March Gathering 2020

Heat burned behind Ivystar's eyes as she quickly made her way into Fourtrees, her pelt burning with the desire to get this over with. She wanted nothing more than to make her way back to camp and settle into her new nest with Stormbringer and Honeytongue, to forget the events of the past moon. With them, she could do that. She made no effort to speak to any of her Clanmates on the journey there, simply making the trek through the snow accompanied by the small chitter-chatter of the few apprentices trailing behind her. When she finally came to stand beside the great oaks, she stopped and turned to Stormbringer, tail held high to signal her Clanmates forward, to go on without the two of them. "Keep your chin held high; show no signs of weakness. An attack on our lands is the last thing we need right now. They must not know the depth of the tragedy we face." Nodding at the she-cat, Ivystar took a moment to nudge her with her head, a rare sign of affection that not many got to see. "We will be okay. Let's go." Continuing towards the Great Rock, the silvery she-cat leaped up and sat down, watching her Clanmates disperse throughout the clearing.

Flintstar stepped into Fourtrees, a little surprised to see that RiverClan was already settling in the clearing. He spared a glance behind him at his Clan, before motioning for them to follow him as he padded fully into the clearing and headed toward the Great Rock. His eyes flickered up toward the lone form sitting up there, recognizing the silver pelt of the RiverClan deputy. Was Torrentstar still not given command of his Clan back yet? Or... His gaze fell toward where the deputies sat, watching as another she-cat took her place. ...Something had happened. He had a guess on what, perhaps StarClan had chosen not to only punish Thornstar for her deeds, but he wasn't about to venture that guess out loud. He jumped onto the Great Rock, silently nodding his head toward Ivystar as he took his seat but didn't say a word. He wasn't eager to make small-talk, he never was but this Gathering was one in particular that he wasn't in the mood for. Whatever he needed to know, it would be shared soon enough.

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Honeytongue took in a deep breath as she pushed into the clearing, watching perhaps a little sadly as Ivystar and Stormbringer stepped away to take their places on and near the Great Rock. She always had Stormbringer to sit with at the Gatherings but now that she was deputy, she had her own spot. Which was fine, she was happy for her! It was just a shame that they couldn't get their cuddles in... She shook her head, settling down as she turned to see that ShadowClan had arrived...Being lead by their deputy once again. Her whiskers twitched, curious on where Thornstar was. She had been absent from the last Gathering but she couldn't recall if Flintshard had stated anything about why she was absent. Hm. She curled her tail around her paws, a little unsure of what to do with herself.

Ravenmist padded slowly into the clearing, by Flintstar’s side. She had never liked Gatherings, but it was time to get over that fear. She had to, if she was going to be a good deputy. So the blind molly stepped up to the base of the stone, taking her place below where her leader had landed. She lacked sight to see what was going on, but her whiskers and ears were sensitive to every small movement near her. She would be fine.

The deputy decided to take her mind away from those worries, and focus on the gathering cats. Ivybrook was here, Torrentstar was not. Had StarClan punished him, like they had punished Thornstar? When would the killing stop?

Mothglow had crossed the point of pretending nothing was wrong. Her usual smile was absent in the wake of Thornstar's death and StarClan's ultimatum, and she couldn't seem to find any sort of silver lining. She'd felt this looming darkness and this crushing grief before, true, but that didn't make it easier to bear. The sun rose and fell, the moon followed suit, and life carried on; but something about it just felt wrong. The Gathering, at least, she had to attend - to defend her mother's memory, if she had to, because one mistake shouldn't condemn everything she'd ever done; to introduce her apprentice to her fellow medicine cats. She would carry on, driven by love and memories as much as she'd ever been, but something else lingered underneath them as she glanced up at the sky. It had felt like home to her, once, but now it carried the sting of betrayal; and Mothglow carried a thin veil of anger that rested beneath all her feelings and her thoughts.

Now, though, she took her place in the medicine cats' usual meeting spot. They'd have questions, she was sure, when the truth of what had happened came into the light - that it had been StarClan themselves to take her mother's life, the very same night they had gathered to speak with them. And she would have to find it in her, somewhere, to give them answers.

Stormbringer had followed Ivystar closely. It was her first gathering as a deputy. She didn't doubt her ability but she couldn't help but be nervous. She nodded in response to Ivystar's words. She wouldn't show any weakness if she couldn't help it. A slight rumble of a purr left the deputy when Ivystar had showed her affection.

The gray warrior followed shortly after her leader. Stormbringer only pausing on her way to the base of the rock to brush against Honeytongue, showing her golden friend some affection as well before settling at the base of the the great rock. She dipped her head to the other deputy, who had settled nearby. "Greetings." Stormbringer said to Ravenmist.

Nightpaw skipped into the gathering. He ran around excitedly as only Shadowclan and Riverclan were here. Plus he had too much energy.

OOC: Nightpaw is open to talk to!

Redpaw followed Ravenmist closely into the clearing as Flintstar led ShadowClan in, sitting down near her mentor, wrapping her tail neatly around her paws. She was glad to see the turn of the seasons, the bitter cold waning and paving the way for warmth and new growth. She'd never seen the world in anything but it's snowy state, and she looked forward to the new days ahead.
The scent of RiverClan hung strong in the air, and she almost curled her lip at the unfamiliarity of the scent, the heavy fishy scent driving out most of the other scents in her nose.
I know we eat frogs and toads sometimes but imagine making your entire diet out of fish...

((ooc: red is open to talk! fair warning though, she's not super friendly))

Shadestrike, after being with her kits, was not able to join last gathering. But now, they were apprentices, meaning that she could actually go this time. Her eyes shone with excitement because it was her first meeting as a warrior too. She followed the group led by Flintstar and sat in the group with her clan, a little further away since she wanted to meet some new cats.

Eveningpaw ran past her mother and sat next to Mothglow, before wrinkling her nose at the scent of Riverclan. "Is that Riverclan, Mothy?" She asked her mentor, wrapping her fluffy tail around her. Eveningpaw's eyes were vivid in blue and yellow, each to their respective sides. "It smells... fishy." She joked.

Applepaw padded into the clearing behind Ivystar. He looked around for someone to talk to. He shook out his ginger pelt and sat down, waiting for someone to approach him.

Beneath the frozen canopy of bare branches, a large group of cats walked silently across the snow. The large dark-pelted tom in the lead as he strode confidently through the snowy drifts. Just after the last gathering, he had lost a life to a snake’s attack… yet he lived. StarClan, for all his concern about the new prophecy, had allowed him to keep his lives. If he was down to his last, as Leopardstar and Blizzardstar had been forced to before, he was certain that he would have been shown or told.

Still, the weight of his clanmates rested heavily on his shoulders. He had to protect them. He had to protect ThunderClan’s way… despite an uneasy feeling in his chest. His usual prayers to starclan had faltered in uncertainty. The clearing was left empty on nights he knew he should have gone. Now, he had to lead his clanmates to a gathering beneath StarClan’s skies.

He shook off his feelings of doubt and concern. His gaze went to Highrock, and to the she-cat that had stood upon it last gathering. Ivy… would it be Ivystar now? He frowned, worried for his friend as he lead the clan into the clearing and leapt onto Highrock.

Icepaw followed Oakstar. It was her first gathering so she stuck fairly close to Thunderclan. She didn’t know what to do, or how to act. She sat down and patiently waited for Oakstar or someone else to speak. She was to scared to speak during the gathering. Her snowy pelt blending into the snow.

Cherrypaw followed Icepaw into the clearing, glancing around at the other Clans that had already gathered. By looks and scent, RiverClan and ShadowClan had already arrived, and she sat down, silently watching those around her.

Redpaw turned her attention to the arriving ThunderClan cats, their distinctive smell joining the scents that already cluttered the air.

((ooc: cherry is also open to talk!))

Cedarpaw followed Oakstar, excitedly. She had loved the past Gathering. She sat down, looking for someone to talk to.

Daisypaw nervously followed Oakstar, nervous of the events to come. She sat down near the Thunderclan cats, watching her father.

(Apple, Daisy, and Cedar are open to talk)

Ravenmist lifted her muzzle, taking in the scents that had entered the clearing. ThunderClan was here. The hollow was getting more crowded. More noise, more cats shuffling and running around. Only after a few moments had she realized the RiverClan deputy had spoken to her. “Greetings. Is this your first Gathering as deputy? It’s mine, too.”

Her nerves managed to leak through, into her voice, as the blind molly dipped her head, a polite gesture, she supposed, in a formal situation such as this. She decided to leave the questions about the Clan to the leaders, and get to know the other deputies on a more personal level. Perhaps a bad choice, if they were ever in battle, but Ravenmist much preferred to have friends than enemies. RiverClan and ShadowClan had been allies when her father was leader, and though tensions were higher now she figured it was still alright to show friendliness.