December Gathering 2021

A smile dawned upon the newly named warrior's face as Dreamypaw trotted beside her. "It is very pretty! I have never seen snow like this before! It is so white and fluffy and sparkly! I feel like I could just fall right in, and I would be totally fine with that!"

The other molly then suggested running through the snow, and her smile quickly changed to that of a mischievous grin. "Good luck trying to catch me!" she purred, headbutting her shoulder before darting off, sending snow flying by in all directions. If you were to see her in that moment, which she would be hard to miss, you would hardly believe she was even an apprentice, let alone a warrior. It was not often a cat acted this way at a gathering, but then again, Rabbitchaser was not just any cat. And gatherings on their own were so boring anyway!

Of course, she at least had the good sense to settle down once the announcements started, leaving a spot for her friend to join her. Bloodstar, of course, started the gathering. (She had noticed he had a tendency to be seen as more important than he was, not that she saw it as a bad thing! Just something she found funny.) When her name was announced, the molly stood up, waving her tail in the air, not at all shying away from the attention. She was a warrior, and she wanted every cat to know it!

Then the ShadowClan leader, Muckystar? Yuckystar? Muddystar? Whoever she was, she started to speak, and Rabbitchaser was in la la land, instead continuing to goof around and wack Dreamypaw with her tail. Wasn't she so mature?

Rabbitchaser is goofing off with Dreamypaw. Bumblepaw is still open to talk to!

After having checked on Goldenfang and Dreampaw then letting them head their own ways, the Silver-furred warrior chose a random, less-packed area to chill in. He wasn't really in the mood to converse with anyone. It wasn't a bad mood in the slightest. He was just a bit tired and nothing more. Just listening in on the gossiping that was occurring all around him was enough entertainment for him until the Gathering started.

---

The death of his mate had devastated the tabby tom. A cold-blooded murderer had taken her away from him. A RiverClanner had taken her from them. Her clan, her friends, and her family. She'd been his rock and now, he was crumbling. It was always the same thing. Heartache after heartache tore his walls down. His father was doing his best to bring justice and closure so Kestrel had to put his faith in him. He had to step back unless he'd become a murderer too. He'd like to see that as being an avenger but others would not. He should've gone on that patrol. Maybe that would've been enough to save his love. The only remembrance he had of her now was their sole kit and his most treasured memories.

The only reason why he came to the Gathering was to listen in to what this current RiverClan leader had to say about the issue. However, it was doing him more harm than good. Just listening to that tom's words twisted the warrior's heart and his anger slowly rose. He detained himself. He did not want to cause a scene. He just had to cool off and let Minkstar do his best. Kestrel wasn't happy but he could do nothing... for now.

---

It was rather a disappointing conclusion that the Holly from RiverClan backed down. Though Wasppaw chose that perhaps beggars can't be choosers, her first time in the gathering has already gone off pretty successfully. "Aw don't worry, you have something in common with my sister then, or maybe it's just a hollypaw thing." She gave her sibling a knowing nuzzle, at least to tell her that she was in fact. Joking.

Wasppaw continues to be a hollypaw nuisance

Featherpaw had arrived at the gathering with the other Riverclan cats before the gathering began. She had sat alone for a good part of it because of being shy, but she saw some other cats that looked like they could be apprentices too, so she decided to get up and say hello. This was her first gathering of course so this is her first time encountering any cats from other clans. She walked up to Wasppaw and saw that Hollypaw was also with Wasppaw. "Hi, I'm Featherpaw" Featherpaw said shyly.


Copperpaw sat and listened to the leaders for a while to see what they were going to say. This was all interesting to Copperpaw since he is different than other cats in the clans because he was not clan born. Because he was not clan born though, it made him nervous to talk to cats from other clans. For this reason, he sat alone but he was half way hoping that cats from other clans might come talk to him.

The late evening sky, a silky wreath of droll late autumnal darkness and gently tattered wisps of freshly-fallen snow, was gradually imbued with the resounding pressure of summoned silence- an unfamiliar dredging of hushed voices, concern and curiosity sharp upon the gazes of the newfound onlookers as Bloodstar officially heralded the summons of a starting point. Thankfully without an pretense of continuing any further conversation between their apparent conflicting points of interest. Silvery rivulets of leisurely dissipating body heat clung heavily to the sharp, skeletal outline of Jaystar, dark features awash with the affronting mirror of well-practiced emotional regulation as he continued to cast Minkstar nothing more than an idle gaze, unsure of whether the ginger tom was caught up in the throes of old blood-rivalries or if this was simply his natural state of existence.

Stars grant mercy upon ThunderClan should this truly be the natural response of their Leader under pressure. "Such an insightful rehashing of deflecting and disingenuous words; I think a blatant refusal to answer would've inspired more good faith upon my behalf." Jaystar eventually hummed out, already seven shades of weary with this bristling counterpart he had the misfortune of entangling himself with, sharp ears partially focused upon the casual news delivered by the resolute voice of Bloodstar. "Though in the sake of transparency, I do not see any fruitful bearings coming from this endless turnaround that could be poorly misnomered as a conversation. I think it would be more in the interest of mutually desired consequences to revisit this entire ordeal in a few days- perhaps in a few sunrises, at the Sunningrocks? I'd prefer to at least see my nest before the next Gathering, and I don't see any way such a desire could be achieved at this current rate."

Ivystar had bespoke of misfortune and limited qualifications during his ambushed anointment, yet Minkstar's starved-fox-in-a-fiddle behavior served sufficient enough balm to prove that no, he was likely not the most unusual choice atop the Great Rock.

Full consciousness blossomed sharply atop the hard lines of his bones, a violent jarring slipping down the tensed length of his spine with all the grace and gentleness of a late winter flood, dark gaze fixed upon the opening vacated by the now abdicated Bloodstar, caught off guard at the realization of how even further speaking seemed apt to make him more miserable than anything else. Jaystar, perpetually afoot with an entirely alien sense of grace, was a shadowy streak of movement against the stark backdrop of the night as he made to take his newfound seat at the circuit of coveted speakers. Smooth steps were hurriedly taken in a careful, synchronous, process of familiar slowness, muscles stiff and heart throbbing out some erratic rhythm at the sudden surge of apprehension- the once desired authority held by his mothers now a sharp thorn embedded tight within the silky flesh of his underpaws.

"This sudden turn in weather is not the only change brought forth this moon for RiverClan; Ivystar has died unexpectedly, with the truthful circumstances of her death not yet fully known despite our examinations. I am Jaystar, successor to my mother and newly-named Leader of RiverClan, and I have appointed a young cat by the name of Perchfall as my Deputy." Jaystar eventually drolled out, low voice reverberating from the fathoms of his chest with a pitch kindred to that of roaring thunder, "Though the news we come bearing is not all somber and barren; we have two full den's worth of kits in our Nursery as of right now, and a barrage of newly-named Apprentices currently ready to be unleashed upon the forest. Though cold, the river has yet to freeze, and not much else can be bargained for in the wake of fortune."

"If you really think I care about 'inspiring good faith' in you, you're dumber than I thought." The words curdled blithely on his tongue in a tone that rivalled his counterpart's carelessness of the whole issue. The dismissal rankled, the waving away of his Clan's heartbreak rubbing sand into wounds deeper than those scoring his pelt. But he had to admit - however grudgingly - that the other tom had a point. Slap in the middle of the gathering was not the right place nor time to work this out. The words rolled off his tongue calmly, a hint of a rumble deep in his throat colouring the otherwise cool tone. "I do, however, care about getting answers. If we have to delay this, then tomorrow at Sunningrocks. Sunhigh."

He resumed his position from before, only the slightest flick of an ear showing a hint of emotion beyond his impassive expression. If he had to parade all over the rocks to get the other leader out there, he would.

He listened with half an ear to the RiverClan leader's announcement, idly realizing that he hadn't paid attention to any of the others'. Bloodstar would've just been announcing his takeover of the forest, anyway - same for the others. Crowing about how they were just so good at taking territory with their claws. As usual. Stars. Get a hold of yourself. Forcing down the flash of bitterness, he found it replaced with a tingle of wariness, instead, at Jaystar's vagueness around the whole Ivystar affair.

What is this kit playing at?

His eyes narrowed, ever so slightly, in spite of himself. Was the tom intending to imply that Minkstar had killed her? Even if he didn't, with the wounds, the argument, and the general tension, it wouldn't take much for the casual observer to wonder.

He had no intention of letting gossip run wild. Jaw set, he rose to his paws as the other stepped back and strode to the front of the rock - as much as anyone could stride on the top of the Great Rock, anyway - setting his paws firmly and confidently at the edge, looking down into all the blinking eyes staring back. "ThunderClan has seen its fair share of struggles this moon. RiverClan has not been the only one to lose cats: our beloved warrior, Wolfblaze, has left our ranks to join StarClan." He could feel the surface of the rock beneath his paws gritting at the tips of his claws as they poked from their sheaths, the words feeling tight in his throat. Like cords wrapped around his neck. He couldn't look in Kestrelswoop's direction. Didn't dare to. "She is dearly missed, and we hope that she will find swift running, good hunting, and shelter where she sleeps. And in return, I offer condolences to RiverClan for their loss. Ivystar was a good leader, and a good cat -" The look of disappointment on her face when he'd seen her in StarClan rose sharp in his mind, and he closed his eyes briefly against it, forcing his voice to stay in a steady, strong timbre -"that I personally will miss, even if our Clans were never on good terms. May the sun warm her back and the fish leap into her paws."

A light breath exhaled from his maw, weariness stealing away at the belligerence he'd wrapped around himself like a second pelt. Only a couple of moons ago he'd said these words for Mossbloom. Stars, he missed her. Missed Oakstar, too. Missed everybody. Yet he had to wonder... if they'd look at him with the same expression Jaystar and the grey molly did - the molly who's every scar drawn on her face accused him worse than the look in her eyes. "In other news, we welcome several new apprentices and kits into our ranks." He couldn't remember their names anymore. Not after all that with RiverClan's new leader. So much for that. It was as good a place to end his announcement as any. "Despite leaf-bare's arrival, ThunderClan remains strong."

For now.

Daystar quietly turned her head to glance at Murkystar as she addressed her in a low voice.
"Very well." Was all the she-cat said with a slight nod.
It was something that needed to be discussed, that was true, but Daystar still found no pleasure in speaking with the leaders of other Clans. When the rest of the leaders were done with their spiels, the she-cat found herself padding forward last to give a quick recount of the previous moon. She stuck by her constant motto, which was getting on and off of the Great Rock as soon as possible with no distractions.

"I'm sorry to hear about Ivystar's passing." She started off, glancing back at Jaystar even if she was unimpressed with the bickering he and Minkstar were engaging in, "She was a lovely leader, truly."
"WindClan has been faring well in the midst of the cold of Leaf-bare. Goosepaw, Buzzardpaw, Magpiepaw, and Orangepaw have been rightfully promoted to the rank of apprentice, and I'm proud to see that the life cycle of my Clan is constantly flowing. However, despite all the good news, it pains me to report that our medicine cat, Hentooth, has passed away by falling into the gorge. Berrypaw has been doing a fine job acting alone, and hopefully soon he will earn his full medicine cat name. That is all I have to report."
Daystar finished by padding back to her spot on the rock. Reporting about the death of a friend left a bitter taste in her mouth. Hentooth should've been here in Fourtrees, but life was so unnecessarily cruel at times.

Hollypaw felt herself brighten. So… it was a good name, that she picked? The Riverclan molly seemed a bit apologetic, even — but Hollypaw was mostly relieved she hadn’t… well… stuck her foot in her mouth again. ”Ah, no, it’s totally fine!”

And — then Wasppaw again! She spun around in a hiss, only for her sister to... nuzzle her, as if reminding her not to puff up like an angry badger. Even though she didn’t appreciate it, Hollypaw thawed… just a bit. The snap died on her tongue, at least.

Her sister was teasing, that was all. She did that. (Maybe Hollypaw was... just a tiny bit… tightened, too, with all these strange cats around.) She sighed, then, ”It’s fine. Maybe I can be… a little tense, too. Sometimes. But it’s only because I take things seriously, okay? It’s what you do!”

She then looked more directly at the Riverclan apprentice. ”And Icepaw it is, then,” she said, still friendly… but feeling a bit more tired than before. She got to her paws. That was civil, wasn’t it? ”I probably won’t see you again very soon, but you’re pretty nice, so nice to meet you. My sister and I should probably go look for our mentors… or ugh, not, but we should probably go anyway. Our clan, you know. But I wish you luck! And am glad we found you a good name.”

She said the last part with insistence, nudging Wasp’s shoulder. She’d amended quickly, in part because part of her choked at the thought of looking for Newtspring. (No way.) But anyway… all of this getting-to-know-the-enemy stuff took something out of you. Even if they were nice, and had terrible names they preferred not to say.

Skyclan Hollypaw is talking to Icepaw Riverclan Hollypaw and her sister Wasppaw.