Gatherings

*(Some of this information comes from the warriors wiki, credits all to them!)*

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.
* The 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, signaling their displeasure. Should this happen, the Gathering is ended and each Clan returns to their respecting territories.

## 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
### The lake

* In the Gathering was held near the  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, 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.
* ***Areas***

* Leaders in the branches.
* Deputies at the roots of the tree.
* Medicine cats at the roots of the tree.
* Everyone else in the clearing.