Judgement Day [TC CLAN MEETING]

ooc; follows this topic

With Shadowclan's medicine cat and deputy in tow, Mottlestar's steps were thunderous as she stalked her way back to camp. Each step was fueled with a flame that burned deeper than anger. It was a combination of betrayal, heartbreak, disturbance, hurt, and pure rage. Of all the news that would come to pass inside her borders, this was easily one of the worst. Without a doubt, it surpassed the news that had shocked the tortoiseshell to her core upon losing her first life, and if the Stars were merciful, they had just spared her losing another one. For now.

Giving a nod towards the two mollies, the tortoiseshell wasted no time in leaping to her position upon the High Rock. She'd had no time to grab her deputy, instead charging two of her daughters in rounding up every member of the Clan. From the energy that rippled off of her, there was no doubt that something was going on. Something was wrong, and it was news that she had no joy in delivering.

"Let all cats of Thunderclan gather beneath the Highrock for a clan meeting, IMMEDIATELY!"

Her yowl carried loud into the hollow that made up Thunderclan's camp. Kits, apprentices, warriors, elders, queens, any cat who existed within her borders would be here for this meeting. She summoned them so. Any voice, all voices, she needed to be able to hear in this case. There would be no hiding from the truth, not with the Stars themselves delivering such a promise. If this came to be the wrong cat - no. Mottlestar couldn't allow herself to think in such a manner. She knew with the words that Burdockroot had spoken that this was truly the prophecy the Shadowclan medicine cat had received.

The only question in her mind was why it had been to the multicolored molly instead of Fawnshine, but there were so many ways that the stars worked that were beyond her knowing. If it came to Shadowclan instead of Thunderclan? That simply meant it was that much more important to listen.

Almost anxiously, the leader awaited her clan's assembly before her. While her face was usually telling, it had maintained its hardened stare. Her claws gripped into the Highrock beneath her, and her tail lashed as the only signs as to her emotions. If Briarrose and Firefly had told their clanmates about why they were being summoned? That was on them. She hadn't told them to keep it quiet, nor had she told them to say anything. But all would be on the same page soon.

For now, her gaze watched for two particular toms to join the crowd.

A scowl was present on the lightning-scarred face of Firefly. No, she had told none of the cats she found why they were being summoned by ThunderClan's leader. That burden was for Mottlestar and Darkspirit, not her, should anyone choose to defend the accusations made by ShadowClans own Medicine Cat. Russet tail flicked rapidly in aggravation as she stood at the camps entrance, determined to stop any cat who tried to leave.

Any funny business would not be tolerated by the hot-blooded warrior.

In a rare moment of midday relaxation for the young tom, Lichenwing had been sprawled out on the edge of camp, enjoying a catnap. When Mottlestar's voice called out, he lifted his head, blinking until his eyes refocused in the daylight. He could hear her from here, but this seemed serious, so he got to his paws and wandered to the center of camp to settle down, gaze flicking curiously over to the camp entrance, where Firefly sat guard, before back to their leader. He hoped it wasn't anything too serious.

Leopardsun followed Mottlestar and Burdockroot into ThunderClan's camp, silently considering the differences and similarities to ShadowClan and SkyClan. She knew that many of her Clanmates had sheltered here for a while after the flood, Nightstar among them, but it wasn't the sort of thing most cats talked about all that often. Most of the cats she was closest to, bar Snowfoot, had been with her in SkyClan's camp.

---

Nightdancer had in fact found Darkspirit not too far from camp, as Mottlestar had expected. After informing him of the current situation, she had accompanied him back to ThunderClan's camp; though she was still unsure of what could be trusted. Cats from another Clan, come to tell them they harbored a killer- though she was silent and composed on the outside, the nervous twitching of her tail-tip the only indication of her true feelings.

Darkspirit entered the camp with a cold expression and stiffness in his movements. Mottlestar was furious. His eyes scanned the crowd for one tom in particular but didn't spot him just yet. He stopped at the side of Highrock and his gaze kept sweeping over the rest of his clan. Anyone who knew Darkspirit would realize immediately there was something very off about his energy and his demeanor. He was typically either broody and sulking or he put on his "deputy face" and was trying awkwardly to fit in.

Now, he was tense, like a coil ready to spring once tension was released. One gold eye and one blue eye kept flicking about but neither of them blinked. This was the mannerisms of a predator waiting eagerly for prey, but he managed to restrain himself from doing much more than that. For now, he would wait.

Beetleshade joined the gathered cats, giving an annoyed huff. What was so important that they had to disturb her midday nap? She'd been out patrolling all morning, trekking the territory until she felt as though her paws would fall off, was it too much to ask for a little rest? She'd considered ignoring the call, figuring it was another apprentice ceremony or something of the sort, but something about Mottlestar's sharp tone told her it was a serious matter. That, and the presence of Shadowclan in their camp once more. She eyed them suspiciously, but kept her claws sheathed. For now.

Starlingflare had been curled up inside the warrior's den trying to nap when he heard his leader's call. His single yellow eye blinked open, stunned at the ton she used. That wasn't normal. Slowly the senior warrior pulled himself out of his nest and out of the den, and towards the growing crowd. His eye looked up at Mottlestar, catching the anger that radiated off of her, moving to Darkspirit.. who.. well. It was obvious he was trying to be professional, but it wasn't working. If he could have, it was clear the bi-colored tom would have been drooling. Then his gaze drifted to their other.. "guests".. Confusion and dislike settled on the tom. What were they doing here? What was going on?

The tom settled himself in the crowd, anger starting to pulse in his own veins with slight tings of unease settling in his gut. He didn't like what was going on here. Whatever it was, Shadowclan didn't need to be here for this. The had no stake or say in Thunderclan.

Burdockroot cautiously followed in the progression, watching Mottlestar nearly soar to the rock in a seething rage. She couldn't help but watch the leader in this moment, fixated on the brewing storm on that rock. For the first time, she wondered what it would have been like under a different leader, a leader like Mottlestar. She seemed so level-headed in Gatherings, much more like a rose bush than the thickets like Nightstar. Her admiration only lasted until she could feel the burning of gazes on her pelt and she forced herself to look away to meet Darkspirit's mismatched eyes with her own for the briefest of seconds. The Deputy looked like a rabid animal about to tear into prey. It would have unsettled any other cat than Burdockroot, but it just made her more curious about this clan. She had lived here for a few moons, had watched them carefully and listened to every word in range of her ears, tucking the memory away until it was needed, if needed. Nightstar, Nightstalker then had ordered them to do so. But she was older now and have lived more life than back then and yet StarClan had brought her back to this camp.

It was curious.

Who would she be if she had been born to ThunderClan? WindClan, even.

Her thoughts had raced into an unimportant direction. Pushing the curiousity aside, Burdockroot straightened herself up. Surely, the meeting would begin soon and she would listen carefully. She knew what Nightstar is going to say about going under his nose. But she had brought Leopardsun, so what more could he want? This didn't concern him until it was resolved in ThunderClan.

Curiosity poked at his mind as he heard Mottlestar's call and with such interest came a bit of worry. Her tone didn't hold its usual softness and she seemed angry. He wasn't sure why or what situation had caused such emotions to show, but he followed the crowd towards Highrock. On the way, he picked up some unfamiliar scents and spotted an stranger. While part of him grew even more worried, he assumed they were here for a reason, seeing as though no cat had driven them away yet.

Spotting his best friend, he trotted over to her with a bit of haste to his step. "What's going on?" the curly-coated warrior mewed in a hushed voice to Firefly.

Firefly's paws were planted firmly where she stood, eyes scanning every cat in the growing crowd. Briefly, those green eyes caught sight of Starlingflare, possibly the cat of the hour in this urgent clan meeting.

She only acknowledged her best friend, Curlyfluff, once he had whispered his question. "It would seem StarClan asked another clans medicine cat to relay a message to us, instead of our own..." Besides the bitterness she felt about StarClan not even trusting Fawnshine with this information, this was all she would say. Her russet and black tail flicked in the directly of Mottlestar, urging the curly warrior to pay good attention.

Watching, watching, watching, she watched with a gaze that could have sent a kit scuttling back to the nursery. It was a look that had probably only ever emerged once before on her face, and even then the time that had occured was lost in the sea of memories and time. Her claws continued to grip at the rocks surface beneath her as she acted as a sentry within her own right, her tortoiseshell frame expanding and contracting with each seething breath that bellowed the fire of her rage through her lungs.

Each new flame was slowly shaped, slowly honed into the sharp weapons that would best serve her role. It was her right, no, it was her duty to this clan to ensure that they were all safe. For that to be jeopardized, right under her nose, was less than acceptable. It called to her own failures, to the failures of her predecessors, and it was a wrong to be righted.

The tom in question made his way into the crowd, and she watched the way the gazes that knew found their target. Her clanmates had no more joy to share than her own, and his own dissatisfaction almost felt insulting on her tongue. The violent thoughts tussled within her mind, her tail-tip flicking to dismiss them as they ran their course. You have some nerve, tom, to display disdain at outsiders when you consider your own actions.They never found their way out her lips, but continued beneath the surface.

Enough had gathered, and for once, the tortoiseshell felt no desire to stall. She wanted this over as quickly as she could. "Thunderclan! I summon you here because there is need for warning within our Clan. As you know, our medicine cats travel to the Moonstone to share tongues with our ancestors, and one has sent a message to Burdockroot of Shadowclan. We host both Burdockroot and Leopardsun as our guests for the message they bring us as warning." Sharp was perhaps a kind way of putting her tone. The words were brisk, perhaps reminiscent of the leader that their visitors found allegiance to. It was so unlike the molly to display the onyx-pelted tom's mannerisms, but there seemed to be a time and place for such blunt harshness.

"For this, we must put one of our own to trial. For the message that Starclan has given us is not one to heed without due consideration. Starlingflare, I summon you to come forth of the crowd. Nightdancer, Murkyripple, stand guard on either side." Had her eyes the ability to change fire, the typical amber that doted them would have delved to be a deeper, flame-tipped hue. Pity, for just a moment, seemed to fleck within them. But it soon dissipated as she repeated the prophecy within her mind, the gut feeling that it was more than true. "I mean no personal offense to this action, Starlingflare, but as you know, all threats must be dealt with properly. Should this be absolved and you found innocent, you will receive no punishment, and your Clanmates will hold nothing against you." Despite her orders, there was still little kindness to be found in the cold tone of the leader.

---

Murkyripple had spared no time in listening to her mother, having found her spot in the crowd thanks to her sister. As if they had slipped into the same mode, her own frame moved like that of a guard, stalking forward to sit just behind the senior warrior. She had held him with quite a measure of respect, but all it had taken was the news that seemed to spread like wildfire for her own frustration to be wielded like an icy claw. It was easy for her to settle into that cold demeanor, heeding her mothers' orders. Something told her to stay on alert, to pay attention for what may have to happen. She was ready in the case she needed to intervene, but would wait for direct orders to do so. Until then... she was there for protection. To protect her Clanmate from others who found the ruling unjust, or protect the tom who seemed to be in question from whatever was to come his way.

The blinding tactic hadn't been one that she had thought to be in her mother's arsenal, but brief consideration was easily helpful in finding its use. No time to come up with some defense to sway the masses, no time to allow any lies. Just the simple, blind truth. Any recovery, any fumble would expose any deep-rooted fib that had clawed its way into the Clan. It was calculated, perhaps a bit cruel, but... ultimately, needed.

---

Once the tom had come forth, the leader seemed to have no problem with continuing. "Burdockroot, I ask that you share the prophecy that StarClan has given you. Starlingflare, once Burdockroot has given us her words from StarClan, I wish to know the truth. ThunderClan, I ask that you evaluate both." She seemed to sit farther back, appearing even taller as she made her orders. At the same time, her muscles seemed tense, ready to spring and protect both of her guests if it came to it. There was no doubt that it made some cats wary for those of an outside clan to witness such an otherwise intimate event, but when they were so integral to the process, she counted on her Clanmates having the capacity to evaluate the necessity of their presence.

Burdockroot watched with blank eyes as Starlingflare - yes that was his name, or must be - be guided to the front. She was horrible with reading expressions, but the rest of the cats of the clans did look angry. At least, the ones who knew. She waited, with the slightest twitch of her tail as he took position below Mottlestar, who she could very much tell was furious. As the hush settled, Burdockroot stood and walked to the front of the clan but remained a safe distance. Mustering out every word in her entire body and every angry voice note - minus the anger, just the volume - Burdockroot addressed a clan not hers.

"ThunderClan, I understand I am not your medicine cat. However, I have received two prophecies in the last moons about murder. One, I believe, is clear. The one from last night. The other, many moons ago and less clear. However, I will state both because you may be able to make the connections I cannot due to lack of knowledge of everything in the forest. The first prophecy is 'Razor sharp talons rip through skies as red as blood, leaving three deep gashes in their wake.' This implies a bird named murderer - I inferred a SkyClan cat was murdered and spoke with them about it. However, use this as you will. I am nothing but a messenger.

Now, the prophecy I received last night is much more clear. It stated - 'Three have fallen to the starling's talons, but more are at risk.' There was a starling, dark feathers stained with blood, flies down from a nearby oak tree. Behind it lay a bird -a dove- , a flower, and a newt. In its claws is a blossom and a kittypet collar. That is the knowledge given to me by StarClan." With a dip of the head to the crowd, Burdockroot retreated to Leopardsun.

Blazefang’s pelt bristled with unease, growing stronger every moment. First the ferocious marsh cats in their camp, then Mottlestar calling every cat to a meeting, not to mention her unusually harsh tone. And then came the shock. A murderer? Here? No, please no. This is supposed to be a safe place. Mottlestar, please say it’s not true, she silently begged.


Meanwhile, Sagepaw’s claws dug into the ground, her face registering a look of blank horror. “No,” she whispered. “This isn’t how it’s supposed to be.”