January Gathering 2017

The moon was full. The night was cold. Snow covered the ground from the bad weather a few days before but hadn't melted because of the cold days and nights that spanned this leaf-bare. There wasn't a single cloud in the sky, there was no breeze. It was somewhat bearable for the cats that would be gathering tonight, but they probably wouldn't want to stay long.

Ashstar walked into the Gathering, paws making the first prints in a pristine set of snow. WindClan followed behind her, the first Clan there. After the whole ordeal with Falconstone, Smokepelt and Ryekit, and the mess with Lionfur narely a moon back, the gray leader was tired, but she put on a strong face for her Clan. She wasn't looking forwards to dealing with Fishstar and Crowstar- she knew why the RiverClan leader hated her, at least, but what had gotten into the leader of SkyClan? Did it have something to do with Rippedpaw? However, she would deal with the fox-hearts. For her Clan.

Quailpaw trotted happily in behind her grandmother. Her first Gathering ever! Not even the freezing cold that bit through her pelt or the memory of the incident with Kindlepaw and Ryekit could dim her excitement. She had been avoiding her older sister since the fight, and hadn't made eye contact with her on the whole walk to Fourtrees. Blue eyes bright with anticipation, the gray speckled she-cat sat down in the cold, powdery snow, waiting for the other Clans to arrive. What an opportunity to make new friends!

Following Ashstar, Smokepelt shivered from the chilly night air as his paws crunching against the cold, frosted ground. Since the battle with RiverClan, he hadn't been able to go to the last gathering due to his injuries, but he wasn't about to miss another. Whether everyone liked it or not, although it didn't really matter what the other clans thought, he was still the deputy and wasn't about to lose his position. Though he'd made a couple mistakes in the past, the past was the past, and if other cats still had a problem with him standing next to his mother with his position, then they either needed to tell it to his face or toughen up and drop it, because in all honesty, with everyone's whining and complaining, all they were doing for themselves was making them look like spoiled, selfish kits that didn't get what they wanted.

Sitting down under the trees, Smokepelt looked around, watching as cats slowly filtered into the clearing.

~~~~~~

Trotting next to Furzepaw, Kindlepaw was practically jumping out of her fur. Although she was still sour about what happened with her sister and father, it was her first gathering and she wasn't going to let the past ruin it. Steering clear of Quailpaw, the slender she-cat stayed next to her brother and looked around. No one else had really arrived yet and she couldn't wait to see what those fishscum RiverClanners looked like, since she'd never seen one up close. "This is so cool!" she whispered to her fluffy brother, her paws crunching against the frosty ground as she peered around and stayed close to him while looking for a place to sit.

Brindlewhisker padded after Ashstar, thick fur bushed out against the cold and her breath billowed in the air in soft clouds before disappearing almost entirely. She had been sulking and in a rather unpleasant mood ever since she fought with Mottleheart, but hopefully the Gathering would give her a slight reprieve from the constant annoyance she felt. She hurried to one of the towering oaks and crouched down beneath the shelter of it's twisted roots, doing her best to stay clear of the sticky, cold snow that seemed to be everywhere. "Why does Windclan always arrive first? We always end up freezing our paws off while waiting for the others." Brindlewhisker thought with a slight grimace, flicking her ear irritably.

~

Cloudpaw hurried after Ashstar, his pale grey and white fur matching the cold, crisp snow that speckled the clearing. He padded after Quailpaw- it was her first Gathering as well and he preferred to stay in company of others his age. Sitting down beside Quailpaw, he wrapped his tail around his paws and he shivered slightly; his short fur wasn't doing much to help keep him warm. "I didn't think it'd be like this," He finally mewed, "It smells awful- everyone makes this place out to be better than it actually is." He mewed

Much like Brindlewhisker, Mottleheart had not been the same since their fight as well. He was on the clear opposite side of the flood of WindClan cats from her, unwilling to look - or even be near her. Sure, it was a bit hard to avoid her when they shared the same den but it didn't stop him from trying. He could act normal but the moment he was around her, he was reminded of her fight and thus worked hard to ignore her. If she wanted nothing to do with him, then he would give her nothing.

He followed after his Clan with a high head, picking a nice spot to sit. His gaze flickered around, wonder if Cinderpaw would be sitting with him or if he would go off to try to socialize with other cats. Either way was fine with Mottleheart. The tom paused as he wonder if he would see Rockpaw. No doubt the larger tom had already gotten his warrior name...Right? It seemed like forever since the two had last spoken, with Mottleheart having yet to tell Rockpaw of his status as a warrior and the fact he was a father.

"I guess you should stop bothering yourself for now with all of this nonsense. I told you I was on Falconstone's side, but you heard Ashstar! She'sgoing to exile whoever she hears talking about it. Chin up and stop looking like a badger. Or I will ask Ashstar to change your name, silly." Jaypaw meowed as she and her friend, the medicine cat apprentice of WindClan, Beetlepaw, padded in with the clan. She averted her attention from the grumpy tomcat to wash over the clearing with her shining eyes. This is my first gathering ever!! I wonder what will happen tonight... she thought, shivering from the icy cold air that stood still with no breeze. The she-cat's step was lighter than usual, but the cat ended up topling over, if it were not for older Beetlepaw to catch her from her fall.


"Hey, dummy, eyes on the ground. I'm not going to be here all the time to catch you. But I think I can introduce you to my friend Sparkpaw. She ks the medicine cat apprentide of TunderClan, and my only friend until you." he said as the you ger cat was back on her feet. He led her throught the masses, but as they were struggling throught, he heard Jaypaw gasp slightly and a thud. Did she lose ballance again...? Beetlepaw thought with affectoinate annoyance as he turned to fetch the gray slender form. He noted her slightlg scared expression and gave her a questionate glance, which she did not answer. He grew slightly worried, but as he realized who he was standing by, his own body shook slightly. Smokepelt. he thought. "Oh, sorry, sir. I was just going to show Jaypaw the place where medicine cats gather at gatherings. She was excited to see it..."

"I think it's amazing!" Redpaw piped up behind Cloudpaw, meowing in a hushed voice. Used to the moorland's open sky and the wind that constantly ran over the rolling hills, Fourtrees unnerved Redpaw. But, she gazed at it all with wonder. The still, silent air hung heavily between the four massive oaks, their leaf-bare, skeletal arms intertwining overhead. The clearing looked so large and empty, void of the rest of the clans for the moment. An agreed upon sacred truce guaranteed peace to all the Clan cats the night of the Gathering. Otherwise, smelling the moon-old stench of so many other cats would  have alarmed Redpaw, but StarClan watched over them. She knew most leaders wouldn't be foolish enough to risk the anger of StarClan and felt strangely safe. The moon was bright this night and it made the fresh snow that covered everything glow a silvery white. Her own red fur shown a dark blue in the moonlight, while Cloudpaw seemed to blend right into the snow. She sat on the other side of him, giving each of her two denmates who were already seated a nod of greeting.

Quailpaw grinned at Cloudpaw. "It may smell gross now, sure, but just you wait till the other Clans show up. Especially RiverClan! Ugh, I can smell those fish-brains from ten fox-lengths away. I can't wait to see some apprentices of other Clans, though- it'll be fun to see other cats, make new friends!" She breathed in the chilly air, trembling both from the excitement and the cold. She nodded as another denmate, Redpaw, sat with her. "It is nice, isn't it?" she agreed, gazing up appreciatively at the large silver-white moon, casting a beautiful, shimmery glow on the frost and snow. The snow capped oaks on which the leaders sat towered over the cats. She could tell why StarClan had chosen this place.

Hollowpaw trotted into the clearing after Ashstar. It was his first gathering and although he was excited, he didn't particularly like the fact that he'd have to sit among cats that weren't all his clan. He tried to stay close to his mentor, Brindlewhisker, and sat down beside her.

Twistedpaw looked around at the snow-covered clearing. The place never seemed to faze her, even though she had already been here for a Gathering before. And to meet Shadepaw, she shuddered. Looking around Fourtrees, she looked for her friends in the other clans, which unfortunately seemed to not be here yet.

It was Squirrelpaw's first Gathering, which was crazy since she was an apprentice for ages. But she didn't look up and gaze in awe like most apprentices do. She kept her head down at the back of the group, looking at the pawsteps she had and hoping that no other clans look at her. It wasn't she didn't want to be here or anything. She just hoped no one would comment or stare or taunt her by the jagged scars making it's mark on her neck. She was relieved when it seemed that none of the other clans were here yet. Sitting down in a shadowed area, she gazed around the four great oaks and the moonlit rock in the center.

Furzepaw bubbled with excitement as he padded into Fourtrees beside his litter-mate, he had been looking forward to his first gathering ever since he was a kit, and the day had finally arrived. Best of all, he got to enjoy it beside Kindlepaw, his sibling, and perhaps closest friend.

The young tom looked over the heads of the others, eyes widening at the sight of so many cats. He smiled, despite how cold the night air felt against his prickling fur. Furzepaw nudged Kindlepaw with his flank, "look how many cats there are!" He breathed.

<<>>

Hazefur quietly followed behind her two first born kits, deciding to leave Smokepelt to walk with Ashstar on the way down. Knowing how unpredictable Kindlepaw could be, she has also made the decision to keep a close eye on her especially.

Once in the clearing, she glanced around, taking in the sights and scents around her. Surprisingly, this was only her second gathering.

<<>>

Thistlefall made his way into Fourtrees behind the rest of WindClan, trying his hardest to push aside the cold sensation of the night air that pulled at his coat and frosted his whiskers.

The young warrior looked up from his paws, noticing Brindlewhisker had already made her way into the clearing. He smiled, and didn't waste another second, quickly making his way over to her. "Chilly isn't it?" He mewed softly upon approach.

OOC: Ignore this, I messed up and can't delete it!

Emberfall joined the gathering with her Clan. She looked around at the empty spots, WindClan was obviously first.

Nightheart padded into the clearing, her gaze fixed on the ground before her paws. She was starting to feel somewhat better as the grief slowly started to die out inside, though at the same time the nightmares hadn’t left her, and paranoia and anger were filling the space the grief had left behind. She now was quite more solitary than before and only allowed very few cats to approach to her now, fearing to let someone in her life again only to be betrayed yet again.

She just wanted to hear what the leaders had to say during this gathering, and she was wondering if Fishstart was going to keep on throwing dirt on her clan like the fox-heart she had been during the last gatherings…and what would Ashstar say in this one as well.

Sprucethorn padded beside Twistedpaw as they entered the gathering. The tom was surprised she haden made a warrior yet as she had been training for ages. His fluffy brown tail was held high and his emerald eyes glinted in the cold. He was not going to let any rival cats show him up, especially in front of Twistedpaw. Sprucethorn couldn't deny the fact that he had slowly begun to crush on her, but he also wasn't going to say so. Twistedpaw would have to work that out for herself.

Smiling, Sprucethorn settled down beside her, curling his tail around his fluffy paws. "Who are we sitting next to tonight? It better not be RiverClan, I don't want their foul stench seeping into my fur. I'd probably get some weird disease then! Speaking of cats, Rippedpaw should be here tonight. I hope he is." Sprucethorn meowed his fur bristling at the thought of RiverClan. Although he wouldn't say it in front of Twistedpaw, he really didn't want to go near her ShadowClan friends. More so than usual after his skirmish with Shadepaw and the fact that they had had a tussle and a slight argument over the heart of Twistedpaw. Sprucethorn sighed and stretched his tired legs, his muscles rippling beneath his fluffy pelt.