[ameko]

[ @Noire - I'm assuming that Splotchfeather is near him already, if that's alright? ]

Excitement coursed in the veins throughout Acornflash's body. His paws were a mass of jitters, twitching constantly. His mind was fuzzy, clouded with the buzzing of what almost sounded like bees. Acorn could hear the chatter of the cats from a mile away, only contributing to his anxiety. Never having been to a Gathering before, he was—needless to say—extremely nervous. He had decided to flunk out of the patrol for the last Gathering, as he was terrified of cats who weren't in SkyClan. Greystep had been a big help in that matter, though: he had informed him that the other cats were not as strange as he had originally thought. Nevertheless, he couldn't help but worry.

Well, at least he had Splotchfeather with him to console him. Acornflash wondered how she could even put up with him! He was a mess of emotions, never once having been organized and never once finding steady ground to just be normal. She was his light, his escape to a world without worries and anxiety. He loved to be around her, even if it was for a short amount of time. Acorn swept his tail to the side, barely grazing Splotch's pelt. He was infinitely grateful for her presence, although she did tease him quite often. As in, whenever she found an opportunity. But he tolerated it anyway; the good always outweighed the bad. He supposed that he couldn't call it bad, necessarily; he liked everything Splotchfeather did. It was just... less appreciated.

With a start, whiskers, pulling backwards against his cheeks, he caught sight of all of the cats. "Wow," he murmured, unconsciously shifting closer to his best friend. "T-that's... a lot of cats." It was certainly too many for his tastes. He would endure it, though. If Splotchfeather could handle the Gathering, then so could he. It was just a matter of whether or not he would be able to talk to any other Clan cat without curling up into a ball and hiding from everyone else. Splotch wouldn't let him do that, anyway. He was certain of that much.

Along with the realization that Greystep had told him that he was good friends with Splotchfeather herself, a newfound feeling of joy blossomed in his chest. Maybe Grey was going to the Gathering, too, and they could all chat together! And not have to talk to the other Clans, he added in his head. Mind wandering, he almost forgot about where he was while he fantasized about conversations that they might have together. A small smile crept its way onto his muzzle as he let his mind explore the possibilities. Acorn almost forgot about where he was, too busy wondering about all the potential conversations. Since Splotchfeather was friends with both Greystep and Acornflash, it would only be natural for Greystep and Acornflash to become friends! They could become a trio, a group that could almost fill the loneliness in his heart. They would be the closest of cats, with bonds that exceeded emotional ones and went even further. They would be able to tell what the other was thinking just by looking at them. They would...

...and then, almost as suddenly as it had began, he jolted his way back to reality. Right. They were at the Gathering, the real thing, not at some fantasy world where there were no negatives and no worries to worry about. This was the sad reality. Oh, how he wished he could just escape it somehow. Padding down to the shore, he could hardly keep himself from clinging to Splotchfeather as they made their way to SkyClan's designated area. There were so many cats here; how could they all fit? And, with a glance at the boulder that obviously held the leaders of the Clans, there were only three up there, not including Grousestar! Weren't there supposed to be five? "Oh StarClan almighty, this isn't even the whole of it," he whispered under his breath.

At least he had his beloved Splotch with him.