Gathering [ 8/25 ]

[Cloud of Diamonds]

Brightnose nodded agreeably in response to her apprentice's words. True, it was rather dull discussing Gatherings while you were at one, but her social skills weren't exactly the top of the line. who had time for such trifles when there were things to be investigated? And words were lost in the ravages of time while knowledge was passed down through the generations... Lost in thought as she usually was, she did notice vaguely that Finchpaw seemed a bit tense. She didn't spare too much thought on it, but it did make her wonder if something about what she had said bothered him. Why should it, though? It was a response that nearly every medicine cat gave, at least once in their lifetime. She looked at him with curiosity. Perhaps he was just deep in thought about a complex subject, and she should give him room to think. She dipped her head in a friendly way to her apprentice, and said "I'm going to speak with the others, Finchpaw. I'll leave you to do whatever you want." She padded off towards the rock where the leaders sat. Perhaps someone good to talk to would be there.

[topaz]

Chatter. Chatter. Chatter. That¡¯s all his black ears were hearing . He wasn¡¯t annoyed with all the noisy voices. Excitement rushed across every single vein. He couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. After he got bored with watching other cats talk, he thought he needed his mouth to get going. He wanted to talk and chat. His yellow gleaming eyes spotted a few cats gathered around, he poked his nose into the conversation. ¡°Hiya! Hey yo Shirkewhisky. And you ah..?¡± He said pointing his tail toward a white colored apprentice. And as seconds past, he thought of something. Something that made him give a mrrow of amuesment. Have I eveh been thes nice befoe? He thought himself. And no. He had never been this friendly. He was always the kind of cat that would stand in the dark side alone.

What if they thought me as stupid? Dumb? Annoying? Worries were filling his brain till top. He regretted what he had said. Maybe it was the best idea to be like the old Pantherfoot. Grumpy. Alone¡¦ He sat down in slow movement and started to lick his night colored chest. He felt stupid and self-consciousness wrapped him around in circles. Maybe his life was meant to feel companionless. Trying to forget all that disconsolate feeling, he started to lick is paws busily. But, he knew that it will not help him a bit. Ah well, I¡¯ll do et anyehway. He murmured to himself.

[Crowzerplorodon]

As the warriors and apprentices slowly mingled together, the boundaries of clans all but forgotten on the night of the full moon, Cloudstar sat back and wondered why this peace couldn’t be held all the time. They were free beings after all; did they really need the full moon to tell them to be kind and peaceful to each other? As cats, Cloudstar knew that each feline here held the ability to be kind even without aid of the full moon.

But perhaps the tension between clans is what strengthened their loyalty to their own clan. It seemed… depressing if that was the truth though. Only through negativity against other clans could one cat become loyal to their own clan. But Cloudstar shrugged it off, turning back to the other leaders who had gathered here as well. The moon was high in the sky now, and surely they would be getting on with the announcements now.

”If we all are ready now…?” Cloudstar interjected smoothly, flicking his tail toward the large stone to signal what he meant.

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[Kelly]

Owlstar
--
Owlstar nodded in agreement with Cloudstar. The moon was raising in the sky now, it would be in good interest to make their way to the top of the rock and begin the announcement part of the Gathering. There was no need to prolong the Gathering, of course. They didn’t want to disturb StarClan, much like they had last time the moon was full. Her ears flicked slightly at the memory.

“Yes, I believe we’re all ready.” She looked to Cedarstar and Gingerstar, waiting for the other two leaders to confirm her statement. Her eyes caught site of Frostpaw for a split second, speaking to a gray tom who Owlstar didn’t recognize by name. But correct her if she was wrong, but the black and white she-cat was sure the strange cat was a PineClan tom. Her ears flicked again.

“It’s about time we begin addressing our fellow clan mates, wouldn’t you say?” Her tone was light hearted, but there was a underlying bit of mocking under it—meant in jest of course.

[Whiskers]

Gingerstar yawned as she watched the proceedings go on, cats jabbering to their friends in all directions. Every now and then she caught a word, though it all became nonsense in her head. She had little time or energy to eavesdrop. She found herself swaying where she stood, the fatigue resting heavy on her shoulders. Eh. If only this night was over. This gathering felt like it had stretched for nights, instead of just an hour. Fluffing her fur, she turned to the leaders to tell them it was time to get a move on, when Cloudstar read her annoyed expression and spoke before she had the chance. Took the words right out of her mouth-- Gingerstar couldn't say she liked it.

"Oh we've been ready for ages," she muttered loudly, and she swept her tail around as she lifted her muzzle, glancing at the stars and sky before back down at the clans. Then she let out a yowl, signaling everyone to pay attention to her. She was going to go first this time. She wanted to get her "news" out of the way.

"Cats of the clans, I'm going to start speaking now. Feel free to drop your own conversations," her tail twitched as she stood up straighter. "I'd like to report that Pineclan is again, doing well. Though leaf-full is coming to an end, we have an abundance of prey. We have nothing to report, thanks," and with that last curt word, she stood back and swiped a paw over her muzzle.
---

Shrikewhisker nodded. Her answer made sense, perfect sense, at least the first part did. The second? Well he hated arguing and avoided at any cost, but many cats did like to feed their minds with exciting and intellectual debates. Some lived off the adrenaline of a fight-- he had once seen a glow in the eye of a cat while he passionately argued his case to another. So there were pluses.

They just weren't for him, no no no. "Oh yes, warriorhood. You look like your old enough to be a warrior so I dare say you'll be getting that name soon. It's all fun of course, being a warrior, but I do miss my apprentice days. Oh those were the golden moons indeed, especially for me," he grinned wide.

He would have gone on about his glory days, but Gingerstar let out a loud yowl that had him jumping out of his pelt. By the sound of it, she was starting the gathering. He chuckled at his leader as she took it upon herself to go first. "Ohhh, Gingerstar's not in the best of mood. We'd better shut it or I dare say she'd shut us up herself, truce or no truce.." Shrikewhisker purred to Frostpaw.

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[Cloud of Diamonds]

The calico medicine was (once again) jolted out of her thoughts. She snapped to attention almost immediately and sat down in front of the tree(?) where the leaders sat. Ah well, hearing news was much more important than talking. Not that Gingerstar said anything of interest. She blinked her eyes boredly as the orange she-cat made her short report. Nothing new in the Clan of non-believers, that was for sure, unless Gingerstar was covering it up. The medicine cat shrugged her small shoulders. Perhaps Cloudstar or Cedarstar would say something worth listening to. Her tail twitched slightly as she waited for the other leaders to speak.

[Crowzerplorodon]

Gingerstar’s bluntness didn’t take Cloudstar by much surprise. He just jumped up next to the orange she-cat shortly before she began speaking; wrapping his tail politely around his paws and listened to the PineClan leader give her short news to the gathered clans. He wouldn’t be surprised if many of the cats gathered didn’t catch what the she-cat had said, though. She had spoken so fast and so suddenly, many were probably still busy with their own conversations.

The tom waited until the ring of Gingerstar’s voice quieted down in the hollow, other cats finally turning to look up at the leaders above them. His green eyes searched the clearing for a moment, trying to spot the one cat he would make mention of this gathering before he opened his mouth, voice strong as it spread throughout the assembly of cats.

”Lovely to hear PineClan is well, Gingerstar. StreamClan, too, is doing well. The river runs strong and prey is plenty, Leaf-Bare is still moons away from taking the forest. I’d like to introduce the newest member of StreamClan, this is her first gathering.” His eyes glinted in good humor as he turned to look at Minnowpaw, tail flicking to the apprentice. ”Minnowpaw is the newest apprentice; she is mentored by StreamClan’s deputy herself, Stormflower.” Turning to the other leaders, Cloudstar inclined his head, signaling they should speak.