Not that keeping track of cats had ever been difficult, but this was getting out of hand. Bouncepaw was a WindClan apprentice and Bluestrike his mentor, they had both encountered a fox, where Bouncepaw had gotten his nose injured, Burnedpaw was in Thunderclan and Wavebreaker knew his mentor, and mentors mate, Wavebreaker was a warrior from her clan... and this new cat was... his daughter?
Had she forgotten anything, probably, but now, she sat, almost in shock of everything that was happening. Inhaling sharply, she gazed up, almost feeling overwhelmed, and closes her eyes. You'll be okay, Cricket'Paw Amberdew had constantly comforted her when she had been scared. As a kit, too many cats around her was terrible, no more than three put her in panic mode,so when Amberdew... died, she learned that talking when you're nervous is far better than not. If you ever feel overwhelmed imagine how the other cats feel. Amberdew's voice echoed around her head. Keeping her eyes shut, she let her mind drift, imagining the minds of others. It would be okay.
Wavebreaker suppressed a chuckle as his daughter apologized for interrupting him. Sorry but not sorry. Is more what her words sounded like. He smirked as her spotted figure turned to the attention of all the other cats present. He felt her hindpaws make contact with his face several times before she made it to the ground. He let out a small huff and raised one eyelid higher than the other. Well, I did wish for this. Did I give Blizzardoak this much trouble when I was an apprentice?
Despite his misgivings, it seemed as if StarClan really was present tonight. After all they had answered his prayers in record time. As Kitepaw was making herself known to the group, he stole a glance at Irisdream who still seemed to be chatting with Rowanmane. He considered telling Kitepaw they needed to check in with her mother, but he did not want to spoil her first gathering with family drama.
She only gets one first gathering, I can talk with her about Irisdream later.. Besides, it seemed the gathering would start in earnest soon enough. Everyone seemed to be present after all, uninvited kits included. Wavebreaker supposed the leaders were merely deciding the speaking order before the official ceremonies began. His ears swiveled back at the mention of Hawkthorne being somewhere nearby.
"I'm sure your mentor has plenty of other things to concern himself with at the gathering rather than gabbing with us." The older tom hoped Burnedpaw would drop the search for his mentor. He didn't think Hawkthorne would make a scene, but it wasn't an impossible scenario. As the wind whipped through the sandy clearing, the air was painted brown by the pigment of the sands carried on the breeze. Wavebreaker was careful to put his head down and cover his eyes so as to avoid any irritants lodging themselves where they weren't wanted.
With his head tilted down he noticed Cricketpaw had her eyes closed, and all her limbs were close to her body. She was protecting herself from some unseen danger. Wavebreaker recognized her body language, because he was familiar with that need to feel safe. Leapingfang had delivered him enough trauma in his young age to recognize it in others. He casually stretched his leg from his sitting position so he could reach a paw carefully over the edge of the stone he was on. He pressed it gently on Cricketpaw's back as he leaned in whispering, not wanting to make a scene. "Are you alright Cricketpaw?"
Her tension was cut by Wavebreaker. Are you okay. She had been, just a minute ago right? Now, she was retaining too much info, surrounded by too many cats. This was all new to her, she had thought she got a hold on her fear, it's why she could chatter so much, but this... This was proving that she only failed to prepare herself. Opening her eyes, she breathed, mouth parted slightly, and contained a small whimper threatening to escape. "Ye-yes, I'm fine, just, resting a little, I have never stayed up so late." it wasn't all a lie, she was tired, but still to this day, there were some circumstances that even played out faster than her voice could. This was most definitely one of them.
Gaze falling to her paws, she busied herself with the dirt. It will be okay... she mumbled, It will be okay...
"Cool name," she told Silverleopard. "Fits you, with the spots and all. You know, our pelts are kinda similar. Like, I've got spots too, though they aren't as cool as yours. And we've both got white patches."
Doeflame yawned, and the RiverClan fish smell wafted towards her. So did the other clans' scents, but they weren't nearly as bad as RiverClan's, just nuts and heather and stuff. Normal stuff. Wrinkling her nose, she turned her attention back to Silverleopard. "Don't you hate the fish smell? Like, seriously, do they just roll around in fish before each gathering to annoy us? Or do they actually live with that every single day of their lives? I do not know how they would be able to do that. Like, I s'pose you get used to it but still, yuck."
A smile crept up onto Silverleopard´s maw, and she blinked warmly at Doeflame. ´´Thank you. I was hoping my name would´ve been Silverlion, but I was given Silverleopard. I think it´s cuter,´´ She mewed, her plumy tail swaying behind her. ´´And more innocent. An enemy won´t think twice before attacking me again, if they've fought me.´´ She wasn't saying that Doeflame was an enemy, but she wasn't saying that she weren't an enemy, either.
Status: I just got here I am so confused and trying my best
Gender: She/her
Bump Policy: After 48 hours
Posts: 64
My Mood:
Re: September Gathering
Quote:
Originally Posted by Starphobia
╔══ ≪ °❈° ≫ ══╗ Silentpaw
Patched tortoiseshell tabby tom with deep blue eyes that look purplish in certain light sources and a short fluffy tail.
He/Him | 7 Moons | ShadowClan Apprentice | Silent
[25/100]
. 。・゜✭・.・✫゜・。.
. 。・゜✭・.・✫゜・。.
Just when Silentpaw turned back to Firepaw again, he jumped. This was great. Firepaw saw him. His eyes travelled to where her large tail was pointed to, an empty spot beside her. Or was it pointing? Did she want him to sit with her? Why? Why would she want to talk to him again after their time in the ShadowClan clearing? Silentpaw didn't think he made that good of a first impression. But then again, Firepaw looked like the type of cat to want to be friends with every cat she met.
...
But she was alone. He couldn't see anyone sitting with her.
That must hurt.
Silentpaw shook his head to clear it, getting up on his paws quickly and made his way to Firepaw's side.
"Hey." His short and simple greeting was accompanied by a nod, and he turned to sit beside her. He couldn't help but notice that despite Firepaw's apparent cheerful exterior, she still looked tense. Sure, it was his first Gathering, too, but he'd seen warriors from other Clans, been around a lot of Clan cats, but Firepaw... It was probably her first time being around this many cats in general.
You feel bad.
"You okay?" He asked, voice low, almost a whisper. He tried not to, but it was hard not to show a bit of worry. He couldn't possibly imagine how all this must feel like to her.
... A bit of company wouldn't hurt, would it?
Firepaw was nice enough, he was fine with talking to her. Just a little, of course.
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Firepaw
Moons: 10
Posts: 23/100
(She/her)
Firepaw let out a little sigh of relief when the grey and ginger apprentice padded closer. The pang in her chest loosened a little, just a little, enough so that breathing didnt hurt anymore. "Hi!" She cheerfully greeted as Silentpaw sat beside her. When he asked if she was ok though, she couldnt help but to look away. He had noticed, of course he had noticed, it was too obvious for him to not notice. An apprentice, alone in a gathering? She should be talking to cats from other clans, making friends, being proud of being Shadowclan! Not... Whatever she was doing. Oh well, if there was one cat who could sympathise with not wanting to socialice at the moment, that cat was Silentpaw, she thought to herself, so she wasnt in bad company. She turned back to the grey ginger apprentice and smiled. "Oh yeah, dont worry about me, im fine. Just... Y'know..." Firepaw looked around the Seastones, almost as if looking for the words she needed to finish the sentence, instead finding a giant mass of pelts, the unfamilar cacofony of smells of squirrel, fish, frog and rabbit getting stuck in her throat again, and oh so many warriors, all strong, muscular, fast, skilled...
All the things that she wasnt.
"...There's just a ton of cats" She finally said, shifting her amber eyes back to Silentpaw "Like, I figured the clans were big, but I didnt think they would be this huge, Im not even too sure of how we fit in here!" She let out a little chuckle and breathed in. It felt much better to be there when you had another cat by your side, she didnt feel as tiny anymore, but in the back of her mind there was still the burning feeling that she was going to get crushed by the crowd at any moment if she let her guard down. Crushed by the crowd of amazing warriors she had heard of in her kithood, that defended their home like glorious heroes, the same ones that she had dreamed of joining one day, and the ones who's gathering she felt like she an intruder to, like she was somehow going to be kicked out at any moment when a warrior realiced a lazy kittypet had snuck in.
"Is this your first gathering too?" She ended up asking Silentpaw. He was a little younger than her, so maybe he also hadnt had a chance to attend one of these before, though he didnt look nearly as worried as she did. She guessed that it was provably becouse he was a clan cat, he was raised in preparation for all of these things... Or that he just didnt care that much, which wouldnt surprise her coming from Silentpaw. Either way, she was provably exagerating with her own reaction. This wasnt that, its just a bunch of cats! But something about that statement felt like a lie. It wasnt just a bunch of cats. That bunch of cats were a lot more than she could have ever dreamed of being, and if she didnt hurry up, what she could never manage to be.
@Vesper (feel free to join in whenever you want :3)
Aspenpaw's tail tip started to twitch back and forth in annoyance. He didn't hide the hateful look in his eyes or how his friendly was so obviously fake. He didn't need to nor wanted to play nice! Sure he wouldn't attack or do anything stupid like that ofcourse. He didn't want to face punishment like exile or- execution and so on. So when the brat mentioned riverclans exile he had to bite back the urge to shout and attack. He really wanted to, he really did. This whole gathering had him on edge and his initial excitement was now drowned out by his anger and frustration.
"real problems like what, tree rat? Sitting on your ass while your clanmates stank up riverclans territory." he scoffed, rolling his eyes. Hate wasn't a big enough word for what he felt for thunderclan. Another scent filtered into the group, aspenpaw wasn't exactly sure which one it was. The night of the raid all the scents had mixed together and he hadn't been able to distinguish which clan. Glaring at the clan entering the seastones he guessed it to be windclan, by their size and well from the murmuring of his clanmates.
The thunder rat apprentice next statement had aspenpaw fur bristling. "Good luck with that!" he snapped. "Riverclans stronger than last time, we dealt with worst during exile! Like those cats that lived in the mountains-" uhhh wait stop. Aspenpaw cut himself off with a hiss, he wasn't overhearing right. Yeah no he wasn't that wouldn't get him in trouble. Would it? Panic seized him briefly, had he accidentally said something bad no he hadn't right. It wasn't important. He wouldn't get in trouble! Yeah. Um yeah. Okay he was good, he didn't say anything wrong hopefully. As for the group that lived in the mountains, Riverclans had stayed clear of them. He just heard rumours and stuff. "our exile was actually helpful in a way" he added.
Brow twitching at the comment the the uninvited guest who smelled similarly gross to the guppy that was harassing him, all the secret medic can do in response to the... crab? He doesn't actually know if it's a crab, he's never seen one, but from the way they've been described, this looks correct, so he's going to operate under the assumption that it is. Anyway, the only thing he can even do in response to the crab is blink at it... what a weird gift...
"Snrk, yeah, helpful for everyone else in the forest, maybe," the apprentice snorts in response. He can't honestly believe that the time away was good for RiverClan - good for cooling their heads, yes, but this apprentice that looked about as old as Wolfpaw didn't seem to have a level head if his first instinct upon seeing another clan cat being to pick a fight was anything to go off of. He ignores the question of what trouble ThunderClan has been facing, Bumblestar would say what the other clan's needed to hear.
"You got a name, fish?" He asks, bending down his head to lick the white shock of fur on his chest flat again from where it had gotten slightly ruffled in his annoyance. He'd almost boasted about Spiderthroat being his 100% real mentor, but then two of his kits (he has kits? Oh, wait, Hollowpaw thinks he remembers something about Wolfhive yelling at him to pay attention to them like... a while ago) turn up and he decides he'd rather not say something about it actually!
His first Gathering! It was finally time for his first Gathering. The pale, diluted calico tom followed behind his clanmates excitedly, doing little skips along the way. And very soon, he and his clan had reached the Seastone.
A span of grainy sand, lay a large rock with couple of cats sitting atop and around it. Must be the other clans. Palepaw took a whiff. 'Definitely other clans! One...two...three!' They were all there already and it seemed like ShadowClan was the last to arrive. Well...better late than never. His pale eyes darted around, intrigued with the amount of cats chattering all about. He wandered around looking for a place for himself. And suddenly, he had bumped in a calico molly who was much larger than he was.
"Oh! I'm sorry, I'm Palepaw! What's your name?" Palepaw apologized quickly before asking for the other cat's name. His bright eyes lit up with anticipation.
Lichenpaw
~<>~
17 moons || she/her || WindClan apprentice || honed skill [INACTIVE] scrawny calico with one blind eye; blue eyes
One of the very first things that happened when Lichenpaw got herself settled down was a smaller apprentice bumping right into her. He looked tiny, maybe only just made an apprentice? Regardless, she was definitely his senior, though being the bigger cat for once in her life was a little jarring. Her size had never done her many favors before.
"That's alright!" She smiles down at him noting in the back of her mind that he carries ShadowClan scent on him. "No harm done. I'm Lichenpaw, is this your first gathering?"
Firepaw let out a little sigh of relief when the grey and ginger apprentice padded closer. The pang in her chest loosened a little, just a little, enough so that breathing didnt hurt anymore. "Hi!" She cheerfully greeted as Silentpaw sat beside her. When he asked if she was ok though, she couldnt help but to look away. He had noticed, of course he had noticed, it was too obvious for him to not notice. An apprentice, alone in a gathering? She should be talking to cats from other clans, making friends, being proud of being Shadowclan! Not... Whatever she was doing. Oh well, if there was one cat who could sympathise with not wanting to socialice at the moment, that cat was Silentpaw, she thought to herself, so she wasnt in bad company. She turned back to the grey ginger apprentice and smiled. "Oh yeah, dont worry about me, im fine. Just... Y'know..." Firepaw looked around the Seastones, almost as if looking for the words she needed to finish the sentence, instead finding a giant mass of pelts, the unfamilar cacofony of smells of squirrel, fish, frog and rabbit getting stuck in her throat again, and oh so many warriors, all strong, muscular, fast, skilled...
All the things that she wasnt.
"...There's just a ton of cats" She finally said, shifting her amber eyes back to Silentpaw "Like, I figured the clans were big, but I didnt think they would be this huge, Im not even too sure of how we fit in here!" She let out a little chuckle and breathed in. It felt much better to be there when you had another cat by your side, she didnt feel as tiny anymore, but in the back of her mind there was still the burning feeling that she was going to get crushed by the crowd at any moment if she let her guard down. Crushed by the crowd of amazing warriors she had heard of in her kithood, that defended their home like glorious heroes, the same ones that she had dreamed of joining one day, and the ones who's gathering she felt like she an intruder to, like she was somehow going to be kicked out at any moment when a warrior realiced a lazy kittypet had snuck in.
"Is this your first gathering too?" She ended up asking Silentpaw. He was a little younger than her, so maybe he also hadnt had a chance to attend one of these before, though he didnt look nearly as worried as she did. She guessed that it was provably becouse he was a clan cat, he was raised in preparation for all of these things... Or that he just didnt care that much, which wouldnt surprise her coming from Silentpaw. Either way, she was provably exagerating with her own reaction. This wasnt that, its just a bunch of cats! But something about that statement felt like a lie. It wasnt just a bunch of cats. That bunch of cats were a lot more than she could have ever dreamed of being, and if she didnt hurry up, what she could never manage to be.
@Vesper (feel free to join in whenever you want :3)
╔══ ≪ °❈° ≫ ══╗ Firepaw
Heavily scarred and half-blind she-cat with red fur and a single ocean blue eye.
She/Her | 9 Moons | ThunderClan Apprentice | Insecure
[34/100]
. 。・゜✭・.・✫゜・。.
. 。・゜✭・.・✫゜・。.
Firepaw' was glad to finally be back in ThunderClan after several moons of time outside the Clan. And a Gathering as soon as she returned, too! She'd always loved Gatherings, ever since she was made an apprentice. There were many chances to make new friends, if they weren't terrified of her scars.
Firepaw' scanned the Gathering, looking at each cat and deciding whether to approach them or not. It was just a thing she did often, to help her distract herself from everything going around her. She decided apprentices were much easier to talk to than warriors, though young apprentices were often scared of her scars. Then, she saw him.
Her eyes widened, gaze fixed on the one particular apprentice she had saw. The tortoiseshell pelt and deep blue eyes were way too familiar to her for her liking. She had expected he had disappeared, after not seeing him for so long, or even heard from him in the last Gathering. There was no way he was here, and... With another apprentice? A ginger-and-black furred apprentice. She looked a bit older than him, and they seemed like they were... Talking. Had Silentpaw found someone new? Had he made a new friend? What happened while she had been gone? This can't be.
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╔══ ≪ °❈° ≫ ══╗ Silentpaw
Patched tortoiseshell tabby tom with deep blue eyes that look purplish in certain light sources and a short fluffy tail.
He/Him | 7 Moons | ShadowClan Apprentice | Silent
[31/100]
. 。・゜✭・.・✫゜・。.
. 。・゜✭・.・✫゜・。.
Silentpaw concluded that Firepaw wasn't as fine as she made it seem. No cat would feel completely "okay" in their first Gathering, surrounded by intimidating and unfamiliar cats. Silentpaw nodded. There were a lot of cats. It was all 4 of the Clans gathering here at once, anyway. It was overwhelming for him, too, given it was his first Gathering.
"... Yes. First time." He muttered, looking Firepaw over once. He could tell she wasn't all that comfortable being around such large cats and skill warriors.
You'll be just like them someday, don't you worry.
He wanted to say it. He really did. But he couldn't.
Silentpaw looked away, focusing their gaze on something else.
Then, as he looked over to the distance, towards where a bunch of ThunderClan cats sat, he saw it. Her. Bright, silky red fur, scars littering her pelt, and that single deep blue eye. The single blue eye that wasn't on him. Yet.
For a brief moment, he let his calm expression falter, panicking. His eyes widened, and he looked away in an instant. His breath caught in his throat, finding himself gasping for breath for a moment.
SHE'S HERE??? WHY IS SHE HERE?? SHE'S GONE, SHE CAN'T POSSIBLY BE HERE!
It had to be an illusion, it had to.
There was no way she was here.
((Two in one!!!))
╚══ ≪ °❈° ≫ ══╝
__________________
Please feel free to bump me on any ongoing RPs. I have ADHD and it gets really hard for me to keep track of all my RPs ^^ Icekit • Silentpaw • Mothflame • Daykit • Windkit • Eveningpaw Character Site ☆Star's Art Shop☆
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ﾟ。 Mossfreckle (ShC)
ﾟ･｡･ﾟ they/he ~ medicine cat
⋆˖⁺‧₊☽ The High Priestess ☾₊‧⁺˖⋆
❦ Watercolour hues hazed the dusky sky as the balmy summer sun dipped beneath the conifer canopies of tall pine and slipped into the murky embrace of the rippling hills of the horizon, gentle breezes carried the bittersweet scents of heat wilted flowers and heady alpine as the golden rays of sunlight were finally whisked away into the inky embrace of the shadowy night, lanky form stood and arched mountainous before the herbalists uprighted himself and ran a pink, burred tongue meticulously over his silken pelt in an absentminded monotony as he stood, leapt over the babbling rivulet with a soft thudding rhythm of paw falls, and padded silently to the mouth of den and through the lichen curtain which shrouded the idyllic burrow from the hustle and bustle of the clans central clearing. Dark tabby pelt loomed in his peripherals as the Shadow Queens authoritative tons settled clearly - never failing to be the smallest bit unnerving no matter how respectfully comfortable he had become with his leader as her medicine cat and healer even before his full title had been earned - on the sensitive hairs within his large ears which flicked and swivelled back in an adjustment of his senses to tune everything but Dawnstar out. Foresight broke from its fixation on the dark feline which had began her trudge forward and onwards to sandy, wave torn shores of the seastones as a a familiar presence prickled Mossfreckle’s chocolatey russet pelt as it grew closer as if he were flickering flame drawing in a silvery moonlight moth as petite paws shuffled almost knowingly beneath the healer, the true reason utterly unbeknownst to him the medicine cat canted his angular head and purred in cheery tones a chipper and affectionate greeting before mossy hues took in the thud, thud, thud of minglef anxious heart beats. Laid before white tipped paws was an offering… a gift… something he had grown accustomed to in the passing moments of his recent interaction with Rookfire but something still so beyond second nature for him, what he gotten… a flower from from Foggy… a fleeting yet lovely memory… Rook’s butterfly… he had almost cried and now… well… before him laid feathers - rook’s of course - and nonchromatic, mismatched bouquet of dried blooms still fluffed and beautiful in memorialised death. Verdant ords widened as a genuine smile tugged the corners of his white twinged maw upwards as the moment tugged achingly sweet at his heart strings, biting back the tears that prickled at his eyes, Mossfreckle gingerly brushed a small paw over the offering as he collected his words and pushed them through his cloyey throat, ”Thank you…” he started as his neck stretched so that he could lick the enforcers muscled shoulder sweetly, ”these are… beautiful… and the rook feathers, claiming me already,” tones became lilting and teasing at the end as the moonlit moths and the starry reelings of his mind settled from anxiety to contentment.
walk with me?
❦ Tempestuous feelings tampered angular head bobbed in acknowledgment as it dipped to gingerly pick up the dried flowers between his canines, a paw moving to tuck the feathers behind an oriental shaped ear within his medium length pelt, the sharp point of their rachis stabbed slightly into his soft flesh as he pressed them in, assurance they wouldn’t slip out, ”Wait here, I’ll be back,” the tom said curtly over his shoulder, it wasn’t rude, a reassurance that he wasn’t just up and leaving. With the belly of his den the wilted blooms scatters the corner of his nest in a delicate adornment of the silvery verdant colouring of the moss and downy nest which he and Rookfire resided - he was the ever cautious guard one most note - below the butterfly which hung in mock mid flight from its position balancing in a crevice of the stone wall, lapis and oceanic wings glinting in the starlight. Turning to address the eclectically moltted lone feline still with the burrow, ”Lets go Grouse,” he chirped on his way out of the den, making a beeline to the shadowy pelted feline who waited for him just beyond.
❦ Dainty and strong white tipped paws moved in unison as dark grey and reddish highlighted chocolate pelt brushed ever so slightly in wisping and fleeting movements as they stored at the front of the entourage behind Mistlewhisker and Dawnstar and a few other enforcers which lead the way through the underbrush and w to the gathering. Rookfire’s demeanour seemed to change as soon as the fishy twang of Riverclan hit their noses which wrinkles up gradually as it grew stronger and consumed their senses, memories seemed to hit him blow by blow but it only seemed to widen the smirk ever growing on his pale greyish muzzle, a sick satisfaction turned into something sweeter silver eyes gilded mossy hues for the briefest of moments as he paused to press a warmed cheek against a rouged before the duo split, alone once more with a bustling crowd of repressed tension and mingled clans of blossoming and tentative acquaintanceships and long term rivalries turned friendships.
❦ Picking his way through the bustling cliques of felines whom resided in haphazard closed off circles or semicircles of story recollections and updates the freckled tom couldn’t help but look back over his shoulder to watch Rookfire become just another blur of a pelt among the crowd, mentally the starry minded medicine cat had no problem following the enforcers path yet his mossy hues failed him as they flicked through their range of sight once more before he turned back to his task at hand… no distractions… distractions were for home and lack of task, not to say Rookfire wasn’t important to him - he truly was the dearest - but Mossfreckle had a rank to uphold and honour and that couldn’t be done when he looked like a pining idiot, so he was nothing more than highly ranked medic noting the location of an enforcer tasked with his protection, nothing more or less but the two toms knew which was all that mattered at the end of the day.
❦ Lanky body sat silently after the oriental feline leapt with the utmost grace up to the ledge and took his usual preferred spot, his feathery white tipped tail curling politely over petite paws as his mossy hues settled with skepticism on the two young felines that sat alongside him on the ledge. Something akin to distaste rose as bike within his throat, not particularly towards the apprentices themselves but towards those who had left them to half fill the position… it was pathetic… and it rubbed off on these too and clung to them like paranoid stereotypes of the past, such an oddly unnerving way that prickled at his pelt, he hadn’t like Springlight all that much and he hadn’t been the biggest fan of Mistyshard who he couldn’t even remember meeting formally outside of her grovelling in his dreams for knowledge that their prior medicine cat had taken and locked away within the their ribs alongside their tattered and aching heart. At the end of the day he wouldn’t make assumptions, wouldn’t let their mentor’s - could he even call them that? - failures define them, but he would reasonably roll the theoretical idea of each within his mind like a marble between fingertips, contemplating their worth and knowledge or lack there of, he wasn’t one to simply judge and dislike but the current view steak in the forefront of his vision and mind was a bitter tasting one indeed. The possibility remained that Springlight had simply taken an apprentice and Mistyshard was simply somewhere else… yet… Mossfreckle was willing to bet it was neither of those minute musings and more so a result of unchecked, harmful trends of shuffling ranks. Offering the two apprentices a soft and welcoming smile the spotted tabby played the part like a starlet, ”Good evening,” a shortly curt greeting of acknowledgment, all he would allow to them at the current moment, ”I am assuming that each of you is alone and not simply because your counterpart cannot be bothered to join us,” a question asked in calm and detached tones, this wasn’t an argument of fuel for any metaphorical fire, it was curiosity and as a medicine cat one must admit he was quite exempted from the old tale of curiosity being quite the deadly feline killer. As large ears swivelled to absentmindedly tune his sense on the medicine cat apprentices - they weren’t medicine cats even if they had taken the title on - in anticipation of their responses, his long tail thumping in an idle rhythm as his verdant gaze searched the crowd did a familiar multicoloured pelt which had slipped from his view somewhere along the travel from tightly woven barriers to conifer canopies to the current sandy and salt dusted rounded and looming rocks of he seastones.
Berrypaw was as grateful as she was also unnerved at the arrival of some other medicine cat — for one, she was nervous because Wolfpaw was certainly looking at her like she had sticks coming out of her ears, unless she was just overthinking things. On the other paw, the rush of ShadowClan's scent made her fur prickle along her spine. The last time she'd smelled it so strongly, so close... it was that 3v1 that hadn't left any of her dreams since...
Swallowing hard, Berrypaw did her best to straighten up and shyly nod in greeting to Mossfreckle as he arrived; she recognized him from last time, although she hadn't been much for words at the last Gathering that RiverClan had actually attended. At their words, however, she felt her mouth go dry. Stars, it wasn't even that accusing of a question, one that actually half-answered it for her; she was just a jittery little thing with all the scents and memories on top of being up here alone without her resigned mentor—
"Ah, y-yes, she's... she's back home, treating a very sick cat. Couldn't make it tonight," Berrypaw explained, doing her best to enunciate slowly and convincingly; she had a habit of speaking way too quick when she was nervous. She prayed that her nerves just came off over the fact that she was up here, alone, especially after all the tension of RiverClan's exile and return... and that was all. It was totally believable, really, considering her jumpy temperament and the trauma of the incident. At least, she told herself.
She shuffled her paws in nervous habit, now avoiding Mossfreckle's gaze as the ShadowClan medicine cat settled, trying to keep her uneasiness at bay... still reminded of the overwhelming scent of blood, the pained yowls of her Clanmates, the helplessness as she'd been attacked...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alchemist Kitsune
High Rank Announcement [#hrannouncement]
| Lightningstorm | 22 Moons - WindClan Medicine Cat Flock Together [Tier 3] - Active | Mind Reader - Active | Dreamwalker - Inactive | Katty Krueger - Inactive
The lithe calico made her way through the amassed cats, a bit later than she preferred under the circumstances. It was the first time since their banishment that RiverClan would attend a Gathering, and while they had been mild, peaceful... hell even boring events during their time gone, everyone's trepidation at the thought of having the forest's most hated clan back gave even her some concerns. In truth, she couldn't see how things would be worse regarding the water loving clan. They had been banished once for being roguish and murderous in the best of times. If anything, the lack of any real drama or trouble among the three remaining clans while RiverClan was gone was a sign that they truly had grown into a vile, problematic disease upon the forest's residents. But in all earnest, if they hadn't changed their ways... well... That just meant nothing had changed, and well, didn't well matter at that point, did it?
"Stay close by, love," Lightningstorm called out to her apprentice, twitching her tail to have him follow.
This wasn't Rabbitpaw's first gathering as an apprentice, but it was certainly his first gathering as her apprentice. The other clans had yet to hear that WindClan had gotten a brand new paw to help around the medic's den, but that didn't mean she wasn't at least slightly overprotective of Ears. RiverClan had proved time and time again that they were brutal and cared little for truces, honor, and the potential political dangers of killing high ranks for the mere act of existing. The last thing she wanted was for some arsehole to try and make a move for her apprentice on his first gathering sitting besides her. True. She was certain he would be able to defend himself. But a medic's paws were not for hurting. They were for healing. And she would not have him be forced to go against this before he had even been formally announced to the other clans.
After a swift look to see that Twilightstar and Crowtooth were doing alright for themselves - not that she had any doubts, but considering the palpable tension in the air, could you blame her - she turned her attention to the medic's perch, large ears perking up at the sight of so many youthful faces there. The oriental mix wasn't old by any means of the imagination, but honestly, if she hadn't known any better she would have thought she was looking at the leaders' collective kits come 'round for a bring your kit to the gathering night she had fully missed the notice on. Stars alive, if she hadn't had to check up on her patients before leaving - having wasted so much time drowning Crowtooth in much needed grooming before he left - maybe she would have been able to get here before she felt so out of place in the perch of kittens. At least the ShadowClan medics were older than the other clan's herbalists. Perhaps their mentors were simply running late and had sent their apprentices ahead? Not something she was sure she agreed with, but who was she to judge?
"Well met, you lot! How've you been? Hopefully greenleaf's end been treating you proper," Lightningstorm mewed in a cheery voice as she joined the other healers, sitting down comfortably in her usual spot.
The unease certainly didn't settle as the scent of WindClan became stronger, announcing the arrival of the moorland's main medicine cat. She managed another shy nod and half-smile at the cheery greeting, though she was rather stiff; again, last time she'd smelled WindClan like this, she'd been getting lunged at by one of their feisty warriors who'd thought it was alright to not only attack a medicine cat, but a terrified and young one as well.
But Lightningstorm was being nice... yet Berrypaw couldn't get a word past her tightened throat. Just another nod and nervous shuffle of paws, glancing down as she wrapped her tail rather tightly around them, almost as if making herself smaller and tighter for comfort. At least these cats didn't seem to be... repulsed by her, being RiverClan and all, especially given the general disdain for her Clan. Medicine cats were supposed to be sorta outside of all that in a way, right? At least that was nice...
Quote:
Originally Posted by constellation
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MINTPAW
| she/her | apprentice | 6 moons | 13/100 |
| Lyrebird’s Lullaby ; Trick of the Eye ; Mind Reader |
small fluffy Thai kitten with bright green eyes
[ @Bean — Wolfpaw - @elio — Mossfreckle - @squidz — Berrypaw - @Alchemist Kitsune — Lightningstorm - @Dolomedes — Rabbitpaw -:- @Luna16 ]
Mintpaw bounced through the sea of cats, her fluffy pointed fur bouncing along with her feet and her excitement. She scanned the crowd hopefully, looking for a cat to anno—talk to. Ooh! She spotted the medicine cats chatting farther along and sped up. Mintpaw had always wondered what medicine cats were like. She’d never talked to Mossfreckle before. She though it might be fun to chat with the medicine cats!
Wasn’t there a few medicine cats her age? Maybe she could make some FRIENDS!!! The thought amplified her excitement even more. Ooh! WHAT IF I surprised them? That might be fun! her stomach churned. Or would they get mad, and would Mossfreckle scold me? she expected nothing less. She was no stranger to getting scolded. Can’t be that bad of an idea.
Mintpaw sneaked around behind the medicine cats, sneaking…sneaking… she could trick their eyes! Thank StarClan she’d been practicing, or she might get caught. When she had herself in an acceptable position, Mintpaw lowered herself to the ground—here I go!—and popped out into the medicine cats’ midst, shouting ”SURPRISE!” at the top of her tiny lungs.
Berrypaw had been so lost in thought (and concentrating way too hard on trying to seem stable and normal) that she about jumped out of her fur at the squeak of surprise. A startled gasp left the jittery apprentice as she whirled around, her leafy-green eyes about as large as moons, half-anticipating to be met with the cruel swipe of claws... just like the 3v1 and exile that she certainly hadn't fully processed...
But instead, she was met with the enthusiastic face of a cheery apprentice who was definitely fresh out of the nursery. Immediately feeling like a fool, Berrypaw's skin burned like fire under her fur, grateful for her brown pelt covering it. She shakily settled back down to her paws, averting her gaze, clearly embarrassed to no end. "Stars..." She whispered to herself, willing her racing heart to calm down, wishing she could just melt away into a puddle right there. Yep, if she hadn't already looked like a foolish, lost little kit up here, she certainly did now. So much for representing RiverClan's great return... stars above, how she could use Mistyshard's stable guidance right about now...
Brokenstream’s whiskers twitched at her sly comment, but he said nothing in response to it. Sick? He opened his mouth to correct her, but quickly snapped it back shut. He wasn’t going to get in trouble for revealing that secret, and he certainly wasn’t going to embarrass his friend in any way, even to his sister. ”Er, yes. Sick. Quite the cough, but he’ll be okay.” He quickly recovered.
His ears perked as she mentioned Reedclaw. Of course- if that was Duskleaf’s father and she was half-Clan, he must be her father as well. At this news, Brokenstream noticeably softened a bit. He still held no like for Snakefang, but she deserved to know. ”Reedclaw…Reedclaw is dead.” The Lionheart looked away, awkwardness in his stance once again. He really hoped that this she-cat didn’t turn out to be the type that wanted him to comfort her. Not to mention he wasn’t being very specific. He didn’t tell her where the body was found, and he wasn’t planning on it. It could cause unnecessary trouble. ”He was a good warrior, and one RiverClan will feel the devastation of losing for generations to come.” He mewed solemnly, at the very least casting Snakefang a genuine sympathetic look.
”I’m sure Duskleaf would have preferred to be the one to tell you, but that will have to wait until he gets better. If you have anything you want me to tell him regarding that, I will pass the message along.” For a brief moment, he gently laid his tail on the ThunderClan cat’s shoulder before quickly whisking it away, so as not to overstep. It didn’t please him to show empathy to Snakefang, but he was sure Duskleaf wouldn’t want them to fight either. ”I’m sorry for your loss.”
After a moment, the Lionheart turned back to Ravenpaw. ”Shall we do some exploring around Seastones? I know this is your first Gathering, so if you’d rather not meet some new cats just yet, understandably of course, why don’t we take a walk? I could stretch my legs.” He offered, shooting a glance back at Riftpaw. Surely Snakefang wouldn’t hurt her brother’s apprentice, right?
-‘๑’- RIFTPAW | 6 MOONS | HE/HIM -‘๑’- split half solid black, half brown tabby with icy blue eyes
header by @/dino.
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Riftpaw blinked in response to Snakefang’s answer. ”Okay.” He nodded- that made sense to him. ”Can we be friends?” He asked the ThunderClan she-cat, head tilted. He wanted to know more about his mentor and this seemed like a good way. He obviously ignored Brokenstream’s hiss in reaction to what he had said, but Brokenstream made no further comment than “’Just remember she’s from a different Clan.’ Before he turned his attention back to Ravenpaw.
”Why did you leave RiverClan? Don’t you miss fish?” His blue eyes were wide as he settled down next to Snakefang, almost close enough that their pelts were touching. He would need to learn about personal space one day.
Re: September Gathering
Berrypaw is RiverClan's medicine cat apprentice! 
