Morningflame trembled slightly in the cold, harsh wind of Leaf-fall. Her feathery coat was blowing into her eyes, making it difficult to keep up with WindClan's leader, who the Tortoiseshell knew as a close friend and mentor. Heatherstar has chosen Morningflame unexpectedly as deputy; everybody thought Curlpelt, a senior warrior and handsome tom, would be the leader's pick. However, this was not the case. Heatherstar, StarClan knew for what reason, chose her. An inexperienced, fairly new warrior. That always baffled Morning- why? Why her? She was flattered, but such an important role should have been given to some other cat. Some better cat.
    "Morning, keep up!" A familiar voice chimed, a good few paces ahead of her. Morningflame shook her head, getting rid of the fur in her eyes to see Nightpool- a lovely short haired Tortoiseshell and non-coincidentally, her Littermate- standing in front of her. The rest of WindClan had carried on, and were nearly all across the makeshift bridge and onto the island.
    "Nightpool! Quick, let's run, it'd be embarrassing to be late to my first gathering as deputy!" Morningflame cried, already speeding up so she could be beside Nightpool.
    "And my first gathering as an official medicine cat!" Her sibling reminded her, a bittersweet tone in her voice. The deputy glanced sympathetically at her sister. She knew that Nightpool was excited to be the clan's main medicine cat, but her beloved mentor, Blizzardleaf, had passed earlier in the moon.
    Morningflame gently touched the other's shoulder with her tail before grinning. "Race ya!" She challenged, attempting to lighten the mood. The she-cat turned around and began running, dancing across the fallen tree and stopping only when she bumped into Heatherstar.
    "Morningflame!" Heatherstar scolded in a soft tone, flicking her with her tail. "You're embarrassing the clan."
    This made Morningflame freeze up. She lifted her head to see the other three leaders watching her. A gentle she-cat- Doestar-glared at her, but with a pitiful look in her eye. A tom scowled, eyes agitated, suggesting Morningflame shouldn't have even come. However, the look that riled the WindClan deputy up most was the one from Wolfstar, ShadowClan leader. The tom, a handsome silver color with intricate swirls and stripes of dark gray and black, looked at her with interest. With humor. He smirked and turned away, whispered to his deputy, a brown she with a fierce look in her eye.
    "Never mind them, you're doing just fine. My first gathering as a deputy, I fell off my branch and right into the lake. The RiverClan leader had to save me," Heathertail muttered into Morning's ear, instantly cheering her up. The she-cat followed her leader onto WindClan's designated branch, sitting down as comfortably as she could make herself. Quickly, she looked over to Nightpool who gave the Tortoiseshell a reassuring grin.
    "If you don't mind, WindClan would like to begin," Heatherstar announced, as they were the last Clan to join the island. Once the other leaders had agreed, Heatherstar began. "I'd like to introduce WindClan's new deputy and new medicine cat. Morningflame and Nightpool."
   Morningflame felt her face heat up as all of the gathered cats began to chant her and her sibling's name, WindClan cats loudest of all. She smiled at Nightpool from her position on the branch, then caught herself before sneaking a glance towards the handsome silver tom- er, Wolfstar.
    "Aside from that, WindClan has nothing to report. ShadowClan, then?" Heatherstar finished as the cheering began to settle.
    Wolfstar nodded and stepped forward, rising to his full height and puffing out his chest. "ShadowClan has bountiful prey and many healthy herbs and cats," The large tom reported, projecting his voice to sound more intimidating, and if he was being honest, attractive.
   It certainly worked, on Morningflame, at least, who felt a wild storm of butterflies in her stomach as the opposing leader met her eye, even if it was just for a brief moment. She huffed, getting control of her stupid heart and using her brain for what felt like the first time since the gathering had begun. He is a leader. Of another clan. He is not handsome, he is not cute, and he is NOT INTERESTED! She thought, repeating the message over in her head.
    "RiverClan has nothing to report. We are fed and thriving as usual," The sneering leader announced before turning to chat with his deputy. Morningflame turned a blind eye to this- everyone knew Rainstar was a snob of a cat.
   "ThunderClan is... taken care of," Doestar stated in a quiet and respectful tone. "If no other leader has anything to say, I think this shall conclude the gathering?" The small she-cat asked. Morningflame felt a little sad for the leader, she said her commands like a question. Her clan cats probably walked all over her.
    "WindClan has nothing else to report," Heatherstar confirmed, resting her bushy tail on Morning's shoulder, comforting and embarrassing the fluffy cat.
    "ShadowClan is also satisfied," Wolfstar confirmed, glancing towards Heatherstar. Towards Morningflame. She could have sworn her heart stopped.
    "Whatever," Rainstar said, ruining the moment Morningflame swore she and the ShadowClan leader were having. Er, she meant ruining the gathering's fine mood.
   "Then we will make our leave," Doestar huffed, a bit of authority coming to her voice as she glared at the poor example of a leader.
    Heatherstar has no problem with this. She leapt from the branch gracefully, tail sliding off Morning's shoulders, and bounded into the crowd of gathered cats. However, the deputy hesitated, looking at Wolfstar with a face that could only be described as love and disgust, wrapped into one.
    "Meet me at the border, after sundown," The large, beautiful, handsome, silver tabby tom mouthed to Morningflame.
    At least that's what it looked like to Morningflame. She fell right off the branch.