The evening sky was a dull grey and the thick clouds obscured the full moon, bringing little light to the gathering of cats below. Many of StarClan's most important leaders were seated on a rocky waterfall, one that they had used for a lot of meetings. There were numerous Highstones and ledges that outlined the flowing waterfall all the way to the top, where the trees and grass swayed in the chilling breeze.

Below the waterfall, a clear, blue river flowed quietly through the clearing into a circular formation which was surrounded by many of StarClan's senior Warriors and Medicine cats, all of which were silent, gazing up at the Four Leaders who took their position on the top of the waterfall. Surrounding them were the Clans' most recent leaders, whom had all died during the Great War. It was Thunderstar who broke the eerie silence first, his amber eyes flickering like the fire in a lantern.

"StarClan, the war, at last, is at an end," said Thunderstar. "Since the fall and defeat of King Negro, the Clan cats and the Flock have lived in peace. They have lived together, united under the new system that was put in place by ThunderClan's former leader, Sharpmoon." Many eyes glanced over to Sharpmoon who shifted nervously on his Highstone as his name was mentioned, a hint of sorrow and guilt flashing briefly through his narrowed, amber eyes.

"Although, at the time, it was an act to gain power, and caused quite a problem between the Clans, we decided to keep the system in place, as it will lessen the chances of civil war between the Clans." Thunderstar continued, flicking his tail towards the large pool of water in the heart of the clearing that was surrounded by many curious toms and she-cats.

"ThunderClan, the Clan of Warriors," said Thunderstar. The pool of water began to ripple until a group of about five ThunderClan cats were in view, along with a fox that had been spotted in ThunderClan territory. They were shown killing the fox, and only one of their own had been seriously wounded.

"RiverClan, the Clan of Hunters," said Riverstar. The pool of water rippled again, this time showing Braveheart, deputy of RiverClan and son to Rainmoon, his bright, green eyes gleaming with pride as he carried a mouthful of prey into camp, along with the other Hunters who accompanied him.

"ShadowClan, the Clan of Training," said Shadowstar, and the pool of water rippled to show the eager apprentices learning how to sneak up on their mentors. Mistpaw, who was the daughter of Flamestar and Shadowflame, was among the apprentices who were learning how to defend themselves from their mentors. Seeing one of her daughters training brought a warm smile to Shadowflame's face, who sat beside her mate and her kit.

"And finally," said Windstar, "WindClan, the Clan of Queens," The pool of water then showed WindClan's current leader, Cloverstar and her beautiful kits, curled up beside her in her den. Stormheart let out a quiet wail as he tried his hardest not to cry, but as he gazed into the amber eyes of his mate from the pool he knew that she was safe because of his sacrifice.

"I do not mean to question your judgement," came a voice from a small, brown tabby tom who was sitting on the Highstone nearest to Windstar. "But do you really believe it wise to change the traditions out Clans have gone by for many generations?" The tom narrowed his amber eyes and then glanced back out to the cats below them. "After all, it was, at the time, an act to gain power. What's stopping that from happening again?"

"We believe that Rainmoon can handle the responsibility of leading all six Clans, Harestar," said Thunderstar, his amber eyes meeting Harestar's. The ginger tom.

"I understand that, yes," said Harestar. "But we have abandoned our traditions! Look at this! Cats from other Clans hunting in any territory as they please! Have you no shame?" Murmurs of agreement and some of disagreement broke out between the cats below the waterfall.

"Silence!" hushed Thunderstar, his voice booming loudly and silencing the chaos below.

As the leaders continued to argue, and explain their opinions, Stormheart sunk low to the ground, and placed his head between his paws.

You did the right thing, Stormheart, came Matar's cool and calm voice from inside Stormheart's head. Negro would still be alive if you hadn't made the choice to sacrifice yourself—he would have taken over that island and the entire forest, and you know it.

Yeah, I know, replied Stormheart icily. He didn't want to admit that Matar was right, and he felt completely out of his mind for thinking differently. At least you can come out whenever you want to keep me company.

Actually, I can't, said Matar.

What? Stormheart replied, greatly shocked.

I can come out, but not always. Matar explained. Like right now, for instance. I can't materialise at the moment as my soul being present would interfere with the gathering.

Oh, replied Stormheart. Come out soon, though, won't you?

Of course, said Matar.

"Stormheart, I know how you feel," meowed a sweet voice from behind him. Stormheart lifted his head from his paws as the cat placed her golden tail around him. He turned his head and gazed into the dark, blue eyes that belonged to Cheetahfur. "Long ago I, too, shared your pain." she said sweetly.

"Do you?" he asked, his eyes quite narrowed. "Do you really know what it's like to watch your family live while you are stuck here?" Cheetahfur frowned, then, and her tail started to lash as if the she-cat was remembering something terrible. Stormheart regretted saying it the moment the words had come out, but it was too late, the damage had been done.

"Do I know what it's like?" echoed Cheetahfur, her glassy blue eyes staring blankly into the distance. Stormheart gulped and lowered his head with shame. How could he have said such a thing to the cat who had given so much to save him and his brother?

There was a moment's silence, each second pulling at Stormheart's heart. He waited and waited for her to scold him, but she did not. Instead, Cheetahfur turned her head once more to Stormheart and smiled.

"Did your brother ever tell you how I died?" asked Cheetahfur, soothingly. Stormheart shook his head. "Ah, well it has to do with that young tom up there." Cheetahfur flicked her tail to the golden, tabby tom sitting on the Highstones. It was Sharpmoon.

He couldn't have! Thought Stormheart with disbelief. He couldn't have killed her, she's been here for moons!

"Sharpmoon …" began Stormheart, "killed you?" Stormheart narrowed his jade green eyes with frustration, and allowed his tail to lash violently. With all the anger inside of him, had he been alive, he'd have killed the bastard!

"No, no, no, of course not," replied Cheetahfur who seemed to have noticed the boiling rage coming from Stormheart. "Sharpmoon … he is my son."

Her son? Sharpmoon is her son?!Stormheart thought, completely shocked. Why hadn't his brother told him that Cheetahfur was Sharpmoon's mother?

Looks like it, answered Matar, who had popped back into Stormheart's mind again.

Did you know? Stormheart asked. Because Rainmoon and Jactur did, apparently. Did you just forget to mention it as well?

I didn't know, either, Matar reassured him, and if I had, I would have told you.

"Y-your son?" Stormheart stuttered with total disbelief. How could anyone so cruel be the son of a she-cat as kind as Cheetahfur? "But he's so—"

"Cruel? Ambitious? Yes … I know very well what my son is," Cheetahfur replied. She glanced over to her son who was still sitting nervously on the Highstone, sharing his opinions with the other leaders.

"I see where you are coming from, Rosestar," said Sharpmoon. "But I also believe that there is no longer reason for one Clan to feel that they are better than the other. Didn't you, yourself, Rosestar, believe that your Clan was better than the other because you were more pure?"

"I did, indeed," stated Rosestar, her eyes narrowed fiercely. "And I was bloody well right about it too! WindClan was the purest Clan until you came along and destroyed it with your shameful new traditions. Look what has become of my Clan now! It serves no purpose!" Thunderstar shot Rosestar and Sharpmoon a fierce glare as he got to his feet.

"Silence! Could we stay on topic please!" he growled at them, his amber eyes now narrowed furiously at Rosestar and Sharpmoon who had been arguing. "Rosestar, your Clan is host to queens and their kits. Though your Clan is no better than any other, WindClan is very important, and you shouldn't think anything else of it."

"I died saving my son," said Cheetahfur then, breaking Stormheart's attention away from the arguing leaders, and back down to the golden she-cat. She closed her dark blue eyes and told him of how Sharpmoon had stormed out of camp after his sister, Ashkit, had passed. She told him of the fox that Sharpmoon had met in the forest, and then of how she, Cheetahfur had been slain by the fox as a distraction so that her kit could escape.

"His father, Ravenstar, was blinded by the sadness and acted as if it were all Sharpmoon's fault. I guess that was what sparked Sharpmoon's ambitions …" Cheetahfur concluded, a tear escaping her eyes.

So Ravenstar was Cheetahfur's mate, and Cheetahfur was Sharpmoon's mother? That would explain why she was so keen on showing us how to live. She didn't want us to choose the wrong path like her own son, and end up being blinded by our unhealthy ambitions, Stormheart said to Matar.

It does, indeed, seem that way, Matar agreed.

"You wanted us to defeat him … so that he could be cleansed by StarClan, and so that you could see him again, didn't you?" asked Stormheart. Cheetahfur nodded.

"Yes," she replied. "As selfish and awful as it seems, that was what I wanted all along. Deep down I knew that he would be scolded by the Clan for my death, but I just couldn't have bared to lose him."

"I understand now," said Stormheart apologetically. "I don't know what got over me when I said what I did. I wasn't thinking properly." He licked Cheetahfur on the ear, as she did to him.

"It's fine," replied Cheetahfur.

"I just wish I could go back, is all," Stormheart muttered. "I just want to see my family, can't you send me back? You sent Braveheart back, you can do the same to me, too, right? You brought my brother and I back to life! Can't you just do it again?" he asked, but Cheetahfur shook her head.

"Unfortunately we do not have the powers to send you back," Cheetahfur meowed apologetically. "You see, Braveheart was never really alive. He was supposed to die at birth, but Bravestar was able to merge part of his soul with Braveheart to keep him alive. That's why he had such a strong connection with StarClan, and how he knew things he shouldn't." Stormheart lowered his head back down to his paws.

"But we can send you down, temporarily, to the living world," said Cheetahfur. "Many moons ago, when you and your brother were still Twolegs, I came down from the stars and watched you and your brother play. I can take you down to see your family, if you so wish, however they won't be able to see you, and won't know you are there,"

"If it means I can see my kits, then yes, I would like that," Stormheart said, his eyes lighting up for the first time since he had joined StarClan. He had spent most of his days in the side of StarClan closest to the Haven where Matar would frequently visit his own family. Stormheart would often leave his den to visit Robinwing and Shadowflame, along with other familiar faces he had seen around such as Cloudstreak, Amberstorm, Flamestar and Sweetclaw who were all friends of his brother.

"Alright," said Cheetahfur. "I'll ask Thunderstar after the gathering has—"
Cheetahfur was interrupted by a bolt of blue-white lightning that struck the centre of the pool, sending a wave of distress throughout the clearing. Thunderstar and the other three founding leaders got to their feet to silence the cats, but there was no need for the pool of water, which was now rippling into an image, had caught their attention and silenced them all.

The four leaders along with the other cats who had occupied the twenty Highstones, joined the rest of the cats beside the river. The crowd began to murmur in shock as the pool began to reflect the image of Stormheart.

A loud wail erupted from Stormheart's mouth. Every cat turned their head to Stormheart as his emerald, green eyes became a bright white, and a full moon lit up his shoulder.

"The star will fall beneath the blaze, but only rain can quench the fire; a sharp apprentice in a daze can save the Clans and heats desire." said Stormheart in a deep, eerie voice before the moon faded, his eyes darkened and he fell to the ground unconscious.

Everyone in the clearing immediately began to stir and murmur between themselves about the Prophecy that had been made, but understood that their presence was no longer needed as the Four Leaders formed a circle around the unconscious warrior.

"It seems a Prophecy has been made," said Shadowstar then, breaking the silence that had been among them. Riverstar glanced at the unconscious tom and then back to Shadowstar. "You must all stay calm."

"What are we to make of it?" Riverstar asked. "Three Prophecies in such little time … the last one brought havoc amongst the Clans and brought a war that killed many … Should we warn the Clans?" Thunderstar shook his head.

"There is no need," said Thunderstar, his amber eyes narrowed at the pool of water. "The medicine cats and their apprentices will be travelling to the Moonpool in a few moonhighs times." Harestar shifted slightly as this was said.

"They should have made the journeys every half moon," he meowed, his eyes narrowed at Thunderstar. "Why have they only begun now?"

"There have been many, many injured cats as an outcome of the great war that has come to an end," said Thunderstar. "The medicine cats and their apprentices were needed to see to the injured."

"If you hadn't agreed to keep the ridiculous system that was put in place, we wouldn't be having this debate in the first place," said Shadowstar, then. "They would have come to us to seek guidance every half moon, and everything would have been fine."

"What are you suggesting we do?" asked Riverstar.

"I am suggesting that the Clans revert back to the traditions that have been put in place for many generations." said Shadowstar. "Having to rely on another Clan to fight your battles and hunt for you is despicable and has been looked down upon since we formed the Clans."

"Perhaps the Prophecy might play a role in this debate," suggested Windstar. "After all, it foresaw the changes that were made when Sharpmoon held power."

"Or perhaps it saying that an apprentice will save the Clans from danger," said Shadowstar. Riverstar opened his mouth to speak, however it was Thunderstar who spoke next.

"Don't you both agree that combining the Clans lessens the chances of Civil War between the Clans? Don't you believe that the Clans might finally have peace?" said Thunderstar. Riverstar nodded in approval, but Windstar and Shadowstar shook their heads.

"I say we disband the truce between the Clans, and revert to our old Traditions that have served us for many generations," said Shadowstar, her amber eyes full of anger and determination.

"I believe that it is for the best of all four Clans that we follow our previous Traditions. Traditions are what it means to be a Warrior, and by creating this truce and relying on other Clans to hunt and fight and train their Warriors for them is shaming everything that we have known." said Windstar. Thunderstar continued to stare into the pool of water.

"Then perhaps we should let StarClan decide," said Thunderstar, calling out to she-cats and toms from all across StarClan, for what seemed like the most important gathering in history.

The four Leaders made their way up the Highstones to the top of the waterfall, leaving the unconscious body of Stormheart with Cheetahfur. They stood together, despite their debate, as the rest of StarClan gathered in the extended meadow below them. Once everyone had settled, Shadowstar stood up.

"Since the creation of the four Clans, we have lived as rivals, and stuck to our own territories." Shadowstar began. "We have fought our own battles, hunted our own prey, and trained our own apprentices to become Warriors.

"We have looked down upon half-Clan kits and hunting in one another's territory, however, it seems that what we have followed for many, many moons has come to an end." said Shadowstar, flicking her tail with annoyance. She then sat down and Windstar took her position.

"After the end of the war between the four Clans, Sharpmoon and King Negro, it was decided that the new system that was put in place by Sharpmoon, were to replace the previous traditions." said Windstar. "We are aware that many of you disagree with the current system, and so tonight, a decision will be made to either keep or disband the current system of the Clans." Windstar sat down as Thunderstar stood up to speak.

"Those of you who believe the current system should be disbanded, please gather to the left of the river," said Thunderstar. "Those of you who believe that the current system should continue, please move to the right of the river." It wasn't a surprise, at all, when the majority of the cats moved to the left of the river, but even Thunderstar couldn't conceal the look of disappointment from his amber eyes.

"Then it has been decided. For now, we will let the Clans be and wait for the prophecy to unfold. When the time comes, we will alert them of the change," said Thunderstar, dismissing the crowd with his tail. There was a few murmurs and whispers, but before long, there was no one left in the calm clearing.