January Gathering 2016

Ooh, how angry had she grown. Heronwing let out a growl, anger flaring in her chest. How many cats were leaving, now? First her half-sister, then Nightpaw, who next? She turned to Troutstep, who seemed distraught as well. "Ugh. They should've. I can't believe she'd leave! My half-sister. We're nieces of the leader, daughters of the deputy? Does she realize the impact?" She ranted, going on and on about her troubles now. "[color=#3333ff]Oh great, now they're reacting. Now they help! We don't need your anger, Starclan!" She hissed under her breath as Starclan tossed forth clouds to cover the moon and sky.

---

Silverpaw blinked in surprise. "Nightpaw?! Wha-?! Who? Why?!" Her friend, companion, clanma- now ex-clanmate apparely, was leaving the clan? And killed someone. "No, no, no! You've all made Starclan mad!" She exclaimed, acting like a chicken with its head cut off.

Nightpaw looked at Silverpaw. He closed his eyes. "I'm sorry, Silverpaw." he said before full on leaving.

Swiftpaw and Snowstorm walked away into RiverClan territory. Swiftpaw's eyes were tiny thin black slits.

Oceanpaw followed Snowstorm and Swiftpaw into RiverClan territory.

Spottedstar stared at all the chaos. What a mess. Shaking her head, she stepped up to the end of the Great Rock. "None of you have anything to say! This is a decision of a respected Medicine Cat, and I shall support it. Riverclan may not be an ally of Thunderclans as of now, but I trust this Medicine Cat and accept her to come to Thunderclan territory to help our clan. In time, I may even invite Wisteriasky, so find Thunderclan camp as a temporary home going from clan to clan." she ignored the apprentice that interrupted, she decided to leave that to Thrushstar to deal with. Looking down, she noticed her son, Nightfire, looking at her with asking eyes. Stepping back, she invited her son up.

Nightfire leapt atop the Great Rock, next to his fellow Medicine Cat, he spoke loud. "I also step down from my position as Medicine Cat! I have decided it is right to go down to being a warrior for my clan, and that it is Starclan's wish. So if anyone wants to be aggressive towards Wisteriasky, I'll be her protector." he growled slightly, staring down at the cats.

Elkpaw was scared from all the chaos. He heard that the last gathering had been pretty bad, but this seemed terrible. This was my first gathering! It was supposed to be special! he thought. He stood up and padded towards his mother. "Im going home!" he growled. Elkpaw pelted out of the clearing headed for Riverclan territory, more specifically, the abandoned badger nest he spent time alone in.

Fogpaw couldn't believe her ears. The grey she-cat whipped around to face where she thought Saltpaw and Breezepaw were standing. "Y' talk dung 'bout my sister and y' won't have a tongue for much longer," she growled lowly. Her blind eyes were filled with rage at the Windclan apprentices' accusasion. How dare they! Her fur was rising up along her spine and her tail began to lash.

The old white tomcat's heart felt like it was breaking into a million pieces. Ashcloud met his daughter's eyes, then saw Thunderclan's medicine cat leap up to join her. There were so many cats on the Great Rock someone was bound to fall soon. Watching Spottedstar accept Wisteriasky's proclaimation was a surprise, but it filled him with the courage to stand. Ashcloud got slowly to his arthritic paws and gave his daughter a look that said "I'm coming too." His time as a warrior was coming to an end, anyway.

Darkflight watched with clearly expressed confusion, unsure as to how to react to the situation.

The small Windclan warrior was glad she'd stayed inside the bush. "Clan politics gives me such a headache.." Spiderfur whispered, apprehensively watching the Riverclan medicine cat.

Pinepaw's eyes were to the sky, staring at the clouds as they threatened the moon. His eyes were complete slits. He had a soft spot for Riverclan, living in their camp and all, but this type of betrayal was something he could not stand. The chocolate tabby stayed silent.

Cloverpool stood up. "Moonpaw, Hawkpaw we're leaving. You to Deadpaw." She meowed and turned and padded out of the clearing back to Thunderclan's camp.

Moonpaw nodded her head and followed her ears pressed flat against her head.

Mapledrop followed after her son, but headed back to camp.

Blizzardwind couldn't believe his ears and he growled. How dare a medicine cat leave their clan for everyone!

Soulpaw glanced up at Nightpaw, having known the older cat as a kit he kinda felt betrayed.

Silverpaw was certainly in for a surprise as even more clouds gathered, more cats argued, more warriors left, and it turned into chaos. "Dawnflower, can we go now?" She whispered into her mentor's ear, ears flat against her head. She waved goodbye to Nightpaw, her friend and now ex-clanmate. Her easily hurt feelings crumbled as she watched the place that was supposed to be fun, eventful and worry-free turn into everything opposite.

-

Heronwing soon saw her father, Ashcloud's, agreeing look to Wisteriasky, catching on but not quite. "Father, you agree with this...?" She asked, eyes dim like they were before... The events in her apprenticeship. Fearfulness and sadness laid in her gaze, replacing her anger, worried her father or her littermates, might leave too. She hesitantly waited to speak again. "Do... Is... Do think it's a good idea, for her to leave?" She asked quietly.

-

Pinepaw sat in silence as it all unfolded.

-

Pebblepaw blinked, eyes wide at the loud outbursts from cats. She flattened her ears against her head. Not cool...

"Okay" Deadpaw and Hawkpaw mewed in unison. They ran up to Cloverpool and followed her paws step for step. Things were just getting a bit too chaotic in the clearing.

Wisteriasky felt hope with ThunderClan's announcement. She had never loved ThunderClan so much. She was thankful for Breezestar as well, who stepped up for her. "Thank you, so much Spottedstar and Nightfire." she whispered softly after their announcement. She whipped her head around just in time to see her father telling her he would come with. Things fit together. ThunderClan accepted her at least, and she had her father. The moons covering the clouds worried her. Was it to her announcement? It came after Nightpaw made his... Maybe it was too him. Nevertheless, the claustrophobia of the clearing and the stress of her announcement was baring in on her. She wanted to finish this quickly. "Before I leave, I would like to ask: Which leaders will allow me to visit their camps to hopefully explain StarClan's will in greater detail? I will respect your wishes no matter the outcome." Wisteriasky dipped her head, her tail still quivering.


Kestrelstorm watched the chaos around him silently. He towered over the other cats, sticking out like a sore thumb. He stood close to the base of the rock; near the deputy Sablefur. He had moved out the way for Wisteriasky, but attempted to block the apprentice, knowing he full did not have permission. His attempt was futile, obviously, so he sat back and watched again. It was unlike him to have nothing to say, but to be fair he had absolutely nothing to say. He heard the snaring remarks towards the medicine cat, and agreed halfway but also disagreed with them denouncing her connection to StarClan. What gave warriors of another clan to say StarClan didn't tell a medicine cat anything? Kestrelstorm made a silent note to confront his uncle, Icestorm, tomorrow morning. It was uncalled for and disgusted him, his rude outrage. What did WindClan have to do with RiverClan business anyway? As Kestrelstorm saw it, if StarClan told her to do it, they should let her. It would benefit the clans somehow sometime. Overall, he wasn't sure.

This was one heck of a gathering. Thrushstar had no idea how to react at Wisteriasky's news. She was leaving Riverclan to be an independent medicine cat? How was that even possible? It had seriously confused the leader for a moment, but if that was what Starclan wanted... He had no room to disagree with that decision, even if it was a little far fetched. However, his attention was suddenly averted when his own apprentice Nightpaw forced himself upon the Great rock. Appalled by Nightpaw's actions, it took the leader everything he had not to knock the apprentice off the rock himself. Actually, he was about to when Nightpaw began to speak.

The leader froze. There was no way that he had just heard that right. Nightpaw had done all of that under right under Thrushstar's nose. Not only did the apprentice have the nerve to jump up on the leader's perch, but he announced all of his wrongdoings to all of the clans. Did he even realize how that looked upon Thrushstar? It made him a big joke. He couldn't even keep one apprentice out of trouble, much less teach him the proper manners of a gathering! But before Thrushstar could even speak, darkness covered the clearing sending it into even more chaos than it already was. Cats everywhere were already beginning to break away to leave at Starclan's warning. Even Nightpaw had already leaped down and began walking out.

Taking several deep breaths to calm his utter infuriation, Thrushstar stood up tall and stared down at Nightpaw as he walked away. "Nightpaw!" he called, his voice booming among the trees and covering the cats' conversations. "You have made your choice. As of this moment, you are no longer allowed back in Shadowclan or its territory. Being a rogue now, if I or any other Shadowclan warriors or apprentices see you on our land, we will not hesitate to attack you. I will not hesitate to kill you. Traitors are not welcome on my land."

As he was finished, he noted what he said, trying not to think about how the other clans felt about it. His words were harsh but true. He was tired of his clan stabbing him in the back. This was only bringing him closer to the final straw. He was quickly overlooked, however as Nightfire leaped up on the Great rock as well, basically taking what little room there was left. The tom could feel his feet slipping off of the edge at this point but he couldn't care less. He just lost one of his apprentices and became what felt like to him the laughing stock of the gathering. All he had worked for to make Shadowclan a prominent threat was torn down in a second.

The last thing that he heard was Wisteriasky asking which leaders would allow her to visit. With Spottedstar already having shared her answer and Breezestar as well, he figured he should add his two cents in. "If Starclan wills you this path, so be it. However, I will have to refrain from your help at this time. You and Dawnflower are welcome to speak to each other and share herbs and such, but I cannot allow you in my camp right now. I have other matters that need to be attended to privately." His voice was cold and his expression numb. He had no idea what was going to happen from here on out in Shadowclan. It was falling apart and he didn't now how to stop it.

"Shadowclan, we are done here." Leaping off the rock as best as he could with the little bit of footing he had, he pushed through the cats below, his eyes locked in the direction of his camp. "Let's go."

Nightpaw heard Thrushstar. He stopped walking. He looked down with his ears down and his eyes closed, almost bursting into tears. He started to run, not opening is eyes or lifting his head up, still sending tears crashing into the snow. He was out of the territory after 5 minutes of running. He sat down, finally opening his eyes and lifting his head. "I guess now, I'll just call myself Night." he mumbled. He felt terrible. The guilt. The shame. He couldn't take it.

OOC: A little late, hope you guys don't mind.))

IC: Beanfoot was appalled by the outcome of this gathering, sure, they all technically gained a new medicine cat but it was only one medicine cat for all five clans, that didn't sound very wise to him. "Wait a minute! Are we sure that she can really aide all of us? There are five clans, one of her! Countless cats from all those clans that she would have to treat? What if we fight each other and need her at the same time? What then? Will she scramble around like a disorientated lumbering dog with half its brains fried or will she treat one? In that regards it'd be a little unfair wouldn't it?" He meowed, loud enough to be heard through the clearing, a frown twisting his face as he looked to the medicine cat with a challenge. "Can YOU handle this? This big responsibility Starclans wish or not you're only one cat."

Ashwing just sat there and gaped. What was happening? A deluded medicine cat.... A traitor apprentice.... What in Silverpelt?

Shimmerheart's eyes widened at Nightpaw's announcement. What? What just happened? First this medicine cat thing and now one of our own is a traitor? Dear StarClan! My kits aren't safe! She quickly followed Thrushstar out of the Gathering, anxious to get back to her kits.

Halfpaw glared at ShadowClan as they left. Thrushstar's transparent excuse left her smoldering. Fine, we won't help you. Go and be snooty, like WindClan and ThunderClan.


Nettletail growled at the medicine cat and the rogue apprentice. If StarClan allowed these things, what power did they really have? She lashed her spiky tail in anger.

Ryepaw hissed at the big white warrior that stank of SkyClan. "You leave Saltpaw alone! I know how to fight and I will!" His brown fur spiked up on end.

Ashcloud watched as clan after clan left the clearing, almost jumping in surprise as a young tom yelled out, questioning Wisteriasky's ability. He opened his mouth to speak, but found no words that would aid him. Heronwing caught his eye. He felt guilty leaving them, especially with them being young in thir warriorship. He forced his eyes away. I have not trusted Starclan for many seasons, but I trust you, my daughter. Weary from listening to the arguements around him, the old tom approached the Great Rock, but dared not climb it. It was not his place. He'd probably fall off anyway.
"I think it might be time to leave."

Fogpaw, frustrated with the apprentices, gave a hiss to the third apprentice, Ryepaw. "Do't then. Break th' truce," she snarled, barely able to sheath her claws. If her father and sister had decided to leave, that was fine with her. But just because they had left didn't mean she would let these cats get away with insulting them.

Darkflight got to her three paws, suddenly feeling drained. This was not how she hoped her first Gathering to end. But, she supposed, that was that. Her previously excited yellow gaze focused up on Spottedstar, asking silently if they would be leaving. The long-furred she-cat bumped into her brother, left side leaning against him for a moment before she shook the snow out of her pelt.

Soulpaw followed Thrushstar, flicking his tail in annoyance at Night and Wisteriasky.