March Gathering 2022

From among the many bleeding, putrid-smelling pelts, a wiry golden tom emerged. Short fur rippled over his strong, pronounced muscles as he padded through Fourtrees. A grin was slowly spreading onto his face. Finally... after so many years... I'm back.

Lionfur's claws were perpetually unsheathed. His eyes looked warm and yellow from a distance, but the second he whipped around to look at you, they gleamed the same color as the liquid slowly leaking from the puncture wounds on his throat-- crimson, blood red. Some of his compatriots were flooding the crowds, scaring cats, killing a few unworthy warriors who shouldn't even be witnessing their presence. However, he had only one cat in mind. Only one worthy of talking to him. One who held his favored position.

In a moment, the golden tom was on the Great Rock, his warm fur oozing the scent of death despite how he looked very much alive, the life-blood dripping from his throat proving that he was once a cat just like the one he faced. "Hello, Goldenstar," he purred, tilting his head slightly. "So this is the she-cat chosen over the years to hold the position. I have to say... I'm not very impressed yet. What makes you worthy to lead the greatest Clan in the forest? Did those starry fox-hearts fool you with their magnanimous speeches about grandeur and greatness? Honor and loyalty?... Well, I'm here to set you straight. They were all lies." His fangs gleamed in the darkness, and his terrifyingly multicolored eyes gazed red into the leader's. "My name is Lionfur. I believe that's my spot you're sitting in."

--

Finally, the reason for the darkness became apparent. At the sudden appearance of a bleeding, ghostly Dawnhawk, spouting some crazy nonsense about leading the Dark Forest, Appledapple's pelt began to bristle. The murderer? What was he on about now?! She glanced around to see everyone else's reactions. For a second, she saw Starlingflare's face-- and saw the slow smirk that began to build on it. At that same moment. other cats began to arrive at the Gathering. Shadows. Shades. With a familiar, musty, murky scent that dragged on her consciousness and made her feel like her throat was about to burn up by way of her nose... Oh. So that's what it meant. All these moons wondering about the strange dreams she had-- about Flintfang, about strength-- now she finally understood. And honestly, Appledapple was not sure she liked the answer. Her friend seemed pleased. But... well. This was not what she had expected. This was not what she thought she had signed up for.

Even as the irrational terror slowly began to mount in her chest, she stifled it down. Everything tasted like bile. This was her lot now. She had made the choice, knowingly or not... and evidently, given the strength of the host around them, it had been the correct choice. She was on the winning side. So why, why did it feel like this? What was this disgusting uncertainty that swirled in her stomach? Where did it stem from? Besides the creepy crawly ghost shadows that prowled around the exits of the clearing?

She didn't see Flintfang, yet. But she did see other cats. Bleeding, ghostly husks that belied their true nature with smirks or fanged, insane grins that crept onto their faces. One was talking to Jaystar, which caused a sudden flood of revulsion by association and simultaneous vilification that she was not willing to deal with right now. Another, who she did not recognize either, was talking to Stoatstar. Oh no.... What will he think? I should have told him. I should have warned him. I need to let him know it's probably okay. But first, she had a few things to attend to.

Cinderpaw, her adopted daughter, was clinging to her side. Appledapple directed her gaze downward for a moment, offering a comforting squeeze with her tail. "Don't worry, Cinderpaw. I know that everything looks crazy right now. I don't know exactly what is happening. But as long as you listen to these cats, you will be okay. This is the Dark Forest. They sent me dreams... they gave me their power. If you listen to them, and more importantly me, then nothing bad will happen to you. Okay? Can you tell your siblings for me? I need to go talk to Stoatstar." Her storm-gray eyes looked carefully into her daughter's for a moment, making sure she understood. Then-- strangely, uncharacteristically-- she touched her nose to Cinderpaw's for a moment, and then she was off like a lightning bolt through the screaming, scattered crowds with only her destination in mind.

Once she finally reached the Great Rock, panting, ignoring the crowd of fur-bristled deputies and wailing medicine cats, Appledapple leapt up to the side of Stoatstar. She didn't care how it looked. They all had more important things to worry about. "Wait," she panted. "Don't... do anything... stupid. You know... those dreams I mentioned?" After catching her breath, she stared right into the tom's eyes, gray meeting orange with a determined stare that belied her inner fear. "The Dark Forest spoke to me. I didn't know until now. But they promise strength. This might be the best thing we could do for ThunderClan... and besides, what would going against them now do? What would the kits do?" She hadn't meant to include that last part. It just slipped out. Still... it was true. A pit of worry was beginning to gnaw wider in her stomach at the thought of the apprentices in her Clan.

--

Perchfall couldn't comprehend everything that was happening. The sudden noise. The appearance of Dawnhawk-- Ivystar's killer, veritable nightmare of the entire forest, blood gushing from his throat, grinning maniacally and laughing about the Dark Forest. Nothing made sense. None of it made sense. The only thought that staggered through her mind right now was of what she needed to do. Standing around would be useless, awful, foolish. At least one cat's life likely depended on her, and the other... she at least wanted to save.

The trembling form of Poppypaw at her side was the forefront of her attention, despite all the tumult. "Poppypaw," Perchfall whispered, not letting any of the fear and uncertainty she felt show in her voice or expression. Oh Stars, I don't understand. But please, please, keep her safe. Keep them safe. She swallowed. "Poppypaw. Listen to me... very carefully. I have no clue what is happening. However, if you stay right next to me, then I can protect you. Okay? So do not move a single pawstep until I do. That's an order from your mentor and deputy." That felt strange to say. But in the moment, she was glad for a bit of authority. It made her feel a little bit less like a tiny pine needle about to drift away in an unfathomably strong winter storm. Strong. She had to be strong. "I am going to stay right here with you until we get an explanation. No one has any reason to attack you. And if they do, I am right here." As much as she wanted to run, to scream until her voice was hoarse, to curl up on the ground and be unnoticed... that was not her lot in life. She was a deputy.

What were the other deputies even doing? For a moment, Perchfall raised her eyes from the small, shaking form of her apprentice to the base of the Great Rock where she was supposed to be standing. Things... did not look good. It looked like they were getting ready to fight. She was no genius, but even she could tell that was probably futile. Attacking was a bad idea. And yet, if it was to protect the cats she loved, she would do it in a heartbeat. But while her eyes were up at the higher ranks, she saw a sight that made her heart drop down into her paws. Jaystar-- consorting with one of the shadowy monsters. Grinning at her. Calling her by name in a sweet tone she had never heard him use. Oh, good StarClan. I knew that he was strange. I knew that I knew nothing about him. But, this.... Well. That was either good or bad. Good, because it meant that the Clan was likely not under attack, for now. Bad, because any amount of trust she had formerly had in the tom was instantly shattered by the interaction. Also bad because the Dark Forest was awful and full of murderers and everyone knew this except apparently the one cat in charge of everything that she loved. Stars.

There was nothing she could do. She just sat, tail wrapped around Poppypaw, trying to gain as much comfort from the interaction as she was giving. Perchfall wrenched her eyes from the existentially horrifying sights on the Great Rock and instead went back to scanning the crowds full of blood and death and wails and screams and.... "Ashflight!" she yowled out, voice louder than it had ever been, but still keeping the crack of fear at bay. "Where are you?!"


Lionfur is talking to Goldenstar.
Appledapple talked to Cinderpaw and is now talking to Stoatstar.
Perchfall is with Poppypaw and desperately looking for Ashflight.

Mistysky paused in her search of Batsong as she heard a voice above the hollow.

She immediately regretted looking up.

The shadowy forms that surrounded the clearing were many, and she couldn't tell where the mass ended or where it began. And at the front.... a name was called out, and she stared in awe. That was Dawnhawk? He was..... a lot more dead than she had pictured. Most of them were, although she could see a few living cats too. Why would they be in there?

---

This is not what Aether had pictured when he told his father he would follow him.

They had an army, and he was sure they would be on the winning side. They had to be. But something about these dark forest cats scared him. What was stopping them from attacking him the way they were the Clan cats?

He looked at Klaus, or Morningstar, he supposed. His father. Yeah, there is something that didn't change. He was his father.

He would protect him.

---

Of all the pelts, one certainly stood out. Where there was a swarm of cats, the pelt of a fox lingered in the crowd. And yet, the oddest part was the fact of a cat being underneath. Most older cats would recognize that as a key trait of Asylum, and upon closer inspection, might even have recognized the calico fur underneath.

Where most of the cats seemed to have violent intent, this calico walked with a purpose, her green eyes fixated on a cat who resembled herself.

Flicking back the hood of her pelt, Tawnyflare revealed herself, just as she was in life, with the addition of a forever bleeding wound where her stomach was.

"Hello, Brick. Have you missed me?"

Another pelt was beside her, one she had also recognized from her life.

"Pyrik? And here I had hoped you would be dead by now. Shame." One last pelt had stood with her old companions, but this one was new to her. "Is this one of your kits? Which one of you is his parent? Oh dear, I should introduce myself! My name is Tawnyflare, or Raisha as others know me as. Honestly, names are so confusing. I don't know why I ever accepted a name in a Clan that never even wanted me!"

Pinepaw didn't know what was Happening, He started to cry, Making that weird sharp inhale noise as he Sobbed into Hollyleaf's fur. "I.. I'm scared... Will... Will you promise not to leave me alone? I don't trust.. them.." He said to Hollyleaf, Using his Tail to gesture towards the New "Cats", Specifically Stagshade.

Rainpaw tried to make themselves a bit less Noticeable by hiding with the other cats, Specifically the cats they Knew well, They attempted to look for Reedpaw and their other littermates to No Avail, then Shakily making their way towards the fairly recognizable cat who was Minnowfin, They trusted him enough to do so, They stepped close to the Greatrock, But still with Most of the warriors, They tried to make themselves look Tall and Formidable, Despite not having any fighting training.

He made his way near the other members of the Dark Forest, His scar appearing as if it were fresh, And perpetually bleeding, He looked around the Cats like he was Examining them, Before making his words loud and clear, This was the first time that he was Speaking outside of the Dark Forest in a Long time. "Now now, Starclan is gone, For as long as you still believe in.. That, We'll deprive you of as Much of it as possible, When you Finally forget what that Silly thing is, We'll let them look back at you in Horror of what has happened, Don't worry, I'm sure that'll take a long time, Now, Where are my Manners? My name is Darkheart, Please, Introduce yourselves, Young ones, I already know who the Leaders and Deputies are, I haven't paid much mind to the Rest of you.." He said with a Sly Smile, He was planning on Toying with them, Not in the way he had before, Not yet, He just wanted to toy with the Warriors who had less nerve than the puny kits who would, rather, should know better than to give their Names to a Dark Forest cat. He was planning on how to even BEGIN To sound friendly to the various Thunderclan apprentices who had seen the Dark Forest remove their Precious Starclan, He knew it'd be easy with the Kits, That's for sure, They won't notice a Thing.

Rookfire was talking with a few cats before the light in the clearing disappeared. Looking up to see what had happened, the black tuxedo couldn't believe his eyes. The moon was... gone. The stars also had disappeared. He had never, in the moons that he had lived, ever seen the stars just... disappear. "The stars... they represent StarClan, right? What happened to-"

The voice of an unfamiliar tom answered his question abruptly. 'StarClan was dead,' he said. Rookfire immediately turned to the tom, glaring at him. From the distance, he seemed to have a light pelt. Despite desperately wanting to attack the tom and kill him, he knew that his battle training wasn't completely up to par yet - meaning that he would lose easily - and that he didn't want to endanger his clanmates. I probably shouldn't do that. That's what Flint did when the Asylum came to ShadowClan, and it ended up pretty well. He didn't think that the Dark Forest would be as merciful, but he could hope. And if they harmed his clanmates, he would fight to protect them too.

She was utterly confused. Even now, Hollyleaf couldn't hide the horror in her eyes as the stench of seemingly dozens of silhouettes came to the Gathering, uninvited, and seeking bloodshed. The cats covered their exits and entries, and never in her many moons has she ever thought to have run into a situation like this. Nearly all clan members gathered into one place— there unfamiliar, battle-seeking cats were fueled with their reasons, filling the air with horrid scents of muck and filth. The she-cat gritted her teeth, fur bristling in uncertainty. With whatever cost she would have to pay, Hollyleaf stood her ground, refusing to leave the two apprentices behind. She could already tell by just the looks of it— this would be a wide battle. A long-lasting one, not knowing which side will win.

"Of course, Pinepaw, Beaverpaw. I promise. Don't let any of them approach you, I'll be here in front." The she-cat replied, though her throat tightened. Even she was unsure. "I don't trust them either, best we stay close."

Hollyleaf is attempting to protect Beaverpaw and Pinepaw!

---

Duskflight stared at the approaching crowd of cats with wide eyes, attempting to focus on the shadowy figures, though he struggled to do so with the muck-like atmosphere around. His nostrils nearly failed him, and he squinted his eyes as he tried to figure out who the leading cat was— though they were unfamiliar, he felt the tension arise as the scent of fear swallowed the Gathering whole. StarClan was what? The tom's claws instinctively unsheathed, closely standing aside Emberleap and the tortoiseshell molly— fur rising in an attempt to make himself look bigger. Though he still kept an eye out for Ratrunner and the others, a sudden attack on Loudnose caught him off guard. He felt himself shake, and his ears were pulled tightly to his skull. The scent of blood had already drowned the area, and for a moment, he stood still, frozen in place.

It was then another cat approached them— one he couldn't seem to trust. They walked out from the silhouettes of the unfamiliar crowd, soaked with the smell of muck, similar to the other ones. Duskflight tensed, eyes narrowing at the stranger who introduced herself as two names. For now, he'd call her Tawnyflare.. he wasn't sure how to properly say the other one. Was it a rouge name? "You know her, Emberleap?" He'd cautiously ask, not yet deciding to answer, or add to the unfamiliar cat's questions.

Duskflight is staying with Emberleap and Harebounce, and is very warily talking to Tawnyflare.

---

Lashing her tail, Vixentooth stepped into the clearing with a wide, toothy grin. With the growing march of cats beside and behind her, her claws unsheathed, taking in a deep breath with satisfaction. Already, as Morningstar led them in, she was more than prepared. After moons and moons of being held back, she finally was free. She could feel alive again, even if she knew she truly wasn't. Her eyes darted to a young apprentice— an interesting half of blue and pale cream; and the other a grown black she-cat.

"Greetings," She'd grin, temporarily keeping her claws sheathed as she approached them. "I'll make this brief and short, so perk your ears and listen up. The name's Vixentooth, it's a pleasure to meet you." With her last sentence, the molly faked her politeness. None of them she truly intended to be fair— it was only an introduction. She wanted to see how they would react first.. it'd be less entertaining if she lunged for them right away. Plus, the chimera cat looked.. oddly alike with Morningstar.

Vixentooth is speaking to Darkpaw, Daypaw, Comfreypaw, and Waterlily! (And maybe more but feel free to correct me, I'm so puzzled at this point)

About to reply, he was cut short by Goldenstar. Turning his attention to the Great Rock, he listened. In a blink of an eye, the sky was cleansed of light, and his sight was filled with darkness. What's happening? Comfreypaw's voice screeched a thought that laid in the back of his mind. Something had happened to Starclan. A few heartbeats of silent confusion aroused into a full on wave of panic. Cats were yowling, pushing around, and he could hear the apprentices cry in terror. One of the other deputies spoke as well, declaring his will to fight. "I have no intention of surrendering either." he confirmed, but his priorities were directed away. Ears flicked towards a particular call, and almost immediately, he jostled towards it. Doing his best to avoid stepping on someone's paws or tail, he responded with a call as well. "Mottlerose- I'm over here!" Worry for the molly overshadowed his thoughts, and when he found her pelt, he stuck close. "The kits. I hope they're safe in camp..."

As soon as the words were uttered, a horrible stench filled the air, one of blood and rotting flesh. It was humid and dank, making the tom choke. Determined not to let fear take over, he listened to the voice that rose over the cries of others. Starclan... was dead? Having heard of the cats that roamed in the place called the Dark Forest, he had never been too sure if they were simply myths. Now those 'myths' had been proven true. Wails of death and cries for help rose from the clearing and Minnowfin stood his ground. "I'll protect you with my life." he assured the she-cat, eyes vigilantly watching for any attackers.

---

Hearing Cinderpaw's taunting statement, her blood boiled and anger churned within her. How dare you talk about my family like that you fish...-cursed furball! she wanted to yell, but almost as if Starclan were warning her, the sky became devoid of light. A little scared, she shrunk closer to her mother and Pebblepaw. "This is your fault Cinderpaw!!" she yowled, an accusing glare aimed directly at where the apprentice was sitting or had been sitting (due to the darkness, she could not tell). If it had not been for her brother's plead, she would've lunged, but she resisted the urge. Swanmist's sudden yowl surprised her, but it was a pleasant surprise. Chorusing with her mother, she called for her sister. "Mintpool, we're over here! Follow our voices!" In the chaos that had erupted in the clearing, a foul stench had reached their cluster. "Ugh- what a wretched smell!", she complained. Ear-splitting yowls sounded out and concern for her mother had come up. Noticing Pebblepaw squeezing his eyes shut, she knew it was better for him to keep them that way. It's okay. I'll protect both of you.

---

Minnowfin has rushed off and found Mottlerose.
Flurrypaw is sticking with her family.

Snowpaw stood frozen in shock, ears and tail tucked, between the Greatrock and the deputies, fear flooding through her, when a voice within her seemed to speak as she remembered something her mother had told her. “Snow, being brave isn’t about not being scared. It’s about fighting through your fear because something else matters more.”
Slowly, silently, Snowpaw straightened her stance. She would be ready to fight should that be necessary. But she REALLY didn’t want to.

She sadly couldn't answer Daypaw's questions. She could barely even keep her head straight! Comfreypaw listened to the evil cat that announced things truly frightening. The young apprentice had no time to process the fact choices were about to be made, she just had to rely on her instincts. Turning to where the Great Rock was she needed to see what Stoatstar was doing, but the darkness kept him secret. No guidance, she'd just have to protect her loved ones best she could. The fluffy black apprentice stood strongly beside her brothers. It was both her duty and desire to defend.

One of the evil, bleeding cats approached. Comfreypaw's jaw clenched. A low growl rumbled. We can take her on- the lot of us. She looks ill! But what the enemy did was unexpected. She introduced herself as Vixentooth. 'A pleasure?' Comfreypaw had no idea what it was talking about, so she waited to see what her family would do.

Orchidmask couldn't help her smile at Newtspring's calming words, and she settled down beside the tom with her fluffy tail sitting beside her, barely brushing his flank.  She was content with the silence for a moment, until she realized that Newtspring was on edge.  Her icy eyes narrowed as her ears flicked around, Orchidmask turned just in time to see a dark-pelted cat tackle Newtspring to the ground, and her hackles raised to prepare for a fight.  However, underneath the stench of rogue, she could smell something familiar, and as her face was caught in the moonlight Orchidmask gasped.  "Spottedfrog?"  Newtspring's long-lost sister they had discussed so recently...she was back?  Another cat was there, approaching her.  Turning, Orchidmask felt the breath stolen away from her lungs at the sight of...her brother.  Pigeonsun.  For once, a kit-like smile overtook the she-cat's face and she bounded towards the brown tabby warrior, resting her head on his shoulder.  "Pigeon, I can't believe you made it back!  Are you okay?"  Backing up, she looked him over with a keen eye, but she knew that everything was fine now.  Everything was alright.

Until it wasn't.

The normal, oh so familiar light of the moon and the stars was blotted out, and as Orchidmask looked up to the sky her eyes grew wider and wider.  What...what is happening?  She hadn't been paying attention to the meeting, had once of the leaders said something to anger StarClan? Glancing around, she watched as all the cats in the clearing had the same collective reaction; fear.  She was buffeted by dashing pelts in the darkness and couldn't hold back a hiss, trying to keep her eyes on Newtspring, Pigeonsun, and Spottedfrog.  The she-cat's short-lived light-heartedness had faded, and it was with utter seriousness that she flicked Newtspring over the head with her tail as he wandered in his confusion.  "C'mon, let's stay in a group."  Following Spottedfrog, they soon found themselves standing near Bloodstar, but Orchidmask felt no comfort yet.  They needed to get away from the chaos in the clearing before someone got trampled, and work out what to do after.

That's when the scent came, and Orchidmask could barely manage to keep the remains of her mouse from earlier contained in her stomach.  Shadowy shapes took their posts around the clearing, and a face of undead legends stepped out from the to greet the clans; Dawnhawk.  As the atmosphere in the clearing shifted, Orchidmask finally felt true fear, and chills rippled down her spine.  Pressing close to Newtspring, she watched as more and more Dark Forest cats entered the crowd, and cries of pain and mourning followed in their wake.  Glancing behind her revealed only more sentries blocking the way, and the strong-willed she-cat had never felt so small in her life.  "We're trapped...there's no way out of this."

---

Once the meeting started and Basilbloom had recovered for the most part the tortoiseshell she-cat left her refuge in the bushes and joined the crowd, nodding friendly greetings at familiar faces as she made her way towards the front.  She settled down to listen as Goldenstar opened the meeting, but something started to feel...off.  Why was it getting darker?  Glancing up, the she-cat saw the moon growing dark as if a cat's paw had blocked its light.  Not just the moon, the stars too.  Amber eyes flicking up to the Great Rock, she recalled what the leaders had just been talking about.  Why would StarClan cover the moon for discussing Dawnhawk, he's a terror to the clans!  Upon second look though, she knew something wasn't right, she could feel it in her bones.  All warmth was sapped from the air, and the tiny she-cat waited for the big cloud to go away and reveal that all was well again...but nothing happened.  The sky was black and lightless, there were no stars to shine their blessing.  No moon to light the Moonstone...  Wait...where is StarClan?  What's happened?!

Chaos broke look around her, and with a terrified squeak, Basilbloom ducked down and covered her head against the pounding paws and her pounding heart.  Mama and Papa, Loudnose and Swiftheart, Nightstalker...focus on your clanmates!  Find them!  Forcing herself to move forward, she couldn't see what was happening in the crowd around her, and why there was now an absolutely horrid scent in the air.  The faces of her family kept her going despite her pounding chest, and by the time the crowd broke, she could see them, Loudnose and Swiftheart.

And an undead monster of a she-cat, leaping right for her brother.

Before she could even draw breath to scream, her teeth were in his throat.  They were on the ground, blood shining in the dark.  Everything was still.  "No...no, NO!"  Her small voice thundered into a storm as Basilbloom raced across the distance, skidding to a halt beside Loudnose who had been dropped by the Dark Forest cat like an unwanted piece of prey.  Her next target was Swiftheart, but Loudnose was bleeding out...  Tears streaming from her eyes, the medicine cat pressed her paws down desperately against her brother's wound, feeling the warmth of blood soak her paws.  It was too deep, she knew it...  "Please stop, let Swiftheart go!  Why are you hurting my family?  What did we do?!"  Her voice was wracked with sobs, and the small she-cat shook to her very core.  She wanted to call for her mom and dad, for Batglow, for anyone, but she couldn't.  If she looked away, that might be the last time she would ever see her sister alive.

---

Ashflight laughed at all of Swiftheart's questions, not quite knowing where to start.  "It's nice to meet you too, I hope ShadowClan is well also.  I-"  The sound of Goldenstar calling the meeting to start caught his attention, and the gray-furred tom offered the warrior a reassuring smile.  "I can answer your questions in a bit, let's see if there's anything interesting going on."  He watched quietly, trying to keep his eyes on the leaders but his vision kept drifting back to Perchfall, sitting dignified next to the other deputies at the base of the stone.  He knew how much she struggled with the position, but it was moments like this that proved to him that Jaystar had made the right decision, even if it might take a while for her to see it.  She looked perfect, so strong and brave despite her fears...that's what he loved about her.  For once he let those words dance in his mind as he smiled softly to himself.  Ideas formed in his head, words he wanted to say, a distance he wanted to cross go badly he almost marched through the crowd to speak to her then and there...but that was when it all went dark.

Ashflight snapped out of his daze and jolted up to look at the sky, gasping as the moon and stars were enveloped by darkness.  The clearing went black and the tom blinked his eyes, trying to make out who was who and what was happening.  He knew Swiftheart had gone, rushed away to join her clan, but he was much more lost.  "Perchfall?  Perchfall, where are you?"  He walked blindly through the crowd until he managed to find a break in it, and emerged with a relieved sigh for just a moment.  He must've reached the front of the crowd, Perchfall must be nearby.  However, when he looked up a much different sight greeted him...one that he had only seen in his nightmares.

A cat, beastly and ghostly, blood pouring endlessly from a killing wound on his neck.  Many, many shadowy figures stood behind him, the scent making him nauseous.  Other ghosts ran past him, buffeting him with cold wind that ate at his soul.  This...this was a nightmare, right?  Just like his Mama had told him, while she stroked his head.  Ghosts aren't real Ash, don't worry.  Your Papa was just trying to scare you...  Yet he had stayed away that night, and the next, staring into the corners of the barn waiting for his doom to come.  It seems those ghosts had finally caught up with him, and unlike StarClan, they weren't so easy to ignore.  His heartbeat and breathing quickening, Ashflight stumbled on his paws as he walked backward, falling over so that he was just left scrambling instead.  His green eyes were wide, pupils narrowed to the tiniest terrified dots, and his ears were pressed flat against his head.  He couldn't breathe, couldn't think, couldn't move...it was like his brain had shut off.  His lips moved without forming words, he just barely managed to get to his paws.  He needed shelter, safety.  He needed to get home, he needed to find the light...it would chase away the shadows.  It was with the movements of a kitten running from death that Ashflight found Perchfall and Poppypaw, collapsing into his friend without even realizing.  His breath was coming in short, panicked gasps and he wasn't capable of forming words; for once, the encourager was speechless.

It's just like back then, when StarClan attacked...when Ivystar died the first time...when I got the tear in my ear...not again, please, I can't go through this again!

A fluffy tail rested against one of his shoulders; Duskflight stood at the other. The fear crawling up Emberleap’s throat changed its shape. While the stars’ disappearance meant nothing to him beyond the panic it had inspired, the threat Brick posed—every bit the cat he remembered, hare pelt and all—was incredibly real. Most survivors of Asylum’s rule were reluctant to discuss that time, and Emberleap happily let the matter rest, never lying, never answering questions that weren’t asked. Duskflight, for better or for worse, had never asked. Even now, he didn’t; the confusion that had flickered across his face had done it for him.

As Duskflight called out for his Clanmates, Emberleap mustered the will to speak. “You smell like fish.” His voice went low, choked with relief and realization and maybe, just maybe a little bit of hurt. You were here? he wanted to say, eyes overly bright as he searched Brick’s face. This whole time, you were here? Just across the forest for seasons, and he’d never known.

Emberleap shook himself from head to paws. Though it didn’t dispel the emotions roiling through him, they thinned out enough that he could think again. Brick’s place was with RiverClan, but he didn’t want to lose sight of her. In part because she might slip back into the river if he turned his back; in part because he trusted her as much as he did Duskflight, more than most of ShadowClan. “Okay,” he said faintly. “I’m—okay.” Stay calm, Murkystar had said. Other cats had ways of achieving that; he had his own. Turning to Duskflight, the mottled warrior began to ramble once more, gesturing alternately with his forepaws and his dangling tail. “I’ll explain later, I promise, it’s just—it’s a long story. Duskflight, this is…” He didn’t know Brick’s new name. Did she even have one? RiverClan had let her keep her pelt, apparently, and that tradition was as Asylum as it got. “This is Brick. She’s a…um, a friend of mine. Brick, meet Duskflight; he’s my apprentice. Or, uh, former apprentice… Really,” he said, breathless, “I can’t believe you’re—”

The sudden stench of rot clamped his mouth shut. Shadowy figures were filing into the clearing, separating the Clans from the world beyond Fourtrees. The closest few coughed blood, smoke, and who knew what else from what could only be death-wounds. Emberleap stepped back. It was the only thing he could think to do. Fortunately he went tense instead of trembling this time, his tail sweeping low to the ground. A voice boomed from behind him. The words didn’t matter so much as the sound of it, something Emberleap recognized even before he turned to see the face that matched it. “That’s—that’s Dawnhawk.” A very dead Dawnhawk, judging by the gash spilling blood down his front, yet the Standards’ false captain stood living and presumably breathing before them all.

Before Emberleap could begin to wrap his head around that, one of the walking corpses broke away from the crowd. At once, his pelt bristled. The fox skin was hardly unusual, but the flashes of calico fur beneath… If he’d had any doubts, her thorny greeting would have banished them. Unable to respond, he dropped his gaze to the oozing wound on her belly. She, too, was dead. If she hadn’t been standing before him at that very moment, that might have come as a relief. Finally, too late, he managed to unstick his tongue. “We grew up together, in a way. And…and it’s Emberleap.” His voice wasn’t quite venomous, however hard he tried to make it so, but it came out steady as he faced Raisha. That would have to be enough. He lifted his muzzle. “My name is Emberleap.”

Bloodshed happened swiftly. The poor leaders didn't get a chance to answer before chaos was unleashed. Oh well... they should have surrendered sooner. Morningstar glanced quickly around at all of the death that was quickly developing, the Gathering becoming a death bowl of wails of pain and mourning. His eyes were as cold as they had ever been. He blinked once and allowed a small smile to cross his face. Bloodstar was hesitating... Had the war veteran, battle scarred, brawling brute finally learned how to think? Morningstar would patiently await his answer, though he had a feeling Bloodstar would be more likely to react with Beechfang getting pinned by... whoever that was. He didn't know the history between that cat and his sister, nor did he care. Tawnyflare's coat caught his eye however and his tail twitched once. She hadn't been his favorite, nor he hers, but it wasn't a big deal to him right now. They were on the same side until further notice.

He also managed to catch Rainstrike's pelt, though for several heartbeats he couldn't place where he remembered her from. Then it hit him. That had been the rogue she-cat that tried to kill his sister when both he and Beechfang were still apprentices. What a pity he never let her just do it. No matter, it looked like Beechfang was going to be taken care of by that other she-cat anyway. Back to business.

Ashfall shouted his name... and he turned his attention once more to another cat. His daughter... she was his daughter wasn't she? She had threatened to stop him once... laughable really. However she did remind him of one thing... he hadn't told anyone his real name. He supposed it was high time to do that.

"Thank you for reminding me, Ashfall. At one point in my life, I went by the name of Dawnhawk, and then later I took the rogue name, Klaus." He cast a glance in Thunderclan's direction briefly, knowing he'd need to find Waterlily in this mess eventually... and their children ought to be apprentice aged by now. Were they here as well? "I am neither of those cats anymore. I have changed and ascended beyond who those names were attached to. I am now Morningstar, and I will be referred to as such." He spoke loud enough for plenty to hear but almost as if he was bored. Once that was done, he turned his attention back to Bloodstar.

OOC: Combining their posts a bit since they will have a brief interaction.

Bloodstar jumped and growled at the Dark Forest Cat that had attacked Beechfang. He didn't know their history either, but he knew it would be unwise to turn his back on Dawnhawk... or "Morningstar" for very long. The scent of blood mixed with the scent of old death. It was all he could do to not vomit on the spot.

"Your Dark Forest cats start killing without your command or waiting for anyone to surrender! You don't actually command them do you?" He growled, before his heart pounded in his chest even more. It was time... it was time to finally put an end to anyone thinking Skyclan were a bunch of cowards. Bloodstar was scared, that much was obvious, but he refused to give in to it.

"Skyclan doesn't run, Dawnhawk." He snarled, refusing to call him by his "real name". Bloodstar bunched his legs under him and dug his claws deep into the earth. He wasn't his grandfather. He was not going to retreat, no matter how stupid charging forward was. He would not give in to these cats, these monsters. He would die first. He'd rather see Skyclan perish than live under the foot of another cat.. especially this cat. He opened his mouth to say "Starclan light your paths", as he had the first time he resisted Dawnhawk, but the words died in his throat. Starclan was dead, apparently... and that was the one thing Bloodstar believed his son on.

"You're really serious?" Morningstar asked, a grin slowly spreading across his face. "You're going to fight me and against all of these Dark Forest cats? I hoped you'd have learned by now, dad... not everything needs to be a tail measuring contest." He snorted his last words, mocking the loss of Bloodstar's tail to the Asylum attack when he had resisted the first time.

"Scathing," He responded, his words dripping with sarcasm. "It's still the most damage you've done since you got here, you big mouthed frog!" And he leaped forward, claws out and jaws parted for damage. His eyes couldn't track where Dawnhawk had moved, the Dark Forest cat moved so quickly. He saw him leap forward and practically vanish... followed by a sickening wet velcro-like noise and an explosion of pain.

Bloodstar's mouth opened to yowl out his agony... but no sound came out. He tried to land on his feet, but they did not obey him. His legs buckled under him and he flopped to the snow, covering it in red. He writhed, trying his best to get his limbs to obey him. A long claw mark scar from his throat, under his right armpit, down to the bottom of his ribcage marked where his opponent had struck.

Morningstar landed several fox-lengths away on his feet, entirely unharmed. He looked back at Bloodstar struggling to get his feet under him again and shook his head. "Lay down and die. Your time has come." Morningstar set his eyes over to Thunderclan and began to search for Waterlily and his family. The truth was out now and he expected resistance, but he would talk her into accepting him regardless. He wouldn't accept anything else.

Morningstar has struck Bloodstar and is now searching for Waterlily and his kits. He hasn't spotted her just yet.

---

Bloodstar watched Dawnhawk walk away from as if he were nothing more than an annoying fly. The proud Skyclan leader willed his legs to move, though it took almost all of the strength he had left. He got to his feet, struggling painfully and slowly. Blood stained the white snow red beneath him.

"I will not lay down and die," His voice was weak and his breathing was labored. Dawnhawk either didn't hear him or didn't care. He never even turned around. "I will die on my feet... I will die while... I stand..." His voice trailed off and he wobbled a bit in place. He couldn't move forward, it would take too much effort. The last of his strength he was using to die while standing. Only when his soul left his body would he finally flop to the ground... if he could keep himself upright.

Bloodstar is dying, standing on his feet but he is shaky and weak. Any cat want to support him so he can die still standing like he wishes?

---

Bearspirit bristled as the Dark Forest cat came close. He didn't speak, only growled his warning toward her. As soon as she flexed a paw to attack Swiftspirit, Bearspirit kicked off of the ground with a war yowl. He tackled the Dark Forest cat, Rainstrike, and intended to fight with her until one of them was dead. The code didn't apply here, not anymore, and especially not if Starclan had died with it.

Bearspirit used Jumping Strike on Rainstrike, dealing 13 damage and -7SP

Bearspirit
70HP / 153SP (-7SP)

Rainstrike
87HP / 180SP (-13HP)

---

Darkpaw could only stare in frozen horror as cats died all around him and the scent of blood welled up to mingle with the stench of decay. Screams filled his ears and his shaking wouldn't stop. Too much more of this and he feared he might lose control of his bladder. His back was arched and his fur was fluffed out to the maximum length it would go. His eyes were as round as saucers. His ears were ringing. He wanted to look to his mother, to speak, but found himself entirely unable to. His ear rotated towards the leader of all of this, allegedly, the white and gold tom. He was speaking to the leader of Skyclan... Bloodstar was it? A she-cat approached and he stopped breathing. Tears rolled down his face as his fear only intensified further.

She spoke calmly enough, but he didn't trust a single world out of her mouth. He tried to swallow, struggling to do so, but found that he had no spit to swallow at all. His mouth had become completely dry. He tried to respond to her, but all that came out was a terrified squeak. If Thunderclan was supposed to be brave, then maybe he didn't belong here at all. He finally managed to find his voice, though it was strained and pitiful.

"Don't hurt me... don't hurt my siblings... don't hurt my mom." He cried harder, his shoulders shaking as he sobbed. "Please." His claws sheathed as his courage abandoned him. What could he do? He was only an apprentice, and a brand new one at that. He had no combat experience! Definitely no way of defeating Supernatural Overlords! If he could get himself and his family out of here, that would be enough. He would never return to Fourtrees again.

His ears did manage to pick up one line from the white and gold cat despite his terror: Klaus. This cat's name was Klaus among two others... he only dared a very very fast glance toward him. White and gold... There was supposed to be a connection there somewhere, but Darkpaw was too terrified to make much of a connection at the moment.

As the stars winked out Tarot watched the shadow forms of more and more Dark Forest cats gathered around the small squad of still-living cats he led behind Morning, he couldn't help but notice the scent that began to fill the air. Instead of likely most cats, he didn't even bat an eye at the stench, it was familiar, wrapping around him like an old nightmare brought to the surface from times long past. He ran amongst them all with a confidence fitting of a feline who has long since gotten used to the abject horrors keeping pace with each of his lithe strides.

He remained merely a few steps behind the cream-and-white ghost, not really pondering if he was still welcome there seeing as how he had long since gotten used to following wherever his old friend lead. He wasn't afraid of the tom, nor was he blindly loyal to him, the ex-loner still held his ever-present clarity of mind, his individuality. While Morningstar was still easing into his new identity, Tarot had long since adapted to his own skin. He knew what he wanted, and would hardly hesitate to get it.

He wasn't following Morning because he had to, because he was too scared to leave his side, nor because he saw himself as a soldier simply following their leader. No, he wanted to be at his there, watching as the forest faced the consequences of their actions with that same sly smile he always donned since he first arrived to this place. He wanted to observe his companion leave his mark on the forest, for the thrill of watching history be made.

As they made their way to the fourtrees, he silently plodded after the newly-claimed Slayer of the Stars. He took everything in, living in the moment even as the terrified yowls and angry snarls of felines surrounded him on all sides... the nostalgia hit he was getting from this made him giddy. Passively he listened as the tom gave his speech, one far shorter than he expected but hardly unwelcome. Then, Morning addressed the familiar visage of the Skyclan leader, rubbing salt in the massive tom's wound.

Amusement glinted in his luminous violet eyes, and after a moment of watching some Dark Forest cats with clarity in their minds prowl about, he padded up to his ally, settling a few mouse lengths to the side and behind him, nodding as Ares took up a defensive position. The fresh scent of living blood hit the air, and he knew one of the shades that now milled about had decided to make a kill.

Tarot chuckled, calm humour ringing through his tone even as chaos churned around them. He took a deeper breath, mirth glinting in his dark eyes.

"It smells like home. I never thought I'd experience such a thing again... how marvellous." Morningstar would be the only one nearby who knew what he was talking about, everyone else, if they bothered pondering his words, would probably just question his sanity, and possibly his origins.

His ears twitched as he picked out conversations from the turmoil-ridden masses. "And already, cats are falling in line... I'm sure the more outspoken ones will be snuffed out in time..." He mused with a hint of sadistic amusement. "Look at them, their meddling stars are taken from them, and they're like lost kits without the faintest clue as to how they'll survive... how... disgustingly pitiful."  His tone took a darker dip, truly, clans were pathetic without their ghostly 'saints' behind them. "So swiftly, they've realized just how similar they are to the cats that roam the twolegplace without dead ancestors leading holding their paws." He muttered the last bit to himself as he examined the darkness-shrouded area with a hint of curiosity as to what was going to happen next.

Were the kits going to listen to what his old friend demanded, or would they snap out of their terror-filled haze and act their age?

It seemed Bloodstar had chosen the latter. After some more goading from Morningstar, the scarred tomcat struck... only to fail miserably as his old friend swiftly dodged, and then promptly slit the cat's throat. Tarot snorted at that, what an amusing end to such a brainless brute. Honestly, a favour had been done for the forest this day... that cat had been a leader?

Well, without Starclan he was nothing more than a musclehead who wouldn't've lasted three years in the real world. Perhaps this would make it clear to these 'leaders' they were no better than the outsiders they killed without a thought. The abominations had been brought back down to everyone else's level.

How... satisfying. The living dragged back to their true place in nature, the dead showing them that they were no better than the prey they fed on... mice caught in the trap of reality...

And here he was, witnessing history, and it was far more delicious than even the most high-quality corpses he's made out of his past victims. A purr began to rise in his throat as he watched it all with a darkly satisfied smile, his eyes glinting with something dangerous lurking in their depths.

For now, he was letting his usual mask slip, just so he could fully enjoy the moment, however short it may end up being. It'd be a crime to restrain himself when so many ghosts had let loose around him. He wasn't about to be outdone by the dead.

_______________________________________


Chaos, fear, anger. It was all churning around him as Sootpaw watched the darkness come to life, closing in around him with the suffocating stench of death. His claws dug into the dirt below as he glance dup frantically at the blacked-out sky. Strangers were among them, shades, nightmares, all brought back from the abyss they had been buried in, and some were moving with purpose through the crowds. He watched as one of them switly struck down a warrior, fangs buried in their soft throat, and he couldn't help but wonder.

With the stars gone, where was that cat's soul going to go? Starclan was dead, that's what Dawnhawk had yelled as blood dripped onto white fur staining the ground red and churning it with mud. Was he speaking truth? Or was he exaggerating? he couldn't know, and that made it all the more freighting.

Where was he going to go when he died if Starclan was no more?

He heard a voice in the crowd then, a familiar one... His mother? She was with these cats? A spark of anger flared in his chest, only to the stifled under the creeping chill of dread that permeated his body. Where was his mentor?

Did she care where he was?

Likely not, he was just another apprentice she trained, one of many, he'd assume. No one was going to help him now, not even their ancestors.

The thought made everything seem muted, his terror numbed as he stood up straight beginning to step closer, closer, closer to the one behind it all. His odd-coloured eyes scanned the cats he passed, all of them frozen yet moving. Why... why were they doing nothing? Was it truly that hopeless? Or were they no better than mindless pigeons, lost without someone to lead the flock.

... Why had he wanted to be a part of clans anyway? Was this, at the core, what they were all really like? His gaze narrowed, ears alert yet hearing nothing but white noise, and he couldn't help but stop.

He didn't know what to do now. Faintly he heard Dawnhawk speak to Bloodstar, the Skyclan leader could barely talk because of the smell... for acting so tough he seemed to be a cat to easily loose his footing.

Without a hint of empathy, Sootpaw watched as the leader finally struck back, only to be defeated in one fell swoop...

That... that cat was the one that started all of this? Set Dawnhawk onto this path of murder? He recalled the story he had heard behind it from his mentor, and, a strike of hysteria hit him.

The apprentice began to chuckle, then laugh. Had he gone mad? No... no he had merely figured out the question he had been asking himself throughout all of this. Why?

The answer... was stupid.

"This is... pathetic... all of this, everyone is so... pathetic." He spoke, to no one in particular. He doubted anyone would bother listening to him when they were running around like quails with their heads chopped off. "This is what the clans are like? This is who their big bad villain is?... How idiotic, everyone was so fixated on this monster they created..." He shook his head, "And when the monster bites back after being cornered for so long... all their bravado, gone. Why... why is he even wasting his time, on such a pitiful lot. It's the peak of idiocy." He huffed faintly. "All of this is happening because everyone is simply too stupid to deal with consequences, right? All of it, so pointless." His eyes scanned everything, duller with realization. "It could've been so... easily preventable, if everyone just pulled their heads out of the mud. Couldn't've it been?"

He was going to die.

That was the only thought really filling his mind. Everything else just kept tumbling out of his mouth. He knew he should stop but he couldn't find it in himself to care. "I'm surrounded by brainless fish." The young tom remarked dully as he sat in his spot. "To think I used to be one of them." He muttered.

Well, it wouldn't matter soon. While terror continued to cycle through him, screaming of his own demise, Sootpaw just, disassociated. The stress was locking down his mind, making everything so.. surreal and distant.

His odd-colored eyes blinked blankly as he watched the churning fear and uncertainty spin around him in a dizzying circle, he honestly had lost the ability to even process what he was looking at. He continued murmuring to himself, brain long-since short-circuited, "Why... why am I here? If it's all so meaningless, so foolish, painful- why was I caught up in such a storm of mindlessness?" His train of thought derailed halfway through his sentence. He had gone through the paces of his life, accepted everything in a stride, even though everything inside him was screaming for him to leave the clans far behind him, even as he had to physically restrain himself from lashing out at his 'clanmates'...

Why? Why had he done that? Why was he still here? Why was he caught up in such a mess? Why was he bothering with wondering 'why'?

The young tom having an existential crisis, stat stone-still in his spot, claws having found themselves once more in the churned muck below him as his world spun out of control. His heartbeat was thudding in his ears, and he found himself listening to the noise as if waiting for it to stop.

It hadn't yet.

Positioned close to the base of the rock in which the leaders perched upon, his senses did not immediately pick up on the smell or presence of the enemies floating over the side of the clearing. It was only seeing it on other's faces did he then turn, eyes widening in abject horror at the golden tom he had only ever been taught to fear and greet with his claws; but he would not be the first to admit that the blood pooling down his chest, dribbling as he spoke warded off any defensive capabilities harboured by the tom. I have to protect RiverClan. This is what I trained for, the new warrior attempted to remind himself, remembering the harsh nights spent training in the sickly fog of the forest in his dreams, waking up with fresh scars from the molly crested his mentor.

Gritting his teeth he stood, before seeing the beasts that stalked alongside Dawnhawk, barely even clicking in the warrior's mind as things that once were just as real as him or the cats around him. He was barely given time to continue registering the visual input in front of him as a familiar molly sauntered through the crowd, mercilessly taking the life of a tom he had never met before; and pinning down another warrior. Aspenblaze felt his heart sink to the bottom of his paws, bleeding out into the cold floor much like that warrior's life, thoughts racing as he took in what befell him. This is what he had chosen to train with. Vixenstar... she promised you strength, something deep within him rumbled, voice clear in his ears, and as Jaystar chimed in with his greeting, it hit him harder in the chest.

He cocked his head back to look at his leader, his mentor, knowing her too. What strength did he need to gain? The warrior wondered, before facing back to the scene unfolding before him. More Dark Forest cats crept from the shadows, circling around the gathered group of cats, some immediately recognising them as foes from when they were alive - are they considered alive now?- and Aspenblaze shuddered to think of the further bloody scenes that were about to unfold around him. Swallowing hard, he realised he was being granted a choice - to rebel, and die, or to serve under the cats who trained him and who Jaystar clearly had some modicum of respect for.

Nodding to himself, he realised the opportunities serving them would provide him. Surely, for his training, Aspenblaze had to be considered special to them; Vixenstar would recognise that. She trained him herself, he couldn't see why it would be forgotten now. He wanted to prove himself to her, to Jaystar. That their collective training and time spent working on the tom would not be wasted or thrown away in the name of heroics, and so he dipped his head to the cats he had yet to meet; displaying clear loyalty to them.

The scene of Bloodstar and Dawnhawk- Morningstar, caught him by surprise, watching as the son sliced his father practically in half. The leader, drenched in pride, stood as he died, wobbly but determined. Aspenblaze respected the commitment to disobeying Morningstar's final words to him, but refused to assist in his prolonged death. That responsibility belonged to one of his warriors.

--

That... voice. It had been a little while, and her heart pounded in her chest as she thought of the tom it belonged to, wondering why he cared enough to present here. Was he okay? Was her last rational piece of inner dialogue as she had turned to face the intruding scent, and her jaw almost visibly dropped. His appearance was... Achlys shuddered, struggling to recognise the tom as Klaus. Stinking shadows were perched next to him, and her heartbeat was not capable of slowing as he continued to talk, forcing the clans to submit or die. Everything... it was too much.

For a brief moment the ThunderClan cat displayed pure weakness, flattening into the ground, wishing Achelois was here, wishing she were more comfortable in the clan she had been forcibly assimilated into. Although, for what purpose, if her father were here to destroy what they were? What about me? Ata, Achelois? Fear was replacing anything else she was able to feel, and she just wanted to bury herself in her mother's fur like she had as a young kit, watching as various murders and fights began to take place in front of her.

Bloodstar - her father's father - rose to Morningstar's challenge and was viciously struck down, and she wanted to vomit. Morningstar, her kin, was no longer who she had known him to be; she thought of him as righteous and fair, she had scarcely known the atrocities he had committed. Perhaps somewhere deep down, but in the name of familial love and kinship, she had buried it in favour of viewing him as one to respect, to model herself after. He had been wronged, right? She was overreacting.

She took a deep breath and cleared any thoughts she was having, weaving her way through the crowd to find some form of comfort, someone to provide comfort-- despite being fully cognisant that she lacked any who would look after her. Flattened to the ground, Achlys saw an odd cat, a calico with... a pelt strewn over her? As if on instinct, her paws carried her towards the molly, seeing her mother's pelt and her parent's own pelt-wearing behaviours in the stranger. No sooner than her arrival did a cat with her own fox pelt stalk forward, greeting the cats she had accidentally beelined for, and Achlys stopped in her tracks, deciding to crouch and watch from afar. All of her energy was being spent making sure she was as far from her father as she could get, and if being near this mess was the trade-off, so be it.

--

Licking her lips, the cream molly stretched her forepaws out far in front of her, a little quiver present in her spine. The fresh air felt so good against her body, and she almost half-wished to perch high up in a tree and take a nap like she had as an apprentice. She far predated those in the clearing before her, and had merely been dragged out as a pawn to further destroy StarClan's influence, something Cloudjumper was more than happy to help achieve. Stalking forward slowly, her tail dragging along the ground, she found herself intrigued by all those about-- wondering inwardly how many would not leave the clearing tonight. No matter to her, the undead molly was pleased to see them suffer.

BATSONG
---------------------------------------

Batsong was next to Slightfrost when the moon was covered and the sky went dark.  She paused looking up in a confused state not sure of what was going on at all.  Then a fowl smell arrived in the gathering as dark figured creatures approached.  She was barely able to regognize the one who led the attack on windclan and she felt her hair on her back raise up in fear and nerves.  She pointed her tail towards him quivering "h-h..h...he...h-- he's here" she whispered in a heavy stutter of fear not really to anyone just as a statement.  Then all chaos broke lose as cats all around her started rushing all over, going every direction.  Bodies hit her back and forth in the crowd moving her away from Slightfrost against her will. She tried to keep sight of him but in the jumbled crowd it was pointless as cats were running into her left and right all trying to find their clanmates. "Slightfrost?!!" she squealed out in worry trying desperatly to find him again.  ... It was no use she had no idea what was going on anymore and she was lost in a crowd of bodies running every which way.

She ducked through the crowd and was hopelessly lost unsure of what was going on.  She tried to scent what was going on but all 5 clans were here and their smells all mixed together... plus the aweful smell of these... creatures that were flooding in did not help to find any of her clanmates.

She caught a lucky break when she scented something familiar... it was still hard to make out who but it was windclan for sure.  squeezing through the massive crowd trying to avoid getting crushed in a crowd crush she managed to escape to a less massive area and searched around again trying to reconnect with anyone she could.

She saw Mistysky from behind, her signature tail (err rather lack there of a tail) was a straight up giveaway that immideitly let her recognize her in the mass of confusion.  Running to her she nuzzled into her shivering with fear.  "w..w...w-..what's hap--hap" she tried to ask but the words would never work with her so why should they now?  She silently cursed her tongue for refusing to work.  She did breath a sigh of relief that she had at least found one of her clanmates, a very close clanmate at that to be with during... whatever this was.  She looked around for any others that may be nearby but with the lights out it, was dangerous, here they were now the monsters entertained by the fear of the clan cats. She cried out for Swiftspirit, Fawnsong, Scorch... Rosepaw? ... her eyes widened where was Rosepaw... she felt awful not knowing, she turned to Mistysky. "I n...nn.--n" but nothing would work, tears filled her eyes but she blinked them away, in the most important time ever her stutter was blocking her ability to communicate that she needed to find Rosepaw.

She tried again "I m...m--u...must f..f..f-ff" nope not gonna happen her tounge had a difficult enough time under normal circumstances... add in all this fear, confusion and chaos and it was not budging.  She decided to make it simple and knew Mistysky would understand.

"R-...Rosepaw!" she managed to blurt out.  With that she looked around through the crowd doing her best to try and figure out where she was... but it was not easy at all.

She kept her tail on Mistysky best she could so as not to lose her in all this as she led the pair along

Batsong has found Mistysky and is trying to find her apprentice Rosepaw


SOFTPAW
-----------------------------------
Softpaw's ears went flat as the moon was covered over.  This was... odd.  While lots of others all ran around scared he just kinda was ... confused.  This was not supposed to happen. He glanced around to see if he could make any sense of this... hmm nope.

Getting to his paws he tried to find his clanmates but then an idea struck him and an evil grin swept across his mouth... It would be a shammmmeeee if one of these riverclan cats were to "accidently" be hurt during all this confusion  glancing from side to side he set off on a new ... "mission" of sorts.  He was not looking for thunderclan cats, he actually wanted to avoid them for now so as his actions could remain a secret... no he was looking for riverclan cats... and it was by no means to comfort them.  

Then things really took a wacky spin, as dark cats... hmm actually upon looking at them more Softpaw decided to call them creatures yes... dark creaturs started pouring in the gathering.... hmm well that changed nothing to his plan so far and he continued to look for any singled out riverclan cat that could be ... "taken care of"

Softpaw is looking for Riverclan cats... Please Dm me if you would like a riverclan cat to ... meet him (evil laugh)

SWIFTHEART
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Swiftheart struggled under Vixenstar.  Working her way slowly she managed to get mostly unpinned and into a more advantagous position... I wont go as far as to say a winning position or even a drawn position but one that took her out of immediate danger at least... for now...  panting at the hard work it was to try and keep this  ... cat? ... off her she began to pant from the energy drain of it.  Fighting was energy consuming... this was fighting for her life .  To not have her throat pushed in like she had just watched happen to her brother Loudnose.  She teared up having gotten somewhat out of the pin she could see him lying there... Basilbloom was panicing over him ... trying her best to stop the inevitable.  Swiftheart was no medicine cat but even from here the amount of blood pooling around Loudnose was enough to tell her it was likely to late.  She locked eyes with Basilbloom for a couple of seconds while trying to keep Vixenstar at bay... no... she could not let this thing kill Basilbloom, Swiftheart had lost enough to allow that to happen.  Staring into Basilbloom's eyes she yelled at the top of her lungs.  "RUNNNN BASILL" it was in an un- character hiss for Swiftheart.  The usually happy she cat would never hiss or yell at her sister under normal times.  She loved her sister so much and always talked to her in a happy tone of a little sister looking up to their elder sibling.  Needless to say this was not normal times, "runnn nowwww! mousebrain! save yourself!" she meowed pleadingly.  She would try and stop this... thing best she could but she hoped and wished so much that Basilbloom would not try and save her... they would both end up dead if she did...

please run... she prayed ... but no one would hear that... not even starclan currently.

Tears ran down her face, she wished Basilbloom would do as she said but as she was distracted Vixenstar kept pressing the fight and just like that Swiftheart was back to losing the fight, the distraction had given Vixenstar all she needed to re-establish her control and Swiftheart would have to defend again in a worsening and worsening position as Vixenstar repinned her.  Through some means of resilience she was able to keep Vixenstar's jaws away from her throat but with each attempt Vixenstar was getting closer to her target and Swiftheart was losing alot of energy being forced into such close quartered combat.  She tried to calculate how long she had left before her energy would completely  give out on her... she thought of Basilbloom , Icepaw and Forestpaw who she had heard nearby.... she had to give them as much time as possible to get out of here and she thought of... Ratrunner.  was he safe?  She hoped to starclan he was but she had no idea. The two of them had recently gotten to know each other so much better and Swiftheart still loved him a great amount.  Where was he? She could not let this monster hurt any of them.