[Deleted]

R E D S T A R

It was on a pleasantly warm night that the red tabby she-cat found herself stood upon the Hilltop, her amber eyes luminous and bright, a stark contrast from the darkness of the world around her. Upon her vantage point she was offered a perfect view of not just the LightningClan camp below, but their territory, smothered in darkness. Having summoned her clan to their meeting point moments before, they had now flocked to the base of the hill; bright eyes glowing in the shadows.

Drinking in a deep breath, Redstar let her thoughts settle and assumed a warm smile, her honey-amber orbs sweeping over her clanmates below. With the moon full and aglow in the inky sky above, the night of the gathering had at last come.
There were mixed feelings in the LightningClan's leader's chest as she contemplated the night ahead. She certainly wasn't looking forward to being in the presence of Lionstar and his warriors, his recent victory regarding the Open Woods still fresh upon Redstar's mind. It was precisely that matter that the LightningClan leader wanted to touch upon briefly with her clanmates before they departed for StarClan's Claws.

Giving a flourish of her tail, the LightningClan leader sprung nimbly down the hill, drawing to a halt a tail-length or so from the bottom. She preferred to speak to her clanmates from a lower height, it made her feel less like their leader and more like one of them.
Clearing her throat, Redstar spoke firmly in the hope that even the most rebellious of her clan would abide by her words, "Before we leave for the gathering, I need to make sure that none of you are stirring up trouble with TreeClan."
Expression neutral, she let her eyes sweep across her clanmates for a couple of heartbeats before resuming her speech, "They might have claimed the Open Woods, but hold your tongues," she lifted her head to the sky above, her gaze searching the stars before coming to rest upon the moon, "If I hear of any of you causing problems then I'll make certain that you're not attending the next few gatherings."

Satisfied, she gave a dip of the head before leaping from her position and landing lightly amongst her clanmates. Giving a distinguished flick of the head, she spoke once more, "It's time for us to depart, the night won't wait."
With a motion of her tail, she indicated for her clanmates to follow before setting the pace at a brisk walk and moving onwards into the night.

Despite her words with her clan, Redstar knew there was bound to be some cat who was eager to voice their disgust at TreeClan having claimed land that, in Redstar's mind, was clearly LightningClan's property. Redstar herself had been no less than exasperated than Lionstar's victory and she had every intention of ensuring that The Open Woods was returned to LightningClan once more, but for now, she wanted to ensure a peaceful and uneventful gathering. Not that such a gathering even existed.

Not in the mood for discussion, Redstar remained silent for much of the journey, occasionally lapsing into a momentary few words with one of her warriors. It was with a prickle of anticipation that the sacred gathering place at last came into sight, the familiar pointed rocks jutting up from the earth, only just visible against the starlit sky. Letting a slight smile paint her features, she cast a brief glance over her shoulder at her clanmates before pressing on, taking the first step onto neutral territory.

We're the first to arrive, Redstar acknowledged with mild surprise before feeling a slight rush of relief. There was still some time before she had to face Lionstar and his clan, who no doubt would be eager to gloat their recent success.
Without much thought, Redstar let her paws carry her to the centre of the clearing, coming to a halt by one of the pointed rocks and assuming a seated position, her eyes sweeping the clearing and her nose inclined towards the sky, calculating the many scents that flooded her senses, preparing herself for the inevitable arrival of the other clans.

Tag: ---
Word Count: 695
Notes: ---

Invited LightningClanners

Firesky
Snowheart
Darkcloud
Burningleaf
Galebird
Whiteshade
Sunblaze
Kindleflare
Palescreech
Fallenbird
Owlcry
Mudpaw
Gustpaw
Blazepaw

[Fate Admin]

Ravenstar sat atop the Boulder Ledge, tail twitching impatiently as her Clan gathered below. If they didn’t hurry they would not be first to arrive and then she would have the unpleasant task of showing the other Clans her inability to reach the top of the Great Rock in a single great leap like all the other leaders. Her ears twitched in annoyance at the very thought. She could just imagine Lionstar’s smug face at the top of the rock when she finally managed to scramble up like some kit playing at being leader. Her tail flicked more frantically as her impatience grew and she glanced up at the moon, full and bright in the otherwise night dark sky.

She looked back down at her Clanmates, a few cats lingering who hadn’t been invited, making their friends promise to tell them everything that happened. She would gladly give up her own invitation to the Gathering to let one of them go, unfortunately it was one of her duties as leader to go and share NightClan’s news, which Ravenstar very well thought should remain NightClan news. The other Clans had no business knowing anything about NightClan, which is why she generally kept her announcement short. NightClan was growing, NightClan was strong, look at our new warriors and apprentices, ready to tear you all to shreds if you set paw in our territory. The other Clans need know nothing else.

Finally Slatenose looked up at her, signaling that NightClan was ready to depart, and she leaped nimbly down to join the rest of her Clanmates, padding through them until she stood at their head, glancing back and raising her tail until the chattering fell down. She gave her Clan a single nod before trotting off, leading the way to StarClan’s Claws. As the giant stones that gave the Gathering place its name came into view, she sped up, parting her jaws to scent that LightningClan had already arrived… but they seemed to be the only ones. She slowed as they reached the scent line that separated NightClan territory from neutral territory and crossed over. She made her way to the Great Rock, dipping her head slightly in greeting to Redstar and casting a quick glance around. She waited a moment as NightClan mingled with LightningClan and padded around to her usual spot, leaping up to the tiny ledge she used to get to the top of the Great Rock and feeling her pelt burn, hoping her Clan’s arrival was taking up most of LightningClan’s attention. She padded toward the center of the huge boulder, shaking out her fur and sitting to give her chest fur a few self conscious licks. At least TreeClan wasn’t here yet.

Invited Cats
Slatenose
Smokefur
Featherpaw
Gracklefire
Blackwolf
Hollowcry
Echobreeze
Hummingbird
Brightfeather
Darkblaze
Moondance
Nightpaw
Daypaw

[Fawn]

Lionstar

51 Moons || Tom || TreeClan

---

        Five stone spires jutted into the velvety black sky, to Lionstar, it looked as if StarClan's Claws were trying to pluck the moon from the sky; he had led his Clan to the edge of TreeClan's territory, moonlight bathing them all in a celestial glow -- whitewashing the golden tones of Lionstar's pelt as he walked. It was perhaps a mercy that Sprucefur had not been invited to the gathering this time; they would be indistinguishable if not for Lionstar's bulkier body, wider paws and fuller mane than his slimmer, paler half-brother. Signalling for TreeClan to halt, he saw the stirring of many bodies and the flashes of a thousand eyes as they reflected the moon and the stars overhead.

Now. Signalling again, Lionstar plunged into StarClan's Claws, his gait even and powerful, he shared a brief word with Thunderclaw to keep an eye out for any hostility from LightningClan or NightClan, before turning to the already occupied boulder. He almost snorted to himself. Typical that it would be occupied by the two female Clan leaders they had such an aggressive recent history with; always at odds with the stunted NightClan queen with the almost comically voluminous black pelt, he afforded her little more than a nod as he took his place near the center. As for Redstar, blazing amber eyes shifted to settle upon the bright ginger tabby, taking in her posture, her body language for any signs of lingering resentment over their recent battle; a LightningClan cat might've thought him sneaky to have arranged an ambush for their moorland-dwelling neighbors, but Lionstar viewed it as a triumph, as a plan well executed.

As far as news went, it was worth mentioning to the other Clans that foxes had been chased from TreeClan's borders recently, and apart from taking the Open Woods for themselves, it was uneventful for the Clan that was best-suited to life within the forest; he stood dignified beside the others, regarding his Clan with a sense of victory and pride, though not enough to label it as gloating, there was no harm in basking in their accomplishments. Everyone looks sleek and well-fed. Good. Leaf-Bare had been nightmarish, New-Leaf had brought a perpetual sogginess to TreeClan's forests, but at last, things appeared to adjusting well for every Clan, not just TreeClan. Though he normally spoke first to ask which of the five would start the meeting, Lionstar chose to let Ravenstar and Redstar sort it out for themselves; rather, he would be interested in hearing what Redstar had to say first - it would be rather advantageous, in that case. He could include a retaliation (if necessary) when he gave his report of TreeClan happenings.

For now, the lion sat upon the rock, gazing over the small sea of cats with interest and wariness both.

INVITED CATS

Thunderclaw
Willowfur
Adderstrike
Emberpaw
Brokensong
Sandstrike
Zephyrfang
Rowanberry
Thornstrike
Sootmask
Honeypaw
Feathercloud
Bluepaw
Pinkpaw
Lavenderpaw
Lionsong

[BlooRey DVD]

The air was still tonight, no wind to be heard. It was, however, far from silent. Without the buffeting wind that occasionally blasted over the sleek rock surfaces of StoneClan's camp, there was a pleasant peacefulness. The rocks high above seemed to groan and shift, something not unusual for them as the heat of the day gave way to slightly cooler night. He could still feel the remnants of the blistering heat that was sucked into the surfaces; his paws were pleasantly warm as they rested against the Rock Pile. And if he pivoted his ears just right, he could hear the quiet voices of birds who'd stayed up far past their bedtime.

Smiling softly to himself, the massive tom's pale amber gaze swept over to the nursery. It had taken him quite a while to help Frozenrain get their two kits settled. Heronkit had been adamant that she should come with him to the Gathering, that she could learn so much. For such a small thing, she possessed energy and enthusiasm that far exceeded the height of any mountain. She might be a pawful when it came time for her apprenticeship. He closed his eyes for a moment, willing the time to stop moving so quickly. It seemed like just yesterday, the two of them had been born.

His ears stirred at the sound of approaching pawsteps. Glancing down at Wolfclaw, they exchanged a nod, and the StoneClan leader knew the Clan was ready to move out. Stepping forward, he motioned with his tail to gather their attention. Speaking loud enough to be heard, but not loud enough (or so he hoped) to disturb those who were sleeping in their dens, he began. "I understand that some of you have been to Gatherings before, and some of you have likely heard this speech before and will be rolling your eyes."

He chuckled slightly, scanning over the gathered mass. "But for those of you joining us for the first time, there are a couple of things you must remember. The Gathering is a time of peace. I will not tolerate any hostility, warranted or not, towards any Clan or its members. We may still bear scars from past events, but it will do us no good to wish the wounds had never happened. We've been made stronger by everything that has happened. So hold your heads high, conduct yourselves with pride and respect. And remember, we are StoneClan."

Bounding off of the Rock Pile, he waved his tail indicating the group should follow him. Some might find him old fashioned, but those were the morals he'd grown up with, the morals he'd held onto through every twist and turn life had thrown him. Remembering those few things were what healed him after losing almost everything he had. Broad shoulders shifting as he moved, he picked his way towards StarClan's Claws largely by memory. It was as though his paws knew the terrain better than his eyes could discern. Every rise, every dip, large paws avoiding sharp stones.

And finally it came into view. Great, dark stones clawing to the sky above, larger than any found on StoneClan's territory. Halting the group with a flick of his tail, he parted his jaws and let the scents drift towards him. He could make out three Clans, TreeClan, LightningClan and NightClan. There was a strange relief in knowing they were not the last Clan to arrive. Taking a deep breath and pulling himself to his full height, he glanced once more to his deputy and exchanged a short few words. "Keep an eye on our Clan for me, Wolfclaw."

And then StoneClan dove into the clearing. Hawkstar's massive frame moved with a practiced ease, big paws somehow refraining from tangling with one another. Splitting off from the group as they entered the center of the clearing, the StoneClan leader slowed his pace and picked his way to the Claws themselves. His size making scaling the claws easy, he was soon near the other leaders. Dipping his head to each of them, he offered a quiet greeting. "Lionstar, Ravenstar, Redstar. Your Clans are looking well." It was true. All four Clans present looked well fed, coats sleek. But he could also sense some sort of tension.

Picking a spot next to Lionstar, Hawkstar let the hum of the Clans down below take over the silence from atop the rocks.

Invited Cats
Skunkspots
Rippedear
Hailstrike
Swiftstrike
Cloudfall
Blacksmoke
Valiantstride
Hawkfall
Ashflame
Riversong
Fallenleaf
Crimsonshadow
Windsong
Silentpaw
Redpaw

[Insidious]

R A Z O R S T A R
- - - - - -

There were still some that did not trust in his leadership, in his choice of deputy, but tonight that would be put aside, for there was a Gathering to attend, and nothing good would amount from his Clanmates being openly hostile towards him as he stood upon the pillars with his fellow leaders. He waited for silence to befall the crowd of assembled felines, his impatience undetectable if not for the steady thrum of his tail against the structure of the River Stone. Only once he had everyone’s undivided attention, and he caught glimpse of his fox-like deputy tipping her head in affirmation of RainClan’s readiness, did he part his lethal jaws and address those that would be accompanying Timberwing and him to the Gathering. “Remember, the Gathering is not a place to unleash your pent up frustrations - particularly in regards to NightClan. Even though we’re not on good terms with them, I ask that you maintain peace and refrain from causing conflict. We are powerful, we can conquer the worst of what they can do to us, and right now, that can best be shown by not letting any of them get inside of our heads.”

Razorstar allowed briefly for the crowd to murmur amongst themselves, whether to disagree or to agree, before descending the River Stone and taking his rightful position at the front of the moving group. He had faith in those that had been chosen to attend; they would not let a NightClan rival crawl under their skin, or make a fool of themselves just because someone had pushed at a tender button. Everyone would maintain a steady composure, or at least, he hoped, for even he, the leader, was prone to the occasional burst of unsung lethality.

They were the last Clan to arrive, he could decipher as much from the mingled scents on the breeze, but that assumption was affirmed when he parted through the bushes and saw that the other four leaders were already properly positioned where they were supposed to be. A negative connotation seemed to attach itself to being the last to arrive, and though he would not deny the certain edge of bitterness that tainted the taste buds on the tip of his tongue, the steadiness of his stride did not falter as he ascended with a single leap. He acknowledged all of the leaders with a curt tip of his head - even Hawkstar, who although he would never be able to fully forgive, he was willing to regard semi-peacefully for the sake of RainClan - the shortest point of his attention offered to Ravenstar, as was to be expected, before he turned to face the cats below from the various Clans. They had been the last to arrive, so he assumed that he would not be the first to speak, remaining silent as he waited for the Gathering to truly begin at the word of another leader.

- - - - - -

Tags: N/A.
Word Count: 487.
Notes: Sorrysorrysorry it took me so long to bring RC. My life has been hectic and I got up extra early today JUST so I could post. xD

INVITED CATS:

Timberwing
Swanfeather
Honeywisp
Russethawk
Blizzardclaw
Ottersplash
Rushwhisker
Lilystream
Cloudstrike
Bravebird
Mallowleaf
Snowpaw
Darkpaw

[Deleted]

NIGHTPAW of NightClan
09 Moons. She-Cat. Apprentice

Nightpaw had been told that she was going to the gathering, and had been warned to behave, not like she never was behaved. But she just nodded her head and listened to the basic rules that she knew had to be said at each gathering, even though this is only her first gathering. The she-cat waited until it was time to go. Blackwolf was going as was her sister Daypaw, so she knew that no matter what, she would have someone to talk to since she didn't really talk to many others in the clan except Sunpulse, who sadly was unable to come with them.

That saddened the she-cat, but she went anyways, and once Ravenstar started to leave, she followed close behind Blackwolf. She looked around and stayed alert at the same time, even though no one should be attacking on this night right? The she-cat stopped once they reached StarClan's Claws and she looked around in awe. She wandered into the gathering area and saw many other cats already there. She sat down in a spot and just watched. She wanted to see what this was really about really.

Emberpaw of TreeClan
09 Moons. She-Cat. Apprentice

She was ready to go, and she was getting impatient waiting on Lionstar to start the cats on their way. Once the tom took off, she followed close behind. Rowanberry was going as well, so she followed her mentor closely and she just watched the lands pass by as they ran through the lands to get to StarClan's Claws. She stopped once they got there and she looked around. She wasn't really impressed, but she still went down to the other cats and she started to walk among them all to find out who would be good to mingle with.

REDPAW of StoneClan
09 Moons. Tom. Apprentice

His name had been called earlier that day for the gathering, and now he was sitting under the Rock Pile and waited for Hawkstar to talk and then to lead. He sighed before the leader started to talk finally, stating the normal rules. He may never have went to a gathering before, but that didn't mean that he hadn't heard the speech before by pure accident. The red tom listened and waited, as he waited he looked around. He was a little edgy for Eagletalon wasn't going with and neither were his parents, but that didn't seem to phase him. Redpaw sighed and once they set off, and was there. He sat down and looked around. Some apprentices seemed to be in one spot, and then there were the warriors and the rest of the cats. All in little clicks and he had no idea where he belonged.

SNOWPAW of RainClan
09 Moons. She-Cat. Apprentice

She was excited, this was a first and she got to go. The normal calm and collected white she-cat was currently bouncing in her spot as she thought of how much fun this was going to be. How many other cats she would be able to meet. She just couldn't wait. Timberwing was going of course, so she was settled next to her mentor. She was probably going to be Timberwing's shadow for the night, or at least until she felt comfortable to venture on her own with the other cats. Snowpaw set off with the rest of the clan, and she made sure to stay beside her mentor. She wasn't about to get lost, and she wanted to listen to anything that her mentor would want to tell her.

Some would say that Snowpaw needed to back off, but Snowpaw was just happy to be able to be going to this. Once they reached StarClan's Claws, she looked around in awe as she followed Timberwing around. She wanted to converse with other cats, but she didn't know them very well, and she was being a little shy now.

[Deleted]

Owlcry
The Goddess of Wisdom, War and Courage
Sometimes the only pay off for having any faith,
Is when it's tested again and again everyday,
I'm still comparing your past to my future,
It might be your wound but they're my sutures,

Galebird
The Voice of Reason
Once upon a time our world was on fire and I loved to watch it burn
Wild and reckless, never any limits, guess I had a lot to learn
Cause fire turns to embers, embers to ashes that blow away too soon

---

Deep amber orbs were watching the large moon rise into the dark sky as she waited with her other clanmates for their leader to take lead from the Lightningclan camp and out towards Starclan's Claws to meet up with the other clans for the gathering. Taking her attention away from the floating orb in the sky, she looked over some of her clanmates, who still held angry looks from Treeclan's recent attack.

Her tail flickered as she brushed against Gustpaw and Mudpaw to join with her clanmates after Redstar's speech. Being an older she-cat, she was aware that such things happen between clans, and Lightningclan would attain the Open Woods once more, when Redstar decided it best to launch an attack. The leader was right however, the cats of the moor must remain calm and level headed.

The senior, white warrioress would be keeping her eyes on Blazepaw for the night.

Amber eyes glanced over at Mudpaw, checking to see how his wounds against the foxes they had battled not that long ago, were healing. Pleased with Snowheart's incredible work, she turned her attention back to traveling through the moonlit moors and down into Starclan's Claws.

Slipping in with her clan, Galebird made sure her eyes rolled over every apprentice who had come with the first clan who had arrived at the Gathering, tail flickering once more as she sat and curled her tail around her paws, waiting for the other clans to arrive. Amber orbs, with a mind of their own, drew to find Sunblaze as he passed her.

"Sunblaze." She called out, patting the ground next to her with her tail, "Come join me." She said in her soft voice, heart slightly quickening when their eyes met.

While she had not been on the patrol that had been jumped by Treeclan, when they took part of Lightningclan's territory, but her brother had been. With the military structure life they lead, even at such a young age, she couldn't believe that Redscar had been bested by a bunch of forest dwellers.

She was more annoyed with the fact than angry, true, Treeclan was to be respected for the strategy they had used. However, if she had been there, with Redscar, Lightningclan would have never lost their footing to the Open Woods.

However, she was not one to dwell on what had happened, she was already thinking of ways to strategically take back the land they had lost. With her being a young warrior, she doubted Redstar would let either her or her brother help in the future attack, maybe if she talked to Darkcloud about it they might be able to get in.

Turning attentions back to her clan as they traveled to the gathering, Owlcry let her wisdom, for so young, take over her stratigic mind. While she was not one to let others get under her skin, Redscar was, so she was in agreement to the fact that he had been left back on the moors. She gave a nod to the apprentices as she past them, to find a seat in the empty clearing.

Redstar would be pleased to know that she could trust Owlcry to keep peace, even if it was thin among her clanmates.

---

Now everything after you is like having wine after whiskey
It went from do anything for you babe to you don’t even miss me
Once you’ve tasted a love that strong you can’t go back
And you can’t settle on anything less

'Cause we could be immortals, immortals
Just not for long, for long,
And live with me forever now,
Pull the blackout curtains down,
Just not for long, for long,

Moondance
Goddess of the Hunt, the Moon and Purity
Disease's growing, it's epidemic
I'm scared that there ain't a cure
The world believes it and I'm going crazy
I cannot take any more
I'm so glad that I'll never fit in
That will never be me
Outcasts and girls with ambition

That's what I wanna see
Disasters all around

---

The pretty silver tabby made her way along with the rest of her clan, keeping near Nightpaw and her sister, Daypaw. She still couldn't wrap her head around the fact that Blackwolf's apprentice was fawning over the warrioress' brother. What did Nightpaw even see in Sunpulse?

Given that Moondance could only see her brother, aside from being a tom, she couldn't understand any she-cat having a fascination with the ginger tabby with a rhyming personality. Slipping around a tree and still thinking of the fact of Nightpaw and Sunpulse, the pretty she-cat made her way into the clearing where Lightningclan was already waiting for the other four clans of the Valley.

As she passed through the clearing, the moonlight touched her silver fur and made her glow, as if she were a Starclan Cat walking among the living cats of the clan. Glancing over her shoulder, the sleek huntress flicked her tail to have Nightpaw and Daypaw.

Settling down, the pretty she-cat turned her wide, blue eyes onto the two sisters. "How is your training going so far?" She asked the sister, her voice much gentler than when she spoke to toms, save Sunpulse and Hazepaw, and perhaps Darkblaze.

---

Maybe if I act like that, that guy will call me back
Porno Paparazzi girl, I don't wanna be a stupid girl
Baby if I act like that, flipping my blond hair back
Push up my bra like that, I don't wanna be a stupid girl

Adderstrike
Fangs Of A Viper
I am not alone, Not beaten down just yet
I am not afraid,
Of the voices in my head

---

Tail flickering proudly, the usually foul tempered tom was in a rather pleasant mood despite loosing his brother to a filthy, Riverclan she-cat. Gentlebreeze was back to being out and about, and she even managed to help fight off a fox and her cubs when they attacked the Treeclan Camp. Despite loosing a fellow Warrior, the cats who protected the camp saved the kits from loosing their lives.

On top of that, Treeclan successfully attacked and regained the Open Woods from Lightningclan, though the ginger and white tom hadn't had the glory of being in the attack party or seeing the moor running cats flee, it seemed to give a boost of confidence to all the Treeclanners, and now they strolled into Starclan's Claws feeling victorious.

Despite being the only one of his siblings being at the gathering, Adderstrike padded past Brokensong, the beautiful, mute Torbie, and gave her a gentle lick on the ear before finding a comfortable spot to stretch out around the edge of the gathered cats.

Now, the foul tempered tom would never admit this to anyone, let alone the she-cat he was thinking about, but he was wishing that Lichenfrost had been asked to join Treeclann to the gathering. He wouldn't mind sitting on the sidelines with her, not causing any trouble, per say, but enjoying spending the night with her as the gathering rolled on.

---

Down the darkest road, Something follows me
I am not alone
Cause misery loves my company,
Misery loves my company

Timberwing

The Fox of Rainclan

Oh, mirror in the sky, what is love?
Can the child within my heart rise above?
Can I sail through the changing ocean tides?
Can I handle the seasons of my life?

---

The old she-cat gave a nod to Razorstar before they younger leader gave his speech and then lead his group of Rainclan cats down towards Starclan's Claws to attend the gathering for the night. Aware of the tensions running high on both sides of the river dwelling cats' territories, the deputy hoped that every cat coming tonight would keep their tongue inside of their heads and not try to start something.

That was the last thing that Rainclan needed, to start a fight at a gathering.

Flickering her tail, the large warrior turned her head to find Snowpaw sticking to her flank like a burr, the notion made a low purr rise in the fox colored she-cat's chest and into her throat as she reached down to touch her nose to the white apprentice's ear to attempt and relax her.

Though it was moons upon moons ago, Timberwing remembered how excited she was when she went to her first gathering, the world was so much bigger than her territory in Nightclan. And then once more when she was a warrior, brought into Rainclan, the world grew bigger and bigger. Such feelings were powerful in a young cat such as Snowpaw.

"You can stay with me, or you can go with Darkpaw and see all the other apprentices." Timberwing said in her old, raspy voice. Darkpaw was a few moons older, and had already experienced a gathering or two, so perhaps the dark calico would be willing to show Timberwing's apprentice around.

---

Well, I've been afraid of changing 'cause I built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Children get older
I'm getting older, too

[Deleted]

LAVENDERPAW

.08 moons. she-cat. treeclan. apprentice.

        It was Lavenderpaw's first Gathering. Just the thought of attending was enough to make the sickly little she-cat's heart leap in her heart excitedly. She couldn't wait to meet the other Clans and their cats. And even though she knew that there was tensions between TreeClan and LightningClan, she was still eager to catch a glimpse of the moor-dwelling felines. In fact, she was tempted to find and speak to a LightningClan cat - Not to mock or provoke them, but to just ask them questions. Like what was it like to live underneath the sky without any sort of tree-like canopy to protect them?

        The pale gray and white she-cat was relieved when Lionstar gave the signal to leap down into the Gathering space and officially mingle amongst the other Clans. Parting her jaws, Lavenderpaw immediately wanted to seek out perhaps a LightningClanner. Or perhaps a NightClanner. She wasn't really picky. She had questions galore, after all.

thanks brooklyn

DAYPAW

.09 moons. she-cat. nightclan. apprentice.

        Daypaw felt a mixture of excitement and uncertainty swelling within her. This was her first Gathering, and she didn't want to make a fool of herself. For the time being, she stuck close to her sister, Nightpaw, even when they left camp and began their trek through the moonlight to reach StarClan's Claws. As the group of NightClan cats neared the Gathering spot, she picked up the scent of LightningClan cats on the horizon.

        Arriving within the clearing, Daypaw's wide crystal blue eyes looked around with curiosity. She wanted to remember every single detail of her first Gathering - It was a pretty big deal, after all. Still sticking close to Nightpaw's side, just enough so that their contrasting furs gently brushed each other's, Daypaw caught a flashing movement in the corner of her eye.

        It was Moondance, beckoning the she-cats to join her. Glad to join the familiar face of the huntress, Daypaw sat next to the young warrior, her dainty paws twitching with anticipation. "Training is going well," Daypaw spoke for herself, her vocal chords as light and soft as always.

thanks brooklyn

[Fate Admin]

Snowheart sat outside the medicine den as Redstar made her announcement before the Gathering, frowning. LightningClan had lost territory to TreeClan… he was sure it would push Redstar even further toward taking the Sun Stones from StoneClan. It hadn’t been that long ago the leader had come to him and Rookfrost to discuss her plan to do just that. A stretch of rocks was not worth any amount of bloodshed to Snowheart, not to mention they had chased StoneClan out of their territory not that long ago. Couldn’t they just leave StoneClan in peace? And on top of that StarClan’s warning weighed heavy on his mind. He wasn’t even sure what it meant, none of them were sure what it meant. The only thing that seemed clear was that kits were going to be in trouble. Who knew what the webs in their dreams had represented? At least Redstar’s words tonight seemed wise enough. Keep the peace, at least for tonight.

His ear twitched and he looked around the gathered cats until he found Blazepaw’s distinctive ginger tabby coat sitting beside his brothers; all three would be attending the Gathering tonight. It would be Blazepaw’s first, he had been kept back from previous Gatherings, punishment for his various harebrained schemes. His volatile younger brother had been fuming when Firesky had returned to camp with her border patrol, ragged and with news of defeat. He had yet to settle down about taking the open woods back and ‘teaching those TreeClan thieves a lesson’. The young medicine cat sighed, unsure if this was the best Gathering to invite Blazepaw to, but also not wanting to ruin his brother’s chance to finally go by suggesting as much to Redstar.

And then they were ready to leave and he wove through his Clanmates until he was padding beside his little brothers, eyeing Blazepaw in particular, “Remember what Redstar said and don’t say anything harebrained. If you don’t think you can keep your comments to yourself then just stay away from any TreeClan cats.” He wasn’t at all worried about Mudpaw, the conscientious young tom was more than in control of his emotions and actions, but he had seen how Gustpaw and Blazepaw fed off each other, very much like their namesakes, working together to cause mayhem.

Blazepaw only rolled his eyes in response, “Yeah, whatever.” He bounded ahead to escape Snowheart’s oppressive worrying and preemptive scolding when he hadn’t even done anything yet. He caught up to Sunblaze, padding beside the older warrior who he had always gotten along rather well with and casting a glare back Snowheart’s way. He would have found Nightstep but his mentor hadn’t been invited to go.

Snowheart sighed again, lowering his muzzle to Mudpaw’s ear, “If you see him getting out of line, tell a warrior before things escalate too much. Galebird and Darkcloud will both be around, they know how he is.” He flicked his little brother’s flank with his fluffy tail as he picked up his pace slightly, spotting Kindleflare and making his way toward her until their fur brushed lightly, “Would you like to sit with me at the Gathering? I’d like to introduce you to Ivywhisker, StoneClan’s medicine cat. She and I trained together, she’s very friendly.” Ever since his blunder running into Kindleflare out in the fields he had been trying to spend more time with the shy she-cat. He was still very surprised how interested she seemed in medicine cat things. She had told him he could talk to her about them if he wanted, since none of the other warriors really cared at all. She was kind and gentle, and Snowheart was beginning to wonder if she wouldn’t have made a good medicine cat.

As they crossed the border to StarClan’s Claws, Blazepaw looked around, surprised they were the only Clan currently there. He trotted around the edge of the clearing, gazing up at the stony spires that gave the place its name; five tall, curved stones like grasping claws tearing their way from the earth. And at the center the Great Rock stood, where the leaders would all gather to address the Clans below. He paused at TreeClan’s border with the Gathering place, his claws scraping the ground in anticipation for their arrival. He’d say whatever he pleased to those mangy foxhearts. Ears twitching, he turned back toward his Clan, finding his brothers as a new scent entered the clearing and NightClan made their appearance. And then TreeClan was arriving and Blazepaw’s fur bristled as he stared down each and every cat that followed Lionstar into the clearing.

Pinkpaw trotted happily beside Bluepaw as TreeClan made their way to StarClan’s Claws. She wasn’t as nervous as when she participated in the Apprentice Games. The sun had set, she wouldn’t be in any sort of contest where she felt the need to prove that Gorsetail was a great mentor by doing really well and didn’t have any sort of pressure on her, and she’d helped drive foxes from TreeClan’s camp! Her ears flicked back briefly, thinking about how Stormchaser had died, and she turned her pale pink gaze to Bluepaw, stepping a bit closer until their fur brushed, so very glad her sister hadn’t been taken from her. She had a mostly healed gash on her flank from fighting the fox; it would likely turn into an ugly scar, but it had looked a lot worse than it actually was. At least that’s what Honeypaw had said. Her ears flicked forward again as she spotted Mudpaw and, forgetting that there was any sort of tension between TreeClan and LightningClan right now, bounded over to him, “Mudpaw!”

She skidded to a halt as another young tom beside Mudpaw put himself in front of her, his fur bristling angrily. Blazepaw’s ears flattened, “What do you want, squirrelchaser? Come to gloat over your victory? We’ll take the open woods back soon enough!” Pinkpaw half crouched, ears pressed against her head, eyes wide in confusion and fear at his sudden aggression.

[Insidious]

P A L E S C R E E C H & H O L L O W C R Y & C R I M S O N S H A D O W & B L U E P A W
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She spent so much of her time with Nightstep that, being invited to the Gathering when he wasn’t, it almost seemed inappropriate that she think to accompany anyone that wasn’t her mate. She was like any young lover was expected to be; she had taken on a mate practically into her first moon of warriorhood, and since then, she hadn’t thought to make much time in her life for any of the other cats she would have considered important to her. Scanning the crowd upon arrival, she found herself feeling a little hesitant, which was an abnormal experience for the normally cunning she-cat. She caught TreeClan’s scent, and it was precisely in that moment that her pale blue eyes locked onto the tabby frame of the abrasive TreeClanner that she had conflicted with over a piece of prey. Her attention was fleeting, passing over the top of his head in disinterest, not caring to risk eye-contact with someone that she knew wouldn’t make for good company. It was with a stroke of luck that she spotted Burningleaf, her former mentor, finding herself trotting towards him with a skip in her step, a brightness, that had reserved itself for Nightstep and Nightstep alone. She greeted the older tom with a gentle purr, able to pick up right where they had left off despite the lack of interaction between them as of late. “Good to see you, Burningleaf. I’m sorry that I’ve been so distant from you lately.” Although she was apologizing, Burningleaf likely knew her well enough to know that she was rarely so sincere. She did regret not spending time with the cat that had single-handedly trained her, but not to the point that she would have done something about it had a certain tuxedo tom been amongst those of LightningClan tonight.

Unlike Palescreech, the muddy brown NightClanner with a satisfied gleam in his eye had the privilege of Echobreeze being amongst those invited, which meant he didn’t have to spend his time in Blackwolf’s shadow. He had walked with her to the Gathering, but that hadn’t sparked very much conversation between them - he had a feeling that she hadn’t quite forgave him for the rude things that he had said. Ever since that had happened, he had been trying to make it up to her with small, indirect gestures, always walking on his toes and trying to be on his best behaviour whenever she was and wasn’t near. He wanted to prove to her that she could trust him when she wasn’t around to hear what he was saying, but at the same time, he didn’t want Blackwolf to start questioning his masculinity, or thinking that he had turned soft to win the heart of a stuttering she-cat that even the wind could make nervous. “I can sit with you if you want me to?” Turning his head, yellow eyes having lost some of their sharpness, there was a moment where it seemed like he’d follow her orders before even thinking to consider what Ravenstar, Slatenose, or Blackwolf had to say before he blinked and everything was back to normal: he was the same old Hollowcry that couldn’t admit to himself that he had fallen for Echobreeze without somehow insulting her in the middle of the words.

A few tail-lengths away from the greedy tom and the tortoiseshell he pursued, a red-and-black-spotted warrior, coming to this Gathering as a StoneClan cat instead of a TreeClan cat, followed on Cloudfall’s heel, staring at the ground when he wasn’t focused on the pretty she-cat in front of him. He had been surprised when Hawkstar had called his name, announcing those of StoneClan that would be permitted to attend, but he wasn’t about to pass up the opportunity and give him another reason to think he had made a mistake. If he could prove to everyone that he would loyally participate in this Gathering as a member of StoneClan, then maybe some of his new Clanmates would start to more readily accept him? Cloudfall’s presence was a reassurance that he counted on more than he liked to admit, and it was suddenly odd to him how quickly the tables had turned, and how it was now him that needed her more than she needed him. Crimsonshadow couldn’t even look at Lionstar’s face without a wave of guilt swishing around in his insides, so instead he looked to Hawkstar, his new leader, and then to Cloudfall, his beloved mate, and that was all he needed to affirm that he had made a good decision. He just hoped that no TreeClan cats would try to talk to him, because he didn’t need anyone of StoneClan seeing that and having a new reason to be suspicious.

While he was busy being anxious about his conflicting loyalties, Bluepaw was feeling the weight of anxiety upon her shoulders due to the fact that Pinkpaw was attending at her side. She didn’t want to shelter her sister from these kind of experiences, and she was happy that Lionstar had included her, but she had never felt such a strong surge of protectiveness inside of her before; she was thankful that Pinkpaw had chosen to walk at her side so that she wouldn’t have to spend the whole night searching for her in the large crowd. A few cuts and scrapes still littered her once untouched blue fur, the fox cub having left its mark before she had been able to chase it out of camp with Pinkpaw’s help. She still couldn’t grasp that her sister had not only helped, but had saved her from further injury. When she looked at her albino sibling, the need to keep her secure was still very much present, but there was a new element of softness in her expression, something that had never been there before, like she was starting to let herself appreciate that her training was perhaps making her into a strong, capable warrior that didn’t require Bluepaw’s shadow anymore. That, of course, didn’t mean that she wouldn’t be there to give it to her anymore.

When they arrived, she immediately sought out Rushwhisker in the crowd, happy to see that he had been among those of RainClan able to attend. The last time she had seem him, she had been honest about her feelings, and he had been honest about his, and since then she had been dying to talk to him again. She had been on the verge of going to do just that until the distinctive sound of a LightningClanner’s voice, and the sisterly instinct that told her something was wrong kicked in, had her turning her head fiercely to see the feline in question ducking in submission. First, there was worry, but then there was nothing but pure, blind rage at its finest, something that she had never had to endure in such high quantities before now. She had no idea where this sudden courage to battle was coming from, but she could feel it swelling inside of her claws, itching to unsheathe from her paws as she came up on her sister’s side, protectively shielding her sibling from the tom’s wrath. Before she could speak, the sensible side of her started to calm her soaring heartbeat, a momentary glance at Lionstar reminding her of who she was, where she was, and how this was no time or place to make a fool of TreeClan. She took a breath, knowing that Pinkpaw was safe now that she was here. There was no need to fight him; tensions were high between TreeClan and LightningClan, she knew that, but she wouldn’t be the one to embarrass her Clan by acting unreasonably during a Gathering. This was a peaceful meeting, and she was a peaceful cat.

Her blue eyes were unwavering, yet utterly dismissive, regarding the tom of similar age with a coldness the made it clear that she thought him to be acting ridiculously, like he was a kitten that had been mistaken for an apprentice when chosen to attend. “This is not the place for those kinds of comments. I understand that there’s tension, but we’re at a Gathering, and that means that this is no time for you to lose sight of your maturity.” If you even have any. She, of course, left that last bit out, not wanting to stir trouble where trouble wasn’t due. Her words had been awfully mother-like, as though scolding her own kitten’s actions, but nonetheless she had handled it kindly, and that was more than anyone had a right to ask of her given the way that he had spoken to Pinkpaw; she hoped that Lionstar would be proud if he had been there to witness it. Offering her sister a comforting smile, she looked over Blazepaw’s shoulder to meet Mudpaw’s eyes, disregarding Blazepaw’s presence like he was a ghost that she could merely peer directly through, his outburst nothing more than an afterthought now - someone like that wasn’t worth her attention. “Hello Mudpaw. I think Pinkpaw was trying to say hello to you earlier.” And just like that, she had given her sister an opportunity to finish what she had been trying to start, remembering him from a previous encounter and concluding that he was the kind of company she didn’t mind for her sibling to keep.

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Tags: Amber , Fate Admin , BlooRey DVD
Word Count: 1558.

[BlooRey DVD]

[smear:f3e471]Fallenleaf
[/smear:f8c56a]

~~~~~~~~~

The StoneClan senior warrior glanced to her left, then to her right, pale eyes taking in the forms of Rippedear and Skunkspots. She narrowed her gaze, her lips cracking in a smile. Despite her injury and her decrease in pace, here she was, standing near the edge of the clearing to StarClan's Claws. They were now just awaiting the arrival of the rest of the StoneClan party. She couldn't help the slight purr in her throat as she carefully shifted her weight to butt her shoulder against her apprentice's. Her former apprentice's. A swell of pride exploded in her chest.

It had been a long journey, and Fallenleaf was to blame for that. But now beside her stood Skunkspots, warrior of StoneClan. Though the senior warrior had never had kits, and though she'd always felt connected to her apprentices, there was something else present in what had formed between herself and the black and white she-cat next to her. "I didn't think I'd ever attend another Gathering. Imagine my surprise when Hawkstar told me I'd be going, and that I had volunteers to escort me there ahead of the rest. Thank you, Rippedear, Skunkspots, truly. It means... More than you know."

The approach of StoneClan drew her softened gaze away from the two warriors beside her. With a nudge to Skunkspots' shoulder, Fallenleaf limped forward and merged with the group. She positioned herself in the middle, near the front, though she had no intention of remaining there. Flanked by her two escorts, the plan was that the rest of StoneClan would surge around them and mask the slightly slower pace. They'd be last into the clearing without too much trouble. And it worked pretty well. Glad to be able to slow her pace again, with only a slightly awkward bounce to keep weight off of her old injury, Fallenleaf glanced about, wondering if she might recognize anyone from years passed...

[smear:74ffd2]Echobreeze[/smear:ffffff]

~~~~~~~~~

It was true that her heart was still stung from what she'd overheard Hollowcry say about her. But that wasn't the reason she hasn't said a word to him on the way to the Gathering. Ever since Ravenstar had announced she would be attending this Gathering, the little tortoiseshell she-cat's heart had been hammering violently against her chest, so much so she feared it would fail at any moment and she'd die of a heart attack right then. Anything would be better than being around so many different cats from so many Clans. She'd been to Gatherings in the past, but her old mentor had always been there to comfort her...

Having spent most of the journey staring at her paws, she was forced to stop herself from squeaking in alarm upon learning they'd already arrived. Her tail was down, and it took a lot of effort on her part for it not to pin directly between her legs and remain unmoving. She didn't like this. She didn't like this at all. His voice suddenly broke through her scattered thoughts, and she turned wide green eye on him. He was here. Beside her. A shiver of relief crept up her spine. Swallowing softly and involuntarily leaning into him so that his pelt brushed hers, she nodded her head. "Y-Yes p-please..." Her voice was barely a whispered rasp, as though all air had been knocked from her lungs.

[smear:f78216]Kindleflare[/smear:f3e4d7]

~~~~~~~~~

Her tail twisted nervously behind her as she glanced around the group. She was glad her father was attending this Gathering too. Currently she was sat next to him, awaiting the departure of the group. She couldn't help her gaze from hesitating on Palescreech, and a part of her wondered if just maybe she could spend the night with the she-cat. Without Nightstep's attendance to get in the way. Yet a part of her felt that wasn't appropriate. And anyway, she had a chance to spend time with Darkcloud again, even if they were surrounded by cats from other Clans. Since Robinkit and Dovekit had been born, he'd been spending quite a bit of time with them...

She was startled out of her growing jealousy by soft fur brushing against hers. Her pelt fluffed up slightly, and deep amber eyes fixated upon Snowheart as she turned her head rapidly. Upon seeing her medicine cat cousin, however, the jealousy that had been building evaporated and a lightness filled her. Her ears pricked and she blinked at him a little stunned. Glancing towards her father for a brief moment, as though she were about to ask his permission, she twitched her tail and nodded excitedly."I-I... I would love that Snowheart." A genuine smile lit up her face at the prospect of meeting another Clan's medicine cat. Since Snowheart had run into her and unintentionally injured her, her curiosity towards the art of healing had grown.

Snowheart seemed prepared to explain what he did to her, and she wondered if StoneClan's Ivywhisker was the same way. What experiences did Ivywhisker have to share? The group began to move then, and so many questions whirled through her head. She even separated from her father, remaining close enough to brush fur with Snowheart as the LightningClan group drew closer to StarClan's Claws. When they finally arrived, she glanced about in wonder at the number of cats present, leaning slightly against Snowheart for moral support. "S-So... Which o-one is Ivywh-whisker?"

Featuring
[smear:000000]Broken[/smear:ff6633][smear:ff6633]song[/smear:ffffff]
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Sharp blue eyes flicked to the torbie shape of one of her best friends. Brokensong's tail was motioning excitedly as hazel-green eyes locked upon Zephyrfang. Evidently, Brokensong was doing her best to explain to her mate just what they were about to experience. Brokensong had only been once before, but seemed more than ready to go again. Feathercloud smiled softly, glad that Lionstar had picked Zephyrfang to go as well. Though she hated to admit it, if there was anyone in TreeClan who understood Brokensong, it was that tabby tom.

Though their introduction had been a little rough and confrontational, she couldn't help but respect Zephyrfang for the attention he constantly offered the mute warrioress. Perhaps she should make an effort to get to know him better. For Brokensong. When the group set in motion, the silver warrioress stayed near the back, her feathery tail swishing slowly from one side to the other. She didn't really have anyone to speak with today. Lionstar was at the front of the group, preoccupied with his duties as Clan leader. Brokensong was still busy, that much was obvious. Even as she and Zephyrfang padded forward, matching pawstep for pawstep, Brokensong skipped and butted him ecstatically, her tail flashing this way and that, even if he couldn't see it.

Glancing down at her paws, she wished Silverfern had been chosen. She wished Sprucefur had been chosen. Glancing over her shoulder, as though he might just appear behind her, she sighed to herself. The only good thing about this group was that Lichenfrost wasn't there. Straightening herself, she pushed her lamenting thoughts away, mentally grasping for her stubborn pride once more. Head held high, the pretty silver she-cat watched for Lionstar's signal and then...

The TreeClanners surged forward, swarming into the clearing. Her heart beat faster with excitement, but as cats began to disperse, as Brokensong knocked against Zephyrfang, leading him off somewhere, she felt alone again. Feathery tail twitching, she noticed a NightClan apprentice sitting by herself. Remembering her first Gathering, the silver tabby, tipped her head and trotted towards Nightpaw. Confident smile easily slipping into place, she approached the younger she-cat. "First Gathering? Quite something, isn't it?" Her song-like purr greeted the apprentice as the pretty she-cat motioned with the tail for which she was named. "The name's Feathercloud. Mind if I take a seat?"

Fawn Fate Admin Insidious @nadia

[Deleted]

R E D S T A R

They didn't have to wait long for the second clan's arrival. NightClan were soon filing into the clearing, led by their small black-and-white leader. Redstar remained perfectly still, her tail curled neatly around her paws and her head bowed slightly.
Ravenstar soon joined her in the clearing's centre and Redstar greeted her with polite respect, supressing a grin when the NightClan leader wasn't as able to scale the rock as easily as the other clan leaders could, having to use a ledge to spring off.

"Ravenstar," the red tabby she-cat mewed lightly, briefly holding eye contact with her fellow leader before letting her eyes skim the cats below and picking out NightClan pelts, "Your clan looks well."
That was all in the way of conversation that Redstar had to offer. Her mind was elsewhere, focused upon...

The tang of TreeClan scent hit the roof of her mouth. The red tabby she-cat stiffened, her amber eyes sweeping across the clearing to where the lion-like tom had emerged, his clan spilling out behind him.
Redstar forced a calm, collected expression, swallowing. It was because of Lionstar's clan that the life of her former apprentice had been taken, it was because of him that they'd lost an area of territory that was rightfully LightningClan's.

The orange-red tabby she-cat regarded with a brief glance, pupils narrowed slightly, before letting her eyes wander. She didn't want to spend a moment more than necessary gazing upon the golden tom.
She busied herself instead by watching the interactions of the cats below, NightClan, TreeClan and LightningClan and mingling.

It provided enough distraction to last until the fourth of the clans arrived. Hawkstar was easily recognisable at the helm of StoneClan, his cats following him into the moonlit clearing. Redstar offered him a few words, "Hawkstar, it's good to see you."
The red tabby she-cat wasn't particularly delighted to see StoneClan's leader, her words were only spoken to emphasise her displeasure towards Lionstar, to whom she hadn't offered any such greeting. When LightningClan had claimed the Sun Stones, perhaps Hawkstar would be regarding her just as she currently regarded Lionstar and his clan; with bitterness.

RainClan were the last to arrive, Razorstar the final of the five leaders to take his place on the rock. Redstar bowed her head to the RainClan leader, "Greetings, Razorstar."
The clearing didn't take long to fill up, swarming and buzzing with life from all five corners of the valley territories. The moonlight drenched the gathered cats, creating an almost grey-scale image. Redstar let her luminous orbs sweep their surroundings for a moment, taking it all in before letting her attention to the four other cats gathered around her.

Now that they were all finally present, they could begin to think about making a start. Clearing her throat, the red tabby she-cat addressed her fellow leaders, "Who will speak first?" she let her gaze pass over each of the leaders, "I have no preference."
She looked expectantly to the other leaders, awaiting a decision from one of them.

F A L L E N B I R D

The golden brown tabby she-cat had been listening to Redstar's short speech before the departure for the gathering, of course she had, but the moment TreeClan entered the clearing, her clan leader's words were soon forgotten. Those rabbit-hearted pieces of fox-dung.

A growl rose in her throat, amber orbs narrowing to slits when a TreeClan cat seated themselves beside her, "Oh look," she muttered, the words meant for herself, but loud enough that the TreeClanner would surely catch them, "Perhaps they're here to steal some of our warriors this time? Our territory clearly wasn't enough."

In perfect honesty, she didn't care if anyone had overheard her words or even tried to fight TreeClan's corner. In fact, bring it on. What use is there trying to keep peace anyway? TreeClan didn't broke that peace when they stole the Open Woods.

Her eyes flickered to the great stone in the centre of the clearing, where the clan leaders were starting to gather. Redstar looked to be somewhat disconcerted by the arrival of TreeClan, making no such effort to greet Lionstar with politeness. If she's not making an effort to be polite, why should I have to?

H U M M I N G B I R D

The gathering was not an event that Hummingbird usually attended. It was not an occasion that she was typically invited to, nor did she find attending it much of a pleasantry. It was certainly interesting being in the company of all five clans, but also somewhat intimidating. Often, members from other clans would attempt to spark conversation with her, oblivious to her inability to speak. Attempting to then show them she was mute was not only difficult, but embarrassing.

Nevertheless, the pale brown tabby she-cat tried to carry a positive frame of mind with her to the gathering. Tonight's gathering would surely be better than her last one, she had to hope it would be or she'd only end up in a dampened mood for the night's duration.
Shaking off her pressing worries, Hummingbird let green orbs skim the clearing before her, searching for a quite enough spot to settle.

Perhaps she could try and converse, well, not quite converse of course, improvise with signals more like, with someone? She daren't go near any of the senior warriors from the other clans. It generally seemed to be the way that those who were younger responded to her muteness much better than those older.

Letting a smile bloom upon her features, the NightClan warrior began to make her way across the clearing. She'd some to the decision to approach a pair of TreeClan warriors; a tortoiseshell tabby she-cat and a tawny and brown tabby-striped tom. They didn't seem to be hostile, or so she hoped.

Drawing to a halt before the two cats, she flashed them a sheepish white-fanged grin, dipping her head out of politeness and respect. With luck, they'd soon realise for themselves that her quietness was out of an inability to speak rather than plain shyness. Otherwise there would have to be a painful display from her behalf to make it known to them and Hummingbird did not want that.

S A N D S T R I K E

Gatherings had never been something that the sandy-furred tom had particularly liked, not particularly disliked. He was very much neutral about the occasion. But having Lionsong at his side for the event had greatly brightened his hope for the night ahead. He'd quickly located the pretty golden tabby she-cat shortly after leaving camp, remaining at her side for the duration of the journey.

When StarClan's Claws at last unfolded before them, the sandy-furred tom turned to his mate, blue gaze warm, "Where would you like to sit?"
Wherever the golden tabby she-cat wished to go, he would follow her. He wasn't aware of if she had any friendships outside her own clan, if she did then she would likely want to greet them. And Sandstrike would happily follow.
The pale ginger warrior had never been one for making friends beyond the borders, he'd seen little practicality in such a friendship and so the only interactions with the other clans had been small talk at gatherings, nothing more.

Eyes lifting to the sky above, he mused out loud, "It's a beautiful night for a gathering."
He allowed his gaze to slowly pick its way across the clearing, soon identifying LightningClan. After TreeClan's recent victory, the clan of the moor would no doubt be feeling somewhat bitter towards their clan. There certainly seemed to be a bit of tension between Redstar and Lionstar at least.
"Tonight should be interesting," he commented, a glimmer of humour in his gaze, "It doesn't look as thought Redstar's too happy," he gave a mrrow of amusement, "I don't blame her."

I V Y W H I S K E R

Whilst her clanmates had been involving themselves in discussion on the journey to the gathering, Ivywhisker had spent the duration keeping an eye upon Fallenleaf. Although the StoneClan medicine cat was happy for her clanmate to be attending the gathering, she didn't entirely support the decision to allow her clanmate to attend, her mind reeling with possibilities.

It would have been an understatement to say that the creamy-furred she-cat was relieved when she reached the gathering safely. Only then could she relax a little, turning her thoughts from her clanmates to other clans and the many cats that swarmed in the clearing before her.
LightningClan are already here, she realised, allowing herself a smile. Without much thought, she found her green eyes searching the scene before her for a particular white pelt.
After a few moments of fruitless searching, she at least located the LightningClan medicine cat apprentice. Her green gaze warmed.

The StoneClan she-cat picked her way through the masses of pelts, striding purposefully towards Snowheart. He seemed to have an accomplice, she soon noticed, a ginger-and-white tabby she-cat.
It didn't deter her at all and she wore the same warm smile when she halted before the two cats, dipping her head almost immediately, "Snowheart, how are you?" she purred before looking to the she-cat, awaiting an introduction.
"LightningClan are well, I hope?" she let her eyes sweep the clearing. Snowheart's clan appeared to be in good health, their pelts glossy and sleek.

S W I F T S T R I K E

Social events were not Swiftstrike's thing. It was as simple as that. Gatherings were therefore always something of a difficulty for him, having to make conversation with cats he hardly knew for a night.
Whenever he set paw upon the clearing, he was greeted by that same rush of fear as he saw the number of cats attending. It was quite simply terrifying.

Whilst his clanmates split off in their separate direction, the dark grey tom remained rooted to the spot, pupils dilated. He needed a plan of action, a way to get through this without remaining totally mute the whole time. If he stayed with his own clanmates, discussion would surely be a little easier?
Swiftstrike swallowed, his gaze picking over the many pelts, seeking out the colours of one of his clanmates. It was with the faintest trace of relief that he at last spotted an apprentice of his clan, seemingly alone.

Trying his best not to appear ruffled by the sheer number of cats, he made his way towards where the lone apprentice was sat. Redpaw. That's his name, isn't it?
He dipped his head in an awkward motion to the apprentice, "Uh, hi," he seated himself beside the ginger-and-white tabby tom, "I hope you don't mind me joining you."
He was rather counting on Redpaw not minding his company, otherwise he'd have to find somewhere else to sit, which he couldn't bring himself to do.

Attempting to spark some sort of conversation, no matter how awkward, he mewed hesitantly, "So, how's your training going?"

W I N D S O N G

There was nothing more interesting than getting to know other cats and their different ways of life, or so Windsong thought. Bearing this in mind, it would come as no surprise that the gathering was Windsong's favourite event. The warm grin that she wore now had been present upon her features since leaving camp and it didn't show any signs of going anywhere, at least not anytime soon.

Without much thought, she made for where RainClan were predominantly gathered. Having learnt a little about their way of life from Fleetwing, she was greedy for more knowledge, not for any purposes other than curiosity. There seemed to be a white RainClan apprentice who looked as though she could do with some warm conversation. Eyes bright, Windsong padded over to where Snowpaw was sat, greeting her with a broad grin.

"Hi," she purred enthusiastically, lavishing her tail from left to right, "Can I sit with you? My name's Windsong," she didn't await a response, settling herself beside the apprentice before promptly beaming at her, happy to have found company so swiftly.

L I L Y S T R E A M

There was no greater honour, in Lilystream's opinion, than being chosen to represent your clan at the gathering. That alone was enough to put the calico she-cat in a sunny frame of mind. To then learn that a certain silver tabby she-cat had not been deemed worthy enough to attend filled her with an even greater excitement. She'd been afraid she'd never see the back of Swansong, but at last, thank StarClan, she'd be able to spend some time with Russethawk without her.

Without much thought, she clung close to the ruddy-coloured tom, his presence enough to keep her smiling for the journey. RainClan were the last to reach StarClan's Claws, she realised, her green eyes sweeping the clearing before her. The clearing seemed to be brimming with cats tonight.
Lilystream let her eyes settle upon Russethawk, bright green gaze glowing in the darkness, "Busy tonight, huh?" her eyes rested upon him for a further heartbeat before darting away, "It feels like ages since I was last at a gathering."
She could feel a yawn coming on, jaws promptly parting wide.

The calico she-cat sat up tall, surveying the clearing. She was eager to learn of the other clans' news tonight, there'd been some rumours of some sort of trouble between LightningClan and TreeClan? She couldn't imagine what it would be. I suppose I'll have to wait. I'm sure it'll be announced.


"Hmm, should we find somewhere to sit?" she queried, turning to Russethawk, inclining her head slightly.

Tag: ---
Word Count: 2294

[Fawn]

Darkcloud. LightningClan. 75 Moons. Senior Warrior.

The pale green gaze of Darkcloud roved through the scores of cats with mild interest, lingering on familiar faces for a mere half-second longer than it did strangers, in a quiet search of his kin. Snowheart and Kindleflare had become thick as thieves lately, and this was a cause for relief within the black and white warrior, he too preferred the company of family to any other kind, and Snowheart had a soft, companionable way about him that would help his skittish daughter to relax more. Nightstep had not been invited to this gathering, though the she-cat who had ensnared the hearts of not only his son but his daughter as well could be found amongst the rabble, and he made note of her position beside Burningleaf, aware of their mentor and apprentice relationship.What caused the senior warrior's attention to linger for more than a heartbeat, however, was the small cluster of LightningClan and TreeClan apprentices a little way off; he could hear the distinctive, aggressive tone of Blazepaw even from here and knew the feisty little nuisance was going to make a mess of things. He also heard the peaceable, diplomatic response of a blue-furred she-cat bearing TreeClan's scent; he was impressed by how level-headed she was, and the dark tom's hackles lowered, suspecting he wouldn't have to send Blazepaw home yet. A word would be passed along to Nightstep after LightningClan returned to the moorlands, however.

Mudpaw. LightningClan. 10 Moons. Redstar's Apprentice.

Getting invited to the gathering had been a humongous source of stress for Mudpaw; he had loyally tried to put Pinkpaw out of his mind since he had last seen her at the border towards the end of New Leaf, and so far he had been successful - until the devastating ambush from TreeClan had left LightningClan in a daze and Mudpaw's heart feeling equally as stunned. He was ashamed to admit that one of his first thoughts had been was Pinkpaw there? Followed immediately by the fear that his siblings had been on the patrol with Firesky when it had happened, and to his great relief - neither Pinkpaw OR Gustpaw or Blazepaw had anything to do with the ambush.

What if she shows up here tonight? It was an unspoken rule that LightningClan would be curt and uninviting towards TreeClan tonight, especially after the loss of Gingerpelt. Was he expected to just stay with his own Clan and pretend as if TreeClan didn't exist for the whole night? Anxiety churned under his pelt like a flash flood, and it wasn't as if he could stick close to his mentor, she was currently on top of the boulder beside the four other Clan leaders; he would be left to his own devices (which probably meant keeping an eye on Blazepaw, Snowheart had asked him to do as much), helpless in the very pretty face of a very serious dilemma.

Before Mudpaw could even come to a decision, a scent that reminded him of flowers wafted around his muzzle, and he found himself meeting the beautiful pink gaze of the very she-cat he was trying so hard to forget; his heart both leaped and plummeted at the same time, almost giving him vertigo in the process, but he found himself smiling a little shyly at her, secretly very pleased that she was calling for him and not Whiteshade. "Pinkpaw-"

Blazepaw's voice cut through the happy bubble surrounding them like a claw through a thin leaf, shredding the moment into leaf-dust in an instant. Mudpaw's head whipped around, staring at his brother with a mixture of shock and immediate dislike. "Don't talk to her like that!" He snapped, short chocolate brown tail fluffing in defense; there was little else Mudpaw could say (and, admittedly, he did not want to start a fight with his own sibling) before Bluepaw spoke up and handled the situation with more maturity than Mudpaw felt he could display right now. I'm Redstar's apprentice, I can't just bite Blazepaw's head off just because I'm friends with Pinkpaw, but I can't let Blazepaw ruin the gathering either. He was rocketed out of his own thoughts by Bluepaw's voice calling his attention, Mudpaw nodding curtly, a gaze full of solemnity and sheepishness both. "I'm sorry, for Blazepaw. He's... always like that." He finished lamely; it was true, he wasn't trying to make excuses for Blazepaw, but he wasn't exactly wrong either. Great StarClan, she probably hates me because of him!

Blackwolf. NightClan. 49 Moons. Senior Warrior.

What is she doing here? Blackwolf had paid her no attention prior to their arrival at the gathering site, and at last he recognized the pale tabby pelt of Hummingbird, his mismatched gaze narrowing slightly. Why Ravenstar had invited a mute she-cat to a gathering, Blackwolf would never understand; if he had to actually come up with an answer that wasn't stupid, then it probably had something to do with numbers. It was important that NightClan made a decent show of force, and, if he actually wanted to pay Hummingbird a compliment of any kind, he supposed the fact that she couldn't talk was something of a blessing. That meant she couldn't name names, and couldn't spill her guts to any cat; no mention of Applewhisker, Oakblaze or Ratfur.

And besides, if it gave off a sense that NightClan was too good to mingle with the rest of them, Blackwolf would hardly call that a problem either. The muscular black tom had only come to this gathering so that he could represent his Clan; he wasn't here to mingle or swap stories, he was here to be that silent, intimidating reminder that NightClan, peace or no peace, was not a Clan you could mess with so easily. Without any desire to socialize, Blackwolf glanced for the familiar pelt of Hollowcry, trusting that they could sit beside each other in silence and project a general menacing aura to any passersby, but when he did spot one of his oldest allies, he couldn't believe what he was seeing. What is he doing? The tip of Blackwolf's tail twitched, and he considered walking over, just to see whatever bits and pieces he could pick up from whatever weird conversation they were having.

Lionstar
TreeClan. 51 Moons. Tom. Leader.

It wasn't often that Lionstar had competition when it came to broadness of shoulders or over all muscle-mass (though he, admittedly, had a thick coat on his side as well), but with Hawkstar sitting beside him, Lionstar was faintly aware of the size differences between the two of them and the rest of the gathered leaders. Ravenstar was, as usual, looking as if she'd just had her warrior ceremony the day before (and that NightClan had miraculously run out of suitable leader candidates), Razorstar was not of any particularly outrageous stature, and Redstar was also of an average height, slender like the rest of her moor-dwelling Clan. When the ginger tabby spoke up, he was pleased to hear that she had no preference towards who went first - that would allow him to dictate when TreeClan would have their chance to share.

"I will speak last." His gaze swept across the remaining four, assuming either Hawkstar or Razorstar, the last to arrive, would announce the start of the gathering and recount the latest bits of activity for RainClan. Several sunrises before, Lionstar had already decided just what he would say; his heart ached for his fallen friend, and he would be honored tonight when the fox attack and the death toll were announced. There were several cats here at the gathering that they had seen coming to these meetings since the days of Lionpaw and Stormpaw, cats they had, unintentionally grown up with, cats who would remember Stormchaser for his bravery and his chivalry. Tonight, when StarClan gazed down upon them, they would have a new member in their ranks, and Lionstar felt a sensation of somberness sweep over him like a cool breeze, making this latest victory against LightningClan seem somehow less important.

There had been a time and a place to mourn Stormchaser, he had tried not to carry his grief to this gathering apart from the few moments of silence he would give his closest friend when it was his chance to speak; until then, Lionstar focused on happier thoughts -- glancing down into the crowds to look for a familiar white and gray pelt. I hope this isn't too overwhelming for her. I told Thornstrike and Rowanberry to keep an eye on her, she should be fine. They had been instructed to take her to a quieter place in StarClan's Claws if it looked as though she were suffering from any emotional stress, being surrounded by so many cats. It was Lionstar's intention, however, that the gathering, being such an important moment for many apprentices (and he and Willowpaw had been no different, back then) would loosen the vines around her forgotten memories a little, allowing some clarify to at last slip through. Good luck, Willowfur.

[Deleted]

s l a t e n o s e
deputy, nightclan

Slatenose nodded at Ravenstar and followed her into NightClan's territory, deciding to stay at the end of the group of cats to make sure that the apprentices didn't wander off. As Blackwolf passed her, she huffed in his direction, still upset over the recent events of the battle between RainClan and NightClan. Granted, the black tom had taken one of Razorstar's lives, but their own leader lost one, too (and Slatenose didn't even want to think about what would happen if Ravenstar lost all of her lives). The deputy still bore some wounds from that skirmish, and she wasn't too keen on reopening those injuries.

"Let's try and play nice tonight," she muttered to herself, lost in thought as she walked with her Clanmates. Soon enough, they crested the rise of StarClan's Claws and poured into the clearing. Noticing that LightningClan had already arrived, Slatenose scowled and followed Ravenstar to the the leader's rock. Sitting at its base, she nodded respectfully to Firesky and watched her Clanmates as they dispersed.

do your duty in all things
never wish to do less

gathering :tags
171 :words
a deputy is welcome to talk to her! :notes

w i l l o w f u r
senior warrior, treeclan

Willowfur anxiously followed the TreeClan cats, kneading the ground while she waited for Lionstar's signal to enter the clearing at StarClan's Claws. She had come to this place once before, when she was still Willow and searching for answers, but the only thing she had found here were the stale scents of each Clan mingling with each other. Now, of course, she knew the reason, but before she rejoined TreeClan, she couldn't have guessed why so many cats gathered in one place.

Hiding at the back of TreeClan's cats, the grey and white she-cat watched as her Clanmates spread out into the clearing. A flash of amber caught her eye and she moved her gaze, noticing Lionstar sitting on a giant rock with two other cats, one of them comically smaller than the others. The other leaders? she wondered. Her mind appreciated the way her leader looked sitting at his post, but she shook her head to clear it and padded into the sea of cats. Even with only two other Clans here, there were a lot of bodies, and she wasn't sure the proper protocol for the Gatherings.

So Willowfur found a comfortable spot, curled her tail around her toes, and waited, just watching and seeing what would happen.

place your head on my beating heart
we found love right where we are

Fawn :tags
212 :words
first gathering :notes

h o n e y p a w
medicine cat apprentice, treeclan

Honeypaw bounced along happily, walking with Pinkpaw and Bluepaw on their way to the Gathering. This would be her first one, and she was hoping to maybe see one of the other medicine cats there so she could have someone to talk to. The moment they entered StarClan's Claws, Pinkpaw and Bluepaw made a beeline for two other apprentices. The medicine cat apprentice's normally happy expression deepened into a frown for a moment, as she was hoping for a friend for a bit. Walking around the edge of the Gathering, she looked for a cat she would know. Her gaze finally settled on Snowheart, LightningClan's second medicine cat. Being here without Littletimber threw her off as she was so used to her mentor by her side, but tonight Honeypaw would make her own friends.

Bounding up to Snowheart and the cats by him, she greeted him a little too loudly. "Hi, Snowheart! It's really good to see you again." Suddenly realizing another medicine cat was there, too, she turned to her, lowering her voice slightly. "And hi, Ivywhisker! How is your prey running?" Manners were important. She had to remember those.

been dreaming of this since a kit
i’m on top of the world

Fate Admin @littleflower :tags
192 :words
medicine cat talks :notes

t h o r n s t r i k e
senior warrior, treeclan

Thornstrike's good mood over TreeClan's recent victories damped significantly when he heard that Emberstorm was not to go to the Gathering. He frowned, hating to leave her, but promised a retelling of everything that happened when he got back. And maybe a chipmunk, too, he decided, hoping to make it up to her. In the wake of fighting off the foxes and taking the Open Woods, TreeClan was doing pretty good for itself. Prey was running, bellies were full, the territory was expanding, and they had defended the camp. Everything seemed to be pretty fine and dandy.

Of course, he shouldn't have expected a good attitude from LightningClan or NightClan, but those were just usual. Lionstar had asked him to keep an eye on Willowfur with her first Gathering since she had come back, so he found himself padding towards her. Having no one else to sit with, he settled next to the she-cat and gave her a comforting look, promising his leader to keep her safe.

you will never be alone again
love will make it all right

gathering :tags
168 :words
keeping an eye out for lionstar :notes

r i p p e d e a r
senior warrior, stoneclan

Rippedear and Skunkspots had helped their friend and former mentor to the Gathering with careful steps and guided walking. Thankfully, they made it from the camp to the StarClan's Claws, and Rippedear could sense the happiness radiating from the she-cat beside him. He ducked his head at her gratitude, giving a comforting lick to her cheek and smiling. As they entered the clearing, the first cat he saw was Thornstrike. His immediate desire was to go catch up with his friend, but as Fallenleaf's escort, he needed to make sure she was comfortable. Looking around further, he realized Thornstrike was actually sitting next to another cat. Perhaps someone Fallenleaf could talk to?

"Fallenleaf," he mewed. "My friend Thornstrike is sitting over there. Do you want to go sit with him? It's not too far." He gestured with his tail to support his statement. Hopefully his fellow warrior would agree to his proposition, because by that point Thornstrike had spotted him and was waving him over.

standing here it's all so clear
i'm where i'm meant to be

BlooRey DVD :tags
166 :words
i really do think they're cute together :notes

[Deleted]

B U R N I N G L E A F
i'll wear my heart on my sleeve for you

The senior warrior gave his mate one final lick between the ears, making sure the nest he and Flashbrook shared was fluffed up around him to keep his mate warm in Burningleaf's absence. He murmured a quiet I love you, before ducking out of the den to join the gathered cats. Redstar's speech was short, but she said what needed to be said, especially for the younger cats among them. Redstar signalled their leave, and he fell into the flow of the crowd, the journey to StarClan's Claws quiet and uneventful. They were the first to arrive, and Burningleaf took the oppourtunity to find a soft patch of grass to spend the evening. NightClan was next to arrive, followed by TreeClan. As the Clans mingled, somewhat tersely, a very familiar pale she-cat angled toward him, a happy little skip in her step. He smiled at her, returning her purr and flicking her side with his tail-tip. "Worry not. You're a young warrior. Your life is filled with new and exciting things." He turned his head and gave her a broad, genuine smile. "It is good to see you, and the warrior you are becoming. I trust all is well?"

D A R K B L A Z E
right here underneath my wing, you can rest your head

It had been difficult to pull Darkblaze away from Hazepaw's side, but with persuasion from both Brightfeather and Sunpulse, Darkblaze left his brother in Sunpulse's care, Brightfeather nudging him out of camp to join the rest of NightClan's patrol. The dark tom ran in silence, resting the strong urge to turn back. Only Brightfeather's presence beside him kept him moving forward. He slowed as they crossed the border into the sacred ground, a quick look around telling him that only LightningClan had made an appearance. He stood and watched as the other three Clans arrived, eyes scanning the gathering cats. In silence, he stepped into the crowd, weaving his way aimlessly.

R O W A N B E R R Y
i keep on talking all these crazy clumsy words
and i know that i've been heard

The sorrel she-cat bounced along excitedly. Gatherings were always so much fun, and she couldn't wait to see all the other cats and be the social butterfly and talk to everyone. As they spilled into the clearing, she stepped forward to join them, but a small echo of Lionstar's voice stopped her. 'Keep an eye on Willowfur for me. Please.' She turned her head, torn between flitting around and sociallizing and keeping her promise to Lionstar. In the end, keeping her word won out, and she skipped over to where Willowfur sat. Thornstrike had already joined her, so Rowanberry took the spot to Willowfur's other side. She didn't know the she-cat well, but that didn't stop her from purring and leaning over so their pelts brushed softly. "Isn't this exciting?" She smiled broadly, hoping Willowfur would feed off of her excitement and return some of the eagerness.

W O L F C L A W
lead me to lead them with strong paws
to stand up when they can't

Their Clan was gathering with gentle murmuring, and once the last few stragglers had joined them, the silver-backed deputy lifted his gaze to Hawkstar. They were ready. Hawkstar gave his speech, the same one he always gave, and then they were off. Hawkstar took the lead, and Wolfclaw brought up the rear. They made good time, and before long Wolfclaw was striding through their patrol to stand beside Hawkstar. The pair of broad-shouldered toms was more than enough to put up an intimidating front, and showed StoneClan's strength well.

Hawkstar turned his head and spoke. 'Keep an eye on our Clan for me, Wolfclaw.' Wolfclaw dipped his head, smiling. "Always." Together, they led StoneClan into the clearing, Wolfclaw just one step behind, remaining at Hawkstar's shoulder. Once they reached the great rock, they parted, Hawkstar leaping to join Redstar, Ravenstar, and Lionstar, while Wolfclaw moved to settle at the base of the rock, offering greetings to the other three deputies. "Firesky. Slatenose. Thunderclaw." He dipped his head in turn to each of them, sitting down and placing his tail beside his paws.

C L O U D F A L L
lost as a feather in a hurricane

Her shock still hadn't faded. Crimsonshadow? Chosen to go to the Gathering? Either Hawkstar trusted him far more than they thought, or it was a test. A test of loyalties, of how far he would go to prove his allegiance. They passed beneath one of the towering stones that marked the gathering place, and she shivered slightly. She looked over her shoulder, blue eyes seeking green ones she knew so well. She offered him a weak smile, trying to hide her nervousness. She slowed, waiting for him to draw up to her side. She pressed against him, drawing strength from his presence.

O T T E R S P L A S H
i am the flower quickly fading
here today and gone tomorrow

To say he was nervous was an understatement. The lithe warrior-turned-medicine cat apprentice was shaking like a leaf as he trailed after the rest of the RainClan cats. This season had been filled with changes for him, and he was terrified. He had stood before StarClan earlier thi green-leaf, and now walked a new path, that of a medicine cat rather than a warrior. And now he would be put in the spotlight again, before all five Clans, as Razorstar would surely announce his new position. All the attention was more than he could handle, and several times he was tempted to turn back, but another warrior would always direct him forward. Running away was no option.

As RainClan poured into the clearing, Ottersplash stopped at the edge, breath coming in quick gasps. He couldn't do this. There were so many cats, so many eyes, and he felt like they were all on him. If they weren't on him now, they would be soon. The silver and black tabby inched backward, eyes wide. There was no way he could do this. No way. He continued to back away, until his butt hit something solid. Looking up, he discovered himself at the base of one of the towering spires of rock. It seemed even StarClan didn't want him to run away.