September Gathering

[Luna16]

Rainpaw purred when Shellpaw recognized her and Salamanderpaw greeted her. She touched noses with Shellpaw happily. It was nice to have cats other than Ravenpaw or Floodsight pleased to see her! She tilted her head when Salamanderpaw said something was wrong with the ThunderClan apprentice. Slugpaw was it? "Something is...wrong?" She glanced at Shellpaw nervously, did she miss something?

[@nyme - Salamanderpaw]
[@sleepyyjax - Shellpaw - so precious ]
[@Bonsai - Slugpaw - at least Rainpaw is oblivious lol]

Daffodilpaw impatiently listened to Twilightstar's instructions, nodding briskly before rushing into the Gathering space. "Yaaaaay! A Gathering!" Her first ever Gathering! Daffodilpaw was mostly oblivious to the tension that was already there. She could tell it existed, she wasn't stupid. But a Gathering with all 4 clans?

[OPEN for interactions!]

The large white tom nodded diligently at Twilightstar's words before trying to walk into the Gathering with his clanmates with some dignity. Although he couldn't help a boisterous laugh when his daughter charged on ahead.

[OPEN for interactions!]

Fleetpaw was absolutely mortified, and even that might be an understatement. This was his first time coming to a Gathering, and already he was feeling overwhelmed. He just couldn't shake a sense of dread that he was going to screw up somehow, or the other apprentices were going to hate him. Or maybe he'd even be chased out because Twilightstar will realize how weak he is? He couldn't suppress a groan of despair. "F-Fadingdawn!" His voice cracked as he called after his mentor, rushing to keep up with her. P-Pl-Please don't leave me here!

[@paedyn - Fadingdawn]

[Rani]

High Rank Announcement [#hrannouncement]

Crowtooth
Windclan Deputy | He/him | 51 Moons
Power Card: Cold Gust

Tonight the tone was set as a ~lovely~ mix between grumpiness and apprehension.

The grumpiness was easy to pin down, Crowtooth had been BETRAYED not a few hours ago! His closest friends, one more akin to a brother even had AMBUSHED him and pinned him down forcing him through his greatest horror. A bath. Basically Lightningstorm and Hawkfur had decided his usual scruffy dirty dusted appearance was unbecoming of a new deputy representing their clan and had bathed him like a kitten until he shone.


And he did shine, thick fur sleek and orderly, no longer ruffled in a manner that now displayed just how muscled Crowtooth was as he walked grumbling beside Hawkfur.
That was another thing really, he wasnt even trusted to walk alone to the gathering lest he roll in some sand to get to his usual state and so had a MINDER!

Still, he didnt try and escape his honorary brother as they entered the seastones, noting the clans present, and the grumbling was mostly just for show and quickly faded. Especially with whatever the hell was going on with Hawkfur at the moment. What in the name of sudden lack of volume control was going on?
Whatever it was Crowtooth really didnt have time to do much more then slowly raise an eyebrow and open his mouth to ask before the other tom fled in embarrassment, no questions answered.


Ok, that was..... Odd but now that he was alone the apprehension that Hawkfur was acting as a bulwark against came flooding back. Crowtooth was a deputy now, to stand amongst the other high ranks on the seastone and represent windclan. A hefty responsibility and one the tom had no clue he was ready for. Not that there was anything he could do about it at this point so, taking in a deep wheezing breath of air and shaking of lingering feelings, Crowtooth approached the stone.


Thankfully getting up it was easier then getting into Twilightstar's den given it was almost ramp shaped and the sleek black large tom's muscles rippled as he joined the two other deputies on the lower ledge. Aaaaaand of course neither of them was the deputy he liked of course but wasnt that life for ya.
"Stars am I late fer the snarkin' already? Ya'll dont waste no time do ya, Id be impressed if I cared."
Crowtooth could join, of course, having experience constantly slinging barbs with Lightningstorm but he honestly didnt really care about talking with war criminal 1 and war criminal 2 unless they started it. So instead he just sat below Twilightstar, shooting a crooked grin up at the leader not at all bothered by the tension between the fish and the squirrels. Not his circus, not his monkeys.

@Mica @Moonraven @taillow @Starfall

[Tallstar]

Vinepaw - WindClan - 9 moons - he/him

Vinepaw stepped into the gathering with a mix of apprehension and anticipation. Although this was his third gathering, it felt like his first in many ways. The nightmares that had troubled him over the past few moons were still fresh in his mind, casting a shadow over his excitement. The lively chatter of the assembled cats and the familiar scents of the different clans seemed distant, almost surreal.

As he scanned the crowd for familiar faces, a pang of anxiety struck him. The cats he had hoped to see—his mentor, friends from his own clan—were nowhere to be found. Every clan seemed to blur into one another, their conversations merging into a background hum that only heightened his discomfort. The vibrant colors and sounds around him felt overwhelming rather than welcoming.

Vinepaw tried to shake off his unease by reminding himself of the importance of this event. Gatherings were meant to bring the clans together, to set aside differences and share in the unity of their shared heritage. He knew he should be mingling and participating, but the weight of his recent dreams made it hard to muster the energy to do so.

He wandered to the edge of the gathering, finding a quiet spot where the noise was more muted. Here, away from the main groups, he took a few deep breaths, trying to calm the tightness in his chest. He focused on observing the gathering from a distance, watching the interactions and noting the differences and similarities between the clans.

The sight of cats greeting each other with friendly nuzzles and soft words provided a small comfort, reminding him of the camaraderie that was the essence of these gatherings. Still, he couldn’t shake the feeling of being out of place. Vinepaw fidgeted with his paws, lost in thought as he watched the leaders and deputies take their places, preparing for the official part of the gathering.

In his solitude, Vinepaw tried to center himself, drawing on the lessons he’d learned from his mentors about staying calm under pressure. He reminded himself that gatherings were a chance to observe and learn, even if he didn’t always feel ready to fully engage. The hope was that, over time, he would become more accustomed to the ebb and flow of these events and find his own place within them.

For now, he took comfort in the fact that he was here, participating in the tradition that bound all the clans together. As he continued to watch, he hoped that the gathering’s energy would eventually help him feel more connected and less alone
OPEN

[Tallstar]

Reedshade 44Moons He/Him Riverclan
Reedshade’s eyes narrowed as he watched Sedgeflake’s outburst. His fur bristled, not with anger, but with frustration. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. It was clear that his brother was in a mood, and while he had hoped to avoid a confrontation, Sedgeflake’s harsh words were a stark reminder of the tensions that sometimes bubbled beneath the surface.

Reedshade’s voice was calm but edged with a trace of hurt as he called after Sedgeflake, “I didn’t mean to overstep. I was just trying to help.” He watched his brother disappear into the crowd, the weight of the words hanging in the air.

For a moment, Reedshade considered following, but he knew it wouldn’t solve anything. Instead, he turned his gaze back to the gathering, forcing himself to focus on the conversations and interactions around him. The gathering was meant to bring clans together, but sometimes it felt like it only highlighted the rifts between individuals.

Reedshade sighed, his frustration giving way to a weary acceptance. He hoped that with time, the tension between them would ease, but for now, he resolved to keep his distance and allow Sedgeflake the space he clearly needed
@BEAR.

[nyme]

AND IT NEVER MADE ANY SENSE, ANYTHING

── ⋅ ⋅ ── ❀ ── ⋅ ⋅ ──

MAGGOTPAW . 6 MOONS . IT/THEY . WINDCLAN

"No I'm sitting right here now, I decided." Maggotpaw says pointedly, ears twitching. "And I smell good. Like flowers." It adds decisively. "You must wish you smelled like flowers, too. That's why you're grumpy." Maggotpaw muses aloud, still not giving Antpaw the courtesy of a head-on look—but it does inch a little bit closer once Antpaw stands, biting back a little grin. "If you're very nice to me and you apologize for hissing, then I will make you smell good. Like flowers. But you have to apologize first. That's manners." Maggotpaw instructs. "And then you have to be nice to me, like...you can say, oh, Maggotpaw, you look so pretty in the moonlight. You can also say, wow, Maggotpaw, you are so polite and well-behaved, you are the nicest Windclanner there is. That would be okay, too. And then I'll make you smell like flowers, and you will be so grateful, and smell so nice, and you will never be rude again in your life, ever."

Now it finally does look at Antpaw, but only to bat its lashes expectantly. Its jaw is tense with the effort it's taking not to laugh aloud.

@Badwolf ; ANTPAW all good, maggot loves to instigate

[goodacacia]

Floodsight
✦ she/her | 21 moons | Mind Reader ; Beefed Up T1 ; empty slot

She took this time to wash her ears. A couple of lick of her paw and flicks of her ear. She was a little cleaner that before. It was her hobby to keep herself as clean as possible. Hadn't been hunting in their territory? She didn't know whether to laugh or be contempt. With a half sarcastic, half joking remark, Floodsight had replied, "Wow, very generous considering what had happened~"

"But it's good that prey's been running quite well. Struggle not now, but in Leaf-bare." Leaf-bare...something all clans fear to face. It only takes one bad snowstorm to cover the world in white and leave nothing but illnesses and empty bellies behind.

@paedyn

[Badwolf]

[Antpaw]
Apprentice|7 moons|Thunderclan

· · ─────── ·· ─────── · ·

Not only has Antpaw never met such a brazen cat before, they were sitting next to him. And they were coming closer. What was with this cat? What was their problem? Hadn't he clearly expressed that he wanted nothing to do with them? Antpaw glares the best he could. His expression was already fixed into a grumpy, unhappy face, but when he actually tries, he looks like the worst tempered cat in all of Thunderclan. Which is saying a lot, with how many cranky cats Thunderclan has.

He ignores the comments about his smell or appearance. And rude? He knew he was rude. Did that matter? At least he wasn't a coward like Windclan.

"Oh, Maggotpaw. Sure, I'll agree, you're the nicest and prettiest Windclanner I've ever seen." Antpaw mocks, "If you're the best in Windclan, I feel sorry for your Clanmates."

He flicks a tail at them before he continues, "Now stop following me like a mooning bird in love and go play with your ugly friends."

Tags: @nyme Maggotpaw

[BEAR.]

Originally Posted by vellichor

•° Violetfreckle °•
Rapid Recovery • Collector • Master Scout

---

An uneasy feeling settled over Violetfreckle's shoulders tonight. The strong smell of RiverClan was enough to make the fur on the back of her neck prickle. She felt more on-edge than normal, chalking the feeling up to not seeing her birth Clan in moons. Ears flattened against her head, Violet chose an out-of-the-way spot near the back of the crowd to watch the Gathering and the rest of the cats. Her olive eyes flicked up more than once to where Bumblestar sat, looking entirely unimpressed with RiverClan's leader... whatever his name was. To be honest, the guy was so unremarkable that she didn't know his name and didn't care to. He would probably be gone by next moon if the cycle of horrid leadership continued. But hey, that wasn't her problem.

// @Tallstar @BEAR. \\

Unfortunately for Violetfreckle, Sedgeflake spotted her as he was leaving Reedshade. He was done with their brother's nonsense for tonight - might commit a murder if Reedshade continued to try to talk to him - but Vi?

Ohoho.

He paused, considering his move. He was not allowed to cause issues. He was not allowed to cause issues. (a part of him wanted to ignore that anyway, because look at her)

(her dumb squirrel face)

It wasn't... always a squirrel face. She was a true-blooded RiverClan cat, and she just lost sight of it. Sometimes, he felt like he lost sight of it too - it was hard, when they were suffocated, suffocated, left to drown beneath artificial pressures from cats overeaching.

A breath.

A step forward, then more - to close the distance until he was behind her. A couple tail-lengths away, if not just more.

"Sister."

[Bluest+r~]

HAWKTHORN

Hawkthorn walked around Seastones, shifting through the crowds. The reek or RiverClan spooked him a bit, but he wouldn't say that. He spotted Antpaw and walked toward him, listening to what he was saying to a.. Windclan apprentice. Hawkthorn stepped out of his cover and looked at Antpaw. "Antpaw, shouldn't we be a little bit kinder? You don't want to stay an apprentice forever." He meowed, slightly hissing. Hawkthorn dipped his head at the Windclan apprentice. "Sorry." He muttered.

[ @Badwolf ] Antpaw
[ @nyme ] Maggotpaw

[nyme]

IN A DREAM YOU SAW A WAY TO SURVIVE
AND YOU WERE FULL OF JOY

── ⋅ ⋅ ── ❊ ── ⋅ ⋅ ──

GOLDENPAW . 7 MOONS . HE/SHE/THEY . THUNDERCLAN

"Yaayy!"

Goldenpaw's cheer of agreement is significantly rougher than the cat they're approaching, but no less spirited. This stupid snifflecoughwhatever from the den collapse a while ago has lingered spitefully long, but Goldenpaw's not gonna let a sore throat and a nasally voice harsh their vibe! Not when it's another gathering to attend, when there's new faces to see, and more friends to make. Always, always on that friend grind. Goldenpaw doesn't get tired!

Regardless of what their unsteady pawsteps seem to imply....but anyway—!

"Heyyy, but, I thought these things were s'posed'ta happen only when the sun's gone down—what's it doin' in the middle'a Seastones?" The patched tabby remarks through a weary smile; a comment on Daffodilpaw's bright coat, maybe, or her cheerful demeanor, or both. "You busy, sunny-cat? 'Cause I haven't picked out who I'm sittin' by yet." Their only preference right now is to steer clear of Riverclan—not for any bias or whatever, since the big to-do that those guys just got back from had nothin' to do with Goldenpaw, it just feels like a smart idea to wait another moon or two before going out of their way to try and make some fish-friends. Make sure bygones have had time to become bygones, and all.

Good to see they're back, though.

"An' I'm Goldenpaw, in case you don't like sittin' by strangers, an' I'm Thunderclan, in case you don't like sittin' by squirrels." They add blithely.

@Luna16 ; DAFFODILPAW