Just an ordinary day. Another day in WindClan. He slowly became used to his new role as leader, one that he had to fill in very suddenly. There were times where he thought about that one specific night. A weird night. One leader was set on a path and he was driven into the mothermouth by the wind to receive his nine lives from StarClan. Was it meant to be? Or was this just the start of some cruel punishment they had planned out for him? He hoped Stallionheart was alright, where ever he resided now. But word got around quick, word about a similar tom being spotted by the borders. He didn't think much of it then, probably some rogue.

He was wrong. Ruckus inside the camp caught his ear and he stepped out of the elders den where he had been talking with them. Some cats circled, some cats stood from a distance. Watching and waiting. In the midst of the cast he saw a familiar face. He didn't expect him to be back so soon, but he was somewhat glad to see him again, doing well. They had been friends after all. "Stallionheart," he greeted him warmly as he stepped closer. "So glad to see you back in WindClan." his tail slowly waved as he walked towards him. He always had a place in the clan. "How was the journey? Did you find what StarClan wanted you to find?" he was curious about the tales he had to tell, about the tribe. His ears were pricked forward, awaiting the toms reply.

His life had been getting steadily back on track. He was having fun again after all the bad stuff that happened. He only hoped that he gave his best friend back enough joy to feel the same way. It had been just kinda normal and nice. Until his first ever gathering. Leaders had been argueing and Starclan had obviously disagreed with them. Flames had erupted and engulfed one of the trees at Fourtrees. The one near Riverclan. Hedgepaw didn’t know if that was a personal message to Crystalstar and her clan or if it was just a coïncidence. But as if that hadn’t been enough, twolegs had descended upon them and started shooting up the place. Chaos had ruled and Hedgepaw was just glad that he and everyone he loved had gotten home safe. Not all their clanmates had. Briarbell had died. He’d not gotten out entirely intact either. One of the things the twolegs had been shooting, he’d later found out they were called bullets, had grazed his shoulder. A deep cut now resided there and he had been ordered to at least sit out his training for a few days so he wouldn’t rip it open again. His train of thought about how boring it was to keep sitting around camp was put to a stop when a new arrival entered the camp. Or well, not exactly new. It was Stallionheart, his self-acclaimed grandfather and the previous leader of Windclan. Hedgepaw wanted to run at the large tom immediately, but Wolfstar was there before him, already starting conversation. And so the apprentice danced around several cats to reach the front of the mob that had now gathered. Not exactly the smartest thing to do since he was still wounded. But he just couldn’t wait until everyone had cleared out. If there was anything that Hedgepaw was, it was impatient and stubborn. Especially when he was exited. “Stallion!” He exclaimed happily, rushing at the tom.

The happenings of the Gathering were still fresh in her mind as she tried to forget it and aim herself on her tasks. Briarbell, the sister of their current Leader has died. Her friend Hedgepaw had more luck, a bullet wounded him but not deadly. He would be good to go in a few days probably, but she just couldn't help but think about if the bullet had been going lower. The fear to lose her best friend was quite big now and she would visit him as much as possible. She honesty couldn't wait until he was free to go outside again, although she knew that he had to wait. It was the better thing. Now she was standing close to the Nursey, as she had just brought them some fresh prey. It was kind of weird, to see the cat that attacked laying there with kittens. To avoid any more problems, she had quickly put the prey down and left. As the calico was standing outside, looking around to see what else she could perhaps do, there was commotion at the entrance. A bit tired of everything that had happened, she looked up with no much as interest as she would normally have. Yet, upon seeing as who it was, she suddenly was way more interested in this new event. As there, already accompanied by Wolfstar, stood the old Leader of Windclan. Stallionstar or just Stallionheart now. When he had to disappear, thanks to Starclan, Storkpaw was still a kitten and she had to see how Hedgepaw's heart got broken by that, as he had already lost his mother. The tomcat had been very special to her friend and she tried to fill in the empty places that both Stallionheart and Dewberry had left, but it wasn't the same. Hedgepaw must be very joyous to see his granddad, as he called Stallionheart, here. She was right, before she knew, she saw him running towards the others. With his still wounded shoulder. ''Hedgepaw, wait! Your shoulder''she called after him, following him as he went to the calico tom. She also pushed between the bystanders, until she caught up with her very happy friend. ''You have to be careful''she spoke worriedly to him. In a few seconds she realised what she did. She looked ashamed to both the old and new leader, as she had disturbed them. ''Sorry''she said quickly and sat down, looking at her paws.

Sooner or later commotion always dragged her out of her den. She had to, after all, she was still this clan's medicine cat. Especially now that Falconpaw was helping out Shrimppaw in Riverclan, the workload was almost too much for her to handle. But she managed, knowing that it was the least she could do to make up her prior mistake. So when she heard loud voices in their normally peaceful camp, she quickly tucked away some of the dried berries she was working with and hurried outside. There she found something that brought a bright smile on her face, for her old friend and previous mentor had returned. "Stallion! Oh thank Starclan, you have returned." she exclaimed happily and scurried towards him. She missed half of his story but knew that they'd have plenty of time to catch up later. For now she was filled with joy to know her friend had returned after all those months. The last year had taken way too many cats away from her. Clanmates, friends, all cats she cared about; at least one of them returned. However, her joy didn't last very long. Although most clanmates greeted the calico tom cordially, not everyone did. Wisteriawisp's words made her fold her ears down her back with discomfort. She knew the elder was going through a rough patch, but that didn't make it right for her to take that out on him. Stallion, however, did not have any excuse for what he said. With a pained but stern gaze she looked at the two of them. "Stallion! You have no right to say such things!" She said, flustered. She knew the large tom-cat as a friendly, warm friend, not someone to pick fights with cats she cared about so much. Cats that were much weaker than him, too. Had his journey hardened him? Made him bitter? "She is a respected and valued member of our clan and deserves to be treated as such. And so is he, Wisteria. Please, the time's are rough enough as they are without infighting," maybe he was just tired, worn down form his journey. That still didn't excuse him to pick fights with an elder. Routnose saw Wisteriawisp as much as a daughter as she used to see him as a father figure, the last thing she wanted was more negative sentiments in her clan.

He smiled brightly as he was pulled in a hug and got a comment at how he’d grown. Well obviously, he wasn’t going to stay a little kitten forever. His smile fell a little at what happened next though. Storkpaw was close on his heels, warning him about the wound on his shoulder. The calico tom picked up on it, though, and asked him what had happened. “It was at the gathering, there was a big explosion and fire and twolegs started shooting at us. I’m fine though! It’s just a graze, I promise!” To be honest, he had forgotten about it for a moment in seeing Stallionheart back in Windclan. He’d dutifully stayed in the clan and had watched over his siblings, just as the large tom had told him to. Storkpaw also apologised for interrupting the leader and ex-leader, something that hadn’t come to his mind either. A crowd had now gathered a little and he realized that he might very well come off as disrespectful. He was about to sheepishly apologise too, but he was cut off by Wisteriawisp who seemed very angry. He didn’t know why she was so rude to Stallionheart, but what she was talking about clearly seemed to be personal. And they also seemed to be getting on the nerves of his self-acclaimed grandfather, because he wasn’t very nice back. Not that Hedgepaw could really blame him. Wisteriawisp wasn’t done though, she kept on going, talking about how Stallionheart had run from the clan. “That’s not true!” Hedgepaw interjected. “He had to go, Starclan told him to! Don’t you believe in our ancestors?” He was probably speaking out of line here and he would love it more than anything to go and talk about all the things he’d experienced as an apprentice, but he couldn’t help it. He couldn’t just let the she-cat tell lies about the tom he looked up to.