October Gathering 2021

Songpaw glared warily at the SkyClan cats, and then lifted her gaze up to Wolfstar, lips pulled back in a snarl, revealing her extra long fangs, a low growl echoing in her chest. You'll pay for harboring my mother's killer! All of SkyClan will! My mom won't have died for nothing, you brutes! She thought, tears on bitter rage filling her golden brown eyes as her seven-toed claws sung into the ground. "StarClan will strike you all down one day, murderers." She whispered, still snarling at the figure of Wolfstar that was perched atop the Great Rock.


Brookthistle sat on near the other WindClanners, a bored expression on her maw. Hopefully this Gathering wouldn't be too chaotic.

Song is open to talk, however if you're a SkyClan cat, I can't promise you won't be yelled at!
Brook is open to talk!

Cherrypaw watched as the she-cat tapped her muzzle with her paw and wondered what she was doing. Oh, she must not be able to talk. I'll have to ask a another RiverClan cat what her name is, she soon realized. "Hmm, I'm guessing you can't talk, is that correct?" She meowed and waited for her response before continuing "How have you been lately?"

Ashstorm walked into Fourtrees with her clan.  She hoped that this Gathering would not be that exciting, considering that recently that the more exciting of things would make other cat or clans get hurt.

Ashstorm's open to talk to.

Shira padded into the territory, not looking particularly happy to be that.  But that was pretty normal, Shira was never really excited to be anywhere.  Bur Fourtrees she loathed more than other places, because of the Asylum and also because she hated groups of cats.  She sat down away from everyone else, counting the seconds until the gathering would be over.

Shira's open to talk to, even though she would probably hate to talk to someone.

Waterlily was one of the last of her clan to enter in the gathering.  She stayed to the back for the most part.  But when she arrived she soon found that she normally does similar things like this.  Like sticking to the side and not talking to anyone.  So, she decided to do something different.  She walk up to one of the first cats she saw, who she was pretty sure was Shadowclan.  She came up to the other cat.  "Hi, I'm Waterlily from Thunderclan.  Who are you?"

Waterlily's talking to Frostgaze.

Scarletriver went to Fourtree's for the second time.  It was just as strange as the first.  There were so many cats around and it was very loud.  She looked over at the Thunderclan leader for a second and then looked back down to the ground.  She didn't really know who to talk to or what to do, so she just stood there, her paws shifting uncomfortably under her.

Scarletriver is open to talk to.

Juniperlight walked unenthusiastically into the Gathering with SkyClan, keeping close to Beechface but not close enough to receive a smack from the independent she-cat. He settled near the Great Rock wordlessly. Weariness tugged at him despite his recent pleasure in training Beetlepaw. It seemed he was not alone in this tired state of mind; SkyClan was in a state of chaos at all times, RiverClan was looking gaunt and dull, and WindClan moped about with solemn heads held low. Juniperlight could see ThunderClan cats bristling. ShadowClan… no one ever knew what was going on with them. They were a secret bunch, and they certainly had the right to be, though their young medicine cat spelled difficulties ahead for the nocturnal Clan. With a heavy sigh, the black tom wondered if anyone could really make it out alive.

Juniperlight is open to talk to.

Turtlefur dragged himself to the Gathering for Cloverheart’s sake. The anxiety of that SkyClan apprentice’s attack on her left him unable to skip without guilt gnawing on his stomach. Far too ashamed to admit it, the patched tomcat loped after Ivystar and settled near the young warrior Creamfrost. He was on edge as usual.

Turtlefur is open to talk to.

Goldenfang made her way to the base of the Great Rock without stopping to speak to anyone and barely flicked an ear in acknowledgement of the other deputies. It was clear she was not in a talkative mood. Her tail flicked softly against the ground and her gaze darted from the leaders to the crowd of hungry cats. Hungry for different things, no doubt—revenge or glory or superiority, whatever the normal Clans sought. Loonwhisper’s absence didn’t even register. He was a cat and cats got sick and hurt. Besides, he was RiverClan’s issue. Just like their need for permission to hunt on WindClan land. Her blue eyes narrowed. Goldenfang was mourning the loss of her Clanmates her own way, with a desperate attempt to forget the cutting pain of loss for just one moment by filling the void with something else.

Goldenfang is not open to speak to.

Once each of the leaders had arrived, Ivystar wasted no time in padding to the very front of the Great Rock and calling out loud enough to silence the chatter below, "Let the gathering begin!" For a moment she allowed the conversations to fizzle out, and once there was complete silence, the silver tabby began her announcements. "Many kits have joined the apprentice den and have officially begun their training to become warriors. Swanmist and Scarletriver have earned their warrior names." For a moment she hesitated, wondering if perhaps she should explain the absence of her deputy. Never mind that, the other Clans need not know of their current perceived weakness. "Our medicine cat and my son, Dennis, has unfortunately joined the ancestors in StarClan. We pray that the sun warms his back and that the fish leap into his paws as StarClan lights his path. In his stead, Cloverheart has taken on the role of RiverClan medicine cat, and will soon take on an apprentice of her own." Allowing the news to settle, she nodded and mewed, "That is all." She then padded back to her spot on the Rock, with no mention of the dogs that plagued their territories. The other Clans didn't need to know any more about that than they already did.

Minkstar stepped forward next, letting his paws settle on the familiar, rough-smooth spot, a low hum of agreement rumbling in his chest at Ivystar's mention of their medicine cat's death. A twinge touched his heart - they hadn't been the only ones to lose someone dear this moon. "ThunderClan is doing well - we've had many new kits and apprentices. Appledapple, Prickletail, Cherrycloud, and Pheasantpounce have all become warriors, and..." He paused briefly, his voice softening slightly as he went on, glancing briefly up at the starry sky as if to try and spot a new star there. "And Mossbloom - former medicine cat and valued elder - has left us to join StarClan. May she find good hunting, swift running, and the sun warm her back wherever she goes."

Bowing his head briefly, he stepped back to let the next leader move forward and glanced towards Flintstar. He'd meant to mention it before, but the subject had slipped his mind once they arrived at the gathering - seemed his memory still played up on him sometimes. "Before you do announcements," He murmured, "I'd like to talk to you about a little incident between one of your apprentices and a warrior of mine. She took out one of his eyes in a scrap at the border."

Robinpatch was once again alone during a gathering but the weary tom was not complaining in the slightest. He was content to just eavesdrop in on the conversations taking place all around him. He couldn't avoid them even if he tried. So he didn't.

The day his former apprentice had earned the title of deputy had been a surprise yet not unwelcomed. He knew he hadn't been that...present of a mentor during her apprenticeship but whenever he wasn't burying himself in clan duties, he took time to help her improve her skills. Scarletriver was still so young and Loonwhisper had set a high standard. He was hoping she wouldn't hold herself up to them but rather make her own. She's already proven herself efficient. Robin was quite proud of her for that. As her former mentor, he'll be supporting her in whichever way he could from the sidelines.

---

Dewlight looked up as she heard pawsteps approaching, recognizing Bearspirit as he stopped next to her and attempted to mimic her position. "Hi, Bearspirit." She mewed softly, watching as he tried and failed to get it right before settling in a seemingly awkward position, his long limbs poking out from under him. She smiled, amused at the sight but not in a cruel or mocking way. Her smile got a little bigger as he continued to speak, and she nodded. "Of course you can sit with me, we're clanmates aren't we? Yes, I'm fine, just... Looking forward to this being over, I suppose. I just hope it's peaceful and quiet. It would be a refreshing change, for once." She mewed, lifting her head as Ivystar started the announcements. She made no mention of the dogs, and Dewlight blinked as she mentioned Dennis. Looking back over to Bearspirit, she grinned again at his awkward limbs. "Here, stretch out your legs. I'm sure it will be far more comfortable for you." She mewed softly, pulling hers out from under her and laying them in front of her.

---

As Ivystar called the Gathering to order, Murkystrike listened to her announcements and then Minkstar's. They both had lost notable members of their clan, and she lowered her head in a silent moment of prayer for each of the cats they had lost.

Stoatfur trotted into the gathering after the rest of his clan. It would have been strange if there were not tensions heavy in the air, like the sensation of lightening that could stand one's fur on end before a storm. He glanced around, drinking in the scenery of the clans. So many cats seemed to know one another or have someone to chat with. A tightening sensation gripped his chest for a moment - a strange peek at a buried loneliness. But he pushed it away in favor of padding towards a silent she-cat. From the smell of it, Riverclan.

For the brown and white tom it was far easier to engage in such fleeting and fanciful conversations with those he hardly knew rather than forge deep bonds over time. It felt safer, in a sense, more guarded. The little warrior settled back on his haunches next to Scarletriver and flicked an ear casually, "You don't look all too enthused to be here tonight. What? Angry clans under a peaceful sky not exciting enough for you?" There was a soft grin that tugged at the sides of his maw and his whiskers twitched ever so slightly.

Flintstar said nothing as the other Clans arrived, simply gazing out as the cats mingled and spoke to each other, ears twitching at the voices - thought, luckily, he couldn't make any of it out. He glanced over as Ivystar stepped forward to start the Gathering, followed by Minkstar - only for the tom to speak to him as the leader headed back to his spot. Flintstar's eyes narrowed for a heartbeat before Minkstar explained himself and the leader found himself straightening up. ...One of his cats had taken out a ThunderClan cat's eye? A small rumble escaped from him, another taken eye by one of his Clanmates - at least the first situation had been between Clanmates. Such an action against another Clan... "I...See," he finally uttered, keeping his voice low as he leaned over towards the ThunderClan leader - to let this conversation be just between them. "I can't say I was aware of this situation but I am not going to doubt your word for it - if you or your warrior can tell me which of my apprentices did it - either if her name was mentioned or can describe her, then we can discuss a punishment for her if that is what you seek," he explained - he knew that Minkstar wanted to 'talk' about it but there wasn't much to discuss, he felt - not with the outcome of the situation so clear. He didn't have time to cause trouble between their Clans - not with the rogues that were still prowling his territory despite his best attempts to track them down. If Minkstar wanted his apprentice punished for her actions, then so be it - he wasn't about to harbor a cat for actions he disapproved of - to him, it didn't matter what had caused the fight between the two cats - taking another cat's eye was never going to be approved of.

The voice of a cat broke through her thoughts.  She turned her head to see a white and brown tom talking to her.  He smelled of Thunderclan, which was not the exact clan cat she would want to talk to her, but she was okay with this.  She laughed a little quietly before talking.  "It should be exciting, that's for sure." She paused for a moment, wondering how to respond to the question.  "I just sorta don't really like noise as much as other cats.  And you like the gatherings, I can assume?""

Flintstar huffed as he waited for Minkstar to give an answer, quickly pushing himself up to his paws. He knew that the ThunderClan leader had asked him to wait until they had spoken but he wasn't thrilled at the idea of holding back the Gathering, he wanted to get his announcements, as brief as they would be, out of the way. He stepped forward, raising his head as he addressed the crowd before him. "ShadowClan is...Surviving. We have had a few new apprentices but still face the threat of the rogues in our territory," he admitted, not that it thrilled him. He hated the fact that nothing had managed to be done about the rogues that terrorized his Clan but they were proving...Elusive. Their leader being an ex-ShadowClan warrior certainly didn't help. "But past that, our problems remain our own and we have nothing else to report." In hindsight, there was one thing - the attack on Marshpaw but the leader felt he was starting to put pieces together - after all, Minkstar had said that his warrior's attacker had been an apprentice and a her... His eyes narrowed as he stepped back, giving a glance to the ThunderClan leader to see what response the tom would have towards him - if he would be able to confirm Flintstar's assumption.

That was unexpected. From his back-and-forth with Wolfstar, he'd been expecting a lot more ruffled fur and wariness. All the words he'd been preparing died in the back of his throat, and he spent a moment gathering his thoughts again, opening his mouth. Those words, too, died as Flintstar took the opportunity to go ahead and address the gathering, and Minkstar had to force down his own annoyance - more at himself than Flintstar - from bubbling up, the tip of his tail twitching. Neither of us have all night. At least he's being more reasonable to deal with. Not that Wolfstar hadn't been - he'd just had more... issues with it.

As soon as Flintstar stepped back, Minkstar twitched an ear and murmured, "I don't know her name, or a description, but Starlingflare's here tonight - probably best if you asked him for details. I think he mentioned it was an apprentice, though."

Ah, so Minkstar didn't have many details for him - only to ask a 'Starlingflare' about who it was. ...The idea of talking to a strange cat didn't thrill the leader but while he was starting to fully believe it was Marshpaw...She had return to the camp in a rather terrible condition. It would be worth getting his side of the story perhaps - but first, there was a different question. "...I may have an idea of who attacked your warrior in hindsight - she didn't get away unscathed if so. I will wish to speak to your warrior, if only to get his side of the story to confirm my suspicions but...A question, Minkstar," he meowed, meeting the tom's gaze. "What punishment would you expect? It was your cat who lost an eye - my injured apprentice, granted its the same cat, ought to make a full recover. I cannot judge what you may deem fair, so...?" He titled his head, swishing his tail. "Is there a punishment you would seek me to give out? All I ask that it is fair - an eye for an eye can be a messy thing."

Daystar had no intention of staying in front for longer than she had to. Once it was clear that she could take a turn at the front, she padded forward while Flintstar and Minkstar engaged in discussion. She would’ve been lying if she said she cared about the ordeal that much. All she wanted to do was get off of the rock as soon as possible.

“WindClan has been adjusting well to the new Leaf-fall weather. Sootpaw has taken on the rank of apprentice and Timbersun is now a warrior. We have nothing else to share.” She said, swiftly, before padding back.

Oh, how she despised speaking at Gatherings.