April Gathering 2020

In a flash of something- fear, stupidity, defiance, Larkpaw stood up and joined the protesters. Her voice was a soft quaver, but it was still there. She glanced at Crowspirit before standing up. ”Clan cats are honorable because we want to be. I-it’s a choice. If we only follow the code because we’re afraid, we aren’t really warriors anymore.”

Her gaze flashed up to the five cats and she let out a small sigh. I probably shouldn’t have said that. I bet I’ll be punished. But aren’t I supposed to speak my mind?

Crowspirit lunged forward at the StarClanner’s threats, passion seeming to have broken through his fear, though he made no attack. His voice dropped with malice, fury, some protective instinct that had always been particularly strong in the white-patched tom. “Back off! I don’t care if you’re StarClan or not, lay one paw on my Clan and I’ll test your mortality.” He wasn’t speaking only for Finchstar. But for Morningpaw, his sweet youngest daughter. For Spotlake, his beloved mate. For Goldengale and Grousefrost, devoted parents. Larkpaw, his eager apprentice. Ploverpuddle, his wise mentor. His entire Clan. And he planned to make good on his words. He’d stand and fight.

Ravenmist nodded once in agreement with her apprentice, and her resolve was strengthened. ”I cannot speak for Flintstar, but I will stand with Smokepaw, Morningpaw, Swansong. Kill me if you wish, but I will never lay a paw on any cat undeserving. I might be blind, but it seems like I see better than any of you star-ridden fools. Death is not a fair punishment for anything but killing, and if you kill any of my Clanmates, I will find a way to enact the death penalty on you.” Could StarClan die? She didn’t know. But the blind deputy trusted her own heart, and the Code over these dead cats. And this was against everything she believed in.

"StarClan, as you call yourselves." Finchstar couldn't hide the fear in his bones, his yellow eyes grew wide with every flash, watching his clanmates fall mercy to the false prophets that now surrounded the clearing. "It is me you want, not my clanmates. Strike me down if you wish, but lay another paw on those I love and I will kill you slowly. Each of my remaining lives will be spent tearing the flesh from your pelt. My song is love, but I am a warrior, as are we all. Your quarrel is with me. Kill me, and leave my clan alone. That is my last request. Let your murder speak for StarClan's values. Let all the clans see how you deal with insubordination. If there will be no trial, if there will be no justice, then blindly kill me as you ought to do."

Everyone was so quick to jump into action, so quick to tell these dead cats that they will tear their fur off if they laid any claw on Windclan. Here stood in front of them was five cats that had no complaint in striking down two young leaders. Two leaders who had many lives in store. Did they not pay attention to what Flintstar had said? Now they are expecting to be able to stop these cats?

Ploverpuddle was frozen in his spot unsure how to react. His yellow eyes were wide with fear. He couldn't let anything happen to Finchstar.. He couldn't let them touch his clan but all of these protests.. these objections.. They weren't going to stop anything.

He clenched his teeth... He stood up. Pushing himself forward presenting himself to the leaders knowing his heritage was an impurity.. But maybe just maybe if he offered himself if he stepped up... Maybe Finchstar wouldn't have to die.

"Excuse me.." He started his voice shakey but he spoke loudly hoping to catch their attention. "I don't believe killing Finchstar is going to solve anything... As you can see it will only make Windclan as a whole angry. Is there something... I am sure you know my history.. Is there something.. Is there some punishment I can take instead of Finchstar?" He wanted to appease them. Maybe just maybe this would fix things.

Flintstar watched in mute silence as the StarClan cats started to speak, fanning out to...Mingle with the cats that were trapped in the clearing with them. His eyes darted from form to form, praying that none would draw to close to his siblings, to Freckleface, ears perked to listen to each of the cats spoke in turn. That was, until a WindClan cat spoke up and was struck down for it. The leader flinched, eyes falling back onto the large tom that had struck the cat - the same tom who had slain Thornstar those moons ago. While one of the other StarClan cats called out Brackenstar - That was the murderer's name, Brackenstar - it did little to comfort the leader as he waited. Waited for the cats - the Righteous Few - to make clear why they had come. And then the order was given.

Strike down Finchstar.

His head swung to stare toward the WindClan leader, mouth opening to say something but the words failed him. They...He was to strike down Finchstar? He had always known that the tom's brash words were going to bring the wrath of the Stars but to make the other leaders act as their claws. A soft rage boiled in the tom's stomach. They had already killed Torrentstar and Thornstar, what made Finchstar so different that they weren't willing to do it themselves? But the anger soon started to shimmer away as he realized that all eyes were on the leaders, to see who would move forward. But they were locked in silence, weighing the choice before them and he turned his gaze to Ivystar.

For as much as he didn't like Finchstar, this was something he...Wasn't sure he could do. This was not fair. This was not rightious. Finchstar did not deserve to be struck down here and now despite his brash words, not by their claws - not when the tom had done nothing to them. But he had also promised an alliance with Ivystar - to join RiverClan's side in need be and they had two had spoken of their goal being the same. To protect their Clan. If...If Ivystar thought this was worth it, then perhaps... Then he suppose he would have no choice. He had to protect his family, he had to protect...

Smokepaw?

His ears twitched at the sound of his brother's voice, a chill running down his spine as his gaze snapped away from Ivystar's to stare down at the crowd - at where his half-brother was snarling at the StarClan cats. No, no, no, no! Smokepaw was - he couldn't! Flintstar had to protect him! His heart started to race as Smokepaw went on, calling the StarClan cats out on tearing away his family - both of his parents even if he had only ever known one. And that he was not afraid of sharing the same fate. Flintstar wanted to shout out at his brother, to beg him to stand out but...

Smokepaw was right. He was so right. The cats...They were using fear to control him - he had known it from the moment that they had struck down Thornstar and had admitted it so to Mothglow. He was afraid, afraid of sharing the same fate as his mother so he would follow along. At least until he could not protect ShadowClan that way any longer. Yet here Smokepaw was, testing that loyalty. Slowly...Flintstar's eyes slide to the StarClan leaders, muscles bunching as he waited. Waited to see what they would do. He could hear more cats starting to speak up - standing with Smokepaw. He even heard Ravenmist's voice join the crowd, his own deputy. He...

...She was his heart. That had always been her duty as his deputy. That was why he had chosen her - to help push him down the right path. To help him understand emotions when he failed, to help keep his fear from blinding him in a moment much like this. Flintstar's head turned ever so slightly as Finchstar spoke up, commending the StarClan cats for their actions - to strike him down personally. Flintstar blinked, his expression having shifted back to his normal solemn features. ...For now, he was done with his fear. He would not raise a claw against Finchstar. Not here, not now. So instead, his gaze shifted back to the StarClan cats - to see what they would do in the face of this rebellion...His muscles tensed and ready to leap down there if any dared raise a claw against those he had sworn his life to protect.

Dappleshine's ears lowered as she hissed at the starry leader that had woven by her, laying a tail on Cherryblossom's back. "Stay away from my granddaughter, you foxheart." She spat as the she-cat had already turned to make her way to the living leaders, joining them where they stood. Her eyes narrowed further, furry tail lashing as that cat faced the other leaders, making a demand that made her freeze in place, dread lancing down her back. Commotion on the far side of the clearing pointed her ears briefly towards Morningpaw and two more starry leaders, but as she looked Goldengale stepped forward beside the apprentice and her mentor, taking a stand next to her brother and half brother. With that, she turned her focus back to her daughter and granddaughter - wait, granddaughters now, another young she-cat having come to press herself to her daughter's side. "Finchstar.... Be careful...," she whispered, trying to hear past the yowls from other clan cats to know what was going on with the leaders.

---

As Crowspirit had come closer to her, Goldengale instinctively stood from her place at Grousefrost's side. Briarthorn spoke up, only to be struck down quickly, to her dismay. Clovertwist moved to their half-brother's side, and as Crowspirit stepped forward as well she placed her tail over her mate's shoulder before taking a stand on the other side of Morningpaw, looking down on the starry figure that had placed herself between the others. Her blue eyes held no fear, but her tail tip twitched warily as she glanced towards Aspenheart as she lowered her head to Morningpaw. "Well spoken, Morningpaw. I stand at your side."

---

Mossbloom looked to Aspenheart as he yowled and nodded, what he said was absolutely right. They were here - but why? For what? The starry figures toyed with the gathered cats for a moment before one made her way to join the leaders, demanding they punish Finchstar. She shuddered, green eyes wide as she looked to WindClan's leader. Were they really sentencing him to death for speaking out against them? Had Finchstar done something more? She knew Finchstar, he wouldn't abandon his clan or do something to jeopardize their well-being.... Would he? No, she was confident he wouldn't, despite the calmly spoken, honey-sweet words from the short she-cat who had spoken to Aspenheart as a clanmate. Her eyes searched the crowd for the ThunderClan cats, finding each one that had accompanied them for this Gathering. As she found them all, she breathed a sigh of relief, hoping it would stay the way... Not just for ThunderClan, but for all of the clans. She had never heard of these "Righteous Few", but one thing was for sure, she didn't like them, and didn't like what they were requesting. As more and more voices spoke out against them, she wondered what would happen next.

Spotlake watched as cats stood up against the Starclan cats. And among them was, Morningpaw and Crowspirit. Spotlake watched in terror. No. No! It was dangerous to do that! Starclan could easily get rid of them. Spotlake didn't want to lose another kit and her mate. Weaving through the crowd, Spotlake stood behind Crowsprirt.

"Crowsprirt, love, please don't. Please don't attack them. Their way stronger then you are. The easily killed Thornstar and Torrentstar, two leaders, with newborn kits. Their not afraid to strike down a cat that dare speaks against them." Said Spotlake, her voice a trembling whisper, like a baby bunny about to be prey for a dog several times the size of a cat. Spotlake didn't want to loose another one of her loved ones. She didn't want to loose them, like how she lost her littermates and her oldest kit. She wasn't ready to loose them.

Nightwolf watched as cats spoke up. He was curious. But not curious as to why the Starclan cats were down her, or why the cats spoke up when those Starclan cats could easily punish them. No he was curious for a much different (and more stupid) reason. "What does strike down mean?" Nightwolf asked quietly. The answer would certainly make him scared, but he didn't know that. All he wanted to know was what strike down meant.

Cedarpaw nodded looking at the other protesting. ”Anyone one of these cats you condemn, they would die for their clan in an instant. Blood doesn’t matter. I know warriors who didn’t have an ounce of Thunderclan blood that were the most loyal warriors of all. So why do you kill them? I will defend any of these “impure” cats with my life. So I stand with Morningpaw, and these others!” she said, walking towards the apprentice and the others gathered around. She glared at the cats, angered by the unfair deaths, ready to do what it takes.

Moonpaw felt her own arguments rise up. Perhaps out of bravery or most likely stupidity, she spoke up despite the little voice in her mind nagging her, saying she didn't need to worry about anything because she had pure blood. "I agree with Morningpaw and everyone else who believe StarClan is wrong. Blood doesn't mean everything. Some of the most loyal warriors started out as loners or rogues, or even kittypets. What counts isn't blood, but the amount of effort they put in to be a good and loyal warrior." Moonpaw growled, weaving through the crowd to join cats who had spoken up, glaring defiantly at the StarClan cats. She didn't care that they were her ancestors. She only knew that what they were doing was unfair, and she couldn't stand aside and let it happen, even at the cost of her life.

Ferretdance felt like ants were crawling through his pelt. Morningpaw had started something, the entire gathering had an entirely different energy to it now. The closeness of the starry leaders was incredibly uncomfortable, though, and it took a great force of will for the ruddy ticked tom to move himself, placing himself between the she-cat who had spoken to Olivestone and Morningpaw and the two she-cats in question. He didn't care if her words had been kind, he didn't want his sister or her apprentice that close to any of these cats. It had to be a mind game or something. He watched as others, especially other WindClanners, spoke up, and felt his heart begin pounding like it did when he was running as fast as he could across the moor. He felt a little nauseous.

He was a coward, wasn't he? If Morningpaw and the other apprentices were speaking up in support of Finchstar, then surely he should be capable of it as well. That was the cat who had given him his warrior name! Ferretdance had never questioned his leadership, although he might have thought the leader was a bit too outspoken against these powerful tyrants. For that was what they were, striking fear into the forest. He had never been to a gathering where he had not been terrified of something like this happening, he realized. Loss had been such a part of his life, from his parents to his parent figures, that it hadn't taken much to paralyze him with the fear of more. But it hadn't helped. He could still be losing cats he cared about and respected, and he was not as brave as they were.

He did not want to lose Finchstar, who so willingly threw himself into harm's way for the good of WindClan.

"Finchstar has never abandoned me. I cannot abandon him, either." He spoke up.

---

Viperpaw felt so much more reassured when Smokepaw came up on her other side. She felt much less lost with a warm body on either side of her. Then he exploded, and she could feel her paws shaking, and she could do no more than crouch there. If not for Redpaw's tail around her shoulders, she would have been sprinting for Flintstar. She still had that same little kit inside of her that was screaming for her mother, only to be faced with her still body. It was hard to block out the voice of her past self that she could still hear ringing in her ears. She wanted to press her head down in between her front legs, to physically close her ears to the desperate pleas for their mother to wake up. To block out the rage and accusation being spat from her brother's mouth.

She couldn't. She felt her paws shaking, still, but she managed to pick herself up, to stand next to Smokepaw and Redpaw, her fluffy pelt brushing both of their sides. If they stood, she would stand with them. Her brother was right. What holy spirits would kill their mother and their father long before they had even reached their sixth moon? Not ones that Viperpaw wanted to follow. No, she would follow Flintstar, and Smokepaw, and Redpaw. The ones that were here, and present for her. What was the point in trying to impress these ancient beings when her very birth made her soiled in their minds? She wanted to hiss and spit at them, to throw what they had done in their faces like Smokepaw had done, but it would do no good. Her silent solidarity would be just as good, if not better.

Almost immediately Dacedream became aware of Jaypaw's presence, as well, as the pale patched tom practically threw his body beneath hers in an effort to find shelter from the terror. The tortoiseshell queen hunkered awkwardly now over the top of her son, one foreleg wrapped around her fox-pelted daughter while her tail held her smallest daughter close. There was little she could do but hiss as a massive sleek-pelted tabby wove through the crowd near herself and her children and mother. Despite the taunting movement, the starry she-cat clearly wasn't invested in their presence beyond tormenting them. She ignored Dappleshine's warning and simply carried on to address the rest of the gathered Clans. Unable to relax, Dacedream simply huffed and stared anxiously.

The first words that the she-cat spoke made little sense to Dacedream beyond the existing threats that had already been explicitly given. Savior to liberate us? What's she talking about? she wondered, her fear driving any of her historical knowledge from her mind. Dacedream watched as the she-cat turned her attention to the leaders on the Great Rock, and after some "reminders" of their duties as leaders, she gave them a cruel demand: strike down Finchstar. Dacedream gasped and pulled her kits close, squeaking, "Th-They can't do that! This is a Gathering!" The protests were small at first, but one a lanky WindClan apprentice spoke up even in the face of a starry warrior suddenly they were crying out.

Dacedream wasn't one of them. She crouched down further and whimpered, "Don't get involved, my loves, please - they killed mawmaw and pawpaw. We're in danger. Be quiet and be good." She turned her green-hazel eyes helplessly to her mother, who had looked back with a distraught expression. "Momma, Oakstar wouldn't lay a paw on him - I-I don't think the other leaders will either. Everything will be okay. He-He'll be okay." The clearing was alive with protesting yowls now, and Dacedream was terrified. How could everyone defy StarClan? Yet how could StarClan demand this of them, on a night of peace no less?

---

Clovertwist's horrified request was met by an equally panicked stare. Aspenheart's green eyes gazed wide and worried into Clovertwist's pale amber ones for a long time, and the fear the warrior felt compounded when he realized Aspenheart knew of them... but whatever knowledge he held meant nothing. This was all a shock to him. Clovertwist turned his head to look with even greater anxiety at the dark she-cat who addressed the forest, once more threatening justice upon those who broke the code. His stomach knotted with anxiety as the she-cat cried, "StarClan bows to us Righteous Ones, few yet mighty!" That didn't sound right - StarClan didn't have ranks, did they? He'd always been told all StarClan cats were equal and powerful. Why should any bow to another?

The starry cat yowled about a savior who had been sent to free the Clans of their treachery but fallen victim to it himself. Clovertwist glanced aside at Aspenheart, thinking, She... must be referring to the battle with Lichenmask. Barleytuft mentioned how he'd thought of himself as a savior. But Lichenmask had failed, and now this StarClan-above-StarClan was demanding change themselves. Or, rather, demanding change of the leaders. What this strange she-cat demanded was horrific: she wanted them to strike down Finchstar for being a blemish on the purity of the Clans.

"No, you can't!" Clovertwist croaked, overcome with shock as he stared up at the Great Rock. The leaders exchanged looks - even the normally stoic ShadowClan leader's face seemed to swim with emotion - but none moved. The first sign of acknowledgement came in the form of protest... from Morningpaw, of his own Clan. Clovertwist's ears flattened against his head as he listened to her bold words despite a threatening starry black-and-white tom approaching her. He couldn't help but agree, but his fear on Morningpaw's behalf kept him from speaking - especially when Badgerstar threatened to force her to share Finchstar's fate of being killed. Clovertwist's kinked tail lashed. At his side, however, Aspenheart surprised him by calling out to his Clan... asking them to stand down.

Clovertwist swiveled his head to stare dumbfounded and incredulous at Aspenheart. "You can't expect us to sit here and do nothing while someone makes a pelt out of Finchstar?" he asked with horror. Almost immediately his attention was drawn away from Aspenheart again by the sounds of continued protest in the crowd. Morningpaw hadn't stood down. More cats were joining in as well, cats from other Clans - not just WindClan. Another apprentice here, a warrior there. More apprentices. More warriors. Crowspirit, and the ShadowClan deputy as well.

The next voice to speak up was Finchstar's, and Clovertwist immediately turned to look at him. He protested, "Finchstar, no! Don't let them win!" But things grew worse as suddenly Plovepuddle's voice called out. Clovertwist left Aspenheart and Briarthorn then, pushing through the crowd while Ploverpuddle offered to take the punishment for Finchtsar. Clovertwist burst through at his large friend's side and said pleadingly, "Ploverpuddle, you can't - they want to kill him, they'll kill you too!" Clovertwist turned to face the starry cats and stated firmly, "We're loyal to WindClan - all of us! Finchstar has done nothing wrong and neither have we! You can't do this. This isn't justice, and this isn't honorable! You can't tell any cat to obey your code when you immediately tell them to break it by - by killing in cold blood!"

Morningpaw spoke out, and, one by one, the forest joined her. A voice from ShadowClan, from SkyClan; Batbite, not in open protest, but, if Raventail knew her at all, likely not in support. Then came Larkpaw. Crowspirit. Ravenmist, beside him in the Great Rock’s shadow. They couldn’t outnumber StarClan, but here in Fourtrees, they could at least match the Righteous Few. Ploverpuddle, offering to sacrifice himself. Ferretdance. Clovertwist.

Finchstar, promising revenge—but accepting his fate all the same.

”Finchstar’s done more for WindClan than you ever have.” Raventail’s voice shook despite his efforts to steady it. He’d never been known for pretty words; he certainly wouldn’t have any now. What mattered was adding his voice to the others. Strength came in numbers, after all. ”Where were you when the beasts killed our Clanmates? Where were you while we were dying of greencough? You abandoned us. Finchstar never did. He’s led us so far,” he said, unsheathing his claws. The moon was already covered—how much longer could he afford to wait? ”He’ll lead us through this.”

---

Realizing his crawl had finally brought him to RiverClan’s part of Fourtrees, Snowpaw relaxed just a bit—mostly because “a bit” was all he could manage with the Righteous Few’s words booming all around him. He had nothing to worry about. RiverClan had nothing to worry about anymore. Just in case, he glanced around until he caught sight of his siblings, many of them huddled together. The next cat he spotted was his mentor. Tossing the Gathering night rules aside, he broke into a run. Once he reached her, he planted himself beside her and fixed his eyes on his paws. Something occurred to him after a moment; he pressed his ear into Stormbringer’s short gray fur until the crowd’s protests quieted.

He’d heard about Thornstar. He’d even seen Torrentstar’s body before they’d figured out what had happened to him. Both were nothing compared to witnessing the stars themselves threaten a leader, especially now that he knew what the outcome might be. Somewhere beneath about twenty layers of fear, he felt small as a minnow. ”Is every Gathering like this…?” he murmured.

Moonpaw spoke up defiantly, and Willowpaw couldn’t keep it in anymore. “I-I think that the Clans should help everyone in need.” She whispered quietly. No one seemed to hear her, so she raised her voice a bit. “I think that the Clans should help everyone in need.” With that said, Willowpaw shrank back, and tried to make herself seem like a tiny ball of white fur.

As the ginger apprentice's fur bristled, he was about to say something when his sister gently pushed past him. "This is not StarClan. The StarClan I met were gentle, kind, loving. This is wrong! How can you call this justice?" She started off quiet, thoughtful, but her last sentences were a screech, defiance plain as day.  Ravenmist, Swansong, Smokepaw, Cedarpaw, Moonpaw, Willowpaw,  cats that had been mere names before felt like kin to her. Morningpaw had started this blaze, and Softpaw would be dead before she let it die. These starry flea-pelts would never lay a whisker on her Clanmates, or any Clan cat.

Aspenheart told her to stand down. Her mentor, her Clanmate, her friend. But she couldn't. Why were they also on opposite sides? The irony. "I'm sorry, Aspenheart, but I can't," she mewed pleading, desperate to make him understand. "If we won't make a stand for justice, for the right thing, who will? These are our Clanmates. My job is to heal, if I were to stand back and allow another to kill a fellow cat, what does that make me? I'd be as guilty as the cat who struck him down." She shook her head, turning her gaze to Galestar.

Finchstar was willing to die for all these cats, even ones outside his Clan. "If I make a deal with you, will you spare Finchstar's life?" She mewed, blue eyes confidently meeting Galestar's. She padded up to her until she was a tail-length away.

"Softy, no! You can't do that!" Downpaw pleaded, green eyes wide, desperation and- and fear in his voice. He watched in stunned horror as the next words tumbled from his beloved sister's mouth.

"My life for Finchstar's. I defied you at the Moonstone, I encouraged Finchstar's pursuit of love, I embraced it. Take my life instead of Finchstar's. If you must kill someone, kill me. I won't stop you."

Galestar looked towards Ploverpuddle with curiosity in her gaze, remaining still. Then young Softpaw stepped in front of her, and the starry leader tilted her head down at the medicine cat apprentice as she spoke, patiently hearing all the young she-cat had to say. Once she was satisfied that those in her charge had spoken, she lowered her head to Softpaw's, in the same manner that she had Morningpaw just moments before. "Young Softpaw, your resolve is admirable, but I truly did give Finchstar a chance. I came and spoke to him myself a couple moons ago, after his heart and lungs could no longer handle the disease of greencough stealing the life from them. I offered him a different path, another chance to do the right thing for himself, and for you all. He ignored that, instead throwing it in my face. I do wish it hadn't come to this, my dear, but I did all I could, and our minds are made up. I did far more than my companions did for Torrentstar and Thornstar, and there's only so much that I can do on my own. I do hope that someday, somehow, you will understand. I'm sorry, kitten. I only want what is best for WindClan."

With that, the starry leader touched her nose to Softpaw's and sent her to a peaceful slumber, breathing deep and mind blank until morning. Hopefully that would help ease the pain of what was to come for the young one. Picking her up oh so gently, Galestar padded to Aspenheart's side, nestling the little she-cat at his paws tenderly, as if she were her own kit. She then turned towards Finchstar, eyes lit with grief and anger. Perhaps the words and cries of the gathered cats had shaken her resolve slightly, made her doubt the choice they had made, but something needed done. She had personally visited Finchstar, after all, and given him far longer that she had initially planned to redeem himself. That was plenty enough chance for him to even discuss with his clan, but no, he had kept that a secret from them as well, not even sharing it with his medicine cats. Finchstar was selfish, caring only about himself in his pursuit of "love", not caring who he hurt or endangered along the way. He had to be stopped.

In the blink of an eye, the small WindClan cat stood atop the Greatrock, looking up to meet Finchstar's gaze. "I gave you a chance. You turned your back on the opportunity I gave you. You were content to continue leading WindClan down a path bordered with heartache and torment, and had no issue with refusing to reveal the truth of that to them. I loved once, Finchstar, and I chose the duty to my clan over the love that I held, leading my clan to peace and prosperity. Despite the warnings, despite the chances I provided you, you still chose to mock us, to mock me. I entrusted WindClan to you in the belief that you would lead them well. I will, however, grant you what you denied your clan, a swift, painless death. No more stalling." With that, the she-cat reached up and touched her nose to Finchstar's, stripping him of his lives silently and painlessly before he crumpled to the ground. Wordlessly she looked down upon his body before picking it up and carrying it gingerly to the ground, placing it in the clearing before disappearing in a flurry of stars. Her work here was done, but what had it cost?

Finchstar will never lead another Gathering again.