Thrushstar's Elder Ceremony

This was it. For some reason, this felt more bitter sweet than he originally wanted it to, but it was happening either way. He was finally giving up leadership. Leaping on the rock, he stared down at camp clearing. This would be is last time up here. It tugged at his heart but he pushed onward. "Let all cats... old enough to capture their own prey gather underneath Jaggedrock for... a clan meeting! He yowled uncertainly. Did he really want to go through with this? After all this time?

Larksong looked up from where she was crouched over the fresh-kill pile, in the middle of selecting a meal when the yowl echoed across the clearing. Her whiskers twitched as she stood up to make her way to the middle of the clearing, her meal could wait. She had little idea of what was in store, staring up at the much older tom - her great grandfather. She sat down without a sound, waiting as the rest of her Clan gathered.


While Larksong had been in the middle of getting fresh-kill, Smokestripe had been in the middle of his meal. His gaze snapped up as he ran a tongue over his lips to remove what traces of blood stuck there. A gathering? He stood up, casting a single longing glance at his meal. He would have to return when this was over, not willing to disrespect Thrushstar by trying to choke down what was left of the frog he had been eating before joining. So he gently pushed the frog into a safe area with his back food before moving forward, sitting not far from Larksong as he joined her in staring up at their leader.

Ambernose heard the call and blinked. Quietly the warrior came from the warriors den to take a seat. She looked at Thrushstar wondering what was going on.

Honeydrop came out of the medicine den and sat down under the Jaggedrock. Thrushstar looked like he had been taking a turn for the worse lately, and she knew he only had one life left. But she respected the tom as as leader and was happy to live under his experienced guidance. She had felt much more safe ever since he had exiled Wolffang, and was eager to hear what he had to say.

Shadewillow's ears perked up curiously at Thrushstar's call, pausing in his grooming mid-lick to peer up at Thrushstar expectantly. Dropping his forepaw, he gave himself a quick, brisk shake before rising to his paws. Padding slowly from his previous spot closer to the fringe of the clearing, he wove his way into the ever-growing crowd. After finally locating an open spot adequate space, Shadewillow dropped onto his haunches unceremoniously, eagerly wrapping his tail around his forepaws.

Littlebrook padded out of the warriors den, shortly followed by Silentstorm, at Thrushstar's call. She tilted her head slightly as she sat down next to her daughter Ambernose and tried to think of who's ceremony this could be, but she couldn't think of anyone. Tail tip twitching in anticipation, she looked up at Thrushstar and waited for what he had to say.

Silent storm followed his mother and sat down next to her, tail wrapped neatly around his paws.

Ryepaw poked his pale ginger face out of the apprentice's den, and glanced around. I wonder what this meeting is about? Curious thoughts racing in his mind, he dashed and weaved his way through the crowd until he came to his father Shadewillow's side. Purring, he greeting his father before sitting down next to him. Licking a paw, he asked quizzically; "Do you have any idea what this is about?"

Blazeflight padded hurriedly out of the den. She was worried, there were ni kits or apprentices in need of ceremonies, what was up? 

OOC: Short but there

There was no young cat in the center of the clearing, waiting in anticipation for a new name and rank. Flamestrike noticed it quickly. What could this be about? The flame orange cat wondered curiously. His paws and haunches settled comfortably onto the ground. With eyes fixed on the old Shadowclan leader, the warrior waited for whatever Thrushstar had to say.

Waspstep padded out with the rest of the cats and looked up at his leader, the leader he greatly disliked, but would never speak out against. He wondered what the ceremony was for, slightly hoped the leader was announcing his retirement, but he doubted that was going to happen anytime soon even though Thrushstar was rather old.

Darkpaw, yawned and got up, hearing her leader, she poked, Blackpaw, who was still asleep, Darkpaw then meowed ''Hey, Blackpaw, Thrushstar is calling'' Blackpaw won't woke up, but sometimes later she got on her paws and walked where the gathered cats where sitting at, Darkpaw was beside her, Darkpaw then walked to Ryepaw and sat next to him.

Blackpaw saw Silentstorm she grinned a bit and walked towards him, then she sat down next to him.

Venompaw poked her head out of the elder's den, she was still having to clean out the moss after her squabble with Wolffang and now she didn't even have anyone to help her. Not in the best mood, she flicked away a piece of moss attached to her tail and stalked into the clearing, taking a seat amongst the gathering of cats.
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Lynxpaw rushed over to his brother and father, taking a seat next to Ryepaw and saying
"It'll probably just be a ceremony or something, nothing important" but stayed nonetheless, somewhat curious to see who was moving into a new nest

Ryepaw nodded at Darkpaw when she sat down next to him, and soon scooted over so that his brother Lynxpaw could sit with them as well. Tilting his head curiously, he nodded in agreement to his brother's logical guess, but something about their leader felt off. He had a different air about him, as if he was....sad? Regretful? Ryepaw didn't know, but he couldn't wait to find out.

Seagreen eyes peered from the corner of the clearing. The owner of the eyes had been planning his next prank, and the call from Thrushstar had given him the opportunity. Quickly and quietly he dashed forward grabbed the frog his mentor Smokestripe had been eating and slipped it under a bush at the edge of the clearing, he hoped he'd been unnoticed. He dug his claws into the earth as he wnet trying to cover up the scent of the frog with the scent of fresh earth. He shook out the leaves and twigs from his fur before padding out to sit beside Smokestripe. He glanced up at his mentor and a smirk lit his face. "I know I'm pretty awesome but do you really think I'm ready to be a warrior already?" he asked flicking the warrior with his tail in a jovial way.

Leopardfang, unlike the rest of the Clan, knew what the Clan gathering was all about. He padded towards the center of camp to listen to Thrushstar with a bit of hesitation. Of course he was ready for what came next, but he also felt a little nervous. Hopefully his leader wasn't having any doubts. The deputy was more than pleased that he would still be around for a while longer, and thought that this was the proper step to take. He sat down with the rest of his clanmates and directed his gaze to Thrushstar, trying to exude confidence so that the older tom would be able to go through with the ceremony. He took a deep, stuttering breath.

Mousefang left the warriors' den and licked down some of his pelt before sitting with the rest of ShadowClan. He listened in on as many conversations as he could hear, trying to tell what was happening. They all seemed pretty lost as to what was going on, so he could only sit there and wait with bated breath for whatever the crazy old leader had to say.

Tigerflower dropped the lizard she had caught on patrol in the fresh-kill pile before joining the Clan for the meeting. Still down because of Shimmerheart's death, the she-cat kept her soft gaze at her paws and found an uncrowded spot off to the side.