After The Storm

== Chapter One==

Lilypaw:
I sat down and gazed up dreamily into the cloudless blue sky, the mouse forgotten as it scampers away. A cool spring breeze wafts through my fur, and I close my eyes, letting the warm sunlight fall on my face. The air tastes like new grass and budding flowers on my tongue. I feel like at moments like this, I can sprout wings and just-

"Lilypaw!" I turn, the reverie broken, and see my mentor Featherpool emerging over the top of a hill. Her gaze is disapproving, but not angry. "What happened to that mouse you were stalking?"

I feel my ears go red. "It got away," I admit. "Sorry. It won't happen again."

She smiles reassuringly. "It's okay. But let's get back to camp now. We can try again tomorrow. You don't want to be late for your first Gathering, and you'll need to rest well before evening."

I nod excitedly. "Okay."

PetalClan's leader, Silverstar, makes her way out of her lichen-draped den towards us. "Ready to go?" she asks.

Our deputy, Sealfish, nods, the moonlight glinting off her sleek black fur. "All of us are here."

"Good. Let's go." Silverstar leads the way out of our camp. Featherpool, who is on guard duty, waves her tail at me in farewell, smiling. I wave back nervously. This is my first Gathering; I have no idea what I'm supposed to do. My brother, Sparkpaw, is back at the camp. He'll go next time. Part of me wishes he were coming, but the other half is too excited.

The Gathering takes place by Red Rock, a large sandstone formation jutting out of the ground near the border between the FlameClan and PetalClan border. The other clan is nowhere in sight, so we spread out across the clearing, which is muddy from the new-leaf rain. There is an air of surpassed excitement in the air, and everyone can detect it. Silverstar climbs Red Rock and looks down on us peacefully, as if preparing herself mentally for this Gathering. I remember Sealfish and some of the other warriors talking about accusations going back and forth between the clans. PetalClan thought FlameClan was stealing prey. I was quite sure they thought the same of us, though to say so to one of my clanmates would be like throwing kindling on a forest fire.

Tucking my tail around my paws, I wait for FlameClan, having no idea what this first Gathering will lead to.