Rainbow limped away from camp, Fluttershy by her side as they followed after the Clan. Dovewing, Blackpaw and Brownpaw, who were at the back of the group, kept glancing back to see how they were keeping up. When Rainbow had come to, she had felt a sting in her shoulder. Spottedpaw had told her that whenever she transformed, her previous wounds reopened. But upon standing, they discovered that she had managed to dislocate her shoulder. Probably when Twilight smacked her into the ground.

Spottedpaw had popped the bone back into place, but was still reluctant to let Rainbow go until the bruising had gone down a bit. Jayfeather had reassured his apprentice that she would be fine, so Rainbow was still able to go to the Gathering. According to her friends, it was when all four Clans met on an island in the middle of the lake. Yet nopony had explained how they were going to get there. There was no way Rainbow could swim like this.

“How’re you holding up, blue?” Blackpaw asked, falling back behind his sister.

Rainbow rolled her eyes. “I’m fine. And don’t call me that.”

“You’d rather I called you Dashie?”

“You’ve been hanging out with Pinkie, haven’t you?”

Blackpaw snorted before running back to the main group. Rainbow winced as pain jolted up her foreleg. It was going to be a very long walk.

Rainbow stared out at the great, wet tree trunk stretching across the lake. It spanned the length of the water, plus enough to dig into the ground on both sides.

“How am I meant to get across that?” the blue she-cat hissed. Most of the group had jumped up and were crossing the tree, claws digging in to hold them steady. The only cats left were Rainbow, Fluttershy, and a few cats from the back of the group.

“I’ll help support you if you want, blue.” Blackpaw grinned. Rainbow sighed and reluctantly accepted. As much as she hated to admit it, she did need help.

With Fluttershy on one side and Blackpaw on the other, Rainbow felt herself being lifted up slightly. She reached out her good paw and dug her claws into the dampened bark. A few seconds later she was able to lift her hindpaws and dug them in, too. With some effort, she was able to scramble up onto the trunk and begin her slow, close to the bark crawl across the tree.

Soon, Fluttershy and Blackpaw were slinking along behind her, reaching out a paw to steady her if she slipped. Even so, it took a few minutes to reach the island. When they did, however, she was blown away.

The entirety of the island was covered in thin, flowing grass, dotted with flowers. The middle of the island was surrounded by tall trees, with one huge oak tree in the middle. Bramblestar and three other cats were sitting in the tree, and Squirrelflight was sitting with three other cats at the roots.

Rainbow limped slowly into the clearing, head turning slowly from side to side. Crowds of cats were gathered around the large tree, chattering and playing happily. The cats seemed to be mostly split into four groups, each with different postures and builds.

One group of cats was ThunderClan; compared to the other cats, they had sturdier frames and thick fur. Another had thin bodies and slick fur. One group had really thin fur, with skinny bodies but lean muscles. The final group had really dark pelts, stocky builds and thick fur. Despite all the differences, the four groups of cats were all mixed together, chatting, laughing and having fun.

Rainbow couldn’t help but think of home, where all different types of ponies lived as friends. Only, from what she knew, these cats were only allowed to be friends, and nothing more. And outside of the Gathering, those friendships almost died.

Fluttershy and Blackpaw quickly appeared beside her, the latter taking off just as quickly and disappearing into the crowd.

“I’ve never seen so many cats!” Fluttershy gasped.

“The only cats you saw back in our world were Opal and that ‘puddy tat’.” Rainbow stated.

“Oh, um, never mind.” She sighed.

Rainbow lay her tail across the timid she-cat’s back, giving her a reassuring smile. Fluttershy looked up and smiled back. The two cats padded towards a group of cats that consisted of Blackpaw, Brownpaw, and three other apprentices.

“Oh, hey, blue!” Blackpaw shouted as they drew near.

“What did I say?” Rainbow hissed. ‘Blue’ was almost worse than ‘Dashie’. Almost.

“Woah! You guys look weird.” Mewed one of the other apprentices.

Fluttershy whimpered and hid behind Rainbow.

“And what’s with that thing on your flank?” meowed another.

“Why do you have different coloured tails?” asked the third.

“Now, now, guys. That’s a lot of questions.” Brownpaw took a protective step in front of the two offended cats.

“Logpaw, Swiftpaw, Mistpaw, this is Rainpaw and Flypaw.” Blackpaw explained to the other apprentices. “Nobody in ThunderClan is quite sure why they’re so weird looking. Well… Except Bramblestar.”

Mistpaw, a blue-grey she-cat gasped and stared at Rainbow and Fluttershy. “What if they’re some sort of super-secret weapon?”

Swiftpaw, and black tom with white paws, spoke next. “Do you really think a super weapon would be wearing a collar?”

“I guess not.” Mistpaw sighed.

“Wait a minute.” Logpaw was a brown she-cat with darker brown paws. “Aren’t you that mousebrained apprentice who attacked Bladepaw?”

“You have no proof!” Rainbow yowled.

“Let the Gathering begin!” shouted Bramblestar.

Suddenly all the cats around the turned their attention to the large oak tree, staring up at the four cats nestled in its branches. Rainbow glanced at Fluttershy, but soon copied the rest of the cats.

“RiverClan will speak first.” Called a blue-grey she-cat from her place in the tree. “I am happy to announce that we have a new apprentice: Lightpaw!”

The cats in the clearing broke out, cheering the new apprentice’s name.

“But slightly regretful when I say that our medicine cat, Mothwing, has retired to the elders’ den. Her apprentice, Willowshine, had taken over her duties. That is all.” With that, the she-cat lay down on her branch, one paw dangling into empty air.

“WindClan will go next.” A tabby tom stepped forward on his branch. “We also have a new apprentice this moon: Heronpaw.”

The clearing was filled with cheering once again for the new apprentice.

“Also, our deputy, Ashfur, has stepped down and retired. Our new deputy is Crowfeather.” The tabby tom dipped his head before laying on his branch.

“ShadowClan is next.” Hissed a large white tom with black paws. “While I am sad to say we have no new apprentices, one of our queens, Shrewfoot, has given birth to a litter of three kits. I also know that ThunderClan scent has been found within our territory. Do you have anything to say for yourself, Bramblestar?”

“No, I don’t, Blackstar.” Bramblestar meowed calmly. “I have heard the story, and I don’t think the other Clans need know it. It only concerns our Clans, does it not?”

Blackstar looked as if he were about to shout at the other leader, but instead huffed and lay down on his branch. Bramblestar quickly did the same, apparently refusing to speak his part in the Gathering. The other two leaders exchanged a worried glance.

“The Gathering is over.” Bramblestar suddenly meowed, leaping down from the tree and padding swiftly towards the fallen tree.

ShadowClan were the last to leave the clearing.

Author's Note

Why am I so bad at this?
Also, two more chapters until the odd personalities make sense!