camp THE RECKONING — meeting 09.22.22

[PITCHSTAR]

[ there is a brief occurrence of the "call of the void" in the parentheses on the third line, so please do skip over that if it could upset you! ]

The setting sun bleeds into the sky behind him. Pitchsun feels out of place, perched atop the Clanrock; like a child pretending to be the leader in some silly game. In some ways, that's what he is. He could never fill the pawsteps left behind by his mother. No one would ever be her, much less him.

"Gather," the rosette tabby croaks out, his throat raw from crying. He doesn't bother with the proper call that his mother used. Impatience tinges his bloodshot gaze as he waits for his clan to obey, his matted tail thumping against the towering boulder.

(The drop beneath him is dizzying. If Pitchsun leaned forwards a little more, would he plummet? Would his body succumb to the impact? Would he see his mother and father again?)

His tunnel vision fades as he blinks. Once enough cats have gathered, Pitchsun regards them with a hollow stare. "Tonight, we will sit vigil for m- Briarstar. We will remember her for the great leader that she was." A shadow crosses over his face, then, and he tempts fate by leaning over the edge ever so slightly. His blank gaze is replaced with a furious glare, twin embers burning into the crowd. "Let this night be a reminder to never forget StarClan's injustice. Do not forgive them for the false promises they fed us." Nine lives... What a fucking joke.

With a shaky laugh, Pitchsun leans back once more. As quickly as the fire in his eyes had kindled, it had been snuffed out by the overwhelming grief that weighs upon him. "Now, we have some important ceremonies to get to before the vigil... So, Dawnpaw and Canarypaw, please step forwards."

@CANARY. @Dawnpaw​

 

[Dawnpaw ~]

Dawn ✧ he/they ✧ Marsh Group. ░░░░░░░░░░░░░
The death of Briarstar was so- sudden? It was just like yesterday she had annoucned the formation of Shadowclan, and now she laid splattered across pavement. Her children must be horrified and fill with unadalturated sorrow, and Bone also looked to be taking it very hard as well. Dawnpaw though couldn't feel sympathy for the situation. He had lost both of his parents to the thunderpath as well, as well as his two brothers, so what made them so special? Cats died all the time, every day, and there was no changing that. Then Pitchsun called out to the clan for a meeting, after stating to sit vigil for his mother. Ceremonies? Was it really a time for that? Suppose some joy could be of good use, and the cinnamon mink tabby blinked a few times; him? The tom stood up on his three legs and limped forward quietly, what would come of this? Was this a warrior ceremony? He wasn't sure how to feel about it. ​

 

[GECKOSCREECH]

❝ holding it together with one loose string. ❝​

the rosetted felidae would approach the rock at pitchsun's pitiful croak of a call before finding herself an open spot to settle into while tilting her head up to face the tom who parted his maw once more to speak.

geckoscreech listened, jaw tensing at the mention of starclan who seemed to only be losing their 'faithful' followers that reside in these marshes. screw 'em. she thinks, keeping back the bitterness to watch the ceremonies unfold.
​

 

[BONERIPPLE]

A fucking joke indeed. The scorn she has for this so called Starclan has been festering for a while but now it has become a broken dam. Everything rushing forward and swarming violently. Her steps come quietly as she takes a spot, merely looking at Pitchsun with deadened eyes. Her sister is gone now. And she hopes she can find her own peace with it and the fact that she might be with them. Happy without the rest of her family. She frowns then as she looks away, torn at those thoughts. Why not be happy? She's suffered enough here and yet she hates the idea of their lives becoming tangled webs for Starclan's amusement.

Sighing softly she shakes her head a little before trying to focus on the whole thing. Dawnpaw is called forth and she blinks at the tom whose leg is just limp. Useless dead weight. She wonders then just what will happen. Will he be getting his warrior name todag among all this tragedy?​

 

[betonyfrost]

POST CODE

• A trepidation, or something near it, sits in the highest point of Betonyfrost's chest. She feels something like a fledgling on its first flight with a fox below the cradle of its nest. She feels something like she is witnessing a great unraveling, that ShadowClan, nascent in name, will come apart under this great weight.
  
  She gathers when called and sits in the smallest way she knows how. Paws tucked close, tail coiled close to her side, and neck craned to watch Pitchsun. Suddenly she is angry in an ugly way. It claws up her throat, but Betonyfrost swallows it before it can settle as a sneer on her face. Who does Pitchsun think is? Something that hardly makes sense-- something Betonyfrost cannot track from one place to another. She looks away from him, down to her paws.
  
  What was any of this for now?​

• "[color=#ddafeb][b]speech[/b][/color]"

shadowclan warrior | blue mackerel tabby | tags​

 

[ravenpaw x]

would you do anything for me?

Silently, Ravenkit padded beneath clanrock at her brother's call. Set herself down and wrapped her tail around her paws. Sharp yellow eyes turned on him. Pitchsun, her strange older brother, who would now take their mother's place. Quite literally, at the moment. It was strange, seeing him sit atop clanrock and address them all. That was where she had sat, where she should still be sitting. He was not fit for it.

Her tiny claws prickled the dirt.​

​

​

 

[POSSUMPAW]

possumkit would follow behind the moving crowd towards the beckoning call, if you could even call it that, of pitchsun who sat upon the clanrock looking worse for wear.

honestly, with everything that has happened recently the young tom really just wanted to go into the nursery and sleep it off. the lilac tabby child would eventually find a spot next to the other kittens and plop down besides them, eyes blinking slowly up at their new leader who was gonna go over ceremonies or something. they might just end up tuning everything out. ​

[ penned by cobi ]​

 

[PITCHSTAR]

Pitchsun’s tired gaze shifts onto Dawnpaw as the three-legged feline shuffles to the front of the crowd. “Dawnpaw and Canarypaw, do you two promise to uphold ShadowClan’s code, to protect and defend your clan, even at the cost of your lives?”

Pitchsun waits for an agreement from the pair before he continues.

“Then from this moment on, Dawnpaw, you shall be known as Dawnfire. ShadowClan honors your determination and courage, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ShadowClan.”

"Canarypaw, you shall be known as Canarywatcher. ShadowClan honors your forethought and patience, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ShadowClan."

With that out of the way, Pitchsun turns towards the youth of the clan… A dark expression passes over his face as his eyes land on Forestpaw. The young she-cat his mother had been mentoring. She’d need a new one, now, to continue her training.

“Forestpaw, Briarstar trained you well, but-“ Pitchsun sucks in a breath to steady himself. He could not break down into tears for his clanmates to see, not again. “-but you need a new mentor to continue your training. Chilledgaze, you already have Lavenderpaw under your wing, but I trust that you will turn Forestpaw into a fine warrior as well.”

Pitchsun takes a moment, watching them as he blinks back the moisture in his eyes.

“Now, Starlingkit, Bramblekit, Ashkit, Marrowkit, Ravenkit, Crowkit, Granitekit, Siltkit, Twilightkit, Ghostkit, Possumkit, and Spice, step forward.” Great stars above, that’s a lot of fucking children. Yet there is still one missing… The search patrols for Slitherkit have come up empty-pawed. Pitchsun’s heart aches to think what could’ve happened to his younger brother.

@CANARY. @Dawnpaw @FORESTPAW @CHILLEDGAZE. @STARLINGKIT . @BRAMBLEKIT @ashkit @MARROWKIT @ravenkit @CROWKIT @GRANITEKIT @Siltcloud. @Twilightkit @GHOSTPAW @POSSUMKIT @spice​

 

[GRANITEPELT]

Granitekit had only been stunned by Briarstar's death and the chaos that had ensued. Slitherkit had run away, and no one could find him. He's still gone. Marrowkit, Ravenkit, Bramblekit - they've lost that annoying confidence, are wrapped in the dark cloud of grief that he's been in for a moon now. Perhaps there's is greater - after all, he still had Sandylights. Sorta. Not that she ever paid him any attention... too busy moping and not taking care of herself.

He's not overly thrilled by Pitchsun, one of the most annoying cats in the Clan, calling this meeting. He finds himself missing the black-furred she-cat who'd died so many times on the Thunderpath. But he won't say anything, not after he sees the way the black tabby reels on the Clanrock, the way he looks partially dead himself.

Granitekit doesn't care about Dawnfire becoming a warrior, but his ears prick at the news that he's to be an apprentice. Finally. Searching green eyes flick to the kits around him, looking for a black and white pelt, a demure face. Starlingkit. He's sure she's sad right now. Maybe he should sit by her. He's sure her littermates are no help.
​

PENNED BY MARQUETTE​

 

[Starlingheart]

Numb.

Its the perfect word to describe how the black and white kitten feels right now. Everything was happening way too quickly, making the world feel like it was spinning around her. She felt like she couldnt keep up. It is a particularly difficult blow to see her brother standing on top of the rock her mother used to call meetings on. He looked like he was going to fall off.

It made her feel even worse to see her siblings, all suffering quietly in a similar way to her. As she approaches, summoned by the weak cry to gather she finds herself searching with mossy colored eyes for a familiar gray pelt. Granitekit was a jerk but at least he wasn’t wallowing in his own misery like her litter mates were. He could be a rock for her to cling to, his sharp tongue and hard eyes a lifeline that would bring her back to reality. She sits next to him, settling into place while casting a forlorn glance at Ravenkit. She wishes she could be there for them, to comfort them but she simply is not strong enough.

The meeting goes past her in a blur, her brothers voice only a background noise like static. Her eyes focus on the dirt, on her paws, anywhere but their forlorn leaders face where she could see her own grief mirrored back to her. Hearing her own name spoken is what finally draws her out of it. She looks up at Pitchstar with her round green eyes, clouded with mourning. There is a pang in her heart hearing him say all their names, all of them except Slitherkits. He should be here with them right now. He should be becoming apprentices with him. Numbly, she steps forward, casting a small smile in Granitekits direction as she does.
​

 

[wolverinefang]

I've no time for confession​

Pitchsu, er- Pitchstar doesn't look so good right now but he supposes it makes sense considering the recent fate of his own mother. To stand in her place must be harrowing and Wolverinefang grimaces at the thought, even more at the talk of Starclan and echoes of his own sentiments. It seems too somber of a time to give any congratulations to the new warrior and apprentices so he just gives a nod and takes a seat off to the side like he always does. He's not sure how a vigil works but hopefully he can vigil sitting down.​

✦ ★ ✦​

 

[turtlenose]

Truly an odd sight to see, Pitchsun standing before the clan. Struggling to speak to the clan gathered before him. Dipping her head respectfully with the mentioning of sitting vigil for their former leader, she would lift her head when appropriate to listen to the rest of the meeting. Now wasn’t the time for comments or questions. There would be time for that down the road. Pitch would soon be heading to the moonstone, and in that time there were still things that had to be done. They couldn’t give up their lives until things grew better. As the kittens were called forward, she waited quietly, watching to see who they would be apprenticed to.
​

 

[MARROWPAW]

──⠀ ﹙†﹚⠀MORTIS ⠀: ⠀ almost comically late, the tom kit stumbles from the nursery, his tail dragging behind him. he’s coiffed, groomed and presentable — his mother would have wanted him to be, he was sure. she would have done it herself, even. now, marrowkit groomed himself. he’s glossy, if not a bit lopsided in places, the trademark spikes beginning to bristle back up along the nape of his neck. much like his sister, he is absent. sunburst eyes are dark, tired, ears slanted down as he takes his place alongside those his brother had called. he’s to be an apprentice today. otherwise, the small male would not have bothered pulling himself from his nest, where the aging moss still smells faintly of their mother. the flora is browning anyway, so he may as well move from the kits den where he will have his very own nest. his throat tightens and he wants to cry, but he does not — he merely pauses alongside starlingkit, still staring downward. unable to meet her eye, even on accident. granitekit is present already, and he stays away from the silvery tom as best he can. he feels — fragile. aging, surpassing moons in the span of one fateful day.

slowly, he forces his dull gaze upwards towards pitchsun — star. his eyes well again but tears do not fall. the bicolor merely rubs his face, roughly. he would not cry in front of his clan. he didn’t deserve to look this pitiful, not today. there is a moment, however where he pictures his mother in place of pitchstar. she would have beamed at him, at his siblings. she’d always been so proud of them. he wonders if she is watching from starclan — wonders if starclan were even real. had they lied to them? did the other clan leaders have nine lives? why not shadowclan? the kitten releases a sigh, setting his brow and tossing his gaze up towards his older brother. whoever he paired him with, he surely hoped they were prepared. he had little left in him.

out of character information

• 
  − marrowkit ; he / him. kit of shadowclan, son of briarstar and amber
  − longhaired spiky black tom w low white & sunburst orange eyes
  − four months old, penned by antlers
  
  

​

 

[PITCHSTAR]

Pitchsun rests a weary gaze onto the children who step forward; the nursery would be empty, after this. Perhaps for the best... Leaf-bare is steadily approaching, and there is a troubling intuition that this cold season would be the hardest they've had in moons due to the fire.

"Starlingkit, Crowkit, Ravenkit, Marrowkit, Ashkit, Bramblekit, Siltkit, Granitekit, Twilightkit, Ghostkit, and Possumkit; you are four moons old, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior names, you will be known as Starlingpaw, Crowpaw, Ravenpaw, Marrowpaw, Ashpaw, Bramblepaw, Siltpaw, Granitepaw, Twilightpaw, Ghostpaw, and Possumpaw." Then, he inclines his head towards Spice, the one child not clanborn. "Spice, you have recently joined ShadowClan, and it is time for you to learn our ways. Until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Spicepaw."

"Starlingpaw and Granitepaw, I will mentor you myself. I will pass on all that I know to you." Pitchsun does not bother to leap from his perch to touch noses with his new apprentices. He keeps a hollow stare on the two, flickering between love for his younger sibling and distaste for the troublesome Granitepaw. With Granitepaw under his wing, he'd be able to keep a close eye on the young tom.

"Siltpaw and Spicepaw, your mentor will be Turtlenose. Twilightpaw and Ghostpaw, your mentor will be Geckoscreech. Possumpaw, your mentor will be Crowtalon. Ravenpaw, your mentor will be Hollyfrost. Crowpaw, your mentor will be Mouseflower (NPC). Marrowpaw, your mentor will be Antthroat (NPC). Ashpaw, your mentor will be Morningtail (NPC). Bramblepaw, your mentor will be Thistleblaze (NPC)." Fucking hell, he's so tired of talking. His throat scratches, his skin itches, and he wants nothing more than to crawl off of this forsaken fucking rock and into his nest. "You all have proven yourselves to be loyal and reliable warriors, and I trust that you will pass on all that you know to these young cats."

[ @STARLINGKIT . @CROWKIT @ravenkit @MARROWKIT @ashkit @BRAMBLEKIT @Siltcloud. @GRANITEKIT @Twilightkit @GHOSTPAW @POSSUMPAW @turtlenose @GECKOSCREECH @CROWTALON @lavs

& activity shoutouts goes to @BONEJAW @GECKOSCREECH @CHILLEDGAZE. @Firedawn @FLICKERFIRE @turtlenose @hailpaw. & @betonyfrost ! thank you guys for your activity! it does not go unnoticed! ]​

 

[spicepaw?]

Theres a meeting call and hesitantly Spice comes forth with wide, round blue eyes and a sparkle of curiosity. Death, something Spice has never exactly grasped before- they're just sleeping, Ma and Pa would say, they were incredibly tired and so they go to rest for a really long time. Vigil for Miss Briarstar, oh, she must be extremely tired! Leading a whole clan and having a whole territory to look after must have worn her out a lot, Spice thinks even herself couldn't handle that much. She wonders how Mr Pitchsun is gonna deal with it, would he sleep very long like his mama?

Shes brought out of her thoughts like a deer in the headlights as Mr Pitchsun asks her to step forwards and she slightly gulps, taking a deep breath as she searches the crowd for Mama Twilight before she lets her paws shuffle forth. Nervously she bit the inside of her cheek and then Mr Pitchsun says something that shocks her in to a grandiose smile. It is time for you to learn our ways, AND shes getting a mentor? Oh, she was so excited! She searches the crowd for Miss Turtlenose, ecstatic as she bounces over to her. "Hello, I am your new child!" shes totally wrong but she puffs out her chest because she didn't know any better and these clan terms were a bit confusing, but she'd do her absolute best for her!​

[ A FESTIVE REPRISE ]​