June Gathering 2022

Shrikestar led WindClan to the Gathering on a warm Newleaf night. The stars shone brightly above, a welcome relief from the depths of darkness they had experienced during the Dark Forest's reign. That didn't mean Shrikestar wasn't nervous, though. To all the other cats, he had just become deputy, but now he was walking in as the leader. That put a lot on his shoulders, but he was willing to burden it for his clan. For the first time, he climbed onto the Great Rock, a sign that he belonged there. At least he hoped that was what it indicated. He looked over his clan, waiting for the rest of the clans to arrive.

Warm breezes, glittering starlight, the full brightness of the moon gleaming from above... the night should have been beautiful. The first Gathering back at Fourtrees should have been a time of rejoicing, a time of strength. A time of solidarity with the other Clans. But instead, it would be a confrontation. At least for one leader. Perchstar's face was completely neutral as she made her way into the clearing, leading her Clanmates behind her. Even if tonight somehow went sour, she would have their support. That thought lightened the weight on her shoulders-- but only slightly. It was still with a heavy heart and a slow-burning anger that the leader padded over to the Great Rock. Before she left the rest of her Clan, she nodded at Ashflight, the barest trace of a smile crossing her face before she reverted to her authoritative neutrality. Then, it was just her and Poppyshine, walking towards the middle of Fourtrees. The Gathering was relatively empty so far, so it was almost quiet during those few pawsteps, crossing the gap from the warriors to where the high ranks sat. Perchstar turned to her friend for a moment. "I trust you," she murmured. "Mingle with the other deputies; most of them are nice, if I recall correctly. Minnowfin of ThunderClan at least should be welcoming to you. And remember that you belong here just as much as they do." With that, and a nod of respect, the leader bunched her hind legs and leapt atop the Great Rock. It felt strange to be up here-- instead of sitting at the base, looking up apprehensively at the smoky form of Jaystar-- but it also felt right. This was how it should be. Unfortunately, SkyClan was not here yet... so she had to wait to deliver her message. She wouldn't let her anxiety show. Her face was completely stoic and calm as she nodded in greeting to the only other leader on the rock. Shrikestorm? Hadn't he just become deputy two moons ago? Well, it seemed she might not be the only new addition to the Great Rock tonight.

RiverClan may now enter the Gathering.

This was Dovesight's first gathering, and she honestly wished she didn't have to go. So many cats from other Clans... but every cat said this was an experience she should have. That she was supposed to have. And she should have had already.

So now Dovesight was here, making sure to stay next to her littermates. If she had to be at this gathering, with 4 Clans of cats she didn't know at all, she was not about to be left alone.

Even worse was, just earlier today, Dove learned that one of the cats that might be here today murdered her medicine cat.

She was thoroughly scared.

Owlshriek followed closely behind Perchstar, his yellow gaze wandering the clearing. He had seen it before, sure. But never for a gathering, never with other clans with him. Such an odd feeling, meeting other cats from clans that were not his own. Despite it all, the tom was rather excited to meet other cats. Not that he would show it, of course. But, he did his best to seem approachable, holding his tail high, and head lifted. Perchstar had asked them not to cause any trouble, and he would follow her lead. Settling down, his gaze lingered on the other cats filing in.

Owlshriek is open to conversation.

Maplespring followed within the midst of the crowd Windclan had brought in. It would be her first, true gathering with everybody, and getting ot meet the other Clans was something high on her list. Excited paws carried her in her signature bounce to the clearing, particularly noticing who else was arriving. It seemed they had arrived first, but there was a distinctly fishy scent that hit her nose soon after. It had to be Riverclan. She knew that her clanmates all carried the scent of the moors on them, and truly the only clans that she were curious about the scents were Skyclan and Thunderclan. After all, they both occupied the forests, how would they be different?

Despite all that had occured during the last full moon beneath the starry sky, there was a confidence in her paws. There was to be no strangers this evening, and it seemed that she would keep that ideology. It was the fluffy, dark, whispy pelt of one of the Riverclan cats that had caught her attention. He too seemed to be a younger tom, much similar to her own age in fact. Her fluffy tail twitched with greeting, and a dip of her head was yet another signal she simply desired simple conversation. "Good evening, mind if I sit here and chat a bit?" She asked politely, a hopeful sparkle in her gentle green gaze. Maplespring knew she could be overenthusiastic in situations, and time had calmed her to be much more kind. It certianly wouldn't offend the golden tabby if his response was he wished not. After all, there were sure to be some nervous pelts after the last moons the forest had dealt with.

Maplespring has approached Owlshriek!

Smallbean followed closely behind Shrikestar as Windclan entered the empty clearing. He had come to the gathering as an apprentice, warrior, medicine cat apprentice, and medicine cat. Now he could add deputy to the list.

He was pleased to see that Windclan was the first to arrive to the gathering, it meant that he wouldn't feel like there were so many eyes on him- yet. In just a few minutes this clearing would be full of cats from all clans. Luckily, he had been working on managing his anxiety in situations like gatherings instead of letting it take control. Taking a deep breath while he still could, he followed Shrikestar to the Great Rock and settled down near it's base, waiting for the inevitable arrival of the other deputies.

Smallbean is open for conversation

Stormpaw looked around nervously at all the gathered cats as he followed the rest of his clan into Fourtrees. He only sees one leader on the Great Rock before Perchstar joined them, and so he’s pretty sure there are only two clans here so far. He opened his mouth and breathed in deep, trying to recognize the scents. Windclan… he thinks? He’s still learning how to identify the other clans.

He sat down with Owlshriek, sticking close to his mentor’s side. He barely knows how to talk to his own clanmates, much less those of other clans! And the news of Cloverheart’s death is still weighing heavily on his mind. He was nervous, to say the least, on how this gathering will go, and anxious to see the result of Perchstar’s announcement. He knew he should go mingle and get to know the other clans, but instead he pressed his fur against Owlshriek’s, all but hiding against him.

He opened his mouth to ask Owlshriek a question, wanting to confirm that he’s correct about Windclan having arrived, but another cat approached. He forced himself not to shrink back, instead straightening and trying to look like a proud member of Riverclan. He gave the warrior that approached a polite smile, but he didn’t say anything, not wanting to bother either of the warriors.

Stormpaw is sticking to Owlshriek, but is open to conversation!

Bloodstar lead Skyclan to the gathering... for the last time. He was a good soldier, but perhaps good soldiers don't always make the best leaders. He made no intention of looking weak however, as he never had. Bloodstar strode into his first gathering as an apprentice with his head high and his shoulders back... and he would enter his last gathering doing the same. He had done it. He had climbed the ranks of Skyclan to be it's leader... he had done what he had wanted to do. His only regret was not being able to lead longer... not with a good conscience for doing so.

He leaped upon the Great Rock with no emotions betraying his intentions. It wasn't anyone else's business.

Although Aether had definitely been to these gatherings before, it felt so foreign to him. This was the first time he would be going to a gathering, and actually belong there. There was no hiding. No playing pretend. It was just him, as a SkyClan apprentice, going to a gathering with his actual Clan.

It was funny, to say the least. His first gathering, when Aether pretended to be an apprentice, he had told the ShadowClan warrior that had confronted him that he was from SkyClan. He had called himself Aetherpaw then, although the warrior probably had no idea what his real name was. Aetherpaw, Brownpaw, Nightpaw, so many names in one night. And he had called SkyClan by the name of CloudyClan. Even now the tom got a chuckle out of that.

And now there was another name to throw into the mix. Crimsonpaw. He still wrinkled his nose at the thought of that name. All this time hating the idea of Clan names, and now even he had one, even if he did not truly identify by it. He wanted to be a part of SkyClan, and Bloodstar said he had to go by their customs. Which, to be fair, did make sense, even if he didn't like it. So he would deal with it.

And much like his first gathering, Aether chose to lay low, as though he wasn't there. Not because he had something to hide, this time. But he was not as dumb as he once was. He knew he had enemies. Every cat who would come today had probably seen him among the dark forest cats swarming the clearing. And then ShadowClan knew him as a cat who took the lives of two warriors, even though he did not take part in the killing himself. So it would be best not to make a scene.

Crimsonpaw is open to talk to

The milk-scent of the nursery had yet to fade from Beechfang's pelt, though she'd been enticed into going to the gathering if only for the chance to stretch her legs. She was content to settle among her clanmates, not interested at all in talking with those of the other clans. Windclan and Riverclan both had new faces on the great rock, it seemed... And she knew full well that Riverclan was missing another of their high ranks, too. For Windclan it was a common-enough occurrence as to be perfectly normal. The tom was slightly familiar, she thought she recognized him from the battle at Windclan's camp. Hopefully he had more brains than his predecessors, maybe if he did he would live longer than a season.

---

Brackenwing paused as she entered the clearing, green eyes widening as her spine stiffened. There were a lot of cats here... And from the looks of the great rock, where Shrikestar sat with two unfamiliar cats who she could only assume were the leaders of the other clans. She didn't scent any Shadowclan in the clearing, though she did vaguely recognize the scent of Riverclan from where it sometimes drifted across the gorge. The scent of the third clan was one that was unfamiliar to her, and Brackenwing was very much uninterested in finding out more of the cats whose fur it emanated from beyond what clan they were. Not even half-full, fourtrees had a lot of cats...

Beechfang is open to talk, though would rather keep to herself.
Brackenwing is open to talk.
Harepaw has not arrived.
Mistyfalcon is staying home.

Blazepaw was ecstatic. Her first real Gathering! She bounded along, keeping one eye on her sister Maplespring (who seemed equally excited) and the other on her mentor Smallbean. Extroverted though she was, Blazepaw had no intention of getting lost in the crowd. She ended up following her sister over to a strange tom. Blazepaw had little interest in the warrior, but his apprentice looked like he might be interesting to talk to. “Hey there, I’m Blazepaw!”

Blazepaw has approached Stormpaw.
Snowfoot has not arrived yet.

Coyotegrin wasn't too happy to be drug out of her nest to go to the Gathering. All that this would be is a reminder she was a failure. But she went anyway, because of Shrikestar... Even though she was hurt by him, she would go to support his first Gathering as a leader. She did clean up though and plastered on her usual grinning look. Weaving through the small crowd, Coyotegrin sat in the middle. She didn't make any conversation, but she would not be opposed to it.

Coyotegrin is open to talk.

Just when clan life had begun to return to its normal pace, Starclan sent some news. Unfortunately, the news was not one that brought reassurance. With Stoatstar's disappearance, his responsibilities were now significantly more, and he was now in charge of caring for the clan. Surprisingly, the very determination he'd had since his apprentice-ship to make his mentor proud had lasted until now, giving him the courage to step up. Urging himself to keep his chin up, he recalled his mentor's words.

"Thunderclan, Starclan... may you hear my choice and approve. Minnowfin will be the new deputy of Thunderclan."

Those were the very words spoken by Stoatstar a day after you were made a warrior. Don't disappoint him now...

Rambling thoughts kept recurring in his head as he lead his clanmates to Fourtrees. It felt unnerving without the leader's comforting presence there to lead them all. Although the leader often exhausted himself, holding the clan together, the tom had never failed to be there. And now, Minnowfin would be there for his clan, for Mottlerose, for the future generations of Thunderclan warriors to come.

Nearing their destination, the grey and white soon-to-be-leader's steps faltered. Where did his self-esteem go now? Doubt held him down, anchoring his paws in their spot. I can't do this- I need more time! I'm not ready... his whispers barely audible. At that moment, a warmth of a pelt brushing against his own reminded him of something important. He wasn't alone...

Lifting his gaze, it was met with a cat who had been there for him before all of this happened. She had his back; Mottlerose had his back. Gratefulness flowed in his veins like a steady, rushing river and he sighed with a smile. Relief written in his eyes, he gave the tortoiseshell a loving lick on the forehead, then touched his nose against her cheek. With his mate at his side, he was ready. Ready to face whatever awaited him, he led his clan into the gathering.

Thunderclan may now post in the gathering!