June's Gathering [2020]

Honeypaw followed in behind the other ThunderClan cats hesitantly, his bright teal-blue eyes shimmering with the soft glimmering moonlight. The breathing mass of cats that seemed to grow by the second both amazed and intimidated the young apprentice. He could easily pass for a warrior to a cat from another Clan, given his size. The apprentice chose to stay near the edge of the crowd, though, eyes following his leader as the massive furry body of Lightningstar leaped onto the massive rock that pierced the center of the clearing. Idly, he wondered if he'd be that big when he was fully grown.

---

A small black she-cat wove expertly through the crowd of felines that grew larger by the second, amber eyes focused on finding the cream-colored tom she had come to see. Coalspark caught sight of the large form of Lionflame and broke into a grin, coming at him from behind and bumping into his shoulder with her whole body before maintaining a respectable distance of precisely three inches. "Hey, hey Lionflame," the ShadowClan cat murmured, unable to control the nervous smile overtaking her features. "Notice anything different about me?" Coalspark fought to keep her rumbling purr from being too noticeable by passersby, but she'd found that most cats were too busy paying attention to others to really notice them anyway.

Blizzardpaw’s ears perked up as she leaned just enough to be able to see the ThunderClan warrior when Iceheart looked in its direction, ears perked up lightly with curiosity. She had to give it to the ThunderClanners, they had to be rather hardy if one of their warriors managed to survive a rogue attack on their own…after all, she could tell from her own experience that those lawless cats could be rather brutal. The pain from the slashes she received when the herb gathering patrol crossed paths with them assaulted her for days…

She didn’t stare for long though, not wanting to seem rude by doing so.

A quick flick from her ear on Iceheart’s direction when he winced was the first indication of her sudden turn of attention. Now, she might not be as experienced as her mentor yet, but she still held the knowledge and intuition of a Medicine Cat, so hiding this kind of things from her was not easy. Her eyes once met his as he turned to look at her again, soft and questioning. While she knew about Iceheart’s soul situation thanks to the information she managed to put together, she was still unaware of the lethal danger it brought with it, and consequently the pain it caused him. Consequently her mind couldn’t help but wander, racing through the many options she knew that could cause sudden pain to a healthy-looking cat.

“Are you ok, Iceheart?” Her voice was soft and comforting, never losing that soothing melodious tone that was so characteristic of Blizzardpaw. She didn’t want to push him to admit any kind of pain or adverse symptoms to her, but she couldn’t help but feel somewhat worried, wishing to help her clanmate find relief from whatever pain assaulted him.

Magpiewing entered the gathering, rushing to make up for lost time as he rushed towards the High Rock. He huffed as he jumped onto the top, joining the leaders. He paused a moment to catch his breath, tail flicking wildly with the anxiety of being late.

"I'm sorry for my tardiness."

Turning his gaze to Magpiewing, he wondered why the younger tom took Firestar's place this evening but stay silent. Whatever the reason was, they would most likely learn soon.

Standing up and giving his fluffy pelt a shake, the large leader made his way to the front of the Great Rock, casting his serious gaze above the crowd. "Let the gathering begin!" he called above the chattering clowder of cats bellow. Waiting a few moments for them to quiet down, he began his usual speech.

"ThunderClan has been fairing well this past moon. Prey is plentiful and we have been blessed with the arrival of several new litters, as well as apprentices and warriors. I personally only encountered one rogue this past moon, but their stench continues to creep into ThunderClan's territory," Lightningstar spoke, his voice serious with a hint of harshness to it. Those rogues had better watch their tails...

"That is all for ThunderClan," he finished before turning around and taking his place back among the other leaders.

He had almost been rocking on his heels with nerves, waiting for his mate to come over the crest of the hill that reeked of ShadowClan- her clan. Oh how he so desperately just wanted her with him always, but he was yet to even think of how to ask Coalspark to join him, let alone Silverstar. Lionflame had to forcibly gulp as he thought of Firestar's reaction, despite not being a seasoned warrior he knew enough of the formidable she-cat and her reputation that he knew it wouldn't just be fine and dandy. Shaking out his cream and ginger fur to quell the sudden on burst of anxiety, he watched with narrowed eyes as Magpiewing made his way to the leaders perch once more- where in StarClan was Firestar?

He wasn't given much time to ponder that thought as his beautiful mate made her way over to him, her rich scent setting his heart on fire and causing a purr to ripple through him. "Coalspark!" the tom managed through his purrs, resting his chin atop her head for the briefest of moments before separating. "You surprised me," he chuckled, before stepping back to properly take her in. She looked much... well, bigger than before, and while he didn't mind - her eyes were just as beautiful as ever - he was curious. Had she been eating more prey? Or-

Oh. OH. His azure eyes widened in absolute shock, and the most dazed look crossed his face for a second as it hit him full force. Oh no, nonono, she hadn't just been eating more. She was expecting kits! His kits! Excitement bubbled beneath the surface, like hot magma before a volcano exploded and he lacked the self control to stay composed. "I- You-" Lionflame stuttered, purring so hard he was convinced he was going to stop breathing. "M-mine? My kits? Our kits? Oh, Coal!" Caution to the wind, it was an accepted fact at this point that if cats were going to know about them they would already know, he rasped his tongue along the top of her head, moisture unwillingly spilling from tightly shut eyes. "I'm so happy," he whispered, nose resting against her ear. "I don't know how we'll make this work, but I will fight the five leaders for you and our children. I love you."

Turning her head ever so slightly to give a nod to Coalspark, one glance at her and Breezebranch practically fell over. "O-oh my," she gasped, eyes wide. She.. Lionflame... They... How..? Every question died on her tongue as she realized what this meant, my kit's kits, and despite herself, she couldn't help but gasp aloud. Thinking quickly, she realized this would draw attention. Clearing her throat, she announced, rather loudly, "Ahem, sorry, I, er- sand, yes, sand in my muzzle."

Turning on her heel, she changed direction, not caring who saw her and marched straight over to the happy couple. She tried to look serious, but utterly failed as she embraced both with her tail and paws, rather skilled at doing so, having eight kits.

Magpiewing swallowed harshly. He could feel the eyes from every cat staring up at him as he padded forward, head down, pushing past the fluffy ThunderClan leader. The deputy's fur, usually sleek and pristine, was matted and covered in sweat. Upon further inspection, the stench of sickness and blood clung to the tom's body. As he exhaled, it was clear something was very wrong.

"Firestar is dead..." His voice seemed to crumble. The usually proud tom was shaking.

He took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he willed his voice to come out. H-He had to be strong. For ShadowClan.

"Firestar is dead!" he howled. The raven-coloured tom rose his head, jaw clenched as he addressed the cats beneath.

Magpiewing stepped back, unable to speak more as the reality of the situation settled in.

His legs buckled underneath him, dropping him on his hind legs. Shock settled in.

His best friend. His guiding light. His first love. The she-cat he devoted himself to, body and soul. She was gone.

Firestar really was dead.


ooc: ffs nobody told me she got stuck in a plastic bag

"What a shame," a loud, deep voice purred from the edge of the clearing. The sea of cats parted, and a massive, grizzled brown tabby padded through the cats to address the cats on the Great Rock directly. "I was hoping to crush your leaders' throats under my paws myself, but I suppose death by Twoleg rubbish is embarrassing enough for you prideful Clan cats." The rogue laughed openly, chuckling at the pathetic ShadowClan cat atop the rock.

"This forest was shared land before inbred scum decided that they would deny cats food by stealing our homes. We will be taking it back. We could let you hand it over peacefully, but I'd like to have some fun, so we will take it whether you like it or not, no matter how much blood is shed before the forest is ours."

The tabby grinned, razor-sharp teeth glinting in the moonlight. "This will be your only chance to join me for protection, if you value your kits' safety. My name is Bruiser, and I'll be ruling this forest before your next Clannie pow-wow."

The lithe and minuscule silver tabby slipped through the shadows, hidden well within the middle of the crowd. The silver lips of her maw curled upwards in her small threat, the razor-sharp teeth peering through the twisted expression akin to an evil smile. Alabaster toes prickled with angry thorns, a frame clearly built for murder. Upon Bruiser's announcement, the she-cat followed closely behind. The assassin in the shadows - her eyes hungering for the thrill of a kill. She wouldn't speak yet, but her tail curled enthusiastically from the idea of the battle quickly brewing.

The shrill crescendo of outcry resonated sharply upon the stagnant air, an unpleasant storm of surprise and outrage that easily enveloped out the gentle hum and murmur of usual nocturnal life. A dark shadow stalked alongside Bruiser’s flank, a stifling wall of unsightly muscle that easily sent blatantly terrified onlookers lurching free of such intimate proximity. Heavy muscles rippling under the wan light of the pallid moon, Hulk was hardly more than a prowling shadow closest to Bruiser’s right side, a stark and flagrant reminder of the two’s companionship, a fluid, ever-shifting shadow of reflective eyes and bared teeth that sparked alight every occasional heartbeat or so. The tailless tom’s greasy frame reeked of sour city air and infuriating amusement, a beguiling attempt at antagonizing those brave enough to remain idly nearby.

Some faces within the crowd, curled with an infuriating sense of righteous fury at the thought of their strange little get-together being interrupted, seemed familiar- perhaps they had gotten caught within his claws and teeth during his usual escapades, perhaps they were old ghosts who had fled to save their own skins from the crushing existence of life within the city. But that didn’t really matter, did it? Dropping low, every finely-tuned muscle trembling with the intrinsic urge to kill kill kill, the bulky Rogue remained poised in a dangerous display of quick temperament. Any faulty step taken in the direction of their raiding party would certainly warrant nothing but immediate death at the behest of the massive tom’s crushing grasp, and every cat seemed well aware of such a threat.

Scarred lips peeling back to reveal a mouthful of crooked and tainted teeth, Hulk merely tossed a lopsided grin in the direction of the stuffy cats seated atop their special little rock.

---

Feathery steps akin to a ghosts' were nearly swallowed up by the furious hiss and cry of onlookers, delicately mottled fur glowing softly in the strange, sorrowful light of the uneclipsed moon. Sweeping up against Parsley, the mottled tortoiseshell was rendered stark and colorless by the bleaching influence of the full moon. How strange, Blitz couldn’t help but turn a fascinated face skyward, helplessly enraptured by the foreign sight of the moon, the lights of the city always made the moon-mother look so dull and boring. Who would’ve ever thought it was so beautiful?

Ignoring the pointed glares and ensuing snarls vehemently hurled in their direction, the molly’s dark gaze was sluggish under the transfixing presence of such pretty light- only slowly returning to the strangers seated atop the large stone after several agonizingly long heartbeats, pupils slow to expand and contract as she curiously eyed several of the strangers who weaved about before their little raiding party, seething in their blatant agitation. A prickle of envy blossomed low and hot in the narrow point of her chest, a wild and unpleasant viciousness that made her jaw ache with the urge to tear into the nearest cat.

Had these monsters not driven them from the forest, back when these lands were shared and sacred, perhaps things would’ve been different. Perhaps then she would’ve stood a chance. Sick under the crushing weight of her flagrant envy, Blitz could feel the beginnings of a snarl begin to drip off of the delicate structure of her features.

A sleek, black pelted tom joined the others, sauntering in with a devilish grin on his face. Stuck close to his dark pelt was another tom of identical stature, his twin in all respects. Flashing a toothy grin at Jekyll, Hyde slunk into the gathering, his eyes darting across the staring crowd with a clear hunger staring back at the unsuspecting clan cats. He jumped forward, joining the tiny tabby who shared the same passion for violence as he did. "Hey, Parsley, how long do you think we have to wait until we can sink our claws into one of these soft forest dwellers?" His voice was hushed, but he knew the cats closest to them would hear if they paid close enough attention.

Silverstar was prepared to speak next and stepped forward. "SkyClan has been growing stronger with the arrival of greenleaf. We have many new warriors and ap-" he cut himself off as he noticed numerous strange and unfamiliar cats enter the gathering. Rogues. His piercing golden gaze went towards one of them. One that was sickly grinning up at the leaders. Silverstar immediatly recognized who the rogue was from the descriptions given to him. It was the one that brutally attacked his medicine cats and two of his now best warriors. It took all the self control he had just to restrain himself from leaping off the Great Rock and slamming that grin into the dirt with the force of a thousand stars.

Instead, Silverstar stared directly into the rogue's eyes. He wasn't the least bit afraid of him, his disgusting fangs, or his lumbering muscular build. All he wanted was to shove that revolting grin into a pile of dog's dung. Maybe it would make the savage beast feel at home. "You." his tone was blank, but the utter contempt he was feeling laced his tongue like a snake's venom. He stepped towards Hulk and stopped at the edge of the Great Rock. His head tilted down at the rogue before he continued. "You were the one who beat my clanmates within inches of their lives." his teeth started to show as he stared at the creature. "I believe we have personal matters to attend to..." Silverstar couldn't resist unsheathing his claws as the tips pressed against the stone. His tail started to slowly lash side to side as the fur behind his neck started to bristle. He felt like there was a dog in his head, smashing against the sides of his skull and growling in its cage, begging to be let loose on the rogue. Like at any moment, he would lose control and rip him apart mercilessly. But, he had to control himself. He had to be patient.

Allister watched from the side of the gathering, staring at the rogues who were marching into the clearing. The truth is, he didn't want to fight alongside those garbage munching brutes. But he didn't want to fight alongside the star-gazers either. All he really wanted was to see how this encounter would go. Would a fight break out? Would the clan cats outnumber the rogues and swallow the brutes whole, or would the rogues shread the noble fools apart one-by-one? It was a disturbing thought, but even so, he wanted to know what would happen.

Wolfstorm looked towards the deputy with a unsure nod. Focusing his attention onto the leaders after that a embarrassment he watched the rapid talk. And suddenly, there was unknown cats, lurking in the shadows. Rouges. He looked towards Violetbriar nervously, and located all, of his kits. ”Get the kits.” he mewed nervously. He couldn’t stand if they got hurt. He would have to fight, but hopefully his family wouldn’t.


Lilypaw, turned back to the leaders, watching them talk. And then there were rouges. She glanced around. Could Smoke be among them? Her eyes widened with fear, a fear she hadn’t felt before. Would they hurt her? They seemed vicious, more than Smoke can ever been.


Ferretpaw nodded. ”Yep!” she waited for the stranger to introduce herself. And then, a familiar voice called her name. ”Violet...briar!” she remembered the name of the Riverclanner. She quieted as some of the leaders began talking. And then the rouges. Her eyes widened. They wouldn’t take the land from them! The warriors would defend it.

Eaglepaw listened to the speak of the leaders, and then the rouges. Hissing, bounding up to one of them, the first to speak. Bruiser. ”You can’t just takeover! I’ll fight you!” he hissed, his brown pelt standing up.

Minnowstream turned her head towards the leaders when rouges appreared. Minnowstream's silver tabby fur pricked up at the sight of the rouges. She let out a quiet hiss, unsheathing her claws.

"I'm Bunnypaw of Windclan." Another voice called out and a saw a riverclan she-cat. She nodded her head in greeting to the she-cat before looking towards the leaders. But then the leaders were interupted by rouges. "Great Starclan did these guys have to come now?" Bunnypaw mermurred.

Bunnypaw turned her gaze to her brother. "Eaglepaw don't engage with them!" She called to her brother, claws unsheathing. While she wanted to fight these rouges, she knew if would not be very wise to do so, with how tough and merciless the looked.

Hailpaw turned his head to see some rouges. The white apprentice felt his fur rise with unease, a chill coming down his spine, despite how warm it was.

Robinpaw hardly acknowledged the other clan apprentice who tried to strike up conversation. Between the babbling drivel that cascaded through the clearing, and her own lack of will to speak with another cat, there wasn't much to say. Besides, the she-cat wasn't practiced in the art of small talk. Instead her head turned to wait for the leaders to address the forest. Her ears twitched as many voices chattered around, seeking companionship and exchanging words in a way in which she didn't understand. She found herself longing to talk to Acornpaw, due to the fact that her denmate was one of the few cats that she was learning to freely conjure up words around.

As Magpiewing grieved freely from the highrock, she felt her pelt twitch. Losing Silverstar would strike a cavern too deep to fill within their own clan. Even if she held little interest for the other cats that shared the forest, there was sympathy for his pain. Whatever normalcy was had typically underneath this full moon was interrupted by foreign voices and tension breaking out among the gathered. A chill crept down her spine, one that wasn't spurred on by the gentle night breeze. It appeared savage rogues were among their midst. The desire to protect her clan and be a worthy warrior thankfully outweighed the creeping fear and terror that had begun to well up inside. She glanced around for Acornpaw and her mentor, looking for what direction they might have to offer. Regardless, the clans were powerful enough to face any threat that came to the forest. Right?

The delicate overlay of muscles, intricately woven against the hard length of her spine, went taut and rigid under the sudden surge of frigid adrenaline within Brindlestar's thunderous pulse. Gossamer nerves slipped beneath the unkempt wildness of the molly's thick fur, a sinuous network of overly fragile sensations, in a raging storm of unexpected, unwanted stimulus. Hackles rising in a blatant display of aggression and insufferable condescension, the pale-furred molly's shoulders rolled forward as her belly constricted- leaving her half crouched forward atop her position on the scarred surface of the ancient stone. It was hardly a secret that the Rogues had made their foul presence known on the moors - thankfully not the extent that they had when surfing the heavily forested lands of SkyClan - but the blatant disrespect flagrantly flaunted before her set her being alight with the urge to gnash her teeth.

Her father had always claimed that those who wandered without a home were nothing but scum. Rearing her head back to reveal a rapidly splintering snarl, Brindlestar's pale gaze seemed capable of setting the very earth around Bruiser alight with hellishly hot flames. "Your lands...? Your lands?" The jeering exhale was spit from between tightly clenched teeth, the usual sensual rasp of her voice made uneven under the harsh strain of disbelief and murderous poison, "Perhaps lapping up dirty water has made you go mad, as these were never your lands- had they been, you mangy lot would've stayed and fought for them, instead of fleeing to those poisonous lands with your tails tucked between your legs." Roughly feathered tail giving an agitated lash, the young Leader was blatantly aggrieved over the Rogue's insinuation that he would somehow take her rightfully deserving leadership away.

"Lay your failures at those who failed to hold these grounds on your behalf! WindClan shall never take up the company of your kind under some frivolous threats." The base of Brindlestar's skull prickled feverishly under the sudden bristling of her coat, pale eyes hard and challenging as she spat in the direction of the unfamiliar strangers.

---

Lungs constricting under the violent torrent of emotion surging up from somewhere low and hot within Nettlesplash, the red-furred Warrior was quick to lurch to his paws- a cresting swell of unbearable heat sparking to life under the sudden realization of danger. The once leisurely droll of his pulse suddenly roaring up to a ferocious thunderstorm of sounds and sights as adrenaline made the world that much sharper, that much more well-defined. There was a sinister undercurrent of familiarity in this unwarranted situation, a terrible remembrance of what had once transpired on these very grounds.

"Crakepaw! Whitepaw!" Nettlesplash's low voice resonated heavily above the clamorous outcry of voices, a visible command evident in the singular calling of the two young cat's names, unfamiliar with the sinking weight of his newfound urgency.

Any semblance of rational control was wan in the presence of such a well-defined fear response, unwelcome ghosts insistently pressing at the edges of his vision. The evident raiding party's numbers were quite insignificant, he tried to reason with himself, unable to resist tossing a wide glance in the direction of Lichenstar as the distance between them yawned like a gaping wound, but it only took one wrong step. Hardly any of the younger cats would stand a fighting chance cats such as these, if the rumors were true. Carelessly shouldering and tossing cats from the ill-mapped pathway parting before him, Nettlesplash hurriedly abandoned his self-proclaimed position on the outskirts of the clearing as he drew closer to the rapidly building fray.

---

The sea of obliquely unfamiliar faces, once enticing, felt cloying; a newfound fretfulness enveloping Acornpaw as the attitude of the diluted crowd rapidly turned. All those closest to the young tortoiseshell were strange and foreign, even her casual chatting companion suddenly appearing to look entirely different in aftermath of such a vehement outcry. The first desperate glance failed to reveal Breezebranch or Lionflame's exact locations in the terse sea of bristling Clan cats, and the second did little to point her in the direction of Sorrelwing or Robinpaw. Tension seized her bones at the thinly-veiled threat on behalf of the strange intruders, making her limbs feel uncharacteristically stiff and clumsy.

Without waiting for any further words from Whitepaw, the little SkyClanner was quick to turn tail and plunge into the crowd- unease making her inconsiderate and deaf towards the hisses and jostling shouldered in her direction. Acornpaw had been born long into the comfortable peace that had followed the Great War, and the very concept of violence seemed odd and abstract to her. The harsh stench of aggression and unease made her feel queasy, made her throat go tight with an unfamiliar tightness. Blindly weaving between foreign Clan cats in a miserable attempt to find something familiar, Silverstar's uncharacteristic rage sent a line of bristling fur creeping down from the base of her skull.

The sight of Robinpaw, evidently in the company of a RiverClan cat or two, sent a wave of relief blossoming through the young SkyClan molly, so sharp in its drugging presence that her muscles went a little lax. "Robinpaw!" Acornpaw breathlessly exhaled in a hushed exclamation, "Thank StarClan, I didn't think I was gonna find you." Standing there before the paler molly, she couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed by the realization that she had been so thoroughly frightened by only the idly appearance of unwelcome visitors.

---

The soft, sacred earth of Fourtrees gave no indication of Hulk's sudden movements, the dark tabby easily gliding forward to force Eaglepaw back several steps- looming over the young WindClanner in a near comical difference in size and evident strength. The tailless tom was nothing more than a liquid collection of darkly-woven stripes, the pallid light of the moon only serving to illuminate the hard muscle and dazzling array of scars that crept across the Rogue's coat in an elaborate constellation of wartime whispers. "Runt," He seethed out in a low, dangerous hiss, "I'll open ya throat to tail before ya even have time to blink. I've done worse to far greater than you, with far less effort." The tom's sour breath ruffled the delicate fur that lined the young tom's fine features, a stomach-curdling stench that screamed cruelty.

Slipping ahead just a step or two, Hulk adopted a leisurely pace as he began to stroll along the outskirts of their little raiding party; easily sending all those in close proximity to his steps scattering away like rats. A crooked simper graced his broad features at Silverstar's outrage, although truthfully he was a bit lost on who this supposed victim was. Evidently whoever it was, they held enough relevance to somehow send all of the cats wailing to their pitiful stars in disgust. Ah, well. The faces of lackluster opponents always tended to blur together into an intangible symphony of disappointment, so perhaps he would remember later.

"Personal matters between us, eh?" Hulk roared out a chilling laugh, a bellowing rumble that trembled heavily atop the cloying fear-stench of the late evening air, "Ain't no personal matters between us, Clan kitty. If ya take land, be prepared to defend the lands. Don't weep like a kit because your pals are inept at defendin themselves from somethin as simple as a plain fight." Vibrant tongue lolling out from between crooked and jagged teeth, the tailless tom couldn't help but sneer in Silverstar's direction once more. "Truth be told, I was just messin' round. Playin with a mouse before a meal, no? Perhaps next time I'll teach ya what a real fight looks like, see how well you Clan kitties hold up then."

Hulk's words only made Silverstar even more mad. His face twitched to the side as his shoulders tensed up. The rogue's repulsive sneer and twisted logic brought back way too many bad memories for him. 'Heartless, monstrous, blood-thirsty maniac...' He had lost everything, his parents, his clanmates, his happiness, to cats like that. His tail stiffened as he forced his shoulders to relax and his head to raise back up. "As long as cats like you exist, then trust me, it is personal..." he growled, teeth bared and bitter resentment boiling up inside of him. He took another step forward, his claws hanging off the edge of the Great Rock. "And if you truely believe that tearing a victim apart is considered fighting..." his gaze darkened as he dropped off of the Great Rock and onto the ground. Cats shifted from their spots, afraid of both Hulk and Silverstar. "...Then I promise you, I am prepared to fight." He started to slowly step towards the creature that was grinning at him with jagged, nasty teeth and a drooling tongue. The rogue looked like something that crawled out of the roots of the Dark Forest. He noticed the WindClan apprentice that Hulk was threatening a little bit ago, such a young cat, yet the rogue was ready to rip him apart all the same. It made Silverstar sick, not in a frightened or disturbed way, in a way that made the dog inside of him angier and stronger. He didn't know how much longer he could hold it back, so he just continued to speak as calm as he could. "Only the difference is I fight for my clan and you fight to satisfy your bloodlust. Such beasts have no right to these lands," he stopped a couple fox-lengths away from Hulk, "...I think even crowfood and twoleg waste is too generous for you." Silverstar didn't expect the rogue to be intimidated, Hulk would probably just laugh at him and start his ruthless assault. But he was ready, he wasn't going to let this thing hurt anyone ever again.

Roseeye stepped backwards as she saw the rogues enter the gathering. The scent of them reminded her of Silkkit, how that kit was brought into camp, murdered by one of them... She wasn't sure if the murderer was with them, but even so, she couldn't help but feel scared. These cats, these... beasts... were ruthless. Hopefully, not as strong as a Dark Forest warrior, but even so that still says a lot. Her eyes widened as she saw a couple of cats start to approach the rogues. First a WindClan apprentice, then SkyClan's leader... 'What in StarClan's name are they doing?' Her ears folded back and a lump formed in her throat as she realized that a fight is likely to break out. Not just between the rogues, SkyClan, and WindClan, but everyone. She swallowed the lump down and unsheathed her claws, trying to muster up enough strength in case a battle does break out. Even if she felt scared, even if she hated huge bloody battles, she would fight for ThunderClan.

Scorchpaw's fur stood on end as he stared wide-eyed at the rogues. He heard about the scents, but he didn't think they'd come to the gathering. His paws shook a bit at their appearances, they looked horrifying... Like something from a kit's nightmare. He shook that fear away as he squinted his eyes. He will fight for the cats he loves, he won't let anyone else be lost to those savage beasts.

Allister's ears perked up and his eyes widened as a small WindClan apprentice had the courage to run up to some of the strongest rogues and challenge a fight. Then shortly after, one of the cats on the giant stone jumped down and seemingly did the same. The apprentice would be torn to shreds, and to be honest, he didn't have much faith in the SkyClan leader either. Sure, the master star-gazer was supposedly the strongest in the clan, but even so, the rogues are relentless and do anything to win a fight. Now, he was paying close attention. This encounter was a lot more interesting than he initially thought.

Blizzardpaw’s ears perked up at the sound of new pawsteps approaching the clearing, as well as a scent she could easily recognize now from not-so-pleasant experiences she had been forced to endure in her past.

Like most cats in the clearing, as soon as the group of rogues walked out from the shadows casted by the trees, she turned around to face them, eyes wandering from one to another silently as she heard the words that left their muzzles. Her ice blue gaze would however be stopped by a large, known figure between the cats gathered, more specifically on the large tom that had attacked her and her clanmates not too long ago.

His presence caused a strange shiver to go down her spine and raise the fur on the back of her neck and her shoulders, though she couldn’t put her paw on what exactly was what she felt or what triggered it. Worry? Fear? Anger? Resentment? Anxiety?

Pain caused by claws and words was something none could easily forget, especially not in such a short amount of time.

Her ears twitched lightly as they mentioned their ownership of these lands in times past, most likely far before she was even born. It clearly made one wonder how long could resentment last, to the point of being passed down to generations who were never there to witness the reasoning behind such hatred…like a contagious, festering open wound that they refused to treat and instead threw in more maggots to worsen its condition.

She was unsure if she should even open her muzzle to say anything. Words were already being exchanged between leaders, deputies and warriors between them, albeit only words able to fan the flames of this conflict instead of solving anything...but she was only a medicine cat, unable to go claw to claw with a fully trained warrior…and to top it all an apprentice, lacking the knowledge the grownups possessed…

For the first time, the white she-cat found herself questioning herself, doubting her skills and abilities…and it wasn’t a fun experience to go through.

Her eyes searched for Mistedsong, her mentor, between the group of Medicine ats gathered not far from the spot she was sitting, silent questions and pleads for advice could be seen in her eyes as she tried her best to assess the situation on her own even with the loud voice of self-doubt echoing in her head.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ebonypaw’s ears perked up as she turned around quickly to look at the approaching group of mange-ridden scarred rogues. She had heard tales of them by other warriors and apprentices, but she hadn’t crossed paths with any so far…thanks to her luck or her time underground, she wasn’t sure…maybe both.

She felt the fur on her tail and back rising as words were spoken between clan cats and the intruders of this sacred night, claws sliding out from their sheaths and ears going flat against her skull. She had many expectations of how this gathering was going to go, but this was one of those that would never cross her mind no matter how hard she tried…well, expect the unexpected and you shall never be caught off-guard, as some elders said…she probably should heed their advice more from now on.

Her heart was beating quickly against her chest as she weighted her options, would a fight break out? But this was a peaceful night, right? Then again, these were not clan cats, so that rule shouldn’t apply to this situation…they weren’t many as well, by sheer numbers, they could easily be defeated. Were they really so dumb as to think that so few of them could defeat five whole clans?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Silent as a shadow, Jester walked around the clearing, his form concealed by darkness.

He had seen several rogues gather earlier that night from the place had picked to rest for a while on the rooftops and go together inside the forest. Rogues like him rarely banded together like that, so he could only guess something was going to happen, and he was so glad he had decided to follow them now.

Not wanting to pick a side, he avoided to be seen by the group of aggressive rogues, instead taking a spot on the other side of the clearing next to a cat that apparently had a similar idea to him…but just in case he kept a respectable distance from him.

He looked and listened carefully as tensions rose rather quickly, wondering what was keeping both sides from just going for each other’s throats at this point.

From the shifting mass of bustling pelts came a swath of tortoiseshell fur. There was a certain level of comfort that came along with the familiarity of another cat. She breathed in, shifting the Skyclan scent from bitter competing odors of other clans. Robinpaw glanced down with an incredulous expression writ across her maw. It was a vast change from the usually composted slate. As her warm amber eyes fell on Acornpaw, the apprentice shook her head and dropped the obvious emotion from her features. With all the sounds and uncertainty radiating into the air, it was hard not to allow the fur along the back of her spine to prickle. But there was a clanmate here now, a denmate, maybe even a friend, and that fact grounded her. She straightened up and seemed to draw closer to Acornpaw. When she spoke, there was a low ferocity to her voice.

"Sit down. Don't draw attention to yourself." Claws slid into the scuffed earth, silently tearing it up in preparation for what may come. Robinpaw had yet to put all of her training into practice. A gathering, of all places, was the last place to expect fight, given the normal laws of peace agreed upon in the forest. Her whiskers twitching now were the only sign of the fear creeping into her belly. Leaders, deputies, and warriors seemed equally stunned and enraged by what was happening now. Powerlessness and uncertainty were likely worse then facing a badger, although that too was a feat she had yet to brave. Her and Acornpaw were just apprentices, what were they supposed to do? Clinging to the idea that she could immediately protect her one friend, she settled for glancing between the shouting rogues and seeing if she could find more cats who didn't blend in with the other clans. It would have helped if she had met another clan cat before.

"I won't let any of them sneak up on us. I'll fight them off if I have to."

Breezebranch's eyes widened as a familiar voice filled her ears
"Lionflame. Stay will Coalspark. I'm going to gather your siblings and the apprentices. We may he different Clans, but I won't ever allow an apprentice to die by the claws of a rogue, ever again." She murmured, anger and grief in her mew, clearly thinking of Maplepaw and Sorrelpaw. Never again, not an innocent apprentice

"Iceheart! Take Blizzardpaw and go to Lionflame, he's with a black she-cat near the back, don'task questions and don't argue. These rogues are dangerous and don't follow rules. Acornpaw, Robinpaw! Go with Iceheart. I know you wish to fight, but I will not lose another kit or another Clanmate tonight. You'll be protecting a medicine cat and a pregnant queen." She ordered, though didn't mention the queen was pregnant with her son's kits.

"Mudpaw! You and your friend here, you follow your siblings. You, you're WindClan aren't you? I'm SkyClan, but I am more than that. I am a warrior and I am a mother and a mentor. You will listen to me, or perhaps die at the claws of a rogue. Follow Mudpaw and stay quiet." As soon as her command was out, she turned and sought out Lilypaw.

"Lilypaw, my sweet kit, don't trust these rogues. If Smoke is among them, he is more evil than you thought. These cats nearly killed Lionflame, Mistedsong and Blizzardpaw. Go follow your siblings, and be a good girl. I'll be there soon. Convince as many apprentices as you can to follow you. Hailpaw! Rainpaw! As your mentor, I command both of you to follow Lilypaw and Mudpaw. Now!"

Swiftbranch, she realized, with a bit of guilty relief, was not here tonight. All her kits were good, and as were the SkyClan apprentices, but she couldn't let the other apprentices be left in danger. "RiverClan, ThunderClan, WindClan, ShadowClan! I call out to the apprentices! These rogues are a real threat; they beat up medicine cats and an apprentice to the thin shreds of their lives! I know, I was there. They will not spare you. Please, I beg of all you, go and follow the crowd of apprentices moving towards two cats." Breezebranch pleaded, eyes looking around as she called out a command to cats of all the Clans. She just hoped they would listen.

Her eyes turned and narrowed at Hulk and Parsley "you won't harm my kits. I'll shred every last one of you before you do." She hissed, narrowing her eyes.

---

Violetbriar's eyes widened in horror, and she quickly called to her kits. Some brave SkyClan she-cat called out to the apprentices, and Violetbriar quickly supported her. "RiverClan apprentices! Listen to her please!" She yowled, and looked to Ferretpaw. "You too, Ferretpaw. I want you to go home to your family in one piece. Bring the ThunderClan apprentices with you; they'll listen to you, stay safe, and stay alive long enough to become an elder." The cream colored queen begged.

---

Softcloud jumped to action quickly, supporting the other two cats, one of which was Violetbriar. "WindClan! Follow the other apprentices!" Turning, she gave Mistedsong a reassuring nudge, remembering these cats nearly killed him. "Don't worry, we'll be fine! Those rogues won't attack when they're so outnumbered." Despite her efforts, her assurances sounded more for herself than for her healing colleagues.


Then, suddenly, she spotted Eaglepaw. With the speed only a WindClan cat could possess, she charged forward, grabbed his scruff, and hauled him backwards with surprising strength. "Stay with Bunnypaw or you'll pick ticks off elders for three moons." She hissed, tossing him beside his sister. Fearing for Mistedsong's, Flashpaw's, and her other friend's safety, she darted back quickly, hoping she hadn't drew too much attention to herself.

---

Mudpaw grinned, thoroughly pleased Shrikepaw was talking to her. "I wonder where Firestar is? I like her; she's pretty. I like her red pelt. It's really pretty. We don't have any red pelted cats in SkyClan, do you have any in WindClan? The closest we have are momma and sister, who are ginger." When Magpiewing spoke, however, the lithe she-cat had nothing to say. She was about to murmur a whisper of sadness when suddenly, they weren't alone.

She didn't have long to fear, as her mother quickly ushered her away towards her older brother and some she-cat who smelled like milk and marshes. Mudpaw turned towards Shrikepaw and with a small whisper telling him to come on, she gently butted him forwards and began walking towards Lionflame.

The young tom couldn't help but return the she-cat's playful smirk with one of his own. He didn't completely butcher his first introduction! Thank StarClan. It was a bit rough but she took it rather well. Whitepaw couldn't be happier. He tilted his head as he soaked up the information coming from the tortoiseshell molly. He let out a snort at her last comment. From what he could see around them, most of the attendees were engaged in some sort of discussion, however, whether they turn out to be fruitful or not would be up to the parties involved.

As he opened his mouth to speak to his newly made acquaintance, Lightningstar's voice rang out above the chatter, signaling the start of the Gathering and the end of all ongoing conversations. He huffed then gave Acornpaw an apologetic expression. Their little chat had to be put on hold. He settled himself into a more comfortable position and began to listen intently at what the leaders had to report. However, what struck him as rather odd was that ShadowClan's leader was not present and instead replaced by a dark-furred tom. He assumed him to be the deputy. The RiverClan apprentice was very curious as to why that is but he knew it'll be answered in due time.

ThunderClan's leader had very little to report but it was decent news. The ShadowClan deputy, went next and the news he gave shocked and disturbed the young tom. He didn't visibly show it though.  What in StarClan's name could've taken the leader's lives? His imagination ran wild and everything he visualized made him shiver. He was suddenly broken away from his thoughts as a new, sinister sounding voice resonated from the edge of the clearing. His head whipped around as he turned to look at the stranger that smelled nothing like the clan cats. The tom was a rogue, he deduced. The words he spoke and the undertone of malice and hate that coated them made Whitepaw's fur prickle with uneasiness and anxiety. Bruiser's lackeys didn't make this any less unnerving. This wasn't going to end well at all.

It escalated even quicker when an apprentice bounded up to the tom named Bruiser and began to challenge him. What in StarClan's name was going on in that apprentice's head? Did he really think he'd be able to take on a rogue he seemed to have a lot of battle experience? He was brave for sure but also rather foolish. The white-furred apprentice raked his claws in the ground as he continued to witness the scene unfold. He was nervous but attempted to stay as calm as he could, pushing down his fear as he awaited any indication of what he should do. As he turned to look at Acornpaw, he noticed her leaving figure, presumably heading over to her clanmates. "Stay safe!" he called out after her before directing his sights over at Waterpaw then at Flowerpaw. He wasn't sure if she even heard him but hopefully she had enough sense to stay out of harm's way.

A few more moments passed before the apprentices were told to evacuate. He quickly followed a tail-length behind Crakepaw, both rushing over to their mentor who had called them over just now. The whole time, Whitepaw never ceased to check over his shoulder to make sure his younger brother and sister were getting to safety. He also glanced at Lilypaw and Acornpaw to ensure himself that they too were being cautious.

As Whitepaw finally reached Nettlesplash, he gave him and Crakepaw a lopsided grin that, unfortunately, fell a bit flat. He forced his pelt to relax and tail to halt the bushing. Despite his somewhat calm exterior, he was on high alert. His claws were out an ready to defend his clanmates and himself from the brutes if they chose to follow them. The atmosphere was so tense that it could be sliced with a claw. He wasn't sure when the fighting would start, or if there would be any fighting at all, but what he was sure of was that the clans would prevail and no flea-brained rats could ever drive them out.

Listening at Magpiewing yowled about Firestar's death, Lightningstar was somewhat shocked at the tom's sudden... outburst. He certainly could've delivered such news in a more civilized manner...

Before Lightningstar was even able to think about anything else, a strange scent wafted over the clearing, followed by a group of rogues entering Fourtrees. Immediately, Lightningstar's fur stood on end, his ears laid flat against the top of his head, and he let out a low growl from deep in his throat. One of the rogues began speaking, saying something about them ruling the forest before the next moon. "How dare you show your mongrel faces here!" Lightningstar's voice boomed after Silverstar finished, his eyes locking onto the cat that called himself "Bruiser." His blood boiled with rage and all at once he forgot all about what Sageleaf had told him; to stay calm and collected, even in the face of those he despised. Well, when it came to cats who dared to kill his clan's kits, he certainly didn't care about staying calm and collected, that was for sure. "You kit killers are nothing to this forest and I'll flay your pelt myself if needed, just tell me when," he snarled as his claws scraped against the stone under his large paws.

In his previous moons, Lightningstar was all about battles and fighting, even if there wasn't a clear reason to, and some might have even called him war-crazed. Of course, that wasn't the case now and in general he preferred not to take the effort in senseless combat, but that didn't mean that he wouldn't fight to the death if it meant bringing justice to those that were lost at the claws of the monsters that dared to stand bellow him. Like flies in the heat of Green-leaf, rogues were nothing more than bothersome pests that needed to be swatted out from the forest.

~~~~~~~~~~

Slithering into the clearing alongside his brother, Hyde, the shadow-like form of Jekyll glanced around, his yellow gaze blinking ever so often. These forest cats couldn't possibly think the forest was their's, could they? If so, they were truly mousebrained, just as Bruiser had said. Following his brother over to Parsley, Jekyll let out a hiss and snapped his teeth at a nearby clan cat's side that was too close for his liking. He couldn't wait for the day when the forest wasn't so crowded.

~~~~~~~~~~

Padding into Fourtrees after the rest of the group, the one eyed, battered and bruised tom looked around and let out a scoff. "Stupid clan cats, always praising the stars and moon," the rusty voiced tom mewed. It was clear he'd been around long enough to see enough, but he'd never get over the ludicrous practices of the clan cats.

Seeing the frustration and outrage upon the clan cats' faces, the small silver tabby couldn't help but shudder with delight. The symphony of terror, fear, of anger... it set her own heart racing just with glee. A silver ear flicked towards one of the twins, the sickening grin of sharp teeth widening. "Oh, so not soon enough~" Her voice was sweet and sultry - an allure that could easily trap an apprentice with her siren's song. Of course, usually her part was to play an innocent, helpless she-cat. Her small stature could easily be warped into weak and innocent, in which she would turn her antics into a cruel backslap for having mercy. But not tonight. They all knew why they were here - and so she was in the killer's mindset. No use in trying to save them from the doom that they already knew was going to come.

---

The hackles on the deputy raised, the ice-laced eyes quickly hardening to look towards the intruders. A hiss quickly curled into her maw, being released towards the closest rogue. While her composure mimicked that of her father, she had no issue in showing her distaste towards the rogues. Usually, she kept her place - a silent powerhouse, a copy-cat stature of the mighty leader sitting with the others. She simply amplified that power most gatherings. But tonight, her own power would be unleashed in anger. Her ear flicked back towards her father's words, the rage within her attempting to quell in a slight response. However, she could hear the chaos of the other Clans. Protect the apprentices! It was a sentiment she agreed with.

Shifting quickly to a slightly higher spot, the she-cat was quick to take tally of her Clanmates and who all was there - especially in comparison to the number of rogues. With every name in her head being checked off, the lethal gaze once more turned to the battered cats who stank of outsider. "This became personal the moment you killed helpless youth." The steel tone gave little bend - a low growl following her words as her tail flicked in an anxious desire to banish the terrors to the Dark Forest.

Iceheart groaned as the pain intensified, trying to focus on something else when his ears caught the sounds of fighting breaking out. Jumping to his paws, the tom's eyes were both a brilliant green as Iceclaw looked down at Blizzardpaw. "Rogues! Get back to the clam as fast as you can," barked before turning his gaze toward the throng of roiling fur and claws. His ears caught Breezebranch's voice, already bounding for Lionflame's white pelt. He gave the tom's shoulder a shove, turning him away from the battle. Lionflame, take her and run. Don't stop until you reach the camp!" If this queen was pregnant, it was better they leave the battle entirely. Not waiting for the other tom to acknowledge his words, he leapt back into the frenzy, fiercely attacking a cat that dared to venture too close.

Flowerpaw's eyes grew wide with terror as rogues filled the hollow and battle broke out. Her tabby fur fluffed up as she turned and ran blindly through the worst of the fighting, weaving and saying to try SMS among being trampled. Mama, Mama! she cried out, tears nearly blocking her vision as she desperately searched for Violetbriar. Flowerpaw screamed as a pair of battling toms suddenly rolled right in front of her. MAMA!!