Chapter 6 ~

Tanglepaw looked at Lakeshine. "Please? I'll miss Ivyspring, but she can have another apprentice. StarClan told me to be your apprentice!" she pleaded. Lakeshine looked puzzled. "StarClan did tell me that I would soon need an apprentice." grief clouded her blue eyes. "Brownfern would be happy." whispered Lakeshine. "Yes, she would." Tanglepaw pressed her muzzle into Lakeshine's soft ginger fur. "I'll talk to Ivyspring for you." purred Lakeshine.

Ivyspring wasn't too upset. "It's fine. You were a wonderful apprentice." she mewed quietly when Tanglepaw came to see her. "Youll need to go to the Mooncave soon." mewed Lakeshine.

"All cats old enough, join here beneath the Highbranch for a Clan meeting!" yowled Goldenstar. "Cats of MarigoldClan, as you know, I will not be around forever. So it's time I took an apprentice. I have chosen a cat who has shown intelligence and curiosity. Your next medicine cat will be Tanglepaw." meowed Lakeshine. "Tanglepaw, do you accept the post of apprentice to Lakeshine?" asked Goldenstar. "I do." answered Tanglepaw. "Then at the half-moon, you must travel to the Mooncave to be accepted by StarClan." meowed Lakeshine. "The good wishes of all MarigoldClan will go with you." meowed Goldenstar. Finally! Now Tanglepaw was going to the Mooncave!

There was a round hole above a round pool in the Mooncave. The half moon was reflected in the pool. Lakeshine and Tanglepaw drank from the pool and fell into a deep sleep. Tanglepaw saw Lakeshine watching her on a grassy hill. "Speak to Brownfern and Cloudspirit." she mewed, pointing at two cats with her tail. Tanglepaw ran over to them. "Hello Brownfern." she mewed. "MarigoldClan misses you." neither of the StarClan cats said anything for a moment. "A great danger is coming to MarigoldClan. You are accepted by StarClan, but our talk will be brief." growled Cloudspirit. "Not the Dark Forest, something much worse." added Brownfern. Tanglepaw shivered. What could be worse than the Dark Forest? Suddenly, Copperstar raced to them, with a pretty black she-cat. The other cat's green eyes shone. "She's one of the Four!" she yowled. "This is Marigoldstar." panted Copperstar. A shadow flitted across the hills. Find the fifth cat... Suddenly, StarClan, the hillside, everything disappeared. Lakeshine and Tanglepaw raced home.

Chapter 7 ~

Stormpaw was tired. Lilypaw, Lionpaw and Mudpaw had just been made apprentices, and Willowstorm was a warrior. Kinktail was Mudpaw's mentor, Goldenstar was Lionpaw's mentor and Ivyspring was Lilypaw's mentor. Two young cats named Robinfall and Heatherspirit of RiverClan had joined MarigoldClan. They had been exiled from RiverClan because Reedstar believed that they killed Hollowflight and Icewing. "The leaders are Reedstar, Rowanstar, Squirrelstar and Ashstar. And some cats say that there is another one called Sharpstar!" mewed Robinfall. She kept chattering once she and her littermate had been accepted into the Clan. "And there are other leaders, like Rainstar of HoneyClan. HoneyClan was RiverClan and ThunderClan's worst enemy until Honeystar died." added Heatherspirit.

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey, join here beneath the Highbranch for a Clan meeting!" Goldenstar's call echoed around the clearing. "We rejoice at having more warriors this Newleaf." she paused, her gaze sweeping over the Clan. "But we have no rival Clans. Instead, if we have something important to say, on the night before the full moon, I shall send out seven warriors, along with either Mintheart or myself to attend the Gathering. One of our medicine cats will go each time as well." Goldenstar went on. "Tonight is the night before the full moon!" she announced. "Mintheart shall organise the patrol!"

Chapter 8 ~

Vinepaw looked up at the nearly full moon. The patrol had arrived on RiverClan territory. Brindlepool, the deputy of RiverClan, was night-hunting with her older siblings, who she introduced as Spiderfang and Sweetscent. "Are you from the forest near the mountains?" Brindlepool asked Mintheart. "Yes. I am Mintheart of MarigoldClan. We have come to attend this Gathering to announce some important news." meowed Mintheart. He then introduced his patrol.

"Is she pregnant?" asked a beautiful cream and gold RiverClan she-cat, pointing her tail at Kinktail. Her wide violet eyes were filled with sadness. "I wanted to have a mate and kits. But I'm a medicine cat. I'm Purplemoon, Brindlepool's older sister." she went on. "My mate is called Ashstone." mumbled Kinktail. "Did you say Ashstone is your mate?" asked Mudpaw, bewildered. "Yes. He's quite friendly, really." answered Kinktail.

"I'm so tired." mewed Vinepaw as they all went to sleep. The Gathering tomorrow night will be fun!

During the Gathering, each of the leaders had reported nothing unusual. Mintheart announced the arrival of Kinktail, Mudpaw and her littermates becoming apprentices, Tanglepaw switching roles and that Kinktail was pregnant. He left out the fact that Robinfall and Heatherspirit had joined MarigoldClan. "Make sure you watch out for two travelling cats." Reedstar warned Mintheart. "They could be dangerous." he added when Mintheart looked puzzled. "We will." answered Mintheart. Vinepaw thought that he looked uneasy.

The patrol stayed with RiverClan for the night. As Vinepaw settled into her temporary nest, she thought; What a long adventure. We'll go home tomorrow morning, and everything will be back to normal.