TONGUES (DEERNOSE PLOT P3)

OOC- Anyone is welcome to take part in the decision. I will not, to make the solution all the more realistic. Remember, main choices are: Violent or Non-Violent death? Sub-choice: who will kill Deernose?

Cats were gathering in the Meeting Hollow, murmuring amongst themselves. The moon was high in the sky, illuminating the hard-packed dirt and the pelts sitting upon it; Starclan was watching. The reason this meeting was being held sat with their paws tucked beneath them within the elder's den: the warrior Deernose. An unprovoked attack on a Clanmate. This, however, was because of circumstance. The now frail tom had literally lost his mind.

Tonight, they held his life in their paws.

Cobaltfire pushed her way into the Meeting Hollow, thinking about the topic of the meeting that was about to happen. Deernose. She had never known him personally, but had seen him around and basically watched his descent into madness from afar. She sat down, waiting for the meeting to start.

Sablefur settled next to Cobaltfire. Her gaze turned toward the elders' den. She'd heard a bit of the situation. Although, she didn't know Deernose well. The poor elder. Perhaps something was wrong with him in the head. However, the code was very clear; attacking a Clanmate was a very serious issue.

OOC- This is still happening~!

OoC: Aren't we all happening?

IC: Eaglethorn paced around the clearing, claws sheathing and unsheathing as he let out a low hiss, not hiding how he felt about the current situation. If it were up to him, Deernose would be dead by his paw, his blood smeared across the moors. But it wasn't his decision... He didn't know what would be decided, but he knew he might have to take matters into his own paws if necessary.

To Lightpaw, Deernose had always been an old elder who sat around all day. He had heard the story of the esteemed elder's sudden attack on their clanmate and of his strange ramblings and wasn't quite sure what to make of the situation. He glanced at his mentor, pacing and hissing, and decided that Eaglethorn knew what was best. If Deernose had tried to kill a clanmate, then he deserved death as his punishment. It was only justice. Lightpaw, sitting in the clearing with his white pelt illuminated by the moonlight, glanced at the elder. He seemed calm, for a cat who might lose his life for his actions.

Ashpaw walked out and sat next to Lightpaw. Wolftrot had told her about Deernose. She hadn't known him as anything but a slightly crazy elder, and was more than a little frightened by his attack. However, she couldn't think of killing another cat. Hopefully, they could find another, non-violent solution.

Icepaw wanted to sit next to Ashpaw, but he saw she already sat next to Lightpaw. Sitting alone in the corner of the hollow he glanced around. I have never seen the clan this frightened over an elder before. He thought. He didn't know much about Deernose but the fact that he scared his own clan mates enough to kill him sent shiver down his spine. Icepaw calmly looked over at Ashpaw and saw a worried look on the she-cat's face. He yearned to comfort her, but Lightpaw would probably claw his ears off if he tried to sit next to them. Then again, why should it matter...

Cobaltfire saw Icepaw wondering where to sit, and beckoned him over.

Wolftrot entered, and glanced around at who had already gathered. He saw Ashpaw, Lightpaw, Icepaw, Sablefur, Eaglethorn, and his sister. Padding solemnly towards the group that was forming, he decided to sit near Ashpaw.

Icepaw walked over to his mentor with a quick nod thanking him for a place to sit. "Whats going to happen now?" he whispered.

Deernose stared as cats gathered below the Tallrock. They were going to get rid of him. His claws dug into the hard earth and he trembled with anger. His once kind ochre eyes were slits, glaring at passerby. When the gray apprentice spoke to his mentor, the tom replied instead. "All of you are going to kill me, that's what." His voice was harsh and raspy, like a dead bush shaking in the wind. His tail began to lash and his ears were pinned to his head.


Pebblelight emerged from the nursery in silence, leaving her other two kits to sleep while she took her place near Icepaw. When the old cat reacted with not even concealed hostility, she wanted to hiss and spit at him, but realized that might set him off and he could attack. Although he deserved it, the mellow queen did not want him to be dealt with violently, and knew he would pose a threat to any cat if sent out on his own. He needed to die quietly.

Cobaltfire flattened her ears at the elder's scathing remark, especially angry since it was directed at her apprentice. Her tail began to lash, but she said nothing.

Gorsefeather came out of the medicine cat den, joining the meeting that was being held. His tail twitch behind him in a mix of concern and frustration. The medicine cat had consulted Starclan, and tried every herb he knew, but this madness was something beyond him. No herb could clear the tom's mind, and he feared that death was truly the only solution.

It was barbaric, and crushing to think death could only solve this. But the tom was a danger to the clan.

There were some deathberries that he'd been keeping in his den should the verdict be death, but he refused to even consider the idea of letting the tom be killed by any other method. Which was why Eaglethorn's pacing and overeagerness for the elder's death didn't sit well with Gorsefeather. The calico placed himself strategically between the elder and the warrior, blocking Deernose from his sight.

After the elder spat at Icepaw, he felt like going back to the corner were he was before but soon saw his mother come over, and that calmed him down. Icepaw also saw Colbaltfire flinch when the elder snapped, probably wanting to claw him. It feels good to finally have someone care about me enough to even know I am here He thought as he glanced up at his mentor and mother. Just remember, show no weakness to the other apprentices. He reminded himself as he sat up strait again, this time making sure he did not say anything the elder could hear.

Ashpaw looked up at the tom, his yellow eyes slitted with fury. She knew it wasn't true, but his eyes seemed to be glaring directly at her. She shuddered with an uncomfortable fear and moved closer to her mentor, Wolftrot, who had come to sit by her. She knew the old cat was dangerous, but wished that his insanity could somehow be healed. However, she knew that if there was a way, their brilliant medicine cat Gorsefeather would have found it by now.