October Gathering 2013

The stars burned bright and cold high above, like glittering chips of ice. It had been moons since the last battles, both in ThunderClan territory, but tensions were still building. A blanket of dead and wrinkled leaves coated the clearing, glistening from recent rains, and the air was chilly.

Reedstar's breath billowed out with each step as he led RiverClan into the clearing. It looked as if they were the first ones there tonight. He found himself nervous as he padded towards the Great Rock, the leaves underpaw crunching with each step. Hopefully Mossstar would be back to lead ThunderClan for the Gathering. He didn't know if he'd be able to keep his claws out of Dewclaw's fur if he had to stand there and listen to her for another night.

Leafstream followed behind the deputy and leader, her eyes scanning the clearing. As she sat down where she would be able to see the next clan arrive, she licked her paw delicately, and swiped it over her ear. This would be her first gathering as a warrior, and Silverpaws' first gathering in general. Her eyes trailed around from the great rock, the clearing, and then to where the other clans would usually arrive. Her paws prickled with anticipation as she wondered what would go on tonight. The young warrior knew that gatherings were a time for peace, and she hoped she could keep her claws out of the other clans' fur for once.

As she wait for the gathering to begin, Leafstream noticed the cool breeze, ruffling her fur. Leafbares' icey claws were on its way, and she was surely not looking forward to it.

~~~

Meanwhile, Silverpaw stuck back, trying to stay close to her clan, and her blue eyes showed that she was gravely nervous. She had no clue that there would be so many cats, and she wanted to stay where she was safe. pinning her ears back, she tried to be small amongst the clan, hoping that no one would try to talk her into saying hi to the other clans, as she would just cower and run away. The silver tabby was friendly, but it was hard to get her to speak. You could say she was partially mute, but wasn't. As her paws twitched to go back to Riverclans' camp, to curl up and sleep the night away without having to worry about talking and freaking out... Silverpaw knew that this would be good for her.

Raccoonstar gave off a snort after she sneezed from the cold weather. She couldn't be getting sick, not at a time like this. One paw step after another she quickly made her way into the fourtrees clearing followed by her clan. The Windclan leader didn't give any time to stop and chat but made her way over to the great rock and jumped upon it, and waited patiently for the other leaders.

Sootpaw couldn't help but give off a small laugh as she heard her leader sneeze, but she quickly quieted herself so she didn't get a glare for her leader. Slowly she followed behind her leader as she moved towards the clearing afraid of the things to come for this was her first time being here.

Briarheart followed behind her leader, who was also her former mentor. Though the cat had been here multiple times before she was nervous this time because she was a warrior. Though she would never be a nervous as she was when she was first an apprentice.

How misfortunate for Reedstar; trotting into the clearing was Dewclaw, leading ThunderClan behind her. Her head was high, her tail aloft, and a smirk was plastered to her face. She didn't climb immediately onto the Great Rock, opting instead to speak with Swiftpaw and her senior warriors at the base. Her pelt looked hastily groomed, as if she'd only flattened it instead of removing any loose mud. While she looked confident and headstrong as usual, she didn't feel at all strong or tough.

On the way over, as the Clan was charging through the forest, she was racking her mind on how she'd explain Mossstar's absence for a second moon. They arrived at their destination far too quickly for her to come up with a plan of action. So she decided to either avoid the question, or, if directly confronted, brush it off and say he was speaking with StarClan; there was no questioning a leader speaking with his ancestors, though she sincerely hoped that no one would ask. But there was no doubt in her mind that Raccoonstar would ask her warriors when they returned if a glimpse or even a scent of Mossstar was caught, and it worried her. It worried her a lot.

Now, after rushing to groom her pelt and then charging down the slope to the Gathering, she finished speaking with her senior warriors and medicine cat and clawed up the Great Rock, leaving deep indentations unintentionally. Dewclaw didn't even acknowledge the leaders, choosing instead to sit at the edge of the boulder and watch the full moon. She didn't dare let the stress and anxiety that had recently gripped her with the unrelenting talons of an eagle show, especially not to that kit Reedstar.

Swiftpaw turned away when the deputy finished speaking and sat down at the place where the medicine cats of each Clan met, kneading the ground with his claws in anticipation. His whiskers twitched with joy; he couldn't wait to see his friends again!

Sandpaw, however, following behind RiverClan, felt anything but joy or happiness. He sulked away into the shadows, jumping at the slightest meow or purr of greeting the other Clans gave.

Hawkpaw bounded down to Fourtrees, excitement showing in waves off of her. She loved that many cats were here. And she could spend more time with her littermates, and Owlpaw. She quickly started to look around for them.

Spottedfeather padded after her deputy into the clearing. She noted that she was looking rather smirk, but knew that she had a good heart. She did help train her, she rather admired the deputy. She was brave enough to take on the role that later became leader. She herself wouldn't really mind doing it, but it could be intimidating at first. She smiled to the deputy and continued forth, looking for a group of cats to share tongues with.

Stormpaw slowly came into the clearing, following his leader. He looked around and saw so many cats. He didn't feel like talking much, so he decided to go into a less crowded place and waited for the meeting to begin.

Walking after Reedstar was Mapleclaw, her eyes glittering as she padded to her new spot. It was clear that she enjoyed her new rank of power as she turned and sat down, her head high as she scanned the clearing. Yes, tonight; all the Clans would know of her gain in power! While it was true she wasn't leader yet, this did mean she was a step closer to getting her goal...

Twistedfoot limped after Raccoonstar, his gaze unwavering as he weaved his way though the gathered cats. Badgerpaw stuck close to his father, but it was clear that he was feeling a bit more open this time around. His gaze flickered as he attempted to find his siblings though the wave of WindClan cats. He frowned as he failed to spot them, and broke away from his father as he wandered off to find them.

Falconfang padded into Fourtrees after Raccoonstar, glancing across the clearing at the menagerie of cats. Taking his customary spot below the Great Rock, he took notice of who was obviously the new Riverclan deputy, though he couldn't recall her name. "Hey, you must be the new Riverclan deputy." He decided at least breaking the ice could help, though his eyes narrowed when he saw Dewclaw take Mossstar's spot on the Great Rock again. Oh no, not her again.

Eaglepaw also followed behind his clanmates into the clearing, not entirely ready to face his first Gathering. He bristled at having to be so close to the filthy cats from the other clans. Disgusting flea-ridden inferior clan cats, he internally muttered crossly to himself as he took a seat by himself near some of his fellow Windclan cats.

Leafstream glared as she saw the deputy of Thunderclan come to the clearing. If anything, Leafstream felt that Dewclaw was a problem to the forest, and that she wasn't a calm cat, but a nuisance. Watching as Windclan came, Leafstream looked over to where the deputies were, and gave a nod of respect to the Windclan deputy. Falconfang, correct? Yeah... I believe so. She looked around on where other warriors were, she decided just to stay put, and she looked up to where the leaders... and deputy, were gathered.

~~~

Silverpaw had finally bitten up courage to say hello to a cat from another clan, and she felt most comfortable with saying hello to an apprentice from Windclan. Getting lost through Windclans' warriors, she finally found what seemed like the group of apprentices. "Uh... Hi..." Silverpaw said, her ears flattened. She was trying to be friendly, but her quiet instincts took over very quickly, and she looked down, as her nervousness showed easily. It could be simply guessed that she wasn't a social apprentice.

~~~

Ivyfur followed behind in her clan, bracing herself to come for the gathering for once. She had heard that the Thunderclan deputy, Dewclaw, wasn't a very good cat, and nearly broke the truce the last time there was a gathering. Flexing her claws in the soft earth, she looked around and hoped that nothing bad would spoil the precious truce held every full moon; the only time the clans could be free from battle; and share news in peace.

Morningfur trotted into the clearing, limping slightly fron the cramp in her back leg. She glanced at Reedstar, and then up at Silverpelt. She wondered if her sister was watching.

She padded towards where the medicine cats were sitting, slipping in next to Swiftpaw with a simple nod of greeting

Spottedflight padded in with the rest of Thunderclan, head held somewhat high, as this was her first Gathering as a Warrior. After a moment's hesitation, she seeped into the crowd, wanting to share tounges with warriors from other Clans, but not exactly knowing anyone.

Beepaw stuck close to the tail end of the Riverclan party. This was his first ever gathering, and frankly he wasn't sure what to do. Eventually, he just found himself sitting on the edge of the crowd, marveling at how Fourtrees was so different bathed in moonlight and filled with cats.

Shadeheart padded into Fourtrees with her clan, limping a bit on her bare front foot. She sat next to the other medicine cats.

Owlpaw followed after Shadeheart and, when he arrived at FourTrees, looked around for Hawkpaw. He saw her in amongst the crowd, looking around for him. He padded up to her, nuzzled her cheek, and put his tail on her shoulder to say Hello.

Frogpaw leaped into Fourtrees after his mentor. All these strange cats that he didn't know. He looked around and saw that every other cat was busy talking with their friends or doing something else. Oh well, he thought as he sat by himself.

Nightstar looked down at the clearing, the white spots on her fur looking almost like the stars that shone way above. The black part of her coat shone silver as it reflected the light of the moon. The leader's eyes watched the happenings of the cats below. Racconstar had just entered the clearing, her clan streaming behind her. Waiting a few long moments while WindClan made their way into the crowd, she then leaped down the slope. ShadowClan had arrived to the gathering.

Once she made it to the clearing floor, Nightstar made her way to The Great Rock. Leaping up with less trouble then last time, she glanced in greeting to the other leaders. Her movements calm in dignified, however, on the inside was a whole different story. She was quite nervous that she could mess something up and have her clan attacked. Shoving the worrying thoughts aside, Nightstar watched the crowd with interest, wondering how this gathering would turn out.

Bristlepaw made his way through the crowd, he had grown in this past month, so much that he was minded by the crowd, and wasn't shoved around by the older cats. Heading towards Snowpaw's and his usual spot, he sat down and waited for the gathering to start. All the while licking his his paw and drawing it over his ear.

Hawkpaw felt a nose nuzzle her cheek and a tail on her shoulder. She looked to her side and say Owlpaw. She nuzzled him back and spoke a quiet hello. She leaned slightly into him, feeling some warmth go into her colder body.

Silvershade, stupidly long fur and all, padded into the clearing not long after her leader, eyeing the groups of cats dotting the slowly-filling clearing. She hadn't been to the last Gathering for whatever reason, and she sincerely hoped that she wouldn't get too many questions regarding her absence. Taking a seat near the undergrowth by the RiverClan side tree, she wrapped her tail around her paws and waited for the Gathering to commence.

Cinderfrost padded into the clearing, a small smile creeping at her lips as she took her regular seat near the undergrowth. Her fluffy fur kept her from being too cold, and she wrapped her fluffy tail around her side as she sat down. Taking in the cats already there, she noticed that the once-deputy of RiverClan was there; Silvershade. She'd been absent when Reedstar came for the first time-- humph, she thought, I wonder if she was just being sour and refusing to come. Or maybe she was sick. Or wasn't one of the warriors coming--oh well, not my business.

A black shadow of fur broke through the undergrowth at the WindClan side of the clearing. She gave a small ear flick of greeting to the cats before sitting down a foxlength from the Great Rock, waiting for the Gathering to start.

Berrypaw padded after his siblings. He caught up to Hawkpaw and Owlpaw. "Hey guys!" he said.
OOC: Sorry I'm always with you guys!

IC: Mossfur walked into the clearing and saw Spottedfeather. She headed over and greeted her before drifting of to see other cats. She wandered around a bit more before sitting herself at the edge of the clearing a little bit away from Owlpaww, Hawkpaw and Berrypaw.

Hazelpaw walked in nervously at the sight of so many cats. She pushed her way to the edge of the crowd and sat down to observe.