June's Medicine Cat Meeting [2020]

Blackclaw was taking his apprentice, Ravenpaw, to get another medicine gathering. It didn't feel like a moon since the last one but that was understandable as sometimes time felt like a long time while also sometimes it comes too fast. Blackclaw didn't mind the journey as he could meet his old mentor again and even his new friends that he made.

Blizzardpaw’s quick pawsteps could be heard approaching as she knocked over some loose pebbles in her, most likely unnecessary, hurry to get to the meeting place, heart beating so quickly against her chest that she couldn’t help but wonder if it was going to jump out from her body from one minute to another.

The last Half-Moon she had decided to stay back at camp to keep an eye on some new litters in camp, a bit paranoid that trouble would befall the newborn kits if someone wasn’t around to make sure they stayed warm and comfortable at all times. However, that same action ate her alive during the remainder of the moon cycle, as if a small voice in the back of her head constantly reprimanded her for it, like a silent scolding given by StarClan due to disappointment for such decision. She wasn’t about to trip twice with the same stone.

The fluffy pelt of the apprentice moved with great elegance under the gentle breeze as she reached Highstones before her very own mentor, a wide smile clear in her muzzle as she almost bounced towards the gathering group. She might have been an apprentice for longer than other Medicine Cats there, but she still had the untamable energy and excitement of a newly named apprentice.

“Blackclaw! Hello! How are things going on ShadowClan?” Her voice came out slightly high-pitched due to excitement “Plenty of herbs, perhaps? No encounters with aggressive rogues on your end, I hope”.

Mistedsong limped behind his apprentice, a small scowl on his face as he struggled to keep up with his overeager apprentice. "Blizzardpaw! Please for the love of StarClan slow down!" he grumbled as he finally caught up with the she-cat, bowing his head and panting slightly. He sighed, before smiling wanly at Blackclaw. "How is ShadowClan doing, Blackclaw? I missed the last Gathering, although I'm sure you noticed," the grey tom meowed.

"Sorry I'm late!" the she-cat huffed, running up, panting. "I was half-way here when I realised I forgot Adderpaw!" Softcloud apologized, too out of breath for a proper greeting. She waved her tail towards a black shape behind her.

Blackclaw smiled as he saw the medicine cats and their apprentices show up. "I'm doing fine and so is shadowclan, we are thriving but the rogue sightings are beginning to become more frequent and dangerous." He mewed to blizzardpaw and his old mentor. He nodded in greeting and smiled at the little cat behind softcloud.

Flashpaw bounded up, her fluffy tail plumed out behind her. It was her second meeting without her mentor, and she was...adjusting. She still missed his presence, but it was getting easier. She wasn't sure she liked that, honestly.

"Hello, everyone!" She chirped, dipping her head in greeting.

Adderpaw huffed in frustration as she walked beside Softcloud, her fluffy black fur blending with the dark night sky above her. What good would this meeting do for her, and for RiverClan? What was the point in being here if all StarClan was going to do was give her some vague dream that probably wouldn’t make sense? Ignoring the greetings from her fellow medicine cats, she pushed past Softcloud and sat down, eyes darting from cat to cat, waiting for the meeting to begin.

Mistedsong squinted a little at Adderpaw, feeling the apprentice's disgruntlement just from his disposition. He ignored it, though; that was Softcloud's problem, now, thankfully. "Looks like we're all here. Let's get going," he meowed, leading the way into the Mothermouth without any further ado.

The blackness swallowed the medicine cats, seven tails disappearing into the shadows for an indiscriminate amount of time before the unnaturally bright glow of the Moonstone reached their eyes.

The misty grey SkyClan cat lumbered a little quicker towards the light, still unused to being in such a small space with so many cats for so long. He immediately stood to the side of the stone upon entering the cavern, waiting for the other medicine cats to enter before giving a curt nod and pressing his nose to the stone, darkness taking his vision once again.

---

Mistedsong blinked his green eyes open blearily, jumping to his feet quickly at the sight before him, eyes wide. The sky was black, blacker than the tom had ever seen it, and they were surrounded by what looked like the moors, but they were more lifeless than the coldest leafbare he'd ever witnessed. The gorse was limp and grey, the grass barely more than a blanket for the dusty dirt. The air was stale and warm, though, and yet Mistedsong found himself chilled to the bone.  

The crunching of dead grass alerted the medicine cat to the presence of someone else. He turned, and the cold green eyes of Windstar bored right through the grey tom.

"The Clans must work together or everything we have fought for will have been for naught. Do not let the pride of your leaders get your families killed," the long-legged leader meowed, her muzzle twisted into a scowl. The leader slammed one of her paws into the ground, and the dirt crumbled to dust beneath the medicine cats, the darkness of the earth swallowing them. The dirt that would fill their muzzles, though, would taste of blood.