July Gathering 2019

As ThunderClan, led by a tom Raventail vaguely recalled from the journey home, arrived at the Gathering, Raventail’s search became more frantic. Finally, he spotted a calico pelt. The scars erased any doubts he may have had; this was Mosspaw, his first friend. He opened his mouth to shout to her, but a tap on his shoulder drew his attention, and as he turned, he realized Dappleshine had found him again. He glanced back long enough to see that Mosspaw, to his surprise, wasn’t sitting with ThunderClan; instead, she approached the base of Fourtrees, where the medicine cats were beginning to gather. Though she was as brave as any warrior Raventail knew, he remembered her horror after she’d killed the pale dog. Maybe a life of healing would suit her better.

With that and a vague idea of tracking Mosspaw down at some point in the near future (nearer than the next moon, he hoped), he looked toward Dappleshine once more. Before he could greet her, Goldenpaw piped up from beside him. She had caught him by surprise when she’d chosen to venture into the Gathering with him rather than stick with her siblings, Cloverpaw especially. It was, in part, his words that had hurt her, but he stood by them with an insistence he rarely demonstrated. There would be no backing down. Still, Raventail hated being on shaky terms with anyone, and had tried to make reparations in small ways during their training sessions. He’d taken Goldenpaw’s choice as a sign of…well, maybe not forgiveness, but something approaching it. Distantly approaching it. In this place so full of things to explore, she had been uncharacteristically quiet.

A better teacher may have turned this into a quiz; he opted for a plain old introduction. ”It’s okay, she’s nice,” he meowed with a somewhat subdued grin, ”as long as you don’t laugh at her while she’s fishing. This is Dappleshine, a good friend of mine. Dappleshine, meet Goldenpaw.“ Smile widening the way it usually did at any opportunity to mention his status as a mentor, Raventail motioned toward the golden tabby at his side. ”My apprentice.”

ooc: lightpaw will not be attending due to Kerfuffle Complications

"It's Batbite now," Batbite purred, her warrior name a point of pride despite her lingering frustrations with her new responsibilities. Still, it was good to see Minkpaw again; and right now the only responsibility she had was one she'd given herself - gathering information about the other Clans, preferably from her friends. Minkpaw approaching her was certainly a step in the right direction. "Well, I can't speak for everyone else... But things have been alright for me, I suppose." She could only hope her tone didn't give away her lingering irritation; the last thing she needed was her friend to feel like she was angry at him somehow. "What about you, though, Minkpaw?"

The last thing he expected was a voice directed towards him to filter up through the babble of conversations that he tried to block from his ears. He could smell the faint scent of Skyclan before his head tilted upwards and his eyes abandoned their fixation on the ground. Before his dim, forest green stare was the other clan's medicine cat. Admittedly, Beartooth wasn't prepared for her presence. He blinked once, a blank stare across his expression for a moment before he finally come to his senses and managed a tight nod. So much for not speaking to any cat. It wasn't her presence that bothered him, if any cat from another clan was decent to be around, it was her, but the words were not easily found tonight. His own internal turmoil delayed the usually sparse speech even further. Another blink. Amberdawn must have thought he lost his mind somewhere in the flood waters. After a moment, he sighed, giving into the idea that he had no response and stopped struggling to search for one.

"I'm glad you made it back as well." His words were the normal low and gravelly tone that those speaking to the bulky warrior were accustomed to. Glancing away, a slight frown crossed his maw. The tom turned his gaze to a random space off in the distance ahead. Normally he was not much of a conversationalist, sticking only to necessary words. But something, buried deep underneath the lack of desire to speak and perhaps stemming from the hidden and desperate need for  companionship, promoted him to ask, "How are you faring?"

~~

ooc; for the sake of not holding up the gathering, i am posting! True Shadowclan is not among the cats tonight. Only those who are aligned with Stagclan may post. If you are unsure of your cat's official allegiance, the clan topic should be wrapped up by the end of the night. Feel free to contact me on Discord or PM with any questions you may have in regards to the current clanwide plot!

The power that flowed through his paws had not ceased. It was as if the previous night's events had done little to quench his thirst and his drive. This was only beginning to the quest that he had been burdened with. Shadowclan was a mere corner of the larger forest. He'd hardly slept in the sparse nest that he had taken up, now resting in the center of camp. Scorchstar's former den would be used to server a better purpose than housing merely one cat. Perhaps it was where he would consult Asterspark and Flintfang, or used for kits to play. Regardless what they decided, it would be put to a better use than housing Starclan's honored leader. With a flick of his long tail, the tom abandoned the thought. Their numbers were small tonight but their paws possessed and important message that needed to be shared with the clans. In steed of Scorchstar, tonight he would deliver the news, and not the average promotion of warriors, but something fare greater. Tonight he would defy Starclan in a whole new way. His paws carried him towards the clearing with those who had dedicated themselves to a cause much larger than any one of them. He was grateful for each one whose pawsteps covered his own as they padded along.

And then they were there. Without a doubt, cats were already milling below. Scents from all clans rose into the air and caused his nose to twitch. Prior to their leave, he had instructed them to stay near each other. This would be the last gathering they attended and he had no plans to stay long, only to deliver the words and then return to their territory in order to rebuild with the smaller group of cats. The old way of life had passed and something new was to come. Rushing down the ravine, his fur ruffled slightly, which he corrected in short rasps of his tongue on the way to the great rock. Once there, he leaped easily onto the rock and settled down among the leaders with a formal nod, "Greetings. Scorchstar is no longer here. I come only to bear a message on behalf of my cats and then you may proceed with your gathering. I apologize for such last minute intrusion." Turning his intense gaze to the cats below, Burntstage seemed to look over each on individually. Once they were settled in, he would begin. Besides, he was sure the leaders would press with questions for a moment or two, something he would undoubtedly answer in his speech. The forest would soon hear of the future to come, the potential for their kin and clans. He just hoped they were ready.

Maplepaw bounded along, wondering who each leader was. The blue one looked similar to her friend Berrycloud, so that one had to be Jaystar. Tinystar, she knew, obviously, and she knew Finchstar from her kithood in the mountains. So then those other two toms had to be Leopardstar and Scorchstar. Neither one looked very leopardlike, though? However, that calico tom did look kinda scorched. So the brown tabby was Leopardstar? Someone was not good at naming. She trotted up to a random blue cat. "Hiya, stranger! I'm Maplepaw! Clearing sure is full tonight, isn't it? Anyway, I'm trying to branch out, make some friends before I leaf. Yanno?" She laughed at her own jokes, hoping this friend liked puns.

Let's get this over with. Pricklebush was not overly fond of Gatherings. As a matter of fact, he almost disliked them, the large amounts of cats and noise and arguments the leaders would inevitably have. Like the medicine cat meetings, but on a far larger scale. However, the cats that he normally spent time with made the prospect far more bearable. Mosspaw, who he got to see less and less lately, his apprentice in ThunderClan- and Mistlepaw, who he was getting to know very well, the sole medicine cat of RiverClan. And Amberdawn, who he still considered a friend. The large tan tom scanned the crowds, seeking out his companions... and keeping an eye out for Hailpaw. She had to be here somewhere, he knew it. It was hard to keep track of anyone in the influx of cat forms.

He sat by the other medicine cats, specifically Mosspaw, waiting for the RiverClan she-cat to arrive. His eyes landed on Amberdawn, talking with... Beartooth? The tom stiffened. Why was she talking with the deformed warrior, of all cats? And.. smiling, as if they were friends? Apparently, there was something he didn't know about going on here. A tiny bristle of suspicion touched his heart, unwillingly remembering the smug warning of Nightfire about exactly who he couldn't trust. But he was just being ridiculous. All thoughts of Amberdawn went out of his head when some random ShadowClan warrior- was that Lichenmask's kit?- sat on the Great Rock in place of Scorchstar. Now that he looked, in fact, a large portion of ShadowClan seemed to be missing. What on earth was going on there?


Graybriar walked next to her mate, keeping an eye on all four of her newly apprenticed kits. This would be their first Gathering. She remembered her own first Gathering, how excited and awed she'd been, and who she'd met there... Badgerthorn. But she could honestly say that she would trade all the time she'd spent with her first mate, as much as she'd been in love with him, for a few moments with Barleytuft. Just a glance over at him, strong and solid, but with a gentle look on his face as he spoke to their kits about the Gathering, encouraging them to go meet other cats. She echoed his sentiments. "Don't feel like you have to stay here. Go make some new friends! We'll see you later, at the end of the night." As they all scampered off, she pushed any worry about their wellbeing to the back of her mind and settled down next to her mate, a quiet purr rumbling through her. She didn't notice the strange ShadowClan tom on the rock.

Heronflight padded into the clearing, the four great trees glistening in the moonlight.  The grass was shimmering, and the moonlight reflected of the RiverClan leader Jaystar majestically.  However, he couldn’t think about how beautiful the scene was for long, as his mind almost immediately went to what ThunderClan did (or didn’t do) to Meadowpaw.  What could have caused such a gruesome injury?  Was ThunderClan responsible?  If so, why add to a long list of deaths, stemming from the unlucky apprentice-  The gray tabby paused.  Rowanpaw.  Heronflight didn’t share tongues with him much, but he was the cat to discover the ginger tabby’s mangled body near the river.  Then it was Fawnsong, dying by Flickerpaw, now known as Flamewish.  Because of the young apprentice’s mistake, she had to - go to RiverClan to be a warrior.  An unusual punishment, but an effective one.  Next came Adderfeather, who got her eye ripped out by a ThunderClan apprentice that Heronflight couldn’t remember the name of. The fourth was Icepaw, and Heronflight could not remember anything that happened to Icepaw, except that the apprentice died - somehow. And finally, Meadowpaw. Perhaps the most recent version of the long list of ThunderClan murders, or perhaps not. The gray tabby didn’t know, and he sat down to listen to what the leaders had to say. He then realized something... odd. Wait a few heartbeats... is that Marshstorm on the Great Rock? What happened to Leopardstar? The gray tabby was perplexed, but waited for the matter to sort itself out.

Lynxtail padded into the gathering with the rest of his clanmates, his tufted ears twitching as he scanned the crowd. It would be nice to talk to Mothpaw, Minkpaw, Aspenpaw, or Silentpaw, but there was one cat in particular that the Thunderclanner had been looking forward to seeing again. The handsome Riverclanner that he'd run into (quite literally) at the last gathering.
His clear green gaze landed on the tom's pelt, and he trotted jauntily through the crowd towards him. Okay Lynxtail, play it cool. It wasn't like he was nervous or anything- that would be absurd. It's just that it had been a while since he'd talked to someone from outside his own clan. "Hey! Sparkfrost, right?" He purred. "Is this spot taken?" He indicated the empty space beside the spotted tom, his short tail twitching.
__
Mintwhisker sighed. Why in Starclan's name were Windclanners so tall? She couldn't find Amberdawn anywhere... She shook herself as Windclan dispersed, leaving her alone in a crowd of strangers. Where was Aspenpaw?
The taupe tabby blinked, her murky eyes scanning the crowd for a brief moment. There were no familiar faces to be seen.
Aspenpaw would find her eventually, she was sure. Until then... her front leg twinged and Mintwhisker turned her scarred face towards the sky. She needed to sit down.
The Skyclanner slowly made her way through the crowd, heading towards the place that she usually sat. Since her encounter with the Twoleg trap, too much movement in the Greenleaf sunshine made her leg swell. That was to be expected, of course, but that didn't make it particularly fun.
__
Puddlepaw followed Windclan timidly, her clear blue eyes scanning the crowd for any faces that could be familiar. Skyclan had most likely forgotten her- after all, it was easy to assume that a lost apprentice would meet her end quickly, especially since the flood had swept through the territories. Still, she couldn't help but move away any time a Skyclanner got too close. She didn't want to be found out so soon after joining Windclan.

OOC: Puddlepaw and Mintwhisker are free to talk to!

Aspenpaw followed close behind Finchstar, as he often did. It was a strange habit he retained from his apprenticeship with the leader, always wishing to be physically close to the tom. He felt safe in the company of his clan, but as the cats milled around the Gathering now, he suddenly felt exposed. This was the first time he had been in Fourtrees since becoming a medicine cat, which meant he had to sit close to the base of the rock with the others. 

He looked to the leaders and saw that Marshstorm was filling in for ThunderClan. However, he didn't recognize the ShadowClan cat who had taken Scorchstar's place. The leaders seemed quite confused as well. Though it seemed off, he figured that the dark furred leader had simply chosen a new deputy and that it would be announced tonight. A bit of anxiety still tugged at him. He didn't know what he would do if he started to seize here, of all places. He was sort of expected to attend every full moon, wasn't he? The silver tabby was pleased to finally just sit down and be in the presence of other cats. It was a funny feeling, seeing everyone for the first time since the mountains...

---

Cinderface fed off of Burntstag's calm and confident energy as she joined him and the others at the Gathering. StagClan was a dream she was happy to play a part in. It was simply a perk that all her deserters of clanmates had decided to leave their home behind. Such a pity, indeed! Though they were small in number, their clanmates were loyal and proud. The calico wondered if their leader would continue the tradition of attending the Gathering, since it was technically a tradition of StarClan. Cinderface admired how he was a minister of peace. Always the good of the group in mind. 

Tail curled neatly around her paws, she waited for the reign of StagClan to begin... or at least for someone to come entertain her. 

ooc: sand and ferret are stuck in paradox heck and won't be attending, aspen and cinder are free to talk!

Flintfang padded closely behind Burntstag as they wove their way through the trees. Leaving ShadowClan camp had been climactic, dozens of cats confessing their love to the stars and to Scorchstar. But they had gone now, and were no longer a worry. The sensible, logical cats walked in rows behind Flintfang, few in number, but strong in heart. Laying eyes on the rest of the chained clans in Fourtrees was a strange feeling. The gray tabby didn't know whether to resent their ignorance, or hate it. It was a fierce feeling, the new change Burntstag had promised - and set in action. It was empowering to walk by the calico's side, but the soft pelts that glowed in the clearing below held a certain innocence. Like a kit who hadn't yet been cursed with scars. Or freshly fallen snow, unbroken by hasty pawsteps. But their innocence would be torn tonight, and soon all the forest would see the path of Burntstag the liberator, the servant king of StagClan.

His friend ascended onto the Great Rock in one, confident leap, and Flintfang held his breath. The new freed clan had been instructed to stay together, and so the gray tabby obliged. The faces near him were not ones familiar, save that of Littlesun and Silentpaw. But here he felt home, here he felt free. It would almost be perfect, to spit in the face of those who had wronged the forest. But sadly, Leopardstar did not sit upon the rock tonight. Instead only Marshstorm. But his revenge would come. A cheeky, passive aggressive revenge that did not shed blood, but instead tore at the heartstrings of those who pretended to care. It wasn't anger Flintfang felt, but rather freedom, until he meant the eyes of a familiar calico she-cat. This particular cat's feelings towards him were indeed true and loving, and perhaps were the only one of its kind. He would never wish any harm onto Mosspaw, as harmless as his small revenge was, she deserved none of it. But this... this was cruel. Leaving, in pursuit of a better life, and leaving her in turn, to sit and cling to a crumbling code. He should have taken his daughter with him.

Green eyes tore away from Mosspaw's and Flintfang turned his back, focusing instead on Burntstag's words as they rumbled through the clearing. The storm cracked into his head again, along with the high-pitched tones of anxiety, and a drive to run far away from all his problems. Soon they would even ascend the trivial matters of the forest, but Mosspaw, Mosspaw was not so superficial.

ooc: flint is open to talk to!


SkyClan arrived fourth, pooling into the rest of the clans, spreading to talk and familiarize with friends. The past moon had been one of change for Leaftwirl. First was her talk with Sunflower, and then the meeting of Peaches. And lastly, Meadowpaw. Her own apprentice, now walking by her side as they padded down into the clearing. Admittedly, Leaftwirl had been hesitant when Mistyrain assigned her the she-cat to mentor on that fateful day, but since then she had loosened up signifigantly. Meadowpaw, aside from being pure and beautiful, was something of a challenge for Leaftwirl. Receiving an apprentice at so young... Perhaps it was a way to yet again prove her worth to StarClan, but the new warrior liked to believe it was more than that. How wonderful it would be to train and grow with her young apprentice, a fun thing indeed! "Meadowpaw… welcome to your first gathering!" Leaftwirl dodged some apprentices in a mock battle, gesturing with her tail for Meadowpaw to follow. "You can stay close to me if you want, or you can go off on your own and find some friends! Just remember to meet up with SkyClan again once the gathering is over!"

ooc: Leaftwirl is open to talk to


WindClan's leader would be lying if he said he wasn't disappointed by Leopardstar's absence. He hoped the golden tabby's health would improve soon. But despite the change in cast, it didn't change Finchstar's optimism . Tinystar arrived next, and the orange and white tabby gave the tom a strange look as he hopped upon the rock, eyeing him up. ShadowClan still had not yet made an appearance, but that didn't stop the thoughts from swirling in Finchstar's head. His wits had been altered last moon, changing his agenda as all his energy had gone into his façade, soul shattered in the absence of Brookclover. And while the grief still plagued him, it was considerably more manageable this time around. Much had changed in WindClan camp, with Barleytuft and Graybriar's litter having been made apprentices, as well as the reopening of the tunnels, however Finchstar decided it would be best to keep that information hidden for now. He would settle for talking about apprentices and rabbits.

"It seems we're missing ShadowClan." Finchstar commented as time went on, removing himself from the depths of his mind. But his statement was answered as quickly as it was said. A broad shouldered calico leapt onto the Great Rock, definitely not the shape of Scorchstar. He held with him the sense of duty, and was followed by a small gathering of cats, eyes shining in the light. Finchstar soon remembered having seen the tom at past gatherings, however why he should reside on the stone now was a strange thing indeed. Burntstag was his name. The casualness of his voice was interesting, considering the current situation, but Finchstar found he was intrigued. Distracted enough to throw away the past task at hand.

ooc: sorry for any typos and black text, I'm on mobile

Minkpaw blinked as Batbite informed him of her name change, and a slight purr rose in his throat as his smile widened. "Congratulations!" Once he would have followed that up with a quip, but now.... He shook away the slight twinge of sadness that the thought of all his friends moving on and growing in their positions gave him. If only there was some way for them to stick together....

He brought his thoughts back to the present at Batbite's question, the smile fading from his eyes as he weighed the answers he could give to that. The faint hint of irritation in her voice barely scratched at his conscience. Like her name, she always had had a tendency to stir up a bit of frustration among others. "It's been... alright." A shadow of pain crossed his voice at the last word, and he attempted to cover it up with a forced grin. "You know, as good as it can be."

Behind her, he caught sight of a fluffy calico tom leaping onto the Great Rock, and for just a moment he wondered where ShadowClan's leader was. Maybe something had happened? The thought faded as soon as it popped into his head, and he shrugged it off, turning his attention back to the fluffy black warrior.

The Riverclan leader lifted his gaze when the Windclan tom showed up after his clan. He gave a short nod with respect and muttered his name as a greeting. "Finchstar... welcome." For a moment, he thought that would be all. The Windclan leader would likely take his place in the Great Rock and they would not speak to each other until the gathering starts. But he was wrong. Suddenly, he felt the warmth of his tail over his and a few comforting words came out of the ginger-patched leader. Jaystar opened his eyes a little wider and then smiled, with sadness behind his eyes. "Ha... I should be the one telling you, shouldn't I?" He said referring to his greater experience while leading a clan compared to Finchstar's. "But... thank you..." He whispered. A little spark appeared inside his chest while saying those words. Happiness? Hope? Melancholy? He couldn't tell what it was... but it made him feel warm inside. Maybe... he was happy that things were changing between Windclan and Riverclan. The battle-filled past they shared could be forgiven and new relationships could start over. It wasn't much... but it was a nice place to start and Jaystar was happy to witness it.

When Tinystar appeared, he didn't pay him much attention. The small, old tom didn't look like he wanted to talk either. And, with Leopardstar injured, his focus was mainly on the deputy who came to replace him tonight. For a few seconds, he met his gaze, thinking how would he react about what he had to say. If he had to be honest, when he first found out of Meadowpaw's death, he wanted to storm into Thunderclan's camp and ask for answers immediately. But Dappleshine, Adderpaw and Heronflight brought him some sense and calm. Now, he knew it was not his place to go accusing Thunderclan until he got a clear answer from them but first.... he had to ask.

However, before the Gathering could properly begin, the night had another surprise for them. A long-furred calico tom had stepped over Scorchstar's place and the Riverclan leader couldn't help his tail's fur to get bristled a bit. Jaystar was immediately by the intrusion of this cat and he had to contain himself from snapping at him. Instead, the silver tom just looked at him with narrowed green eyes, listening to his words. For a moment, the tom feared the worst when this Shadowclan warrior (he clearly smelled like one) came saying Scorchstar was no longer here. Jaystar lashed his tail over the surface of the cold rock before talking to him. "What do you mean by "Scorchstar" is no longer here? And where's the rest of Shadowclan warriors? I know for a fact you're not his deputy so it is odd to see you standing in his place with just a fraction of his clan. As Shadowclan's ally, you must understand these concerns of mine." Unlike other times, the tom spoke with diplomacy and with Burnstag's casual tone.

Scorchclaw narrowed his eyes at the sight of the unfamiliar ShadowClan warrior, but he held his silence.

---

How long has it been since I last attended a Gathering...?

Standing at the edge of the crowded clearing, Hailpaw felt a wave of anxiety wash over her. Her last Gathering had taken place before the Icepaw-incident. For moons after that, she had not so much as taken one pawstep into Fourtrees. Now, after all that time, here she was again. The full moon on that night seemed harsher and colder than usual, and as the apprentice gazed up at it, she could not help but wonder if the ancestors were displeased with her presence. The place had not changed too much; even the raging waters of the flood had been unable to cause any real permanent damage. The four ancient oaks still towered imposingly into the night sky, their leafy boughs wreathed in darkness, while the Great Rock loomed in the middle of the clearing. While her clanmates had quickly dispersed into the crowd, the young she-cat remained alone. All thought of conversation had left her; she was on edge. As Leopardstar had promised Jaystar at the last Gathering, she had come to accept the judgment for her actions. She had already run away once; there would be no second chance for her if she repeated her mistake. But most of all, she did not want to see Pricklebush cry again. Setting her jaw, Hailpaw shook the thought of StarClan's wrath away. Blizzardshine's soul lived on in the stars, and she was surely watching.

Tonight, of all nights, Hailpaw had to be bolder than ever. Meadowpaw's death still weighed on her mind. The death of the RiverClan apprentice had shocked her, even grieved her; but greater than the sorrow was the dread. RiverClan was sure to blame the death on ThunderClan. She had already told Marshstorm all that he would need to know to explain the situation, but she had no idea if it would be enough. The pressure was crushing. It almost made her want to close her eyes, pretend that she was anywhere but here. But Hailpaw had promised herself never to flee again. She was Blizzardshine and Artemis Odan's daughter, the cat who would one day be ThunderClan's greatest fighter. She would never win if she did not stand her ground now. Thus, Hailpaw sat in tense silence, willing the seconds away to the Gathering's start.

At the arrival of Burntstag and his strange party, however, even the ThunderClan apprentice's attention was drawn. She straightened up, straining her neck for a better glimpse of the speaker.

Batbite, however, didn't respond to Minkpaw at first; her attention was now firmly locked on to the cat on the Great Rock who didn't appear to be either ShadowClan's leader or deputy. Her frustration had vanished, replaced with a hint of confusion and intrigue. "I doubt it, but... Do you know who that is? He's certainly not Scorchstar..." Had something happened to ShadowClan in the last moon...? She was paying close attention now; any scrap of information was better than nothing.
~
Emberheart, meanwhile, watched the cats gathered atop the Great Rock with veiled curiosity. She was intrigued - that wasn't Scorchstar or Wildstrike, after all; so then, who was it? Without turning her gaze, she whispered to her son, "Galepaw, be careful. Stay close." She didn't know who this cat that had taken ShadowClan's place was, or what he wanted; but she wouldn't take any risks.

Galepaw knew SkyClan by its leader, who really did look remarkably apprentice-like, especially among the other leaders’ towering figures. Remembering Emberheart’s warning, he kept his mouth shut. ShadowClan’s scent was vaguely familiar, clearer now that it wasn’t disguised by the Thunderpath’s stink; they were led by a large, fluffy, red- and black-splotched cat. ”Scorchstar,” he said quietly, looking to Emberheart for confirmation—she was staring at the Great Rock with an intensity that, coupled with her words, made Galepaw a little uneasy.