FELL THROUGH THE ICE // pre-gathering chatter

[FORESTSHADE]

Tonight's Gathering is shrouded in an ethereal calm, twilight long gone as the full moon bathes the clearing in a silver glow. Of course, Forestshade can't see it, but she can sense the air of silence as ShadowClan is the first to appear in the clearing, the only sound being the leaves gently dancing in the wind. Patchwork paws slip easily onto the well-worn grass, speckled light and dark from the shadows above. As the creatures of the night disappear, fleeing from the pack of cats that now inhabit the area, the clan of the shadows takes their place at Fourtrees under a new leader.

The lead warrior stands at Smogstar's flank, a soft breath escaping her as she shakes out her pelt. "At least tonight's cool," She comments lowly, grateful for a break from the sweltering heat. She can hear the other clans arriving, their approach breaking the silence that had engulfed the clearing. Their scents mingle, causing the torbie's snout to wrinkle, and she angles her muzzle towards @THORNPAW 's ear. "Go on, go find some apprentices to talk to. It'll do ya good." With that, she departs from the mass of ShadowClan cats and prowls near the edge, closer to the Great Rock so she can find a decent seat.

Her head is lifted high, her presence commanding attention. With Chilledstar gone, she won't make ShadowClan look weak. Instead, she looks more assured than ever as she sits beneath one of the massive oak trees and waits to be approached by perhaps the other clans' lead warriors. Her ears prick, listening intently for the sound of pawsteps closing in, unbothered by any tension that may begin to gather here. If anyone dares to try anything tonight, perhaps she'll just have to repeat what her peer had done the moon prior. Her claws won't mind the stains.

// open to interaction! ​

 

[Magpiepaᴡ]

〔✦〕They’d never been to a gathering before and the prospect of going to one terrified the shit out of them. Magpiepaw didnt do well with the confines of their own camp and it wasnt acclimated to being friendly with others’ so to speak. Sure they could try to converse and be awkward the whole time but they’d rather not make a fool of themselves in front of four whole clans either. Still, the young apprentice was following the group without question and without a glance upward at the full moon. They wondered if their parents would be watching from above tonight and see them try to befriend the other clans- in their own niche way.

The black and white cat flicked their bushy tail back and forth as they followed along behind @MIDNIGHTPAW and @Hawkcloud . The four grand oak trees towered over everything in the forest and it felt its fur bristle in anticipation at the sight. Did these ever fall? Did they shed leaves? The stories they could tell of the other clans and what had happened throughout history. The young apprentice kneaded at the ground with claws for a moment before trotting to catch back up.

The mixture of scents is what hits them first, mixture of Windclan, Skyclan, Thunderclan and Shadowclan struck their chest coldly. Magpiepaw flicked their ear back and forth idly for a moment as they looked around at the gathering group of cats. There was so many- so many were talking, laughing and acting like nothing was wrong. It was- memorizing? Titillating? They couldnt think of a word to describe it and they wanted to find the nearest cat to question. Yet they kept their paws were they stood at the edge of the clearing as cats brushed past into the expansive opening.

“Do you think we could talk to a Skyclanner?” They ask the nearest clanmate to them, finding solace in not standing alone as they looked out at the different pelts, patterns and colors.

i am a lost boy ( neverland is home to lost boys ) //

• ooc.” “
  
• Magpiepaw —— Apprentice of Riverclan , mentored by Hawkcloud . NPC x NPC . littermate to Gladefrost and Frecklepaw ✦ penned by wolfie
  ✦ AFAB Agender Masculine / they/it/ze / 10 months & ages every 23ʳᵈ
  ✦ single / Demisexual Homoromantic(femme leaning) & polyamorous / open to romance
  ✦ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / underline & tag account when attacking
  —— combat details here / battle notes
  
  ✦ “speech”, 'thoughts', all opinions are in character
  ✦ biography — msg on discord for plots — toyhouse
  
• 
  
  

  a longhaired black and white cat with blue eyes. write a short description detailing appearance including necessary information.

​

 

[MOUSENOSE]

It's been some moons since Mousenose has gone to a Gathering. The night is cool, for greenleaf, and the full moon frosts the enormous clearing. Mousenose lightly brushes her flank against Shroudedpaw's. "Don't be afraid," she murmurs. "I'll stay with you the whole time, if you'd like." They angle their head toward the sky and inhale, deeply. The air is fresh, but the scents of other Clan cats have already infiltrated the space between the Fourtrees.

She immediately spots some bristling RiverClanners off to one side, and decides diplomatically not to approach them (she knows some of her Clanmates would anyway). Instead, her gaze flicks toward a longhaired torbie warrior with blind green eyes. "That's Forestshade, one of ShadowClan's lead warriors. Come on, I'll introduce you," she mews confidently.

With several swift strides, she finds herself face-to-face with the striped warrior. "Hi! I don't think we've met before. I'm Mousenose. This is Shroudedpaw, my apprentice." She grins. "This is his first Gathering!" She gazes around, looking for a familiar white-blazed feline face. "I don't see Chilledstar yet — are they here this time?" Her meow edges on blatant curiosity.

『 out of character. 』 ✧･ﾟ:* 『 about. 』

• ooc: interacting with @shroudedpaw and @FORESTSHADE
• 
• Mousekit . Mousepaw . Mousenose, she/they w/ feminine and non-gendered terms.
  — “speech”, thoughts, attack
  — 20 moons old, ages realistically on the 25th.
  — mentored by Silverlightning ; mentoring Shroudedpaw ; previously mentored Sunshinespot
  — thunderclan warrior. sunfreckle x rabbitnose, gen 2.
  — currently mated to n/a.
  — penned by Marquette.
  
  
  lh messy-furred tortoiseshell with high white and bright green eyes. demanding, exuberant, selfish, sensitive, oblivious, obnoxious.
  
  

​

 

[SOOTSPOT]

He had not been to a gathering since his mother was alive, the breadth in time so long it was like the other clans seldom existed in his head anymore. Walking alongside @Witherpaw, familiar and alien stenches immediately assaulted Sootspot's nostrils, each flaring as his gaze was forced upon the first clan to arrive. A ripple ran through his fur as he offered ShadowClan a terse smile, his tail lashing behind him. "The gathering is an opportunity to learn," he mewed quietly to the new blood that followed him, a tufted ear twitching as a ThunderClanner made conversation with the marshland heretics. It was all a facade, ways for clans to pretend they could make peace when all they craved was the blood of their enemies - only, some were too barbaric to even try being nice. The absence of certain ShadowClanners was a weight lifted off his chest, his chest puffed out in pride even as he slunk like a tunneling weasel to whisper again. "See the mediocrity before your very eyes and be grateful your home is on the moors." Then, lament it was not as good as it once was, before power was snatched from his victimised paws.

"Find some secrets. I shall not intrude." With that, the small feline moved forwards into the crowd, looking for some gossip of his own to hook onto.

[ open to interactions ; will not start engagements with shadowclan as per sunstar's request! ]
​

 

[Gladefrost]

With @eveningpaw and @TWINKLEPAW following suit behind her, she stops before glancing over her shoulder at them. ”This'll be your first gathering out of many. It's a day of peace between the clans,” Gladefrost would teach them as she glances around and notes her younger sibling sticking with Midnightpaw and Hawkcloud. It was mostly common knowledge that Windclan and Riverclan had hostile relations more than the others, yet a familiar figure catches her attention in her peripheral. Her heart skips a beat and her chambray gaze closes for a moment as she ruffles the two girls' heads and offers a soft smile. ”I'll be right here if anyone tries to mess with you. Go socialize and learn about the clans, remember their scents.” She instructs her two apprentices, and she shows them to go off and interact with others of their age from the other clans.

A deep gaze flicks across the crowds of clans, and it eventually stops on a dark coat. Slateheart appeared healthier compared to their last time together: he had gained more weight and neatly groomed his coat. There was an occasional curl here or there that graced his coat, and little bits of white across his monochromatic coat. His eyes are the perfect embodiment of the season, a crisp green. Greenleaf, when the leaves on the trees shined the brightest and were the healthiest. It had been long since she saw her moon and she could feel a tense lump in her throat of nervousness. The memories of her reflection reminded her that she looked horrible now— a monster. Her eyes shut tightly and she can only hope that she disappears amongst the crowd away from his eyesight.

But... she missed him. After she recovered and was given her new name, Gladefrost always found herself lingering near the bridge where they commonly saw each other. Her gaze always watched the moon that seemed so far yet so close, just like Slateheart. He'd always been her moon. Gladefrost takes a step forward, and she offers a weak smile toward Slateheart, her voice wavering for a moment. ”How... are you?” She inquires softly. The gentle touch of his obsidian coat against hers was a distant memory as they cuddled together for safety and comfort in the twoleg campers, the vague scent of the moors and the depth of his voice. She missed it all.

// interacting with twinkle & evening before heading to @slateheart
​

 

[THUNDERGLEAM]

Joy gleamed boundless in Thundergleam's gaze as she entered the clearing. Her mouth hung a little ajar as she took in the sights, this wonderful clearing bathed in moonlight. Briefly, pink eyes found the back of Mousenose's head, remembering their conversation from not too long ago- then, she picked Stormywing out in the crown. Apprentices and mentors walked side by side, but they were separate now. Splintered in two- she hoped their new friendship would not suffer the same fate.

It did not take Thundergleam long to find another familiar face in the throng- that of SkyClan's medicine cat, who had stayed a stint in ThunderClan's walls. She had only briefly spoken with him- with reverent eyes she approached, head slightly tilted. In the depths of her mind she searched for his name- found it, and seized it with a hymnal tongue. "Greetings, Dawnglare!" Her tone was soft and brushed with song, melodic- fascination blinked in watery eyes of pink. And she could see him better in this light, certainly! No squint crumpled her face, nor was she forced to dwell in shadow.

"Your service to ThunderClan was greatly appreciated ..." she bowed her head. "Tell me, did the Stars speak the Truth to you, to send you as well as I to save ThunderClan?"

\ found @DAWNGLARE sorry dude ​

penned by pin ☾​

 

[CHERVILSHADE]

Chervilshade could not recall the last time she had ever attended the Gathering. It must have happened before, so long ago when breaths taken did not hitch upon a paper-thin throat. And yet, the warrior could hardly remember the details, only the impressions of talkative peers and overwhelming scent. It had not changed, as she had seen now.

Like a tomb toped in quietude, the unassuming warrior trailed just behind the rest of the Shadowclan warriors, her gait slow and almost honeyed in its movements. Her head was held low, as if in silent reverence, though she bowed to no force except Starclan. Pooling eyes trailed along the dispersing clanmates, each with their own fill of stories to spew out at friends and strangers alike. Well... she hadn't any of that. Fourtrees practically boomed in the echoing cries of reunion and rekindling, though the phantom's attitude towards it all lie imperishable, and the loud boom of thunder was all the same no matter if it had come from the sky or a cat's lips. Flopped ears folded back against a bird-bone skull, as her heart knocked along her ribs, for they were merely the instrument to conduct the sounds of her own nervousness. The noise within her had almost seized power against that of the outside world. Chervilshade sat down in a shaded corner of the clearing, rounded shape brimming in moonlight arch, illuminating the marble-and-rust molly.

( Open to interactions! )​

 

[Flamewhisker]

〔✦〕It felt like an eternity had passed since the last time she stood in this clearing. So many things had changed. The last time she was here, Smokestar was still leader, Windclan's territory was still untouched by embers, and Twitchbolt was still Skyclan's deputy. The last time she was here, her mate had still walked the forest, and their kits had been unborn. Tonight, she padded into the clearing with her four kits, her clanmates, and the spirit of Flycatcher in her heart. Part of her had been unwilling to come, afraid to accidentally break. Even with her mask, her emotions were still fragile....the latest rogue she had ran into was proof of such.

"Now I want each of you on your best behavior tonight." she said, touching her nose to Sunpaw's forehead before taking a step back. After hearing about how the last gathering had gone, it worried her to bring them all here. What if a fight broke out? It would be a mistake. "Listen to your mentors, I'll be over there if you need me." A swift flick of her plumed tail would point to the spot where the deputies sat. Once she watched them leave to talk to others their age, she would then turn to head to her spot.

She was relieved to not spot Snakeblink where the deputies sit, or not yet anyways. Last she knew, Lichenstar had yet to choose a deputy. If she had to sit next to the snake-hearted tom tonight, she may just scream. Chilledstar's lack of presence did not go unnoticed by her, but she could recall Smogmaw stepping in for them a few times in the past. The Shadowclan leader must be ill again.

even on my weakest days ( I get a little bit stronger ) //

• ooc. open for interactions!
  
• FLAMEWHISKER —— deputy of thunderclan , mentoring none . storm x lily . littermate to nala, smokey, and nemo ✦ penned by icey !
  ✦ afab / she/her / 34 moons & ages every 20ᵗʰ
  ✦ widowed / heterosexual / closed to romance
  ✦ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / underline & tag account when attacking
  —— difficult in battle
  
  ✦ "speech", 'thoughts', all opinions are in character
  ✦ tags — msg on discord for plots — toyhouse
  
• 
  
  

  a longhaired red tabby with low white and green eyes. flamewhisker's fur is a vibrant hue of red, riddled with thick classic tabby markings. her fur is medium in length, and she has a large, feathery tail. her chest, belly, tail tip, and her paws are dipped white. flamewhisker's eyes are a dark, deep shade of green. her shoulder has a large scar on it from a fight with a dog. she also has a shredded ear from a disagreement with a loner during her time alone before joining thunderclan. on particularly cold days, or sometimes before a major weather change, she will walk with a slight limp from her shoulder injury.

​

 

[shellpaw]

she has begun to adjust to this monthly gathering ; the bustle of tails and limbs she twines between to find her way towards the centerfold where she knew apprentices were sure to gather growing more confident with each full moon. she trails the foot of her mentor and mother until they see her off, a gentle and familiar touch of her nose to the battleborn leader’s shoulder her silent goodbye. lichenstar had leader stuff to do.. and besides, her littlest siblings were here. a brief glance about tells her skyclan had yet to trickle in — none of her pine - dwelling friends to be seen. she follows a slow trail after gladefrost and her sisters instinctually, letting rheumy gaze roam for familiar faces, maw parted for the hint of gorse or sweet heather.

at some point in her thoughtful wanderings does eveningpaw and twinklepaw’s mentor part from their side, her strawberry eyes drifting back just in time to watch her ruffle the fur along their velvety skulls before locking eyes on a dark pelted windclanner. shellpaw takes the few silent steps it takes to catch up, wet nose twitching curiously, ” um, did.. did she say who that was? “ she inquires, soft and wraithlike, head cocking to the side to watch the way she sidled up to the tom beyond the weaving crowd. her tummy twists, like she was caught watching something she wasn’t supposed to — and so she looks away, back towards the pair with a glinting eye. they looked.. awfully friendly, but shellpaw had a friendly friend in windclan, too. she thinks of letting her fur brush dark mottled alabaster, though, and the fine fur of her nose begins to wrinkle.

she decides to move her attention elsewhere, instead focusing on where the leaders and council begin to mingle near the front. the shadowclan leader wasn’t present.. the fact relaxes her shoulders, eases the anxiety lingering at her spine despite the ever - glare his successor bore. there is also a milk scented, russet striped molly lingering nearest the rock on thunderclan’s side ; shellpaw doesn’t recognize her, despite the odd feeling of familiarity that rings at the back of her mind. the forefront thinks she is awfully soft at the belly in comparison to most thunderclan warriors shellpaw’d seen. maybe raccoonstripe was sick or something..

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐘 𝐋𝐈𝐏𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 ° 𓇼 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐏𝐎𝐍𝐃𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐄𝐘𝐄𝐒

• i. OPEN for interacts, she’s hangin’ out with @TWINKLEPAW and @eveningpaw
  
  
• 
• 
  
  SHELLPAW 𓆉 SHE / HER. SEVEN MOONS OLD, APPRENTICE OF RIVERCLAN, MENTORED BY LICHENSTAR ; SMELLS LIKE SALT & RIVER BLOOMS. HAZECLOUD xx LICHENSTAR, NIECE TO SMOKESTAR. PENNED BY ANTLERS ----------------- ° ❀ ⋆
  frail alabaster molly with lilac striping and watery amber eyes.
  
  she is pallid ; platinum splotched with ribbons of dovey lilac curls, wisped ends like memories of a distant shore and plush enough to conceal the juts of malnutrition beneath. tufted elderdown fur conceals a body worn fragile by tumultuous youth, too thin in some places and round with baby fat in others. her face is short - muzzled, framed half mast by eyes coined rheumy, rosen amber. the anemic cold pink - purple at tender paws and nose tell a lifetime of sickness, further made obvious by the feathering weakness in half - whispered tones.
  

  CHRONICALLY ILL ; prone to wheezing, nose at a constant drip from longterm illness - induced nasal polyps. not contagious.

  
  

​

 

[slateheart]

Slateheart streams into the clearing with his apprentice @Beepaw and the rest of the lead warriors that came, most notably keeping an eye on Rattleheart, who had been absent for moons while rearing her children. A small smile parts his maw at the thought of how relieved she must be to finally be amongst the other Clans again tonight. If only Slateheart could feel the same. While he takes a seat somewhere in the sea of cats, he dips his head towards @Beepaw with a small smile. "Tensions may not be so tight this Gathering. I didn't forget your eagerness to converse last time. Go make some acquaintances - learn what you can, and remember their traits. I will be here if you need me."

It's his first gathering as a lead warrior, but it feels the same as any other. Aside from the abundance of trust and responsibilities that have been thrust onto him, there is not much that tells him apart from WindClan's ordinary - he is no less lanky, no more commanding, and certainly not confident. If he could always blend into his crowd, he could. It's worked out for him so far.. until..

Slateheart feels the eyes of another burn into his darkened pelt - he is being watched. Not by their leader, but by someone else in the crowd of Clan cats. He ignores it for a moment, trying to fight off the wariness that threatens his stoic nature; but defeatedly, he gives in. His head draws instinctively towards the pair of eyes that meet his - deep blue, like the depths of which she swims and hunts. They shine in comparison to the blends of shadowed pelts, so blatant that he startles. In a near instant after meeting her gaze, Slateheart abruptly glances away, setting his jaw and staring wide-eyed at the head in front of him as if he had seen something he wasn't meant to. As if he had seen a ghost.

His heart longs to meet her halfway. To find out why she had seemingly ghosted him, to make sure that she was truly here and alive and not a figment of his wishful thinking. But somewhere in his cooled mind is a cat who is petty - a cat who knows his worth. Don't look, he pleads with himself inwardly. You're worth more. You know better.

Suddenly, in the midst of his frantic thoughts, a soft voice sounds just next to him. Startled, like a cowering mouse finally caught by its predator, the tom nearly jumps out of his fur and swears his heart stopped. A strangled noise escapes his throat, a result of trying to keep quiet the scared yelp that escapes from his mouth. "T-troutsnout!" he exclaims, perhaps a bit too loudly - consciously, he lowers his voice to an urgent hiss. "Y - you snuck up on me. Do not.. do that again. Please."

Sure enough that he's gained some unwelcome attention from curious (and concerned) cats nearby, who had likely witnessed the warrior getting the daylights scared out of him, Slateheart rushes on to continue the conversation and pretend that he had not nearly met StarClan themselves, at the cause of being spooked by the very cat he was trying to avoid. With an uncomfortably abrupt tone to his voice, Slateheart answers her question with a curt "Fine." A heavy sigh leaves his chest, and awkwardly, he lowers his chin to swipe briefly at his white-tufted chest with his tongue. "I'm.. fine. I.. you.."

You disappeared. "How are you?" The words fumble from his mouth quickly, accusatory, as green eyes settle on her with a certain finality, muddied with the emotions that battled in his mind.



// interacting with @Gladefrost ; apprentice tag @Beepaw ​

CHARACTER INFORMATION — ♡ ˗ˏˋ ꒰ ♡ ꒱ ˎˊ˗ ♡ — OUT OF CHARACTER

• 

  slate slatepaw slatetooth SLATEHEART
  ━━ MOOR-RUNNER WARRIOR of WINDCLAN
  ━━ 24 MOONS,, ages every 6th
  ━━ LYNXTOOTH xx ADELAIDE xx SILVERFOOT
  ━━ SIBLING to GRAVELSNAP and ASHPAW
  ━━ MATE to none | PARENT to none
  ━━ MENTOR to BEEPAW | MENTORED by LYNXTOOTH​
  ━━ HEALTH ♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♡ | generally healthy, but experiencing shortness of breath.
  
• 
  
  
• speech is #bbbb88​

 

[EVENINGPAW]

Interacting with @shellpaw @TWINKLEPAW @HORIZONPAW; otherwise open!

☁

The foliage of towering trees that act as their namesake — odd, considering there's five Clans instead of five — shift in the gentle summer breeze, moving in slow-motion against the backdrop of the night sky as Eveningpaw keeps her head craned to look at them. It all has a certain air around it, something that no amount of stories back home could truly convey in all its glorious entirety. Bits of conversation float around her in pieces and remind her of the busier days in camp. Possibilities stretch before her like an impossibly long road.

Both her parents are important enough to warrant their presence around the oak that acts as the Gatherings' focal point; Lichenstar amidst the branches with Hazecloud joining the deputies at the roots. Such unique glamour in Eveningpaw's life provides her with not-so-unique problems; like the fear of tripping and landing right on her face, causing all five Clans to stare at her in amusement. Her fur would surely fall out in embarrassment... she does not even account for the possibility that these cats have more important business than one of RiverClan's newest apprentices making a fool of herself.

Miraculously, that does not happen. Eveningpaw pays extra attention to where she puts her paws — one, two, one, two —, and nods to Gladefrost before her sudden departure. "Peace and mingling, got it!" She does not remember peace being a key word to describe the last few Gatherings, just based on what she heard from gossip, but she supposes affairs have been tense with WindClan and all.

"Horizonpaw, psst! Come over to us." The low hiss comes when she pinpoints a familiar pelt amongst the crowd; with the additional help of Salmonshade's bright fur standing out. It only makes sense to call him over when she's got two other siblings by her side. Pebblepaw would be more difficult to pinpoint, but if she's lucky, he will emerge from Foxtail's side sometime soon.

Eveningpaw lets her attention divert to where Shellpaw wants it to be. "No." Her whiskers twitch in idle curiosity; the black-and-white fur doesn't scream a name back to her, and she is certain Gladefrost never talks about cats outside of their Clan during training. She cannot stifle an amused snort. "I know she just said Gatherings are peaceful and all, but I dunno if I'd want to be friendly with a WindClanner after what happened." Surely they're still all grumpy and annoyed. Okay, the Gorge incident she gets, but she cannot exactly say the two slaps last moon were uncalled for.

"Are your friends here?" she gasps with usual mirth, setting her too-interested eyes on Shellpaw. She has to get to know her sister's friends!
​

 

[Chickbloom]

When Chickbloom was picked to attend the gathering, he didn’t know what to think. The former kittypet knew about them, obviously, but the idea of being submerged in a sea of strangers was…not appealing, to say the least. Truthfully, the terrified tomcat had no idea how anyone else was looking forward to this.

Yolk-splashed paws felt like lead weights as the baby bird shuffled into the clearing along with the rest of Skyclan, already regretting coming and hating that he couldn’t say no. The living doormat had just received a new name at his own request, in what reality could he refuse such a simple order after that? The Scottish Fold just had to grin and bear it (and try to survive the night)

Chickbloom quickly skirted to the edge of the clearing, dinner-plate eyes screwed downwards as he tried not to imagine everyone looking at him, judging his pelt, his gait, his….everything. It took all of the warrior’s courage not to dive into a bush and hope to go unnoticed till the meeting was over. Instead, the whelp would hover nearby incase he needed a quick escape.

// open to interaction!​

 

[MIDNIGHTPAW]

Midnightpaw did not want to be here. She rarely enjoyed talking to her own clanmates, let alone an entire crowd of strangers. But it was apparently a requirement that all new apprentices attend their first gathering, so she had reluctantly trailed along behind Redheart with a small frown. Her plan was to stick very very close to her siblings for the entire night, and try to avoid being noticed by anyone. She wasn’t in the mood for idle chit-chat recently. Her entire world had collapsed around her only a moon ago, and she didn’t have it in her to even pretend at being excited.

The obsidian-furred apprentice tried to ignore the nerves dancing down her spine as they stepped into the clearing of Fourtrees, and immediately she was overwhelmed by the scents and sounds of dozens of clan cats mingling under the moonlight. Her frail little lungs began to squeeze shut, and she struggled to keep herself from openly hyperventilating. It was a miracle that Sunstar had ever allowed her to become a moor-runner apprentice with how weak and small she was, and she needed to show Redheart that she could handle this. Gritting her teeth together roughly, Midnightpaw quickly found her brother and pressed herself firmly into his side. “Don’t leave me,” she whispered pleadingly into his ear.

---

‎‎ooc ♡ info

• [ mentor tag @REDHEART & interacting with @Grasspaw // open for interactions! ]

• 

• MIDNIGHTPAW ✦ she / her, moor-runner apprentice of windclan, 6 moons
  ⭃ short-hair black tabby with low-white, vitiligo and blue eyes. petite and fragile.
  ⭃ hollowcreek x harbingermoon // littermate to whitepaw and grasspaw
  ⭃ adopted by nightingalecry // adopted sister to frightpaw, witherpaw and deathpaw
  ⭃ single, crushing on no one // currently mentored by redheart
  ⭃ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted // underline and tag when attacking.
  ⭃ penned by limerence ↛ @limericks. on discord, feel free to dm for plots.

​

 

[SQUIRRELPAW]

”Now I want each of you on your best behavior tonight.” The newly-named Squirrelpaw admittedly wasn’t paying attention to a single word her mother said as they entered the Fourtrees together, her paws practically bouncing with excitement. She couldn’t keep a cheeky grin from being plastered across her face, her forest green eyes shining all the brighter in her eagerness. They danced around the crowd as her little family walked at the head of the group of Thunderclanners, and she bumped her shoulder lightly into @Bugpaw ! to get her sister’s attention. “Isn’t this amazing?!” She whispered in an all-too-loud voice. Briefly she felt a pang of regret at the fact that Falconheart couldn’t be here to see them attend their first gathering, but it was more important that their big brother stay home and heal.

Her attention never wavered from the mingling cats, even as Flamewhisker said a hesitant goodbye before making her way to sit with the other deputies. “Okay mom, bye!” Without a single glance back, or even thinking to check with her new mentor first, Squirrelpaw bounded energetically into the crowd. Her gaze fell first to a silvery figure that looked about her age, and had to be a Riverclanner, by the way their fur shined in the moonlight. Target aqcuired! The young torbie boldly approached the group of apprentices, noting how most of them looked really similar. But she turned to @eveningpaw first with a bright smile. “Hi! My name’s Squirrelpaw, I’m from Thunderclan.” Her words were laced with evident pride, and she tilted her head curiously as she studied the girl. “You’re from Riverclan, right? I’ve never been there before. Do you guys really only eat fish?!”

---

‎‎ooc ♡ info

• [ mentor tag @Lightflower // open for interactions! ]
• 
  

  

• SQUIRRELPAW ♡ she / her, apprentice of thunderclan, 6 moons
  ⭃ lh blue torbie with high white and green eyes. round and fluffy. good at climbing.
  ⭃ single, crushing on no one // flamewhisker x flycatcher // mentored by lightflower
  ⭃ littermate to bugpaw, scorchedpaw, sunpaw, falconheart and stormfeather
  ⭃ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted // underline and tag when attacking.
  ⭃ penned by limerence ↛ @limericks. on discord, feel free to dm for plots.

​

 

[smogstar]

For the moment, the air holds its breath. Calm, unmoving, wrapped in a mellow Greenleaf humidity. Smogstar pads into the clearing at the head end of ShadowClan's regular section, in-between ThunderClan and WindClan's places. Heart battering against its skeletal cage, so hard he fears each beat could cause him to collapse prematurely, he glides soundlessly at Forestshade's side.

In the pawprints they leave behind, ShadowClan walks. His clan is almost entirely present for this gathering. Every clanmate who has known him as their longstanding deputy ought to bear witness.

This night would bring change. Out with the old, in with the new. An ascension as momentous and true as the rising sun. May tonight mark a dawn so lustrous, it dispels the murk veiling his clan's newly-tarnished reputation and no renders it no more than a bad dream—provided he can shake off the new tides of mourning that've soaked his marrow and left him stiff as a result.

It was a mistake on his end to think he was adequately prepared for his nine lives ceremony. Profound naivete in hindsight. Laying his eyes on a she-cat whose body he once loved, a body buried outside in a grave he failed to ever visit, did him in in a way nothing else could. Guilt and grief sucked on him like maggots did to crowfood, overbearing and manic in intensity. The rot spreads deeper into his heart than he cared to admit aloud.

"I'll sit among the deputies for the first li'l bit," the tom exhales, a fleeting glance and then nod toward his sightless companion. "Bloodpaw, Singepaw," he goes on to say, "present your best selves tonight. Be good. And stay within my sight." Both are given an acknowledging nod, and as Smogstar makes off for the earthen centrepiece of Fourtrees, he silently curses himself for not dedicating more time to their training in recent days. Ah, well. Duty calls.

Paws soon find their usual home; right at the cusp of the Great Rock, the apex point to ShadowClan's hold in the clearing, underneath where Chilledstar perched throughout so many gatherings. Intending to withhold the news until formal announcements commence, he seats himself, and keeps eyes half-lidded. Waiting. Calculating, kind of. More-so rehearsing for the speech he needs to give, with its script nebulous and in constant flux. He'd figure it out as he goes.

It takes him a tad longer to notice than he should. Vivid, fiery strands dot his periphery. A cat whom he has not seen for some moons now. "Good to see someone's still alive," he meows, impulse choosing his words for him. The grim implication is realised only afterwards. "I mean to say— hullo. Been a while, hasn't it, Flamewhisker?" Gentle yet keen, he fixes ThunderClan's deputy with a scrutinizing glare. "I suppose this means your litter's grown into apprentices by now," he adds.

// brief interactions with @FORESTSHADE, @BLOODPAW, @SINGEPAW. interacting with @Flamewhisker, open to other interactions! ​

 

[EVENINGPAW]

@SQUIRRELPAW

☁

Perhaps back home, in the safety of camp which is more akin to a throne for Eveningpaw, she would have been frustrated at the notion of interruption from someone random. It is not entirely something avoidable, per se... but that never stopped her from feeling a bit of annoyance in the form of a trickle down her spine, like water itself drip-dropping down her back.

She is not in her natural habitat today however. There is pride she feels over being a true RiverClanner, born and raised in the ranks that her mother now leads. It is entirely normal, she thinks, for every warrior and alike to be that way.

None of that matters today; she came here with not just one goal in mind. Learning and experiencing the Gathering for the first time is vital, but she had decided she will acquire new members for her 'friend arsenal'. Border skirmishes and other, politically charged quarrels are a thing of the future, not something she intends to wholly concern herself with.

"Hi!" Eveningpaw turns to the newcomer, not forgetting about Shellpaw — it'd just paint Eveningpaw in a bad light to ignore the unfamiliar figure! Squirrelpaw, as she introduces herself. "I'm Eveningpaw! RiverClan, that's right."

And then Squirrelpaw tilts her head, inquisitive as she shoots them all a question. It is met with bafflement from Eveningpaw at the idea, though it is not unkind. "Only fish? No way. Don't get me wrong, it's the best prey out there, but I'd get so bored if I didn't eat anything else." Maybe she would grow scales and gills herself. "You guys just eat mice and birds there, right? Oh- and squirrels?"
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[MARBLEPAW]

Marblepaw's paw pads tingle with excitement, even as nervousness churns inside her belly. She has already met Moonbeam of RiverClan, Gentlestorm of ThunderClan, Wolfsong and Cottonsprig of WindClan, and Dawnglare and Fireflyglow of SkyClan, but there are more cats and cat-scents here than she can bear to breathe in. She presses herself close to her mentor's side as they follow Smogstar and the lead warriors into Fourtrees. "There's so many cats," she whispers, green eyes trailing from warrior to apprentice. Conversation laces throughout the clearing, friendly greetings and introductions she could not imagine otherwise making.

She knows the medicine cats have a special spot to sit in during the Gathering announcements, but in the meantime, her ears flick toward a dark-pelted cat with the moors ground into their fur. Marblepaw swallows around her anxiety and pads closer, her pale tabby pelt rippling with moonlight. "Hi," she mews, looking from the black-furred cat to what she assumes is their littermate. With a pang, she wishes Sycamorepaw were here with her, but her brother has grown so distant lately... "I'm Marblepaw. From ShadowClan." She tastes the air, detecting heather nectar, windblown grass. "You're from WindClan, right? Is this your first Gathering, too?"

『 out of character. 』 ✧･ﾟ:* 『 about. 』

• ooc: mentor tag @Starlingheart ; interacting with @MIDNIGHTPAW. and @Grasspaw
• 
• Marblekit . Marblepaw, she/they w/ feminine and non-gendered terms.
  — “speech”, thoughts, attack
  — 6 moons old, ages realistically on the 1st.
  — mentored by Starlingheart ; mentoring n/a ; previously mentored n/a
  — shadowclan medicine cat apprentice, formerly a rogue. siltcloud x lilacfur, gen 3.
  — currently mated to n/a.
  — penned by Marquette.
  
  
  sh fawn tabby with dull green eyes. courageous, curious, introspective, observant, judgmental, snarky.
  
  

​

 

[lichenstar]

✦˚.✦˚✦˚✦˚ ✧ ˚✦˚✦˚✦.˚✦

CLAIM THE BURIAL I SEEK IN DREAMS FLOWING RIVER CEMETARY ✧

• The sensation of river droplets careening down tender skin is enough to set nerves alight- it feels foreign still, disgusting in its uncomfortable tingling. It never fails to make their stomach churn with displeasure, bumping shoulders with a silver-dusted molly at her side in their panic to escape their own skin. The waves rise on the back of their spine, startled by the contact they've caused as pale eyes sweep to find her- "Sorry..." They swallow past the nervous fluttering in their chest, letting out a deep breath as they approach the outskirts of Fourtrees.
  
  Shellpaw's touch is as ceremonious as ever, an exchange of affection between family as they depart towards their pre-determined roles... Go about their diverging paths that match their dissimilar emotions. For every smile her daughter shared with other cats her age, Lichenstar had grown wary of those her own age. Hazecloud's presence is a reassurance sorely missed... though they suspect she is choosing to withhold a barbed tongue for their sake rather than sincere complacency.
  
  For all of their uncertainty, it is overwhelmed by a nagging fear to see their youngest amongst the crowd tonight. To know this is a first big step in their exposure to the outside world and that from here on out, their parents cannot control their perceptions and may not always be invited into their thoughts to guide them. Her mate too, must be nervous in some similar way, made exacerbated by the sudden imposition of her new title.
  
  She was a far more diplomatically suited she-cat than Lichenstar, however, and so she felt no nervousness on her behalf. "I'll follow... your lead," she murmurs, flicking a fractured tail to wrap lovingly around her own soft, feathery tail. It wasn't as if there was much point departing from one another, as the moment would come they'd both need to wander towards the center and share in politicking once more.
• about
  
  speech hex code ✧ #6368A5
  
  ooc notes ✦
  tagging ✶ interacting with @hazecloud , open to further interaction
  penned by tieirlys
• ˚　　★⋆. ࿐࿔　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　　 . ✦　　　 　˚　　　　 .
  
  　　　.   　　˚　　 　　*　　 　　✦　　　.　　.　　　✦　˚ 　　　　 ˚　.˚　　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　 　　　　 ੈ✧˳·˖✶ ✦　　˚　　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚ ★⋆. ࿐࿔
  
  　　　.   　　˚　　 　　*　　 　　✦　　　.　　.　　　✦　˚ 　　　　 ˚　.˚　　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　 　　 　　　　 ✦　　​

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[PINKSHINE]

She's a warrior now! Seriously. For real. She got to come even though Scorchstreak didn't, and that was the weirdest thing ever... She didn't flank a calico pelt, or have to keep her ears pricked for orders... Streaming in alongside Midnightpaw and Slateheart, she's left to do, like, whatever, once she's here! Maybe as a warrior, she should make warrior friends? But she already had warrior friends. Maybe she'd find Mallowlark and tell him! Or Shellpaw – no, Shellpaw knew, didn't she? Oh, but she should definitely tell Halfpaw! Or maybe Half...moon? That'd be a funny name. She'd be like, I'm Halfmoon! And the Medicine Cat's would be like, where?

Her eyes scan the few ShadowClanners she knows... Smogmaw's been around forever, and she sees him talking to Flamewhisker... She didn't really know many other ShadowClanners besides her friend, she tries to sniff the air for their (sorry) particularly icky scent. Her nose leads her to one quiet grey - and - not - grey cat sitting all by their lonesome. Pinkshine talks extra loud so that she knows she's talking to her! " Hi! Are you ShadowClan? We're neighbors! Hi! " she says. " I'm Pinkshine! It's my first time being Pinkshine, too! How cool is that? " Very cool, in her opinion. " Is Halfpaw here? Or is she Halflark now? Is that rude? Sorry if it's rude! She's just one of my bestest friends and I miss her and I gotta tell her everything! We can be friends too, though! What's your name? "

OOC: hounding @CHERVILSHADE & looking for @Halfpaw ! Open to interaction of course <3

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[Howlfire]

The last gathering had been quite the eventful one by all accounts. When she enters the clearing with the rest of the SkyClan cats, her two apprentices close on her heels, she looks around warily wondering if something similar would happen tonight. She hoped not, for Sillypaw's sake, but whenever she attended there always seemed to be some sort of trouble. "Feel free to mingle," Howlfire mewed, stopping to speak to Hawkpaw and Sillypaw. "I won't keep you for long." She knew Hawkpaw had been here before and had likely met a few cats from other clans, though could not recall ever having seen Sillypaw attend. She deduced it might be nice for them to mingle and meet a few of the other clans in a more relaxed setting.

With her apprentices off doing their own thing, Howlfire went in search of somewhere to sit, and maybe another cat to talk to, almost walking into another cat as she went on her way. "Oh, sorry, I-" Howlfire mewed hastily, lifting her gaze to meet the other. She recognised him as one of Sootstar's children; Sootspot if she was correct. "Just trying to get past, don't mind me."

/ pre-planned chat with @SOOTSPOT
and apprentice tag for @Hawkpaw and @sillypaw ​