClan has one new apprentice. Maplekit has reached the age of six moons and has begun her training as Maplepaw. The beginning of Greenleaf has brought new paths for the cats of our four clans to trend on within our borders." Lakestar dipped her head to the speckled gray-tan apprentice, sitting tail lengths away from Faithclaw.

"Maplepaw, Maplepaw, Maplepaw!" The clans cheered respectfully, while CreekClan were cheering with pride and joy.

"That is all CreekClan has to announce, Thistlestar you may go now." Lakestar dipped her to the gray tom and stepped back, sitting next to Eaglestar.

"Thank you, Lakestar." Thistlestar replied with a flick of his tail. He stepped forward to the edge with purposeful paw-steps.

"To start off, FernClan in doing as well as any cat could be in this warm greenleaf weather. Though we have had our troubles these past moons. I am displeased to announce that a moon ago, FernClan was brutally attacked within the confines of our own camp."

Yowls of shock broke through the air at those words. Faithclaw and Wolfblaze shared a understanding glance before turning their attention back to the FernClan leader.

"While some of our clanmates were away from camp, FoxClan invaders overstepped their boundary lines and broke through our camp wall. Anything to say to defend your actions, Darkstar?" Thistlestar swung his head around to face the black tom.

Darkstar rose to his paws and padded out to stand head to head with Thistlestar. Green and amber eyes met, and Thistlestar lashed his tail, awaiting an answer.

"FoxClan did what they had to to ensure the safety of the clans."

"You did it for your own self interest..." Wolfblaze growled just loud enough for Faithclaw to overhear, and she silently agreed with him.

"You did it for yourself!" Thistlestar spat at him, his teeth bared. "And what you did was dishonorable! Attacking a clan's camp, where elders and queens were lying in shelter!" Thistlestar took a threatening pace forward.

Faithclaw felt her hackles rise in alarm. Few ever saw Thistlestar angry and lately that was whenever he was around the FoxClan leader.

Darkstar was almost nose-to-nose with Thistlestar now, his lips were pulled back in a snarl and his claws were glinting against the pale moon-washed rock.

Faithclaw rose to her paws as she noticed Hollyhawk was now standing, her neck fur and tail were fluffed out, as she stared up at the scene above her.

Thistlestar held Darkstar's smoldering gaze and it seemed something passed between them, a deeper connection filled their eyes as they communed without words.

Darkstar jerked his head and let out a hiss, his claws scratching harder at the stone.

"Are you done, Darkstar?" Thistlestar demanded.

Darkstar's gaze burned Thistlestar's.

"Never.." He whispered only loud enough for Thistlestar's ears.

With that, he stepped back and sat down, staring at the sets of claws poking out from his paws.

"Very well." Thistlester said quietly, his eyes flicking upward to the sky for a split second.

"Moving on... I am happy to say that in the aftermath of the battle, won by FernClan, we welcomed three new warriors into our ranks. Acornpelt, Ashstripe, and Faithclaw have trained hard and are now fully fledged warriors of FernClan."

Thistlestar glanced down at them, his eyes glowing for a moment.

Acornpelt and Ashstripe found Faithclaw's eyes and they beamed at her. Acornpelt had her small chest puffed out with pride and Ashstripe was sitting tall, his chin lifted just slightly. Faithclaw smiled back at them, her own heart filling with pride in herself.

"Acornpelt, Ashstripe, Faithclaw, Acornpelt, Ashstripe, Faithclaw!"

Faithclaw glanced over at Wolfblaze, who was cheering along with the rest of the clans. She ducked her head to him, a small smile gracing her face.

"Continuing, FernClan is doing well and we as strong as ever with the new warriors in our ranks." Stepping back, Thistlestar flicked his tail at Darkstar without so much as a glance in his direction.

While Darkstar padded up and started speaking, Faithclaw felt a body move closer to hers.

"Congratulations, Faithclaw." Wolfblaze's deep meow purred near her ear.

Faithclaw turned her head, flashing Wolfblaze a grateful smile in reply.

Wolfblaze ducked his head to her before turning back to the leaders seated on the Great Boulder.

The rest of the gathering passed as the moon moved across the night sky.

"This gathering is at an end." Thistlestar called from atop the stone. "FernClan, let's go home, the rest of the clan will be waiting for us to return."

Faithclaw rose to her paws as Thistlestar made his way through the crowd of cats with FernClan following his lead.

"It was nice talking to you tonight, Wolfblaze." Faithclaw turned to him.

Wolfblaze dipped his head in return. "And you also."

Faithclaw sent him a nod and turned to leave. But before she did, she looked over her shoulder again. "Thank you." She meowed.

Wolfblaze glanced at her curiously.

"It's good to know I'm not alone in Darkstar's grasp."

A small, sad smile crept onto Wolfblaze's face and he ducked his head again. And with that, he turned and padded off into the sea of cats, where his fellow clanmates were waiting.