The Fourth Apprentice/Chapter 9

==Chapter description==
:Lionblaze notices how thin the WindClan cats look heading towards the Gathering, but then looks around and realizes that his own Clanmates weren't any better. Only Dovepaw is shown to have excitement. Foxleap is confused as to why Firestar had led them all the way around the island, since there is no water in the lake. Cinderheart tells him that it is best to stick to tradition.
:The clearing is brown and brittle from the lack of water. Lionblaze looks over at the WindClan cats, and sees Crowfeather and Ashfoot, allowing for him to remember that he holds kin in another Clan. ShadowClan greets ThunderClan and WindClan as they arrive. Tigerheart goes over to Lionblaze and greets him, and Lionblaze curly replies, remembering how he had once thought he had been his kin. He tells Cinderheart that he wishes they would leave him alone, and Cinderheart replies by saying that he can have friends without being kin. As Lionblaze turns around to strike up a conversation with the ShadowClan warriors, Onestar calls out and asks if any cat had seen Leopardstar. 
:A few moments later, RiverClan emerges. Leopardstar is frail and ill, and struggles to leap into the tree. Firestar yowls for the Gathering to begin, and addresses the Clans by reminding them of the lack of water. He expresses an interest in sending a patrol to see if the stream is being blocked and is quickly combatted by Blackstar refusing to allow trespassing in ShadowClan territory. Firestar goes on to say that cats from all four Clans should go, which sparks interest from cats among the Clans. Onestar and Blackstar then agree to go, and Firestar thanks them both.
:Firestar then asks Leopardstar her thoughts. She remains quiet, and Littlecloud, ShadowClan's medicine cat, remarks that the situation is different from the quest to find the Lake, since they had been guided by a prophecy then. He asks the other medicine cats if StarClan had given them any hints as to who should go, and they shake their heads. Firestar says that StarClan would have given signs already if they were going to, and that each Clan leader is capable of choosing cats to represent their Clans.
:Moments later, Leopardstar accuses Firestar of having sinister motives. She believes that the other Clans want to take the fish in the lake. After speaking, Mistyfoot shares a few quiet words with her leader. After their conversation, Leopardstar agrees to send RiverClan cats to join the patrol. Yowls of protest arise from RiverClan cats due to Mistyfoot's influence on their leader's initial decision. Firestar thanks her, and tells the Gathering that each Clan must send two cats to the dried-up stream. 
==Characters==
===Major===
===Minor===
===Mentioned===
==Notes and references==
fr:La quatrième apprentie/Chapitre 9
Category:The Fourth Apprentice
Category:Chapter subpages
Category:Omen of the Stars arc