KEEP YOUR HEAD UP [open- gathering chatter -10/14/22]

[Duskfire]

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I WANT SOMETHING JUST LIKE THIS​

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To be completely honest, Dusk had been running on autopilot lately. His wounds were barely healed enough to permit the journey to Fourtrees, but he couldn't stand the thought of being left in camp to sit with his thoughts. While he was sure it wasn't a great look to have so many Windclanners show up sporting new scars and injuries it wasn't as if there was anything that could be done about it when they were contending with hawks. Besides, it wasn't as if Windclan would be the first group to show up ruffled at a gathering: Thunderclan and Shadowclan hadn't been vulnerable the last time they'd made an appearence.

He tried to ignore the misery brooding within him as the thought in the back of his mind hovered threateningly, knowing full well that there was one apprentice who should have been there but wasn't. And he never would be again. Add to that the fact that Inkylotus had up and left, well, it didn't leave the bengal Deputy in the best of moods.

Duskfire knew better than to let himself falter among the other clans though. While he doubted he'd be able to shake the subdued air about him tonight, he picked his head up and set his shoulders as they arrived, doing his best to not look as depressed and vacant as he actually was. After all, the gathering was supposed to be a time of light-hearted interaction and the sharing of news between groups, and while there was certainly tension among the groups that would likely end in disaster later, it wouldn't be Windclan that came here starting shit under the truce of a full moon.

"Make good with the Shadowclanners if you can." he muttered to his clanmates while they were still out of earshot of the other groups, knowing that their position with the other clan was still shaky and that Sootstar wanted to salvage it if they could.

"Windclan has arrived."he called in a louder voice as they entered the clearing, only partly surprised to see that they were the first group there. If he'd been paying more attention he would have noticed the lack of clan smells, but his mind was a little occupied with other things at the moment. Still, he intended to follow his own advice as he made his way into the meeting spot, knowing it would save his sanity more to interact with some of the other cats than it would to sulk on his own.

OOC- Duskfire is open to interactions!
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windclan warrior - male - 20 months - homosexual - polyamorous - single - tall, strong bengal tomcat

 

[hyacinthbreath]

Basked in the glow of the moon as she seats herself amongst the throng of cats, her ears flick as she listens to Duskfire's order. She could care less for the ShadowClanners, she was more interested in finding Smokethroat. He was the closest thing to a friend she could have in a RiverClanner, at least.

"Do you think they'll throw dramatics again?" She asks softly to no one in particular, voice thick with germanic accent.​

 

[Echolight]

Her first gathering, which in all truth wouldn’t be all that surprising to someone who actually knew Echolight. Feeling shoved into the clan life at a running pace, learning all the rules and shifts from her former loner life, the desire to attend a mass gathering swarmed with more clan cats and the pressure to socialize did not sound all that appealing to Echolight, as contradictory as that may be to her old personality.
Yet something had changed in the last quarter moon, her way of thinking. It was time to throw herself out there, to get a look at her neighbors.
Duskfire’s instructions almost send a small chill down the calico’s spine, but she is able to suppress it. The thought of Honeytwist saddens her, the small hole that the medicine cat left in numerous Windclan hearts is still fresh.
She stubbornly pushes the thought away and begins to wander from her clan, not looking for anyone in particular, of course, especially not an earthy toned pelt, or wide blue eyes.
Instead, her eye floats to the tops of the oaks- despite having seen them before, the sight of their leaves frosted by moonlight will never cease to amaze her.

[ open for interaction but very subtly looking for @ELMBREEZE ]
"Speech."
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[ WHAT A TIME ]​

 

[ｂｌａｃｋｐａｗ]

( ★ ) blackpaw followed in after his other clanmates, only a little out of breath. he had to catch up to the group since he'd been busy napping and then grooming moments before they left. his bright green gaze scanned the clearing, not many cats were here yet but they'd pour in soon enough. he nodded at duskfire's request, but didn't plan on doing much talking unless he was spoken to first. he was much more interested in gossip. the black and white apprentice padded into the clearing and found a comfortable spot to plop himself down and secretly eavesdrop. his ears flicked at the voices around him and his stumpy tail twitched, waiting for something interesting to happen. he wondered to himself whether or not anyone else was doing the same, he couldn't be the only nosy cat around.​

( DO I SOUND LIKE A JOKE WHEN IM TALKING TO YOU )

 

[GRANITEPELT]

╭── ⋅ ⋅ ── ✩ ── ⋅ ⋅ ──╮​

Granitepaw had wanted to come to the Gathering and had been thrilled when Pitchstar chose him. The blue and white tom did not care about making friends with other Clans -- why would he? He doesn't know anything about RiverClan, but ThunderClan and SkyClan are full of kittypets. Their very presence reminds him of his traitorous, yellow-bellied mother, and he cannot help but sneer when a warrior from either Clan walks by.

He spots a speckled golden tom giving low orders to his cats. Granitepaw just barely catches it. Make good with the ShadowClanners, if you can. He smirks. WindClan is still shaking in their fur from Pitchstar's unhinged display at their border, he can see. Granitepaw doesn't mind WindClan as much as he does the other Clans, though. At least they aren't led by a kittypet.

He looks for someone closer to his age and sees a bobtailed black and white tom. He could still be a warrior for all Granitepaw knows, but he approaches regardless. "You. You're in WindClan, aren't you? What is your name?" The questions come off as interrogative rather than friendly or curious, as well they should; they are.

// interacting with @ｂｌａｃｋｐａｗ

- ,,​

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[Sunnyday]

☀ - WHILST MY HEART STILL BEATS
Sunnyday scanned the faces that were already present with a mild look of dismay. No SkyClanners or RiverClanners yet from what he could tell, just... well, ShadowClanners and WindClanners. The long-legged ThunderClanner weaved past the other felines with care, his ears swivelling all the while as he tried to pick up on any conversations that he could. Eventually he sat himself down in a clear patch and patiently waited for others to arrive. Absentmindedly he drew scribbles into the soil with a forepaw as a way of passing the time.​

 

[ELMBREEZE]

When the RiverClan cats appear, the sleek seal mink tom is among those in attendance. It is his first time being back here proper since just after the Great Battle, though he had made a few journeys to the nearby area since then. Elmbreeze had to admit that despite the bloody history that surrounded this place, it never ceased to amaze him how striking it was here.

Padding around the clearing, he makes a note of some of the cats present and tries to guess which clan they might have been from. He spots the ThunderClan cat he had met the other day and chuckles to himself about their humorous encounter. He almost freezes when his eyes land on one cat in particular. Echolight. He doesn't know why he is so surprised to see her there in truth, it is perfectly natural she might want to attend after all given that she is a clan cat and not a rogue or some other wayward stray. Perhaps his surprise comes from the fact he wasn't even sure their meeting had happened and wasn't some elaborate and detailed dream he had.

Elmbreeze begins to move towards her a little too enthusiastically. He catches himself doing so and has to intentionally slow his pace, to make it not seem so obvious he's in a rush to greet his WindClan friend. "Echolight, hi," He greets warmly, stopping a few lengths in front of her. He chooses his next words carefully. "It's me, Elmbreeze. Do you remember me from the, uh, last meeting?" Smooth.​

 

[SMOKESTAR]

RiverClan had, like its namesake, drifted into a peaceful lull and he almost dreaded the gathering now as it would shake the clans and make their waters rocky once more; he almost wished they could have skipped it and continued their peace. With the two-legs gone and a newly appointed deputy at their forefront he was optimistic of the clan's continued survival in the coming leaf-bare. No, he did not worry for RiverClan, he worried for what happened outside it. If the dark tom had even an inkling of what might be coming he would have been more vocal about not bothering to tread their paws upon this place but he was, like most of his clan, completely out of touch with the goings on. His only real insight to WindClan specifically was the silver lead warrior and it wasn't something he could even ponder over alone for fear of feeling too overwhelmed with it. He'd kept his promise, of course, but he had not been placed on a WindClan border patrol since so he had no way of knowing if things got worse or not. Sootstar, on her high perch, seemed oddly smug; though that was usually how she looked. Weaving through the crowd the white-speckled tom would finally spot the only cat he really knew outside RiverClan and make his way over.

"I could do without the theatrics this gathering." @hyacinthbreath's answer came in the cool rumble of a remark from the dark tom as he stepped up from behind her to sit a tail flick nearby, head nodding in greeting. RiverClan had dispersed for the time being, he had sent Iciclepaw off to socialize knowing she was going to pick a shaded spot and seclude herself with a roll of her eyes instead. Damn good hunter, that kit, but he had already accepted the attitude was not going anywhere. His orange gaze moved through the gathered cats, ears alert, but it seemed everything was calm right now; as it generally was before a storm.
"How fair's WindClan?" He asked, though it was probably clear he could give a rat's tail end about WindClan itself, the question was more specifically for her.
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[iciclefang]

╭── ⋅ ⋅ ── ✩ ── ⋅ ⋅ ──╮​

Iciclepaw, as Smokethroat had predicted she would, obediently pads away from her mentor. She casts a curious, sharp look over her shoulder, narrowing her cool blue eyes as Smokethroat talks to a WindClan warrior. She is sure she's seen her at the border before, but this is the tortoiseshell's first Gathering, and all of the names, faces, and scents are becoming overwhelming. A fellow lead warrior, she decides, though it's as far as her brain will let her go.

Her eyes catch a vaguely familiar sandy-colored shape, and his scent tells her he's a ThunderClan warrior. They'd been in RiverClan's camp not too long ago, recovering from the fire, and she'd met many of them. The tortoiseshell pads to him calmly, fearlessly, and dips her head in a curt greeting. "Hello. You're..." She thinks for a moment. "Sunnyday?" She says, tilting her head slightly. "I'm a RiverClan apprentice. I saw you when you stayed with us. Is your camp better now?" She doesn't know how one fixes something burned away by fire, but she's curious to know.

interacting with @Sunnyday

- ,,​

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[ｂｌａｃｋｐａｗ]

( ★ ) a much louder, nearby voice snapped blackpaw out of his focus, he turned torward the younger apprentice, raising an eyebrow. he had to stifle a snort of amusement at granitepaw's demand, he was supposed to be polite with shadowclan tonight. "my name is blackpaw, and you?" he replied courtly, ears still moving occasionally to pick up bits and pieces of other conversations.
a part of him hoped neither clan's cats would bring up the skirmish at the border, he hadn't been there but he'd heard gossip from other clanmates. surely pitchstar would bring it up once the leaders started speaking anyway. he returned his focus to the grey apprentice in front of him, tilting his head a little "how is shadowclan? well hopefully?" dangerous question. he may have discarded his hopes on accident but what else was he supposed to say? he was no good as small talk.
//interacting with @granitepaw ​

( DO I SOUND LIKE A JOKE WHEN IM TALKING TO YOU )

 

[Echolight]

Her mind is in the middle of wandering away from her body when a familiar voice catches her ears, acknowledging the mention of her name with an ear flick before her gaze follows, locking onto a set of familiar aqua pools.
It’s me, Elmbreeze.
She wants to giggle at his greeting, as if she wouldn’t remember him, one of the first cats to offer her some kind of relief from the stress of her day-to-day life.
"Elmbreeze, it’s good to see you again” she begins to hum, laying a feathered tail over her scarred paws to disguise their fidgeting, she keeps her voice civil, casual- despite her desire to talk with him as she had the other night.
She keeps her maw slightly parted, but no more words come out, she can’t find the courage to display the same relaxed and chatty behavior as she had when it had just been them, afraid to get too friendly in the presence of not only her leader, but almost half of her clanmates. Finally, she closes her maw. Tempted to ask him what he is doing after the gathering, but only trailing her gaze away from the warrior instead.
"Hopefully the gathering goes well tonight." She suddenly chirped, unable to tolerate the awkward silence any longer.


[interacting with @ELMBREEZE ]



"Speech."
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[ WHAT A TIME ]​

 

[CRAPPIEPATCH]

Truly, Crappiepaw isn’t sure why they decided to tag along with their clan to the gathering. There’s too many cats, too many strangers, and they’re terrified that if they break off from the rest of RiverClan, they’re never going to find their clan when they leave and then Crappiepaw will be stuck here forever. They don’t want to be stuck here! Cats died here!

As soon as the adults and other apprentices begin to disperse, so do the threads just barely containing their panic. Their eyes dart around frantically, searching for a familiar figure to follow. And there, there’s a calico pelt that he recognizes as Iciclepaw! He speeds up to catch up to her, bumping shoulders with an unfamiliar warrior who shoots him a dirty look on the way.

Iciclepaw is talking to a large feline, and Crappiepaw steps a bit closer to the other apprentice’s side. "Hi." The greeting is soft, stilted in the face of a stranger. Their gaze is warm, but they offer no further greeting to the ThunderClanner.

// interacting with @Sunnyday and @iciclepaw
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[ FORTUNE LOVES THE BOLD ]​

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[koispots]

Today is Koi's very first gathering, and she knows she should very much be excited, but theres a feeling of fear that grips her heart. Its cold and icy and no matter what Koi does, she cannot shake the feeling, her pelt prickling uncomfortably as she walks in silence among the Riverclanners. Her heads down, large ears pinned back and all of the sudden she finds herself extremely self conscious- Mom always told her, don't be ashamed of who you are, but here she is with a pounding heart and what feels like anxiety pooling in to her lungs. Oh, she should have just stayed home instead!

They reach Four Trees and cats break off, its so nerve-wracking and all of the sudden she finds herself alone. A gulp and on shaky paws she moves herself around the gathered cats as if she was skilled in dodging, because if she bumped in to them, then it'd cause unnecessary conversation and with how terrified she feels shes afraid that she might die then and there. She finds herself a spot on the edge, where not many cats go to, and seats herself, tries to calm her breath by kneading the grass below.

// open for interactions :)
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"speech"​

 

[ACORN]

Oh. My. Stars!

The curtains of cats parted ways to reveal Acornpaw: the shining star making her public debut among the masses. She could practically hear the cheers and the singing praise. Yes! Everyone would recognize her as the bestest warrior ever. Besides maybe Gamma. BUT! Second best wasn't the worst!

Bright eyes scanned the gathering for a/an victim apprentice. Yeah, yeah. ThunderClan had a lot of apprentices but they could be boring or crazy. Green eyes practically shined as she spotted a small calico by herself.

Why wasn't she mingling? Well, that didn't matter because Acornpaw was here to save the day! She approached the outcast with a large smile. "Whatcha doing? Oh! You smell like RiverClan! Did we meet when ThunderClan was there? Hmm.. I can't remember." Because she'd been a shadow of herself, grieving Tempest's death. Now, though, she looked as peppy as ever while addressing @koipaw.

That poor, poor girl. ​

 

[DAWNGLARE]

The gathering was something he cared little about. That is, not until he'd made a... friend.

Part of him still sinks into the clearing with bitter distaste on his tongue. It was always... noisy, alight with every manner of speech you could imagine. A great many things passing through pursed lips, some never quite clear. How strange was it, that some still spoke with Windclan so freely, after everything? That clan bound to fire and brimstone– save for a lucky few– still descended into the hallow to chat amongst the rest of them. Amidst the fools who lived within these wood, he'd like to think the rest of them a notch above them. Perhaps it was too soon to make such a judgment.

His eyes narrow at a pair he passes by, where they hail is distinctly different, though he can tell, one is Windclan, and another is not. His nose further wrinkles in distaste, at the scarring of the moor-runner, their fur the color of juniper. "Is being exposed for what you are considered theatrics, now?" he mutters. Cloud-brained, the both of them. What else could you be to bear that ugly mark? Not a prayer could save their weary soul.

He spares them no further acknowledgment as he walks by. Barely a moment has passed, and his face is already set in a scowl. This hellish place. A shift of attention– he searches for a familiar face. Star-bleached fur, soot-soaked paws, even the twinklings of a laugh, that familiar chirping... it's all he'd need to find him.

[ briefly interacting with @hyacinthbreath & @Smokethroat , looking for @MALLOWLARK ]​

 

[ravenpaw x]

would you do anything for me?

Ravenpaw padded alongside the rest of her clanmates, her pitch black pelt hiding her in their midst. This was to be her first gathering, and she was cautiously curious. From what she had heard of the previous ones, they were nothing if not exciting. She could only hope that this one would top all that came before it. Perhaps Blazestar and Sootstar would go for each others throats with fangs instead of words this time. A shiver of excitement went through her.

Sharp eyes surveyed the other clans, narrowing as they drifted over the ranks of Windclan and Thunderclan. It was they who had sent her aunt home beaten and bloody. She would never forgive them for that. They were savage, despicable creatures one and all. Not that Skyclan was much better. Her mother had told her many stories of the great battle and how it had torn her father's life away. It was those pathetic kittypets that were responsible. With idle disgust, she noted that some of them still wore kittypet things around their necks. It was a disgrace to all the clans that they were here.

The only clan to escape her ire was Riverclan. Their affinity for the water was strange, for certain, but other than that they were fairly respectable. Though, she did dislike that they interacted with the other clans. Already, she could see a Riverclan and Thunderclan apprentice chatting each other up. She glared at them silently.

// glaring @koipaw and @ACORN but otherwise OPEN TO INTERACTIONS! ^-^​

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[Sunnyday]

☀ - WHILST MY HEART STILL BEATS
When it rains it pours! He didn't have just one apprentice approach him but he had two. A friendly smile warmed his features as he looked at Iciclepaw and Crappiepaw. "Yes, my name is Sunnyday, well remembered. And I really must thank RiverClan again for extending such kindness during ThunderClan's time of need. Our camp is doing well now and most of the ash smell has begun to fade." He replied with a nod of his head as he wrapped his tail around his paws.

"So, what are your names? How are things over in RiverClan?" He had already been informed that the first was an apprentice, and he suspected that the other was the same, but he was just terrible with names! Though he was genuinely curious about how the neighbour clan was fairing these days. He also wanted to ask about how Elmbreeze was doing, though he did spy the other from the corner of his eye heading towards Echolight. Yeah, the fellow seemed to be doing just fine. Heh!

//Interacting with @iciclepaw and @CRAPPIEPAW ​

 

[MALLOWLARK]

A dance found his paws on the journey over, that buzz of excitement in his feet. Before, the prospect of the gathering had been exciting, sure, but this was different. Under the moon everything seemed to build more anticipation, figures glowing silver in the dark- but there was one, snow brushed, that he searched for through the crowd. In flooded ThunderClan, RiverClan, ShadowClan, WindClan- Wind met River as his sister bounded forward to meet a face he did not recognise. Perhaps a friend she had made at the previous gathering- he had not been paying attention...

SkyClan. There they were, the 'kittypet Clan', and in their throng the one could still scarcely believe was no star-written apparition. "Hi!" he called with hardly a thought, a chirp springing from grinning lips. All other faced fled from his attention, amity fully extended to Dawnglare. Their eyes met, sky and storm; had he been looking for him, too? A mutual search- how exciting! Bounding over, he hardly cared to suppress his excitement- though a stagger slowed his movements at the sharp pain in his ribs. Right- right. "Smells less smoky, tonight..." he remarked, a chittering laugh with volume lowered to a chime of a whisper. "Are you alright?" A hushed ask again, but offered in earnest. There was a frown set upon his velvet features, one of great displeasure. Had something happened?

/ interacting with @DAWNGLARE !!​

[ PENNED BY PIN ]​

 

[HOUNDSTRIDE.]

❝  It's the first his paws've touched this ground since things'd started to settle. He'd cared so little for meeting the others. Nothing more than a bad memory of his past. A nightmare he'd do most anything to forget. Exactly what'd convinced him to come this time, Hound couldn't begin to say. He's no interest in the conversations of others. It comes to him then that he has so few friends left in this life– outside of RiverClan, he's locked his history away to never be touched. The faces that he should know, the ones who'd been there for the bloodied hours same as him, are forcibly unfamiliar. They speak as friends or pleasant strangers, and he looks at them and sees history. He should've stayed home. Perhaps some part'f him's hoping for better memories to make. Someone to pull him from these troubles; someone he could greet at the border with a smile. Hound's never been all that good with hope.

Still, quiet paws tread a little deeper into the clearing. Though he has no soul to look for now, he looks nonetheless.

†  ooc notes information †

• 
  ooc: open for interaction !! he wants....a friend.
• ──── houndsnarl. trans male, he/him pronouns.
  ──── approximately 30 moons old, or 2.5 years.
  ──── bisexual with firm male preference; single.
  
  ──── a chocolate tabby with ( stylized ) low white and intense lime eyes. lean and lanky,  with whiplike musculature and a long, quick stride. hound's notable features include his impressive height, the long scar across the left side of his face from nose to jaw, his very deep, dense fur, and the confident manner with which he conducts himself.
• "speech"

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[Coyotecrest]

I won't apologize for being who I am

The newly made apprentice loped beside Thistleback with a gleam of excitement in his mint green eyes. Finally, he would get the chance to see what a gathering was like. Coyotepaw stuck close to his mentor, always keeping the tom's bristled hide within his line of sight until he heard Blazestar purr. "Go ahead and mingle, Skyclan" Turning back to look out over the crowd he saw cats of every shape and size wearing the specific scents of their homes. The smell of the moors, of windclan tugged at his heart, reminding him of his former home as he genuinely wondered how they were all doing. Just upon brief inspection they looked well enough and a small grin touched his lips in response. For a moment the windclan refugee pondered if they would remember him or not. There was a possibility they wouldn't, Leopardcloud always seemed to keep him and his Mossykit rather close to her side. Coyotepaw glanced at the leaf littered ground briefly before glancing back at his mentor. "Thanks for letting me come along Thistleback." The boy whispered, he lingered by the daylight warrior's side for a moment longer before peeling off to find someone to talk to. (came in with @ThistleBack looking for @SLITHERPAW but open to interaction.)​

Tryna throw shade on me say a lot 'bout you​

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