May Gathering 2020 [Sitewide Plot Finale]

Minkstream felt fire rise in his chest, though he reluctantly let Dappleshine push him back. Yes, it was her right to take on the monster first, but.... He flexed his claws, feeling a new strength flow to them as calls rang out all around. His turn would come.

And the dam broke with a sickening crack, the apprentice throwing out speeches like a miniature version of Finchstar falling beneath the paws of one of the glowing monsters.

Immediately, the storm broke loose, tension snapping with a hiss and a roar. Pandemonium broke out, Dappleshine lept forward, her claws drawing blood from the cat in front of them, her words lost beneath the pounding sounds of battle and his own heart, the other slashing back. Dace's kits leapt in, Stormpaw with them, but the fox-faced StarClan cat laughed in the face of it, blood on her teeth, blood on her claws. And he felt the rising flow of rage finally break.

Snap.

With a incoherent howl, he leaped forwards, claws slashing into her fur with gratifying sharpness, warm blood welling between them as he bowled into her. For all the pain, for all the agony, for everything - sickness be clawed. She wouldn't hurt another soul, she wouldn't kill anyone else. Not with him and all the others around him to make sure of it.

Minkstream used Run-and-Tackle, dealing -11 of damage and costing 4 SP.

Minkstream:
45/45
116/120(-4)

Stormpaw:
25/25 HP
76/80 SP

Cherryblossom
50/50 HP
118/160 SP

Vixenstar:
11/120 HP (-11)
255/300 SP

Dappleshine:
60/105 HP
262/300 SP

Liondawn rose from the ground and snarled at the two opponents she found herself face to face with. The wounds they had inflicted stung, but she couldn’t help from smiling. Now she had an excuse to sink her claws into some of these wayward, pathetic cats.

“You’ve brought this on yourselves, you know. All of you,” she spat at her enemies “You’ve fallen so far from what you should be. And you must pay the price,”

The muscular golden she-cat retaliated against the first cat who had attacked her, slashing at her face with something that could only be described as wicked glee.

Liondawn used Upright Front Paws against Sparkfire, dealing 19 damage and costing 20 SP

Liondawn:
HP: 88/120
SP: 280/300 (-20)

Sparkfire:
HP: 46/65 (-19)
SP: 196/200

Harefoot:
HP: 105/105
SP: 271/280

OOC: Hopefully I didn't make any mistakes, but if I missed something / messed something up please let me know!

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Nettlefire watched as Morningpaw fell and battle broke out around her. She took a short sharp breath and then immediately ran off to find an opponent.

She soon spotted Robinloft, her former apprentice, and decided to join the battle alongside her. Nettlefire realized it had been a while since she’d been in a real fight. But she wasn’t too worried about being rusty; she was sure her anger would speak for itself. There was certainly a sharp rage fueling her claws as slid into battle and struck at her opponent’s stomach.

Nettlefire used Belly Rake on Cypressflame, dealing 15 damage and costing 4 stamina

Nettlefire:
HP: 105/105
SP: 276/280 (-4)

Cypressflame:
HP: 69/120 (-15)
SP: 265/300

Goldengale:
HP: 46/85
SP: 189/240

Robinloft:
HP: 50/50
SP: 156/160

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Marshcloud shrank back  for a moment.

“Please, no more fighting,” he said desperately, his mind flashing back to the last large battle he had been in. “I don’t want anyone else to die,”

He was scared, and exhausted, and abhorred violence, and for a moment Marshcloud seriously thought about just running. He started to back away, slowly, hoping everyone else was distracted enough that he could slip away.

Until he spotted his apprentice making an attack.

He remembered how she had rushed in when they had fought that owl, even though he hadn’t even gotten the chance to show her how to fight in training yet. And how he’d thought that was so brave. And that he believed he would’ve done the same thing.

I am a coward the thought rang through his groggy mind. I want to be a hero but I am a coward. And I want peace. I really do. I really do hate violence. But I am also just so scared to die.

Marshcloud stopped his retreat, and rushed off to find a nearby opponent. Spotting his former mentor, he jumped into battle alongside him. He was still scared, exhausted, and abhorred violence. But he’d fight on anyway.

Marshcloud used Rear Up to Slash on Kestrelstorm, dealing 9 + 2 damage  and costing 15 SP
Night Finesse is in effect

Marshcloud:
HP: 40/40
SP: 105/120 (-15)

Kestrelstorm:
HP: 86/120 (-11)
SP: 300/300

Moonpaw:
HP: 25/25
SP: 70/80 SP

Daisyflame:
HP: 105/105 HP
SP: 276/280 SP

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Addershade still hadn’t spotted Nightwolf as the fighting broke out around him-- wherever he was, and whoever he was fighting (and Addershade didn’t doubt he was somewhere fighting), he just hoped he was safe.

He vowed to try his best to protect the two sons he had spotted. Especially Snowpaw-- he was still only an apprentice, after all.

Addershade watched as Snowpaw ran off to engage an opponent. Without hesitation, Addershade followed his son into battle. He looked back briefly at Applefang, wondering if he too would follow. Whether or not he did...he was a warrior now. He could take care of himself.

I hope.

It was strange. This was the biggest battle he had ever been in. This was everything he had dreaded his whole life. He expected to be terrified.

And he was terrified. But it didn’t make him want to run away. It made him want to fight with all he had.

And that’s what he would do.

Addershade used Rending Front Paws on Stembreeze, dealing 13 damage and costing 25 SP

Addershade:
HP: 60/60
SP: 175/200 (-25)

Stembreeze:
HP: 92/120 (-13)
SP: 300/300

Snowpaw:
HP: 20/20
SP: 46/50  

Batbite:
HP: 50/50
SP: 156/160

Willowpaw was stuck in the middle of a crowd of yowling cats. She didn’t know what to do. Suddenly, she spotted a pair of cats attacking one of the Righteous Few, one of which was Batbite. She knew that the warrior was weaker, so she charged in to help. She knew that it was reckless, but she did it anyways. Snarling, she slashed a forepaw at the StarClan cat, then dropped down again.

Willowpaw used front paw strike on Stembreeze, dealing 6 damage and costing 10 SP.

Willowpaw:
25/25
70/80

Stembreeze:
86/120
300/300

"You. All of this is happening because of you."

Dawngaze had expected the Righteous Few like everyone else. She sat silently, keeping an eye on Willowpaw but sitting far in the back. The waiting was the worst part. Even the leaders refused to start the Gathering, which meant that everyone from all clans were preparing for the worst. The one-eared she-cat shuddered and looked around the clearing. Had it been like this on that dreaded night? The one where StarClan brought down their wrath on her father, Lichenmask, with the strike of lightning? Why hadn't they sent someone, like now? StarClan had always been cowards. Numbly, Dawngaze stared down at her large webbed paws. Brushgaze had died on this ground. Her beautiful, kind mother laid dead in this place many, many moons ago. Even she hadn't been spared. Why now did any of the rebels here deserve mercy?

The Righteous Few's appearance was abrupt but not surprising. What was surprising was the number of cats with them, big and obviously strong like the leaders. Things were getting ugly, and fast. It seemed the case became more and more personal with every word shouted. What did Dawngaze think? She narrowed her eyes at Vixenstar, the killer of Dacedream. Her sweet former apprentice, the only cat that ever worked herself past Dawngaze's anger and into her heart. And now she was gone, just like Burntstag and Duskpaw and Brushgaze. The difference was that Dacedream hadn't deserved it. Her cursed kin, however, always got what was coming to them. It was the destiny of Lichenmask's inferior-blooded kin to perish. Maybe tonight... maybe...

Before she knew it, Morningpaw fell to one of the ancestors. The tense arguing had gotten right past her, she was so preoccupied with her dismal thoughts and the faint whispers of her siblings' taunts. She immediately looked for Willowpaw, young and still inexperienced in a fight. What would happen if she couldn't reach her in time? What if-

Oakstar.

She locked eyes with the leader through all the crowd. Dawngaze froze, completely still in the midst of a raging battle. Around her, cats screamed and hissed and drew blood, both mortal and deceased. The fact that cats who were already dead could be injured didn't even register in her mind. Instead, all she thought about was Oakstar. His ShadowClan blood had been unceremoniously revealed, and Dawngaze found herself thinking less of him for it. Actually, she was extremely conflicted on how to think of Oakstar. He had found her as a mere kitten in this very place, pressed against her mother's dead body and surrounded by her siblings. He and Dustcloud raised her like a daughter, and every time he looked at her, she could feel his warmth and love like a ray of light. But it made her feel guilty. She wasn't worth the love. She had abandoned ThunderClan to live with her brother in StagClan, then returned to ThunderClan because she had nowhere else to go. She was a filthy half-breed without even a drop of ThunderClan blood. And she was angry, mean, and belittled the cats around her, yet he adored her. For moons, Dawngaze desired to be able to call Oakstar her true father, but she couldn't run from the truth of who she was.

Her identity was what caused the blood and pain that crashed around them. Hers and others like her, outsiders and half-bloods and codebreakers alike. Their presence in the clans was causing the loss of life of innocent cats who did nothing wrong. Dawngaze never should have been taken into ThunderClan, and now they were all paying for it with their lives. Her self-loathing built up in her chest like water welling from a spring. She couldn't save her clan from her existence. Her clan? No, Nettlefire's clan.

You know, if she really thought about it, Oakstar had plenty of chances to stop this. To send her and others like her away for the protection of the innocent. To stop her from ever threatening them in the first place. Yes... he had been killed by the StarClan warriors, or so it was said, because he had refused to cooperate. Again. If Oakstar had denied her reentry into ThunderClan, she could have lived the wretched life of a rogue she truly deserved. If he'd left her behind in the mountains for good, she would be dead like she was supposed to be. If he left her as a small kit, still clinging to her mother's corpse, she wouldn't have experienced the horrific pain of losing all of her siblings and being left alone. They wouldn't whisper to her now, telling her that her very existence would be the cause of Willowpaw's death.

"You. All of this is happening because of you." She meowed it, but it was inaudible among the snarls and yowls. She stood, claws unsheathed, and then charged through the din, never once taking her eyes off of her former leader. Her golden eyes narrowed, filled with fury and a little bit of insanity as she leapt past the crowd, extending her claws and bowling over the leader with a mighty tackle. "You! It was always you!" Dawngaze screamed in Oakstar's face, rationality completely abandoned. She would find relief from this life no matter how this battle ended.

Dawngaze used Run-and-Tackle on Oakstar, dealing 11(+3) damage and using 4 stamina.

Dawngaze:
85/85 HP
236/240 SP

Oakstar:
111/125 HP
300/300 SP

Swansong's words had barely left her maw when Spottedstar called out, and her eyes immediately flicked to him, hope and dread mixing in her chest at the look on his face, the tone of his voice. Still, when the call came, it blindsided her and tore the ground out from underneath her paws.

Leaving? But-

She watched in shock, frozen, as Spottedstar jumped down and went past, and half-turned to keep him in view as he approached Sunflower. For a moment fear rose in her throat, fear that the cat with his tail twined around her brother wouldn't let them go so easily, fear that Sunflower would pay the price. Her fur bristled as he leaned in close to whisper something to the lanky tom, and she took a half step towards them, knowing that she would too late to stop him from hurting her sibling. But after a moment, the starry cat stepped back.

Leaving her to watch, torn, as her Clan streamed from the clearing.

I can't just leave here like nothing happened. Her eyes turned to her deputy, to anyone, but she didn't dare ask them to stay. She'd just told Redpaw he had to make his own choice, and whether to leave was theirs, too. But.... Her eyes fell on the cats in the clearing as they called after her leader, some of them with contempt in their voices, others with bald-faced anger. No. He is not a coward. Paws staying where she'd left them, unmoving, she watched Spottedstar nudge her brother forward, conflict roiling inside her. He's trying to keep us safe.

And yet... condemning us, at the same time.

"This will not end, it will not go away, even if we turn our backs and pretend it doesn't concern us," She whispered after them, pain in her eyes as they fled.

"I'm sorry."

Forcing herself to turn away, she looked back just as one of the StarClanners slashed a clawed paw across the face of one of the medicine cats. Her eyes widened as she saw the drops of blood, the pain written on his face, her pelt bristling up, the storm of tension coming close to breaking. The blood was starting to pound in her ears as the proverbial pine branch laden with snow groaned ever further under the weight bearing it down. It couldn't hold much longer. None of this could.

And when it did break, it tore with a resounding crack.

She watched in agony as the apprentice Morningpaw fought against the starry-pelted tormentor who had called out Spottedstar, hoping against hope, longing against reason. All over again. Yet another trial the innocent could not win, simply because those who were against them held the power, the strength - the sheer brutality - to crush them without preamble.

It felt as though the air vanished from her lungs as Lavenderbreeze rose up on her hind legs, murder glinting in her eyes. The last screech from the apprentice, the last call of defiance, rang out. And fell silent.

Only to be replaced by other voices with a roar.

The pine branch dumped its load, the tension broke into a thousand caterwauls and hisses. It almost seemed like everyone leapt at once, claws unsheathing to shed blood, teeth exposed and glinting red under the silver light of the moon.

Swansong felt it thrum through her veins, and she tensed her muscles, her eyes on the cat who had condemned Morningpaw to die. But before she could, a frantic voice caught at her ears, and she turned with a shock to see Redpaw run up to her. He hadn't left? "Redpaw-" She cut herself off, thoughts running at a million fox-lengths through her mind as she searched his face. She couldn't tell him to leave if he stayed. And he had. His choice.... She took a deep breath. "Remember what you did when we fought that raccoon? That's all you need to do; be brave enough to fight against it."

She turned to face the cat who had callously knocked down Morningpaw just a fox-length away - others already fighting against her - determination glinting in her eyes. "Follow me."

She leaped forwards, white claws shining with the light of the moon glinting as they unsheathed to draw blood from another cat.

For Morningpaw, for Moonlight... and for all the innocent cats you have slaughtered.

"You have made your last mistake."

Swansong used Jumping Strike, causing 10 damage and using 14 SP.

Swansong:
50/50
146/160 (-14)

Olivestone:
85/105 HP
223/280 SP

Lavenderbreeze:
65/120 HP (-10)
250/300 SP

Crowspirit:
50/50 HP
145/160 SP

Sunspark winced as Ivystar once again lunged at him, knocking the breath out of him and sending him tumbling to the ground. Blood made skid marks on the ground as he fell. Jumping onto his feet yet again, he hissed at the RiverClan leader. She was certainly proving to be troublesome, he was not as good a fighter as his peers and Ivystar was definitely taking a lot out of him. He sighed inwardly, knowing that what he was about to do was cowardly and weak. He had no choice though, if things carried on like this he'd lose. Rushing over to attack Ivystar once again, he closed his jaws around her throat and bit down hard. Blood pooled around his teeth as they sunk into her flesh and Sunspark almost shuddered, hating the taste.
------------
[b]Sunspark used Killing Bite on Ivystar, killing Ivystar and costing -10 SP.

Ivystar:
105/125 HP
292/300 SP

Sunspark:
69/120 HP
275/300 SP

Frostpaw snarled in anger at the Righteous Few, not wanting to back down. She hissed at a random Righteous Few cat, and launched. Diving down, she scratched the cat’s underbelly, then leaped up again. Just then, she saw one of the Righteous Few cats bite onto Ivystar, the RiverClan leader’s neck. She gasped, fear turning to rage. Whipping her head around, she snarled at the cat she just attacked. “You...LOOK AT WHAT YOU RIGHTEOUS FEW HAVE DONE! LOOK! Look at this madness, see how you have poisoned the ranks of StarClan with your righteousness.” Anger made her want to kill whomever had attacked the RiverClan leader, but she kept her cool, knowing that she would most likely get killed.

Frostpaw used belly rake, costing 4 SP and dealing 7 damage

Frostpaw:
25/25
76/80

Whinchatswirl:
97/120
285/300

Owlstar's eyes followed Spottedstar and the rest of SkyClan as they retreated, grinning at Sunflower as he slunk away. He'd be back for the lanky warrior, but for now... it seemed like things were getting interesting here. He'd barely had time to turn back and engage in the chaos before it engaged him, in the form of a small cat clinging to his back, and then, just as quickly, two more joining in on the fray.

The starry leader grinned, flexing his shoulders as if the weight of Freckleface on his back meant nothing to him. "This is it? There should be more of you." Shifting his weight, Owlstar let his left legs collapse under him and with a purposeful grunt, ducked his head and twisted beneath Freckeface, landing on his back and then bolting to his feet in the same swift movement. His parasite removed, he shook his fur, a wild look in his eyes. "Come on, then!" he roared.


Owlstar used Duck-and-Twist, cancelling the effects of Freckleface's Leap-and-Hold and costing 25 stamina. Owlstar is no longer pinned.

Ferretdance
45/45 HP
111/120 SP

Tanglepaw
25/25 HP
76/80 SP

Freckleface:
50/50 HP
156/160 SP

Owlstar
89/120 HP
275/300 SP (-25)


He was already weakened by the sickness, and yet Minkstream was foolish enough to engage with Vixenstar. Rainstrike's claws sank into the dirt as the clearing descended into absolute pandemonium within seconds. But she only had eyes for one cat. One of the ones that didn't belong. Rainstrike dashed forward, her teeth sinking into the tom's tail and jerking him backwards, out of the fight with the starry leader. "What are you doing, mouse-brain?" she said almost tauntingly, placing a paw on the stunned tom's neck. "You're going to get yourself killed."

The concern to any outsider would have looked legitimate, but to Minkstream, the malice in Rainstrike's eyes was obvious. She had pulled him away because he was her prize. Not Vixenstar's.

Rainstrike used Tail-Yank on Minkstream, dealing 6 damage and costing 5 stamina. Minkstream is stunned for one turn.

Rainstrike
65/65 HP
195/200 SP

Minkstream
39/45 HP
116/120 SP

His gaze tinted red at the first scent of blood. A crazed smile fixed itself on Stembreeze's face, and he half-crouched, tail lashing behind him. Who would be his first target? Who would be the first to fall at his paws, their blood seeping into the dirt? Who, who, who? And then the dark she-cat slammed into the StarClan tom, pinning him. Then an apprentice, raking claws along his side, and in quick succession, another tom, and yet another apprentice.

"COWARDS!" he yelped, though there was almost laughter in his tone. He struggled, but Batbite's weight atop him, and the blood seeping from him into the dirt below made him unable to.

Stembreeze is no longer pinned.

Batbite
50/50 HP
156/160 SP

Snowpaw
20/20 HP
46/50 SP

Addershade
HP: 60/60
SP: 175/200

Willowpaw
25/25
70/80

Stembreeze
86/120
300/300

Willowpaw, still in the heat of battle, saw Rainstrike attack Minkstream. Her thoughts flashed towards what Dacedream had said. Her tone...her uncertainty. It hit her like a blow, and she gasped. How hadn’t she realized sooner? Rainstrike was a traitor. She was working with the Righteous Few. She had not helped Dacedream because she didn’t want to get in their way. Rage rose up in her chest, and then it turned into cold, chilling fear. Minkstream was tired, he was sick. Rainstrike was going to kill him. Taking a deep breath, she yowled. “Mossbloom! Rainstrike, Minkstream!” Hoping that the medicine cat had heard her, she desperately sought her out in the sea of the pelts of battling cats. “Mossbloom!” Willowpaw yowled again, this time louder.

Everything was fine.. Ivystar by her side. The leader telling her feelings even in mid battle. Things were fine even for a battle. Stormbringer crouched low watching, waiting on an opening granted by her mate. Amber eyes watched as her leader fought with power ready to save her clan. But then..

Needle like teeth sank in to her leaders neck.. Blood.. So much..

Amber eyes widened with horror. Ivystar was dying.. No.. No no no..

The shock, the fear that filled the gray deputy's system quickly turned to a boiling rage. Her body heating up, amber eyes turning on the dead cat, with a fire burning in her eyes. "You-" She couldn't find the words, she couldn't find an insult and yet words kept leaving her mouth even as she sprung into action.

"You-" Her teeth sank into the cat's scruff, using her anger and the strength she had to lift the dead cat shaking him as harshly as she could muster. She didn't let go for a moment but when she did she tossed the cat.

"YOU." This time she didn't try to add anything else, the word carrying a sense of doom for Sunstrike. Her target was set and this cat was going to die no matter what.

Stormbringer used Scruff Shake dealing 8 damage, -19 SP. Sun is stunned for one turn.

Stormbringer:
105/105 HP
257/280 SP

Sunspark:
61/120 HP
275/300 SP

The member 'Reaper King' has done the following action : Dices roll

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'Effect Dice' : 3

Snarling and spitting at the pain in her face, Sparkfire shook her head vigorously as if trying to dislodge a tick from her ear. Glaring back up at the starry molly before her in rage, she rested up high on her hind paws and unsheathed her claws as far as they would go. With all the strength she could muster, she slashed her claws hard across Liondawn’s muzzle. ”This is for killing my mother!”

Sparkfire used Rear-Up to Slash on Liondawn, dealing 13 damage and costing 9 stamina.

Night Finesse is in affect, dealing an additional +2 damage.

Sparkfire
46/65 HP
187/200 SP (-9)

Liondawn
73/120 HP (-15)
280/300 SP

Harefoot
105/105 HP
271/280 SP

Clovertwist had hated the idea of a one-versus-one battle, but Morningpaw had shown quite quickly she'd gotten all the bravery and irrationality in the family and none of the self-preservation. He had known it would go sour before it did, but there was nothing he could do against the superior wills. He had watched with narrowed eyes, and he yowled in grief and fury as his apprentice rebellion leader was crushed by the thorny claws of Lavenderbreeze. The clearing exploded into action, and before Clovertwist knew it Goldengale and Crowspirit and Briarthorn and all his kin had disappeared into tangling, screeching knots of fur and claws. The WindClan tom watched with horror as RiverClan's leader, Ivystar, was bitten in the throat and dropped to the ground, red running freely from her wound. He took off running, bounding and weaving through the crowd.

As he raced towards the starry murderer he saw Stormbringer, the deputy of the fallen leader. The RiverClan she-cat looked shocked and enraged and heart-broken, and she leaped into the distracted tom to grab his scruff and shake him like a vole. Clovertwist arrived then and threw his unsheathed claws furiously at the starry tom's face, batting and battering. "You're all a bunch of filthy, foxmothering murderers!" he snarled. He didn't know Ivystar personally; he didn't care much for the other leaders... but she hadn't deserved that, and neither had any of the leaders - whatever their mistakes. Clovertwist snarled, ready for the next attack.

Clovertwist used Upright Font Paws on Sunspark, using 14 (20 -6 MC Buff) stamina and dealing 14 damage.

Clovertwist:
85/85 HP (+5 MC Buff)
226/240 SP (-14)

Stormbringer:
105/105 HP
257/280 SP

Sunspark:
47/120 HP (-14)
275/300 SP

---

Larchneedle grunted dismissively at Honeytongue's demand and her preachy insults. She surged at him again, and he spat with anger as her claws battered at his head and neck. He was forced back for a moment, but he delighted in the pain she caused Honeytongue by attacking her apprentice, and the ShadowClan cat determined to find an opening to get at the little silvery tabby apprentice again. She came to him first, raking fiercely at his belly, and he growled with pain and anger as Silverpaw departed only to let Ashpaw in for the same attack. "You frog-brains don't know anythin'; if you did you'd be obeyin' the Righteous Ones!" he hissed, ignoring their proud speeches. Larchneedle's belly was on fire; he leaped over their heads with a threatening, pained yowl, but he came back down on Silverpaw once more, slashing hard at her face to send her running.

Larchneedle used Front Paw Strike on Silverpaw, using 10 stamina and dealing 16 (14 +2 Night Finesse) damage. Silverpaw must flee the battle!

Larchneedle:
70/120 HP
265/300 SP (-10)

Honeytongue:
85/85 HP
207/240 SP

Ashpaw:
25/25 HP
66/80 SP

Silverpaw: [must flee the battle]
-10/25 HP (-16)
76/80 SP