Quarter Moon Meeting [June 2024]

ShadowClan • T4 Warrior • She/Her • #6e174c

Credits: coding - xaandiir | image 1 | image 2 | image 3 | image 4 | image 5 | image 6

I feel like I’m waiting for something that’ll never happen

Of course this had to be about WindClan. A tired sigh escaped Quillsplash as instantly his clanmates erupted into a discussion that really just sounded like an arguement in his ears. This was... a terrible ascept of Clan life, he had to admit. Politics and deplomacy were never his strong suits, but that didn't mean he longed for war. Why couldn't every cat just... mind their own business? But this time, there was something that miffed him too. This intruder had attacked Nettleweaver? Lilyvalley, he couldn't care less about, but the white tom had always been at least nice to him and his son, and was deserving of Quillsplash's gratitude. This WindClanner that had attacked his friend deserved justice. Just this WindClanner, though.

"Leopardstar, in all fairness, I find it unreasonable to place the blame of one cat's faults onto an entire Clan. How do we know if Tigerstar is even aware of this incident? Make no mistake, I am in no way defending WindClan, but would attacking or provoking an entire Clan really be that reasonable? What's to say informing Tigerstar of this event wouldn't be enough to trigger the attacker's exile or punishment? I feel that it is at the very least fair to give WindClan one chance to fix this... rather than provoking them at a Gathering and forcing them to go on the defensive. Not even you would punish a warrior publically at a Gathering, and being demanded to would only result in a stronger refusal to take action." Quillsplash took a deep breath before continueing. "What I'm saying is, an attempt for a peaceful talk should be done, privately, before we decide what to do next. Forcing an affair into the spotlight of all the Clans will only cause emotions to rise faster and higher."

"If I may," Leopardstar called over the crowd. "It wasn't long ago at all that our own deputy trespassed over the border--something he has since been reprimanded for--and was half-blinded for his faults. I believe I reported to all of you my conversation with WindClan, and their particularly obstinate and unreasonable attitude then. Why, then, should we expect anything different now, when it is our land they have chosen to trespass on?"

Her tail curled around her side, and she struggled to keep it still, the tip flicking slightly. "She was driven off without significant injuries that were not self-inflicted, to my understanding of events. We are not weak, and we must not take assaults and offenses lying down; the risk of conflict is genuine, but I fear we will never have peace so long as these blatant assaults on our Clan persist. Would any of you be singing the same tune of 'wait and see what happens next' if one of ours had been killed? Is that what it will take to spark action? That was clearly the intention behind this trespasser's actions, and it was only quick thinking and the fact that she didn't catch one of us alone that meant she was driven off without that satisfaction."

To keep her tone even was a struggle, to keep herself from hissing the words, but she somehow managed to remain calm and collected. After all, it wasn't her Clan she was furious with: they had acted as needed, and now they were debating what to do as she had requested. But her anger at WindClan, and at the situation as a whole, was so ice-cold that it burned fiery hot, and it felt piercing at the same time.

"Regardless of your feelings on potential conflicts with WindClan, this cat is clearly a danger to the forest as a whole; making this announcement public isn't only to make a point, but to warn the other Clans to be aware of such a threat. We are not the only Clan with which WindClan shares a border. I spoke last moon about how I would not seek allies, but would offer aid to each of the Clans where I could--this is one such case, where something simple we can do will benefit the majority of the forest."

And she liked the other Clans, more or less: she was fond of SkyClan's leadership, had a few reasonable interactions with ThunderClan under their prior leader, and RiverClan had historically been pleasantly polite and distant.

To allow them to be terrorized by this threat when simply commenting on it publicly could serve as warning seemed like risking needless bloodshed elsewhere.

"To clarify, we would not be calling for public punishment, nor making demands of Tigerstar; as tempting as it might be to demand this cat be properly dealt with. We would only be seeking out the cat in question, if she is present, and I would be describing exactly what transpired as it was reported to me. If WindClan takes such great offense to simple statements of fact that they would start a war, then they are only looking for excuses and I doubt anything would be good enough to stay their paw."

the gods can judge me when i'm dead || code (c) kieer

ShadowClan • T5 Warrior • She/Her • #6699ff

Credits: coding - xaandiir | image 1 | image 2 | image 3 | image 4 | image 5 | image 6

I feel like I’m waiting for something that’ll never happen

Quillsplash's ears flattened as Leopardstar began speaking. Despite the Clan's majority agreeing with his suggestion-- something he hadn't expected-- Leopardstar was still adamant about going ahead with her plan. She was even angrier now, as if the lack of agreement with her idea was making her even more frustrated. Quillsplash wanted to scoff, but knew it wouldn't be the proper thing to do. If she didn't want to listen to her clanmates' ideas and suggestions, why bring all of them here to discuss this? Clearly, they had no say in it; she just wanted to make it seem as if there was. So that in the future, when she messes up at the Gathering or causes even more trouble, she'd have her Clan's word to fall back on. They said...! He could almost hear it in her voice. The longer he stayed in ShadowClan the longer he began to despise the Clan leadership. Heatherberry was decent, quite nice actually, but she was gone now, and Nightpaw hardly counted as leadership. All that was left were these two mouth-rotting cats.

His ear flicked as Pineblossom spoke up for the first time that meeting. Her words largely echoed what everyone else had been saying; keep it out of the Gathering, you'll only cause more trouble. Leopardstar clearly did not realize what airing another Clan's dirt out for everyone to see would look like. He didn't know either of the examples that his mentor brought up, but humiliating another Clan publically would never be taken well. It could be a warning to all other Clans to stay away from ShadowClan, a Clan that brought other Clan's business and shame forward for everyone to see at the smallest slight. Sure, Nettleweaver and Lilyvalley being attacked wasn't small, but if Leopardstar was so scared about keeping her Clan safe then why did she insist on going on the path that promised the most bloodshed? His breath was being wasted here. As such, Quillsplash remained silent, refusing to add further to the arguement.

I wish I could go back in time; not to change anything, but to feel a few things twice.

Juniperpaw blinked, confused and dazed as conversation erupted. Could she even call it that? They sounded so angry, so mean... were these really her clanmates? A quick scan of the crowd revealed that neither Sablestrike nor Hollowgrove were present. Willowpaw was no where to be found. Where was her family? As Leopardstar spoke up again, voice rumbling through the camp like thunder, Juniperpaw's gaze landed on Pineblossom. Mama's friend, and... instinctively, she stumbled over to the older she-cat, and with shame hung her head and closed her eyes shut. She hoped Pineblossom would embrace her and make all the noises stop. She didn't know why she came today; these meetings were never peaceful, but today-- the anger in which everyone was addressed-- it made her want to cry. Pineblossom was speaking, saying something to Leopardstar. Juniperpaw wish she wouldn't, but what right did she even have to seek comfort from the warrior? Perhaps simply she was a familiar face, a kind spirit that her Mama had told her about. She would be safe with Pineblossom, right? Where was Mama, anyway? She could've sworn she heard Swiftheart's voice earlier, in the chaos.

When Pineblossom spoke, Leopardstar closed her eyes to take in the words. Right, that was what she needed: her fury, powerful as it was, was pointless without something to guide it; she had appointed her council for a reason, and Pineblossom was the only cat on it that could successfully do what she needed. Not that she disrespected the newer members, of course not, but Pineblossom had the power to make her listen, without even really trying.

(It truly was a wonder what a friend's words could do.)

She knew she was bitter and angry, stubborn and prone to attacking on instinct. It took a lifetime of going against that instinct to make herself a calm, collected counterpart--be that to Vipershade's ego, may his soul find no peace in the stars, or Sablestrike's pessimistic attitude.

Pineblossom was where she was for a reason: to make her see reason. To help her see clearly and to actually listen, rather than blinding herself with her pride.

She turned her attention very briefly to Nettleweaver, who started with a valid criticism--she had just put forth the same thing, worded slightly differently, and it was a mistake to push for conflict; but then it devolved into him complaining that people thought he had also been attacked and she tuned his self-centered arrogance out completely to focus on those with something of substance to say, as well as what had already been said.

"...That is true," she acknowledged, nodding in Pineblossom's direction. "A point that was, to an extent, also raised by Quillsplash. Swiftheart makes a good point as well. I apologize for getting ahead of myself, but I ask that you please understand my anger." It was a struggle, to phrase her thoughts in a way that was calm and collected when she felt anything but. "I care deeply for my Clanmates, and I am easily angered when harm comes to our own. But while that anger has a place, I do realize it doesn't belong in an inter-Clan discussion. I may not agree with every cat's consensus, but I know my place as leader; and I know that I pledged myself to listen to all of you. The matter will be addressed privately, as allowing it to stand uncontested is thoroughly unacceptable--we nearly lost a Clanmate. But how do we even begin to discuss such a thing, when previous attempts at diplomacy with WindClan have gone so poorly?"

Though Quillsplash's words did irk her slightly. Who was he to assume she wouldn't publicly punish one of her own warriors at a Gathering, were they to do something worthy of it? She would at the very least seriously consider it: such humiliation would, ideally, serve to dissuade them from doing something so stupid again. But she was already on the wrong end of too many cats' thoughts tonight, and she knew that particular statement would likely earn her no favors.

The leader flicked one ear toward some of the older warriors. "Those among you old enough to recall Redice's execution for a similar offense: he, too, was one cat out of an entire Clan. I feel that would go as poorly as anything, but perhaps something along those lines... Punishment, not execution. But this must be addressed. With at least an attempt at diplomacy, certainly, but an offense this severe must be dealt with. It will be a discussion between myself and Tigerstar, but I will hear advice on how it should be approached."

the gods can judge me when i'm dead || code (c) kieer

I feel like I’m waiting for something that’ll never happen

Naturally, it was Pineblossom that Leopardstar listened to. The new members of the council seemed to hold as little say as their fellow non-council-member clanmates. Quillsplash bore no ill intention or feelings towards his former mentor; what she spoke of was true, and if she could persuade Leopardstar to stop her nonsense, who was he to refuse to let her? Still, Leopardstar couldn't be more obvious about the fact that she clearly held some cats in higher regard than others. It was almost as if she were not their leader, but their ruler, picking and choosing which of them she would value and which she would disregard without a care. It made his blood boil; a familiar feeling that had resulted in several major mistakes, if he could even call them that, so he would not entertain it. Leopardstar's honor was not worth his place in ShadowClan.

And though he knew that should he answer her question with suggestions, she would only disregard it as she had disregarded his suggestions until Pineblossom spoke up, saying something that was almost the same if not just an elaboration. She had dismissed Swiftheart, Nettleweaver and Rookfire agreeing with another warrior's point with such ease and anger that it was almost a given that she would not care whatever words he chose to say. And despite all that, he had to say something. If not for Leopardstar then for an attempt to help his friends.

"I am not aware if this has been tried before, as I have never taken part in discussions for these matters before, but has there been any chance that a private meeting has been arranged? A meeting between leaders, on nuetrel territory-- fourtrees, on a night where there isn't a Gathering-- with two warriors accompanying each leader. Perhaps Tigerstar would feel less pressured to... hold on to his pride? I am not sure what goes on in the WindClan leader's head, but I refuse to belief he is truly beyond reasoning. Why not... ask for the Hidden Outcropping in return for this transgression? It would be a fair trade to let WindClan keep the attacker unpunished."

Would that be enough? He wasn't sure. There were so many things that needed to be said, he felt incapable of saying anything at all. The tortoiseshell tom looked over at Pineblossom, wondering what the older warrior would say. If anything, Leopardstar's decision would be dependent on the she-cat's choice of words. Quillsplash stifled a sigh. Sometimes, he wondered how Leopardstar had become leader. They said the leader before her had been worse-- had a forbidden romance with another leader and sired a litter-- so he supposed that was his answer.