Mapleheart POV

"You both need to stay here, you're too young." Mapleheart sighed.

"But I want to go to the Gathering!" Mousekit huffed.

"Duskstar said no, your dad said no and I've said no, you aren't going."

"But-"

"Leave it, Mousekit." Goosekit batted her ear,"Can't you listen for once?"

Mousekit padded to the back of the Nursery, muttering something as Goosekit nuzzled against Mapleheart.

"Suck up.."

"Nobody asked you." Goosekit hissed.

"Can you try and get along while Featherpounce watches you?" Mapleheart tilted her head.

Both kits were quiet before Goosekit spoke up,"We'll try."

"Good." Mapleheart nodded before padding out of the nursery and over to Venomfang.

He smiled at her before the pair followed the other cats to the Gathering Area.

When Maplepaw entered, she noticed something odd. Falconstar looked incredibly worried which was also picked on my Duskstar who quickly hurried over to her.

"I thought they were enemies." Mapleheart thought to herself before Ravenstar stepped onto the rock.

"I shall start this Gathering off." Ravenstar announced,"As per usual, the prey is running well in Cavernclan and we have a new apprentice. She is a former rogue who was known as Stevie but her name had been changed to Hurricanepaw. Recently as well, Meadowpaw has become Meadowwish, a Medicine Cat."

Ravenstar stepped down, turning to the other leaders as the cats chanted.

"Hurricanepaw! Meadowwish!"

Up next, was Duskstar, all concern for Falconstar forgotten.

"Prey is also running in Duskclan, as expected." Duskstar began,"We also have a new Warrior in Mapleheart and a new Medicine Cat in Bramblesong."

Rather short, even for him. Despite that, the cats chanted.

"Mapleheart! Bramblesong!"

Falconstar then stepped forward because Owletstar was uninterested.

"The prey is running in Dawnclan as usual, that is not what I'm afraid of." Falconstar shook her head,"We have a new Medicine Cat as well with Willowbrook but... An Apprentice, Marshpaw, has gone missing."

"Missing?" Mapleheart turned to Venomfang, who looked as worried as her.

"Willowbrook!"

The other cats chanted before they began to talk amongst themselves before Owletstar stepped onto the rock.

"Silence!"

Everyone, almost immediately, stopped talking. They feared her.

"It is very unfortunate that has happened, Falconstar. Rest assured, nobody in Owlclan has seen this young apprentice." Owletstar assured her,"They prey is running here too and we have two new warriors Flypounce and Fernstrike."

"Flypounce! Fernstrike!"

"Go on then, start mingling." Owletstar then turned to the other leaders who began to discuss, probably about Marshpaw.

Mapleheart however, began to look for her remaining friends but only Luckypaw, Jaypaw, Willowbrook and a russet she-cat who she assumed was Hurricanepaw was there.

"I can understand Marshpaw being missing but... What about the other two?" Luckypaw asked.

"Whatever it is, it sounds suspicious." Jaypaw stretched.

"Her." Hurricanepaw hissed quietly, looking up at Owletstar.

"You're suspicious of her too?" Mapleheart gasped.

"She used to eat my people." Hurricanepaw shook her head,"I wouldn't be surprised if she ate him."

The others were silent.

"You know about that?" Mapleheart blinked.

"Of course I do, doesn't everyone?"

"We all thought it was just a foul rumour." Luckypaw shuddered,"That's horrible!"

"Marshpaw wouldn't go down without a fight, I know that much." Jaypaw stated.

"I mean, Falconstar did refuse to make him a Warrior because of age and probably lack of experience." Willowbrook informed them.

Something seemed to click in Hurricanepaw's head,"Don't they make Warriors super young at Owlclan?"

"Yeah, but-" Then Jaypaw realized it.

"You don't think..." Mapleheart trailed off,"He went to Owlclan?!"

"Maybe that's why the other two aren't here, so they can't spill!" Luckypaw suggested.

"I say we get in there and rescue him." Willowbrook flicked her tail,"I refuse to let my brother be taken by them."

"Let's go then, while most of them are distracted." Jaypaw edged towards the exit.

Soon enough, all five cats had slipped out of the Gathering Area unnoticed and made a break for the Owlclan camp. It was dark there, eerily so.

They knew not every cat would be at the Gathering and so had to be on guard. It was pretty late though, so they hoped that maybe the cats were asleep.

Before entering, they made a plan. Be as close to silent as they can, Owlclan cats have incredible hearing and be quick, just in case they come back.

Marshriver POV

In the Warrior Den, Fernstrike was pacing and Flypounce was still trying to comfort Marshriver.

He was still shaken by what he had done a few nights ago.

All three of them were barred from attending the Gathering. Marshriver because he was a missing cat and Fernstrike and Flypounce in case they exposed Owletstar. They would've left the den but we're threatened that they'd be killed if they dare set paw outside of it.

"Starclan will forgive you, Marshriver-" Flypounce tried.

"No, they won't! They're so incredibly strict, they won't care about the circumstances!" Marshriver shook his head.

"Still not working?" Fernstrike sighed.

"N-" Flypounce began before she turned swiftly,"Pawsteps?"

"Marshpaw?" Willowbrook smiled, hurrying over.

"It's, uh... Marshriver now." Marshriver pressed his nose into her fur.

Willowbrook purred, he'd never been this affectionate before,"And I'm Willowbrook."

"You're officially a Medicine Cat now?" Marshriver cocked his head to the side.

"Mhm, Pineflower is still monitoring me though."

"Makes sense." Marshriver smirked.

"Ugh, rude. Now let's go, we're getting you all out of here." Willowbrook turned to the others.

"A-all of us?" Flypounce's eyes sparkled.

"Yes, you'll be safe n-"

Willowbrook was interrupted as she was attacked from behind, a blueish grey tom cat bit her neck. Before anyone could react, Willowbrook fell to the ground limp.

"Thought you could escape, did you?" The tom, Dragonflypelt snarled.

Marshriver stepped in front of Fernstrike and Flypounce, his back arched.

"How cute, finally grown a spine?" Dragonflypelt taunted.

Dragonflypelt was about to strike but Mapleheart bowled into him, knocking him off balance.

"Now!" Mapleheart motioned for them to run.

The trio sprinted out of the Warrior Den but Flypounce was pulled back in, so Luckypaw dove in to rescue her.

Flypounce attempted to fight back, clawing at Dragonflypelt's sides but it wasn't enough and he slashed at her eyes.

Luckypaw took over Flypounce as she crawled out of the Den, striking Dragonflypelt's tail. He attempted to pounce on her, but her namesake of narrowly avoiding death allowed her to escape after running through his legs.

Five cats. Down to four. Now six as they hurried along, bumping into a search party of cats from each clan who had gone looking for them.

Falconstar POV

They had slipped out from right under our noses and Falconstar was not going to let anymore young cats go missing. Not anymore.

Along with Venomfang and Sunnytail from Duskclan, Oakenpond and Leafspring from Cavernclan and her Deputy, Nettleclaw, they all began searching for their missing cats. Strange though, no Owlclan members wanted to join them. In their defense, nobody in their clan was missing.

They had been walking for a while before a familiar group of cats ran straight into them. Falconstar's ears perked up, immediately recognizing one of them.

"Marshpaw!? Where have you been?" Falconstar hurried over to him.

"I'm sorry... I just wanted t-to be a Warrior and prove myself but-"

Falconstar cut him off, placing a paw on his head,"I'm not mad at you. You're young and young people make mistakes."

Marshriver buried his face in Falconstar's fur as she gently groomed him. Her and Owletstar would certainly need to have a word.

"Um, Venomfang?" Mapleheart approached him.

Venomfang cocked his head to the side.

"Can we take in Fernstrike and Flypounce?"

"We'd need to ask Duskstar and-"

"Actually, I'd like to see what it's like on Dawnclan." Fernstrike spoke up.

"One each, eh?" Venomfang chuckled.

"I always welcome new Warriors. Actually, I have a question. Where is Willowbrook?" Falconstar questioned.

The group of six was silent and Marshriver began crying. It was now confirmed to Falconstar that her and Owletstar really needed to speak with each other. First taking her apprentice and hiding him and now killing one of her cats?

Flypounce was still shaky on her paws and so Venomfang picked her up by her neck scruff, leading Mapleheart away with Sunnytail close behind.

Leafspring nudged Jaypaw ahead and Oakenpond stayed behind just in case Luckypaw and Hurricanepaw both decided to wander off.

Falconstar escorted Marshriver along, back to Dawnclan with Fernstrike and Nettleclaw in tow.

It was safe to say that, well, everyone needed some rest.