LIFE'S A TRIP [ ✦ ] FEB PRE-GATHERING CHATTER

[WOLFWIND]

The gathering is the sort of environment that Wolfwind typically thrives in. She's more than skilled in talkin about nothin', it gives her plenty to ramble on about while still not givin' away any clan secrets or anything. She likes to put her memory to the test – seeing what faces she could recall and which ones she couldn't. ( Most fell into the latter category. The space in her mind was reserved for ThunderClan alone, for the most part. ) Often times, the gathering could end up a competition of who had the loudest voice, and she found herself eagerly participating, most of the time. Doepaw clings close to her tail, and Wolfwind is close to telling her to relax.

But as she dips into the clearing, her newest apprentice nearby, she looks through the tunnel that is her one eye and oh, it's way too much. A cat bumps her shoulder, and she damn - near jumps out of her own skin. She close to becoming a crabby elder then, a bristling watch - it armed at her tongue – but it was a her problem, really. She should be over this. Everything should be fine.

( See, she'd clammed up any complaints before when Doepaw started trippin' on the way there. What her apprentice wouldn't see, is that Wolfwind had to catch her own self a few times, too. ) It's too bad she hasn't had time to see too much of the territory before the gathering came... Not to mention her eyes seem worse than Wolfwind had thought...

( Was her own eye worse than she had thought? )

It's so loud, comes Doepaw's voice, and she has to turn to see her too. She feels sympathy ( empathy? ) for her then, pale ears lowering against her skull. " Yeah, " She agrees. And she's never noticed it as much as she has now. " You'll get used to it. " Or... something like that. " Try to have fun. You can stay with me if you really want to. "

...She hardly wants to go and mingle at all, but it's a fat waste of time to come out here this late and not do anything with that time, wasn't it? She swings her head 'round, gauging the surrounding area. A few SkyClanners are still streaming in — one of them with a face like hers, contrary to all her beliefs about soft - hearted kittypetness. This one at least seemed worth talkin' to... Plus, they were yappin' about basic info in the telltale way that a mentor does.

Carefully — though she wouldn't admit it — Wolfwind saunters over. " Hey! " she calls, lifting her tail in a friendly greeting. She gestures to the shredded half of her face. " Twins! " She thought it was pretty funny. Hopefully they would too! " This your apprentice's first gathering? Same for mine. The similarities just don't end with us, eh? "

[ Talking to @doepaw ࿔ ; then going to chat w @Dogbite and @Ekat <3! ]​

 

[Ekat]

Hovering beside the scarred tabby, their young shadow feels as though there's a buzzing in her head like flies clinging to a carcass while he speaks. He tells her of Fourtrees and the traditions behind the Gatherings, but Ekat can hardly hear him above the blood rushing in her ears and that awful buzzing. It's fear, really, and it keeps the she-cat's wild, anxious eyes searching the crowd of chattering felines as though she expects to find anything besides the occasional curious glance. Tension pricks its way down Ekat's spine where the fur along it rises, and in turn she isn't convincing at all when Dogbite asks her how she's enjoying the Gathering and she responds with a mumbled, "It's alright."

A moment after, though, the black-furred feline's sense manages to catch up to her anxiety and she realizes it's probably best that she tells them the truth. The older warrior is being patient in mentoring her, and should his efforts prove enough with her and Ekat is able to pass her assessment, they'll be Clanmates for good. Though she sees the dull light in his remaining eye and knows the tabby is likely mourning the loss of Blazestar, the former leader was a stranger to her, just like the rest of the cats surrounding them are — as are a good amount of the members of SkyClan, still. If Ekat's to become a true warrior, it shouldn't remain that way forever.

"I've just never been around so many cats before," the she-cat admits, her paws shuffling in her unease. As a loner, being near too many others within the same hunting grounds could be a spell for disaster. There was no telling when strangers could grow restless and attack, as they were never truly allies — and her father had taught her to trust no one else. That lesson still sticks with Ekat now, and when a cat of ThunderClan suddenly decides to approach her and Dogbite, her ears flatten nervously and she swallows around a dry throat. The other she-cat seems to be speaking mostly to Dogbite, and so Ekat can remain silent, slightly trembling.

/ Interacting with @Dogbite​

 

[SCORCHSTAR]

༄༄ The ThunderClanner's comment about the tunnels makes Scorchstreak let out a soft huff of amusement. "It is," she responds plainly, punctuating the words with a nod of her head. The tunnels are a decent shelter from the elements, warm in winter and cool in summer—but there is always the inherent danger of predators or even a collapse. She can only wish that she had spent most of the coldest months down in the tunnels, instead of spending them hiding away in the horseplace.

Nightbird tells her of ThunderClan's recent woes, and the calico shakes her head, an attempt at sympathy. She had not known the tortoiseshell ThunderClan healer, but she remembers what he'd looked like. He'd only had three paws, as far as she can recall, and had been rather quiet. "I'm sorry to hear that. I hope that Gentlestorm will serve ThunderClan well." She does not recall who, exactly, Gentlestorm is—she only knows of the forest clan's volunteers for the mountainous journey. But she is glad that at least the neighboring clan had a replacement for their star-bound medicine cat. WindClan had not been so lucky when Vulturemask had been murdered.

Her brows raise at the next piece of news, the only outward signal of her surprise. Flamewhisker had gone to the mountains as well, and though the calico would have sooner expected Nightbird herself to be deputy, it is a pleasant surprise to find that the red tabby has taken up the position. "Give Flamewhisker my congratulations, then. Sunstar has yet to name a deputy for himself, but I hope that he will by the next gathering." For a moment, she sees herself standing beside Flamewhisker along with the other clans' deputies—but that is a horrible thought, she muses. She would be bound to showing up to gatherings each and every month, and she would have no way to avoid close proximity with the other clans' deputies and leaders. No, she decides. Bluepool would make a better deputy—Rattleheart would make a better deputy. Periwinklebreeze, not so much, but her point is that there are other options for Sunstar to choose. If he ever chooses, that is; the tom seems in no hurry whatsoever to appoint a new one, perhaps due to a lack of reason.

// @nightbird​

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[STORMYWING]

☁︎

She's alright. She's alright? That's all he's got? Her panic grows, her heart thundering in her chest as she thinks of Iciclefang in the nursery with no mate by her side, raising kits by herself. Tears prick at her eyes and she shakes her head in a jerking motion, feeling out of control of her entire body.

And then, impulsively, she leans forward. "I need to see her," She says desperately. She can see the uncertainty in his gaze, can hear the rebuttal on his tongue but she interjects, begging, "Ferngill, please. Tell her to meet me at the bridge. I don't…wanna make her swim, in her condition…please, Ferngill. I have to talk to her." What she wants to say? She has no idea. Beg for her back, maybe. Beg to not let their love end. They can make it work, maybe. It's worked so far. No one except for their friends has found out yet. They can keep this going. And maybe she can even be a part of their kits lives, even if it's across the border.

// talking to @FERNGILL

I WANNA TASTE LOVE AND PAIN ☁︎​

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[FERNGILL]

She wasn't happy with his answer- of course, who would be? The selfish guilt, kittish and potent, continued to grip Ferngill by the throat- the sensation almost deafened him to Stormywing's continued request. Fiery paws kneaded the earth as she leant forward. Terrible at suppressing his emotions, Ferngill looked to her deeply conflicted as she asked him, begged him, to do something. To interfere, again. To... do another thing that stopped him from pretending that he didn't know.

There was a silence between them that felt like eons. Iciclefang, she wouldn't... he was sure she wouldn't want to be reminded. She'd always hated reminders. But- but Stormywing was his friend, too. And how was it his place to decide what Iciclefang did and didn't know? To withhold this request from her- she'd hate him for it if she ever found out. It wouldn't be the right thing to do.

So even if he opened the gate to his sister further breaking the Code, Ferngill would tell her. A sigh of resignation pulled through him, the bright tom still not doing a very good job at hiding how conflicted he was. "I'll tell her." His shoulders depressed, and he nodded. "I'll tell her. But please don't ask me again. If she doesn't show, that was her choice." It hurt him to say it, but- by continuing to be involved, he was putting both Iciclefang and his own place in the Clan on the line. They were both lead warriors, now- they couldn't be doing this.

\ @STORMYWING ​

✦ penned by pin ✦​

 

[lilacfur]

Lilacfur's gait padding into Fourtrees is far more formal than her last visit. Akin to how she would carry herself around the nursery, pads carrying her like a feather as she stood in the moonlight. Last time, she was accompanied with Skunktail and had only been a warrior for a moon or two. She had kept close to him instead of galavanting about and socializing with the crowd but she was much different now.

She survived yellowcough. She had her family reconnecting and growing bigger, like how it used to be. She had apprentices to train and had done so well teaching her nephew that he was given his own the same night he earned his warrior name. Chilledstar saw her fit to joining their council as a lead warrior- it was almost too much! How long would this high of achievements last?

Lilacfur doesn't dwell on her anxious doubts for long as Pipitclaw reminded her he was still there, her smile growing as he brushed against her. "If he doesn't, I'll knock him down from the stones myself." The rosette whispered back, humored by how excited he was to meet the other Clans. She watched as he disappeared into the mix of pelts. Right, she should probably introduce herself to the other Clans lead warriors too... If only they didn't all look so busy, and so much cooler than her.

// briefly interatcing w @pipitclaw !! and intimidated by the other lead warriors around​

[ i need the clouds to cover me ]​

 

[Halfsun]

This was Halfpaw's second gathering she had ever been in attendance for, but she can't say she is quite sued to the sight of all the clans gathered in one central space such as this. It reminds her of when she was a kit, when everyone lived in ShadowClan and there were no borders between herself and her friends that hailed from other clans. Sharpshadow was a lead warrior now, her father standing in for Chilledstar and Sunstar standing in place where Sootstar once did, though she had never been here to see it. WindClan had not come to a gathering in some time, she had heard. Rumors of lightning striking the rock where the gray-furred leader stood circulated in her ears. They said she was probably afraid StarClan would strike again, that they wouldn't miss the second time they did, but Halfpaw is uncertain. Sootstar had not seemed like the kind of cat who would be afraid of anything, in her eyes.

Her mentor is quick to ditch her this time, and honestly after last gathering she supposes he cannot be entirely blamed. Besides, WindClan was here this time. That meant.... "PINKPAW!!!" She cries out upon setting sights on that familiar wind-swept calico pelt. She bounds forward, colliding with her friend with a joyous laugh "It's Halfpaw now" she informs her, her tone devid of malice and an easy grin on her face. "Stars, I've missed you." If she could take just one cat from WindClan with her into ShadowClan it would easily and without a doubt be her friend from across the way, though she doubts its what Pinkpaw would actually ever want and how could she ever blame her? The moors were as much her home as the swamp was hers. "I heard about what happened, with Sootstar I mean. That's CRAZY Pinkpaw. I'm glad you're okay, do you have any cool scars from the fight? What was it like? Oh I'm just so GLAD you're okay!" she thinks of Nettlepaw, of how wrong things can go in just a short moment, how much she could loose in the span of a day. She doesn't know if she could've handled loosing another friend so soon.

// interacting with @PINKPAW

( ✦ ) take me home

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  HALFPAW SHADOWCLAN APPRENTICE ; SHE / HER ; SISTER TO APPLEPAW, ASHENPAW, SWANPAW, GARLICPAW, THORNPAW AND LAURELPAW
  

  A fluffy she cat who's fur is half cream tabby, half blue tabby split by white. Her eyes are two mismatched shades of blue, with one being a light icy blue and the other being darker in color.

  ✦ Easy in battle + still learning how to fight