August Gathering 2019

Burningsun entered the Gathering for the first time as a warrior.

Ooc: will edit later but wanna be here for the drama

Following in behind Thornbriar, Daisyflame entered the gathering space with the rest of ShadowClan. Finding his usual spot near the front of the crowd, the tom was personally ready to have a normal gathering, for the first time in what felt like a hundred moons. Hopefully, none of the leaders would start anything...

With so many cats entering the gathering, it was hard to actually keep up with so many changes in each clan. First, Windclan had a new deputy and now Thunderclan's leader spot was occupied by Marshstorm and in his former place, there was another cat. Did Leopardstar die? Was he retired? And then, there was the Shadowclan she-cat that led this clan into the clearing, probably Scorchstar's deputy. He knew before-hand that Shadowclan had reclaimed their lands, losing Wildstrike in the process, and destroyed Stagclan but it was still odd to not see the dark-furred leader tonight.

Jaystar looked at Thornbriar, who was speaking to one of his clanmates, Magpiepaw. Waving his tail a bit annoyed by how the she-cat didn't even bother to greet the other leaders and simply start talking and intimidating the shy Riverclan tom, the leader stood up raising his feathery tail. He was certain that she was the one taking Scorchstar's place tonight since she was the one who brought Shadowclan here and it was kind of... rude to not join the other leaders and start the Gathering in an appropriate time. "Thornbriar." He mewed loud enough for her to hear him properly, recalling her name from the time Shadowclan was in his camp. "If you are here representing Scorchstar, I will ask you to please come and join us for the Gathering to begin. Whatever grudge you have with one of our apprentices will have to wait. We don't have the whole night."

Acknowledging the presence of her brother with a slight flick of her tail, Ivybrook continued to look around the Gathering in slight confusion. She nodded along when Berrycloud spoke of Clan politics, but her eyes grew wide when they settled on a familiar yellow pelt from across the clearing. She leaned in close to her brother, hushed voice lowered to a whisper. ”I would agree, but I believe that is Leopardstar sitting behind that bunch of ferns.” A frown mounted her face as she nodded towards where the older tom sat, his cover unfortunately not quite good enough considering the lighter pelt colors that he sported.

---

With an amazed look in his eyes, Beanpaw padded into his first gathering. His fur, as usual, was groomed down into neat locks. A Gathering was a place where cats from every Clan would be Gathered, so he was sure to keep his appearance as well-kept as he usually did. He shortly found a small tuft of grass near the middle of the clearing, sitting down as he gazed up at his mentor leaping onto the large rock.

Poppyheart shot his head up to look at the young tom that smelled of ThunderClan. He flicked his tail and forced a grin, trying to look cheery. "O-Oh! No, I'm not sad at all! The Great Poppyheart doesn't get sad! Unless ... his brother gets banished from the Clan, or his father becomes so depressed he can't fulfill his duties, or his mate--"

His train of thought instantly derailed itself, and he actually did perk up. Redwing was expecting their kits any day now -- in fact, that's why she had to miss tonight's Gathering. What if.... What if she was having their kits now, and he wasn't there to support her? Fate seemed to be quite cruel and ironic to him and his family nowadays.

He couldn't stay here. He needed to get back to camp. He needed to be by his mate's side!

"I-I'll be just fine!" Poppyheart mewed to the young ThunderClanner, shooting him a actually genuine grin. "The Great Poppyheart thanks you for your concern and the mini pep talk!" Pushing his way quickly through the crowd of cats, he spotted Daisyflame and stepped up to his side. "Daisyflame, if Thornbriar asks, tell her I went back to camp. I need to check up on Redwing. Our kits are due any day now and I can't risk not being there for her. I'm sure she'll understand."

With that, he slipped past the gathering cats and began his rapid journey back home.

Dustcloud’s fur stood on end as she slowly padded into the Gathering, sticking to the middle of the group that had been chosen to attend that night’s gathering. The Greenleaf air felt nice on her back as the moon shone down on her scarred back, reflecting in her icy blue eyes. This would be Oakstar’s first Gathering as a leader and with his new name, and she was sure to be in attendance. She dodged out of the way as an overly excited ThunderClanner raced past her and out of the Gathering, confusion mounting her features. Shaking her head, she found a nice tuft of grass and settled down as Oakstar jumped onto the Great Rock.

It was with weariness weighing down every bone in his body that Scorchclaw claimed his seat at the base of the Great Rock. For the past few days, sleep had been flitting and seemingly out of his grasp. It was not often that these bouts of sleeplessness came to him, but they would plague him for a few days whenever one started. As a simple warrior of RiverClan, he had never had to undergo such struggles before. They had come with the role of deputy, along with the ever-increasing pressure of the position. The hubbub of chatter from the crowd around him sounded fuzzy and almost disconnected. To top it all off, the grief of losing his mate was still freshly carved into his heart. Pebblestreak had gone to join the stars just two days ago. The pain cut deeper than any loss he had faced thus far, and it was showing in his dimly-lit eyes. For such reasons, he did not immediately notice the new deputies until he was seated together with them. Swiftstep was gone, a black-furred tom the new WindClan deputy. He looked young, almost too young for the position. But Scorchclaw had been young as well when he had first been chosen. Finchstar had chosen this cat, and the WindClan leader most likely knew what he was doing. It was less of a faith that he had Finchstar, but more of a cold rationality. ShadowClan's deputy was... not present. He had heard of the misfortunes that had befell the ShadowClanners upon reclaiming their territory. He was vaguely aware of the fact that Thornbriar had led the ShadowClan patrol into the clearing, but he did not give the thought much consideration, being somewhat distracted. If Scorchstar had chosen the scarred she-cat for his new deputy, he had chosen well. Representing ThunderClan, on the other paw, was a hulking wall of muscle for a cat―a tom whose oddities stood out at first glance. Scorchclaw took in the appearance of this stranger coolly, before he turned away a moment later. What a beast of a cat! But if he was here, reeking strongly of ThunderClan scent, what about Marshstorm?

Perhaps the first emotion Scorchclaw experienced, seeing Marshstorm atop the Great Rock, was surprise. The sight was one that he should have expected, really. The day would have come eventually, and it had come now. At once, he realized what the implications were. Leopardstar was no more, and Marshstar had risen up to take his place instead. The older tom stood atop the Great Rock along with the other leaders, his rightful place from now on. I see. Scorchclaw thought simply. It might have been his imagination, or it might not have been; he met Marshstorm's gaze. Scorchclaw's green eyes narrowed, and he lowered his head. The second emotion to rise was difficult to describe. It was an anger of sorts, rising so quickly and fiercely that he was surprised at himself. Why was he angry? He had no reason to be... At least, he thought so. But the frustration that seemed to seize his chest was too real. Was he... simply upset that Marshstorm had gotten ahead of him? Scorchclaw had never thought that he would experience envy. In the first place, he had never been particularly ambitious. Other deputies had risen to leadership before him, and he had barely batted an eye. When it came to Marshstorm, however, it seemed things were slightly different. He could not stand the other warrior; he knew that much. While there were few cats outside of his clan that he could stand, Marshstorm was a cat that had seen him at his worst. There was a competitiveness in him, a shame that had lingered ever since that day when they had had their tussle by the lake. It felt as if he would never be able to erase that shame if he did not do something―anything. He would go crazy. There was one cat he absolutely did not want to lose to, he realized with a sinking feeling, and that cat was Marshstorm. He was the deputy that StarClan had rejected, but Marshstorm had become Marshstar of ThunderClan. The distance between the two of them had widened.

Scorchclaw released a slow, soft hiss of a breath. He was foolish for letting his emotions get the best of him again. Only time would tell what this change of leadership would bring. The trench dug by moons and moons of mutual hatred between RiverClan and ThudnerClan was too deep for any cat to bridge easily.

As soon as she spoke, a small part of Amberdawn's mind winced and told her she had been harsh to the tom she didn't know. She wondered if she had been unjustly defensive for Mosspaw, yet the ThunderClan medicine cat apprentice's tail brushed back as she spoke to the "Houndpaw" before them. Amberdawn admired how calmly and evenly her friend always spoke, even in uncomfortable situations. She had seen the more vulnerable and emotional sides of Mosspaw before, but she held herself so confidently here, even going so far as to have a playful gleam on her face. Amberdawn watched the tom's reaction as Mosspaw asked why he was up there with her, rather than by others.

Houndpaw's ears flattened and his tail lashed, and he seemed embarrassed and flustered by Mosspaw's gentle response. The tom glared slightly at Amberdawn and stated his name, and that his father was the deputy of ThunderClan. When Houndpaw mentioned Oakstar, Amberdawn's ears flicked and she broke eye contact with the tom to look questioningly at Mosspaw; however, Houndpaw had turned back to her again, and was bragging about the friends he'd already made. When he began to put down them and their work, Amberdawn's tail flicked impatiently, and when he finally walked away she could only think that she was glad he had moved on. She was about to ask about "Oakstar" when she saw a strange, uneven movement from the corner of her eye.

Aspenpaw approached in his jerky, lumbering fashion, and Amberdawn met his gaze as he sat beside her and commented on how tersely she had spoken to Houndpaw. Whether he was teasing or not, his words only bolstered her insecurities, and she scuffed her paw slightly, flushing with embarrassment even as he winked and began to lick his shaking paws with questionable success. He asked of Marshstorm after pointing out Leopardstar in the crowd, and Amberdawn followed his gaze to see that, indeed, the distinct golden tom was in the clearing rather than atop the rock instead of Marshstorm. Her eyes widened, and she turned and looked at Mosspaw again and asked with shock as the pieces came together, "Oakstar - that's what Houndpaw said. Is that Marshstorm?"

The few moments of silence ceased as Jaystar lead RiverClan into the clearing. The blue-furred tabby was seemingly in better spirits from their last encounter, and Finchstar found himself smiling with delight. Below, the stunning-pelted river cats mixed with the windy forms of Finchstar's clanmates. He watched with an amused expression until Jaystar made the leap to join him on the rock. His greeting was warm, but it was no surprise when the leader made an inquiry at the absence of Swiftstep. Finchstar took a few moments to contemplate an answer, and then turned to face the tom, yellow eyes thoughtful. "You are kind to ask, Jaystar. I am afraid Swiftstep has fallen very ill, and has stepped down as deputy. He was a wonderful cat, and will be well missed." Turning back to look below, Finchstar caught sight of his new counterpart, the black-furred tom looking somewhat uncomfortable. A small chuckle escaped Finchstar's maw as he continued his explanation. "Raventail has been made the new deputy. While he is young, so am I. His spirit rides with the wind and his heart is true." Finchstar gave Jaystar a smile as ThunderClan arrived next, Marshstorm in the lead. The WindClan leader wondered if Leopardstar was still suffering from the infection that had caused him to miss last moon's gathering as well. Concern sparked in Finchstar's eyes at the thought. "Marshstorm. It is an honor to see you again, but I must assume Leopardstar is still ill? How is he fairing, might I ask?" SkyClan arrived in the clearing next, and Tinystar joined the kings on the rock, saying nothing. Finchstar gave him a cutting glance, knowing that this gathering would change fates for the both of them. However as ShadowClan arrived, Finchstar noticed Thornbriar's escapade down below. The scarred she-cat had been made ShadowClan's deputy after StagClan had fallen. Finchstar would be lying if he said he wasn't curious of what really had taken place in that camp, however a seasoned warrior such as Thornbriar would be a wonderful choice. He had not forgotten her brother, Sootstrike, nor had he forgotten the message that was to be relayed to ShadowClan's new deputy.

---

Leaftwirl made her way down the slope with the rest of SkyClan, feeling somewhat wary. It had not been long since Tinystar held Maplepaw's trial, and while his judgement had not been harsh, she had started to wonder if she, too would need to confess before Tinystar one day. Admittedly, Leaftwirl had found herself confused lately. Sunflower had made for an easy cat to talk to, and when she wasn't hunting or battle training, she'd be by his side, dragging him around for patrols and the like. Her clanmates had started to take notice as well, commenting on the new scars she bore, or maybe the extra prey she had brought back. But Leaftwirl still hadn't found that purpose she so dreadfully wanted. Maybe Wolffang would come and find her in a dream, or maybe she'd wake up and Tigerleaf would be alive. But these things were silly. Tonight, Leaftwirl would search as she always did. Tonight, hopefully she'd find just a shred of meaning in this vast forest. Wanting to try something new, the she-cat spotted some WindClan cats and opted to spark up a conversation. The taller one was familiar, and she could have sworn she saw him with Ravenpaw at the lake. "Hi there!" She squeaked, putting on her biggest smile. "You're WindClan, right? I'm Leaftwirl, I'm pretty sure we've meant before... at the lake..." Her eyes flickered to look at the younger cat next to the tom and gave her a smile. "You must be an apprentice, is this your first gathering?" For Leaftwirl, however, this gathering seemed just as surreal as her own first one. Marshstorm sat atop the Great Rock in Leopardstar's place, and the she-cat wondered where ThunderClan's leader could be. A large, massive tabby tom was sitting in the deputy's spot at the base of the rock, along with a cat who looked incredibly like... Ravenpaw! Oh, wow! Leaftwirl had known Ravenpaw must've gotten his warrior name by now, but with him sitting in the deputy's spot... did that mean? Smiling with glee, Leaftwirl raised up on her hind paws to give Ravenpaw a big wave with her tail, hoping she could get his attention. "I'll have to catch him at the end of the gathering... I'm so proud!" However the she-cat began to wonder about the rest of her friends. What of Mosspaw? The calico had sought her out after a border skirmish, but the tabby felt nothing but shame. Purpose. She needed a purpose.

Leaftwirl is talking to Grousefrost and Vinepaw. (And Raventail, kinda.)

Magpiepaw probably should've been prepared for something like this - again, Dappleshine and Thornbriar were close as only mother and child could be - but being so suddenly confronted about his recent actions made it feel as if ice were running through his veins, and he held his breath as the ShadowClan warrior's gaze bored into his own.  ...Should I tell her?  What if it gets back to Dappleshine, what would happen then?  What if...  He couldn't quite get his mouth to work properly, letting out only low stumbling mews as his golden eyes became locked to the ground, shifting back and forth as if searching for something to set him free from this nightmare.  Nothing came.  Finally, he heaved a deep sigh, straightened his shoulders, and lifted his eyes, meeting Thornbriar face-to-face as he meowed.  "I...I don't want D-Dappleshine to be my friend j-just because she pities me.  M-My training is taking a long time, and I-I started avoiding her because I felt e-embarrassed that, even though I was older, I f-fell so far behind her.  I k-know I'm weak...I-I didn't want her to realize how much of a b-burden I am to the clan and a-abandon me, s-so..."  

So you abandoned her first.  

After saying it all out loud, Magpiepaw felt something deep inside of him shatter.  What am I doing?  That's so selfish!  She needs someone to be there for her just as much as I do...we both lost our parents in the Great Flood, we were both kits alone in the world, and that's why we're friends!  We were there for each other in our darkest times...  Closing his mouth, Magpiepaw bent his head, not knowing what else he could say.  He couldn't defend his actions, not even to himself at this point, and so he was relieved when he heard Jaystar call for her; the knowledge of her being ShadowClan's representative didn't register in his mind.  His eyes shifted between his leader and the warrior he had just admitted one of his deepest mistakes to, before awkwardly bowing his head and turning to walk away, tail dragging on the dusty ground.

StarClan...what have I done?!

✢ "Yes. Beartooth." He said lowly. If it were any other cat, the words may have come across as half-hearted, but this was simply his manner of speech. The massive tabby answered with his usual gruff and straightforward manner. It was no secret that Thunderclan's deputy was not used to things as trivial as small talk but it seemed it might be a skill he would have to learn. Beartooth's tail tip flicked slightly as he considered how meaningless the conversational manner of the gathering was. And yet, he found himself a desire to get up and speak to the she-cat he had met so long ago. His green gaze scanned the clearing once more, realizing Skyclan had now joined the rest of the mingling in the clearing. If it were not for the fact that he was already engaged in conversation and he had managed to think it would be rude to step away so quickly, the warrior would have slipped away already. But Raventail's question still hung heavy in the air and he supposed it deserved an answer.

"Amberdawn, the medicine cat of Skyclan, she is a friend. I'll return soon." Beartooth tipped his maw in a temporary farewell. The pause due to his conversation with Raventail meant he had missed his son's interaction with the trio of medicine cats who were already buried in their own discussion on the other side of the rock. He padded over and dipped his head to all three of them before meowing, "Sorry to interrupt. Amberdawn. It's good to see you." Little more than the formal speech came from his maw. But it was the first time that the warrior had actively sought her out, intending to start a conversation first. With everything that had happened, coupled with the fact he hardly spend time conversing with others, Beartooth felt foreign to this concept. Another cat's pelt might have pickled uncomfortably at the awkwardness of the circumstance, but he hardly felt a thing as he stood across from the three medicine cats, awaiting an answer ✢

✧ Although Wasppaw seemed disinterested and determined to pay the tom little attention, his ears caught her words with interest. She was a deputy's kit too? He glanced up to the base of the rock where he had come from only moments earlier as if he would be able to easily pick out her father in a moment's glance. One might have thought his hopes of being special and boasting would have been dashed by Riverclan she-cat's response, yet he found himself particularly pleased at the idea, "So I guess of all the cats in the gathering, I actually chose one worth speaking to!" While her mumbled words were perhaps intended to be disheartening, he, unlike his father, was overly enthusiastic about the idea of speaking with other clan's cats. A brief conversation with the medicine cat of his own clan had pushed him outside of that clinging discomfort that drove him over in the first place. The lanky tom had seldom taken solace in the cats he knew, the cats who shared his blood, even if some stupid, kitlike drive for comfort demanded he did so. This made it so much easier to shake from his coat, as if dispelling dust that had collected from the journey here.

So her name was Wasppaw? He would remember that. It wouldn't be useful to forget something so quickly. Besides, he had heard that gatherings were great for gathering secrets from other clans, and that seemed like something that could capture his interest. He flicked his over-sized ear before quickly conjuring up a reply, "My mentor Harefoot is busy. I like him but he's not the most exciting cat. Besides, I'm in Thunderclan all the time. It'd be boring having to talk to those cats that I always have to talk to. And what about you? Why aren't you talking to any cat? If you just sit here like a stick the whole time, I'm sure you'll have about as much fun as one." Houndpaw's chest tightened at the thought of speaking to his clan and as he spoke about the desire to get away and speak to other cats, he found himself realizing how true that was. Thunderclan was his home, without a doubt, and even in his youth he knew that was something that could never change. But it was circumstance and past that haunted his very existence. Dwelling on it would have only made him more uncomfortable, which he would rather not show in front of some strange cat, so he decided to turn the conversation to her instead. ✧

Oakstar dipped his head at Tinystar when the little tom clambered onto the rock with them. His expression bemused as a cat stopped on the way to … glare at an apprentice? Really, was that necessary? He glanced at Jaystar, then back at the she-cat before turning his head to acknowledge Finchstar.

He sympathised greatly for the tom. Having an ill cat back at camp was difficult enough, but when they were so important as well… he looked down at the gathering’s crowd, trying to spot Leopardclaw. A flicker of gold in a patch of ferns caught his eye, and he tilted his head at it briefly before he turned to answer Finchstar properly.

"I pray Swiftstep recovers well, Finchstar. I unfortunately have had a similar experience and understand your concerns." He glanced down at the sleek black tom, who looked thin and small compared to Beartooth. "Congratulations, Raventail." He told the tom in acknowledgement before he shook his head at Finchstar’s next line of questioning.

"It wasn’t good I’m afraid. His injury became infected… in the end, he lost all but one of his lives… He will still continue to be a warrior of ThunderClan, but StarClan has named me it’s leader now." He gestured down to Beartooth in his old place. "Our new deputy is Beartooth… and I’d like to share my new name with all the leaders present." Oakstar looked pointedly at Thornbriar, then looked over to Jaystar. "Is she here to represent ShadowClan?" He asked, assuming as much since she had been striding towards Highrock so confidently before the distraction. He wondered where Scorchstar was… and Wildstrike.

He frowned, remembering the last gathering and StagClan. Had they been removed from ShadowClan’s territory?

His assumption had been right; Beartooth’s answer was short and simple. Still, a response was a response, and Raventail had never been one to abandon a conversation in which he did most of the talking. Besides, he had the ThunderClan deputy’s name now. Small victories. He blinked up at Beartooth, barely resisting the urge to mention just how fitting his bear- prefix was. ”Amberdawn? You mean—“ But Beartooth was already leaving; Raventail sent him off with a friendly flick of his tail. ”From the lake,” the dark tom finished alone, gaze falling on the golden tabby and the group of cats surrounding her, Beartooth now among them. Though he and Amberdawn had never been friends, Raventail remembered how she’d stood before them and told them it was time to go home, and how she’d healed their scratches and bruises after the fight with the dogs. Quiet as she was, she’d made an impression on him.

At a sudden motion in WindClan’s section of the crowd, Raventail turned again. A striped tail waved at him. While he had recognized Mosspaw and Dappleshine instantly, it took him a moment to recall who the tail belonged to—Leafpaw, grinning in his direction, apparently having recognized him and the significance of where he now sat. Except she couldn’t be Leafpaw anymore. Raventail made to stand, but stopped himself just in time; between Beartooth’s potential return and his new position, he was tied to his spot beneath the Great Rock. He’d just have to listen to Tinystar’s announcements, or else find Leafpaw and Dappleshine before they both left. He sighed and gave Leafpaw a wave with his single white paw before she could turn back to Grousefrost and Vinepaw.

A voice from atop the Great Rock drew his attention; it belonged to the tom who’d led ThunderClan into the last Gathering. Raventail tipped his head back to see a flash of dark fur. ”Thanks, Marshstorm.” Talking up at another cat was a little awkward, but he wasn’t going to touch the Great Rock, no way, no thank you, not if he could help it.

Suddenly, it hit him—if Marshstorm was up there, and Beartooth was ThunderClan's new deputy... Though most of the gathered cats couldn't have heard his mistake, his pelt flared white-hot with embarrassment. His first Gathering as deputy, and he'd already gotten a name wrong. Had he been sitting anywhere else in Fourtrees, he wouldn't have cared so much, but...he'd never felt like what he said at a Gathering mattered like this before. Not for the first time, Raventail wished he'd gone to talk to Dappleshine or Leafpaw rather than stay here. He cleared his throat and said in a softer voice, "Um, Marshstar." Surely that had to be the new name ThunderClan's leader was talking about, right?

Looking up at Great Rock, Sunflower grew confused as to why Leopardstar wasn't there. Maybe the tom was simply sick, which seemed to happen every so often, even with leaders. And then there was the ShadowClan deputy, Thornbriar, who'd led ShadowClan to the gathering and was making a fuss over some apprentice. What in StarClan's name was happening to the leaders and were their absences somehow connected?

OOC: Sunflower of SkyClan and Daisyflame of ShadowClan are free to talk to.

In the midst of the ThunderClan warriors strolling into the Gathering was Copperheart, who had been chosen to go to a Gathering for the first time in quite a bit. He wasn't the type to want to attend these things, but he didn't mind them either. He definitely much preferred staying back home at camp, where the night would be quieter than usual and he would rest easy. This was fine too, he supposed. Perhaps he might encounter Mothpaw again.

Even so, he didn't go out of his way to search for anyone, plopping himself down onto the ground, waiting for the Gathering to be done with.

--

Nightpaw calmly sauntered into the mess of cats in the Gathering. Though his face held no signs of emotion, he was nervous. Pretty nervous. It was his first Gathering, and he wasn't sure what to do. Was he obligated to go up and converse with someone? Was it awkward to just sit by yourself? He simply shrank into the shadows where the moonlight couldn't hit, hoping no one would notice him. He wasn't much of a noticeable cat, anyway, being how plain he was. So he sat there, hoping this whole ordeal would be over soon.