March Gathering 2017

Rockpaw stumbled in after his clan-mates, his eyes rounded in wonderment as he was still in shock at being allowed to the gathering, he was almost completely recovered and was driving the medicine cats nutty with his constant chattering, the small kitten he had orphaned visiting him frequently as he taught him of Thunderclan and Starclans ways and most importantly how to be a clan cat.

But when he walked into the clearing and started swerving among cats, he grew anxious, nervous and paranoid. Shifting around with a deep frown he turned to look for Brindlewhisker and Mottleheart, he didn't know if they knew he was alive since he was unconscious for a lot of his recovery so he figured he'd let them know. Heading towards in Windclan cats he spotted the deputy and growled a little before continuing his search.

Hazeflight filed in behind her leader, a grim expression on her features. On the way over she had convinced herself to talk to Eagleheart, to ask him how her kits were and more importantly, to tell him about Wolffang. She felt he had a right to know, after all his was her father. It annoyed Hazeflight to think that she had to talk to the arrogant tom, but she had to, she doubted her daughter or son would know who she was. Eagleheart was far too prideful to ever tell them, even if he had promised her he would. Huffing in annoyance, Hazeflight took a seat next to Flamestrike, knowing she would leave it soon.

~~~

Driftpaw trudged into the clearing her head held higher than usual, after some thinking she'd decided that she would be noticed more if she looked upset. Cats needed to stop caring about her, she was fine, it wasn't like she had a reason to leave again. Then again, she didn't feel like staying much, she was barely noticed anymore anyway. All they cared about were her half-siblings and they were foul and stupid, like their even stupider mother. Driftpaw growled at the thought of Emberheart, she couldn't stand the russet She-cat. The dusty She-cat shook her head and slowly made her way over to a corner, where she hoped she wouldn't be seen.

Whitestream arrived with hoard of other RiverClan cats. She looked into the empty place which will be soon full of different cats. She preffered to stay near main group of her Clan cats, because there was some tension in the air. Something happened to the clans.

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Yellowpaw followed her half sister, which already became a warrior, altough he had a training for a long time. He hoped that on the next gathering, he would become a warrior. When Whitestream looked so weird at other clan cats. He also felt that something was making so many worries for leaders of the clans.

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Wisteriapaw was on her first gathering. She was amazed as all apprentices are on their first gathering. So many cats! So many smells! So many different voices!

Sparkflower walked into the gathering, a small smile across her face. Her first one as a full medicine cat - full responsibility. No excuses now. Were the others aware of her new name yet? Probably not, but they'd soon find out. She took a seat next to Beetlepaw and gave the tom a friendly nod in greeting.

Heatherpaw followed Windclan into the clearing. She was eager about it despite her lingering greif of her father. She brwicly glanced back to her mother before she decided to look around.


Cinderpaw followed Thunderclan in the gray ginger she cat looked around briefly.


Ambernose followed Shadowclan in. The black she cat with the ginger striped nose looked around.

Blazeflight hobbled into Fourtrees, hoping she might see Emberheart, and they might possibly be able to work things out. Although she knew it was a long shot, it didn't hurt to try, right?

Crowstar lead his clan into the gathering the nice night. He needed to have a word with the other leaders. Warn them of the potential danger that is sitting near their borders. Sparrowflight hadn't returned, and it only worried the leader even more. If he could get another clan on his side with this rogue issue then there wouldn't be much trouble. The black fluffy leader joined the others on the Great Rock.

Raccoonfang followed Astar in. Mottleclaw and Waspstep followed Thrushstar in.

Rippedsky followed his leader into the clearing. There were already quite a few cats there. For a moment he wondered if they had been having issues with the rogues as well. According to Lilyheart, there were a few cats in the barn. His eyes scanned the crowd looking for some cat to sit with. After a moment, he settled on Twistedtail, his long-time friend. The black and white tom broke away from the Skyclan group. A half-smile crossed his face. With everything going on, Cherrymist missing and issues with his son, the warrior was exhausted. It was great to see one of his old nursery denmates, though.

"Hi there, Twistedtail," He greeted a bit cheerily. His eyes cast a glance around, "Sprucethorn decide not to join us tonight?"

***

Eagleheart was not ready for this gathering. He was exhausted from hunting and patrolling constantly, as well as dealing with the energy of his new kits. While Addergaze had spent most of the time with them, the new father had been there a lot as well. With the majority of his kits growing up in Shadowclan, he had not dealt with this before. Hollypaw had been a fairly easy one to raise. His mood darkened at the sight of Shadowclan. It would be good to see his kits, but Hazeflight would be here too. That certainly put a damper on things.

He made sure to stick close to Hollypaw and Addergaze. Sadly, his kits were still too young to attend. Once his eyes settled on his former mate, a soft hiss broke from his throat. She appeared to be looking for him. Starclan, help me to keep from clawing her ears off this gathering... The muscular warrior thought as he flexed his claws. Frustration burned and he looked at Addergaze, "Hazeflight is coming over." The warning was a brief frustrated growl. This was the last thing he wanted to deal with tonight.

Brindlewhisker wove her way through the chatting throng of cats, neck straining as she searched the tops of the crowd for the familiar scarred ears of a certain Thunderclan apprentice. When she and Mottleheart had dropped him off at Thunderclan's camp a few sunrises prior, they hadn't been welcomed enough to allow the two Windclanners to see if the apprentice had pulled through the night. She had suspected that Rockpaw did make it through the rest of the night unscathed, but there was a nagging doubt constantly whispering in the back of her head- but at least tonight she would at least try and see what had befallen her younger friend.

The fresh, hardly-healed scars that snaked across the left side of her face itched self-consciously at all the curious side glances from the strangers who filled the hollow, but nevertheless, she pushed on eagerly. After forging a path through the mingling cats in a rather rude manner, she was able to catch a glimpse of a grey tabby pelt that resembled Rockpaw, and after a bit of studying she was able to spot a freshly-healed lip that sported a jagged missing piece. Definitely Rockpaw. "Rockpaw!" Brindlewhisker called, delight evident in her tone, before scurrying towards the still fairly-battered apprentice, tail curling in content.

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Shadewillow leaped the remaining short distance down into the hollow, roughly jostling his way into the already large group of gathered cats, offering grumbled apologies to the cats whose tails he stepped on. He wasn't feeling particularly social on this eve -a plethora of patrols all day and the night before had left him sleep deprived and foul, so having to drag himself from his nest and trek all the way to the hollow wasn't exactly how he had wanted to spend his night. Shouldering his way through any cats who lingered in his path, the Shadowclan tom managed to seize a quaint, empty gap close to the Great Rock, so Shadewillow quickly dropped his haunches down there, content to spend the rest of the evening without being bothered.

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Addergaze scoffed loudly at Eagleheart's words, eyes narrowing slightly as she searched for the rather unfamiliar pelt of Hazeflight. The Queen was even more bad tempered than normal- being cooped up in the nursery for as long as she had been had turned her normally sour mood utterly foul. It made interacting with her even more of an ordeal than it already was. The prospect of finally leaving the nursery -albeit just for a night- had temporarily inflated her aching pride, but already she could see that this Gathering was going to be an incredibly long long one, despite the fact that they had just arrived. "Oh Starclan- if I wanted to listen to pathetic, brainless mewling I would of stayed in the nursery. Quick, duck down- she might not spot us." Addergaze urged, ears falling flat against her skull as she pressed closer to her mates side. Although it likely wouldn't do the two bulky Skyclan cats much good, it at least gave them a fighting chance.

Hollypaw walked beside her father and Addergaze as they entered the gathering. She was sick of them, why did she have to mingle with some mousebrains from another clan? There was no point. Hollypaw's ears perked at the mention of another cat, one she didn't know. "Hazeflight? Who's that?" she growled. Her father didn't seem to like this cat and nor did Addergaze. There must be a good reason, but then again Eagleheart didn't like Rippedsky...

~~~

Hazeflight watched as the SkyClan cats meandered in, her ears quickly finding Eagleheart. Hazeflight growled to herself, this was all his fault. She sighed deeply and made her way over to the trio.

The silver she-cat smiled softly at her daughter as she walked over. Her ice blue eyes immediately landed on Addergaze who was cowering underneath Eagleheart. She scoffed at the younger cats stupidity then turned to her former mate. "We need to talk, I don't want to either, but It's important. I don't think you'd like to hear it from Thrushstar." she hissed. Without waiting Hazeflight walked off, hoping Eagleheart would follow.

Twistedtail was startled when Rippedsky came up. Shuffling around, she faced him. Should I really tell the truth? she thought. Taking a deep breath, she shakily started. "Sp-Sprucethorn's dead," she admitted, "I saw a rogue kill him...on our territory. He just jumped on him, kept on yowling about 'joining him' and he refused and then..." Twistedtail trailed off, "And now... I have his kits, you know, Echopaw and Heatherpaw, and now I'm a widow..." Just as she said those words, she immediately stiffened as she saw Shadewillow walk in. She really wasn't a widow. She just pretended to be, and now the kit's father was standing right in front of them.

No. She had to tell her now only remaining friend the truth. The real truth. Shaking her head she whispered into Rippedsky's ear, "I need to tell you a secret but not in front of everyone. Is that okay?" She flicked her crooked tail in the direction of a holly bush at the edge of the clearing and prayed he would allow.

Eagleheart ignored his daughter's question. Before the gathering would not be the right time to share Hollypaw's true heritage with her. His tail lashed with irritation. There was a moment's pause when he tried to decide whether or not to follow after his former mate. With a quick glance at Addergaze, he sighed and then padded after the silver she-cat. She would only have a few moments to talk and then the warrior would be back over with his mate. Hollypaw could question him all she wanted later, after.

"This better be important," He growled lowly once he had stopped next to Hazeflight.

***

Any attempt at a cheery disposition dropped from his face instantly. Sprucethorn was dead? The black and white warrior shook his head to make sure he hadn't imagined it. However, as his old Windclan friend explained, he quickly realized it was true. Rippedsky's face contorted and he winced remembering playing in the nursery with the energetic young tom. They'd been kithood friends and apprentices together. It was impossible to believe he was gone. Before he could respond, Twistedtail mentioned her kits. He hadn't known that her and Sprucethorn had kits. It made sense. Since kithood, and even after Rippedsky's decision to leave Windclan, the three had remained friends. There was no surprise in finding out they were mates.

"Congratulations," Rippedsky managed to meow flatly in recognition of the kits. He hoped she wouldn't press for more of a reaction about Sprucethorn. The Skyclan tom would grieve later. His claws dug into the ground as he half listened to the babbles of conversation around it. At some point he realized Twistedtail was still speaking to him. He followed the direction of her tail with his eyes. What could she possibly have to tell me? Rippedsky shifted uncomfortably. He didn't want any cat to think he was sneaking around with former clanmates. It had been a hard enough time convincing his Skyclan clanmates he was loyal. Even after spending the majority of his life with the clan, it was still a rough time. At last, he conceded with a sigh, "Just to the edge of the clearing."

Venompaw padded into the clearing behind Thrushstar, looking around at all the other cats. She'd been hoping to be a warrior by this gathering, but at least she knew now that she was certain to be a warrior by the next. Or at least, she would, if she hadn't made all these mistakes in the last few weeks. She'd been caught in a fight with Wolffang, and that alone had probably set back her ceremony several moons. Seating herself at the edge of the crowd, not one for socialising, she scanned the other cats with a glint of envy in her eye, which she did her best to hide. They ahd friends, mates, siblings, that they could talk to and sit with. She had nobody
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Lynxpaw padded into the clearing behind his brother, looking around the clearing in awe. His first gathering. He padded up next to Ryepaw and said nothing, but there was a protective glint in his eye implying that he wasn't silent because he was shy, he was silent because he had no interest in talking with the tom but was there to guard his brother.


OOC: Short because mobile and lazy

Fawnsplash padded into the clearing behind Crowstar, tri-colored tail waving behind her, before finding a spot near her clanmates and sitting down. Ever since Breezewhisker left, even though she hated to admit it, she had kind of drawn away from others. With each day, her hope of him actually returning dwindled, and it was at a low at the moment. She sighed softly as she thought about how much she missed his voice and his laugh and just, well, him.

Snakeblaze walked into the clearing behind Thrushstar. He sat down with some other ShadowClan warriors.

Oceanlight followed Crowstar into the gathering. She sat down in the spot for medicine cats. She dipped her head in greeting. "Greetings Beetlepaw, Sparkpaw." she mewed, unaware of Sparkpaw's new name.

Snowstorm was a bit surprised she made it here, and that she was allowed to go. She sat down awkwardly, cause if she sat normally, it could hurt her crippled leg.