BORN UNTO TROUBLE ╔═《✧》═╗GATHERING 03.15.23

[SOOTSTAR]

Sootstar was already in high-water and the gathering hadn't even begun! Safe to say when all the leaders had at last settled she was ready to get the meeting on wings so they could leave. She is most certain they won't get through the night without any bickering, it'd be too easy and unheard of! Not that Sootstar was above squabbling with her fellow leaders, she only hopes ThunderClan and RiverClan's troubles with each other took over the fight that WindClan held with the water group. "Cats of the five clans, let the gathering commence!" She yowls, her voice roaring in the night air.

But she can still see the lightning bolt bright in her eyes. She can still feel the warmth of its strike against the rock, and the soot it had created still coated her paws. To falter now...? It would be her end, any lack of confidence here would destroy her forever. She was at war with her gods and this was their first attack against her, she had to beat it! She tries to blink any look of doubt away from her eyes, she ensures that her tail or whiskers are not twitching too much. Sootstar could not be nervous, the queen could not imply StarClan's storm was in fury.

"The previous moon has been kind to WindClan. New-leaf is a welcomed sight and prey can be found all around. Our herb supply has witnessed a steady increase and our bellies grow full, I have no complaints." It was boasting but it wasn't a lie, they were doing well on that front. "Sunflowerpaw and Marmotpaw have been apprenticed in my last meeting. Their training has been put into the paws of Wolfsong and Nightmareface, they're right on path to becoming excellent warriors."

"We also have new warriors among us, Icebreath, Firefang, Strawmoon, and Smokestep. All four had trained hard as apprentices and impressed their clan countless times, I am honored to have them in WindClan's ranks. Two new lead warriors have also been promoted, Tigerfrost and Wolfsong." If she can spot the two in the crowd she dips her head to them. Their scars, their badges of honor, would make it easy for those not in her clan to identify them.

"I wish I could say all was good in WindClan... but I must add that we are in mourning. One of our loyal warriors, Juniperfrost, have gone to join StarClan. May he find eternal rest and plentiful hunting." Her ears fold and she shakes her head sorrowfully, before glaring at the monochrome leader of the marsh. "Those who know Juniperfrost might be shocked by this news... Why was a cat as strong and healthy as him taken so soon? Well... RiverClan killed him! The traitorous Hyacinithbreath, former lead warrior of WindClan, now disgrace they allowed in murdered him in cold blood!" Her lips curl as she stares the long-snouted leader dead in the eyes. At last her gaze breaks away and she looks to the crowd to speak to them more directly now.

"For a clan that acts so- haughty, so morally superior and correct I had expected more... But to kill a warrior on his own border?! Outrageous! And get this-" She's leaning down into the crowd now, "Juniperfrost's unborn children grow inside of Spiderbloom! RiverClan and Hyacinithbreath took their father away!" Now her head shakes rapidly and her hackles bristle uncontrollably. A feathery tail triples in size and she curls it into the air with authority, "I want JUSTICE! Justice for Juniperfrost! Justice for the mate he was forced to leave behind! Justice for his unborn children who now must endure this world without him!"

Again, she turns to Cicadastar, "I want Hyacinithbreath, the traitor warrior who was mine to deal with from the beginning. I will forgive RiverClan for the death of Juniperfrost in return for Hyacinithbreath. I promise you, if you help us bring that murderer to justice you will cease to find blood at your paws." A reference to their recent battle that she is certain the monochrome leader will elaborate on in further detail.​

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Spoiler: TAGS ★ 03/13

( primary character / "speech" / ic opinions )​

╰ ★ ჻ 001 GENERAL INFORMATION ,
· SOOTSTAR, female — she / her
╰ ‣ 39 moons . pisces. ages on the first
╰ ‣ windclan leader . marsh-born . believes in starclan
╰ ‣ former soldier of the marsh group

╰ ★ ჻ 002 VISUALS & AESTHETICS ,
· DOMESTIC FELINE, smells like heather and wet dirt , status — 100%
╰ ‣ blue smoke . scarred chest, difficult to see through fur . green eyes

╰ ★ ჻ 003 MENTALITY & MANNERISMS ,
· ESTJ-A ❝ EXECTUTIVE ❞ , Slytherin, Lawful Evil
╰ ‣ Cunning, brash, fierce, confident, self-reliant, envious & selfish
╰ ‣ finds great difficulty in relating to others . can be cruel, usually shows mercy to those she can find sympathy with
╰ ‣ sole key to her heart is loyalty, if you have her trust, she often shows a completely different side of herself. Aggression tends to manifest from her extreme paranoia
╰ ‣ Appreciates titles such as "miss, m'am" etc

╰ ★ ჻ 004 INTERACTIONS & RELATIONSHIPS ,
· SOOT CLAW x PEBBLE BREEZE, sister to Pebblenose
╰ ‣ heterosexual. mate to Weaselclaw
╰ ‣ mother to Windstrider, Sootchaser, Moorkit, Adderkit, Harrierkit, Bluekit & Cottonkit
╰ ‣ mentor to N/A
╰ ‣ average fighter . skilled hunter .
╰ ‣ will start fights . unlikely to flee .
╰ ‣ attack in underline . penned by user @ava.​

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[GRANITEPELT]

Granitepaw is feeling dazed as he wanders into the clearing with ShadowClan. His paws are stained, rich and dark with blood, but none can see it -- none but him. Chilledgaze -- Chilledstar -- had returned with their nine lives, their StarClan-given authority, and all the while the gray and white tom had panicked while waiting for retribution. He'd been sure, if his late mentor had somehow managed to ferret his way into StarClan, that he'd tell Chilledstar what had really killed him.

Granitepaw is at least assured Pitchstar has gone to some blazing hell instead.

Still, seeing the black-pelted warrior in Pitchstar's place makes him strangely uneasy. Chilledstar's very existence is a reminder of what he's done, what he'd dragged Siltpaw into. He can hardly even look at Starlingheart anymore without seeing her brother's dying, foam-flecked mouth as he choked and died.

Granitepaw sits with his tail tightly curled about his paws, brooding and quiet. He doesn't feel like talking to the other Clans -- he only wants to sit with himself, in his head, and attempt to appease the odd gnawings of guilt and fear that creep from the earth into his belly. He doesn't have to wait long -- after that terrific lightning strike, Sootstar, confident as ever, ascends the Great Rock and begins her speech.

He's half-listening; ShadowClan and WindClan are allies, but he's never cared one way or the other. He can't put a face to a name for any of the new warriors or the leads she's promoted, and he's content to let his mind wander, until he hears about WindClan's quarrel with RiverClan.

Granitepaw's green eyes narrow into slits. He smirks, his fangs bared. "RiverClan harbors several murderers and traitors in their Clan, then, I see," he hisses. He rises to his paws, boldly eyeing the RiverClan leader upon the rock. "I guess the only requirement to be a RiverClanner is to kill innocents and betray their own Clans." He raises his voice, hoping the other cats near him will take notice. He's thinking of Bonejaw, of course -- all of the cats she'd failed, the Clan she'd let tumble into his anxious friend's paws without taking her into consideration. He doesn't know Hyacinthbreath or care to, but he isn't surprised by the news.

"Cicadastar should give us Bonejaw, too, then," he says with a sneer. "We're owed our traitor back, too."​

[ PENNED BY MARQUETTE ]​

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[TIGERFROST]

Tags and Information

---

Despite the chaos of the sudden storm, of the dazzling display of StarClan's power, Sootstar still finds it within herself to step upon that scorched stone and make her announcements, the first of the night. Tigerfrost peers up at her with prideful satisfaction, with delight at how strongly she portrayed herself, and in turn, WindClan. In his eyes, Cicadastar and his murderous warrior were the cause of the lightning, of the show of wrath displayed by their ancestors. Not an omen for his clan, but of RiverClan! Perhaps the chimera deluded himself, but how could it be any other way? Sootstar had been chosen by StarClan themselves, why would they suddenly show her such blatant disapproval? And why would they condemn WindClan's quest for justice? Juniperfrost hadn't deserved to die, and RiverClan sheltered a killer. No, Tigerfrost reasons, StarClan's disapproval was aimed at Cicadastar, not Sootstar. In his addled mind, there could be no other explanation. There could be no fault laid at WindClan's paws. They had done what was right.

He meets his leader's gaze as she announces his promotion, chin up and prideful, eyes glowing in the night. But as he expected, the news is not all pleasant. Sootstar launches into a righteous demand for retribution, demanding that the traitor Hyacinthbreath be delivered into WindClan's claws. The tom yowls his approval, and his encouragement, to Sootstar. His hellish eyes find Cicadastar, expectant and hungry. How much more blood would need to be spilled before he gave up that murderer? Would he allow her to kill again? To cause another war? His expression is grim, but he hopes the recent attack will have shaken the RiverClan leader's confidence. The voice of a ShadowClan apprentice splits the night next, demanding his own form of justice. Tigerfrost's hellish vision glows with approval.​

 

[willowroot]

( ☾ ) her first gathering since motherhood, and it's not going to be a peaceful one. scratches, barely scabbed over, ooze under dark fur, emerald eyes bloodshot and narrowed as windclan's leader begins her speech. the heavens appear as serene as they have always been, no memory of the bolt of light that had just pierced the ground, no sign besides the residual ash that is left from the strike. funny that sootstar speaks up so soon after the sign from starclan, the sign that has dusted the earth with soot. surely this is some sort of hypocrisy starclan is punishing- sootstar's actions throughout the past moons have caught notice of the heavens above. willowroot prays silently that something more will be done.

as the queen of the moors makes her announcements, only a slight glance is spared for the newly appointed lead warriors. eyes full of distain flicker from wolfsong to tigerfrost, where they linger for but a breath. the man is smirking, prideful, tabby splotched body cut and scarred from river claws. satisfaction blooming in her belly at the blood crusting the tomcat, the femme turns back to the rock, taking a breath. the storm is about to break, she knows. the lightning was but a warning.

sootstar makes her announcement with cloying words, her tone ringing with anger and a sorrow willowroot almost believes. she spits words of murder, of traitors and morality, and the lead warrior chuckles, low and long. "riverclan had every right to punish a trespasser as seen fit, especially one who threatened harm to children." she mutters, tail lashing behind her. a shadowclan apprentice yowls out demands for bonejaw, now boneripple, and the angled head tips towards him. "apprentices have no place to make demands of leaders. shut it and let your leader handle it if they wish," she'll snarl, before her attention returns to the front. "if you wished to punish your exiled, you should've done so before they fled! windclan has some nerve to accuse others of murder and incessancy when every moon or so, more cats are chased from their borders, bringing news of a tyrannical rule!" a huff escapes the lead warrior's chest, and they'll fall silent, sinking back into the shadows as she watches. there is no sympathy for the grieving clan in her heart. willowroot has no affection for hyacinthbreath, only tolerates boneripple, but anyone resisting windclan is alright in her book. ​

( THE LIGHT YOU GAVE ME )

 

[LAKEMOON]

✵ ღ ☾ IT TOOK ME BY SURPRISE - Amongst the crowd, Lakemoon sits nearby Willowroot, her tail flicking to and fro as she listens on with a narrowed gaze, deep sapphire hues stone cold as she heard the Windclan leaders cry for justice.
She almost audibly laughs, but is able to suppress the urge by opting for a mere flick of her ear.
An apprentice speaks up now, but Willowroots speech is quick to steal her attention, nodding along in agreement.
The lead warriors last words spark resurfaced memories of Sootstar’s own scandalous murders at the claws of her warriors, and now she finds herself speaking. ❝ You speak of justice, but where was the justice for the cats who have fled from your tyranny? The Skyclanner murdered in cold blood? Did his family ever receive closure- did you ever suffer the consequences of his death outside of Blazestar calling you out? Or are you above the cat who killed to protect her loved ones?❞ It’s all too likely her voice would simply blend in with any other outcry’s, either in agreement or protest, but she’d still stand and speak all the same, her tone leveled despite her raised voice, but her gaze holding nothing but disgust for the silver leader, the Queen of the Moors.
She had said her piece, heard or not, and would follow Willowroots lead and sit back down, ears swiveled back.
❝ Speech. ❞

THE HATRED IN HER EYES​

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[hyacinthbreath]

"Oh, shut up you pompous, delusional swine." Hyacinthbreath curses out beneath her breath as she moves to stand beside Willowroot, fully prepared for Cicadastar to go off on the smoke molly. If he wouldn't, she would- Hyacinthbreath had plenty of shit to say to her former Queen, but for now, she'd behave. Her eyes narrow at Tigerfrost then, disgust evident in the upturn of her scarred lip. ​

❝ there are wounds inside me, gaping holes of disconnect.
can you drown inside your own body? can you suffocate within this mind? ❞

 

[CICADASTAR]

only moments after he’d ascended the rock, it begins, and he is not surprised. it always goes this way, when the little molly had been put in her place. she tries to turn the forest around, to garner compassion, and the shouts from beneath already tell that she would not be getting it. he watches as the windclan leader rants, raves, dances about the soot that mars her paws and he can only chuckle as she continues, as she lifts her voice to call over the land while so openly thwarted by the stars above. she puffs herself, tries now to look confident, tries to stand and fix that ever - familiar look upon her face, and he does not believe it for a second. the stars have sent her punishment for the violence she so thrust upon them, and he would not let it pass as she had. no.. he stands before she is even done, steps along the edge of the rock — hopes to engulf her little size with his own tall, imposing stature, hopes to attract the eyes of those below with a flick of his thick, curled tail. oh, he was going to eviscerate her. it was all he could do to keep his paws to himself.

“ as you all can see, sootstar is as delusional as she has ever been! only now does ending a trespassing enemy bother her — one who had crossed our borders, threatened the kin of our warriors. should we not forget the warrior she had slain with for the very same reason? should we all forget, as she seems to wants us to? oh, but you’d seemed so confident about it before. “ he talks over her, tries to, hears his warriors are shouting in their defense as well and his expression is fury. he wants to knock her off of this rock, wants to take her eyes the way her mate had taken smokethroat’s. she belonged bloody and broken on the ground below him, “ my warriors did as they were told. they protected their land, their home, and themselves. and should any more of your fish - brained warriors cross my border again, they will suffer the same fate — only i’ll be sure to follow your pitiful lead, and drag them back to make sure it’s done by my own claws. “

he unsheathed long, hooked claws to accentuate, visibly, feels his hackles raise, “ sootstar picks and chooses who she mourns, picks and chooses who she wishes to end herself, picks who deserves to be missed. “ he is yelling, joins the cacophony of anger from riverclanners below, “ just last moon two former windclanners came bloodied to my border, came begging me for solace and they were sent away — juniperfrost was killed in necessity, he was a threat. tell me, what would any of you do? what would you do when the stench of soil and hare dirt crosses your land? should we continue to harbor them, when moon after moon they attack, they simper and moan when retaliated again? “ he snaps his head back towards her, pulls his lips back in a violent snarl, “ sootstar does not want justice, as she so claims. she wants to cover her own tail for the injustices she’s put upon us, wants to finally simper for sympathy when she faces the consequences of letting her dogs run free over land that does not belong to them! in fact — “ his gaze turns back towards the crowd, “ cats of every clan, you know well that she does not even belong here. look at the darkness under her paws! look at the consequences of her actions, the consequences of her turning her claws on riverclan, on skyclan, on her own warriors! “

screaming. so much screaming lately, his throat aches, maw raw and throbbing — but he continues, thoughts flying about his mind, coalfoot’s words burning in, “ and ah, where are her medicine cats? the cinnamon molly, gone. those two warriors she’d had mauled — they let me know dandelionwish had been kept prisoner! what of that? “ his gaze flicks to her, shines with rage. he’s breathing heavy, feels his ears pinned sleek to his skull, “ windclan attacked us on our own territory, over prey that belonged to riverclan. just yesterday, they waged war on our camp for a cat slain in self - defense on our territory — and sootstar was nowhere to be seen for either! nor was she present in the attack on skyclan, where her dogs attempted to steal herbs. windclan has no morals, has no right to preach to anyone here. they’ve gotten away with no consequence for too long. she hides behind her warriors and claims to be superior than us all. she speaks of starclan and they surely abandoned her! it’s hilarious, really. “ his jaw clenched, teeth taking together. he flicks his tail at her, tiny, bristling, chest disgusting and marred, paws sullied, “ look at her, and laugh! pathetic! “

she turns to him and he steps forward, leans down to snarl in her face, a whisker away. wild, pale blue eyes are slitted, blazing with a fury he’d never felt, “ i do not need windclan’s forgiveness, and i do not answer to rats. try it and i will find out just how many lives you have left now — as should have been done long ago. ” an open threat. he’s done, tired of entertaining her, letting her claws fly with no consequence. he would end them, he would extinguish them from this land as he’d been preaching since the very beginning, “ any windclan warrior that dares cross my border again will meet the same fate, they will join juniperfrost in whatever starless sky awaited for him. any blood spilled further will not be riverclans, i assure you. “ then.. he hisses, mouth of spit flying purposefully at her and he hopes it hits her in the face, clings to her jutting whiskers. it would be an improvement, “ you won’t hide away this time, by starclan you will finally get what you deserve. “

− ♱ information out of character ⟐ visual reference translated ♱ −

• ˖ ⁺ ｡ ˚ ⠀ CICADASTAR⠀⠀−−−c−−−⠀⠀king of the rivers.
  m. he / him. black smoke & tortoiseshell chimera with intense salt - blue eyes. a handsome, looming tom bearing patchwork black - silver curls that fall over his slim figure in loose, shining rivulets, broken with white and glossy from his fish diet. descending from a heritage of overtyped oriental shorthairs, cicadastar stands unusually tall amongst his peers, and holds himself with a tragic grace, poised and prim and ever - aware of how he is being perceived.
  
  ᨒ gay, courting smokethroat. smells like wet stone & moss.
  ᨒ speaks with a german accent. 40 moons, ages on the eighth.
  
  penned by antlers​
  
  
• 
• none.

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[SMOKESTAR]

Couldn't say he didn't agree with the ShadowClan apprentice muttering curses towards Boneripple still, she had been nothing but a pain upon her joining; constantly abandoning her litter for their queens to watch as she tried to continue acting as a warrior and even speaking out of line at many instances toward newcomers and their ilk. Had a lot of talk for a molly who spoke so many little lies. No, Smokethroat had not believed her sob story for a second, he had no reason to trust her word against that of an entire clan and given ShadowClan's outrage toward her he wondered if there was not more to it. Did she do something foolish? Get someone killed? Who was to say, but he'd never ask her. She'd lie to his face and feign innocence.
Willowroot is yelling at the apprentice from the marshes, he has rarely seen her so vocally opposed and angered like this. Not even when they discovered to their horror the twisted branding ceremony the WindClan leader performed on her cats as some macabre display of loyalty. He does not give the ShadowClan tom a moment longer of his attention though, single orange eye focused on the leaders before them.

Boneripple may very well be an outcast they should not have taken in but Hyacinthbreath had never once given him a reason to not believe her. Every word she'd spoken before of WindClan was true, unfolded before his own eye and he had even witnessed the cruelty she'd preached of them directly time and time again. That Juniperfrost deserved death was not a question, no matter the circumstances. A dead WindClanner was the only good WindClanner if you asked him.

His voice is cold, the normally vitriolic rage that burned inside his chest had twisted into something more composed and contained; a fire caged but a cold wind slipping through the bars. Smokethroat was a cat ruled by his emotions at times, easily angered and sent into an outrage but for once he finds himself so infuriated he has gone full circle around to feeling a strange peace. The eye of a storm, the docility before the teeth. He echoes his own clanmates voices, Willowroot and Lakemoon's pointed remarks, with his own.
"Cease to find blood at our paws? Have you ever looked down, fool, and seen the stains on your own you have trailed through the forest? Sending cats scurrying from your moors like hares from a smoked tunnel. If you desire peace, why then do you answer every obstacle with violence? You seek justice but only for yourselves, never once caring for the cruelties you have caused to clans before. What of SkyClan's warrior murdered in cold blood by your own claws? What of their camp raided to sate your own needs? You have shown us your true colors, why now should we believe your lies of peace knowing that you will continue to simply take and take like a parasite..."
Wretched, filth, he wishes she had been in the battle-he would have loved nothing more than to take that pale gray throat between his teeth and bit down until the moors were unawash with blood and grime once more.
His single gaze darts forward to Cicadastar, stares at the tom intently, knowing he would not bend to this witch no matter the circumstances and feeing pride swell in his chest long before the man even speaks and when he does he is not disappointed. A partial smile hides in the darkness of the fur around his maw, the faintest shine of white teeth visible.
Look at her and laugh, he says. Pathetic. Smokethroat rewards the speech with just that, a low and throaty chuckle rising from the silence broken apart by cats whispering in hushed voices.

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[CHILLEDSTAR.]

DON'T YOU GIVE ME UP, PLEASE DON'T GIVE UP​

---

there is a bunch of commotion from the moment that sootstar steps upon the rock. she's the first to speak, and she's as delusional as she's ever been. she claims something of justice, wanting hyacinth back. who had run away right into the paws of riverclan. for the leader to be so paranoid, as they'd observed, he sure did have such a knack for housing refugees and deserters. they only watch for a while. none of this had anything to do with them. sootstar hadn't even had the utter decency to let them know that she decided to rage an all out war on riverclan, and they were supposed go be allies. chilledstar was nice enough to send a messenger of their own ascent to the throne... why couldn't sootstar do the same when it came to something so detrimental? what if they'd come to shadowclan looking for some kind of help? oh, but this wasn't to say they were on riverclan's side either.

chilledstar didn't like any cat that wasn't a shadowclanner. they made it clear very often at these gatherings, having been at every single one and never talking to anyone unless they were forced into a conversation. they made it painfully clear just how disgusted they felt being around other clans. so, no. they weren't in favor of riverclan. and they weren't exactly happy with windclan either. this put a bit of a target on their back. they were caught between a rock and a hard place. did they speak up in favor of windclan and risk being attacked by the other clans, or did they simply speak of neutrality? they wanted to do the latter of the two, but they couldn't ruin this alliance. not like this, at least. it was clear windclan was led by a lunatic, who wanted nothing but blood and power. as delicious as that sounded, chilledstar was selfish. they only wanted to do anything that would benefit shadowclan, which in turn would simply benefit them.

their tongue draws over their muzzle as they watch the back and forth, gaze unreadable and expression stale. they wonder if they've even noticed that pitchstar isn't here. they don't know he is dead, other than sootstar. no other cat did, outside of shadowclan. they'd only told sootstar, via a npc, and hoped that she kept it to herself. their claws gently scrapped against the rock, before they just huffed. this seemed like a bit of a waste of time. all this arguing, all this bickering. it made them pathetic, spitting out what they all believed to be right. everyone always thought they were right, and chilledstar wasn't an exception to this. they certainly thought that they'd been right, and they had yet to say a single word. why would they? they hadn't even been mentioned. it was as it should be. shadowclan being covered by the shadows, remaining but a whisper amongst cats. granitepaw spoke up, sure, but only is briefly addressed before he is brushed off. they have a gut feeling that the same would happen to them had they chosen to even speak up. but they do, nonetheless, but it is brief, and unlikely to be heard by many over the shouting.

"and they lead clans like this. if i am ever to be so damned delusional that i look like a rabid badger, may starclan throw lightning at me, and hopefully not miss."

they snort. insane, all of them. every last one of them. shadowclan had had plenty of excitement as of late. if they were ever able to even get a single word in, maybe they'd warn the others of the rogue that was on the loose. until then, they'd watch this screaming match. slight amusement danced in their eyes, but only because this was like a circus act. an absolute shit show.
​

 

[Ravenwatcher.]

So I walk alone down the darkest roads​

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Well... isn't this going swimmingly? Monotoned gaze drifted to watch as both Sootstar and Cicadastar spat words of anger at each other, one demanding that of their traitors back while the other shot justification back at them for what was going on. And she wondered who was losing their mind first, ignoring the words of Granitepaw as the child was that of a fool and still has much to understand but he made a fair point about Bonejaw and Riverclan harboring traitors which they seemed to grown a knack of doing as of late.

What a pathetic site to see, the gathering had only just begin and two leaders were already at each other's throat and that made her gaze drift upwards wondering if Starclan would send another lightning strike down to take one of Sootstar's life for causing more trouble or if they'll allow this to continue never to intervene in what seemed to be a start of another war. How...meaningless, what would it take for these fools to swallow their pride? How many lives must they lose for them to swallow their ego and make truce? Probably not until another precious life is lost or another realization hits them in the face, until then she'll keep her silence and watch as things unfold. This was a problem that laid with Windclan and Riverclan, why should they involve themselves into something so meaningless?​

"speak""Thoughts"​

 

[Badgerstrike]

The lightning strike had Struck a sudden fear into her. She never feels that. For a storm to so quickly form.... To strike with such precision..... She couldn't deny Starclans existence, now. She knew they were real without a doubt, and she could see they were angry.

Her bright yellow eyes rested on Sootstar, subject of the stars wrath. How can she still believe that she is favored among them? Delusional. She listens to the boiling rage being spewed on the rock between leaders. The outcries of those around her.

Yes. Tonight would be the night this peace was shattered, she could feel it.

She kept her mouth shut, for now. If a fight broke out, she would simply fight alongside whoever struck at Windclan. To earn the ire of the stars and still say they bless you.... Foolish.
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[SOOTSTAR]

Sootstar’s heart lurches when she lays eyes on the ShadowClan Tom on the ground, it was as if she was looking at a ghost. Could it be…? No- that was most certainly not him, he was dead, but good StarClan was that Tom a spitting image. She knows in her gut that must be a child of his, it must be Sandylight’s child. She’s caught off-guard by this, it was clear in the way she hesitates to respond to him. ”…Yes… you are right- the ShadowClan cat is right!” Sootstar booms, turning to look an unenthusiastic Chilledstar in their eyes, ”Bonejaw should be returned as well to ShadowClan.” See? She had their back, they better have hers… Was it not only fair the loyalty to their alliance went both ways?

Her gaze meets a feline of silver, a RiverClan warrior, no doubt about it! A brow raises in immediate confusion at the word trespasser, what?! These cats were lying- she knows Sunstride and Wolfsong of all warriors would not lie to her! They would’ve told her, warned her if Juniperfrost had died due to trespassing on RiverClan territory. In an instant she shakes her head dismissively, ”No, Juniperfrost may be sharp-tongued and hot tempered but he did not trespass! I have my own warriors who were there to witness it! Hyacinthbreath attacked my warrior and dragged him onto RiverClan land to kill him!” Her paw stomps into the rock, sending a small dust wave of soot to roll. ”Hyacinithbreath’s punishment was exile, she did not flee WindClan- you forget. She was forced to leave on my order. Now for continuing her assault she deserves more than exile!”

Did all these RiverClan cats have their facts wrong? Did they all intentionally lie? Another cat, blue pelted with stripes speaks up about the SkyClan warrior. Saying she murdered him- no, she did exactly as these RiverClan cats lied about doing now! She protected her land against a trespassing SkyClanner who attack first. ”Now that incident was an actual trespass! I was attacked first by that Tom, I did not drag him across my borders needlessly. Defending my territory that day costed me SkyClans wrath, because of that day they left my clan sick and cureless! My clan suffered the consequences of that death, many of them rest in silverpelt now, you know nothing of the price WindClan has had to pay!” Idiots, fools, all of them!

When Cicadastar speaks she growls, again much of his argument stands on the lie Juniperfrost trespassed. ”Only RiverClan lies, Juniperfrost did not trespass, the traitor you harbor killed Juniperfrost based on words. In fact, she was exiled for attacking him the first time- again because his words hurt her. Are mere words enough for RiverClan to kill for?” She challenges, her eyes narrowed in fury. ”Our last attack on RiverClan makes me confident we can face you again if that’s what you desire. We suffered no casualties, just wounds that have not stopped many of my cats from still attending tonight.” She huffs on with several lashes of her tail, if that was Cicadastar’s answer then so be It. Sootstar was not fearful of them. ”next time there is battle you’ll find me. I welcome you to do your best.”

With that she sits down, ”That is all from WindClan.”​

---

Spoiler: TAGS ★ 03/13

( primary character / "speech" / ic opinions )​

╰ ★ ჻ 001 GENERAL INFORMATION ,
· SOOTSTAR, female — she / her
╰ ‣ 39 moons . pisces. ages on the first
╰ ‣ windclan leader . marsh-born . believes in starclan
╰ ‣ former soldier of the marsh group

╰ ★ ჻ 002 VISUALS & AESTHETICS ,
· DOMESTIC FELINE, smells like heather and wet dirt , status — 100%
╰ ‣ blue smoke . scarred chest, difficult to see through fur . green eyes

╰ ★ ჻ 003 MENTALITY & MANNERISMS ,
· ESTJ-A ❝ EXECTUTIVE ❞ , Slytherin, Lawful Evil
╰ ‣ Cunning, brash, fierce, confident, self-reliant, envious & selfish
╰ ‣ finds great difficulty in relating to others . can be cruel, usually shows mercy to those she can find sympathy with
╰ ‣ sole key to her heart is loyalty, if you have her trust, she often shows a completely different side of herself. Aggression tends to manifest from her extreme paranoia
╰ ‣ Appreciates titles such as "miss, m'am" etc

╰ ★ ჻ 004 INTERACTIONS & RELATIONSHIPS ,
· SOOT CLAW x PEBBLE BREEZE, sister to Pebblenose
╰ ‣ heterosexual. mate to Weaselclaw
╰ ‣ mother to Windstrider, Sootchaser, Moorkit, Adderkit, Harrierkit, Bluekit & Cottonkit
╰ ‣ mentor to N/A
╰ ‣ average fighter . skilled hunter .
╰ ‣ will start fights . unlikely to flee .
╰ ‣ attack in underline . penned by user @ava.​

​

​

 

[TIGERFROST]

Tags and Information

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He grinds his teeth in fury as Cicadastar responds, all lies and excuses like bile from his vile tongue. Tigerfrost's chin is still high, his eyes boiling with their confident glow. Other RiverClanners voice their foolish thoughts and ideas, and he curls his lip at Lakemoon and Willowroot, returns Hyacinthbreath's glare with an icy narrow of his own eyes. Then his vision finds Smokethroat, who dared to bring up the SkyClan trespass as if that was comparible in any form. Rats, the lot of them. Sootstar voices her response, and once again the Lead Warrior yowls his support and agreement. And where was the ShadowClan leader? Where had Pitchstar run off to? WindClan needed to hear voices of encouragement, not the sickening lies of their murderous neighbors.

"Do the rest of the clans truly hate WindClan so much that you are willing to look past the fact that a RiverClan Warrior forcibly dragged a WindClanner over the border for the sole purpose of butchering him like prey? A loyal warrior was murdered in cold blood. Who's to say RiverClan won't do it to your clan next? And then lie about it in front of everyone, at the gathering?" He directs his voice at all the other clans. If RiverClan was so willing to murder one cat and then create lies about what had happened, then it stood to reason that, in their lack of honor, they'd quickly do the same to any other group when it suited them. "Ask yourselves how you'd feel if you exiled one of your Warriors for brutally assaulting their own clan-mate, only to find out that another clan has not only given them refuge, but now lies on behalf of that traitor after they murdered one of your warriors in cold blood." Did they all dare to claim that they would not feel just as much rage as WindClan did now? WindClan had a right to their anger! A right to justice! And Tigerfrost wanted to make sure that every cat knew that.

It was hard to believe that he had once looked up to Hyacinthbreath. But now? Now he wanted nothing more than to see her dead in the ground. A traitor deserves nothing less.​

 

[SNAKEHISS]

❪ TAGS ❫ — "Yeah, RiverClan are just a bunch of liars!" Snakepaw called out as soon as Tigerfrost jumped to WindClan's defense. There were far too many cats willing to dismiss WindClan and their reasonings, but Sootstar had a point! Hyacinthbreath murdered Juniperfrost in cold blood. Even raiding RiverClan a first time wouldn't be enough; WindClan was owed a life for a life! How was letting the murderer live fair?

He is only an apprentice and knows better than to open his trap during a gathering, but since many other cats are raising their voices, then why not him? "They should be called ExileClan. Them harboring traitors is a danger to us all! Who will be killed by them next?" What if the exiled cats began killing cats from their former clans out of spite, out of anger for past grievances? And to make matters even worse, Cicadastar seemed to only deny the facts! Would he turn a blind eye to other murders occurring on RiverClan's borders, just to make RiverClan look innocent?​

 

[willowroot]

( ☾ ) her lip curls as more voices ring out, both in support and protest, and she flattens her ears, listening to sootstar's saccharine vocals with rage building in her blood. tigerfrost yowls out protests as well and willowroot barely acknowledges him as she stares, hissing and shaking, at the queen of the moors. "it's a conflict of interest on both sides, then," she calls, "you all talk of murder as if it is above you, but it certainly seems like it's not. last night, when your warriors stole into our camp in the darkness, without you, i might add, they targeted our medicine den, and brutally slayed one of our warriors." she pauses, takes a ragged breath. "clearsight, brave and noble, is dead because of this border dispute. both sides have lost more than we've gained, over a fucking border! so don't you dare," this word cracks, and willowroot plunges her claws into the ground. "don't you dare speak as if you're the only one who's known death because of this! oh how noble windclan are, fighting for the loss of their clanmate, sneaking in the dead of night to attack a camp, to murder a warrior and then cry about it at a gathering."

she can feel heat pooling in her eyes and she drops her gaze, sinking into the dark fur of smokethroat from where he stands beside her. "how do we know who to trust, when our own warriors say it was trespassing, and theirs believe it was cold blooded? how do we tell enemy from friend anymore?" she murmurs to her friend. willowroot knows, feels in her heart that hyacinthbreath would not lie- she stands on too thin ice to get away with it, but looking at the gleaming molly, there is something dark in her gaze. ​

( THE LIGHT YOU GAVE ME )

 

[Sporecloud]

It was a hectic gathering, wasn't it. But what a night! She watched as Starclan damned Sootstar in front of everyone, and scoffed when she tried to say differently.

But oh, oh!! The news she learned as she spotted her madness!! Juniperfrost was dead!? Her heart lit up with joy and she wasn't afraid to show it.

She listened on as the chaos unfolded. It was time to add her voice to the chorus.

"I for one am glad that wretched excuse of a tom is dead. His new mate has been done a favor she doesn't yet realize." She spoke boldly.

"After all he put Leopardcloud through, he deserved what he got. Hyacinthbreath did us  all a favor, really." She kept going. She was filled with so much glee.

She wore a smug grin. Looking up to the stars, she wondered if Leopardcloud could rest peacefully. Sporecloud was confident that Juniperfrost had been sent somewhere dark.... Surely Starclan wouldn't accept someone so vile.

"Of course Windclan claims he was dragged over... They think they can't do anything wrong, after all." She said, then chuckled. "Even when the stars themselves threaten to strike them down. Oh, to be so ignorant and prideful...."

she knew she should shut up. But she had to spit her venom. She needed to. If she got a stern talking to for it then so be it, but she HAD to.
​

 

[Firefang]

The king of the fish breaths has the gall to lie, to paint a picture in his favor alone. He damns Windclan makes open threats towards their leader and claims it as righteousness, that Juniperfrost’s death was anything more then a cold blood murder made by a unstable she-cat who’s blood should've fed the grasses in the moorland long ago. She searched for her in the crowd before things have cascaded into chaos, but now no longer does her fiery gaze attempt to find the silver furred rat in their premises. They glare up towards Cicadastar, her tail lashes and a snarl echoes in the depths of her throat. He’d pay for his words tonight and she damns the “peace” starclan has them abide by tonight, it’d be so easy to swarm him here to make him cry for mercy to the stars he’d never be blessed by as ever last pitiful life was stripped from him. It’s a fantasy she cannot play out no matter how much she desires it.

She listens to the outcry of those gathered here beneath the full moon at both his words and her own leaders - how anyone can side with Riverclan is beyond her. Like Snakepaw had yelled out they were a clan who harbored to many unwanteds, a clan who swam in the smell of their own shit because they believed it didn’t stink. They lied for their own benefit, painted them like the enemy the forest needed to unite against, but the only ones who cry out in Cicadastar’s favor are those far too braindead to think for themselves. They were hypocritical and deserving of whatever pain had rained down upon them and whatever fights would follow in moons to come.

She may not unsheathe her claws but she is not above letting her voice be heard, she doesn’t offer an argument nor justification nah others before had put it better, Sootstar could handle herself and show just how much of a fool Cicadastar and his legion of fish faced foxhearted tail-kissers were. ❝Hope you’re good at countin’ Cicadastar! Cuz’ those lives of yours are bouta start countin’ down!❞ she yowls openly. he would never get to see Sootstar pass, nah he’d never get to follow through with his threats! Windclan was the strongest clan in the forest and Riverclan would get to know it far more intimately than they had days ago. ​

( ✦ )

 

[HOWLINGSTAR]

Howlingtar remains shaken after the bolt of electricity charred the very rock the five of them stand on. She glances towards Chilledgaze, curiosity beginning to bubble up in her when she notices Pitchstar is replaced by his deputy. Perhaps he is ill? She doesn't have much time to think on it before Sootstar, high and mighty after assuring her that StarClan favors the moorland clan, and even goes as far as to say ThunderClan is the true target of the lightning, begins the Gathering.

The typical news swiftly falls into chaos. The tabby's eyes narrow as what began as a rather quiet night (even if the cats had been stunned into silence) devolves into shouting. WIndClan and RiverClan, with even a sprinkle of ShadowClan, are screaming at each other, tossing threats and accusations at one another like mouse droppings. Her spine tingles with apprehension as she sends a glance upwards towards the now-clear sky. The last thing she wants to do is draw StarClan's ire once more. The WindClan and RiverClan leader and their respective clans are acting like children, bickering over the lives of dead clanmates. "Enough!" The older woman demands, clear voice splitting through the hollow. She steps forward as she speaks, head and tail lifted high in natural dominance. She levels the two leaders with a hard stare. "Two of your warriors are dead. Have some respect. You are like pups whimpering over who wronged who first, whose death was just and whose wasn't. Do it at your border, not under the full moon."

She turns her emerald gaze to the clearing of gathered cats, deciding to turn the conversation back to the point of this meeting. She lifts her voice once more so that it rings out loudly for all to hear. "ThunderClan welcomes newleaf, just as the other clans do. Herbs are regrowing in the recovering part of the forest. Prey remains sparser in those areas, but we are persistent in our hunts. It's still an improvement from leaf-bare. We have named two new apprentices this moon, the very kits of our deputy, Flycatcher, and one of our lead warriors, Flamewhisker: Stormpaw and Falconpaw!"

She pauses, knowing what she must announce next. After only a short and nearly unnoticeable hesitation, she continues, "We welcome a new litter of kits this newleaf, too. My daughter, Little Wolf, has given birth to two strong and healthy kits: Dusk-kit...and Skykit." Howlingstar stifles a grimace. The name her daughter gave the second kit, while beautiful, was horribly mouse-brained. It's already odd enough to call a child after another clan, even worse when that queen had previously been mated to the SkyClan leader. Little Wolf put us all in a poor situation. A discouraging thought, but she hopes no one puts two and two together. "I am thankful both for a growing clan and a growing family."

The briefest of glances is cast towards the cream-coated tom at her side, sympathy swelling in her gaze. They may not have been friends, but he is family whether she likes it or not. Unknowing that he knows of the kits' existence, she believes that she just gave him the news for the first time. "That is all from ThunderClan." She tears solemn eyes away from Blazestar and dips her head towards the clearing full of cats before stepping back.​

 

[CICADASTAR]

she ignores the majority of his words, as she so often does — does not react when he spits in her face, but he knows she can feel it. he hopes it reeks as strong of fish and muck as they so claim, “ oh, yes, he was certainly pulled over our borders. after windclan has invaded my territory once before, you claim now that we pulled one of your stinking, pathetic underlings to our side? you’re so desperate to save your pelt, you make yourself look like an idiot yet again. you claim windclan is strong — are they? was juniperfrost strong? or was he pulled over and beaten to his oh - so tragic death by a single molly? “ minnow - brained. they were all minnow - brained to believe he’d been yanked over the border, “ for what reason do we have, hm? what reason to ruin our borders with your stench? he trespassed, and he met his death because of it. continue your lies, soot. “

he would not call her by her star - given name. she didn’t deserve it, “ soon, the rest of your warriors will realize the facade you hide behind and will come running to me to save them yet again, but they won’t simply be turned away this time. they’ll meet the same fate as the mutt that died on my bridge of his OWN ACCORD. exile means nothing to me when it comes from your side of the forest. it means they have seen through you.. hyacinthbreath has information valuable to me, has proven she’s rid herself of your filth and continues to slander your name, tell me of all your little secrets. “ he hisses, feels his long, curling whiskers draw back with it. he would be using them now, he would find there those little hare hid away. he would dig them out himself, “ and his name was clearsight. clearsight. he died defending our home, our kits — while your pitiful excuse perished of his own fish - brained, idiotic actions. at least he was a windclanner to the very end, yes? you don’t get that very often. “ he sneers, hopes it burns. she would not show it either way, built of lies and false - confidence until her last breath. he would rip it from her — he would rid the land of her parasites, her warriors so willing to simper at her paws.. they were not strong.

she scrabbles to agree with the shadowclanner, stutters on it, even — a child, and he laughs in her face again. he follows her gaze and.. sandra’s child. he doesn’t care, rolls his eyes at the expression pinched on his little face, lets his pallid gaze pin to soot once more, “ oh? now the apprentice is right? “ he coos, pokes out his bottom lip in mocking, “ getting the little ones to fight your battles for you, soot? we all know you can’t do it yourself now, don’t we? “ he flicks his tail dismissively, snorts. no, boneripple would be going nowhere. they could whine and complain all they wanted, but her kits were riverclan. as was she, now, “ it is only trespassing when it is your border. only you are allowed to unsheathe your claws, to kill, to harbor prisoners, ja? i am not afraid of you, soot — nor your mutts. you say you suffered no causalities? your causality was suffered on the bridge, fairly. we don't attack in the night. we do not scar our warriors, we do not steal herbs. when you do not have the advantage of surprise, of storming our home at moonhigh, you couldn’t even reach my warriors. what, will you bite at our forelimbs? batter us with your kit claws? you send your clan to fight your battles while we sleep, because you are weak — always have been. ignore the words you cannot argue against, boast your confidence as you so claim. you have nothing, even less now. the next puddle beneath your disgusting paws will be your own blood, should the stars not succeed in striking you first — as they should have tonight. “

and then, the thunderclan leader opens her mouth.

“ enough. ENOUGH? shove a tail in it, howlingSTAR. “ he screams back, rounds the brown tabby to snarl horrifically at her just as he had done the windclan pest, lips raised and teeth full bared, “ you have no position to tell me how to react, how to process our grief when my CAMP WAS ATTACKED! our medicine den RANSACKED. “ he would not stoop to the windclanner’s level. he would not be condemned in the way she had been, the way she pretends she was not despite her paws sullied with their anger — as much as he longed to turn his claws against them both, against the windclanners that howl beneath him, “ my warrior, my friend was slaughtered. a mate, a mentor was killed in his own home, defending his loved ones! i will choose how how i respond to that — i do not have to remain respectful to the one who launched an attack that took the life of one of my BEST, because she couldn’t control her own WARRIORS. “ he lashes his tail, a violent snap - snap to each side, “ listen to them cry down there — she can’t even control them NOW! “

he can’t hear their words — can only hear their pitiful bleats of protest, like the desperate little sheepling they were. he flicks his wrist back, pinned ears sleek to his skull. his claws rake against the stone, small, scattered pebbles flying behind him, “ i will not continue to sit here and share tongues with a cat who should not be here in the first place. i will not share the names of my kits, of our apprentices and warriors that she will only send her clanners to target when one of them inevitably steps out of line once again, and meets their own embarrassing fate on my borders. “ he turns, grits his teeth painfully as he pads to the edge of the rock, talking loud over the remnants of howlingstar’s words — still trying to talk, musing over new lives and names. no, he would not listen. he would not stay and simper his own news, it didn’t matter, “ i have a warrior to bury, medicine den to restock. don’t you dare speak to me of respect when she stands here today in the star’s ire — for what she’s done to US. “

it was not — he didn’t know why they had sent a strike to her, but it lined up far too well to be sheer coincidence. the man leaps down, despite still running his mutilated maw, “ i hope to see you all sharing news when she comes for you next. when she can’t reign her windclanners in enough for them to stay on their side of the border — when she comes for you next because you wouldn’t turn your belly up and let them roam where they don’t belong! just as they have us, just as they have skyclan! “ yelling to be heard, shoving his way past warriors that still remain in his path, “ and then i will look upon you all and tell you to PLAY NICE! i will look you in your grieving eyes and tell you to do it at the borders they have no respect for to BEGIN WITH! “ if he stayed here any longer, he would assault her — he would assault one of them, would strike starclan’s fury himself. no. he would not, “ riverclan, let’s go. let them revel in peace with that murderous, self - important fox - faced molly. let them submit! we’ll see who suffers again at their paws next moon. ”

/ out. he’ll do his news next month rip

− ♱ information out of character ⟐ visual reference translated ♱ −

• ˖ ⁺ ｡ ˚ ⠀ CICADASTAR⠀⠀−−−c−−−⠀⠀king of the rivers.
  m. he / him. black smoke & tortoiseshell chimera with intense salt - blue eyes. a handsome, looming tom bearing patchwork black - silver curls that fall over his slim figure in loose, shining rivulets, broken with white and glossy from his fish diet. descending from a heritage of overtyped oriental shorthairs, cicadastar stands unusually tall amongst his peers, and holds himself with a tragic grace, poised and prim and ever - aware of how he is being perceived.
  
  ᨒ gay, courting smokethroat. smells like wet stone & moss.
  ᨒ speaks with a german accent. 40 moons, ages on the eighth.
  
  penned by antlers​
  
  
• 
• none.

​

​

 

[TIGERFROST]

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Willowroot's words are shocking, at first. Clearsight, dead. A riverClan warrior. It would seem that WindClan's raid was even more successful than initially realized. He feels... glad. A sick sort of satisfaction. And he knows it's wrong. Knows that simmering beneath that sick glee was a deep guilt, because at the end of the day, two loyal Warriors had now met their end. On one hand, it was justice. A life for a life. But WindClan had wanted Hyacinthbreath, not this Clearsight fellow, whoever he was. A bystander, caught in the violence. But that was reality, wasn't it? The cold, hard truth. Hyacinthbreath's actions had consequences for both sides. Yet RiverClan continued to defend her. So be it, then. They deserved what they got. Tigerfrost won't let himself wallow in guilt over such things. He banishes the very thought from his mind. RiverClan clearly had no issue with murdering WindClan warriors, after all. So why should he care about their loss? Sporecloud even announces that she's glad a loyal cat was slaughtered. Well... in that case, Tigerfrost wasn't afraid to admit that he, too, was glad. Glad that Clearsight was dead.

His eyes harden, turn to frost. His expression akin to stone, even as Firefang speaks out. Howlingstar tries to stop it, speaks ThunderClan's news into the cool night's air. Tigerfrost supposes he can respect her attempt at restoring peace and order, but all for nothing, it would seem. Cicadastar responds with fury, squealing like some lunatic, pouring his undisciplined rage into the crowd like a kit on a tantrum. Tigerfrost's expression shifts as he sneers up at the RiverClan leader.

"Funny how he calls Sootstar's personality into question while he shrieks like some mind-addled loon." His vocals are more-so a comment, an observation, to himself. Not to anyone else. So, they're quiet, a comment meant only for his ears, and for those who are close enough to hear the lowly spoken vocals of the Lead Warrior. Still, as Cicadastar retreats off the stone, calls RiverClan to follow him, Tigerfrost's next response is not nearly so quiet. He barks a laugh, cold and cruel. "A clan that can't win a fight in their own camp and a leader that can't even keep his composure at a gathering. Yes, run away, RiverClan. What an embarrassment. None of this had to happen. Clearsight never would have been killed if Hyacinthbreath hadn't butchered Juniperfrost." It was her fault, and he wanted to make sure they all knew it. With RiverClan gone, perhaps the gathering could finally continue in relative peace. After all, WindClan didn't have to share the night's air with a bunch of frenzied killers. All of the blood, all of the death, it was on that traitor's paws. She, and she alone, was responsible. WindClan had simply responded to an injustice as any other group would. Tigerfrost lifts his chin once more, prideful despite his recent injuries.

After all, there was a great deal of satisfaction in seeing the backs of the retreating RiverClanners, fleeing from the problems one of their own had created. Unbeknownst to Tigerfrost, of course, his cruel hypocrisy was bound to catch up to him one day.​