June Gathering 2022

Smallbean nodded as Poppyshine spoke about Riverclan, averting her gaze when she brought up Goldenstar. "Oh, Goldenstar has fallen ill, although I'm sure you'll hear about it when the gathering starts. I.. I appreciate your faith in Shrikestar and I, though." It was reassuring to hear encouragement that didn't come from a biased source, even if his clanmates really did think he would do well. "Sorry about Jaystar, though..." A short silence fell between them, and Smallbean took the chance to cast a quick glance around the gathering in an attempt to catch a glimpse of Blazepaw. He was relieved to see that she seemed to be enjoying her first gathering- he wished he could say the same about his own.

He was still gazing out into the crowd when Poppyshine spoke again, responding to her with a distracted nod before snapping back to the conversation. "Oh- yeah... It definitely takes off the pressure. At least a little bit."

Only a few heartbeats after he had finished speaking, Shrikestar announced the start of the gathering. Turning his attention up to the leaders, he listened as Shrikestar shared the news of new leadership in Windclan. He expected to hear many similar announcements tonight, considering the amount of new faces up on the Great Rock. Windclan's turn to speak was soon over and Riverclan's new leader took Shrikestar's place. Smallbean still didn't quite know her name. Was it 'Perchstar' Poppyshine had told him? Regardless, the news she brought was grave. After such a disaster with the Dark Forest cats were right back at each other's throats? It seemed the clans couldn't even have a moon of peace- and stars, it was a medicine cat who was killed! It made him feel sick to his stomach.

Head pounding, Briarthorn slowly made her way into the clearing along with the rest of SkyClan. She had no real interest in actually being at the gathering, nor would she have gone if the choice had been up to her. But this was the first gathering in what felt like ages, and SkyClan had to put up appearances. So, despite the raging headache she felt and the extra weight in her belly, she found herself sitting right along the perimeter of the clearing, waiting for the announcements to start. The sooner that happened, the sooner she could leave and get some rest. Then Perchstar, RiverClan’s new leader, made her announcement. Panic overcame Briarthorn for a moment, knowing that with her history, there was a non-zero chance that this could be pinned on her - but then, Perchstar made it clear that it was a silver tabby. Briarthorn’s maw dropped, eyes shifting across the clearing in search of Beechfang. There was no denying it - she was the only silver tabby with a reason to kill the RiverClan medicine cat, and probably the only one with the guts to actually do it, too. Catching herself, she lifted her gaze back to the rock in the center of the clearing. Staring at Beechfang would give it away, and she wasn’t sure what Bloodstar’s approach to this would be.

Birdpaw filed into Fourtrees alongside her mentor, a trot to her excited step. The stench of the other Clans was overwhelming, and it made her nose wrinkle as SkyClan settled in amongst the crowd. The leaders hadn't started talking yet, so the apprentice bounced off without so much as a goodbye to Briarthorn, eager to find someone to talk to. She ducked and bobbed between cats, waiting for someone to catch her interest, so focused on her quest of intrigue that she missed WindClan's announcements. But then the words SkyClan and killed hit her ears, and she froze.

Silver tabby? But... there's only one of those in SkyClan, and... Birdpaw shook herself out, trying to smooth the agitation from her pelt, but her hackles bristled and her tail twitched incessantly. Bobbing back through the crowd, she made for the... vague direction she'd left SkyClan in, hoping to find Beechfang in the crowd. But, she ran into a swath of cats she didn't recognize, that smelled like bark and leaf-litter, but nothing like SkyClan. Particularly, she rammed her nose into the shoulder of a black molly, and Birdpaw recoiled, blinking quickly to clear her stunned vision. "Uhm. Excuse me. I mean– sorry. Who are you? You're in my way."

Birdpaw is tripping over Nightpaw.

Beechfang pressed her pelt to Dovefrost's for a moment in a show of silent support. She was sure Thunderclan wasn't happy about losing their medicine cat, much less to another clan, but she was glad he was here. Some of their kits were, as well, she could see Wolfpaw sitting among their clanmates as well. She'd only been apprenticed the day before, though Beechfang noted she seemed to be handling the crowds well. Her gaze turned toward the great rock as the Windclan leader stepped forward.

Four new leaders stood on the great rock. The last moons had certainly been hard on the clans. Noting the white tom that had taken Murkystar's place, Beechfang glanced around the crowd in search of Basilbloom's tortoiseshell pelt. She didn't see her friend however, and only hoped that she was okay.

Meanwhile, the Windclan tom had been speaking. "I'm glad they finally seem to be learning from their mistakes. Took them long enough." She muttered to Dovefrost, "Shrikestar seemed like one of the smarter ones, at least." Time would tell if that held true. His actions had led to war, but he seemed to be an honest cat and that was something the forest needed more of. It wasn't Shrikestar's fault that his predecessors and clanmates had naught but feathers between their ears-

"Wait... Smallbean is deputy? That Smallbean, the medicine cat?" She glanced at Dovefrost askance, but indeed, the small, fluffy patchy tabby sitting with the other deputies was familiar to her. Her whiskers twitched once and she stilled them. Smallbean had been a warrior before becoming a medicine cat, that was true. Beechfang had remembered him as cowardly, though, not the sort to be comfortable in leading. Less outspoken than his mentor had ever been, certainly. That had been seasons ago, of course, and it seemed things must have truly changed in order for him to be deputy now. After Hentooth, she hadn't kept up with what went on in Windclan beyond the ever-changing presence of their high ranks, and hadn't done much more than take note of names and faces. There had been little point, with most of them seemingly holding similar values and ideals. Shrikestar though... It seemed like he was trying to shake up the status quo. She was sure he would get pushback from his clanmates.

The Windclanner finished his announcements, and next to step forward was the Riverclanner. New seasdon, new leader, new warriors... It was as inevitably as the sun rising each morning. Also inevitable that they had noticed their medicine cat no longer lived. Beechfang hadn't bothered to hide the body in her disgust with Cloverheart, and the river, she was sure, had taken care of its' own and led to the body being found.

Silver tabby from Skyclan? There were multiple silver tabbies, Beechfang's apprentice was practically her double despite being Spottedfrog's get. And there were her kits, of course, who would grow up to be beautiful and strong. Beechfang, however, wouldn't hide from this. If Perchstar hadn't figured it out already, surely she had feathers between her ears, too. Her single, yellow-green eye swept over the crowd. Driftcloud's gaze and Briarthorn's slack-jawed expression. Oh, they both knew. As she was sure Bloodstar and Ashstorm had figured it out just as quickly. Even if she'd wanted to, there would be no hiding from this. And she didn't. Cloverheart had deserved it.

...Hadn't Briarthorn killed too? While pregnant, even? Beechfang could almost hear the brown tabby's mind buzzing. Don't say it. I know what you're thinking. They were alike, more than Beechfang would ever admit to out loud. She, however, would be better than hiding it for moons. The truth was plain as day, and Bloodstar's haggard, miserable expression he was trying to hide... No. She wouldn't make this harder on the clan than it needed to be. And her kits should know to be better than her. Murderer, codebreaker, temperamental queen that she was.

Her single eye turned toward Bloodstar and the abject misery and exhaustion he'd been failing to hide from the former medicine cat, silently apologetic for the extra stress she knew this would add.

Beechfang's eye turning to Perchstar next, the massive scarred she-cat stood, outwardly seeming calm as she began to speak. "I warned her to stay away from me after her stupidity nearly killed me - a medicine cat - in this very hollow, Perchstar." She wondered if Perchstar might have even been too young to have been at that gathering to see Starclan's wrath. The evidence had been seared into her flesh, even the physical scars Dawnhawk had inflicted nowhere near the agony of her ruined face and the strange, leaflike scars twining about her neck, shoulder, chest and foreleg. Even now she could feel them burn as if the lightning had struck all over again, as if the flames hadn't been put out at all. "I told her off this time too, but she decided harassing a pregnant queen was more important than her safety. She knew exactly what she was doing and knew the consequences. She decided I must be bluffing and found out I wasn't." Beechfang stated. Her gaze briefly found several of her kits in the crowd, Wolfpaw looking uneasy doubtless about the circumstances, Birdpaw tripping over another apprentice. They would learn from her mistakes, or they would follow in her pawsteps. She hoped they chose the former. "I won't hide from my actions and don't intend on making this harder than it needs to be. I understand her actions have left you without a medicine cat." She could discuss with Bloodstar, Beechfang would accept whatever punishment they deemed fit.


---

Wolfpaw had followed Skyclan into the hollow with wide eyes, fluffy gray and white fur puffed out in excitement. Bloodstar had joined the cats on the great rock, which she'd assumed to be other leaders. Wolfpaw, for her part, was happy to stick with her mentor and clanmates. She saw little need to interact with the other clans, and why should she? They weren't Skyclan, and Skyclan was all she needed. She'd heard Thunderclan probably wasn't going to be happy with her parents, and if they were going to be unhappy with her family she wanted no part of them. It wasn't long before one of the cats on the great rock had called for the gathering to start, and Wolfpaw couldn't help but listen intently for any scrap of information she could gather. Shrikestar, and it seemed he was a new leader. Windclan was no longer accepting outsiders, and Wolfpaw saw her mother mutter something to Dovefrost at the news. Beechfang almost looked pleased... And amused? No... Smug, almost. Wolfpaw couldn't put her claw on her mother's reaction, though she had only heard stories of the fighting between Skyclan and Windclan in the past. She didn't dwell on it for long however, as the tom was stepping back and a gray and white she-cat had taken his place to speak.

A medicine cat, murdered? By a silver tabby from Skyclan, apparently. Oh, the gray and white leader was angry, that much was obvious. Wolfpaw was admittedly more than intrigued, if only because the information was entirely news to her. It was alarming, too, of course. Why would any Skyclanner murder someone? And a silver tabby? She glanced around at her clanmates, a sudden anxiousness flaring in her chest. The only silver tabbies Wolfpaw knew were her siblings and Blizzardpaw, who were just barely made apprentices. Obviously it couldn't have been them. And... Beechfang. Her mother was certainly rough around the edges--

And her mother had risen to her paws and was speaking. Voice calm and collected, more than Wolfpaw would've expected for someone admitting to--

Oh no. Briarthorn and Driftcloud had apparently come to the conclusion as Beechfang had gotten to her paws, too. Oh mom, what have you done? Riverclan was clearly upset, and why wouldn't they be? And how would they react to Beechfang just... admitting to it? Beechfang's gaze had found hers briefly, imploring... Imploring her for what, Wolfpaw wasn't quite sure.

---

Brackenwing couldn't help the swell of pride as her former mentor had been announced as deputy, as well as for the rest of Shrikestar's announcements. He would make a great leader, she was sure of it. She watched quietly from near the edge of the hollow, clearly not enthusiastic about the crowds, but also eager to learn and hear what the leaders were saying.

And that eagerness abruptly plummeted as the Riverclan leader spoke of murder and glared at a massive, scarred tom that stood on the great rock with the others. The tom looked like he'd seen plenty of violence, even more than was usual for the forest. She wouldn't have wanted to make an enemy out of him, though apparently Skyclan had ticked off the Riverclanners enough. A hideously scarred silver tabby stood and spoke, addressing the leaders directly, and all Brackenwing could think was how she was grateful the drama didn't seem to involve Windclan. If Shrikestar was smart, he'd keep them out of it, too.

Beechfang has chosen to address Perchstar.
Wolfpaw is open to talk and is kind of having a crisis.
Brackenwing is open to talk and is already over gatherings even if none of this involves her.

Blazepaw and Snowfoot alike were shocked by the news of a SkyClan cat murdering RiverClan’s medicine cat.

Blazepaw’s heart began pounding as images flashed through her mind of the Dark Forest cats murdering Mistysky and Swiftspirit in front of her. The glint of fangs. The swirling shadows. The cries, the smell of blood. But this hadn’t been the fault of the Dark Forest, this was done by a living cat! Blazepaw’s jaw dropped at what she heard next, though. The murderer straight up admitted it! Maybe Shrikestar was right, if this was how the cats from other clans behaved, she wanted no part of them.

Snowfoot was less shocked and more terrified. She’d seen what some cats could do already and so the murder only came as a surprise rather than an earth-shaking revelation. What concerned her more, especially when the cat straight up admitted to killing a medicine cat, was that SkyClan was just across the border from ShadowClan. If this cat could kill an innocent healer with no remorse, what would she do to ShadowClan’s kits if she found them? Or Basilbloom and Fuzzypaw?

Leafpaw scrambled into the gathering, feeling slightly worn.

____________________________________

Vixenpaw was not a good mood. as in she felt a cat trod on her tail, whipped around, and shrieked for all she was worth.

Perchstar had asked them not to do anything crazy.

Owlshriek repeated this in his head like a mantra. The sheer audacity of this cat, saying their medicine cat deserved to die. It had taken him a while as an apprentice to truly appreciate what they do for the clan. But, not just their clan, but all clans. So, the lies and falsehoods that were spat their way in regards to Cloverheart made Owlshriek want to leap to his feet and engage this foxheart in a rightful argument.

But, he didn't. Owlshriek's yellow gaze returned to Perchstar, and his fur flattened to his pelt. If anything Beechfang was making a fool out of herself, and her consequences would be her own. Hopefully. Otherwise...Owlshriek's claws flexed into the dirt.

Fuzzypaw turned to face the crowd as the leaders started to speak. He sat beneath Frostgaze as he scanned the group.

When RiverClan’s leader spoke, a shiver ran down his spine. A medicine cat, murdered? His eyes got as big as the moon as he looked to his new friend. Fuzzypaw was never trained in combat. Basilbloom asked him to be her apprentice as a kit, for StarClan’s sake. Any warrior could rip his fur off before blinking. He audibly gulped. Who could do such a thing?

SkyClan? Their warriors looked huge, grizzled, even. A lone silver tabby queen stood, speaking directly to RiverClan’s leader. He couldn’t believe it. A murder confession, right then and there. Fuzzypaw’s jaw hung from his face, he had forgotten how to blink. He turned his head, craning at the absolute behemoth of a scarred brown tabby. Their leader. Bloodstar?

Fuzzypaw of ShadowClan is staring at this mess and is completely horrified.

Pinepaw sat with his Clan, saying nothing. When Perchstar spoke, and accused SkyClan of murder, his hackles raised with a definite snarl. He wouldn’t stand for it.

Beechfang then started to speak, and his face fell. No, this couldn’t be true. Murder? Of a medicine cat?

She had mentioned that Cloverheart had confronted her, which puzzled him more. What could she have possibly said to be worth murdering? His eyes burned as he looked to Bloodstar. What would SkyClan do? With all the other Clans watching?

He looked to his mentor, the deputy. Pinepaw knew that the leader and deputy were both related to Beechfang; this was their kin. His green eyes burned. The other Clans trotting things out for theater disgusted him.

Pinepaw of SkyClan is very conflicted right now!

Still stuck in a state of shock and disbelief, Briarthorn watched her mate atop the rock in the center of the clearing. There was absolutely no telling how the tom would react to this, especially since… Beechfang was admitting to it? In front of the entire forest? The molly had some nerve. A mild panic settled in the pit of Briarthorn’s chest. At least her trial hadn’t been held at a gathering, a time of peace, in front of all five Clans. She wasn’t exactly put on display like Beechfang was right now. Still… The two had a strained relationship at best, but they had just made amends. Even if they hadn’t, the fluffy queen would never have wished such a thing on her. For someone who had been in Beechfang’s position before, she could attest to how much pain and suffering it caused, in both Clans. Briarthorn’s panic only grew when her vision began to fray around the edges, and a sharp pain radiated throughout her body, sourcing from her stomach. She’d felt her kits kick before, but never like this… No, Briarthorn knew this feeling all too well, and it wasn’t going to wait for this gathering to end.

Briarthorn felt as if she was going to vomit. Surely, she could wait it out, hold out long enough to get back to camp… And then another wave of pain washed over her, and she couldn’t control it, whimpers of pain escaping her maw. Her head was still pounding. SkyClan was out of a medicine cat, meaning that there wasn’t anyone there Briarthorn trusted to tend to herself and her kits… Except Beechfang, who wasn’t too far removed from her medicine cat days. Dear StarClan. The molly’s thoughts blended together, nausea and pain blurring the lines of rationality and reality. Think, you need to think. All she felt was pain- clear thinking was out of the clearing, out the forest, and out of this world. Standing to her paws, she attempted to take a few feeble steps toward where Beechfang stood, but she was far too weak for even that, and nearly collapsed onto her side. Feeling helpless, she called out, ”Beechfang…” Despite her head and vision swimming, she tried to make out Bloodstar’s tattered form atop the rock, gaze almost pleading for someone, anyone to come to her aid. Whether she liked it or not, her kits were coming, and they were coming tonight.

"It is concerning," Dandelionflight responded. She had a pretty good idea of who the perpetrator of the crime could be. Beechfang. She knew that the strange scars Beechfang had had something to do with Cloverheart. Before she could say anything more to Duskflight, her suspicions were confirmed. It was surprising -- to say the least. She didn't expect someone to openly admit to their crimes. Not that it was bad to...just...weird.

---

Cherrycloud finished picking out the flowers and looked up at the Greatrock. It seemed that all the clans had arrived. Looking around the clearing, she spotted something that interested her: another cat was wearing a circle of flowers on their head. She wove her way through the crowd and approached the calico she-cat. "Hello, I'm Cherrycloud. I've never seen what you've done with those flowers. Could you perhaps teach me how to do that?" she inquired.

---

Dandelionflight is talking to Duskflight!
Cherrycloud is asking Thalia about her flower crown!
Dappledlight is speaking to Specklewish!

Waiting for a response from the leaders on the great rock sent a jolt of anxiety down Beechfang's spine. Admitting to a crime in front of the whole gathering hadn't... Been what she'd originally intended to do, but she could only imagine how her father would react to the Riverclan leaders' words and she was sure it wouldn't be pretty. She wanted no dragging out of this, she just wanted it over with and to move on.

Briarthorn had moved toward her and- Beechfang blinked, gazing at the ex-Shadowclanner. Wrong. Wrong, wrong. Her movements had changed and-

Oh stars above. She was kitting. In the middle of a gathering. Probably from stress. Whoops. This new development sent Beechfang's anxiety spiking, and all at once she was reminded of a very different scene. Flowerthorn and the rogues that had overrun camp.

Skyclan was without a medicine cat. Officially, at least. This was not how Beechfang envisioned using her skills to help. In fact, she wanted to not use those skills at all. But someone had to. Briarthorn was... Not quite a friend. Whatever she was, she was Skyclan now. And her clanmate needed help. Beechfang forced her anxiety aside. Briarthorn was kitting. That was the only thing she needed to focus on right now.

Her paws moved, carrying the former medicine cat towards the queen with focused, sure step. She didn't much care for who was in her way. If they had any sense, they would move on their own or she would move them.

"Terrible timing, or excellent timing. I don't know which this is. Kits certainly won't care. No, you aren't the first to do this in unideal ccircumstances." She mewed, voice more even than she could've hoped for. "Skyclan! Around us!" No queen would appreciate half the forest gawking at them while kitting. It would be stressful enough given the current situation, and stress wasn't good for pregnant queens. "Dovefrost! Cobwebs! Chervil or raspberry leaves-" She yowled. She and Dovefrost wouldn't be the only medicine cats here, of course. If any of them chose to make themselves helpful she would appreciate it, though Smallbean's was the only other name Beechfang knew and he was no longer a medicine cat either. Those herbs grew in rockier areas. They grew well in Skyclan territory, but that was halfway across the forest. It had been a long time since Beechfang had searched for herbs around fourtrees, but she wouldn't let that anxiety show. "-Sticks too." Those at least, would be plentiful around here. And Briarthorn had enough to concern herself with without adding 'my healer is visibly panicking' to the list.

Beechfang has called for Dovefrost to help, but if any other medicine cats can hear her they are welcome to join.
Beechfang has called for Skyclan to surround Briarthorn, to keep the other clans from gawking at the queen giving birth. Have some decency smh.

Dovefrost froze. Beechfang.. did what? And she was admitting to it? Stars.. he wanted to fall to the ground right then and there... He didn't know what to think. While he never really got along with Clover he never really wanted something like that to happen. The large white tom turned to the cat beside him. Watching with shock in his green eyes as she spoke about what she had done. The tom gulped turning his attention to the leaders specifically Bloodstar waiting for a response when everything seemed to fall apart even more.

Briarthorn had started kitting, at either the best time or the worst time. Dovefrost wasn't sure, and Beechfang had jumped into action faster than the tom could even react. Maybe it was because of the news he had just heard that had him reacting slow, but when his mate called for herbs of course he listened.

He ran off to grab what he could, shoving by cats without a word to accomplish his goal. As soon as he was satisfied with what he had, he returned standing beside Beechfang. "Here this should help enough for now until we can get back to camp." Dovefrost looked at Briarthorn knowing that she was in a lot of pain right now. "You are in good paws Briarthorn, we will get you through this." He would continue to assist as needed, but for now he used his large form to try to block the view from the other clans.

Scorchtalon had been surprised by the news of a medicine cat being murdered and even more surprised when the killer stood up in front of the entire gathering to admit to it. It was no cat that he recognized, though it definitely took courage to own up to one's crimes with so many witnesses. He wasn't too worried though, as long as Windclan wasn't harmed. He was a bit curious to see what the other leader's would have to say about it. Just as he was turning his gaze back to the Great Rock to await their reactions, a commotion broke out. It seemed a queen, another cat unfamiliar to him, was kitting! In the middle of the gathering. He was no medicine cat, but he supposed it wasn't like she could control it. Cats began to surround the queen, and Scorchtalon looked away, shifting uncomfortably. There was nothing he could really do to help, and he doubted she would appreciate being gawked at by the entire forest during such a vulnerable time.

Scorchtalon is... a bit uncomfortable
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Beetlepaw had barely been listening when the Windclan leader spoke. The most she heard was that his name was Shrikestar and Windclan wasn't accepting outsiders. Whatever. With all the excitement she heard in her clanmate's voices when they prepared for the gathering, Beetlepaw was expecting it to be a bit more interesting at least. So far it just seemed to be bossy, stuffy leaders standing on a big rock while the cats below pretended to get along. Boooooring. As the Riverclan leader started to speak, Beetlepaw was prepared for another meaningless update, but was surprised when she heard Perchstar's news. Murder, you say? And a medicine cat at that? Now this was more like it. Beetlepaw briefly wondered who could've done it, only to find that she didn't have to stay in suspense at all. The murderer proudly stood and addressed the entire gathering, showing no visible remorse for her actions. She took the entire scene in greedily, waiting to see what would happen next when some cat decided this was the perfect time to give birth, and everyone's attention was diverted. "Drama queen... Beetlepaw muttered to herself, turning away.

Beetlepaw was enjoying the show & is now annoyed
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Plumpaw hadn't been listening to anything. Her first step into the gathering brought the uncomfortable realization that fourtrees was huge. She'd been aware that all five clans would be here, but she hadn't thought about just how many cats that would mean. They were everywhere, rushing to and fro to greet each other, voices raised in a cacophony of noise as every cat tried to speak at the same time. Nope. Absolutely not. Heart racing, Plumpaw retreated deep into the center of the gathered Skyclan warriors, finding comfort near her own clan. At least here she wouldn't have to worry about having a panic attack in front of strange cats she'd never met. She glanced up at the sky, trying to count all the stars in Silverpelt in an effort to calm herself down. She distracted herself the way she always had, by getting lost in her thoughts until she forgot where she was.

The stars are so close together, I wonder if Starclan is as crowded as gatherings are... Do they have gatherings every full moon, or do they just watch the living cats gather? I wonder which Starclan cats are watching us right now... Maybe all of them? Just how many Starclan warriors are there...? With a decisive shake of her head, she concluded that there were probably too many to count. Her ears perked at the sound of her mother's voice, and she focused on the gathering once more. But something wasn't right. Beechfang... killed a cat? No way... there must be some mistake. She was barely given a moment to react to the news when Briarthorn collapsed and Beechfang sprang into action, ordering Skyclan to surround the two of them. Plumpaw shook off her confused daze and rushed to her mother's side, trying her best to stay out of the way. She wasn't sure how she could help, but if she was needed she'd do what she could.

Plumpaw is very confused, but wants to help in any way she can