luster lost in rain ✧ DEC. PRE-GATHERING CHATTER

[lichenstar]

⋆ ✧ · ✧ ⋆ ✧ · ✧ ⋆ ✧ · ✧ ⋆ ​

If it weren't for the fact WindClan is their current focus, she'd say being approached by Howlingstar is that of being approached by a great enemy. Her sense of justice is sharp, unforgiving and her politics largely uncompromising where it affects RiverClan. And who... had been keen to steal territory from RiverClan when they were already suffering? They were not any better than the mole rats in the dune hills that were still, conveniently, not here for the Gathering yet.

Turning with a placid expression, the lynx point is thankful that Cicadastar never felt it necessary to discuss his mistrust of her with the general population of the forest... To anyone outside of RiverClan, this promotion was undeniably justified. Others of her clan who had witnessed her momentary stumblings with their departed leader, surely hoped for her swift downfall.

"Yes," she answers, tilting her chin proudly, "No more stand-ins from RiverClan." She hopes that seeing them finally made whole sends a very clear message to the other clans. They are not as fragmented and disjointed as Cicadastar's loss would've led them to believe.

"And... our medicine cat apprentice finally joins us tonight," she offers that knowledge willingly, it will be announced regardless. "How is ThunderClan? Did that apprentice of yours end up recovering?" The least the brat could do was cope after wasting Dovethroat's time, preventing the last clutch of lungwort from getting to them sooner.

-- interacting with @HOWLINGSTAR , offhandedly mentioning @Moonpaw

---

YET WITH EACH DESCENT DO WE RISE AGAIN

TO OUR HEART'S CONTENT FA LA LA LA LA LA​

​

 

[SHARPSHADOW]

WindClan did not show their faces.

It wasn't like last time, where Sootstar hid behind her deputy. A deputy that would betray her. They are absent completely, their stench nowhere to be found. It's strange, the confidence Sootstar does what she does in, and yet she seems to know when she ought to hide. The gaze that Sharpshadow might have before kept keenly on her... apprentice, didn't seem so necessary anymore. It realieved him a bit. Saying "his apprentice" still did not fit right on his tongue, so it was better that he just... didn't for now. that made sense, right?

" Um, " A glance is spared to his... ankle - biter. A face too - similar to one he'd thought dead. His gaze lingers on her for a bit too long. " Go... mingle and stuff. If WindClan shows up late... " Well, surely they would not try anything with all of these cats around? They would rather slink around under the cover of darkness. They would rather get ahold of cats on the inside...

And of course, that was only able to happen because of how ShadowClan was. Whatever. She shakes her head. " Uh, do what you want, " it was the word of an awkward young warrior, more than the cool, aloof one of a mentor. She was hardly one. She doesn't know why she even bothered telling Halfpaw what she can and can't do.

Sharpshadow slinks away. She pads throughout the clearing, head swinging too and fro, catching snippets of conversation. She usually did not care to find someone to talk to, but she wonders if anyone knew anything about WindClan... Any sniff, any word. Perhaps they would take this night to invade each of their camps, to take another set of kits to make up for the ones they'd lost... A prickle along her spine, she feels herself raising her head to look for Halfpaw again...

He could barely hear his own thoughts, especially above— above the wailing. Sharpshadow turns an annoyed eye to the source, the call to shut up, on her tongue, only to pause when the crying turns out to be literal, plastered on a pale, smiling face. A distant memory tells her that somehow, they might have to do with WindClan, but she couldn't say how. What she says is only because she's unsettled. And because—wasn't it awkward? To cry, like this? " What're you crying about? " he asks, a bit insensitively. It wasn't his job too be sensitive, especially to someone weird enough to only be a SkyClanner... Too bad he doesn't recognize any of the names he calls for.

with myself i must play in this game of charades ( ♱ ) cause there's no one to speak to

• ooc: talking to @Halfpaw and then @MALLOWLARK!
  

• 

• ( OF THE THINGS I'VE GOT IN MY BRAIN ) SHARPSHADOW: Formerly mentored by Smogmaw Mentoring Halfpaw
  ♱ he / she , no pref , dislikes gender neutral language ; fine with gendered terms
  ♱ currently 18 moons old as of 12.19.23 / ages every 8th
  
  

  dark smoke feline that stands at an above average height. Easily identifiable by her namesake – an unruly mat of fur, destined to be cluttered by inconsistencies between chimera halves. Burdened with a broken tail, often lying dead behind her in the dirt.

  
  Anxious, antisocial, paranoid. Sharpshadow has not known peace for a single time in his life, and lives anticipating inevitable dangers to the detriment of herself and others. —scraping together some higher purpose— making somewhat of an effort to be " likeable "
  heavy ic opinions! he's irrational and mean </3

​

 

[LUPINESONG]

❀‿ Lupinepaw pads into the clearing alongside Dandelionwish and the rest of Skyclan with a coat that is shiny and well-groomed as always, ready to put her best foot forward at her first gathering. She lingers near the brown and cream tom for a moment as she takes in the huge crowd of cats, finding herself wishing Cherrypaw was here beside her to tug her gleefully into socialization and perhaps introduce her to all of her cool journey-friends. But she steels herself, determined to not allow her hesitancy to steer her away from making new friends.

She failed to find any familiar faces in her quick scan of the gatherers present—she'd hoped to find any of the Riverclan apprentices that stayed in their camp during that chaotic moon of invasion, or the cute, oddly friendly Winclan medicine cat apprentice she'd spoken to in Shadowclan—but she walked into the crowd anyway, parting from Dandelionwish with a wave of her tail. Lupinepaw walked with a cool faux-confidence, looking around casually before zeroing in on an unfamiliar—but super gorgeous—cream-striped pelt.

The tall black smoke molly approached the moon-glowy stranger with a cheerful glimmer in her eyes and tapped them on the shoulder, "Hi, sorry, we don't know each other but I saw you and was like 'oh my stars she looks soooo pretty I haaaave to make sure I tell her.' So yeah...! You're gorgeous, I'm so jealous of your stripes." The Skyclan apprentice giggled to herself, but she found that there were few better ways to enter conversations than with a compliment or two. Plus, she really was pretty! "I'm Lupinepaw, by the way, a Skyclan apprentice. Shadowclan, right? What's your name?"

I DON&#039;T LIKE TO CRY ⊹₊°❀‿ BEFORE I KNOW WHY

• OOC: interracting with @Swanpaw , otherwise open to interactions !
• 
• 
  — lupinekit . lupinepaw
  — trans she/her. 8mo apprentice of skyclan
  — tall, long-haired black smoke with low white and green eyes
  — smells like sweet lupine flowers and young pine needles
  — "speech", thoughts, attack
  — icon by antiigone, fullbody and chibi by nya
  — penned by eezy

​

 

[Honeydapple]

Honeydapple approached the gathering with a sense of anticipation, her blue eyes scanning the cats from various clans. Having trailed in behind her friend Hailstorm the molly turned her sites ahead. Branching off and passing up the cloud of a Medicine Cat. The only good thing about these meetings was getting to say high to clans outside her own borders. A chance to strike up a fun conversation and trade experiences.

It was something she missed dearly from her wandering moons alongside Grizzlyjaw. Still she would never trade her love for Thunderclan for the cold of the open world. Spotting another snowy frame nearby the older cat's ears swiveled downward. A small she-cat with golden hue's seemingly looking about as she shadowed a somewhat-familiar inky pelt. Honeydapple had only ever heard of the Riverclan healer in passing but the youth at his hip was a new site. Intrigued the pointed molly moved in closer to the bundle of gathered cats.

Announcing her presence with a polite tail wave and a soft meow. "Hello, how are you doing?" A simple but pleasant start to a new face was always her go to. Her blue gaze remained attentive, gauging the newcomer's reaction and readiness for a friendly exchange.

OOC: interacting with @Moonpaw but open for other interacts!​

 

[Moonbeam]

The last time she'd been at a gathering Moonpaw hadn't actually talked with anyone, sticking close to Salmonsahde and simply watching and absorbing whatever conversations she could hear without getting too overwhelmed. She was prepared this time for the loudness of it all and by now she was used to the other scents that washed over the other clans - living with them for a little bit in a different territory would do that. Despite all this she still couldn't help the surprise that came from her when a ThunderClanner of all cats came to her to speak. At least they were better than WindClan she supposed, who seemed to be absent thus far.

The small start of the conversation was one that she appreciated, instead of jumping into the talk and chattering on she enjoyed the small start of a question "Oh I'm doing good, you?" Small talk was not something she enjoyed but it was the only thing she really knew how to do with strangers, especially those she was meant to be friendly with for the time-being. "There's usually a lot more cats here, do you think WindClan will show up?" She'd ask absentmindedly, looking around for a moment before turning her attention back to Honeydapple and offering the other a polite smile.

I WISH PLANT LIFE ꕥ WOULD GROW ALL AROUND ME

• talking with @honeydapple

• 

• MOONPAW formerly Ratpaw || NPC x NPC || sister to Rowanpaw || apprentice to Ravensong.
  -- She/Her || 8 moons old, ages every 17th
  -- smaller than average, small rounded ears. SH white masking cinnamon torbie with orange eyes.
  -- soft-spoken, often found humming, tries to comfort others by smiling

​

 

[DOGBITE]

✦ Stepping into the view of the crowd the Skyclanner wandered alongside his clanmates. Intently steering towards Applefrost It felt like since his time joining the clans he'd been nearly apart of every gathering since. Strangely, this realization left a warm feeling in their chest. Knowing that he was one of the few cats trusted to represent Skyclan in times of conflict and unity. Despite the happy thoughts his one-eyed gaze takes in the clearing filled with cats of all creed's but the clear lack of Windclanners was awfully concerning.

Silently he hoped the crazed leader would keep to her side of the border indefinitely. Seeking a distraction they turn their attention onto the familiar coat of their friend and his throat tightens. Maybe I should try to talk with her just a bit more. Dogbite's desires are soon squashed as they stop in front of an older tom. Dismayed his tail droops and their expression holds a neutral air while addressing the fellow warrior. "Hey." The cinnamon and white tabby nods a short greeting before glancing to Applefrost expectantly. They held no ill-will towards their clanmate just a twinge of silly restlessness.

•°.⋆ INFO

• ooc ; interacting with @DUSKPOOL and @APPLEFROST
• 
  
  
  
  ✧ 30 moons old
  ✧ skyclan warrior
  ✧ he/they ; single
  ✧ child of npc x npc
  ✧ "speech", thoughts, attacking
  ✧ peaceful powerplay allowed
  ✧ penned by tasmagoric

​

 

[MALLOWLARK]

It was a sharp-furred, shadowed shape he saw- someone wholly unfamiliar. What did he want, then? Sidling up, asking a deafening question as if he was just as good as ay of the cats whom Mallowlark called for. Wide silver eyes studied her, tear glossed and unblinking. Stayed put. Stock-still, completely utterly staring. Deeply and completely. The cogs turned, and clicked into place after a few moments. Right, this was- concern, or something like that.

ShadowClan scent tipped him off regarding the shadow's origins. Tears trickled down his face. "Dunno what that Sootstar's done with my siblings," Mallowlark said, uncaring that he was revealing any closeness to any WindClanners, not thinking any of it through. What was he crying about, though? Wasn't like they were dead- he was sure Sootstar might have come here o brag about it, had she coated the moors with the blood of those who had lived there long before her. He hurt, somewhere. In his heart, maybe.

\ @SHARPSHADOW sorry this is hideously late​

☺PENNED BY PIN​

 

[GENTLESTORM]

I SEE A SONG OF PAST ROMANCE — He sees many faces amongst the crowd some familiar and others not, he supposes that they'll gradually become familiar considering how he would likely come often if they had no patients to attend to at home. His eyes only briefly for those that had been on the journey with him and he seems fortunate tonight as Iciclefang makes her way over to him and both of his tufted ears prick forward at her greeting only "Hello Iciclefang. I hope all is well in Riverclan," He offers her a warm smile only to tilt his helm slightly at her inquiry of how the life of a medicine cat was treating him and he thinks about his ceremony how he had vowed to the stars, to follow the path of healing, and he had seen her. Everything had become more clear and easier to breathe, he does not feel like he's hollow anymore but mostly there only a part of the tom that he used to be before having gone on the journey yet he would not change anything about it. He had lost Little Wolf but he had found kinship within a few cats out of the clan and his eyes wander briefly from the molly wondering if Magpiepaw was somewhere in the crowd. "It has been rather rewarding. Both in knowledge and other things." He answers her with a nod and brings his paws close to him, "What about you? Have you settled into the position of lead warrior well?"

Her next question makes him think for a heartbeat and he nods "I believe I have. It's odd not being surrounded by the bodies of my clanmates in the new den but..." I've already felt alone without her to begin with... He pauses then continues "It's easier and I needn't worry about tripping over anyone in the mornings. I hope I don't reek too much of herbs," Is his final musing to her, his warm eyes settled on her and decides to ask one last thing of her "Do you miss it sometimes? The mountains, caves, forest, and all?" Did she miss how they had been a clan of their own with nobody trying to tear at the other's throat or the worry of Windclan being ruthless per usual. Sometimes he finds himself missing it even if he prayed to be home after the death of his mate, he may have lost her but they had fallen in love up there where they almost touched the stars and he would never regret it. He may be alone now but his clanmates are well and no longer in danger of yellowcough.

/ interacting w/ @iciclefang

I SEE THE SACRIFICE OF MAN ✦ I SEE PORTRAYALS OF BETRAYALS

• 

  MEDICINE CAT IN TRAINING;
  — ✦✦✦✦✦ FLESH WOUNDS
  — ✦✦✦✧✧ INFECTIONS
  — ✦✦✧✧✧ ACHES & PAINS
  — ✦✦✧✧✧ ILLNESS
  — ✦✦✦✧✧ BREATHING ISSUES
  — ✦✧✧✧✧ TRAVELING HERBS
  — ✧✧✧✧✧ BROKEN BONES
  — ✧✧✧✧✧ KITTING
  — ✧✧✧✧✧ POISONS
• 
  ✦ longhaired blue sepia tom w/low white and brown eyes
  ✦ 51 moons old; ages the 27th every month
  ✦ bisexual demiromantic; mates with little wolf
  ✦ currently being mentored by berryheart
  ✦ easy to befriend/interact with ; hard to anger/upset
  ✦ "speech", thoughts, attacking
  ✦ semi-difficult in combat; relies on strength, his large size, and wits
  ✦ peaceful powerplay allowed

​

 

[Swansong]

( ☁︎ ) Swanpaw has a tendency to drift at gatherings, rather than properly socializing. Breaking off from his mentor and wandering wherever his paws take him until he's summoned to speak. It's a tap on the shoulder that has the ghostly feline's eyes drawing up to meet a much taller apprentice; an unknown face, but bearing the distinctive scent of sweet pine. "Oh...!" he breathes softly, a quiet surprise at being acknowledged rippling across his face. He quiets as she speaks.

Her words come fast and bright, bubbling up like laughter. "Oh my stars she looks soooo pretty," comes the molly's cheerful voice, and it takes a moment to register that she's talking about him. Swanpaw blinks, slowly, but the surprise does not bleed onto the apprentice's face. It's rare for anything to rattle the lethargic apprentice, and this is no exception -- though it does give them pause.

Her words come to a halt, and there is a beat before Swanpaw responds. Lupinepaw is the other's name. Lupinepaw has made a mistake, yet the moondraped ShadowClanner doesn't really mind. How strange. It's nice, being called pretty. Most of the marsh-cats don't have the eye for beauty.

A pretty molly isn't so bad a thing to be, and Swanpaw is quite content to be one for the moment. A small smile spreads across his face, regathering his metaphorical footing. "...Thank you, stranger. You look quite lovely yourself..." His voice is soft and light. "Such gorgeous fur... How do you keep it so soft?"

And introductions! Swanpaw almost forgot introductions. "Ah, and you've a keen nose too... Yes, I come from the marsh." A cream head dips in greeting, eyes sparkling. "...Swanpaw. It's a pleasure."

I WANNA BE HAUNTED ☁︎ I WANNA BE LOVED ! 【 12.28.23 】

• // interacting w @LUPINEPAW ignore how late i am. <3
  ​

• "SPEECH"

• ☾ ⁺ ₊ ⋆ SWANPAW. APPRENTICE OF SHADOWCLAN. HE / HIM / HIS.
  9 MOONS & AGES ON THE 17TH. PENNED BY SATURNID.
  
  

  

  ☾ — A PALE, ELEGANT CREAM TABBY WITH PERIWINKLE BLUE EYES.

  
  HALFSHADE xx SMOGMAW. LITTERMATE TO APPLEPAW GARLICPAW & ASHENPAW. OLDER SIBLING TO THORNKIT HALFKIT TANGLEKIT & DREAMKIT.​

 

[CHRYSALISWING]

In a track post, Chrysaliswing broke away from Skyclan like a shadow cut from its cloth. A pall of ire over the pine-bound clan, it now dissipated from the crowd as though a hoarfrost-noted stormcloud flitting away into the expanse of the sky - a great chaos submitting to a greater nothingness. Now, it seemed that his anger only seethed behind the cover of his flesh and fur. The chimaera-coated tom, his blacks and reds a chiaroscuro of colors, glanced backwards at the others who seemed to gravitate so closely to each other. It had been a while since he was invited to a Gathering - maybe even before he had become a warrior (if memory served him right). What made Blazestar want to bring him back to Fourtrees?

Mismatched eyes glowed like two molten suns in the full moon's blight, like the halos of a kingly corona of the aether, though no such thing was found above - only in sparse sightings such as this underneath the moonbeams. As if the blushes of plumes from an unsightly bird, a rarity of sorts, his gaze trained elsewhere. He would simply find a place to sit and hope no cat dared bother him. That was his usual plan, if not for curious outsiders. The Skyclan warrior went to sit down under a familiar bough, curling his tail along the ridges of soft and round paws, the tip of it crescendoing into a sort of sickle. Almost emblematic of the moon, despite the pelage that was so evocative of the burning sunrise.

( Open to (late) interaction )
​

 

[Orangestar]

𝐵𝑈𝑇 𝑇𝑂 𝐴 𝑊𝑂𝑀𝐴𝑁, 𝐵𝑌 𝑇𝐻𝐸 𝐸𝑁𝐷 ✧ 𝐘𝐎𝐔&#039;𝐋𝐋 𝐊𝐍𝐄𝐄𝐋 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐀

• 
  
  — orangeblossom | tags
  — she/her ; deputy of skyclan.
  — scarred white-and-ginger she-cat with brown eyes.
  — "speech" ; thoughts
  — chibi by waluigipinball
  — penned by mercibun. @ me in any official tabbytales discord for plots.
  
  

​

It's been about a season now, Orangeblossom realises, since the patrol entrusted to the Journey had left under the light of the full moon; and yet, during last meeting of the Clans, she'd barely spied any of the cats part of that. This moon, however, is far different. While the stench of the Clans touches her nose with familiar intensity, it's the sight of cats she'd spent time with that surprise her one after another. Had something happened she isn't aware of? She can even see Needledrift conversing with a RiverClanner, some small apprentice at her side. Was that one of the 'paws she'd mentioned during their talks?

But, perhaps more notably ...

"No WindClan tonight?" Orangeblossom muses to @SILVERSMOKE , her tail flicking. Some small unease is present on her features, replacing her usual wary scowl, and she passes the lead warrior a glance. Would the moor-rats show their muzzles late? Were they hoping that the lightning would try for an absent Sootstar, only for her to show herself in the aftermath? Waiting for an ambush, or was this something else entirely?
​

 

[SILVERSMOKE]

The Lead Warrior's eyes narrowed as a cinnamon feline trotted towards him, his tail lashing wildly behind him. Looking unapproachable seemed to give him no justice as the other sat in his same lonely corner. She was silent for a time, except for the occasional loud stare that made his fur bristle like a porcupine's quills before eventually, she broke the peace. Silversmoke nodded. "SkyClan." It was difficult to make heads or tails of the cacophony of clan scents, so close to him though, the pink nose of the tom swore it could make out smells of the deciduous woodlands that marked their neighbour's home. Oh for StarClan's... "ThunderClan?" He knew it was, and the idea of being friendly to the rude busybodies made it feel like thorns had attacked his sides. Still, this was not a night where he would promote confrontation first. 'Good talk'. He heard Orangeblossom's voice in his left ear as he sat awkwardly by, and the Lead Warrior's posture straightened.

He looked over the crowd of cats, scarcer even despite the puny size of WindClan's warriors. Silversmoke blinked incredulously, alarm bells ringing in his head as he tried to make sense of the enemy's motivation for being tardy (or absent entirely). It was a strategy of attack he'd have considered, all Silver could hope was that it wasn't SkyClan they were hurting today. In an attempt to ensure himself, he mewed, "Perhaps Sootstar is worried that StarClan will not miss this time." She had earned the clans' ire, which, if the code was anything to go by, was synonymous with StarClan's ire. He hadn't quite figured out how to control lightning yet, but the ancestors had. They had also shown their proof that they could intervene if they wanted to, but didn't - the ancestors were unusually callous. Perhaps that had contributed to why he was not hasty to free them from their moorland prison, they could do it themselves if they were that bothered instead of risking the lives of SkyClanners. With the twitch of tufted ears, he continued. "In which case... I can't imagine what she's done this time."

[ interacting with @ROEFLAME . and @orangeblossom ]
​

 

[Needledrift]

Her apprentice's energy is kinetic and Needledrift, too, finds herself eager to converse with the RiverClan tom that had approached the two of them. She could not say that she recognized his name or face, but it was a Gathering and making new friends was the name of the game.

"Good evening, Pikesplash. Needledrift." The gray and white she-cat dipped her head politely. ShadowClan holds strong. In fact, my mate is due to deliver our newest warriors any day now." A warm smile spreads over her misaligned features as she alludes to Ferndance and her nursery-bound condition. "I suppose I really should ask you about RiverClan, since I don't see Hazecloud or Dovethroat anywhere. Are they alright? Did I just miss them?"

@PIKESPLASH @LIVIDPAW speech is in #B9D0F5​

​

 

[HOWLINGSTAR]

Howlingstar nods in affirmation, eyes glinting in a friendly manner. "Congratulations. You must feel so proud," She offers with a smile, remembering the day Emberstar had named her deputy. How honored she'd felt, how grateful she had been for her leader's trust in her.

When the other brings up Stormfeather, she pricks her ears but frowns slightly. "She is healthy and alive, but Berryheart does not think she will walk again." Her tone is somber as she dips her head, eyes falling to the ground briefly before they lift again. The tragedy had broken the hearts of every ThunderClanner within the camp walls. The daughter of the deputy and a lead warrior...so much potential in her blood, only to be stripped away from her by a heartless beast. At least she is home. Flamewhisker and Flycatcher would not grieve the same Howlingstar had when her daughter didn't return.

// talking to @lichentail​

 

[Honeydapple]

Honeydapple, with a friendly demeanor, responded to Moonpaw's small talk. "I'm doing well, thank you. And about WindClan, it's hard to say. Gatherings can be unpredictable sometimes." She glanced around the clearing, her eyes scanning for any signs of approaching WindClan cats. A part of her was relieved to not face the assured tensions they would bring. Taking a seat near the snowy youth she meowed on. "They might join later, or they might not come at all." Honeydapple offered a warm smile despite the uncertainty. Appreciating the chance to chat with the apprentice amid the bustling gathering.

OOC: interacting with @Moonpaw but open for other interacts!​