New Moon [Final DF TOPIC]

Next to come out into the open was Cinderpaw. The gray and sandy colored Turkish Angora had her head held high as she padded into Fourtrees. She would try to avoid fighting, because that's not what the focus of her training had been, she would help her Clanmates that were defending StarClan if they needed it. Her heart was beating so quickly in her chest, the she-cat thought it might just explode, and she was surprised that nobody else could hear it beating besides her. She said nothing. She glanced around the clearing, taking in the sights and smells of Fourtrees. She could recognize some of her former WindClan Clanmates, the cats who she used to scuffle with in the nursery were now apprentices, and they had certainly all grown since the last time she had laid eyes on them all. When her eyes landed on the two dead bodies, her expression turned grave. Thrushstar still had lives to use, but Gorsefeather's body would never walk this earth again.

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Vixenheart almost charged out of the bushes, her amber eyes ablaze with determination and fury. The first thing she did was stare at the dead bodies. Her expression showed fear nor disgust, they were emotionless, but when she turned to then stare at Morningstar, her eyes once again her blazing with the fierce light.
"You kill cats out of fear, yet you refuse to admit it. Fear the root of all evil and negativity. You may not know it and you may not accept it, but everything your doing now is being driven and controlled by fear that's inside you, and all of your ghostly minions!" Was all she yelled at him. Her amber eyes were glazed over with the word she had just spoke of. Fear. She had no clue if she would end up like those two dead bodies that were sprawled on the ground.

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Frostedgaze padded out of the bush, staying close to Vixenheart who seemed a lot more confident than she did.
Rainpaw? Where are you? She wondered, looking around Fourtrees for the familiar face of her friend. She didn't see him, and her head lowered a bit. Perhaps he was only back at camp, and if the good side won this battle, she'd be seeing him soon. Or not...if she ended up dead. Would the good side even win? Frostedgaze had so many doubts about her own abilities and the outcome of this battle, but her posture showed confidence and her expression showed anger. Anger towards Morningstar and the other Dark Forest cats. She padded up beside Wrenpaw, and let out an audible sigh that only the apprentice beside her could hear.

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Eveningsong just rolled her eyes at the sight of the exiles. They had no idea what they were walking into. Even though she had lost against Snowstorm last time-.
Snowstorm...
Where was that cat? Eveningsong knew that Snowstorm had left to be an exile, and she wouldn't hesitate to fight her former enemy once again. The Dark Forest would have to prevail if there was a battle that broke out, and there probably would be, considering the sudden tension that broke out amongst the clearing when the exiles came in. She rose from where she had been sitting with WindClan to get a better look, and if she was suddenly attacked, she wouldn't want to have been just sitting there and asking to be defeated.

Blackpaw's gaze flitted over the clearing, heart wrenching as he looked at Vixenheart, who was attempting to convince Morningstar out of his cruel ways. Blackpaw thought all of his attempts would prove futile. Blackpaw viewed all of these cats, once, as purposive... Even Morningstar, yet now he looked at the leader, eyes plain with disgust. Blackpaw's tail-tip twitched with annoyance at the thought. He wished he could be consumed in a beautiful reverie - didn't all cats here, attending this hateful Gathering?

And Morningstar, Blackpaw guessed, was living one.

(Nah you don't have to)
Sunpaw snapped his head upwards as soon as the weight of the ShadowClan warrior crashed into him. He let out a yowl of pain as he felt claws sink deeper and deeper into his throat, followed by a few spluttering coughs. We don't all die heroic deaths....not that I deserve one...... he thought as he felt his breath get shorter and his life ebb away. Finally, the heaving of his bleeding chest came to a standstill, and Sunpaw's body layed lifelessly on the damp ground around the Great Rock.

The third casualty.

Blackpaw resisted the urge to gallop up to Sunpaw's body, although he was born of a different clan, and wail his grief. And yet, his sister and Blossompaw's words still echoed in their wake. Blackpaw stifled a shudder, yet along his spine every hair rose. He cast a woeful glance towards Sunpaw's corpse, watching his life ebb away - and there was nothing Blackpaw could do about it, but sit.

Blackpaw gritted his teeth, he would do absolutely anything to halt this treacherous, tedious Gathering, and yet, his claws were not sharp enough, stance not broad enough. Blackpaw must have looked like a worrywart, since his eyes were wide open with surprise. He blanched at the horrific sight of the casualties already laying around the clearing.

Blackpaw caught sight of Darkstar, the once prideful leader, injured leg swathed in cobwebs. Her eyes gave off a certain type of distress, as Blackpaw followed her gaze. She was glancing towards her kits. Once again, Blackpaw felt helpless. His eyes displayed a fervent despair.

Snowstorm came behind Thrushstar, fire in her eyes, one that's blazing on, one that consumed her whole body. She became stronger, strong as a dark forest cat. "You are heartless, never regretting anything. Do you want to know your dead clan mates are with you, and will never change that, or do you want to be lead by murderers not regretting sins?" she asked.

Oceanlight and Swiftpaw followed. Oceanlight grew stronger as well. She has her so called name. "The dark forest is strong, but StarClan is forgiving. You break StarClan's rule, they forgive you, you break a dark forest rule, you must leave." she said. Swiftpaw turned around as Night came along. "She's right. I may have broken some rules, but I'm sure StarClan has forgiven me." he said. He glared. "Did you think you could murder my brother, and I wouldn't care?" he growled. He watched as his grandfather was murdered. "Thrushstar?" he asked. He saw that he didn't move, he didn't breath. That was it. He was done. The dark forest has done way too much to his family! He turned to face Morningstar. "That is it! I had enough of this!" he hissed.

Snakepaw came as well. He said nothing. His mentor was with the dark forest. He was going to fix that.

Blackpaw leapt down from his position and padded forwards, gaze stale as he watched Oceanlight step upwards, her apprentice, Swiftpaw, trailing behind her. Blackpaw felt confident, though he never knew anything but Dark Forest tradition. Blackpaw's tail lashed, yet incertitude was still astray in his mind. "What is this...?" He mumbled to himself, uncertainty feasting on his sanity. Blackpaw stood, barring his tail around himself. "Featherpaw, Blossompaw, don't stop me," Blackpaw warned aloud.

OOC: Swiftpaw isn't Ocean's apprentice. Their just friends.

IC: Snowstorm found Eveningsong. The only difference from their last fight was that she wasn't as strong as she is now. She is equal with the ghost's strength. What makes her think she'll win this time. StarClan has made contact with them. They will win this war.

OOC: I'm guessing we can bring in our dead Starclan warriors now?

IC: Cloverpool followed Darkstar, and then looked and saw her sons, Badgerpaw, and Blazingpaw(?). She didn't see Tawnypaw and feared the worst for her kit.

Hickorypaw flicked his tail and chuckled as Willowpaw pushed him behind her. The tom was much stronger but he hadn't expected the sweet, beautiful, shy, and socially awkward Willowpaw would try and protect him. "Willowpaw I'm perfectly fine to handle myself." He chuckled.

Lionsong stood, her large head swiveling around to see a RiverClan apprentice making her way to the front. With a toothy grin, she could tell the young cat was in distress, showing her colors as a StarClan lover. With a slow, deliberate movement towards the cat she progressed to the point where she was nose to nose with Otterpaw. "Are you a StarClan lover, Otterpaw?" she questioned in her deep, unfeminine voice, her piercing blue eyes staring straight into the younger cats. If the apprentice said yes, she would kill them without hesitation. RiverClan was less important than the Dark Forest.

Otterpaw looked at Lionsong, a swallow that was able to be heard when down her sleek throat. She nodded "I'm not a true warrior of the Dark Forest, I will never be one in anyway" she hissed under her breath, containing any attitude. She unsheathed her claws, sure, this was a warrior but...She was StarClan, she would never leave them. And if she died fighting Lionsong she would know it was an honor, she would be a StarClan cat no matter what happened, even if it meant disloyalty.

OOC: Ah, thank you for the clarification, Winter.

IC: Blackpaw watched Otterpaw's hostility towards Lionsong, the experienced warrior. A shiver of fear, cold and unnerving, ran through Blackpaw. He shut his eyes and staggered backwards, frightened. He found it unbearable that this Gathering was going haywire, just as he had feared at the beginning of it. He shrank back, once again resisting the urge to bleat out adherence. He began to pace nervously, wracked with fear. "Oh no..." Blackpaw said to himself, murmur inquiecent.

Webtail watched the gathering begin to unravel just as it had the first time, two deaths already. Morningstar was gloating, his mother was, thankfully near the edge of the clearing and would be able to get to safety quickly. He spotted his daughter who gave him no notice. Sadly, with his superior at the gathering as well as others that would gladly stop him from going to her. He truly wanted this to be over, he wanted to push aside the others and see his daughter again. He wanted to leave, go home without the weight of all the contradictory thoughts in his mind. He knew he couldn't do that, the tom wasn't a kit anymore, he didn't get everything his way. Webtail was well aware of that. He wasn't sure what to do. Step down? Thrushstar wasn't the most sane cat and was quick to violence. He'd most likely exile him and others. He could fight for his place, try to keep everything the same but, would it be the right thing to do? Webtail wasn't sure he had a choice, either way, he was going to be in a fight. He wasn't getting an easy way out.

Morningpaw shivered and looked around for her mother and father. She didn't know what was happening. The she-cat was alone. Surrounded by strangers that were her enemies. She needed to find a Dark Forest cat and stick to them like a tick. They'd know what to do. They'd help her. The new apprentice was scared still. Shrinking down and her vibrant eyes wide, darting from place to place. She let put a weak pitiful mewl despite her jaw being clenched. The small tabby tried her best to push through the crowd, towards the one of the large trees that made Fourtrees but, did not get very far before many exiles forced their way in the clans' clearing. Anger mingled in with her fear. These cats forced themselves into the gathering and ruined it, insulting the clans and Dark Forest. She wanted to yowl out for them to leave but, didn't trust her voice to make the noise needed.

Blackpaw, a much older apprentice, watched Morningpaw with a judging glare. He didn't know her, perhaps if he did, he would be much more altruistic. The shadow he cast made him seem much bigger, much more fearsome, and yet, more like a Dark Forest warrior. His paws slid into mud, which he wasn't used to, and yet he didn't falter. He wasn't foolish, he knew he shouldn't yowl or fight.

In one swift moment, the large warrior swooped her golden mane clad head with her jaws opening wide. Her jaws wrapped around the apprentices small neck. With a grunt of effort, Lionsong lifted her neck, lifting the apprentice off the ground. After placing her paw on the apprentices flailing tail, Lionsong thrashed her head side to side as fast as she could, her sharp fangs sinking into the flesh of the unloyal and filling her mouth with the taste she craved. She thrashed and thrashed until the apprentice lay limp, only to toss them down to the ground like rotten prey. Blood clotting her muzzle, the warrior looked around to the apprentices watching as if she questioned their loyalty as well.

Featherpaw's attempts at holding her brother back proved futile. Even the other female apprentice's words were somewhat ignored. Blackpaw had padded forward (to his certain death) and she found her paws moving on their own. The young apprentice trotted to keep up with her brother and gave him a brief sideways glance as she matched strides with him. "At least let me come with you!" She said in her usual snappy tone, even though she was shaking in fear. He was her brother. Her brother. And she wouldn't let him do this alone.


Redpaw and Hickorypaw both came to stand beside Willowpaw and she inwardly groaned, regretting most of her life choices. Maybe if she hadn't come off as a delicate she-cat on their first encounter, they would've known that she was strong too. Maybe if she agreed to that one time they asked for a playfight after her mentor began talking about how skilled she was in fighting, they wouldn't see her as someone to be protected. Maybe if...

The silver tabby apprentice continued wondering if her previous actions would get one of her loved ones killed. "Fine, you can fight beside us," she spoke. "But retreat if you feel like you can't do it, okay?" Willowpaw looked at each of them in turn, though she doubted that the two would listen to her.