IT'S COLD BEYOND THE SUN || Meeting 9.3.22

[BLAZESTAR]

Dawnglare's dream is a call to action, and it's one he grasps with eager, massive golden paws. The stars are urging them away from the forest, and he's never been more ready to leave. WindClan met them coldly, Sootstar unabashedly admitting to her crime and threatening them with every breath she exhaled. Her Clanmates, even the nicest among them, had only stood beside her, a walking murderer with no remorse.

Blazestar will not forget her slight to SkyClan, to Rain's surviving sons and daughters. He will never forget it. SkyClan will carry that burden, and someday, he knows, WindClan will pay. They will force her to pay without sacrificing any more SkyClan lives.

Perhaps the answer to this is in the Twolegplace?

He shakes his thick, silken cream coat and ascends to his spot above his Clanmates. Uncharacteristically, Blazestar's eyes are fiery with feeling. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey meet beneath High Branch for a Clan meeting!" His tail drapes below, long and flowing and pale like a star falling from its night-time perch. He clears his throat before addressing his Clan in a full, lion-like voice.

"We have much to discuss today, SkyClan. First, we have a warrior in our midsts who wishes to take on a Clan name." He finds her in the crowd, thick-pelted and bright-eyed, and nods to her. "Missy, do you promise to defend your Clanmates with your life?" He waits for her to answer "I do," and then lifts his face to the sky. The sun is disappearing, but there are traces of burnt gold at the horizon where the sun is dying. "Then by the power given to me by StarClan, I name you Torchthroat. SkyClan honors your lively spirit." He dips his head to her in a brief show of respect, but he's far from done.

"As we did at the last meeting, we now have some kits and young cats ready to take on apprentice names and accept mentors." He finds the four of them below, and he continues:

"Twin, you will be known as Quillpaw. Your mentor will be the newly named Torchthroat. I trust her to pass down all she knows to you." He waits for the young cat to touch noses to the newly-named warrior's before continuing.

"Bambi, you will be known as Glimmerpaw. Your mentor will be Huckleberry. I trust him to pass down all he knows to you." Huckleberry is a kind soul, and Glimmerpaw seems to be one too, beneath her silly voice and ideations. He waits for the two of them to touch noses.

Now, the two kits in their camp old enough for training. Blazestar's eyes find young Twitchkit, and he speaks: "Twitchkit, you will be known as Twitchpaw. Your mentor will be Daisyflight. I trust her to pass down all she knows to you." The young tom, in his opinion, needs a firm yet gentle, motherly mentor, and he trusts no one more than his deputy to handle the task.

And, finally, little Gaia, trembling and small despite her age. "Gaia, you will be known as Butterflypaw, and I will be your mentor." He smiles at her, mind reeling to when he found her, scrap of black and ginger cowering from the world in a bramble bush. "I will teach you all I know, that I promise."

He leaps, though his ceremony is far from over, to the earth, where he can pad to Butterflypaw and touch his nose to hers. He puts warmth and reassurance into the gesture, though he imagines it won't be enough to quell her fears at having to leave the nursery and begin warrior training.

On the floor, he gazes about his Clanmates. Despite being shoulder-to-shoulder with them now, he still holds impressive height. "Now. SkyClan, some of you accompanied me to WindClan territory this morning." His expression darkens. "WindClan met us with hostility. Sootstar did not deny that she killed Haze and wounded Squallmist. She told my patrol that she was in her right because they were on her territory and attacked her in her home." He lashes his tail. "It is a cold-hearted beast who kills when she does not have to, and Sootstar prides herself on being one. We faced threats from every angle while on their territory today. She did not even deign to allow us into their camp." His hatred for her begins to color his voice. It's unfamiliar to him, the first time he's ever hated a cat in his life, but even her name stings like poison on his tongue. "WindClan is, thankfully, at a great distance from SkyClan. We share no borders, no reason to go to their territory. From now on, SkyClan cats are forbidden to go near the moor for any reason. At the next Gathering, I will expose Sootstar for what she is. SkyClan will do WindClan no favors - ever. Their Clan has chosen to become the enemy of ours, and we will not forget this readily."

He exhales, then continues. "Dawnglare has received a dream today. A dream that we think means for us to go into the Twolegplace. I think it's StarClan's way of trying to solve this problem without spilling more of our Clan's blood." He isn't sure how that could be, but how will they know if they don't follow StarClan's will?

He gazes about him again. "We will enter the Twolegplace," he announces. "The cats I wish to take with me are Dawnglare, as he had the dream; Squallmist, Harpyfall, Pantherpelt, Basilpaw, Twitchpaw, Quillpaw, and Butterflypaw." He nods to each cat in question. "Daisyflight will be acting leader in my stead. I trust her to make sound decisions for the Clan, and she's already proved she's organized enough for the task. The rest of you will obey her as though she is your leader and assist her in keeping SkyClan running smooth."

He shakes his fur out again, face tilted to the sky. There are stars out now, peeking through the dark soft pelt of the night, and he finds them with unspoken feeling. "Any questions? Those of you who are accompanying me... we will need to prepare for the journey ahead."

--

@Gaia @TWITCHKIT @MISSY @Quillpaw @HARPYFALL @BASILPAW @SQUALLMIST @Daisyflight @DAWNGLARE
​

PENNED BY MARQUETTE​

 

[QUILLSTRIKE]

I FEEL LIKE AN ASTRONAUT IN THE OCEAN​

---

Having only just joined Skyclan a day or so prior, Twin couldn't say he was familiar with anything that was going on with the group. He didn't know the cats around him or the territory he found himself stood in, he didn't understand their culture or who this 'Starclan' was that they all kept talking about, and he was pretty sure that most of what was to be said at this meeting was going to fly right over his head. And that was okay. Twin didn't need the complicated stuff right now. As long as he knew what he was supposed to be doing then that's all he really needed or wanted, and the rest of it could go straight to hell. After all, he'd come here solely to find some peace of mind. A normal life with normal problems was all he was after, and such a simple thing was finally within reach of him now.

Of course, Twin still had a lot to learn before he even had a chance at normal.

He'd come from a place that was anything but, and while he had an idea vision of what he wanted for himself, it wasn't as if he'd been properly prepared for anything like that. He had a lot of social skills to work on and maybe a bit of anger streak to get under control, but he knew he'd get there eventually. He'd just needed a change of scenery was all, something he now had.

To his surprise, the youth heard his name called pretty early on in the meeting, and he was informed that he would now be known as Quillpaw. On top of this he now had a mentor, which was decidedly the more annoying of the two. He couldn't really give a damn what they called him -he was hardly 'Twin' anymore after everything that had happened anyways- so if they wanted him o go by Quillpaw then he could live with that. But having a teacher? Wasn't it a little soon for that? Couldn't he just be allowed to relax for a while? Despite his minor annoyance, the chimera nodded at Blazestars words.

The stuff about dreams and visions meant little to him, and once again he found himself somewhat annoyed to have been chosen to accompany them into twoleg place. He'd literally just come from there! The last thing he wanted to do was risk running into his parents or littermates, or even his old friends. But what kind of impression would that leave on the Skyclanners? Typically he wouldn't give a rats ass on a good day what another cat thought about him, but as a total stranger that had shown up on their doorstep asking to be let in, he wasn't too stupid or proud to understand the position he was in. He may be a Skyclanner in name, but he wasn't one of these cats yet. Opting out of the patrol could make him seem weak or lazy, and he couldn't risk being driven out.

Guess he was going on an adventure. Yay.
​

---

skyclan - male - 6 months - bisexual - homoromantic - single - very tall tabby tomcat with broad shoulders

 

[TWITCHBOLT]

He knew this day would be soon. It had maybe been the bravest thing he'd ever done, striding right up to the leader and requesting he be made an apprentice- he was desperate to do something else, to have an excuse to find joy elsewhere. As he joined the rows of felines looking up to their leader and latching onto his every words, a brief lapse of concentration lead Twitchkit's attention to slip and move to the nursery's mouth, where his mother and father were sat. And they were sat- they were watching. Mum was smiling as always, her expression restful and honeyed, and Dad too had a curve pulled across his lips, and his grin showed teeth when Twitchkit met his eye. A mirror, he found himself smiling too. They were proud of him, they had to be. Their only son, an apprentice!

And an apprentice he was, given his name after the newly joined Quillpaw. His teacher, pelt of autumn and dusk, would be the deputy- Daisyflight. Though he had no reason to dislike her- and, in fact, might even like her- there was a sickened twitch in his gut, the flickering of ember-stricken eyes widening in shock and a smidgen of fear. If the deputy was his teacher, everyone would expect so much from him! What if he just wasn't good at anything? What if he disappointed her? Like clams closing in on his form, he felt the pressure- but, with wobbled but tangible conviction, Twitchpaw touched his nose to his teacher's, neck craned from his short stature.

Settling back into rank, the rest of the news washed over him. The WindClan conflict had been lurking like a looming phantom in his mind for what felt like years, though he had been trying to ignore it. As much as he wanted to be, he could not have been ignorant to the funeral proceedings, and though he had never seen Haze's body he knew the word dead and what it meant very well. Thank the Stars they were nowhere near WindClan. He'd watch his back come the next gathering- it was a time of peace, but if they were so trigger-happy, what exactly would be stopping them if they were overcome with bloodthirst? Who would he be to stop them?

The next news, though- that shocked him even more, leaving him slack-jawed and staring. They were to heed Dawnglare's words and venture into lands unknown- and he was supposed to be going, too? Though he knew it was unfair, he felt dizzy on his paws fro disbelief at the leader's judgement. What if he was just... making it up? And why bring him?

Still, he was told to prepare. His first task as an apprentice would be that, and although he felt like his paws were not his own, perhaps he would fall into them if he stumbled into some pre-journey ritual.​

penned by pin ✧​

 

[butterflytuft]

Gaia had been quick-thinking, her desperation to remain in the nursery driving new ideas. She had played sick, telling her mother she was too ill to leave the nest that morning. She was believed, and so she had watched the last meeting go by from the comfort of the holly bush. Not today. She knew she couldn't use the same excuse twice, and her muddled brain was far too panicked to come up with anything better. So here she sits, beside one of her denmates who is to be apprenticed alongside her. Her wide gaze seeks out Daisyflight, but before she can find her it's her turn. Gulping, the tortoiseshell stands on trembling legs and makes her way to the front. Butterflypaw. Her new name is Butterflypaw. If she wasn't so nervous, perhaps she'd smile. She likes the name a lot. It isn't until she's up there that she realizes - Blazestar's my mentor? Oh, thank StarClan! He's so nice! It isn't enough to stop her shaking, but she is at least able to make eye contact with him and touch her nose delicately to his. She casts him a small smile before scooting back to her seat, wrapping her feathery tail tightly around her body.

She listens with perked ears and a down-turned face as Blazestar goes on to tell the clan about Dawnglare's dream. A twinge of fear finds her - is that safe? She knows she came from the Twolegplace, but to wander the streets aimlessly sounds so scary! And that's not even the worst part. She's supposed to go! A small squeak escapes her before she bites her lip, terror evident on her face.​

 

[Alice]

( ♬ ) My, my, my, looks like a lot was happening. Bean made her way over and sat down. The daylight warrior looked to Blazestar. Listening to everything they had to say. Looks like some cats were getting some new names. She couldn’t imagine changing her name but she often thought about what it would be if she had a warrior name. Thinking it would probably be something cool but also telling of her softer nature. Next were the pairings of apprentices and mentors.

The news about Windclan was sad to say the least. But it didn’t really affect the daylight warrior. She only stayed in the twoleg and Skyclan area. Never traveling to the other clans or even a gathering. Bean agreed that staying away from Windclan was the best way to make sure no one else got hurt. She wondered why this Sootstar was being so mean.

She had no questions at the moment. Keeping to herself as she hopes the small group traveling with Blazestar would remain safe. ""​

( WOKE UP ON THE SIDE OF THE BED LIKE I WON )

 

[SQUALLMIST]

His nerves had been high since Blazestar had left with a patrol to the moorlands, an aim to confront Sootstar for Haze's death the overall goal for the departing SkyClanners. One wrong move would lead to more death for the pine cats, more bodies to sit vigil for, potential lives lost for Blazestar - a shortened leadership on the horizon.

All over a moment of recklessness, over a failure to protect.

But, the patrol returns unharmed, and Squallmist's nerves diminish, but only in the slightest.

The silver tabby sits among the crowd, another meeting under the High Branch called into session. At first, it feels like it's business as usual - or, at least, what he thinks will be what's considered the 'usual' in the the moons and seasons to come. It's name changes galore, though not as much as the first go around. Squallmist can't help but wonder if this is all that this meeting is for, but it doesn't seem like Blazestar wastes any time delving into the topic of the WindClan patrol.

It's in his words that more pieces of the story of his brother's death are told to the clan. Pieces that - whether intentionally or accidentally, through a grief-stuck mind - Squallmist had omitted from his own retelling, the morning he returned with his brother's body draped over him. Squallmist's gaze lowers as he listens - as Haze's final moments are recounted before him - expecting more anger towards him than anything, but it's only hatred towards Sootstar that he hears.

WindClan is an enemy of SkyClan, Blazestar announces.

It's in this that Squallmist agrees, his promise to Sootstar at the forefront of his mind. She will pay.

At this point, the SkyClan warrior is certain his leader is finished speaking, but the flame-point only continues, a string of words that bring back his own uncertainty - Dawnglare received a dream. Stars, what else? Surely it couldn't just be a regular dream? Were they to listen to everything the self-titled prophet had dreamt of?

He continues, describing the medicine cat's dream, describing the Twolegplace, insisting the clan must go there to... avoid WindClan? No, surely the two of them had gotten it all wrong. The Twolegplace - a place in Squallmist's very distant memory - was the answer to the aftermath of Haze's death? His uncertainty continues, but, if it's truly meant to stop the spilling of blood, if it will protect his siblings --

Blazestar calls his patrol, and Squallmist finds himself surprised as his name is called. He finds more surprise, however, at the sheer amount of apprentices also coming along. Was that safe? To have so many newly-named apprentices in tow along thunderpaths? He isn't sure, but he begins to prepare himself for the journey to come, and whatever danger that may come with it.
​

 

[REDSTORM !]

This meeting was something that Redstorm did not want to miss. he had looked at Blazestar with eager eyes as he had returned from his patrol to Wind Clan this morning, the flame point tom, however, had said nothing to him which had, of course, irritated him a little. But he had done his best to be patient until now.

At the news that Sootstar had admitted to killing his brother, that she had been hostile to the members of sky clan he leaps to his paws and lets out a hiss, tail lashing furiously behind him. "what a fox-hearted ass, she doesn't deserve the lives she has been given" he swears, spitting on the ground in disgust. He simply cannot believe his father had granted such a cat nine lives, had allowed her to come to power. Is this really what Rain would have wanted? He narrows his eyes and listens to the rest of Blazestar's words in quiet contemplation, fur beginning to lie flat as he calms himself down. He is glad Blazesgtar is holding himself to his word, that the pacifist tom is finally getting angry about the murder of his brother.

When Blazestar announces that he will be going to twoleg place though he looks up at the tom in surprise, looks at his brother, then returns his gaze to their leader. "Is it truly that wise to go with so many children?" he asks, realizing that the patrol was mostly them and Dawnglare "And our medicine cat. What if something happens while you are gone with him?" what if Drizzlethroat got sick again? What if an apprentice was injured? A queen gave birth? Worry runs through his head and makes his heart race as he looks around for his other siblings, scared of Squallmist going and not returning. He had already almost lost him once this moon.
​

 

[HUCKLEBERRY]

Still holding steady with a stranger's laugh ♡​

after returning with the morning patrol back from their tense stand off with windclan, the smoke would watch his leader make a quick beeline towards the high branch where he would call out for a meeting and await as clanmates began to gather. huckleberry took his place besides a few others in the crowd, tufted ears angling forwards to listen to what blazestar had to say.

at first he went through quite a handful of ceremonies, naming off a new warrior and listing off the many youngin's who were ready for their apprentice names. color huckleberry surprised when he was chosen as a mentor to glimmerpaw, the young sepia kitten who had recently arrived to the group. he'd rise up to his paws briefly to meet his apprentice to touch noses with her before settling down once more to continue listening.

of course, their interaction with windclan did not go unannouced as blazestar tells them the cats on the moors were now to be considered enemies of skyclan then proceeded to go on about a prophetic dream dawnglare had to head into the twolegplace. huckleberry would tilt his head at this, unable to understand how this would seem important but did not question it.

amber hues would soon fall upon redstorm who voiced a valid concern about who was going on the patrol and leaving their clan without a healer. ​

 

[Daisyflight]

"SUREFIRE, YEAH, THE SETTING SUN WANTS COMPANY"​

Daisyflight hadn't managed to weave through the crowd to Gaia's side before the meeting. So the deputy sat off to the side, eyes flitting between the saffron-printed kit and their leader. With the announcement that the two would be paired an approving nod slid her eyes shut, relief colouring her features. As much as she criticised the large tom, she trusted him. And Butterflypaw- a pretty name that fit her daughter nicely.

Then her own name was called, to no surprise. Out of the nursery now, the calico had expected to take a cat under her wing. Already half standing when Twitchpaw's name followed, she strode forward on steady paws. Ah, him? Excellent.The tufted tom might be a challenge, the way his words often leant into a fearfulness was worrying. He appeared hardworking however. She just had to organise whatever made him happiest. Daisyflight bowed her shoulders, patiently lowering her pink nose to his.

Beyond the newest apprenticeships, the meeting soured. First, the recollection of their patrol into the moors. Then, talk of dreams. Dawnglare's dreams. With a hefty sigh, the deputy listened, eyes levelled at Blazestar's maw as it opened and closed. Messages for Starclan were dubious- and when they were tangled up in the solving of the problems? She couldn't see it going well. After all, each of the leaders had now reported the same shared delusion of multiple lives.

And then her apprentice and her daughter were strung into the cats asked to accompany the pair. Without her. Daisyflight's head grew hot. Granted, she might be the best to look after the camp in their absence but in the same breath it could be argued she best to go. The streets were her old home, thunderpaths a familiar sensation beneath her paws. Openly dissenting would only fan the flames. Face stiff she could only listen as the others spoke their concerns. ​

✿ ✿ ✿​

 

[DAWNGLARE]

Even he wasn't quite prepared for the enthusiasm his dream was met with. He's had many-a-slumber, many-a-dream, and yet only this time he's taken seriously.

At least, that's what he's lead to believe, until Blaise assembles little more than a patrol of infants and fools. He nearly fails to withold his grating hiss when Harpyfall is summoned. Poor excuse for a warrior, that one. Pity can be the sign of a benevolent ruler. But too much of it - oh, far too much of it it quickly becomes a negative. Air-headed thing. Did Blaise really think he and he alone could take care of a group so large and misguided? Lucky one - lucky that Dawnglare cares for the skin on his very bones, many other's couldn't say the same. He straightens his own spine then, fluffs his tail - indignant, but resigned to his position. "Praise the heaven's then, that I would accompany you...” he says, a quiet drawl.

An unimpressed blink is offered in the direction of Daisyflight. He wouldn't be surprised if the lot of them returned to this camp engulfed in flames, darkness, drowned - all of the above, perhaps. Not like it held much sentimental value to begin with, pity for the few who stayed behind. May their lives end swiftly and without pain, the only small mercy they deserve. Perhaps there was one he would wish an inkling of pain upon, but they wouldn't be staying beind... the world is full of jokes like this. Blaise - quite the fun-loving soul. He had a knack for things like this - mistakes.

Perhaps there was a sensible one among them, Redstorm. He seems to realize Blazestar's own error - several, for that matter. There were few who acknowledged his own importance, and for this humility, he can respect this one. He offers a pitying frown to Redstorm. "I'm sure Miss Daisy, can take care of it..." he says, and no, he cannot be bothered to keep the amusement from his voice. "Have any qualms? Just - the..." he makes a strange motion with his paw, opening and closing. "The webbed-whisker - dig for it. cure-all for what ails you... dear-rie ♪" Something-something, not a truth, nor lie, not quite.​

 

[FIGFEATHER]

THERES MAGIC IN YOUR EYES, TEQUILLA SUNRISE​

To her it was obvious mom grew angry, Figkit naively assumes its for the same reason she was.
"It's so unfair! Gaia- Butterflypaw- ugh whatever, gets to be an apprentice but I don't?" She prods her mom's ankle with a paw, pestering her with an angry hushed whisper. Butterflypaw may be older than she was... sure, but so what?! They were still siblings, and siblings became apprentices together!

Didn't Blazestar know that!?

The rest of Blazestar's announcements were excting and all... sure! But Figkit was so frustrated and filled with envy for both Butterflypaw and Twitchpaw, two cats who just this morning shared the nursery with her... now got to move on- without her!

It was so unfair! ​