Let's get things back in order (After the Gathering for WindClan, IMPORTANT)

Ashwing leapt onto the Tallrock for the first time in a moon. The camp had changed a lot in her absence. It didn't look too physically different, but there was a dark, chilly feeling about it. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather underneath the Tallrock for a Clan meeting," she yowled. It was time to get things back in order.

Cinderpaw padded out of the medicine den and headed towards the Tallrock. She seat down, gazing up at Ashwing. The Gathering had taken place not even a few sunrises ago. She had missed the WindClan camp and it was good to be back in it. Everyone who she had known as a kit had grown so much and some weren't even here anymore. Her busy tail curled around her gray paws as she waited eagerly for Ashwing to begin speaking.

Nightpaw padded out of the apprentice’s den, where she had been recovering from the battle since they had returned from the gathering. Her body was still a bit sore and she sincerely couldn’t believe that she had managed to fight a Dark Forest ghost and not lose the battle.

Shaking those memories away she padded towards the Tall Rock, wanting to hear what Ashwing had to say.

Kestrelstorm exited the den with his son, Falconstone, hot on his tail. Both of the cats had needed a new nest, and the father and son had chosen a spot next to each other. Silently, they both sat under Ashwing, the poor leader who still didn't have a name. Kestrelstorm's mind, of course, wandered to deputy. Smokepelt hadn't even been to the gathering and fought against the Dark Forest. Surely Ashwing would choose another? Kestrelstorm's heart ached. His little trip to ShadowClan would take him off the running for deputy, he suspected. Though, no matter what, Kestrelstorm was glad to be back. With a deep breath, Kestrelstorm waited for Ashwing to speak.

ooc: last post of deputy angst yay

Falconstone followed his father from the dens. The two still hadn't spoken much about what happened the last few moons, but Falconstone had resigned himself to forgive his father unconditionally for his mistakes. His journey to find StarClan was a life changing experience. For most of his adult life, the Dark Forest had ruled. What would be of it now? Even with Kestrelstorm back, Falconstone still missed his Minkpaw. Along his journey at every stop he had laid out a stone for her, to help guide her back. He didn't see her at the Dark Forest battle. Had the stones worked? Was she even in StarClan? He hadn't seen his mother either. Where was she?

Swiftheart padded out of the Warriors den at Ashwings call. His green gaze swept the clearing as he padded to tall rock looking at all the others and seeing how they were doing so soon after the gathering. They all seemed to be doing okay, considering what had happened. He sat down when he got to talk rock and rested his calm but curious gaze on Ashwing and waited for her to tell them what this was about.

Sunkit peered at the strange new cat from her hiding spot. She knew that kits were not allowed to participate in meetings, but she was interested. She tilted her head in confusion. Where was Daisypatch? The kit couldn't see her anywhere...

Lightfoot crawled out of the elders' den, not moving far from the entrance. The blind tom's ears perked when he realized that the voice from the Tallrock was not Saltpelt's and that the scents sweeping into camp really weren't in his imagination. The elder's mouth split into a gleeful grin and he listened closely to what his returned friend had to say.

Heatherpaw padded out of the apprentice's den, and sat down. The apprentice was unaware of the events of the Gathering. She hadn't seen her her mother since these cats had come back, and she had noticed she had not taken her place on the Tallrock, replaced by Ashwing. Hadn't Lightfoot told her that Ashwing was the leader? Either way, it didn't explain where Saltpelt was.

(let the shaming of Saltpelt's daughter begin)

Emberpaw leaped out from the apprentices den, giggling under her breath as she sat next to Heatherpaw, she still wondered where her mother was, she laid her tail down as she slowly settled down and stopped giggling, getting more serious. She looked at Heatherpaw, giving her the look that told her she had the same questions Heatherpaw did.

No matter how hard he tried, Smokepelt couldn't shake the feeling of guilt. Not being a bigger part of the battle, or a better role model for his clan. Even him accusing his mother for something that she had the right to do with her life, he felt genuinely horrible. Yeah, the whole DarkForest thing was important, but so was caring for cats in camp, so no cat in their right mind had any idea about how hard he was actually working to serve WindClan. Sitting at the bottom of Tallrock, he looked around at familar and some new faces. Among them were his father, uncle, close friends, and... Kestrelstorm, who still looked as gloomy as ever. For some reason, he wondered why the tom stayed in WindClan, it wasn't like he was going to get handed an award for best warrior anytime soon, and the tom's selfish attitude made Smokepelt want to yowl.

Letting out a sigh, he shook away the thoughts. Today wasn't about his uncle's odd tempered son, it was about new beginnings and a chance to start anew season in life, which he planned to do.

Ashwing looked down at her Clan, green eyes full of multiple emotions. Triumph. Sadness. Pain. But through them all shone determination- she was in charge of her Clan, StarClan was back, but WindClan was still in disarray. StarClan had done their part, and now it was her job to put WindClan back together. "Cats of WindClan, StarClan has returned. The leader of the Dark Forest, and subsequently all its warriors, were killed and are no more. We lost good cats in that battle. Gorsefeather, Breezeheart, Daisypatch, Wrenpaw, and the usurper Saltpelt were killed. All the original Clan leaders are back in charge of their Clans, and StarClan rules the skies once more. Those of you who were loyal to StarClan, I know I can trust. However, some of you were loyal to the Dark Forest." Her gaze narrowed. "You who stayed, step forwards and state your loyalty to StarClan. If you do not, you will be exiled immediately. I cannot have disloyal cats in my Clan." She was hurting as much, if not more than, most of them, but she had to be strong. She needed to be fit to lead.

Spiderfur followed in, limping heavily. The battle had pushed her to her limits, and the moment she stepped into camp she felt like collapsing on the ground, not even in a nest, and sleeping for a moon. But too many things were weighing heavily on her mind for that to happen. Starclan was back, she was happy about that, but too many innocent cats had died tonight. Especially the death of a cat she'd known her whole life, Gorsefeather. The she-cat flopped down, almost laying completely still, besides her frantic heartbeat. The adrenaline was wearing off. She watched Ashwing with almost a disconnection from what was happening. What would happen to the kits and apprentices raised under the Dark Forest, who didn't know any better? Would they be exiled too if they didn't convert?

Heatherpaw listened, her expression of confusion changed to one of shock. She was silent for a moment, before her feelings got the better of her.
"I am loyal to StarClan...but I was only a young kit at the end of the Dark Forest's reign, and did not know what was going on. I didn't know that Saltpelt, my mother, was loyal to the Dark Forest until the end." Tears began to well up in her eyes. "She chose the wrong side, but she's dead now for it. My mother is dead for choosing the wrong side. She might have thought it was good at the time, I'm sure she did, but how did she not realise the consequences? I'm with StarClan to the end, but.....I didn't understand what my mother was thinking, and....I miss her, but I don't think I want to be like her."
The newly appointed apprentice stepped forward, her words echoing loudly around the now quiet WindClan, unusual for the gentle cat.

"I am not who my mother was, and I am loyal to StarClan."

Cinderpaw took a step forwards, her eyes glittering. Of course she was loyal to StarClan! She had ditched WindClan when it was under the rule of the Dark Forest and Saltpelt to join the exiles and be trained by Leafheart and still be taught about StarClan in the process. She glanced at Heatherpaw, blinking. Cinderpaw didn't know her, but by her words, she must've been Saltpelt's daughter. Cinderpaw could share no empathy, as she was not the daughter of a traitor or a cat that everyone hated. She just turned her head to look back up at Ashwing. A bunch of things were racing through her mind. Now that everything was back to normal, would Leafheart be able to bring Cinderpaw to the Moonstone for her official ceremony? That would be exciting. And yet, Cinderpaw refused to smile. This was a serious meeting.

Sunkit's heart thumped. She wasn't sure what she was hearing, but Daisypatch was... She couldn't be! What had these new cats done with her mom? They said she was lost. Well, where did they put her? She was confused and scared, and she didn't know where to go. She whimpered as she scampered under Lightfoot's paws. "Lightfoot, what's going on? They said my mom was lost! We gotta find her, she might be hurt!"