[Taxx]

Smokestorm

This gal right here's gonna rule the world
No, I won't sit still and look pretty

Side by side with Cloverspring, Smokestorm padded among the others of the Clans just arriving, gaze sweeping among them with a critical eye. Some of the cats were mixing freely, mews of greeting sounding around the clearing; she recognized some more than others, and there were young apprentices here that were new to her, but that was hardly surprising. She spotted Hawkstar leaping easily to the top of the leaders' rock, followed by the familiar forms of three others- and the surprising sight of NightClan's new leader. She knew her, of course: Darkstorm was younger than she, and she most definitely had not been deputy at the last Gathering. What had happened in NightClan during the last moon?

She got her answers soon enough, but it was the hefty ginger tom who wasn't Clan at all that mostly caught her interest. She didn't really like him here- this meeting was for Clan cats, not Tribe. But she kept that to herself, not even to share among her own Clanmates, and turned away as the leaders finished. Cloverspring was talking to a small white RainClan tom, who constant fidgeting irritated Smokestorm even from this distance; the dilute calico paused next to a large, dark-pelted NightClan tom who made her feel ridiculously tiny.

They were joined shortly by others, cats from all the Clans. Smokestorm dipped her head to Russethawk. "Well met, Russethawk," she greeted him, and flashed a glance over to the small group of Tribe cats. Dusk, she noticed, had split from them, but the other two looked overwhelmed by the number of strangers and were huddled together, alternating between glancing up at Skyteller and scanning the crowd. "What do you think of them?" she asked, curious for the opinion of a cat who hadn't met them before tonight.

Deputy of StoneClan

Fawn Notes: OPEN to warriors only please!

[Fawn]

Hope when you take that jump

It had been a whole entire three days since Ashflight's kitting, since their little duo had grown into a healthy, mewling family of six. Russethawk's jaw had fallen open in horror when Silverstar announced he would be attending tonight's Gathering. For a tom whose apprentice moons were often spent sneaking out, the tables sure had turned now that he was diving headfirst into the role of fatherhood. Russethawk had loitered near the nursery for as long as he possibly could, and he was the last cat in the queue that spilled into StarClan's Claws.

Fishdung, he groaned, what if they open their eyes or start talking while I'm gone? Ashflight assured him that they would do none of those things after only three days, but his head and heart were full of milk-scented moss and the giddy terror of parenthood.

"What do you think of them?"

"Huh?" Ruddy ears swiveled, green eyes refocusing on present surroundings and the slender dilute calico addressing him. Russethawk coughed, embarrassed of how oblivious he'd been just now - a sheepish grin all over his muzzle. "StarClan, is that the Tribe?" He hadn't even noticed! There was a monster of a ginger tom that seemed to be leading the group, and once he paused long enough to take in their scents, Russethawk sighed ruefully.

"They smell a little like my mate, Ashflight. We just had four kits a couple sunrises ago - well, she did all the work, but I was there." Russethawk purred in full, able to recall that day more as a flashback of sensations than sights. One moment he'd been worried sick about her, and the next minute he'd been awestruck over the birth of their little ones. "Three boys and a girl. Rosekit, after my cousin Roselight. Splashkit, Sunkit and Sablekit are the toms. Stars, they're all so perfect. One of them even looks like me."

With his red chest puffed and his heart full of pride, he must have looked like an overproud robin, but Russethawk couldn't help it. He didn't know how it was possible to love four little someones so much, despite having never spoken a single word to them at all. "To be honest, I'd run back to camp right now like my paws were on fire if it wouldn't make RainClan look bad." The warrior shook his head, sneaking a glance at RainClan's territory edge.

You don't fear the fall

RainClan || 72 Moons || Tom

Russethawk

Taxx @zen || 397 Words || Notes

[Taxx]

Smokestorm

This gal right here's gonna rule the world
No, I won't sit still and look pretty

Smokestorm had expected a much more in-depth discussion about the Tribe cats, but it seemed Russethawk's mind was not on them tonight. "They smell like my mate," was all he said on the matter, and then he was off about the kits they had had not long ago. Smokestorm had heard the news from Silverstar, and she would have gotten around to congratulating the tom, but she had clearly underestimated his enthusiasm and devotion to the young lives he'd fathered.

"Is that so?" she asked, whiskers twitching in amusement as she was regaled with the details- genders, names, the origin of the female's name. She hardly bothered to try to speak until Russethawk fell silent with a glance toward RainClan's border, like he was a mere two seconds from doing as he said he would. Her ears flicked as Lionstar spoke up, flashing a glance toward the large TreeClan leader before turning back to the ginger tom.

"I'll look forward to seeing them in leafbare, then, if any are chosen to attend the Gathering. How is Ashflight doing?" She vaguely knew who Russethawk was talking about and she was sure she'd talked to Ashflight a time or two, but it was hard to know since they weren't in the same Clan. "I hope the kits are strong and healthy?"

Deputy of StoneClan

Fawn Notes