May Gathering 2021

Bearpaw followed after Ivystar into the clearing of Fourtrees. He'd been here not that long ago where he met Swiftpaw, but he was going to keep that tidbit of information to himself. The scent of Windclan hit his nose as well as the scent of carrion and swamp. Shadowclan? Is that who they were? His eyes spotted Swiftpaw talking to some unknown tom and a pang of jealousy ran through him. He would watch them for just a moment before making the decision to go over there though. If Swiftpaw would rather talk to the silver tabby, then he wasn't going to object to it.

Bearpaw wants to talk to Swiftpaw but is just watching for now. He is still approachable!

---

Moonshine entered the gathering and quietly sat near the edges of the clearing. She felt more tired than normal. Still, she would nod and smile politely at other cats from across the clearing... all the while nervously awaiting Skyclan's arrival. Her first and last meeting with them hadn't gone well, and while this was a gathering and violence was forbidden, she couldn't help but feel on edge.

Moonshine is open to talk to!

Sunnyskip waited as ShadowClan filed in as WindClan did, and after a few more moments RiverClan arrived. She noticed her father's pelt nearby, and when she looked he was settling in next to Tawnyflare. She blinked before turning back, eyes settling on a pretty white and gold colored she-cat. Mesmerized by the colors of her coat, she stood and made her way over, smiling as she reached the she-cat and noting she smelled like ShadowClan. "Hi! I'm Sunnyskip. Your fur is so pretty!" She mewed authentically, tail waving happily behind her."What's your name?"

Sunnyskip is talking to Moonshine!

---

Dewlight entered the gathering with the rest of RiverClan, hoping that this Gathering would go smoother than the last. Casting a glance around at the other gathered cats, she noted that SkyClan and ThunderClan had not yet arrived. She noticed a familiar looking WindClan cat staring, and she turned away. Among ShadowClan was another familiar pelt. Her eyes narrowed slightly but she simply sat where she was, continuing to look around the clearing.

Dewlight is open to talk to!

Fawnstep's head turned to fixate on her, gaze narrowed with a mild annoyance. His tail flickered rhythmically back and forth before finally snapping briefly against her coat, "Part of you." The tone of his voice was low, seeking to avoid unwanted attention while seeking to captivate the she-cat next to him. Finally, he let out a low huff, "Embrace your nature doesn't even begin to put you in the same category of them, you're better than that." His head tilted slightly, betraying a brief moment of genuine curiosity, "Surely I'm more than just a Windclan cat?" He saw himself as more, as better than merely another of the many warriors of their clan. It was strange to consider that now, even for the briefest flicker of a moment, that he cared for the opinions of a cat other than himself.

The moonlight sparkled on spots of dew like stars wherever it fell through the leafy canopy above, the cats of ThunderClan flitting like shadows beneath. A pounding tiredness in his head made Minkstream feel almost like a literal shadow, the bushes and trees scattered near the edge of Fourtrees looming almost dizzyingly overhead. At least it was easier to keep his mind on the task at paw - there weren't a whole lot of reasons he'd be walking at the head of a whole group of cats on a full moon, but the vague feeling of dizzyness made him feel clumsy, his ears brushing the leaves of a bush with a faint rustle that scraped at them as he ducked underneath.

"Here's hoping nothing happens this time," He murmured to Bat, vivid memories of the Righteous Few haunting gatherings coming back to mind. "At least one peaceful gathering would be nice."

Actually... come to think of it, hadn't something happened the last time? Had that one been after Nettlestar.... He let that thought flutter away, and in its place phantom words rose - more an impression, really. "...Not care about putting your Clan in that position again?" The words seemed attached to Dovefrost, and he narrowed his eyes as he pushed through to the edge of the bracken surrounding their side of Fourtrees, idly trying to figure out- Ah. Medicine cat ceremony? Snippets of memory - like shredded leaves - fluttered past, and he felt a brief grin pull at his maw, a ridiculous pleasure at remembering something for once filling him.

It faded as he paused to look back at his Clan following behind, a different fragment of defiant amber eyes spitting with agitation tugging at the corners of his mind as he threw a quick glance over those gathered. He couldn't remember exactly who was coming, or how many, but he did know they were one short. A prick of regret pulled at his paws, and a sigh slipped from his maw before he turned to face Fourtrees and the scrutiny of a starred leadership, his tail flicking the signal to enter.

Why did he keep putting it off? This was just drawing out the agony; the uncertainty of whether the stars who watched him in judgement would accept him or not. Wouldn't it just be better to know?

He turned for a moment to glance at Bat, dropping his voice to a murmur so that the others around wouldn't be able to hear, "Good luck." Hesitating for a moment, he let a quick flicker of a smile turn one corner of his mouth up as he nudged her shoulder. "I'll try not to fall off the rock, okay?"

---

A deep breath, in and out. Sablepaw couldn't help the thrill of nervousness that ran like the electric feeling of a storm down her spine, or the vague feel of pain that squeezed at her heart.

Yet... she wanted to do this. She needed to. And as she brushed through the bracken with the sight of her parents ahead, an odd sort of warmth kindled to life in her heart, mixing with the pain of loss. I'm not alone. Every breath she took brought the scents of her Clanmates brushing softly against her tongue, and she could hear the faint rustle as they slipped through the bushes around her, walking with that soft step that instinctively sought the quietest places.

A twig. "Not there." Her paw easily nudged past a patch of ferns, her body barely brushing them. "Not there either." Soft earth with a hint of moss and cool from the night met her pads. "Here."

She stepped out into the silvery light of the moon as her father led the way down with a flick of his tail, catching sight of shadows milling, eyes glinting as they glanced over at the cats of ThunderClan slipping out to join them. Opening her maw, she glanced around; no more blood marred the silvery green, only a fragment of thorns rose from the grass, and the scent of pain and suffering had faded away. She stepped forward almost reverently, remembering a certain bloodstained patch right around... here. Her paws softly touched the grass there, its blades seeming to glow brighter than the others around it, and grow more lusciously. A soft smile touched her lips, and she raised her head, blue eyes flicking around to look at the cats from the other Clans, padding away from the patch with one last, lingering glance.

Guess I'd better make some new friends and meet some old ones, huh?

Sablepaw is open to talk to!

Last Gathering, Thrushnose had receded into her thoughts around when the arguing had started and only came back when she and her Clanmates were almost back home. Since then, she’d had time to consider her options. She could spend every full moon sitting alone, wallowing in grief—or she could take advantage of this opportunity. The Clans didn’t meet in near-mandatory peace every day. Thus, she would keep her ears open tonight, if only to get an idea of what was going on around the forest. Make some new connections, maybe. Learn something her parents and Nettlestar wouldn’t have thought to teach her.

As she padded along, searching for a place to sit, a flash of color gave her pause. Flowers. The same ones she’d seen by daylight. No one would notice if some of them went missing. Bending down, Thrushnose plucked a pawful of them out by their stems, careful not to snap any, then carried the bundle of wildflowers to a clear patch of earth and settled there. She’d never been good with her paws, but that, like anything, could change with practice. Besides, it would help her be...present.

Thrushnose is open to talk!

---

Walking just close enough to keep his former mentor’s tail within view, Emberleap followed ShadowClan into Fourtrees. He’d forgone last moon’s pine needles tonight, choosing instead to cover his right shoulder with a thick layer of mud that managed to be more visible than the scar itself and, worse, itched as it dried. That some leaders harbored Asylum cats didn’t mean their Clanmates accepted it. His goal—don’t cause a scene—hadn’t changed. (Though if this Gathering was anything like the last, someone would beat him to it.)

Fourtrees no longer looked like an abandoned battlefield, but a few thorns remained, swept to the clearing’s outskirts, not quite tipping as the gentle breeze pushed at them. He ventured further into the crowd. You’re Emberleap now, he told himself as he sat, batting at his tail as if that would keep it still. There’s nothing to be scared of. This was half the reason he’d asked for a new name; to anyone outside WindClan or ShadowClan, “Emberleap” would read as ordinary, unremarkable.

Emberleap is open to talk!

Batbite nudged her mate affectionately, responding only in a whisper. "You'd better! I'll catch you if you do, though - or at least break your fall." Then, at her normal volume: "Well, hopefully at least some of the tensions have died down by now. Or we won't get dragged into it - that's the last thing we need right now."

More specifically, it's the last thing you need at the moment.

She'd taken her place as ThunderClan's deputy with the intent to support Minkstream as her mate and her leader (and she supposed it was selfish, that her primary goal was to protect him, but in her eyes she'd lost enough of the things she'd dared to love); but when he stood atop the Great Rock with the rest there was only so much she could do; and after everything they'd been through, she couldn't help worrying. Still, she tried not to show it, especially now - the last thing they needed was to appear weak in front of rivals and allies alike.

"Take care," she told him, her voice soft.

A moment later she was gone, dashing forward to take her place among the deputies, offering a pleasant greeting to the two cats who had already made their way to the base of the Great Rock. "It's a nice night, isn't it? Let's hope it stays that way." Then her gaze settled on an unfamiliar face, one carrying ShadowClan's scent. "Ah- Have we met before?"

---

Thalia followed ShadowClan into the Gathering, a crown of red and black flowers resting on her head. She felt more confident now, though still a little nervous; that flower crown and the identical one she was carrying were both meant for the WindClan cats she'd spoken to last moon. She wasn't sure that they'd even be here, let alone whether they'd accept the only thing she had to offer. Looking around for the same cats that had startled her last time, she was almost too focused on her task to feel nervous - still, only almost.

---

Flashlight made her way into the Gathering with her head held high, settling in a spot that was a little less crowded - she liked her space, though she still wanted to keep an eye on the leaders and deputies. In part because the politics of it all were rather interesting to her, but mostly because she still couldn't help worrying about Loonwhisper; he was perfectly capable, she knew, but it wasn't enough reassurance that nothing bad would happen.

At the same time, this was an opportunity to socialize and make connections; an aspect she often neglected in recent times. She wasn't usually the type to approach others, which certainly didn't help with that, but it wasn't her fault that most of the cats around her were so deeply uninteresting.

---

Zinnia followed the rest of WindClan into the clearing, quietly observing the scenes unfolding around her as she settled among her Clanmates. While the peace the Gatherings offered was mostly a facade, it was nonetheless a pleasant one before the tensions got too high. Not for the first time, she thanked her ancestors that she wasn't tasked with any true responsibility - she took pride in her daughter's leadership skills, but she herself was content just to be a warrior, lending her skills wherever they were needing. One of WindClan's more senior warriors, true, but nothing more than that.

Batbite is talking to the other deputies; Thalia is searching for Shyfawn and Downtuft; and Flashlight and Zinnia are both open to talk to.

Flintstar straightened up at the sight of Ivystar arriving, RiverClan at her heels as she padded over and made her way onto the rock and sat next to him. As she leaned over to whisper to him, a soft sigh escaped him - knowing full well what this was about before she even spoke. He glanced at her, giving her a nod at her question. "Indeed. I found them wandering my territory, seeking a place within my Clan. I could hardly turn away a pregnant queen," he murmured back, giving a slight shrug of his shoulders. "I...Am well aware that they were once your cats - Shira and Fo...Spark. Although he has been renamed as Foxspark per his request. To put this bluntly however - I know they left without telling you, and for that I am sorry...But I also expect that they do not seek to return, not with the kits already being born - plus the reasons they had slipped away without your knowledge in the first place."

Batglow followed his clan into the gathering, not really bothering to stick close by Mistyfalcon or Murkystrike he normally would inside the camp, this time he branched out looking for Hayglow, or her children. It would be nice to check up on them again and see how they were doing.

Batglow is open to talk.

---

Dovefrost followed carefully behind his leader, green eyes flicking to him occasionally making sure the leader was okay, but part of him knew that Batbite had that covered. Eventually as they grew closer to the fourtrees, the fluffy white tom branched away. Sticking close by in case of an emergency. As he settled into the same spot as last time, the medicine cat let out a small sigh. How would everyone else take the news of Daisybloom's death?

Dovefrost is open to talk.

Another moon had passed, and once again Wolfstar found himself leading SkyClan through the trees, his paws sinking into the soft, warm dirt. He lifted his nose to the breeze as they neared Fourtrees, and the scents of many cats together flooded his nostrils. It was enough almost to make the fur on his neck spike uneasily. Wolfstar did not particularly like Gatherings, and the way the last one had gone proved only a reminder that the relations between the clans right now were tentative at best.

He still hadn't sought out his sister, either... though nor had she looked for him. The dark tabby forced himself not to think too hard about that. They'd been separated this long, right? At least now he knew she was alive.

The ground grew steep beneath his paws, and Wolfstar pounded up the hill, sucking in a breath as he reached the top, and then charging down it into the clearing without bothering to stop. He finally paused as the border of Fourtrees came and went, allowing the rest of the clan to catch up to one another before proceeding inward. He spared a quick glance over his shoulder at the rest of SkyClan, and then headed immediately for the Great Rock.

While what Fawnstep had said had been along the lines of what she expected, she knew well enough that he did not think poorly of her as he did the rest of Asylum, the ferocity of his words had shocked her. She didn't think he felt such a strong need to defend her honor, after all, she was perfectly capable of doing so herself. And then he asked if he was more than just a WindClan cat, and she couldn't hold back a snort.

"No cat is just a WindClan cat, least of all you. Any cat can perform their duties, but they will not strive for perfection as you do. And no cat can bring out another's perfect selves as you are able. And that is something I find very admirable."

---

Charging into the gathering, Rosethorn immediately sought out Quietpaw. They had agreed to hang out more after having met at highpine, and she had so much to tell her. After all, she was a warrior now! And she had an apprentice! And who knew, maybe Quietpaw had earned her name too?

As usual, two different cats from two different clans entered the Gathering. Shrikestorm came first, padding along with the rest of WindClan. It almost felt as if there had never been a great battle against the Asylum cats, but there was still lingering effects that time had yet to wash away. He wished he wasn't reminded of those days each time he stepped foot beneath the great moon.

Afterwards, Ravenclaw came in with the rest of SkyClan. No matter how many Gatherings she went to, she could never get used to the stench of all the clans mingling together. It hurt her nose, particularly the scents she could easily pick out as RiverClan and ShadowClan. It was like someone had left dead prey on the freshkill pile.

Quietpaw padded into the clearing, her eyes scanning. This time not for Sneezingpaw (who she would keep an eye out anyways), but for Rosepaw. Her baby blue eyes quickly found the calico, and she trotted up to her, fumbling and nearly tripping in the process, luckily catching herself.

She softly tapped the she-cat on her shoulder, giving a soft smile at her. "H-Hey Rosepaw!" She greeted, her voice sounding rather cheerful.

OOC: Quietpaw is talking to Rosethorn! Spotlake is open to talk to! Nightwolf and Quaildock aren't coming mostly due to me being lazy and not wanting to roleplay more then two cats.

Robinloft's eye sparkled as she went to her first gathering in moons, glad to be back in the familiar hustle and bustle of the clearing. Even so, she was also a bit wary of this one, considering what she had heard about the last gathering. She hadn't attended, but after her clanmates returned she had heard about how quickly tensions had risen. Pulling her mind back to the present, she set her thoughts on where she should stay while the leaders shared their news. Normally she would venture off into some other part of the clearing so that she could meet new cats, but this time she decided to stick nearby her fellow Thunderclanners. Choosing to sit near the outskirts of a smaller crowd, she swept her gaze over the clearing, making sure that if some cat approached her on her blind side she wouldn't be caught off guard.

[Robinloft is open for conversation]

---

Smallbean arrived to the gathering, another twinge of anxiety pulling on his stomach every few heartbeats. This would be his first gathering as Windclan's sole medicine cat, something that he wasn't too sure that he was prepared for. In the past, Softbreeze had engaged in conversation for him, but now that she wasn't by his side as a medicine cat he had to do it himself. An uncertain expression on his face, he forced himself to put a paw forward. He slowly walked around the edge of the clearing, ignoring the few cats he passed by. He figured that it would be best to join the medicine cats, so he briefly raised his head to search for a familiar pelt, Dovefrost soon catching his gaze. Although he barely knew the other tom, he had to admit he would rather choose him to talk to over Beechface or Dennis. Lowering his head he weaved this way and that, trying to avoid running into any cat. He didn't stop until he stood face to face with Dovefrost, quickly dipping his head in greeting before sitting down next to him. "So, uh. How are things?" He forced a small smile as he looked over at Dovefrost, trying to seem friendly.

[Smallbean is talking to Dovefrost]

---

Amber eyes scanning over fourtrees, Stag stood on the outskirts of the clearing, hesitant to engage in any conversation. The entire trip there he had lagged behind the group, unsure of his decision to join the gathering. After the last one, he began to wonder whether they were all actually bad or if that was just a rough one. Tail absentmindedly flicking back and forth, he thought it might be good to introduce himself to another cat to pass the time. Dewlight had been kind to him last gathering, maybe he could find another cat like her? Sucking in a deep breath, he walked into the crowd, uncertain of who he should approach.

[Stag is open for conversation]

Swiftpaw kept an ear flicked in Frigidpaw's direction, though at the arrival of two more clans she couldn't help but gaze curiously at all the unfamiliar pelts. Riverclan seemed to be led by a gray tabby who bounded up to the rock to join Lilacstar and the big tom, and she was unfamiliar with the scent of the other clan that padded in after them. Her gaze eventually picked out a familiar white and brown-marbled pelt, and she waved her tail in greeting. Bearpaw seemed more hesitant to approach than she would've thought, but maybe he just didn't like crowds. Any onlookers would likely think that she was simply an outgoing apprentice who had noticed him looking at her, and Swiftpaw wouldn't dispel the notion.

---

Birdsong padded into the gathering after Wolfstar and the rest of the clan, ears pricked as she scanned the mass of gathered cats. The last gathering had been quite tense, and she hoped that this wouldn't be the case today. She had half a mind to try socializing like she saw some of the other warriors and apprentices doing, and her pale green eyes found what looked like an apprentice. Approaching, she realized the ginger cat smelled like Shadowclan. Well, the one encounter she'd had with Shadowclan hadn't gone so well either, but this was a gathering. There would be no need to fight, right?

"Hi, I'm Birdsong, of Skyclan." She mewed, "What's your name?"

---

Beechface followed Wolfstar as usual, eyes narrowing in mild displeasure at the sight of Windclan before she padded towards the edge of the gathered cats. She'd be keeping an eye out for sign of Mountainpaw and Sneezingpaw, but had no desire to start drama or approach them.

Swiftpaw is talking with Frigidpaw and has noticed Bearpaw.
Birdsong has approached Firepaw.
Beechface is open to talk!

Webpaw had filled into Fourtrees with the rest of ShadowClan, amazed at how many cats had already made it there, and how many more were continuing to flood the clearing. There were so many of them here, and so many different scents.. he shook himself out and inhaled slowly. He would be fine, and he'd been looking forward to this, anyway. He was excited to get a peak into the lives of the other Clans.

Not overly keen on mingling, and feeling especially awkward in front of everyone with his too-long legs, he settled for searching the massive crowd for a friendly face. Once he'd spotted Rosethorn, he quickly perked up; he was a bit hesitant when he saw the other cat run up to her, but he would be happy to join her anyway. Trotting over, he sat himself down a few pawsteps away and gave the stranger a long look, narrowing his eyes slightly as he studied her, before he turned his attention to his mentor. "Hi, Rosethorn," Webpaw mewed, offering her a smile.

Webpaw is talking to Rosethorn and Quietpaw!