Gathering

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A **Gathering** is a meeting of the Clans, and is held on the night of a full moon. As said in the warrior code, there is a truce, which 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.

## Purpose

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.

* Clan leaders hold Gatherings to share news with the other Clans.
* Gatherings are meant for meeting new cats, but not to share Clan weaknesses and strengths.
* When the moon is full, the Gathering begins.
* he start of the Gathering marks a time of truce between the four Clans. If the truce is broken, StarClan will send clouds to cover the moon, signalling their displeasure. Should this happen, the Gathering is ended and each Clan returns to their respecting territories.
* It is possible for leaders to call Gatherings, known as emergency Gatherings, to share news that is very important with the clans.

## Procedure

The Gathering is held on the night of the full moon because it is the only time that the moon is bright enough to see everything and everyone. The leader, the deputy, the medicine cat and their apprentice, if they have one, several warriors, apprentices, queens, and elders participate from each Clan. If a leader cannot attend, the deputy will speak on behalf of their Clan.

Once arrived at the Gathering territory, the leaders sit on a designated high spot (i.e: a rock or a tree branch) along with the other leaders where they can be seen and heard well while talking to the warriors and to each other. Deputies sit close by. A yowl by a Clan leader is the signal to start the meeting. It is considered to be disrespectful if any other cat speaks from atop the leader's spot, unless specifically asked.

As decreed by StarClan, the nights of the Gatherings are a time of peace. If there is any violence, StarClan sends a cloud to cover the moon signifying their displeasure; usually the Gathering ends if this happens.

In *The Sight*, the Clans organize a special daylight Gathering, with friendly competitions between apprentices of different Clans. Suggested by Squirrelflight of ThunderClan, it was to celebrate the Clans' second new-leaf by the lake, and to ease the ongoing tensions between the four Clans.

## 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.

### The old forest

* 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,[34] while the medicine cats and their apprentices would sit towards the edge.

### The lake

* In *Starlight*, the Gathering was held near the Horseplace before the tree fell down, therefore, making the tree a bridge so the cats could get to the island
* The Gathering was held at the island, a place near the side of the lake by RiverClan territory. Mudclaw was killed by a falling tree 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.
* In *Dark River*, 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.

### In other locations

* In the *The New Prophecy* arc, the Gathering was once held at a marshy area near the Horseplace.
* In *The Sight*, a special day-light Gathering was held on ThunderClan territory. This was to celebrate the Clans second newleaf by the lake, and was to have the apprentices show off their skills.
* During *Firestar's Quest* and *SkyClan's Destiny*, SkyClan holds their Gatherings on top of the Skyrock.

### Areas

* 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.