IDYLLS OF THE KING — gathering chatter 09.15.22

[PITCHSTAR]

The full moon glimmers overhead, as if taunting the soot-specked ShadowClan cats as they weave through the darkness of night. Pitchsun's lungs rattle pitifully in his heaving chest; breathing is no longer as simple as second nature, after the fire. The brisk walk to Fourtrees alone has him nearly panting like a fucking mutt, nearly. But the deputy is far too prideful to loll his tongue and flounder for breath in front of his clanmates.

At least he's out of that damned tunnel. Yet the lingering pinprick of agitation lets itself known in the glint of narrowed twin embers. This all bloody sucked. ShadowClan's taken punch after punch; when will the stars finally let up? The deputy glowers up at the stars glittering coldly, hoping that they were watching him. That they felt his anger as fiercely as he'd felt the lick of flames against his skin.

The clearing of Fourtrees opens up in front of them, and as Pitchsun steps into the spotlight of the moon, he masks his simmering fury with a performative wave of his tail when eyes land on him. "ShadowClan has arrived-" The dramatic announcement is interrupted by a coughing fit that he could not choke down, his throat and lungs agitated by the rising of his scratchy voice. Shit, Pitchsun grumbles to himself, ducking his head and gesturing for his clanmates to mingle while he catches his breath.

[ This thread takes place as every clan arrives at Fourtrees! The leaders make their way to the Great Rock while everyone else finds their seats. Some may choose to sit with their own clan, while others may mingle with cats outside their clan. The Gathering itself has yet to begin. ]​

 

[WEASELCLAW]

Weaselclaw, like the rest of his Clan, had seen the smoke billowing from that distant place across the Thunderpath. Sootstar and some of the tunnelers had even taken the underground path toward the marsh to investigate. He has to admit he's surprised to see the ShadowClan cats stagger into the Gathering, their fur singed and their voices smoky.

The black rosette tabby attempts to announce his Clan's arrival, but breaks off into hacking, choking coughs. Weaselclaw stares at him before lowering his gaze to his side, where he looks to whisper to Owlpaw: "They all look like they got incinerated! Thank StarClan it didn't cross the Thunderpath." He straightens and offers the ShadowClan warrior a dip of his head. "Glad you all could make it," he says, attempting to keep his voice neutral. The smell of asphalt and smoke is grating on his nose, though. "I don't think we've met before. I'm Weaselclaw of WindClan. This is my apprentice, Owlpaw." He flicks his tail to indicate the blue and white she-cat at his side.

interacting with @PITCHSUN and @OWLPAW
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PENNED BY MARQUETTE​

 

[HUCKLEBERRY]

( ☼ ) hefty paws would carry this burly, southern tom alongside his clanmates as they stepped forth into massive clearing of the fourtrees where he was greeted with the sight of an assortment of characters from their respective clans alongside the huge, twined oaks that sat tall and proud in the center of it all. there was a twinkle of awe in his eyes while taking everything in, this was his first time attending this kind of event so he couldn't help the excitement that crawled underneath his wispy coat.

when cats arrived at their designated spot, huckleberry could not help but wander the area just a bit. surely they were allowed to move about before the gathering started? the tom searched with curious eyes if there might be anyone he could possibly talk to, no harm in trying to befriend new folks, right? it might be frowned upon by others but the smoke was just too kind and social for his own good, besides not everyone has ill feelings towards eachother in the clans. hopefully

;; huckleberry is open for any interactions, he's just looking to make some gathering buddies :]

​

( i hear the wandering streams and the song of the birds )

 

[Irispath]

Yewberry was nervous enough being out of his element. Now he was surrounded by cats much taller than him. Cats from other clans. The ones from his own didn't bother him so much, but all these others.....He didn't know them. And so, he was intimidated.

But he was fine, really! So what if he was a bundle of nerves. He didn't have to talk to anyone. He could just sit. Right here. Maybe no one would talk to him, it's not like he was interesting.

But.... It would be nice to make friends.

......

He was overcomplicating this. He'll just sit here and listen to the leaders announcements and if anyone wanted to talk to him, he'll talk with them! Easy peasy.

( this is an open thread! )
​

 

[sheepcurl]

It seemed that everything she did, it was for Red nowadays. When she had first joined Skyclan, it was just for a little bit of fun. She had showed up one day and just... Stuck around ever since. Her sleepy demeanor had drastically changed to something more, more driven. All because she had met a red point named Redstorm, who she had become fast friends with.

Maybe this was why she had filed in after Blazestar, opting to spend her first night away from her twolegs with Skyclan. Its an odd feeling but she promised Red she'd go, fill him in on what was going on and she fully intended to keep her promise. She stands a bit away from the group, odd for such an outgoing female, but she can't let herself get too close with Red's brothers murderers teeming about.

She opts to adjust her bow instead.

// open to any interactions but windclanners </3
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"speech"​

 

[CICADASTAR]

− ♱ ABOUT : boisterous laughter foretells his arrival, clad in shades of orange and yellow flowers from both pumpkinpaw and frostpaw, the empty cicada shell clinging to the edge of an orbital ear swaying where it lie weaved in river - sleek curls. darkpaw had been meticulous about its placement, and he tried not to disturb it, “ — i’m only wondering how you got up there! “ the man is speaking, accented vocals ringing fro the undergrowth moments before the man pushes through, alabaster paws pressing into the dew - studded grass of fourtrees. at his side is willowroot, at his other emberstar. behind him his warriors, smelling of river reed and gentle waves. as he takes in the crisp night air, cicadastar would lift his maw, canines flashes in a smile, “ riverclan has arrived. “ accented vocals call, riding the edge of laughter wrought from him by the smoke at his side. though as they enter the clearing the tall felidae loses sight of both the thunderclan leader and lead warrior in the midst of the bustling crowd. the gathering was always alight, bustling with activity, and today marked the first meeting that most of riverclan’s apprentice could attend.

the mottled felidae looks still for the youth, all decorated in shell and insect wing as well, presenting their weaving to the world about them. with strict instructions to remain within eyesight of their mentors, he trusted them to behave. foxpaw would part with him to side with smokethroat or willowroot when the time came for him to part towards highrock. with one last smile and touch of his nose to her ear, he steps away from the calico to let her mingle, careful to keep mindful of her scent nearby. the man is giving one last glance to the mottled molly when it happens — he collides with a very large, very solid figure. nearly toppling to the ground, he manages to lurch forward enough to stop himself from hitting the ground. . landing directly into dark fur. he pauses for a split moment before he jerks back just enough, expression frantic with surprise, “ schiesse! “ he’s too close when he looks up — a massive, burly black smoke tom. the man blinks. blinks again. the tom ( a skyclanner, he smells. figures. ) was larger, larger than even the leader at his massive height. his cheeks warm in embarrassment and near shameful intrigue — it wasn’t every day he encountered a cat taller than him, after all — and he aims to finally take a semi - step back away from the man, noting too late that it had been a beat too long to be so close, “ i — ah, im so sorry — “ fool! cicadastar clears his throat, finally standing up straight and ignoring the redhot flaring in his cheeks to smile softly at the stranger, “ i’m . . cicadastar. “ he probably knew that, right? the tortoiseshell chimera winced inwardly despite the warmth bright in depths of his riverwater gaze, “i i wish i could tell you i’m not in the habit of falling, but . . “ a quiet chuckle, a tease riding upon accented tongue, a shake of his river - glossed pelt, “i cannot lie before starclan. “

out of character information translations

• interacting with @HUCKLEBERRY
• − CICADASTAR ; he / him. roughly thirty seven months old, riverclan leader
  − handsome, lanky black smoke tortie chimera with curly fur and icy blue eyes
  − gay. speaks with a thick german accent, former marsh cat, penned by antlers
  
  
• none.

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​

 

[OWLPAW]

”It crossed the Thunderpath, just not on our side. Look at ThunderClan’s warriors — smell them. They reek just the same. Unless ShadowClan has been seeking their help, it looks like they were affected too.” Something told her that half-hearted theory was incorrect. She had never met Briarstar personally, but the ShadowClan leader and her warriors did not seem like the type to take refuge in ThunderClan given their background. She would have come to WindClan first, most likely, considering Sootstar was once a member of the marsh group and not the pine group like Emberstar. The battle had taken place long ago but the bitterness still lingered in everyone’s hearts — a sore wound that would not heal. Unless ShadowClan was pushed to rely on ThunderClan because they had no choice, Owlpaw believed that the fire had gotten into their territory too.

As she finished speaking, her mentor was already greeting a ShadowClan tom who sounded like he was throwing up a lung. Her face scrunched into a grimace as she listened to the grating cough rattle in his throat. Stars, hadn’t their medicine cat taken care of that by now? It was an awful thing to listen to! Her name leaving Weaselclaw’s mouth snapped her from her thoughts and she dipped her head to the other Clan’s warrior — or deputy, as she would later learn. This was her second gathering, as Sootstar had allowed her to come to the last one to show her off, the forest’s firstborn kit after the dawn of the Clans. Now she was an apprentice, taller and stronger than she had previously been. She straightened up to appear proud as her mother would have taught her. “Nice to meet you,” he said, trying not to wrinkle her nose with another waft of smoke hit it rudely.

/ interacting with @WEASELCLAW & @PITCHSUN ​

 

[MALLOWLARK]

There was miasma here- smoky smog-scent, intent on staying hanging in the air, a pendulum of murk. Steely eyes expected to sting from the sensation- but no, it was just the smell. Horrible- worse than they normally stank! What awful incident had they been caught up in, he wondered, as some of the other Clans mingled even with fur-char and plague-scent. There were not many familiar pelts among them, not yet... had it truly been an apparition, right here? Would he appear again?

No- he could not have been a mirage. The name he had spoken was unfamiliar, alien- one he could not have conjured in the throes of his slumber, he was sure. Wide-eyed smile set upon his face, as unmoving as ever, his attention scanned the clearing like clockwork. From face to face, not one of them the one he wanted to see. Why did he care so much? They would meet again regardless, he had faith in it. But- knowing he heard the Stars, knowing he knew of the graveyard lying in the dirt beneath them... he must be here, too, under the treaty of the full moon. As much as these Clan traditions were strange and new, this one he liked. Meeting where no blood could be unnecessarily shed- where no death could happen apart from the reaper's strike of age- was refreshing.

\ looking for @DAWNGLARE >:)​

[ PENNED BY PIN ]​

 

[DAWNGLARE]

A breath falls heavy from his maw, exhausted as he slips into the hollow. Wisps of his tail just barely ghost along Churrodream's side. No matter his thoughts of her, she was a familiar face in this sea of stranger and song. The noise isn't yet unbearable, a tingling in his his ears. As cats stream into the hollow - pelts singed and smelling of smog - soon, he knows it will come crashing down. His nose scrunches up, the heart lifts between his eyes. Stinging in his nostrils, bothersome, insufferable - a hiss bubbles between clenched teeth.

It dissipates, steadily. Ghost-white face in the crowd - smile wide, despite the acrid tang in the air; a hint of star-lined silver glimmer; grinning ghoul in the crowd. His paws stutter, strange taps at the ground, before he's gliding forward. For once, for once, he's lost for words. His presence is often sudden and flattering, interjected swift into any sort of circumstance. A greeting, a "hello," it's strange. Star struck, his eyes go wide.

And he huffs at him. Pale thing wearing that same smiling face. Moon glow brightens it with an unnatural sheen, caresses the sharp lines of his face "Does a place like this not drive you mad?” he questions, and his eyes narrow in his suspicion. "The buzzing and the rot -” it's worse than before, he nearly says, but perhaps that would be a lie. He casts a disapproving look towards those who still filed in, crowding this place with the heat of their flesh. There's nothing he can hear like this, nothing he can see, nothing besides him. Dawnglare's gaze shifts away, a blank stare over the heads of the many.

[ talking to @MALLOWLARK ; tag to interact <3 ]​

 

[willowroot]

( ☾ ) a soft laugh announces the femme's presence as they arrive alongside their leader, eyes sparkling with humor. the king of the waters calls out their entrance and willowroot gives him a fond look before slipping off to their own business. the night is young, great moon still rising, beginning to illuminate the great trees above, and while an autumn chill hints in the air, there is warmth and company in others. bidding farewell to cicadastar, the silver tipped feline scans the crowd, catching faces they're somewhat familiar with. riverclanners and thunderclanners stick close together, while the housecats and climbers of skyclan huddle nervously. she catches a glimpse of shadowclan as well, soot strewn but still showing their strength even as their deputy hacks a cough through his announcement.

verdant eyes sparkle in the quickly growing moonlight as willowroot weaves around conversations and reunions, ears flicking back slightly. it's loud, the scents overwhelming her, and she has to pause on the outskirts to collect herself. as she glances around again, she'll spot a cinnamon hued femme, face anxious, sporting a bright yellow bow. it's an odd sight - a housecat in the middle of the forest, but willow's not one to judge. the girl is here, truly that's all her clan would ask of her. delicate paws carry riverclan's lead warrior lightly over to the other, offering a gentle nod in greeting. "greetings," she'll smile, blinking. "i don't think i've seen you at a gathering. i'm willowroot of riverclan." hoping her introduction serves as a good conversation starter, the smoke will curl their tail around their paws, awaiting the other's reply.

// interacting with @churrodream, open to other interactions​

( THE LIGHT YOU GAVE ME )

 

[ivoryflight.]

Ivoryflight had yet to attend a gathering. Being her first one, she wanted to take full advantage of interacting with as many outside clans as she could. Anything she could use to her advantage in teacher her apprentice about the other clans would come in quite useful. Watching as cats swarmed together and mingled about, she waited to see if she could find someone who looked approachable enough for herself to introduce herself to. While the others seemed to have some friends already made, Ivory found herself walking past groups of cats in search of someone who looked as if they were alone.

//open to interaction!
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[HUCKLEBERRY]

( ☼ ) while huckleberry was distracted with searching amongst the sea of felines weaving between eachother in the open clearing, something or rather someone had ended up colliding into him whilst speaking in a tongue that sounded rather unfamiliar when touched upon tufted ears. the man tipped his head down to get a better look at this stranger as they stepped back with apologies at the ready and well, it was quite a sight to behold for the skyclan warrior.

in front of him was a mottled felidae with such lovely fur that curled delicately at the ends, the beautiful sheen that blanketed this lithe figure would practically illuminate the man in a soft, enchanting glow beneath the moonlight. "well, ah'll be. . .why, yer lookin' prettier than a magnolia in green-leaf." the compliment slips from his lips in a whisper of awe, he almost didn't register that the man had introduced himself as the cicadastar of riverclan which gotten him to blink once. . . twice before a warm grin spread easily upon his muzzle.

" 's a pleasure ta meet ya, cicadastar. mah friends call me huckleberry!" the introduction is followed by a little dip of his head before straightening up again, feathery tail sweeping freely behind him. " no, need ta apologize for tha lil bump, 'sides, it ain't often ah git cats fallin' fir me lak this." the words are spoken with a playful tease accompanied by a wink before it transforms into a hearty laugh, the corners of his eyes crinkling in mirth.

;; interacting with @CICADASTAR !!


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( i hear the wandering streams and the song of the birds )

 

[hyacinthbreath]

Hyacinthbreath follows close behind Weaselclaw as he walks into the clearing, this time not wildly announcing WindClan's arrival and instead remaining oddly quiet. She seems lost in thought as she feels @Coldpaw | Coldkill brush against her, reminding them of where they are- her second gathering, and this time she was a mother; though, the latter knowledge was moreso a fact she denied at this point. She watches @CICADASTAR run into a cat with an odd accent, and snickers- lips parting to let loose the familiar tongue-speak. "Unbeholfen, Cicadastar!" She shouts at the salt and pepper looking tom, grinning over her shoulder at him. Then, her attention is driven away from them to Churrodream, a molly she'd seen in Blazestar's patrol.

"Go and talk to some apprentices, Coldpaw. See if you can get them to talk about clan secrets, yeah?" She whispers in her apprentice's ear, leaning in to do so. A way for him to deattach from her side and do his own thing, she supposed. She didn't mind him being around her, but after he kicked her ass during training- she was more than happy to give him independence. He could defend himself at this point.

// briefly interacted with coldpaw and cicadastar, not currently interacting with someone but definitely open to. <3​

 

[Flycatcher]

The gathering feels slightly different tonight, Flycatcher reflects as he pads in with the rest of the ThunderClan cats. They look a sorry state to be sure, the flowers and sclaes weaved into their pelts from the RiverClan cats only doing so much to mask their true feelings. He recognises a few cats among the sea of those gathered, including his peculiar little friend Mallowlark from WindClan. As it appeared to him that the other tom was already in conversation with somebody else, Flycatcher pads away and finds himself a nice spot to get comfortable in ready for the leaders to begin giving their announcements.

As he sits there, he seems more aware than ever of surrounding cats looking and whispering at both him and his fellow ThundeClan cats. He looks down at his paws and shuffles uncomfortably. "I wish they would not stare," He mutters quietly, speaking to no one in particular.

// open for interactions!​

 

[SMOKESTAR]

RiverClan's arrival was in bursts of sudden color and shimmering bits and pieces, he would not claim to be very fond of the tradition forming but he was not so bothered as to ruin the fun of the apprentices who worked hard to decorate every cat they could get their paws on. Smokethroat slowly followed along after his clanmates, a tail raised his his troublesome apprentice duo with a 'mind yourselves' before dismissing them to go off and have fun talking to other cats. Shaking himself free of water, he was surprised how well the red petals that had been tucked in his fur and around his ears had clung despite the river's current trying to remove them. The petite flowers looked like tortie spots on his pelt alongside the white speckles he was most recognized for; the mental comparison makes him a lot more uneasy than he thought it would so he whips his head to the side to find distraction. The scent of each clan is already present there, his orange gaze lands on an alarmingly small cat practically shaking off to the side and he angles his head to the side as he steps forward before the familiar grass scent of WindClan strikes him.
"Has Sootstar brought every kitten in her clan again?" He asked the miniscule tom cat, assuming he had to be at least barely apprentice age from size alone. Perhaps Sootstar liked to surround herself with kitten warriors in order to feel larger than she was. He certainly hoped not, he couldn't imagine RiverClan dragging their tiny youth out here for such an affair, they might get swept away in the river or lost in the crowd, those tiny paws would not be able to carry them for very long or far and they'd need to tote them back by the scruffs. Smokethroat glanced away from the lilac cat out across the gathered bodies, spotting the familiar silver tabby form of Hyacinthbreath and he is almost tempted to go and ask her what her deal had been at the border that day but decides against it.

[ ooc: Speaking to @Yewberry ]

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[MALLOWLARK]

He looked different in this light, mahogany marking scattered by moon and stars' spangled grace. He decided then that moonlight was blue, because his eyes seemed to glow in this night, wide-then-narrowed as they met with his, pelt sidling up beside. Sootstar's warning had gone unnoticed- he barely cared to register that the other tom was of SkyClan. Had he even noticed? Stark steel eyes followed Dawnglare's attention to the line of felines still filtering in, bringing more of the malodour with them. Charred pelts, scorched spirits... their heads hung low, though some still stood tall. His grin had encouragement in its spirit, but there was no change in its execution.

"Nope," he admitted, a sharp but earnest laugh following it. He could not contain it, the joy, spilling out of him like the split of prism-light. There was something... grounding about this meeting. A reminder that night had not been locked within the prison of his dreams. "It might by the end of the night, though. It's like they all burned alive." Never one to hold his tongue, he found the concept vaguely funny (despite how close to the truth it was)- cats, half melted, dragging themselves to a loyal truce despite their flesh falling from their bones, fur blackened smog! He lowered his voice, at least- they probably didn't know that they smelled so bad. Eyes flickered to spot a familiar blue pelt- Flycatcher- poor guy, he was poisoned too! "Do you think they're smoke-ghosts, come to haunt us?" Half a joke, half a genuine thought... Dawnglare seemed to know a whole lot about dead people. Maybe they smelled like fire.

/ talking to @DAWNGLARE !​

[ PENNED BY PIN ]​

 

[Coldsnap]

THE HIGHER I GET, THE LOWER I SINK
I CAN'T DROWN MY DEMONS, THEY KNOW HOW TO SWIM

---

OOC- Coldpaw is open to interactions! He's an ex-marshland cat who left when Windclan split, so feel free to have your cat recognize him from there. It would also be common knowledge that both his parents died in the great battle -something he doesn't like talking about- and that he's known for being a bit of a lone wolf with a temper.

Coldpaw frowned as he followed his mentor into the clearing, tail swishing irritably behind him. The last thing he was interested in doing was seeing a bunch of ex-clanmates, current enemies, and future rivals. And yet, it wasn't as if he couldn't come. Windclan had a reputation to uphold, after all, and as an able-bodied cat he was expected to make an appearance. Besides, it wasn't as if Hyacinth would have let him stay behind.

Yellow eyes shifted to land on the shecat beside him. She'd been out of it ever since Moonshadow had kitted, and as much as he hated any public display of physical contact that didn't include fighting or training, he brushed against her to snap her out of her thoughts. Now was no time for her to be zoning out.

At her words the dark tabby would nod before padding off. He wasn't good at socializing by any means, but it was never a bad idea to scope out the competition.
​

---

windclan apprentice - male - 8 months - a large, dark grey tabby with yellow eyes

 

[PITCHSTAR]

Pitchsun has regained enough composure to face the two WindClanners approaching him with some semblance of dignity. He clears his raspy throat, fighting back a wince at the burning strain from the action. The older of the two introduces himself as Weaselclaw, and the younger as his apprentice, Owlpaw. Owlpaw, Owlpaw, Owlpaw... It sounds familiar enough, an itch at the back of his brain...

Oh, right.

"One of Sootstar's spawn, I presume?" Pitchsun quirks a brow, eyeing the young she-cat with a smirk which he quickly regains after his fit. Sootstar had mentioned her two kits at the last Gathering, hadn't she? Owlkit and... Stripekit, or whatever the fuck it was. Pitchsun has too much on his mind to give a shit about remembering the names of the WindClan leader's clones. They're apprentices by now, obviously; one is staring him right in the face.

Pleasantries are passed his way, an unfortunate necessity... "Pitchsun, deputy of ShadowClan," the rosette tabby announces, an unconscious puff of his chest following — and then he spirals into another spout of coughing, ducking his head away in perhaps one of the politest gestures he'd ever shown to another soul. But it is more-so for himself to save face than to courteously avoid spluttering directly into the WindClan cat's faces.

He silently cusses out his weak lungs and sore throat, barely managing to contain an irritated lash of his tail. The deputy sucks in another breath, steadying himself, and looks back to the pair. He doesn't have the patience for idle chit-chat. Not tonight. "Any juicy tidbits you two could part with?" The tabby drawls through his raspy voice, tipping his head as he fishes for gossip. He knows that he wouldn't draw out any useful information, but hell, petty relationship drama would be better than the grizzly bear in the room that Pitchsun is trying so desperately to avoid.

[ interacting with @WEASELCLAW & @OWLPAW ]​

 

[BONERIPPLE]

Haggard and worn she slowly makes her way into the clearing. But she doesn't bring herself into the light. Instead she lingers like a beast within the shadows, slipping her way around the outside if the throng of cats. She's tired. Her paws hurt, smelling of honey and the tang of marigold clings to her tongue. She has been working overtime because of the fire, a challenge she foresaw coming but didn't understand. Yet still she came to this gathering as is instructed. The last she kindly ignored too busy with her issues and she wonders now why Shadowclan continues to suffer. Are they not good enough to deserve peace. With a huff the black and white predator settles herself within the shadows. Her eyes heavy lidded with exhaustion as she listlessly watches the other cats mingle about.

So odd it is now to realize how different their scents have become in such a short time. Blinking slowly she lifts her eyes for a moment to look at the full moon and the stars that blanket the sky. She is supposed to take comfort in them and yet all she feels is cold. Casting her eyes away she notices Cicadastar among the crowd and for a moment she thinks to call to him. Yet just as quickly as her mouth opens it snaps shut. He is already conversing and she doesn't think she has the right to bother him. His clan looks healthy and it seems Thunderclan and Riverclan are comfortable with one another. Their scents intertwined with the smell of smoke. Did the fire spread to Thunderclan? If so...River helped them it seems. But no help had come to Shadow.

She is growing more and more used to this coldness that is seeping into her. More and more used to expecting to have to help herself and not depend on others. Used to abandonment. Her jaw clenches and she looks away from the cats mingling already ready to just go home, back to that stinking and wet tunnel.

- open to interactions!​

 

[BATSHRIEK]

"GUESS WHAT, I'M THE DEVIL HERSELF"​

They’ve never been to a gathering before. From the other SkyClanners’ descriptions of it, it’s a large mass of cats in a rather small space, which Batshriek can’t say sounds particularly appealing. Especially if there will be other clans’ medicine cats there. Oh stars—what if she catches something?

The black and white cat shudders, mismatched eyes blinking rapidly as she takes in the sights around her. So many cats… it’s intimidating. She settles into her haunches a few tail-lengths away from everyone else, squinting around at the crowd. This was a bad idea.

// open to interactions; she just won’t approach anyone first!
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✦ ★ ✦​