Dishonor (Open!)

Deerfrost padded into his father's den. "Um father?" Deerfrost said. "I need too talk to you. Its important." The small tom sat down. Going up to your leader and telling them you nearly killed a kit was hard enough, but Spottedstar was his father.

Spottedstar shoved aside the bones of his squirrel and swallowed the last bite, nodding to greet the warrior. "Of course, Deerfrost, make yourself comfortable." Naturally Spottedstar saw much more of Wolfcall and Honeypaw than of Deerfrost and Juniperpaw, so he was pleased to have his company. "What do you need, son? What's bothering you?" The brown tom seemed nervous and sullen. It made Spottedstar nervous as well, but then again, Deerfrost had been rather distant from the clan and the family for a while now. Maybe they could talk about what was bothering him, although Sagelight was a better counselor than Spottedstar.

"Father- Spottedstar. I've sinned just for revenge on a cat that would get struck down by Starclan. I nearly killed a kit for nothing." Said Deerfrost looking down at his paws. Straight to the point. No fumbling with words or anything. Deerfrost wanted it to be over with. He would get his punishment and hopefully he'll be able to go to Starclan. If they know I feel sorry then surely they would let me in. He thought.

The leader's smile dropped quickly. "A kit?" He breathed, unsure how Deerfrost had gotten his paws on a kit. And whose kit? Surely not one of their own? Sagelight hadn't reported any injuries or illnesses to one of their kits. "Who, Deerfrost? Which kit did you nearly kill?" Spottedstar meowed urgently, tail flicking as his thoughts began to race. Who else knew about this? Could they trace it to Deefrost and SkyClan? Did Deerfrost actually lay claws on a little kit?

"I put a deathberry into some freshkill and an apprentice from Shadowclan picked it up. And a kit ate and she nearly died." Said Deerfrost, looking down.

Spottedstar was looking away as well, tracing the roots in the wall of his den with his eyes as he listened to Deerfrost's confession. His own son had planted deathberries for another clan to eat. And it had nearly killed a kit in the process. He recalled Flintstar mentioning a kit that had recovered from a serious illness, and briefly, was glad that the new ShadowClan leader hadn't suspected anything- at least, not enough to fling accusations. 'ShadowClan, of course it was ShadowClan. Any other clan... no. Even that would be bad. But I can't let old tensions flare up again because of this.' He glanced back at the warrior with pain in his eyes. SkyClan had to be safe. They barely got out of the last war alive. In fact, multiple cats from his clan didn't get out at all. And SkyClan, with their small numbers, would not survive another. "Very well. Deerfrost, I can see that you regret your actions, but you know that I can't let that kind of behavior go unpunished. I can't afford... to let you stay here when you could do something like that again." Spottedstar was deeply distressed by what he knew what he had to do. StarClan had commanded him to be just. He could easily sweep the matter under the nest and forget it ever happened, but his fear of ShadowClan's retribution should StarClan decide to tell them was overwhelming. He gestured for Deerfrost to exit his den, expression grave, and leaped to the top of Tallbranch.

He yowled loudly, summoning SkyClan together. They needed to know the truth, even though it stung. "Let all cats old enough to climb trees gather beneath the Tallbranch for a clan meeting!"

OOC: you can open the topic now

Foxfire laid curled outside of the warrior's den, paws neatly tucked underneath his body as he rested in the shade. Nothing was expected of him at the moment - a little time before he was to go out on a patrol - and so he was just loafing around. His eyes was closed with a steady purr rising out of him, that was until Spottedstar's voice rang. He blinked open his eyes, raising his head to stare at his mentor before his eyes focused on the movement at the bottom of the branch. Had...Deerfrost just come out of the leader's den alongside him? What was going on? His whiskers twitched as he got to his paws, slowly approaching as he kept an eye on his old apprentice, trying to figure out what this gathering could be about.

Redpaw ducked out of the apprentices den and perked his ears up. What was this about? Deerfrost had come out of the den with Spottedstar, so probably nothing related to him. Then again, he’d called a Clan meeting. Redpaw sat down under the shade of an oak tree and groomed himself, waiting for the rest of the Clan to gather.

Blossompaw looked up from where she had been grooming her long fur in a patch of sunshine, brow furrowed in quiet confusion. She hadn't heard of any ceremonies coming, although she supposed that hers would be coming sooner than later. Spottedstar looked troubled though, his expression grave as he had summoned the clan. That wouldn't be the case for a ceremony, or even happy news... Had something happened? She hadn't heard of any serious injuries, or issues at the borders. Rising to move more in the center of the clearing, leaving the warm bit of sunshine, her eyes sought out Wolfcall's pelt. Perhaps he knew, or would maybe provide some reassurance.

Honeypaw looked up from her project of organizing herbs, separating the healthy and useful from the dried or wilted. She shot Sagelight a look of apprehension. What did her father want to speak to the Clan about? By the tone of his voice, it didn’t sound like it would be any kind of ceremony. No, something was deeply troubling Spottedstar, she could just sense it. Leaving behind the herbs to finish organizing after the meeting, the medicine cat apprentice followed her uncle out of the den and sat by the entrance, looking up at the SkyClan leader nervously.

Flowerthorn sat at the back of the camp, grooming herself free of any leaves or pine needles she may have gotten in her pelt from the hunting trip she just returned from. Her dull eyes glanced up to Spottedstar and Deerfrost as soon as they exited the leader's den but she didn't pay them any mind, that was until Spottedstar called a clan meeting. Curious she paused in her grooming, moving a little closer to the gathered cats but remaining towards the back.

Curious as to what was going on, Sunflower emerged from the warrior's den and took a seat near the edge of the crowd. Spottedstar sure didn't look too joyous today and he wondered what was wrong. Hopefully nothing that would endanger their lives...

The newly-named Wrenpaw trotted over at the leader's call. Spottedstar stood atop the tallbranch like he had been born for the role. It always impressed the youngster how incredible their leadership was. Even with having yet to attend his first gathering, he knew no other cats could compare, there was no way. Glancing around for somewhere to sit, the tom recognized a fellow apprentice and settled down next to her. Flashing a bright smile her way, Wrenpaw sought to introduce himself, "Blossompaw, right? You probably saw my ceremony but I'm Wrenpaw. Do you know what going on here? Anything exciting? Spottedstar looks incredible up there... I hear he's been leader for like ever. At least since I've been alive." There was an obvious awe in his tone as he spoke of the leader, but a lightness to the words as he joked about the elder tom's age. Spottedstar wasn't too old, even with the weight of leadership written across his maw.

Every moment waiting outside the leader's den had been agonizing. Wolfcall knew that he'd done the right thing, that making sure Spottedstar knew what happened was his duty, but that didn't make the feeling that he'd somehow betrayed his brother any more bearable. He paced, nearly wearing a line in the dirt outside, until, finally, there was movement. His head snapped towards the den, eyes hopeful, but Spottedstar's immediate calling of a clan meeting made it clear that things were not okay.

There was only one reason that there would be a clan meeting called right now.

Wolfcall closed his eyes, breathing in deeply, and when he opened them, most of the clan had gathered already, the confusion in their eyes as evident as the guilt and dread in his own. Suddenly, the thought of being alone was unbearable to him, and without even thinking, heavy paws carried him to Blossompaw's side. He met her gaze, then dipped his head and pressed it against her shoulder, wordless and in desperate need of comfort. He heard Wrenpaw chattering away on her other side, but the apprentice's words were background noise against the buzzing in his own head. He simply couldn't spare the energy to understand.

Oh no, oh no. This is Deerfrost, isn't it? Amberwing's thoughts were rushing through her head, she didn't even realise she sat down next to her apprentice. She stiffened. My little deer is going away now, I can't do anything, I might not ever see him ever again. "Wrenpaw." She tried to keep her voice from shaking. "Wrenpaw, this isn't the time for jokes." Her fluffy tail flicked. "Spottedstar sounds s-serious." It's my fault too, if I hadn't made him feel so guilty maybe he wouldn't've been found out. She sounded so distracted and worried. Her tone might even be suspicious to some cats.