Chapter Text
The full moon shone brightly upon the Fourtrees of the clans. Cats were gathering together, some greeting old friends, others sneering at life-long enemies. Cats from ones as young as new apprentices to seasoned elders were all there in one clearing. One such cat, was a young seven-moon-old apprentice. A calico she-cat with a thick mostly orange pelt, accented with black and white, and a fluffy white tail. Her reddish amber eyes glistening with excitement, as she ran ahead to the apprentices from the other clans. Tonight was a very special night. It was the gathering, where all four clans came together for a truce that lasted the night. And the clan's leaders would give updates on how their clans were doing, in a meeting that took place in the clearing known as Fourtrees. It was a huge open space that was between all the clan territories, with four gigantic oak trees, that represented the four clans. The ground below was devoid of grass, due to so many cats coming there every full moon. And was now just one big platform of dirt. In the front of the clearing was a large, jagged rock called the Great Rock. It was where the clan leader's sat when they addressed everyone.
The apprentice, Maplepaw, happily approached the group of apprentices. Grinning widely as she excitedly introduced herself.
"Hello! I'm Maplepaw, I'm an apprentice of ThunderClan! What are all your names?"
The apprentices however, didn't look as enthusiastic as Maplepaw. Giving her strange looks as they silently shuffled away from her. Maplepaw blinked, confused.
"What's wrong?"
She asked, tilting her head as her tail flicked.
"Aren't you excited to finally meet cats from the other clans? They must be so different from what you're used to!"
Again, the apprentices stayed quiet. Some even beginning to whisper to each other. Maplepaw started to feel uncomfortable, stepping back as her ears and tail lowered, and she started to shrink on herself a bit.
"H-Hello...?"
She asked meekly. About to turn and walk away, before one tiny voice spoke up.
"Um...my name is Applepaw."
It was a RiverClan tom, with glossy pale-brown fur, and holly-green eyes. With a cream apple-like marking on his body, as well as broad shoulders, and a faint fish-like scent. Maplepaw gasped when she saw him, running up and pressing her nose against Applepaw's.
"Oh my StarClan, a RiverClan cat! You really do smell like fish!"
She exclaimed. Applepaw blinked, staring at her for a moment. Before he suddenly began to laugh, stepping back a bit.
"Yeah, that's kind of our thing."
He said playfully, watching in amusement as Maplepaw grinned at him. Her tail wagging like a puppy.
"So, you must be from..."
He took a sniff of her chest.
"ThunderClan?"
"Mhm!"
Maplepaw confirmed, standing up a little straighter. The two cats sat next to each other, and began to talk.
"So, what exactly do RiverClan cats do? All I hear about you is that you're lazy and like kittypets."
Applepaw started to laugh. Which made Maplepaw grin, giggling alongside him. After a moment, Applepaw spoke up.
"No, we're not lazy kittypets. We just have so much food we stay in camp more. We play with our young a lot more, and we also like to decorate our dens and nests. Sometimes we even make up-"
"Applepaw!"
One of the other RiverClan apprentices hissed.
"What are you doing!?"
Applepaw blinked, confused.
"I'm talking to someone?"
"But she's from ThunderClan!"
"So?"
The apprentice looked appalled.
"She's a mouse-licker!"
Maplepaw reeled, her eyes widening. Before she sneered in disgust.
"What did you say?"
The she-cat hissed, and the RiverClan apprentice glared at her.
"You're. A. Mouse. Licker. You ThunderClan cats only care about pride, and strength, and your stupid borders. You steal territory, when you already have enough! You stole Sunningrocks from us, when they have always belonged to RiverClan! And we will continued to defend them until you back off!"
Several other apprentices from RiverClan began to join in.
"Yeah, you're all just a bunch of fox-hearts!"
"Filthy mangy brutes!"
"You guys don't even know how to swim!"
Maplepaw was growling lowly under her breath, how could these cats be so mean? Just because she was from ThunderClan? What did it matter where she came from? Why were they being so angry with her, all she wanted was to-
"We'll never give up Sunningrocks! We'd rather let our clan fall than give up what is rightfully ours!"
One RiverClan cat yowled, flexing their claws against the dirt. Maplepaw snapped, and threw her head forward, rage in her eyes as she unsheathed her own claws.
"IT'S JUST. A BUNCH OF STUPID. ROCKS!!"
She lifted her paw, and slashed it across the cat's face. Causing them to stumble back, as blood dripped down their face, and they growled lowly. The two were about to lunge at each other, before a yowl from afar caught their attention.
"The clouds are covering the moon! StarClan has been angered!"
Every cat looked up, and saw clouds rolling in to cover the full moon, showing StarClan's displeasure. Maplepaw and the RiverClan apprentice continued to glare at each other, as the leaders called the gathering to an end. And everyone returned to their clans. Maplepaw's expression only softened when she saw Applepaw, and she smiled at him. Waving goodbye, before she turned, and joined her clanmates. Walking beside them back to ThunderClan territory.