"We didn't detect anything at the border. Are you sure they're not bluffing? They're mad. They're angry. They're going to say things— do things— they don't really mean." Blossomfall explained, her ears perked as she wrapped her sable tail neatly around her paws.

"They're not bluffing. We all know how Ivystar is." Dawnstar muttered, not meeting any of the stares directed towards her.

"Plus, we killed one of their warriors. They're not going to let that go." Frostbird added in and the leader felt herself stiffen at the indirect mention of Bluegaze.

"To be fair, they attacked us first. Do we even know why? I thought Ivystar called a truce." Lionglare queried.

At his question, Dawnstar met Brinebloom's gaze warily, as if warning him to keep his mouth shut.

"Ivystar is young. She doesn't know what she's doing." Frostbird responded with distaste.

"Neither does Dawnstar." Blossomfall snickered under her breath, resulting in a warning glare from Doveflutter.

"Yeah Dawnstar, it's been weeks. When are you going to elect a deputy?" Goldenfell spoke up this time, the final cat in the meeting which was occurring in the leader's den.

"When I know who's best fit for the role, then I will decide." The pale white she-cat hissed. The gathered felines grew quiet at this until Lionglare spoke up.

"Let's talk about tonight. Are we going?"

"Would it be smart? Tensions are extremely high." Doveflutter responded, hesitance clear in her voice. Dawnstar finally looked up as they all directed their stares to her.

"Gatherings are a time of peace, so nothing bad should happen. We're going. We'd look weak not to." Dawnstar explained, tipping her chin in an attempt to appear confident.

"Great. Let's go to our enemy's home. Sleep in their dens. Let ourselves be vulnerable to them." Frostbird muttered.

"Our quarrel is with SpringClan and SpringClan only. Ivystar wouldn't call a full out war with the other two clans there." Lionglare reasoned, however Frostbird only offered him an unconvinced stare.

"Then it's settled; we're going. You can all come, bring your apprentices too." Dawnstar explained before nodding her head in dismissal. They all looked at each other blankly for a moment until leaving. All except Brinebloom.

"I'm staying. Leopardlune has been feeling really sick lately and I wanna be with her. Graypetal thinks it's two."

Dawnstar looked at her brother, a confused look crossing her face. "Two? Two what?"

"Kits."

"Oh." She murmured, an awkward silence filling the air. "Right. Yeah, you can stay. I'll bring Tealpool in your place."

"She misses you." Brinebloom added, almost hesitantly, as he began to leave the den. "I just thought you should know."

Dawnstar held his gaze momentarily. His blue eyes which were usually so cold— so distant— now yearning.

I miss her too, she thought. However Dawnstar wasn't able to say anything as Brinebloom left her alone.

I miss her too.

~~~

"I'm bigger now, so if any of those SpringClan warriors try anything, I'll stop them dead in their tracks." Risingpaw boasted, green eyes shining in the dim moonlight.

"With what? Your inflated ego?" Redpaw grinned, however she wasn't as amused.

"It won't come to that." Dawnstar replied as she looked at the two apprentices, however she didn't miss the flicker of disappointment in both their eyes.

"Are you sure?" Doveflutter whispered, and she met her mate's worried gaze, her own softening.

"It won't, I promise."

"I'm really nervous. It's stupid, I know, but it's just," Doveflutter exhaled shakily, "we haven't been there since the battle, it just brings back a lot of bad memories with Sunstar's death and the whole kidnapping thing..."

Dawnstar looked into sad, vulnerable sage gaze. She couldn't tell if she felt more bad for her mate, or more angry towards SpringClan for emotionally scarring them both.

"Your feelings are valid. It's not stupid." Dawnstar soothed as she nudged her cheek softly. "I'm scared too."

Doveflutter looked at her until she nodded her head in reluctance. They spent the entire walk in silence, just melting in the presence of one another as Dawnstar drowned out the conversations of her clan behind her.

This was her first gathering as leader, and every time it crossed her mind it only freaked her out more. As the familiar tang soaked her nose, Dawnstar only forced herself to swallow her fear. Weakness. Fear is weakness. That's what dad would tell you.

It was surreal now. Dawnstar looked behind her shoulder to her assembled clan, the seconds following nearly eating her alive until she signaled them to follow her into SpringClan's camp.

It seemed as if all the chattering from the other clans stilled, their eyes all boring into her and her entering clan before the questions started rising into the air.

"A new leader every gathering."

She heard someone mutter, however she only drowned it out. It wasn't any of their business.

Dawnstar watched as her clan dispersed out to talk to the other clans, her blood roaring in her ears. What was she going to say? Oh yeah, FallClan is great. I mean, our leader of what? Not even a full season? Is already dead. We have a rampant murderer on our paws. We're on the brink of a war- but it's okay. We're all okay. FallClan is just great.

"You have a lot of nerve showing up here."

Dawnstar froze as a voice traveled into her ears, twisting around to meet painfully familiar eyes; Creamlily.

"It's the gathering. We're supposed to go, but then again you guys aren't much for rules, are you?" She scoffed.

"I wouldn't be talking if I were you." Creamlily retorted and Dawnstar could swear she was getting ready to pounce. Instead of replying, she just held her gaze, for several painfully long seconds she just held her gaze. Finally, Creamlily flattened her fur, though her eyes were still just as deadly.

"That dog attack killed my sister. Her name was Flurryfall." She spoke in hushed whispers, however her words were so incredibly clear. "Bluegaze was her apprentice. She loved her like a daughter, and she was all I had left of my sister. Your clan," Creamlily paused, her bottom lip nearly quivering, "your clan completely mauled her body. She was hardly even recognizable."

Dawnstar closed her eyes for a few moments, though each word sent tiny knives to her heart. It wasn't supposed to happen, was all she could think, and though she tried to put it into words, they just got caught in her throat.

"Let me tell you this," Creamlily began, "you will pay for it. I can promise you that. Maybe not today, no, but tomorrow. The next day. The day after that. Watch your back." Creamlily warned, each word just as threatening as the rest. "Watch your back." She emphasized again.

The warrior's hot breath in her face caused everything in her body to chill and Dawnstar didn't even realize she was holding her breath until Creamlily backed off.

Though she wasn't left to wallow in it for long as she watched the other three leaders begin to gather upon the Highledge. Now she was consumed of entirely new nerves as she made her way towards them, repeating in her head what she was going to say, over and over.

Fallowstar spoke first, though she didn't really listen. She heard a few bits here and there, something about new kits and how well SummerClan was thriving. Must be nice.

"Luckily the last winter has been more forgiving than others, though new-leaf has treated us well too." Viperstar spoke up, his voice soft. "Though I do advise you all to be wary, the seasonal twolegs are back in their nests. They always come around this time."

"We're very aware." Ivystar spoke up and Dawnstar felt herself still. Was she going to bring up the dog attack? Surely not, it would make SpringClan appear weak with such a heavy blow.

"We were attacked by a dog, though it was no accident. It was lead to us by FallClan." Cicadasong accused, and ripples of shocked voices echoed in her ears, some from her own clan.

"Dawnstar, is this true?" Goldenfell breathed out, however she wasn't able to answer. All she wanted was to sink into the floor and completely blink out of existence, but that wasn't really an option.

"You didn't even tell your clan about your schemes? Must mean you're really guilty about it, hm? And since when were you leader anyways? Oh that's right," Ivystar paused as a malicious grin crossed her face, "your dad never got his nine lives. You let that slip up at the border scuffle where your clan killed one of my members. She had just become a warrior. She had her whole life ahead of her and your clan killed her."

"That's not even fair." Dawnstar hissed in return, trying to drain the desperation out of her voice. Composure, you have to stay composed. "You attacked us first. Your warriors kept me restrained as they tried to kill my father. It was self defense and you know it."

"That was all me." Harvestleaf spoke up this time, a nearly maddening glint in his gaze. "Bluegaze never touched your father once, yet she had to pay the price. You had no honor."

"You have no right to talk to me about honor. You lost that privilege the day you killed Sunstar." Dawnstar snarled, her tail lashing lividly.

"Actually," Creamlily grinned as she fluttered her eyes to meet the FallClan leader's, "that was me."

"Well I hope your proud of yourself." Dawnstar replied, her voice evening out. Silence filled the air and she didn't miss the looks of disgust which came from even her own clan.

"FallClan is not welcome in my home." Ivystar then spoke up, gasps erupting quietly from below. Dawnstar met her blazing green gaze, eyes flickering from each one until she straightened her posture.

"You don't have to ask me twice. It smells like rat's bile in here anyways." She spoke, forcing out confidence as she began to step down from her place at the Highledge. Dawnstar gathered up her warriors until looking back to the other leaders, her eyes nothing but passive.

"FallClan is thriving too, and that's all you need to know." She warned, her voice uncanny as she glared at the SpringClan leader. "Be smart Ivystar."