Her tail flicked as she heard her powerful leader speak, then something she said made her tilt her head in confusion. No deputy? Oh…that was right, his absence made him lose his position which is sad, yes, but it was the way,,.right?
Flashpaw slunk into the clearing. Her jade eyes were wide, flicking left and right nervously. A big, scary place full of big, scary cats. She'd never been to a gathering, after all. Flashpaw tasted the air-- so many scents!-- and after a moment of the different clan stinks bathing her tongue she couldn't stand the stink of some nearby cat and swiped it over her jaws before clamping them shut. She wanted very badly to find some source of comfort among the big, tough cats. Some were skinny and lanky (WindClan she guesses), while others were muscular and heavyset. She noticed the muscles rippling beneath multiple cats' pelts. She shrank backward, bumping into a tom. "S-Sorry." She stammered. These cats were way too scary. She hurried out of the group of big buff cats and hurried toward an empty area. It was so cramped she had to squirm and weave to reach it. It was near the front, so she stared wwide-eyed up at Bumblestar as she spoke. "Th-tha-tha-that's a-a-a-a st-stro-strong l-loo-loo-look-looking cat." she stutter-commented, and shuffled her paws as she settled down.
Flashpaw was never the social type. Cats scared her, with their talkative maws and loud, booming voices when they're angry. She was frightened of their long claws and disgusted by their strong scents. She curled her tail around her paws and crouched down to look at the leaders instead. Dawnstar looked proud and worthy of the cat next to her, Bumblestar, who was the big strong cat she'd noticed. Flashpaw could have a million conversations without stuttering in her head, and she wanted to be like Dawnstar, who was confident. She was really nervous. Flashpaw recalled her mentor's tactic and began to 'float' in her mind.
[OPEN]
Mallowpaw
38/100
Mallowpaw padded into the clearing after her clan. The jumbled scents of marsh, water and moor made her nose wrinkle. There's so many cats here, she thought in wonder. Apprentices, warriors and elders of different clans socialising like old friends.
Mallowpaw turned her attention to the large rock where three cats stood. Bumblestar, a large heavily scarred she-cat that smelled of ShadowClan and another she-cat that carried the scent of WindClan. Where's RiverClan? Mallowpaw thought. Probably recovering after our raid on them.
She sat down as first Bumblestar than Dawnstar spoke. In the lull that followed, she smiled at a ShadowClan apprentice near her. She should make small talk. "Hi. What's your name?"
SQUIRRELPAW she/her. 9 moons. small russet molly with brown markings and yellow eyes.
her paws still tingle with nerves (one more so than the other, she shoots a glance at her left paw), only calming a smidge at mistlewhisker's tail brushing her back. her gaze is locked on the ground, save for the occasional glance that flickers between mistlewhisker and crowtooth. although she feels a little awkward just sitting, it's definitely a safer option than talking. no way she can embarrass herself if she stays quiet, right? right.
surprisingly, squirrelpaw agrees with the windclan tom on the riverclan/thunderclan matter. yes! riverclan and thunderclan could bother each other, and leave her clan out if it. she wouldn't complain a bit if those two decided to keep going back and forth. alternatively, it'd also be great if everyone could just stop being so violent and mind their business and keep their claws to themself. way less stressful. I could only pray, she thinks bitterly. half of the problems in the clans could be solved if they all did those three things.
her eyes flicker towards dawnstar as the leader's voice rings throughout the beach. the classics are announced, along with vulturefang's demotion. speaking of which, she doesn't notice the tom anywhere, as she looks around. which, she's not sure she'd be able to spot him anyway in the sea of cats.
The announcements were starting, Winterpaw noted, sitting down among the crowd of cats. It had taken him a bit to arrive but he was here, now, at his very first gathering. The night sky was really so beautiful... as the wind brushed against his fur he looked up at the moon and all the stars shining down on them. The spirits of their ancestors, as the clan cats believed. It really was a comforting thought.
The buzz of conversation and the different scents blending together made the island feel even more alive. The young tom silently waited for Twilightstar and Dawnstar to speak as well, wondering what his leader had to say.
[open]
......
Blazepaw had come along with the rest of the Thunderclan, and he sat down towards the front of the cats under the Seastones. Looked like Riverclan wasn't there, even though Bumblestar had begun the announcements... maybe they were just left too weak after Thunderclan raided their camp, now afraid to show themselves to the other clans.
A sore, bitter feeling swirled in Blazepaw's chest at the thought of the battle, his thoughts almost drifting back to Finchpaw, but he managed to reign them back. No. This was his first gathering, he wasn't going to let his stupid urge to maim those Riverclan fish fill his mind. As he tried to press his feelings down beneath the surface, Blazepaw simply watched his surroundings with a cool, intent gaze.
Gracklepaw as still astounded by how many Clan cats there were,there were so many in just ShadowClan alone, but her at the Gathering there must've been hundreds! So many scents too... He wasn't quite sure what to think of the other Clans yet. Being a former loner he still didn't know much about ThunderClan and WindyClan and then the other one that didn't show up. Most of the other ShadowClan cats seemed to be conversing with other apprentices and Clans too, so he sort of kept to himself during the Gathering.
He thought about trying to find Magpiepaw, but was she even here? He was t sure. Oh well. This is his chance to make friends!
That was until noticed another cat sitting alone. She looked about his age, and was definitely ShadowClan, from her scent. He awkwardly shuffled over. "Hey!" He meowed in greeting, flicking his tail with a friendly smile.
"You're Turtlepaw, right? I remember Dawnstar talking about you at the meeting. I think she said you joined the Clan too. A former loner, right?" He asked casually.
"I'm Gracklepaw. I'm also a former loner, but now I'm in ShadowClan!" He meowed with a proud grin and puffed his chest out with pride. He hoped his introduction and attempt to start a conversation wasn't too strange. He wanted to befriend more ShadowClan cats outside of Magpiepaw.
Gracklepaw as still astounded by how many Clan cats there were,there were so many in just ShadowClan alone, but her at the Gathering there must've been hundreds! So many scents too... He wasn't quite sure what to think of the other Clans yet. Being a former loner he still didn't know much about ThunderClan and WindyClan and then the other one that didn't show up. Most of the other ShadowClan cats seemed to be conversing with other apprentices and Clans too, so he sort of kept to himself during the Gathering.
He thought about trying to find Magpiepaw, but was she even here? He was t sure. Oh well. This is his chance to make friends!
That was until noticed another cat sitting alone. She looked about his age, and was definitely ShadowClan, from her scent. He awkwardly shuffled over. "Hey!" He meowed in greeting, flicking his tail with a friendly smile.
"You're Turtlepaw, right? I remember Dawnstar talking about you at the meeting. I think she said you joined the Clan too. A former loner, right?" He asked casually.
"I'm Gracklepaw. I'm also a former loner, but now I'm in ShadowClan!" He meowed with a proud grin and puffed his chest out with pride. He hoped his introduction and attempt to start a conversation wasn't too strange. He wanted to befriend more ShadowClan cats outside of Magpiepaw.
Her yellow eyes focused on this Gracklepaw, confused on why he started talking to her but…at least it’ll make time pass by then to just sit here and be overwhelmed with scents. If they weren’t in a public setting and in the safety of the clan, she would’ve had the same energy as him but this was a place of more…professionalism, right?
It took a moment for Turtlepaw to form the words she needed to before exhaling a deep sigh to clear her very nauseated head, “yes I'm Turtlepaw, and yes I was a former loner but I was also a disgrace of a twoleg pet…” that could’ve came out more gracefully but it was true. “It’s nice to meet you, Gracklepaw. So…is this your first gathering too?” She asked as her head tilted, she actually and genuinely wanted to know since well…there wasn’t really a reason but at least she would have info on the other clans, mainly the squirrels.
Gracklepaw grinned at her response. "Nice to meet you Turtlepaw!" He exclaimed, listening thoughtfully to what she had to say. He didn't seem to mind at all about his casual behaviour. Many of the others seemed on edge, but most seemed to just be relaxed and friendly towards each other while they chatted. Plus, they were ShadowClan. The others shouldn't dare to mess with them. The pride that ShadowClanners carried was rubbing off on him.
"Yep! This is my first Gathering too. It's an interesting tradition, but it makes sense that the 4 Clans would wanna stay in touch, or 3 I guess. Since one of them didn't show up. I wonder why they didn't show up." He thought out loud. He was in a very chatty mood, and just kept blabbing and blabbing.
"I also can't believe that ThunderClan and..." He took a moment to try to remember the name of the Clan that they'd fought with, but he couldn't. Plus they weren't here anyways. They must not matter that much. "... the other Clan got into a fight! I knew Clan cats fought, but I've only been here for about a moon and a half and they're already fighting! I wonder if we'll get in any fights..." He commented, twitching his ear as he spoke.
Doeflame arrived to the gathering and started looking for someone to talk to. Announcements weren't that interesting; the main reason she'd come along was to chat with cats from other clans.
As the warrior reached the crowd, she could scent ThunderClan and WindClan alongside her own ShadowClan... but no RiverClan. Huh. Strange.
As the announcements started, Doeflame only half-listened to them. She already knew ShadowClan's news and she didn't particularly care about the others.
Soon enough it seemed that Elkpaw had lost interest in the medicine cats and was now tearing across the space to seek out another cat to talk to. Ear flicking in the direction of Bumblestar and Drizzlenight, Redhawk looked to Springlight with a wide grin. "Congratulations, Springlight!" she purred with a respectful dip of her head. To the other medicine cats, she bid them a farewell with a wave of her tail, as well as one to Bumblestar (accompanied by an apologetic glance) before the hornet turned and trotted after her excitable apprentice.
She saw him talking to yet another ShadowClan cat - reminding herself to stifle her unease - and took a seat nearby. Announcements were underway, though most of Bumblestar's were tuned out in order to keep an ear on Elkpaw. The hornet knew most of what was being announced, baring the way her leader spoke of RiverClan. Something in her stomach twisted at it, but Red ignored it for now.
Dawnstar stepped up next and her announcements had Red tuning in a bit more. Mossfreckle had been the tom they had met earlier when following Elkpaw around. There was no mention of a dead warrior yet - had that warrior who retrieved the body never made it back to camp? Regardless the hornet kept her fur flat so as to not draw suspicion. More apprentices becoming warriors and - oh, Vulturefang demoted? The reddish-brown warrior tried to recall how many deputies this had been now for the colossal leader...
Thankfully there hadn't been any interruptions of the gathering, outside of the single RiverClanner who had decided to show up. Wolfhive made quick work in taking care of them though so Redhawk kept her focus split between listening to the announcements and keeping an eye on Elkpaw.
Featherpaw's ears flattened. This wasn't supposed to happen! I was just trying to be friendly... Realising his mistakes, he apologised profusely. "I'm so sorry! I had no idea you were in a conversation already... I think it would be best if I left you two so that you can carry on with it, unless you want me to stay... which I seriously doubt..." Gosh, he hated how impulsive he was. Why was he like this? Was this why his family left him, because of his constant yapping? Okay, yeah, no, I'm overthinking this. That's a stupid reason for them to leave. Still, it is possible. "Again, apologies for doing little else than blabbering my big, idiotic mouth off..."
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"Do you and Barley have kits?" - Bella
Re: March Gathering
