September Gatherings

[Barketh]

[>_> I can't remember if I posted with Freezebreath, and I'm too lazy to check... Oh well, whatever. xD]

[navy]The tom looked upwards curiously, teal eyes flickering as he turned his gaze to the silver she-cat sitting beside a smaller cat, most likely an apprentice.
Freezebreath watched his sister for several moments before standing up and trotting over to the she-cat, waving his tail to catch her attention.
"Hey Whisperrain! Who's the sad looking sweet-heart down there?"
He purred, smiling in a cheerfully friendly manner at Honeypaw as he adressed his littermate.[/navy]
[maroon]Holding back a curse as the she-cat's mood suddenly changed, he bit back a retort and instead watched her walk away. His words hadn't received the reaction he'd expected from the normally even-tempered she-cat. She'd seemed fine with every other mutually-friendly insult so far; what was it about these lines that had upset her?
Whatever. It's not like I should care.
Narrowing his eyes, he blinked back the last of any emotions and turned, looking around for any cats that might not lash out at him the minute he said something they didn't like. Though he shouldn't have been bothered by the she-cat's feelings any more than by other cats' reactions, he strangely felt upset, as though he hadn't wanted the she-cat to leave.
Casting one last glance over his shoulder, he sighed heavily as his paws redirected him in her direction.
Don't do it, Thorn. Don't be an idiot. You don't care about what she thinks. Don't do it!
His common sense screamed and tugged and yanked at his limbs, but to no avail. Halting a fox-length from the Riverclan deputy, his eyes narrowed.
"What do you want me to say? Sorry? It was a joke. If I'd thought for one minute that you weren't capable of taking care of yourself, I would have put it in a much different way. Thymemoon, the only reason I made fun of you is because I know I don't have to worry about you getting into anything you won't be able to pull yourself out of on your own."
He meowed, barely aware of the silver cat who had approached them.[/maroon]
[green]Purring, the she-cat shrugged in agreement, smiling at the tom before glancing over at the leaders and wondering briefly what was taking the announcements so long.
"That would be nice... When blood doesn't have to be shed over trivial matters."
The she-cat's gaze softened as she stared off into the distance, thoughts wandering as she imagined a time when she and her siblings could play together in a carefree manner once again.

[/center][/green]

[rainshadow]

Dawnpaw entered the swarm of cats. Cats from all the clans were gathered together, peacefully. There was no growling or scratching. Just...casually chatting. She swerved around the cats, her scent mixing with Riverclan, Shadowclan and Windclan. This was Dawnpaws first gathering, she didn't know any other apprentices. She desperatley looked around for some apprentices to talk to. She hoped the gathering would start soon. She felt very...lost.

[Yachiru <3]

Her eyes pricked with tears and she shook them away before turning to him. Good cause know that I was wrong. Not even I can get through everything on my own! she smiled at him and sighed. I was wrong to yell at you. It's hard for me to take jokes like that. she sat back down and looked at the leaders. They sure have been talking to themselves for a long time... I wonder if something is wrong? she sent a worried look to Shadestar and turned back to Thornstrike, waiting for him to say something.

[lilybolt]

Pantherclaw smiled. He knew the she-cat wasn't joking. Not only because she had not made any sign that it was a joke, but also because a look came over her face quite different from that of a cat who found humor in something. Pantherclaw sensed Fernpelt had a reason to wish for peace. Of coarse she does! Peace would be great! Every cat wants it... He reminded himself immediately. Though a part of him felt there was still more to Fernpelt's expression, his mind forced him to recognize it was not his place to judge other cats, or try and guess what they were feeling. Especially cats from other clans...

Shadestar caught her deputy's worried look out of the corner of her eye. Shadestar shook her head in the slightest, as if to indicate that things were fine, and there was no reason to worry. Her movement was slight, so none of the gathered cats staring at her would catch it. Shadestar also experienced a flash of nervousness. Why was Thymemoon so friendly with Thornstrike all of a sudden? After the battle that had so mentally disrupted her deputy, you would have thought she would avoid that tom like a rabid fox! Shadestar quickly shook her concerns away, assuring herself that her deputy was only being polite.

[Barketh]

[green]Blinking, the she-cat realized she had spaced out again, and she nearly fell backwards in surprise at herself.
"Oh, great Starclan! I'm sorry! I tend to zone out like that a lot, but I didn't mean to do so in the middle of a conversation!"
The warrior sputtered, face hot with embarassment as she noted that once again she'd lost track of the real world. Though she tended to that often, it still made her fur feel red whenever another cat was nearby.
"Umm... Err... So... W... What do you wish for the future?"
Immediately, she wished she hadn't even said anything in the first place. Personally, she knew some cats were very sensitive towards that subject, and she wasn't sure what had brought about her question, yet the beautiful white cat knew in her heart that every living creature, even spirits, had dreams and hopes. Even if they referred to them as ambitions, it didn't change the fact that it was still something they longed and wished for.[/green]
[maroon]Stiffening slightly as the she-cat blinked back tears, he wasn't sure whether to comfort her or to pretend he hadn't seen her cry in the first place. Deciding to go with the latteral, he responded,
"Yeah, well... It was more of my fault. I tend to say some pretty stupid things if you haven't noticed."
He mumbled, ears folding back slightly as recalled the awkward, confusing feelings he felt around the she-cat. Deciding to ignore them too, he managed to smile at the she-cat, green eyes flickering with the faintest of comfort.
"Probably arguing amongst themselves. I respect them and all, and I can understand that holding the responsibility of the lives of an entire clan weighs heavy on their shoulders, but they have to try and understand their cats' feelings, too. And right now I can tell that we're not the only ones feeling impatient."
He muttered, mostly to himself though his words were loud enough to reach the deputy's ears.[/maroon]

[/center]

[Yachiru <3]

It's hard not to notice! she mewed. She laughed and said, I better get to my place, they could be waiting on me to get to my spot. she touched her nose to his and smiled. See ya later fishy! she winked at hi and walked off to her spot to wait on Shadestar and the others to begin.

Creamfur thought for a long while and finally said to Cloverleaf, Thank you for listening to me Cloverleaf, I feel better talking about it to you. Let's get back to our spots and listen for the leaders to speak.

[lilybolt]

OOC: Sile, should I do Heraldstar this time? Since Brambleclaw still seems to be absent...

Cloverleaf nodded to Creamtail, her usual calm smile slipping back into its place. The gray and white she-cat got to her paws, and walked back toward the hustle and bustle of the rest of the gathered cats, Creamtail close by. Her light green eyes cased the clearing. One thing struck her the most, an air of distinct impatience. It seemed as though the leaders were so caught up in their chats, they had forgotten to continue announcments...Cloverleaf let out a soft purr. It could be a long night.

Pantherclaw shook his head. "Don't worry. For a cat who almost just fell asleep as his leader spoke, I could hardly blame you for zoning out!" the brown tom purred. Fernpelt's newest question caught him off guard. He blinked twice, thinking. What did he want? He wasn't sure why he felt so compelled to answer a she-cat from a different clan whom he barely knew. But the fact that he didn't even have a readily applicable answer bothered him. Now he felt he needed to answer just to prove to himself he could. "I, um..." he began. His thoughts swirled for a moment, as he grasped for a notion of what he sought for his future. At last, he came to a conclusion. "I don't seek anything in particular. I want a good life, to serve my clan well, and to have many friends and..." he stopped abruptly. The last part was hard. His ex-mate, who died eventually, had made it difficult for the tom to brush on the topic of a family. After all, she had had a kit from another tom, while she was telling him she loved him! The hurt was still too deep to talk about wanting a family in his future...

[Barketh]

[maroon]Slightly taken aback, he felt his heart skip a beat as she touched noses and then left. Even though it was formal, common notion, he couldn't shake the feeling that it meant something more.
Idiot. Your heart can't skip a beat because you don't even have one anyway.
Snorting in self-contempt, he watched as the she-cat settled down in her spot by the Great Rock before he too rose and turned, walking back and deeper into the crowd.
However, as his paws treaded across the ground, he was unable to hold back a small smile as he pictured the pretty cat who had been waiting for him.[/maroon]
[green]Curious, the she-cat listened patiently, green eyes bright as she heard him out.
Hmmm... Nothing really out of the ordinary... Then again, I can't blame him for wanting a nice, normal life of a warrior. But as for myself...
Smiling, she pictured mountains and forests and rivers all from different territories. A whole new, vast world to explore, and many wonders and strange cats to encounter. The sights, the animals, the legends... It all amazed her.
"And what about traveling? Have you ever thought of leaving the forest to explore what's out there and beyond? I've always wondered; what lies past these trees? The stories, the thoughts, the words that have ever existed outside our lives, it's chillingly excuberant to think about what else is out there!"
Suddenly realizing she was getting carried away and had moved up to sitting on the tips of her paws, she sat back down, slightly embarassed.
"Err, but of course... Just living in the clans is fine too. Where our family and friends are... It must be nice having a purpose and a place to belong... Cats to protect, a home to come back to."
Sighing, she smiled forlornly to herself. Pantherclaw was a nice cat, but Fernpelt couldn't help but wish that he would come to look for more in life.
Maybe he's still searching. Perhaps he just hasn't decided what it is he wants. That's fine too.

[/center][/green]

[flamexcat]

[ooc: I was playing Heraldstar for this gathering Lily. ^^ I just didn't feel like starting the announcements. Someone else can, I'm to lazy? =P]

"Well, at least we've all established our names now. The hard part is remembering."
Purring in a silent chuckle, Weaselfoot nodded in agreement. He liked the softness in her voice, though he couldn't help but get the feeling that it seemed new to the she-cat. Either way, the way her pelt gleamed bright silver in the moonlight just made sitting her all the more worth it. "Gee, don't worry I never forget that kind of stuff!" He replied, smiling one of his many happy grins. Honestly that was a lie. The black and white tom was actually quite good at forgetting things...but for some reason he had a feeling he wouldn't forget Jaywings name.

[Barketh]

[maroon]Blinking, she managed to smile at the tom's goofy grin, wondering how some cats could seem so much happier than others. She didn't know what the tom had gone through, but she herself had heard many rough life stories lived by her clanmates. Such as Hawktail, her friend who had originally been part of a seperate group of foreign cats only to be exiled to the clans.
"Well then, that's good to know. The more meaningful the experience, the easier it tends to be to remember."
She purred, smiling sweetly despite the hollow emptiness that echoed inside her at the sound of her own words.
Meaningful? Was Bluesong's death meaningful? Because I can't get it out of my head. I never will, and I never can.

[/center][/maroon]

[| COMRADE |]

Silentstar glanced around at the other leaders, nodding to Darkstar as the tom joined them, then decided to step forward and begin. Padding to the edge of the rock, she called so all cats could hear her. "Under the guidance of StarClan, this gathering has now begun!" in a quieter tone, just loud enough to be heard around the clearing; she began. "We've not much to report. ThunderClan has been doing well towards the end of Green-leaf. Prey continues running well and we are preparing for Leaf-bare," she dipped her head in submission, tail signaling she was done and stepped back for the next leader to share.

----

Featherpaw gazed at Jaywing, tail flicking slowly back and forth. She didn't seem mean, as most cats from her clan classified ShadowClan cats as. I guess it's just opinion, she thought. Before she could speak she heard a yowl up on the Great Rock, and turned her attention towards the four leaders. First Silentstar spoke. Boring. Nothing important to share. If they have nothing important to tell, why tell it at all? she thought, twitching her whiskers with amusement.

[lilybolt]

OOC: I'm sorry! I already did Riverclan's speech a ways back. Thats why I was confused when no other leader spoke. Never mind, we can pretend that didn't happen. lol

IC: Pantherclaw got the sudden feeling that Fernpelt wished he had said something more interesting. Her answer was certainly fantastical enough. He tried to think about what a life such as that would be like. Constantly on the move, always a step away from chaos or danger. It would be cool, adventurous, amazing. But what about his clan? Had he not been born a Riverclan tom, Pantherclaw would have loved the thought of a life like that. But he was a clanborn cat. He just couldn't picture leaving Riverclan so he could go exploring. After all, the clan relied heavily on the strength of warriors to survive. He blinked, and suddenly felt sure that his answer had been honest.

Shadestar listened to Silentstar's announcements. She smiled at hearing things were well in her neighbor's clan. She then stepped forward herself. "Riverclan has much the same sort of report. Prey runs well, though we ready ourselves for Leafbare." she then nodded her head to the remaining leaders, and stepped back again.

Lilypond and Cliffstone were glad to hear the leaders begin their announcements. It had been looking like a long night, and though both cats appeared wide awake, by the time they got back to camp, they would both surely be thrilled to find their moss nests.

[Yachiru <3]

Thymemoon looked proudly at her leader. Everything will be fine! I hope the clans will be at peace until next Greenleaf. But things go wrong.. it's a fact of life....I hope nothing outside my deputy life goes wrong.... She looked at Thornstrike and blushed through her fur. She shook her head and thought, OK! I know I..... err...love him, but I can't let it get in the way of my duties. Still, she couldn't help but look at Thornstrike, for she thought he was very fairly handsome.

[Barketh]

[maroon]The she-cat's ears flicked as a voice rang out clearly across the clearing, and she turned to face the Great Rock where the Thunderclan leader, Silentstar, had gathered their attention. As the crowd fell silent, she wrapped her tail around herself, waiting with mock patience as she looked up, green eyes narrowed slightly as she listened.
Nothing interesting. Why am I not surprised? Might as well not even hold a Gathering if they don't have anything worthwhile to say. Though I can't completely admit to being bored.
Briefly thinking of the Windclan apprentice and warrior beside her, he continued watching the leaders as though their words were interesting.
Same old everything. When will something interesting happen?[/maroon]
[green]Blinking as the leaders called the Gathering to a start, the she-cat couldn't help but feel as though it was already over. Usually, announcements were said and the clans departed, but she'd been having such a thoroughly entertaining conversation with the tom that she'd completely lost track of time. Then again, keeping a record of anything was pretty much impossible for the warrior.
Smiling goofily to herself as she realized this, she quickly shook her head to erase the expression before looking up again as the leaders spoke.[/green]
[maroon]Thornstrike sighed heavily, rather bored now that his conversation with Thymemoon had been ended. Though he was tempted to walk over to the she-cat, he reminded himself that a Windclan warrior, specifically a cat as 'dangerous' as him being seen with Riverclan's deputy wouldn't make good gossip.
First news: Boring. Second News: Boring. Gee, isn't that interesting? Yeah, sure. Right.
Rolling his eyes, he settled down, silently hoping that some cat would make a random objection and that something interesting would happen.
Or maybe Night'll show up.
Nearly laughing aloud to himself, he turned his head to the side, blinking as he spotted Thymemoon. He wasn't sure if she was looking at him or just staring off into the distance, but he felt his paws burn and he brought his gaze over and back to where the leaders were gathered.

[/center][/maroon]

[~Beechflight~]

Beechflight had been watching the Gathering from a spot by the Great Rock. She had been spacing off until the Gathering had started. She was thinking about how Darkstar had looked at her while they had been walking into the clearing. She suddenly realized how she thought his black pelt was one thing she looked forward to seeing everyday. She was aware that she loved him and wondered if he felt the same way. She was snapped back into reality when the leaders began the Gathering. They had taken a while to start and Beechflight was glad that they had started so she could get back to camp and be alone with her own thoughts, without so many cats around. She listened as ThunderClan and RiverClan reported saying that prey was running well and that they were preparing for leaf-bare. It was probably the same for WindClan. That was what ShadowClan was doing. Beechflight turned back to listen to the leaders and wait for them to leave.

OOC: sorry i haven't posted. i've been busy with school and volleyball