January Gathering 2023 [Distant Farm]

Brackenwing eyed the full moon that was visible through a hole in the barn's roof for a moment, absently stretching her forepaws in front of her. If she'd been back with her clan, Silverwing would've been dragging her to the gathering... If they were even holding a gathering, being sheltered at highstones when Brackenwing had been taken. She missed Silverwing, but the barn was quiet tonight, and there was no horde of cats to contend with. No Shadowclanners to keep her clanmates from annoying, except the one here, but Whisperear wasn't the type to get into stupid trouble. A sensible warrior, unlike so many of her clanmates, it seemed. And Brackenwing had little intention of striking up a conversation with anyone, either. No, she was going to enjoy the peace and quiet while it lasted, it was the one thing this farm had going for it, at the moment.

Astraeus sprawled out on his side, watching the full moon rise. It was a beautiful thing, a silver orb, one they could admire, instead of turning away in pain like one must shy away from the sun. The silvery tabby noted the WindClanner- Brackenwing, right?- watching the moon as well. Did she wish she was attending a Gathering, instead of being stuck here? Did she wonder what her Clanmates were doing while she was stuck so far from home? Did she wonder what the shades a rogue was doing eyeing her lazily? Astraeus stifled a snort of amusement. He himself didn’t mind the easy safety of the barn- he thought it comfortable and warm- but he worried that the Twolegs would take him to the Cutter’s, like they had many of the Clanners here. No, he’d have to escape, sometime when the dogs were distracted, but who knew when that would be? Not he, and he doubted that he cared. He was content, for now, to lay perfectly still and watch the moon.

Thalia didn't particularly care for Gatherings in the forest, finding that they were more often an not an invitation for trouble (even setting aside her personal dislike for the clearing of Fourtrees), but the company was nice enough. The same could be said of this full moon: the farm she'd settled comfortably into wasn't where she would have chosen to go, or even to stay, but it was nice enough; as were the other cats that currently occupied it.

"I wonder," she murmured, voice low but still loud enough to be heard, "what's happening elsewhere tonight."

The forest, yes. But also places more distant than that.

Where the other Asylum refugees had settled, their rebuilt Oasis. Other distant lands she'd only ever heard stories of. Life on the farm had served to remind her that there was quite a bit of world beyond the forest, something she'd almost forgotten to wonder about.

Brackenwing was content to sit in silence. The rogue - Astraeus? Watched her, but said nothing, and that was fine. She didn't care. Whisperear had sat next to her, and the marbled tabby offered her friend a small smile in welcome, but was still reluctant to break the silence. Her head dropped to rest on her paws, green eyes absently staring at the moon.

Someone spoke, and Bracken took a moment to respond, mourning the loss of the quiet peace she'd managed. "Somewhere, there's drama brewing over something petty, I'm sure. And fourtrees will be overcrowded and loud." Brackenwing responded quietly, turning her head slightly to glance at the other cat who had spoken. The other she-cat was... Vaguely recognizable, though Brackenwing had never spoken to her before. "I could get used to not seeing a proper gathering again, I have to admit." Never seeing a gathering, but not never seeing her clanmates again.

Sablestrike sat with his back against one of the corners of the barn, his head resting on the rough wood. It was better than nothing, and though there seemed to be a silent peace between all the inhabitants of the barn, he did not trust any of them. The Windclanners were self-explanatory, but the rogue was a wild card. He wasn't sure what Asphodel would do, and that made him dangerous. Not that he had done anything to provoke Sablestrike since they had arrived here, but he had once before, which meant he was capable of doing so once more. Despite his best efforts to stay up, the young warrior could feel his eyelids slowly drooping. Then he heard a familiar voice.

"Thalia?" He called out, forgetting about the silence for the moment. In a more quiet, appropriate level, Sablestrike spoke back up. "You're here too, Thalia?" Nightstar and Harrierpaw had been in the front of his mind when it came to disappearing clanmates, he hadn't even known that Thalia had been missing. What a wonderful clanmate you are.

In the loft of the barn, basking in the moons glow, was Mr. Worm who was fully at home. Though his barn didn't have as many holes and wasn't as cold, this one made up for it in company.

His white tail lazily hung off the wooden bridges that held this place together, his old eyes scanning each and every cat below. Something about this felt familiar to him. The talks of a gathering... The picture was almost painted in his head but still so foggy. He would remain silent, but wanted to listen more to these cats and their strange words. Another lazy flick of his tail sent dried hay from the loft to scatter to the barns floor.

Sprucebark sat a bit away. He was so not used to not having all his clan around during gatherings. It felt weird being the only riverclan cat here. He was cold, tired and sore and just wanted to go home, he would give anything to just be able to see his family again. He was so homesick and this gathering thing they were doing now just multiplied on that feeling. He curled up into a ball and laid his tail over his face and front paws trying to just daydream of being back in riverclan again. He never was one to want adventures like this, but they always seemed to happen to him