March Gathering [2020]

Padding into the clearing with his head and tail high, Lightningstar gave a nod to his deputy, Cloudbreeze before looking up at Great Rock. Bunching up his hackles, the large, fluffy grey tom took a moment to calibrate himself before jumping up onto the top of it in one fell swoop. Giving his pelt a shake, he took his place near the center of the stony surface and watched as his clanmates milled about. It was a nice change of pace, being the first clan to arrive.

Cloudbreeze was certainly right behind Lightningstar. The fluffy calico walked with pride into the clearing, with her posture relaxing slightly at the sight that they were the first to arrive. It definitely was a beautiful night out, with the pelt of StarClan watching down upon them all. Taking her place at the base, she gave a nod to her father as he lept up to where he would stand above the others. She had also given a nod to her younger brother, her apprentice Valerianpaw, to go mix around and mingle with the other cats. She had apprenticed many, many kits this moon - it was a good time for ThunderClan.

Cloudbreeze was also very sassily proud that ThunderClan had arrived first.

Badgerpaw padded after his family and then went off to find his friends from the other clans.

Swiftpaw padded into the gathering and looked around at all the other cats. They knew she wouldn’t be able to hear the meeting but they said she could join to meet other clans. Swiftpaw looked around for someone to friend.

Silverstar looked up towards the sky and the bright shining stars. StarClan was pleased tonight. Their soft radiances held several comforting promises. Promises of green-leaf, promises of the clan not only recovering, but surviving, among others. He breathed a small sigh of relief as those promises lifted some of the burden off of his chest. "I know you won't let us down, Skystar..." he muttered under his breath. His head tilted back down as he entered fourtrees. He saw that ThunderClan was arriving near the same time as he droned to the Great Rock and hopped onto it with ease. Silverstar then nodded towards the huge cat near him, Lightningstar. "Greetings, I hope ThunderClan is faring well?" he spoke, eyeing the gathering cats below.

Roseeye padded behind the rest of ThunderClan into Fourtrees. She didn't bat an eye to any of the other cats there, and just sat down in a random spot with her tail curled around her legs.
(she open to talk)

Patchpaw followed his clan warily into the clearing. He wasn't sure what to expect at a gathering but he was happy to know that there was a truce. He wouldn't want a fight to break out in a place like this! He looked at the other clans who were mingling with each other and wondered who he should talk to.


Oddpaw stood stoic in the corner away from all other cats, she hated being here. There were too many cats condensed into such a small area for her to relax. Her fur stood on end watching cats share their news and gossiping, as much as she wished she could take part she felt too nervous. As if every cat in this clearing was out to get her.

Oakpaw skipped in following Thunderclan. It was her second gathering! Oakpaw padded over to a black and white tom. [color=#ff3300]"Hiya! I'm Oakpaw! Whats your name?"/color] Asked Oakpaw cheerfully sitting down infront of the tom.

OOC: Oakpaw is talking to Patchpaw

Lilypaw padded into Fourtrees behind Silverstar. She looked up at the moon and the stars. They were so beautiful. She looked around in awe. So many cats, and it was just two clans here. She saw a very large gray tom, going up to where the leaders stood. ”Wow,” she whispered. ”Lightningstar is big.” She had heard the name of the leader before, and she knew that it was him. She looked around for someone else to talk to.

Flashpaw followed her father and sister into the gathering, and while she probably wasn't as pleased as they were that ThunderClan were the first arrivals, she was glad they were so punctual. The medicine cat apprentice was a little nervous, as she'd never been around so many cats at one time before, but she was also excited to meet the other medicine cats!

---

Shrikepaw followed SkyClan in, once more not really that enthused about the gathering in general. Glancing about, she saw a ShadowClan apprentice that looked equally as uncomfortable, and decided to join her. Maybe she'd find out something about the other Clan.

"Hey there. I'm Shrikepaw of SkyClan." How did one talk to a cat not from their Clan? Shrikepaw didn't really know.

(Flashpaw is waiting for the other medicine cats, but is open to talk! Shrikepaw has approached Oddpaw.)

Mistedsong followed shortly behind his leader, eyes taking in the growing group of cats before him. It had been a few moons since he'd actually come to a Gathering, and he always forgot how stinking huge Lightningstar was. The medicine cat was already considerably smaller than most full-grown she-cats, let alone toms, and the ThunderClan leader was just stupidly big. He prayed to StarClan that he never ran into him in battle, because he was positive that he would probably just get eaten alive. The misty grey tom padded towards the fluffy apprentice that clearly resembled Lightningstar, remembering that Logleap had said he was about to take one of his kits as an apprentice. "Hello," he mewed, suddenly very conscious of the fact that he himself could pass as an apprentice. "Are you Logleap's new apprentice?"

---

Rimepaw huffed as he followed his fellow apprentices into the clearing. He was much less anxious compared to the first Gathering he had attended, and at this point he'd grown much more suspicious of the other Clan cats. The words from his visit to StarClan echoed in his thoughts once more, though, as they seemed to often as he fought to be less of a fox-heart. He couldn't help himself from sizing up the ThunderClan apprentice that had approached them, however. "Hello, Oakpaw. I'm Rimepaw," he meowed, trying to seem friendly. If he wanted to be leader some day, he had to be able to keep amicable relations with the other Clans, so learning diplomacy would be important, he reminded himself, putting a small smile on his face for the unfamiliar cat.

"Hiya! Nice to meet you!" Said Oakpaw cheerfully to Rimepaw.

Elkpaw followed after his many siblings and father, taking his place next to his sister, Flashpaw. Though not a medicine cat, he wanted to be close to someone he knew. Noting that Flashpaw wanted to meet other medicine cats, though, he quickly decided to find somewhere else to sit. Proud and a bit nervous, the apprentice was hesitant to mingle with cats of other clans.

Instead, he found his mentor, Roseeye. He decided to sit next to her, hoping that cats of the other clans would be a little hesitant to approach the pair. "Roseeye," he mewed in greeting before settling down. Despite their mentor and apprentice relationship, he found it difficult to talk to her.

-

Thrushpaw followed after her recently made friend, Patchpaw. The apprentice stared at the meeting place, in awe at the size. She'd scarcely been out of the camp in the past moon, practicing her hunting and battle skills with Brindleface and her friends so much that she'd never really made it into the outskirts of the territory, much less Fourtrees.

She sat next to Patchpaw and Rimpaw, bumping them a little with her tail as a new apprentice named Oakpaw approached. She laid her eyes on Rimepaw, who she didn't know as well. Word around the clan was that he could be a little... Thorny, for lack of better word, but with this ceremony of peace she decided to push any rumors aside. She smiled and greeted the Thunderclan cat. "I'm Thrushpaw, it's nice to meet you Oakpaw. So, Thunderclan, huh? Is it true that you guys are all super strong? That's what my mother told me once." The she-cat found herself talking quite a bit, but really she was just excited to actually talk to a cat from a clan she knew nothing about other than that they ate voles rather than rabbits, seemed to like trees and were generally... big.

Lilypaw started to walk towards two apprentices, neither of which were from her clan. She smiled at them. ”Hello, I’m Lilypaw.” she smiled at the tom and the other she-cat. She sat down next to them.

Patchpaws' eyes flicked hesitantly, he knew he was careless with words and he wouldn't want to offend any cats here. He smiled at Oakpaw, it was unusual for Patchpaw to keep his mouth closed for more than five seconds, he considered Oakpaw lucky. He nudged Thrushpaw, half wishing Fernpaw could've come. Atleast one of his friends were here.

Breezebranch padded into the gathering, Mudpaw by her side. "Kits, stay with me, I have someone I want-"She broke off as Lilypaw and Swiftpaw padded away, "-you to meet." She trailed off, sadness in her green eyes. Her kits were growing up so fast, was it possible they didn't need her anymore? It felt like yesterday they had been born, defenseless and dependent on her. Now they were apprentices, eager and ready to learn. Soon, they'd be warriors, and then they'd really not need her. The thought filled her heart with sadness, but she quickly remembered Mudmask. "You'll find out who soon enough, Mudpaw."

"Mudpaw, Maplepaw, follow me dears, if you see your littermates on the way, call them over. Not Lionpaw or Icepaw though," She informed them in a whisper, she didn't want to leave her other sons out, but Mudmask was not their father. "You will meet someone very important to me tonight. But you must be quiet. He is from WindClan, Silverstar wouldn't like him very much. He's not here yet, but he will be soon. No, Mudpie, he's very nice." Explained Breezebranch, her green eyes growing serious. Silverstar would not be pleased if he knew the truth about these kits. She glanced up at the stars,forgive me, Skystar, but I love him. Do not make my kits suffer...

The broad shouldered tortoiseshell-tabby lead her children over to a secluded area and sat down. "Now, dears, you must be on your best behavior. You want to impress him. He is very important. And Mudpaw, must you look so filthy? You tail fur is sticking out everywhere! And Maplepaw," She turned her wide gaze towards her son, "Just look at your pelt! You two are a mess! Get over here, both of you!" She exclaimed, and then began to meticulously groom her kits' pelts.

(OOC: Breezebranch is taking her kits to meet their father, Mudmask. Open to talk to Mudmask and the kits, biological only! Sorry Lion and Ice, momma Breeze on a mission.)

---

As Mudpaw followed her mother, her bright orange eyes gleamed with excitement. Her first gathering! It was so exciting! Her mother seemed fiercely determined, though Mudpaw hadn't a clue as to why. Padding side by side with Maplepaw, she turned and grinned at him. "Aren't you excited Maple?" She beamed. Then her mother said something important was going on. "Who are we meeting, momma?" She asked curiously. Her tricolor tail twitched in excitement. She followed her mother as she padded over to a couple bushes. Why couldn't Icepaw and Lionpaw meet this cat? But she just nodded, not wanting to risk being excluded from this moment too. "WindClan.." Mudpaw whispered, not understanding how bad the situation was, "Why wouldn't Silverstar like him? He's not mean, is he? She squeaked, eyes going wide.

"Is he here? When will he be?" Mudpaw kept asking questions, eyes wide with excitement. "We'll be very good, right Maple? He'll be very impressed!" She beamed, chest puffed up with pride. Then the grooming started. Mudpaw squeaked, dramatically flopping over. "Oh, noo! Not the grooming!" She whined in a dramatic manner, though allowed her mother to groom her tail with rapid motions.

(OOC: Mudpaw is with her mother, open for conversing among littermates. She's going to meet dad <<)

Lilypaw heard her mother talking about her. She ran back towards her. ”Sorry mama. I was so excited. I should have waited with you.” she sat down next towards her mother. ”What’s so important? Who are we meeting?” she asked Mudpaw and her mother. It seemed that she would be meeting someone important today. She wondered who.

Sorrelwing padded in while rolling her eyes. She was not ready for this again. It felt like just a few sunrises ago they were here for the last moon. Yet, here they were, all the clans were gathering and chatting amongst themselves. It felt wrong to be so friendly with other clans for one night when they were usually at each others throats any other time. Taking her place under the Greatrock, she waited for the other deputies.

Bramblepaw padded in behind Shadowclan, still silent as ever. Gatherings made him nervous as he never knew what to say. He had been warned about other cats trying to take secrets from Shadowclan and he didnt want to be the one to accidentally let something spill. Without a word, he took his place away from the other clans' warriors but close enough to the apprentices. Who knew, maybe someone would want to talk with him?

(Bramble is open for any and all conversation)

Oddpaw noticed another ShadowClan apprentice. She approached him, not feeling comfortable enough to start conversation she sat beside him. It was good to be beside her own Clan at least. The thought of being around so many other cats was nauseating, she tried to push it down deep inside her.

Oakpaw smiled at the Windclan apprentices. "Yeah Thunderclan is pretty strong. Though we're not as fast as Windclan." Said Oakpaw. "Anyways are you guys going to be warriors soon?" Oakpaw asked. She knew she would. Her moonstone journey had been done and now she was so close to becoming a warrior.

Patchpaw stepped forward, choosing words carefully he spoke "We're all going to be warriors soon" he smiled. He wanted to be friendly but it was so hard.

Flashpaw was glad that the first cat to approach her seemed friendly and welcoming, and not the most intimidating cat in the forest. She dipped her head in a respectful greeting, realizing with a sniff that the tom was from SkyClan, and definitely had the scent of herbs about him. She tried to remember if they had a medicine cat apprentice as well, and couldn't.

"Yes, I'm Flashpaw. It's nice to meet you..." She trailed off, with a little shrug and half-smile. She probably should've asked Logleap more about the other cats she would be meeting, but likely he wouldn't have had that helpful of answers anyway when it came to such things.

Thrushpaw smiled as the other apprentice spoke. "Oh, definitely. I could beat any Thunderclan cat in a race." She smiled, an air of pride around her, eager to defend her clan. She looked to Patchpaw as he replied, noticing the strain in his voice. Casting a concerning glance his way before adding on, she mewed, "Well they're both a bit older than me, but it won't be long now. How about you, Oakpaw? I assume you will".

A small smile graced her rubbery lips, and a faint purr rumbled deep within her chest, and her brown tipped tail swayed side to side, only further echoing the excitement the young molly was experiencing. Heronpaw found the nervousness that had bubbled within her body the previous gathering no longer existed, and was instead replaced with elation and joy at being chosen to attend. As she found her way down the slope, she watched the various leaders and deputies mingle, meowing plesantries to one another, and her eyes caught sight of most of her friends peeling off to join ThunderClan. While she had briefly spoken to a ThunderClan apprentice the last time, this time she wanted to speak to another clan's apprentices, and as her eyes settled upon a darkly coloured tom, she made her way over to him. Another she-cat had made her way over, and the scent of ShadowClan bathed her tongue, sharp like pine sap as Heronpaw sat beside them.

"Hello! I'm Heronpaw, what are your names?" The molly chirped in a happy tone, excited at the prospect of making new friends - or at least just having a chat with cats outside of her own clan.

(OOC: she's approached oddpaw and bramblepaw!)

---

His first gathering - how exciting! He watched with amusement glittering in his blue hues as his mother tried in vain to get his siblings in line, and caught wind of the apologetic note in her voice as she excluded both him and Icepaw from whatever antics they were up to. He felt his ear flick in faint annoyance, why couldn't she have told him face to face she was doing something privately rather than running off into the cluster of cats, out of his sight, and definitely out of earshot. Lionpaw refused to let this small mishap bother him, and it's not like I was going to help her look after them tonight, he mused, a soft chuckle escaping him at the thought of getting the younger apprentices to be obedient in something as exciting as their first gathering. Shaking his head of the thoughts, his creamy paws found their way down the dip of the slope, and he gazed in complete wonderment of the environment around him. SkyClan didn't share a border with fourtrees, so this was his first time ever gazing upon the tall oaks, and the great rock that leaders would perch themselves upon.

That's when he laid eyes on him.

The big silver tabby, perched upon the rock, long tufts of fur moving in the soft breeze that moved through the clearing. Lionpaw didn't understand the indignance that rushed through him at the sight of the ThunderClan leader - of course, he'd heard the stories of his stature, the power he exuded merely by existing. But none of them could have prepared the tomcat for what was bestowed upon him, and for some reason it illicited a feeling of anger, as if how dare he be that big. Shooting the leader a glare too quick for anyone to catch, as if it would have made any difference, the SkyClan apprentice glanced warily around the clearing, before deciding his patch of ground where he currently stood was as good as any. Having taken a little longer to arrive, he didn't feel like forcing himself into conversations that were already taking place, but if somecat were to come and speak to him, he wouldn't mind.

(OOC: lion is open for convo!)

Blizzardpaw laughed excitedly as she followed her mentor into Fourtrees. She might had been apprenticed already, but that spark of kit-like curiosity and wonder towards everything that surrounded her seemed to cling to her like moss clings to the rocks near the calmer sections of the river.

Her eyes didn’t know where to focus, and constantly traveled ack and forth from one cat to another, the scenery, the Great Rock and the leaders on top…everything.

Probably the only reason she didn’t wander off to chat with other cats as soon as she arrived was because she didn’t want to be disrespectful, and so she followed Mistedsong closely and would try to stay at his side until he told her it was ok to go and talk to other cats, or until the gathering was over…she just hoped someone else would approach her to chat if she couldn’t leave her spot, she didn’t want to miss such an opportunity! This was her first gathering, though, and didn’t want to put SkyClan to shame by misbehaving…

And then it was she noticed her mentor was talking to someone else. She poked her head from her spot next to Mistedsong to have a clearer view, and soon spotted a young she-cat that had a scent very similar to hers, the scent of herbs, yet very different at the same time. This had to be another Medicine Cat Apprentice from another clan, and that is where the scent difference came from, she couldn’t help but wonder which one, though…she still wasn’t really able to tell apart clans by scent alone.

“Greetings!” She purred as she quickly padded towards Flashpaw, her unusually long tail trailing behind her as she tried to keep it from getting tangled with her back paws like it usually liked to do…at least she was getting better at preventing it “I’m Blizzardpaw! I’m Mistedsong’s apprentice!”.




Ebonypaw padded into Fourtrees with all ears perked up high. She didn’t care if her strange looks dragged attention towards her, that simply meant more cats to interact with!

She had heard stories about gatherings, but the smaller than average she-cat had never been able to attend to one until now. Oh, dear StarClan, she was so excited! All the opportunities this brought with it, all the unknown secrets just waiting to be dug out through chat with other cats, maybe she could convince other clan cats from teaching her a couple cool moves never before seen in the moors.

Her eyes scanned the crowd of cats, looking for anyone open to chat. She couldn’t help but stare for a bit at the ThunderClan leader though, that tom was massive! She had caught wind of his size by eavesdropping on warriors and apprentices after they returned from their own gatherings, but she never thought he would be that big! What did they feed their warriors in ThunderClan?

Her eyes went from the large leader to a smaller, younger fluffy tom with a scent she couldn’t quite recognize…they most likely lacked a border with his clan if she was struggling that bad to recognize the scent, which only made her even more curious.

“Hello!” She meowed as she approached, smiling widely at him “I’m Ebonypaw from WindClan! And…you are?” She sat next to the tom, whiskers twitching happily.

A pale cream she-cat sat a bit off, next to a gray tabby she-cat. The fresh scent of heather and sorrel clung to her pelt as it always did and she smelled almost like... The wind? Her pale blue eyes focused on nobody in particular and as a white speckled cat approached, she pressed herself up closer to the rock. The cat had been following Mistedsong, so she assumed it was his apprentice. She gave a small nod to Mistedsong and glanced around for Logleap. She liked the tom; he was different.

Softpaw sighed softly and shuffled her paws, it was cold and she wanted to go home.

(OOC: softpaw is open to talk)