September Gathering 2023

It seemed like for the first time since she’d been made leader, she was looking forward to a gathering. The moon shining brightly in the sky was, for once, taken as a good omen rather than a sign of dread for what was to occur in the clearing that was edged by the four great oaks. Thunderclan had gained a significant amount of apprentices, and no shortage of them had been invited to come tonight. With a few senior warriors being asked to stay behind to keep camp safe, Mottlestar had made a personal vow to allow as many apprentices as possible to come. That wasn’t without a loud announcement to command them all to behave, though. Memories of when her daughter had stirred trouble at a gathering had flashed across her mind, and the tortoiseshell was convinced she’d go have a word with the stars themselves if they struck lightning at another one of her apprentices over a petty squabble. Making such a fierce example out of mere children? Her tail lashed just at the thought.

Glancing behind her to provide a nod to her clan, she wasted no time in entering the clearing. Thunderclan was the first to arrive- and she was okay with that. Part of her hoped to see Riverclan next to know if her daughter had came or not.

Thunderclan may enter the gathering!

Crocuspaw followed closely behind Mottlestar as she padded into the gathering, standing easily a full head over her, even as they walked down into the clearing. Crocuspaw took in a nervous breath and split from her leader and mentor, doing it with a little more ease now that she was aware that it was something that would happen. The clearing was quiet and empty, allowing Crocus to settle her nerves further.

Crocuspaw is open for conversation.

The last Gathering had certainly been... less eventful than normal, which Perchstar couldn't help but be grateful for. The existence of Smallstar and Leopardstar had certainly cooled down the tensions on the other side of the forest, and she wouldn't be surprised if the entire moon had managed to pass without bloodshed. The fact that that was a novelty was frustrating, to be perfectly honest. ThunderClan and SkyClan, who she'd historically had tensions with, were now allies of a form stronger than RiverClan had had for years. Couldn't ShadowClan and WindClan simply leave each other alone? Hopefully, the moon had been peaceful on their end of the forest. And hopefully, that peace would continue. Perchstar didn't know how many more foolish conflicts she could take.

It was pleasant to see the clearing mostly empty, save for Mottlestar atop the rock. A quiet nudge at her heart made her recall Murkypaw, who she glanced back for a moment to see. It would be a good time to tell Mottlestar her daughter was doing all right. Was that something that she needed to announce? No, not particularly. A quick conversation was all it would take. Hopefully, this would not be too strange for Murkypaw, to walk into Fourtrees with a different group. She glanced at Poppyshine, offered a nod to all of her apprentices that had attended, and then made her way to the Great Rock. A swift leap from powerful hind legs was all it took to reach the smooth surface. The cool night air was welcoming, but even more welcoming was the smile on Mottlestar's face. Perchstar couldn't help but feel comfortable with the small tortoiseshell. "Good evening," she said. Though her tone was as neutral as normal, it was with a complete lack of tension in her body that she spoke. "I am well, and I believe that Murkypaw is also. How are you, and your Clan?"

RiverClan may enter the Gathering!

Kitespring quietly padded into the clearing with RiverClan. Tonight seemed like a good night to talk with other cats, and she had a really bad habit of not interacting with anyone from time to time. It's great talking with cats. Please talk with someone tonight.

There weren't any clans here besides ThunderClan, though, and it seemed like the cats were starting to settle down, anyways. As she gazed around her clan, she noticed Cinderpaw anxiously gazing from cat to cat. Stepping towards the young apprentice, the russet she-cat sat next to her, hoping to help calm her nerves. "You alright?" she asked. The last thing Kitespring wanted was for one of her clanmates to be uncomfortable in this scenario.

Words that were as precious as the subject matter themselves came in greeting as Riverclan's leader joined her atop the rock. The tension in her own shoulders had released tremendously upon seeing her, knowing that her company was one that she found favorable rather than... neutral. Could she truly claim that she found Windclan's new leader to be a neutral presence? It was hard not to feel the prejudice that roiled in her chest, rippling and gnawing its fierce zing all the way down to her paws. Nevertheless, it was a night of peace. For a quick moment, her gaze went up towards the stars. Pricklebush, smite me and take away all my lives on the spot if I ever come close to disrupting the peace. She sent the half-jest, half-command up to Starclan.

Still, the news that Perchstar had delivered was particularly well received. Even as the sorrow flickered in her gaze, the smile remained. "I have no doubt. Fiercely dedicated kit, isn't she?" She chuckled. "But I suppose it would be ill of me to gossip about one of your clanmates. For once... I can say that Thunderclan is flourishing. We've got many apprentices, so many we're about to have to build a second den for them all. It's... Truly, I'm relieved." One look at the tortoiseshell fully conveyed that sentiment. For a molly that had been perpetually battered by the storm, there was the clear look of hope on her features as she portrayed the portrait of one now finally on the other side. She considered telling her ally about their odd lineage, but that was perhaps a secret and tale for those kits to share. It felt rude to betray their lineage.

Mottlestar is talking to Perchstar!

---

Within the crowd of Riverclan cats that joined was, in fact, Murkypaw. It had been much harder for her to be able to come tonight than she could ever share, memories of the previous gathering she had attended being all she could focus on. It was why she moved much more silently among the already-antisocial crowd of Riverclan's apprentices. While she was more often than not the personification of a shadow, tonight, it felt as if she truly had once more become one with the dark trails that followed behind the light. Most her wanted to not even be seen nor recognized, wanting nothing more than to attend out of an obligatory duty to represent her Clan. Her new clan. So she had forced herself to go- the mental anguish sharp, and the tears burning like an acidic rain on the inside of her mind. Shrikestar's voice rattling, delivering the news of a death second-hand that had changed the course of her life forever.

Her paws never dared drift towards Thunderclan's side. But from where she was, who she was, she sat tall enough to glimpse over. Dulled ember eyes scanned the crowd, hoping to perhaps catch a glimpse of her brother. An evening to be able to share that she was alive and well. Her coat appeared much fluffier than it ever had during her time in Thunderclan, and much of that was credited to the swimming she was now adjusting to doing. Still, it retained its feather-like softness, despite its slight fluff. While she didn't want to utter any words... Perhaps she would talk to a cat. Or two.

Murkypaw is loosely looking for Thrushnose!

---

Egretswoop's entry into the clearing had been met with her following close by Rowansong, as she always had during the gatherings. It was simply ritual at this point. A night that was nothing more than a cacophony of chaos, and she only ever attended to be a role-model for her apprentices. At some point, she had drifted back in the crowd to Dovepaw (who she much preferred to address by his other name of Iron), as well as Mothpaw (who had their name of Toffee). "Iron, Toffee, I shall keep company with Rowansong. This evening... I challenge you both to meet a new feline." Her words were much more of a sing-song tone, likely thanks to the fact that few other Clans had yet to fill the space. Thunderclan's chatter was a low hum, much like the roots and bracken they were known for, with Riverclan's swift static being one she had gotten more than adjusted to.

With her apprentices addressed, though, the fox-covered molly easily slipped away to return to her former mentor's side. "Presume you may encounter Rainfrost this night?" She prompted him, head tilting in curiosity. Yes- she'd paid attention during the previous gathering when she had otherwise mostly appeared otherworldly. Even as her vision often unfocused from the persistent barrage of sound, that didn't mean her ears had been filled with fluff.

Egretswoop is talking to Rowansong, but is open to other conversation!

---

Following behind her clanmates, the carbon-copy of Riverclan's leader seemed no different than most of the crowd. The gatherings were nothing new to her, simply being a rinse-and-repeat with perhaps a different flavor added on every time. Often, she'd take the company of Egretswoop, but she wasn't about to pull her away from her usual choice of company. Instead, she found herself drifting towards the edge of the crowd, perhaps looking to encounter a cat from Skyclan. Or even Thunderclan. She'd been loosely interested in meeting one or two of them at Sunningrocks, but had yet to have the time to go. So she found a place on the outside, attempting to look as friendly as she could. Or... well, as much as a friendly Mistwalker did.

Mistwalker is open to conversation!

Smallstar felt little worry upon entering the gathering that evening. The peace at the last gathering gave him hope, reassurance that there wouldn't be much more hostility between the clans for a while.

The small tom scaled the Great Rock, finding that Mottlestar and Perchstar were already there. A flicker of doubt held him back from making any audible greeting, not wanting to interrupt their current conversation. However, he did offer the both of them a nod before placing himself nearby, not as far as he did the moon before.

Windclan may enter the gathering

Cloudychase padded into the clearing, his ear's twitching with irritation as his apprentice began speaking in his broken tongue to another Clan's apprentice. Did Wigglepaw want to embrass Thunderclan that badly? The one-eyed warrior stalked up to the spotted apprentice furiously, and without even a glance at the Rivercaln warrior, hissed, "If you won't bother speaking like a normal Clan cat, at least try not to make your Clan look like fools in front of other Clans!" Without another word, the white tom wisked Wigglepaw away from the she-cat and shoved him back to the rest of the Thunderclan patrol. "Stay with your Clan and don't say anything until you can speak properly!" He snapped, then padded off to find a spot to settle down. He purposefully sat in front of Copperlark, making sure to block the shorter she-cat's sight of the leaders. What right did Copperlark have to gaze at the leaders with her own two eyes, when she was the reason he had lost one of his own?

Flysnap was shocked as he overheard the conversations that his clanmate, Cloudychase, was sharing with his apprentice. He jumped back as the spotted apprentice was shoved roughly in his direction. That white tom sure wasn't very nice. After smoothing down his fur, the dark ginger tabby turned to the apprentice. Worm something or the other. "Hey kid, you alright?" He asked. His tail twitched as his mother muttered something under her breath and padded up to the pretty Riverclan she-cat who had watched the whole scene. Flysnap made the mental note to ask about the she-cat's name later... just for the knowledge, of course. Thunderclan was supposed to be allies with Riverclan, right?

Goldenfern was not surprised when she caught her mouse-brained younger brother being a jerk to his apprentice yet again. "Fox-heart," She muttered under her breath. After checking that her son was comforting the poor apprentice, she padded up to the Rivercaln she-cat. For all that Cloudychase spoke about tarnishing Thunderclan's reputation, he sure was making a fool of himself. The golden tabby dipped her head apologetically to the she-cat. "I'm so sorry about Cloudychase, he isn't usually like this," She mewed. Well, he was, but no need for the she-cat to know that.

Cloudychase is being a jerk
Goldenfern is apologizing to Mistwalker for Cloudychase's behavior
Flysnap is comforting Wigglepaw and staring(respectfully) at Mistwalker

Despite their mentor's insistence, Rainpaw wasn't excited at first to come. The pale-furred cat suspected Sprucebark worried about them and wanted the apprentice to open up to more cats. The young cat finally accepted, wanting to please their father figure. And now, they both entered the clearing where the gathering would be held. Rainpaw's eyes widened with surprise at the sight of so many different cats. Different smells, sizes, eyes, and pelts. At first, it was overwhelming but soon enough, the apprentice's outgoing personality emerged. They lifted their fluffy tail excitedly as their odd eyes landed on a large tabby she-cat that looked and smelled weird. "I'm gonna talk to her, Sprucebark!" They mewed, giving their mentor an affectionate bump with their head.

The Riverclan apprentice trotted towards the large she-cat, surprised to see that she was as big as them. But more interesting than that, it was her overall appearance who picked their interest. With small ears and eyes, mixed with odd tabby markings for a clan cat. With a smile, the pale cat made their presence known by standing in front of the mysterious she-cat. "Good night! I hope I don't come up as rude by saying this... I've never seen someone quite like you. You seem pretty strong and look so pretty!" Rainpaw mewed, being completely honest with every word they said. "This is my first gathering so I can't pick up to which clan you belong. I hope you're one of Riverclan's neighbors! So we can meet again."

Rainpaw is talking to Crocuspaw