Spottedfern's thoughts were churning. "Wait!" She called out. The four leaders turned to look down at her, and the shy tortoiseshell resisted the urge to slink down and hide. "Where are we going? Shouldn't we wait until StarClan sends a clearer sign?" She didn't want to leave Duskpaw! She was the only thing close to a mother the poor apprentice had! Wavestar frowned. She looked at the other leaders. The four cats leaned towards each other, the soft murmurs carrying across the crowd but staying incomprehensible. Coffeestar raised her head. "We have decided that we shall wait three days! If none of our medicine cats recieve a sign by then, then Spottedfern and Troutfreckle will leave!" The brown she-cat cast her blue gaze out across the stunned cats briefly, then leaped down from the tree. "This Gathering is over!" In a daze, Spottedleaf looked for where Wavestar and the ThunderClan cats were congregating. She felt a tail on her shoulder and whipped around in surprise. "Sorry to scare you." The cream tom with the ginger flecks who she'd been sitting next to was standing behind her. "Are you Spottedfern?" He asked. "Ye-yes." She stuttered. She was still kind of in shock from the revelations of the Gathering. Why hadn't Wavestar and Daisyberry told her earlier? Did Duskpaw know? "I'm Troutfreckle. Did you know anything about this before?" The tom introduced himself. Spottedfern startled. /This/ was the cat who she had to travel with? Curious, she looked him up and down. He was of an average build, and had forest green eyes. /Why us?/ She thought, looking up at the stars. /We're just...normal warriors./ She realized Troutfreckle was waiting for the answer to a question. She remembered what he'd asked. "Oh, sorry. No, I didn't." She tried not to trip over her words. Socializing just wasn't her thing, really. Her mind rocketed forward while her body tried to catch up. "Troutfreckle!" Coffeestar was beckoning the cream tom from the center of the RiverClan group. "Time to go!" "Have to go now." Troutfreckle said apologetically. Without another word, he bounded off to his Clan, hissing momentarily at a brown tabby tom who was near the back. The tabby looked taken aback. Spottedfern padded back to Wavestar and the ThunderClan group. Ashwood, her father, purred and licked her ear affectionately. Spottedfern half-heartedly licked him back, but her brain was still thinking at a speed of a million fox-lengths a heartbeat. She hardly noticed anything around her until she realized with a start that they were entering the camp. She squeezed in beside her father, wincing as a thorn caught in her pelt and tugged out some fur. Spottedfern's paws turned in the direction of the warriors' den. She needed some good shut-eye to process the events of that night. "Spottedfern!" A voice called out. Spottedfern stifled a sigh and turned around. Wavestar was beckoning her from the Highledge. Sleep dragged down her paws as she stumbled up towards the gray-streaked silver tabby. Inside Wavestar's den, Daisyberry, Duskpaw, Darkfeather, and Wavestar sat in a loose circle, murmuring to each other. Duskpaw, who looked a little lost at the older cats' conversation, mewled brightly when she saw Spottedfern pad in. "Spottedfern." Wavestar greeted the tortoiseshell. "Sit down." She added. Spottedfern sat down, the quiet expression on her face one of calm and acceptance.
