RiverClan Floodstone

[sol.]

LILYCREEK

The molly poked her head back into the clearing when she heard Pikestar's voice roll out again, tighter, more fragile. Perhaps it would be kinder to mistake it as emotion at Wormbite's promotion, but even an apprentice could see through that lie. The area in between her brows were still creased in contempt as her fluffy tail wrapped her nieces close subconsciously. Idiots, she swore in her mind. The lot of them. She had half a mind to stalk back into the clearing and smack all of them around the head; or maybe she'd take a leaf out of the nursery's book and sent them all to time out until they could behave like sensible cats.

She watched Pikestar with a neutral expression, though the invisible daggers she threw around still shot in every other direction. He was still her leader, that much as clear. Currently having a mental breakdown or not, he still deserved her attention.

[occultation]

Magpie crouched near the den he’d been told was for kits like him. The nursery. Yes, that’s what it was called.

Sadness threatened to overwhelm the young cat as Fawnlight came forward and revealed her injuries. While Magpie didn’t quite understand the magnitude of her stepping down and naming young Stonepaw in her place, he felt an immense amount of empathy for whatever Fawnlight was going through. Her paws were hurt, and she couldn’t be happy without them.

Magpie kept his eyes focused on Fawnlight as the meeting carried on. Even the angry yowling of cats about Raccoonpelt’s arrival didn’t attract his attention. Fawnlight was really the only cat in RiverClan he knew; he wanted so badly to go over and try to make her happy, but the only way to do that would be to fix her paws. Magpie glanced down at his own paws, wondering if it was possible to take his paws and switch them with her’s.

( @canineantics @daenerys Dani feel free to ignore this if you want; just mentioning you in case you want Fawn to take notice of Magpie )

[SpiritedWarrior]

Reedwhisker

@Kat @effervescent.

Reedwhisker didn't think to much of what Pikestar continued to say about the situation, but she forgave him for his fault. We all make mistakes in our lives, I can't expect RiverClan to make the best decisions. That'd be too much to ask. As long as Raccoonpelt doesn't prove to be a danger to the Clan, I'm fine with his presence.

"You're welcome, Flintfang." she answered her brother softly and looked at Silverpaw with a pleading glance. I'm sorry I kept the secret from you for so long, sis...

The next subject was more additions to the Shield rank. Wormbite would be the Lead Shield. That meant he would be in charge of the other Shields. Not a horrible decision, I can agree with that. Wormbite's a good Clanmate, he won't disapoint us. Now, the young warrior awaited the next announcements the dark-furred leader would make.

[Estelle]

Although it didn't show on his face, Gingerfrost was mildly irritate by some of these cats' reactions. Some of them were valid, others a lot more rude. Luckily, Pikestar was quick to handle it so the tabby needn't step in himself. Still, he kept an careful eye on the crowd as the meeting continued into Wormbite's slight promotion; one Gingerfrost expected to have seen much earlier. The dark lord had essentially already been their head, though it's making official was good.

[wolfie]

⌦ .｡.:*☆ @Peerless cucumber
Wormbite has seen cats shift in personality in great lengths. He seen it in strangers and those he was close to. He wasn't sure why he never thought it wouldn't happen to Fawnspring. Maybe he was selfish to think otherwise. The response gave him whiplash, blinking as he stared straight ahead, eyebrows furrowing together to form a wrinkle. "..Pardon?" Wormbite mewed, how was it unfortunate?

He took a step back, tilting his head drastically to the side. "..I do not, understand why it would be unfortunate..? I was wondering what.. had happened. You were gone for an awful large timespan and - are you alright?" (A fool's question but stars, what was he supposed to say in this situation?) Regret was beginning to churn in his stomach. A sick, guilt-filled regret. He wasn't equipped with the skills to handle this.

"..It has. A lot has happened, " He responded, huh, did Fawnspring know how had tasted death itself? How he was, tired, but he was improving? (How much he had missed the tom?) Wormbite's attention was fixated on the warrior in front of him, he didn't bother to react to .. ah, someone, Raccoonpelt, joining?

Chaos stirred in the meeting, and they stood in the middle of it all. When Pikestar spoke again, the Shield's attention was taken away and he turned his head towards the source. Deciding to sit down, he listened. Hm. The oriental was cautious when it came to those who joined but, they always tended to prove their loyalty and as long as they did that, he saw them as a clanmate - through and through. (It.. was only Marigoldleap he had a struggle... coming to terms with. )

With a huff, he shook his head. As hypocritical as it was, Wormbite hoped for the life of him it was only the older cats pitching a fit. His ears perked up as Pikestar brought up a new rank addition, Lead Shield. Oh, that was interesting. He was sure whoever received it was a decent choice, it would be nice to have more structure.

Wait.

Wait. What? (A honk of surprise came from him.)

Uh. Uhh. Well. The Dark Lord did not expect this. He, he wasn't really much of a leader? He just, had a lot of ideas. He tended to subject those around him to. Didn't mean he was good at this whole, thing. This. Mm. MM???

Wormbite sank into the ground, his tail tip twitching. He would need time to process this but, he did believe he was.. happy? About this? His emotions were confusing, but .. this meant Pikestar trusted him and that.. filled him with warmth. Okay, cool. this was. Cool.

[bubble[error].]

~~Bluefang~~

Bluefang smiled. New cats in the Clan? That's good! He loved this Clan.

[SpiritedWarrior]

Reedwhisker

Hearing the Lead Shield position would be something earned rather than challenged for was something that made sense to Reedwhisker. It was a big responsibility in itself and Pikestar trusted Wormbite to be the Lead for a reason, so it was not a choice that needed to be questioned. She looked at the tom ( @x ghostie ) and dipped her head in silent congratulations so she could listen to the next announcement being made. Oh, more new faces? Well- they aren't Clan cats... I mean... they are now. I'm just going to... yep. Fearing that she made awkward facial expressions without meaning to, the young warrior quickly took her paws and covered her eyes for a little bit to somehow erase the embarrassment she felt.

[pxxylo]

RACCOONEAR | LARGE GRAY TABBY SHE-CAT WITH BLUE EYES
@x ghostie

The gray molly crouched down next to the dark lord, squinting at his face to make sure he was alright before speaking. Congrats, bucko. Shoulda seen this happenin' sooner, you've always been the head of us, happy to see it made official, eh." She grinned and continued to watch the meeting, staying low to the ground with her,, friend. Whatever they were, it was some form of mutual support for each other.

Contented and joyed with Pikestar's decision to allow Raccoonpelt to join the clan, she smiled a bit, despite being low down to where no one could see her face aside from her floor buddy. It reminded her of Lynxfall a lot, and they had actually grown to be good friends. However, something must have happened while she was gone, because none of the family was here. No Lynxfall, no Shadepaw. She frowned, had this been the first time she even began to think of the fact they weren't around camp anymore. Now, she missed them. Maybe going out to sit vigil for them would better honour the memory, because only grieving them while crouched down surrounded by paws isn't good. They deserve more, even if they just went missing from Riverclan or something.

[Bean.]

Nightpaw nods a bit, It was the leader's choice after all if they join or not.. Its not the other clanmates choice at all. Wormbite became a lead shield! That was cool, That the first time she heard of a rank like that before "Wormbite will be a great lead shield" she mewed with a bit nervousness but delight

[taillow]

A flickering annoyance rose up in her chest was quickly snuffed as Fawnlight recognized Antlerstreak (of course he would, he was his father, she knew he must hold some resentment) came up, stepping in between her and Stonepaw. She hobbled a bit to the side to allow room for the worried parent, unable to stop the guilt that crashed down upon her. What... had she done? StarClan had given her a prophecy, but it foretold a child to be the next medicine cat. She had... Stars above. Even as Antlerstreak stepped back, Fawnlight didn't move to reclaim her spot. Instead she gave him an awkward nod - the guilt and an apology flashing in her gaze - before sitting back down again. She had done this.

An ear flick and a lift of her head to acknowledge Reedwhisker who was speaking to her. She nodded in return, not bothering to state that she knew, in her heart, that her paws would never "get better" or "feel better". Or any of the sympathetic phrases her Clanmates wanted to use. Fawnlight would let them believe it helped. It was the least she could do for them. She didn't bother to respond to the offer for warrior training.

Soon after her attention was diverted to Bluebellcrackle as her aunt accepted her shield position back. Graytail stepped up shortly after to offer her condolences and said she would always be the medicine cat in spirit. A soft smile registered on Fawnlight's face along with another nod. Don't think. Don't think. It's not their fault. They don't know.

Pikestar soon continued on with the next announcements about Shields and how Clanmates would be able to challenge for the position now. She hadn't paid much attention to the rank all that much, but knew her aunt and uncle were both one. That would certainly be interesting, and something Fawnlight wished she had the energy to help over - wait. It wouldn't be her job anymore. Stonepaw was named as the one to help, and deep down something cracked within her. A quick blink and flexing of her muscles did away with it, though.

There was then shouting. A ShadowClan warrior had joined their midst, and several cats were not happy about it - as if they had forgotten that it had been a former ShadowClanner who had stepped in to help heal them while Fawnlight had been away. But she sat still, saying nothing and doing nothing. Her brother made some comments, others chimed in, there was more shouting and crying and yelping but Fawnlight... her ears didn't register it. Her mind begged her to step up, to intervene, but her legs felt weighed down by cement bricks. Sluggish and slow, she remained still as stone as the situation escalated briefly before being deflated.

It wasn't like she would've noticed anyways. A certain strange sensation was seizing her muscles, her bones, her body. Starting in her paws, rolling up her arms like morning mist. Over her chest, shoulders, chin... drifting off the top of her ears. The former medicine cat would've mistaken it for floating if she hadn't known any better. She just felt... warm. A weird, foreign kind of warm, as she sat a little ways away from Stonepaw and his family, a little ways away from everyone in her Clan it felt like.

Only a familiar scent managed to break her auto-pilot stare up at the Streamstone and blue eyes turned to see Cloudpaw. Cloudpaw. Feeling his fur brush up against hers, hearing his voice. All at once the uncomfortable warmness shattered and Fawnlight was once again thrown back into the real world. Sounds became louder and less fuzzy, her vision cleared. She blinked a couple of times. He was making promises to her. He wasn't... he wasn't pretending that he understood what she was going through. He wasn't saying that everything was going to be alright when it certainly was not going to be. He wasn't shoving false sympathies down her throat just because they were Clanmates (which she hated herself for even thinking about the others). He was just... being there.

A quiver of her whiskers, and a short moment before, and Fawnlight couldn't help but turn her head and bury it into his shoulder. It was selfish, she knew. Selfish to have her attention distracted from Stonepaw. Selfish to have gone out without thinking. Selfish to have allowed such a preventable mistake from scarring her for the rest of eternity. Tears sprung to her eyes, thankfully hidden in the fluff of her best friends shoulder. He wouldn't judge her for crying, would he? He wouldn't turn her away? Her heart... it was shattered. A million jagged pieces that would never fit together again. Briefly, the mean chorus of her Clanmates opinions was roused in her head, but him speaking again cut through all of it. It was him and her against the world. Cloud and Fawn.

She wasn't sure how much time had passed - it seemed to slow whenever she was around Cloudpaw - but Fawnlight felt eyes in her fur and she lifted her head. Watching her from a ways away was Magpie, crouched near the nursery. Mustering up all of her courage, all of her energy, she lifted her tail to beckon the kit over. "Magpie, over here," she purred, ignoring the way it broke just a little in the middle, "there's someone I want you to meet."

[ @Willowfern @Pheasantflight @SpiritedWarrior @~_Lumity_~ @canineantics @Cherry~ ]