Gathering

A **Gathering** is a meeting of the Clans, and is held on the night of a full moon. As said in the Clan 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.

On Gatherings, Clan leaders announce current affairs and significant events within their respective Clans, such as the appointment of new apprentices, warriors, the deaths, and births of cats, and the retirement of cats. They also use this time, if necessary, to ask for help from others.

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, meanwhile Bay Clan will just try to gossip.

* 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 three 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 said that the Moon cat will protect them from any dangers. The leader, the medicine cat and their apprentice, (if they have one,) several warriors, apprentices, and a few elders, participate from each Clan. If a leader cannot attend, the leader's mate 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. Medicine cats sit close by. It is considered to be disrespectful if any other cat speaks from atop the leader's spot, unless specifically asked.

As decreed by the spirits, the nights of the Gatherings are a time of peace. If there is any violence, the Cloudcat covers the moon signifying her anger; usually the Gathering ends if this happens.

## Location

Gatherings are held on territory that is neutral to all Clans, and it cannot be claimed by one Clan alone. When the old Clans were in the forest, their chosen spot was a large tree, (later the Tree Stump,) called the High Stump. But when the new Clans were in the forest, their chosen spot to gather for their meetings is called the Aspen Ring.

### The Old Clans

* Before its destruction, all Gatherings were once held at the sacred place called Sky Tree. On the night of a the full moon, both Clans met there, and addressed the two Clans from the Great Branch, a huge and thick branch overlooking the crowd. Medicine Cats would sit on the tree's huge roots at the base.

### The New Clans

* When Berrypaw was out on his first apprentice mission, he found the Fallen Giant inside the Aspen Ring, and Breeze appeared to speak to him. The gatherings have been held here eyes since.

### In Other Locations

* The first gathering (meant to be between Sun, Leaf and Talon, Bay,) happened at the Wide-Eye's tree.

### Areas

* Sky Tree:
	+ Leaders on a big branch.
	+ Medicine cats at the base of the tree.
	+ Everyone else in a clearing beneath the branch.

* Aspen Ring:
	+ Leaders on the log.
	+ Leader's mates on the far sides of the log.
	+ Medicine cats in front of the log.
	+ Everyone else in the hollow.