The Clans fell silent, then erupted into cacophony. 

"Hey! Everyone, calm down!" Thornstar yelled. The moon darkened. StarClan was sending clouds of displeasure. 

Reedstar maintained an expression of nonchalance. 

Darkstar, the ShadowClan leader, hissed quietly. "TreeClan? What-Who are you?"

Ashenface bowed his head. "I-We were driven out of our home. Last leaf-bare."

"Your home?" Streamstar asked. "Where? What home?" 

"Twelve moons ago," Ashenface started, "FlameClan drove us out. They made the other Clans think we were stealing prey, killing kits. And with greencough...we lost five warriors and two queens, not to mention all albeit one elders. My Clan...they sent me here to represent us."

Reedstar cocked his head. "And where is your Clan? Who is your leader?" 

Ashenface flicked his tail. "Off the coast of the lake. By the bridge. Our leader is T-Turtlestar."

Reedstar whispered with Snowface. "I think that we should send our deputies to investigate this."

The Clan leaders murmured. Darkstar hissed in agreement. 

"Snowface, Brazenlead, Stripedpelt, and Skyclaw. Follow Ashenface to his Clan." 

"But what if it's a trap?" Stripedpelt protested. Ashenface suddenly got looks from every cat in the clearing.

"Oh-Oh no, I assure you, we are much too weak to do anything like that." he stuttered nervously.

Streamstar hissed. "In any case, Furzefur and Sandstripe have to go with my deputy. I'm not letting Stripedpelt walk into some ambush."

Swanfeather once more shot a bitter look at Furzefur.

Reedstar scraped the bark off the branch he was perched on. "In that case, I will send Swanfeather and Elderjump with Snowface."

Swanfeather leaped to her paws and joined Elderjump and Snowface. The other leaders also called two warriors to accompany their deputies.

Ashenface jumped off of his perch and lead the dissected group out of the island.

Swanfeather stifled a gasp.

A Clan of cats sat and stared longingly around the land, every cat worn thin to their ribs.

A few loud, piercing mewls were muffled by fur. Swanfeather peered at the tiny, starved kits hiding in their mother's fur.

A wiry, thin tortoiseshell tom strode forward. Ashenface stepped aside.

"Hello," the tom called, "I am Turtlestar. Are you here to help?"

The smaller group of cats eyed each other until Snowface stepped forward.

"Ashenface led us here. What are your intentions?" She called.

Turtlestar bowed his head. "We came here to escape genocide. All we ask for is shelter and food. We shall pass along soon."

Snowface pricked her ears in thought. She then stepped back to converse among the four deputies.

Whispers floated into the air. Swanfeather took this time to observe the withered Clan in front of her.

Ashenface sat by Turtlestar and a burly she-cat. Several apprentice-age cats warily eyed the deputical group. Several warriors sat around them, glaring intimidatingly despite their situation.

Swanfeather accidentally made eye contact with one, a striped gray tom. He was rather handsome and Swanfeather looked away instantly, bitterly reminded of Furzefur. She felt herself flush with embarrassment, as the latter was sitting, tail twined with his mate.

The deputies suddenly hushed and Brazenlead looked up.

"Turtlestar, we've decided to take you to our leaders. The rest of you will wait here with our warriors." He announced.

Turtlestar inclined his head with a low meow. There was a hiss from his right. He looked up.

"Soothstone, I'll be fine." He muttered to the burly she-cat. He then turned to address his Clan. "I leave Ashenface in charge."

There was a mumble of discontent among the hungry cats.

Turtlestar followed the four deputies back onto the island.

TreeClan stared at the eight remaining cats. Finally, the she-cat at Turtlestar's side stepped forward.

"I suppose we must introduce ourselves. I am Soothstone, the medicine cat."

Swanfeather flattened her ears. Ashenface looked worried.

"Well-I am Elderjump of WindClan."  Swanfeather started at the sound of her warrior companion stepping forward. Swanfeatjer stood and joined him. "And I Swanfeather."

Soon, the other cats had joined in and intermingled with TreeClan.

Swanfeather plucked up a flurry of courage to say hello to the gray warrior, but he beat her to it.

"Greetings, Swandfeather." He purred, padding softly up to her. Leaves crinkled underneath his paws.

Swanfeather bristled slightly. "And hello to you too, er-?"

The tom flicked his tail. "Wildheart."

"Quite the name," Swanfeather stated flatly.

Wildheart purred again, a deep rumbling sound. "Quite the Clan you have."

Swanfeather flattened her ears and narrowed her eyes. "There's only two of us here. Your leader is meeting with the rest of WindClan."

Wildheart flicked his tail. "First impressions are always important. I can't say we did a very good job on that."

The gray tom gestured towards the bedraggled cats gathered in the moonlight.

A bright mewling floated towards Swanfeather's ears. A gray kitten chased his sibling around Swanfeather's legs.

Wildheart growled. "Toadkit, Lilykit, get back to your mother."

 One of the kits, a dark ginger she-cat, stared up at Wildheart with wide, brown eyes.

"We want to meet the new cats!" She exclaimed. Wildheart sighed.

"I suppose. Lilykit, this is Swanfeather. Swanfeather, this is Lilykit and her brother Toadkit." He said, gesturing to both of the  kittens.

Lilykit stared up at Swanfeather until her brother dragged her off.

"Are they yours?" Swanfather asked. Wildheart sighed.

"They don't know it, but yes."