Gatherings

A **Gathering** is a meeting of the Clans, and is held on the night of a full moon. It is said in the warrior code that there is a truce during this night that forbids fighting during the Gathering. It is considered a great honor to be chosen by a Clan leader to go to a Gathering. In the forest, this meeting was held at FourTrees, while at the lake, this place has been moved to the island.

## Reason

On Gatherings, Clan leaders announce current affairs and significant events within their respective Clans, such as the appointment of new apprentices, warriors, and deputies, the deaths and births of cats, and the retirement of cats. They also use this time, if necessary, to ask for help from others, such as when WindClan asked RiverClan for drinking rights in their territory, when a drought shortened their water supply.
Warriors use this chance to meet their friends from other Clans and exchange information. Many cats will use a Gathering to try to determine the strength and weakness of another Clan.
Clans use these meetings to share news with other clans
If the truce is broken, StarClan will send clouds to cover the moon, signaling their displeasure.
## Location

Gatherings are held on territory that is neutral to all Clans, and it cannot be claimed by one Clan alone. When the Clans were in the old forest, their chosen spot to gather for their meetings is called FourTrees. Once the Clans moved to the lake, however, their gathering place has changed to an island, with a tree being used as a bridge that branches across the water. An example of a Gathering location not being neutral territory is when RiverClan temporarily lived on the island during Dark River, due to Twolegs damaging their camp.

### FourTrees

Before its destruction, all Gatherings were once held at the sacred place called Fourtrees. On the night of a the full moon, all four Clans met there, and addressed the four Clans from the Great Rock, a huge and smooth rock in the center of the clearing. Deputies would sit at the foot of the rock, while the medicine cats and their apprentices would sit towards the edge.

### Island

RiverClan used the island as a camp, due to their permanent camp having been taken over by Twoleg kits who wished to play around it. Although it was only temporary, the decision caused a rift with all four Clans, and upset many of the cats from other Clans. The Gathering was held at the island, a place near the side of the lake by RiverClan territory. A tree fell on the island, making a tree-bridge, since RiverClan was the only Clan who was used to swimming. Because the tree-bridge was only on RiverClan territory, the cats made it a rule that scent-marks end three tail-lengths from the shore of the lake, and that three-tail-length area was neutral territory.

### Area

#### FourTrees

- Leaders on a big rock.

- Deputies at the base of the rock.

- Medicine cats at the edge of the rock.

- Everyone else in a clearing beneath the four trees.

#### Island

- Leaders in the branches.

- Deputies at the roots of the tree.

- Medicine cats at the roots of the tree.

- Everyone else in the clearing.

## Sayings by the cats

##### RiverClan

- Prey is swimming well

- The fish supply is great

- WindClan needs to stop trespassing our border

##### WindClan

- You need to share the river

- The rabbits are getting nearer the river

##### ShadowClan

- Prey is great

- The kittypets are close to our border but we drove them farther

- A badger was seen going towards ThunderClan

##### ThunderClan

- A fox den was scented near the WindClan border

- Prey is running well

- Thanks for informing me about the badger