History Repeats [Gathering]

[Administrator]

It's Sunday in two hours, so I figured I'd go ahead and get this thread up here. ShadowClan will not be attending while WindClan will. RiverClan and ThunderClan will obviously be here as well. This time, Willowstar can't start so Coldstar, Rookstar or Vixenstar will have to.

This is occurring during a lot of plot happenings, therefore liquid time will be heavily used. These events have already happened for the sake of this gathering:

• Coldstar has received his name
  
• Vixenstar has received her name
  
• Wolfclaw, Crowfrost and kits are in WindClan
  
• Willowstar has become a loner with Stagpaw and Fawnpaw
  
• ShadowClan is completely gone, Lilypelt, Swampclaw and Lilacpaw may be in other Clans
  

These events should still be roleplayed out, this is just to make the gathering make sense.

[tenacious]

[bg=black][atrb=border,0,true] Once more, the aged tom began to tread the familiar path to the Gathering, his head held high. RiverClan may have lost a warrior, but they were not weak; StarClan pity any Clan that dared to think such a thing. Still, he could not deny that the events throughout the forest had shifted…everything. He could not deny that the rebuilding of WindClan had changed much more then that foolish she-cat possibly could’ve imagined! Rookstar’s eyes flashed in the dark as he padded onward towards Fourtrees. Tonight would be a difficult night; there would be much to announce. He would have to plan his words carefully and be prepared for objections. Any cat that thought this Gathering would be entirely peaceful was far too optimistic for their own good. Even Rookstar had to look at the negative side once in awhile, as he was doing now. The RiverClan leader paused before Fourtrees, parting his jaws to scent the air. No other Clan had arrived; such was well enough. Rookstar wanted time to collect his thoughts before having to start. He remained still for some time, looking up at the sky; a few clouds drifted throughout, but none of them went close to the moon. Perhaps StarClan was preparing to intervene at any moment? So the warrior ancestors are on edge as well, Rookstar thought with a light sigh. The grey tabby turned to face his Clan, eyes shining in the dim light the moon washed down upon them, “I know some of you may want nothing more then to claw those WindClan traitors, but kindly restrain yourselves. This Gathering may very well bring peace to the forest- or war,” Rookstar’s growled lightly before shaking his head and turning back to face the four great oaks. Not necessarily a speech fit to uplift spirits, but that had not been the tom cat’s purpose when he had turned to face his Clan. Lies would not do well tonight. They had to know. They were walking on thin ice. Danger was everywhere and if one cat placed one paw in the wrong spot, they may very well doom all. Rookstar took a deep breathe before padding down into the clearing. He leapt up onto the Great Rock and sat, watching as the warriors choose their spots. Oh, yes, this Gathering would be signifigant. The tom looked to the sky once more.

[Willow]

Frostpelt was excited, her claws dug at the hard earth and pulled up tufts off brown grass. This would be her first gathering in quite a few moons. She had not been able to attend while nursing her kits. Yet another reason she disliked the little scraps of fur. They inhibited everything she loved. She shook out her long grey-tipped fur and stood close to Rookstar, her leader. He looked slightly tense to her, as if he knew this gathering would not be peaceful. Frostpelt couldn’t help but agree. WindClan’s formation was not an easy subject; of course this gathering would be tense.

She followed the RiverClan leader’s gaze to look at the heavens. Clouds stood there idly, ominous. StarClan was mildly unhappy already. What would happen if they blocked the moon? Frostpelt shook herself again uneasily and looked at Rookstar as he began to speak, uttering a warning and telling his Clan to leave WindClan alone. Frostpelt shrugged, she was unhappy with the situation but she was not about to attack cats over it. Unless Hawkfang said something against his former Clan. Then she might be unable to resist.

“So you think WindClan will actually be here?” she asked to no one in particular. It was odd to think a Clan had so recently been formed. Were they really ready to journey to the gathering? She didn’t know the answer to that question just as she didn’t know how many cats had made the journey to WindClan since the last gathering. No cat from RiverClan had left since then but who knew about ThunderClan and ShadowClan.

Rookstar began to plunge down into the clearing. Frostpelt shook her pelt one last time before following him down. This would be an interesting night. Possibly the most interesting the RiverClan she-cat had ever seen. Strange, new things were happening in the forest. Everything was unpredictable and volatile. What would this cloud-painted gathering bring?

WORDS: 321
AUDIENCE: Gathering
MUSIC: Minority – Green Day
COMMENTS: Frostpelt never gets to do anything xD

[{Otter}]

[bg=black][atrb=border,0,true] Thin, wiry forms drifted in and out of the shadows of the tall oak trees, glowing eyes drifting back and forth as the sounds of the nighttime forest rose into the air. Ginger pelt lying flat and ears pricked forward, the form of Vixenstar could be seen trotting at the head of her cats, only the tip of her tail flicking to show her nervousness and irritation. Her deep amber eyes held challenge as she prepared to meet the gaze of any cat at the Gathering...any cat who would appose WindClan's appearance. No, disregard of WindClan would not be allowed. Could not be allowed. This was how it was meant to be. Vixenstar had not traveled into any form of forest since she had left ThunderClan, and stepping through the dark shadows now made a cold shiver run down her spine. She lifted her eyes to the sky, and saw only a few patches of sky through the branches above. How could she have ever lived this way, with foliage above her blocking out the sky? In the moon she had lived out on the moors, she had not ventured into her den except to look around once. At first it had been strange to sleep out in the open, but no longer. She loved it...she couldn't imagine stepping back into this wretched place again. Not for long. Finally, the scents of other cats rose from above, and Vixenstar came to a sudden stop, shooting her tail up in an order to her Clanmates. She sniffed the air and caught wind of only RiverClan. Where were the others? At least we're not last, she thought thankfully. It may have been rather embarrassing to be the last to arrive...especially if the other Clans had decided to start without them. "This is our first Gathering as WindClan," she mewed quietly, glancing around for her Clanmates. The arrival of Wolfclaw and Crowfrost and their kits had been unexpected (and rather unwanted as first, as they were, in fact, ShadowClan), but even so, they were surely a welcome addition. Nine cats now instead of five. Two more able-bodied warriors. And kits, no less! Who could argue with that? But enough of that. Vixenstar shook herself slightly and added, "We have every right to be at this Gathering, and if any cat says otherwise, he is a fool. But we will not be the reason for any fights to break out. If you get into any quarrels with the other Clans, save your payback for the battle field, where we can dance circles around anyone and make them look like the mousebrains they are." She shifted her gaze to each one of them before lowering her tail in the sign to enter. "We are WindClan," she mewed quietly as her cats filed past her. "Whatever they say, that, at least, is true." That said, she bounded into the clearing, eyes lifting immediately to the sky above as the moonlight poured down upon them. Her eyes drifted instinctually to the RiverClan warriors gathered around, and it took a moment for her to remember that she was not one of them anymore...she could not mingle with the warriors. Rookstar's profile stood out against the Great Rock, and Vixenstar turned to face him. She stood still for a moment, tail-tip twitching ever so slightly as she looked up at the oldest and most respected leader among the Clans, and then she bounded forward, pulling herself up to the Great Rock and seating herself beside him...though not too close. She dipped her head slightly to him, in an action she had seen Elkstar do before, but said nothing. Who was she for small talk? Rather, she curled her ginger tail around her forepaws and gazed down, heartbeat quickening with every breath. The last time she had been up here, she had left ThunderClan. And now? Now she was Vixenstar, with nine StarClan-given lives. And yet, as she stood beside Rookstar and gazed out among the cats below, she didn't feel much like a leader. More like a deputy gone out of her league, having stepped too far. Enough of that! she thought angrily, shaking her head roughly. Tallstar gave me the gift of confidence. I am to represent my Clan confidently, with no question as to whether or not I should be here. What StarClan approves, no cat can stand against. She clung to these last words, remembering clearly Tallstar's strong voice as he bestowed upon her her final life. Confidence. Time to use it, Vixenstar. Word Count;; 749 Muse;; decent Audience;; WindClan--doesn't really say anything to Rookstar x.x

[Deleted]

[atrb=border,0,true][bg=black] Every hair along Coldstar's spine tingled, though he forced his fur to lie flat as he led his clan forward toward Fourtrees. This would be his first Gathering as leader of ThunderClan. The thought was still new to him, but he focused his mind on the thought that maybe it got easier after introductions were made. As far as he knew, none of the other clans had been informed of the black tom's new rank, as Stormheart had informed the cats to keep their muzzles shut about the disapearance of Elkstar before he announced Coldstripe as the new authority. The tall tom crouched at the ridge before the four giant oaks. He easily recognised Vixenstar near the great rock. There was not an ounce of hostility in his heart toward that cat. StarClan had made it clear that they approved and Coldstar was almost too happy to see the old clan's return. He'd always been wide-eyed during the tales he'd heard from the elders when he was a kit, though he had to admit that he could never sleep out in the open. That, and he enjoyed climbing trees too much to give them up for a life on the moor. He was happy to see that there were cats more willing than him to give it a try. Rookstar looked a bit more settled than Vixenstar at his side. Perhaps they had arrived first, a shock considering that ShadowClan had been the first to arrive many Gatherings in a row. The tom smirked and glanced to his new equally dark-pelted deputy. Did Singedpelt have the same thought in mind? He'd love to see Willowstar's expression when she arrived last after so many moons of being the first leader on the great rock. It was then that he suddenly remembered a few of his cats held some anger toward the 'traitors' of WindClan. He whipped around, facing them with a hard stare. He wanted no war. Not so soon after recieving his nine lives from StarClan. There were some here who might unsheathe claws, despite StarClan's order of peace. "Keep your claws in check, all of you," he growled, searching to lock eyes on Viperfang's sister, Snakeheart. That is, if she had come at all. "There will be no fighting. I don't want to see one glint of a fang toward WindClan. ThunderClan will not oppose StarClan's will." With that, he turned toward the massing cats at Fourtrees. He flicked his tail, bidding his warriors to follow. The leader took a brisk pace, wanting to be sure to finally beat ShadowClan to the clearing. It was mouse-brained and egotistical to consider this a compatition, but he was a young leader. So what? Coldstar held his head and tail high as he entered the moonlit clearing. He kept his eyes trained on the Great Rock, not wanting to meet any warrior's eyes for fear of betraying his nervousness to the other clans as well as his own. He forced himself to keep a steady pace, remembering his recent meeting with StarClan. The memories soothed his nerves and his ears pricked as he found how well it worked. He almost felt as if he was walking in any part of his territory. He was confident and calm, no longer needing to focus on keeping his pelt flat against his skin. Once at the base of the Great Rock, he bunched up his muscles and sprang up to join the other leaders. Once settled after the jump, he sat and wrapped his tail around his paws. As calm as he felt, words escaped him as he looked at the other leaders. He wasn't trained enough to keep an expressionless face. The only ill feeling he was toward ShadowClan with their less-than-recent battle at Snakerocks, even though they didn't seem to be patrolling it anymore. With anger reserved for Willowstar, the only feeling left was friendliness toward Vixenstar and respect for the wisest leader, Rookstar. "Greetings, Rookstar. Vixenstar, how's the prey running in WindClan?" ______ Stormheart growled lowly as he entered the clearing, making eye contact with any cat who dared stare menacingly at ThunderClan's new leader. He was the youngest medicine cat of all the clans and he knew that once word got out that he had recieved a vision from StarClan and knew it as a sign identifying Coldstripe as leader, there would be some sceptical cats to question his interpretation. The gray tom was not a simpleton. He knew he was sharper and quicker than most as far as mentality was concerned. The vision was crystal clear to him and he would defend his honor as a medicine cat. Yes, Stormheart knew what he was doing and he would challenge any cat who dared speak against him. With a final huff, he chose a spot as close as he could get to the Great Rock and sat down, watching Coldstar as he exchanged greetings with the other leaders. Like Vixenstar, Coldstar had been chosen by StarClan to lead his cats. A spark of memory made the tom's ear twitch. Blackmoon would be the newest medicine cat and, as far as he knew, he had recieved no training for the rank. Curious, he pulled his eyes away from his leader to look for the longer-pelted tom. Word Count: 884 Audience: Cats of all Clans Comments: None

[tenacious]

Excitement.

Nervousness.

The two emotions mixed together and flooded through the small WindClan deputy as he padded towards the great oaks with his Clan. This would be WindClan’s first Gathering as…well, WindClan, and he could not help feeling nervous as he walked on. After all, feelings could have changed drastically since the last Gathering; what if one of the leaders announced that they were prepared to challenge the swift-footed Clan of the moor? Oh, this meeting would be vital; it could possibly determine the level of peace within the forest for a good season or two. Hawkfang looked up towards the sky and he narrowed his eyes at the canopy above him; before, he would’ve been used to this, but after being in the open for a moon…well…he just couldn’t think of anything other than the open, rolling hills of WindClan territory as normal.

Hawkfang halted as Vixenstar’s tail shot up and he parted his jaws to scent the air. RiverClan. The tabby tom felt dread flow through him; he did not want to face the accusing eyes of his former Clanmates. Why couldn’t everybody else face accusing eyes of their former Clanmates at the same time? Don’t be so immature! Hawkfang scolded himself silently. It would be better if they were not last, after all. Less eyes.

The tom listened quietly as Vixenstar began to speak, wondering what the other leaders really wanted to say. Perhaps they would simply ignore WindClan. His whiskers twitched slightly at her battle remark- indeed, all the cats here could dance around those blundering RiverClan cats. They could outrun around fat ThunderClanner and outsmart any dull ShadowClanner. Pride. Pride, now, took over. There was no better Clan to be in. Hawkfang entered the clearing slowly, gazing at the RiverClan warriors around them, seeking out his friend…old friend? He wouldn’t blame Ottersplash if the tom didn’t want to be his pal anymore, though Clan borders had never seemed to bother Ottersplash much. All the same, Hawkfang knew he couldn’t chat for long, so he stopped looking for Ottersplash and, instead, directed his gaze to highrock where Rookstar sat. Hawkfang narrowed his eyes slightly before taking his seat where the deputies sat, wrapping his tail around his paws. He looked out at the cats once more, now a light challenge in his eyes.

They were WindClan.

Yes, they were. And let any fool speak up now or forever hold their peace.

[l y r i c !]

This was her first gathering as a deputy. So much had changed. Vixenstar leaving to become WindClan leader was a hard enough blow to the clan- when the deputy deserted them. But it was for the warrior code. She would never argue with the warrior code, no matter what the cost was. And then, as if that wasn't enough, Elkstar left. No one knew where she went. No one knew where she was. She had simply vanished, and no one had heard a word or had a whiff of her scent ever since. Had she become a loner, and left to go live on the outskirts of the clan territory? Had she been picked off in the shadows, like many leaders in the past, killed by the unknown? Or had she simply given off, and run away as far and as fast as she could? Singedpelt couldn't exactly blame her if she did. After all her leader had lost, what other alternative would the small gray she-cat have come up with?

Nonetheless, the black she-cat was a bit surprised to see Vixenstar sitting atop of the great rock, along with the cats who had joined WindClan along side her. She was curious to see who had become their deputy, and guessed Blackmoon, who'd already shown an interest in becoming a medicine cat before, was WindClan's new Medicine Cat. It seemed a little too soon for the small, very recently formed clan to look strong enough to come to a gathering so soon. But they looked as though the only thing they wanted was to follow the warrior code. She respected that; admired it even. She would never have thought of reforming WindClan. She had missed the one part of the warrior code that really needed repairing. If it had just been a warrior that had formed WindClan, would the clan have gone through as much problems?

ThunderClan had suffered a lot since the last gathering. It seemed that half the clan had left, including the deputy and leader. For awhile it seemed as though things were going to be finished for ThunderClan, and she was relieved at least to see that StarClan was still looking after them. A sign from StarClan was the best thing the clan needed, and it was certainly a good choice by their ancestors. Coldstar was a strong, loyal warrior who she knew would lead the clan into many great moons to come. He was young enough to still be able to learn from mistakes, which would in turn help the rest of the clan learn from their mistakes, but also wise enough to teach them all something important.

How to heal. Now that her first initial discovery was made, she noticed that RiverClan was also here. But there was no sign of ShadowClan. Usually Willowstar was the first to arrive, with that smug look on her face as she stared at the other clans in triumph, as though she had made a great feet by 'beating' them all to a gathering. As far as Singedpelt was concerned, it was never a race. Obviously neither Willowstar or ShadowClan had ever understood that. But she did not miss that look of defeat on Willowstar's face last gathering when her warrior, Blackmoon, who also happened to be her half brother and candidate to Medicine cat, had betrayed her and left the clan.

She suddenly felt an odd prickle of sympathy for the grouchy she-cat. Willowstar should not be punished for having pride in her clan. For the first time she felt almost sorry for the ShadowClan leader. She had, after all, lost a close family member. But that was beside the point. It had been a moon since then, and ShadowClan should have recovered. But here they were, all three clans besides ShadowClan, at the gathering, and the moonlight was beginning to run low. ShadowClan would need to hurry of they would be late.

At that time she caught a look from her leader. He seemed to be amused, about something. Perhaps he was looking forward to seeing the look on Willowstar's face when she arrived last at the gathering? If she arrived at all. Singedpelt waited back, watching her leader jump on the great rock. At that moment she realized she was supposed to take the deputy position beneath the great rock. She suddenly felt a bit self-conscious, as she padded forward in front of the cats. Hawkfang was already there. He was a former RiverClan warrior. Singedpelt didn't know him well, but she knew he was a strong and noble warrior from what the other cats said. She wasn't surprised that Vixenstar chose him.

"Greetings, Hawkfang," she meowed in genuine kindness, dipping her head with respect given between equal individuals. They both have been deputy's for the same amount of time, after all. Less than a moon. Barely. "Congratulations on the new position," she carried on smoothly. There was no anger, judgment, or hostility in her eyes. She had no hard feelings towards cats who followed the warrior code. "Good luck. You've all seemed to have done a good job already, rebuilding the camp enough to come to the gathering so soon," she knew it might sound as a challenge, but she didn't mean it that way. Her own clan had faced slightly the same problem. The ranks had completely changed.

[{Otter}]

[bg=black][atrb=border,0,true] Silhouettes shifted in and out of the shadows below as the cats of RiverClan and WindClan began to mingle. Vixenstar's gaze followed Hawkfang as he took his place beneath the Great Rock. This was not going to be an easy night for any of them, but especially for those who had to sit among the rest of the Clans. High above all others, with only the other leaders to stand beside her, Vixenstar felt safe from snide remarks or nasty looks she may receive from her former Clanmates. But the rest of WindClan...well, time would tell how well they took this night. Minutes passed, and Vixenstar found the hard stone of the Great Rock rather more uncomfortable than she had thought. At the last Gathering, she had only had to stay up here briefly. This time, however, she'd have to be on the Great Rock the entire time. She was shifting uncomfortably, repositioning herself every few seconds, when a whisper of wind brought with it the scent of ThunderClan. On instinct Vixenstar's heart leaped with joy...then plummeted when she remembered a split second later that she was not of ThunderClan. These were not her Clanmates entering the clearing now. Nor was it her former leader who led the group. In fact, as Vixenstar narrowed her eyes and searched each of the ThunderClan warriors, she did not find among them the long, gray fur of Elkstar. No, the cat who led the ThunderClanners to the Gathering was Coldstripe. Perhaps he had been named the new deputy and was stepping in for Elkstar. But...why? Coldstripe offered no immediate answer, but rather engaged in a bit of small-talk. Though annoyed by this, Vixenstar remembered what StarClan had told her about being diplomatic, and she replied to the ThunderClanner's friendly words. Her own tone was a little bit shocked, and Vixenstar found herself pleasantly surprised that her former Clanmate had called her by her leader name. Clearly, he was going to acknowledge WindClan's existence. "Greetings, Coldstripe," she mewed, nodding her head slightly to him. She felt neither friendliness nor hostility towards him. In fact, she wasn't entirely sure what to think about any of her former Clanmates. "The rabbits have been plentiful on the moors." Then again, we'd be fine even if there were just a few. Such a small Clan doesn't need much feeding, she thought. Then, unable to divine a way to phrase her next words carefully or tactfully, she simply asked, "Are you here to speak for Elkstar?" Word Count;; 413 Muse;; not too bad Audience;; Coldstar

[Willow]

Her mission was a lonely one, a dark and terrible one. It was a self-imposed mission but someone had to do it and Lilypelt knew Swampclaw would not take it upon himself. So, it landed on the cream she-cat. Her shaky paws landed unevenly on the cold ground. When was the last time she had eaten? She didn’t remember. Without a Clan and without hunting partners, she hardly knew how to survive. She’d caught a small mouse but it had hardly sated her driving hunger. Lilypelt blinked several times to clear her vision and the blackness that was beginning to form around the edges. She shook herself and sat at the edge of the Thunderpath. This was sure to be the death of her, she could barely see straight much less walk straight.

But, luck was on her side this time and there was a long period of no monsters and the famished feline passed easily and without incident. Soon, the Fourtrees loomed in front of her. Dazed eyes focused on the sickly tree. It looked worse than it ever had, creaking in the soft breeze. No spring buds lit its grey branches as they did on the other trees. Lilypelt stared at it, transfixed. The tree had begun to heal after WindClan’s reformation but now that ShadowClan had fallen, it was about to fall as well. Lilypelt shook her head. Just a coincidence, right? She closed bright green eyes tight, blocking out the sights and simply listening. Beyond the creaking wood she heard cats talking. Some of the Clans were there. She took a deep breath and padded forward cautiously. Tonight, the last ShadowClan cat would speak at the gathering. Tonight, ShadowClan would fall completely. Sadness welled up inside the she-cat and she remained silent and unmoving. This really was the end of all she knew and loved.

Lilypelt may have been a seemingly disloyal cat, but now, here at the end of all things, she found she truly loved ShadowClan. She loved its power and she loved Willowstar. But, such things had come to such an abrupt and sudden end that she was left lost and alone with the weight of bad news upon her shoulders. A massive sound caused her eyes to fly open in panic and her fur stood straight up. Emerald eyes flitted around to find the source of the noise. A gasp came to her throat and she stepped back.

The tree was falling.

It seemed to take an age, an entire lifetime, before it hit the ground. Branches caught in the other trees and splintered off in every direction, spraying the gathered cats with debris. The oak fell away from the gathered cats, towards Lilypelt. She stared, transfixed, before realizing her peril and scurrying to the left. It crashed down right beside her with a reverberating thud that echoed throughout the entire forest. Lilypelt stood and stared. Simply stared, mouth open and eyes wide.

Then, she leapt onto the fallen tree on even more unsteady paws. But the trunk was large and she managed to keep her footing as she traveled across the bark towards the gathering. Cats stared at her, probably wondering if she was a ghost or something evil. But her unsteady gait and unfocused eyes must have told them she was but a mortal cat and weak. Lilypelt said nothing as she sprang off the tree, feet folding beneath her. She made no sound of pain and simply regained her footing and went straight for the great rock.

The line-up on the sacred stone was already strange enough, what would she do to make it any worse? Coldstripe of ThunderClan and the newly named Vixenstar were odd enough. Rookstar was the only constant. Lilypelt felt amazed and incredulous eyes following her as she scrabbled ungracefully onto the rock without a word. She simply nodded to the others gathered there and quite rudely broke off all conversation to yowl her words. But what she had to say was more important that the three of them.

“ShadowClan has fallen!” she declared for all the stunned cats to hear.


WORDS: 690
AUDIENCE: Gathering!
MUSIC: Everyday – Bon Jovi
COMMENTS: DUN DUN DUN

[tenacious]

Upon scenting ThunderClan, he stole a glance towards Vixenstar. It would surely be awkward for her, to sit next to her former leader, a cat she had once stood beside as deputy. At least he would have the ability to move away from angry cats on the ground- Vixenstar was stuck up on a rock; she could not move off the rock, unless she wanted to fall and make a fool of herself, but the tom doubted that. But, it was not Elkstar that padded towards the boulder; no, it was a mostly black tom Hawkfang knew by name and sight, but otherwise he never paid much attention to. Coldstripe. So, he was the new deputy of ThunderClan! Why was Elkstar not present, though? This Gathering was very important! He narrowed his eyes, beginning to lose himself in thought.

It was possible that the she-cat had come down with a serious sickness that prevented her from coming to the Gathering. Yes, that would have to be the reason. It was unlikely that two leaders were ill, though, so why was ShadowClan not present? He frowned slightly, before becoming aware of a ThunderClan cat approaching him. She dipped her head and Hawkfang eyed Singedpelt before doing the same; she did not seem hostile and so he relaxed slightly. It would be nice to chat with a cat that did not want to shred his pelt. He mulled over the she-cat’s words, thinking of how to respond; perhaps it was a challenge, though Hawkfang doubted it, as there were no signs of hostility he could tell. Unlike his leader, Hawkfang was decent at reading other cats.

“The cats of WindClan know each other and our territory well enough to get things done in an efficient and speedy manner,” he replied at last. That couldn’t make them sound weak or unorganized, right?

Suddenly, there was a noise like...like a monster roaring down the Thunderpath. Hawkfang's eyes widened with alarm and he stood, neck fur bristling, seeking out the noise. He soon found it.

The tree.

The ShadowClan tree.

He watched with horror as the tree fell to the ground with a magnificent crash, somehow avoiding all the cats that had come to the Gathering. Before any cat could react beyond surprise and, of course, fear, a ghostly figure leapt onto the tree and moved towards them. Soon, though, it became clear that the figure was nothing more then a starved cat...no...not just any cat. Lilypelt of ShadowClan. He watched as she made her way to the great rock, eyes locked on the she-cat.

"ShadowClan has fallen!"

Hawkfang looked up at the leaders. What, in StarClan's name, could she mean by this?

[tenacious]

[bg=black][atrb=border,0,true] The grey tabby scented WindClan long before they came into sight. A rabbity scent that somehow carried with it all the smells of the wind; at least, that was how he would describe it if a cat was to ask him. Rookstar stiffened, more by instinct then anything, and closely surveyed the faces of his warriors; he did not mean to look tense and, possibly, pass it on to any of them, but Rookstar was not forward to seeing WindClan. However peaceful he may act, that was simply because Rookstar did not want to waste his time fighting, nor did he enjoy battles that much anyway. It was one of the reasons he hadn’t lost an incredible amount of lives already. He wasn’t foolish, springing forward to attack whenever it was possible to do so. The group of traitors spilt into the clearing and he watched as Vixenstar (he assumed she had received her nine lives) made her way over. Who, he wondered, had she named as her deputy? Rookstar figured it would be a former ThunderClanner- perhaps Viperfang. If he recalled correctly, it was Vixenstar that had mentored the she-cat, but it was not a former ThunderClan cat that made its way over to the traditional spot where the deputies sat. His eyes narrowed as he watched the small dark brown tabby, tail tip twitching every so slightly for a few moments; Hawkfang. Oh, clever, very clever. Three positions of great power in the Clan. Three cats from different Clans filling them. Oh, yes, clever, he had to give Vixenstar that. He pulled out of his thoughts and forced himself to relax as Vixenstar leapt onto the boulder beside him; he nodded to her in greetings as well, but did not speak either, but merely looked up towards the sky. ThunderClan and ShadowClan would have to arrive soon. Rookstar was more then prepared to call the Gathering to order without one of them present. Indeed, ThunderClan did arrive soon, and he wondered what cat Elkstar had appointed as he deputy, too, and how she would react to her former deputy sitting up beside her as a leader. But, upon scenting the air, Rookstar realized he could not catch Elkstar’s scent. Stranger, even, was the fact that a warrior by the name of Coldstripe leapt up onto the boulder. “Greetings, Rookstar.” “Greetings,” he responded carefully before the tom went on to speak to Vixenstar. Such did not bother Rookstar; he was content merely thinking, right now. Besides, Vixenstar would be a former Clanmate- Coldstripe was likely to be more kind to her. Why, though, was Elkstar not present? As he thought this, Vixenstar voiced it. He waited eagerly for Coldstripe’s answer, a silent eavesdropper, though it was impossible not to do so on this boulder. Before the ThunderClan warrior had time to reply, there was a loud sound, like something being ripped out of the earth. Rookstar’s eyes widened and his fur began to bristle with alarm. The RiverClan tom stood and peered out into the darkness as other cats reacted; most of them doing the same as he. “Good StarClan…” he gasped, watching as the great oak that marked ShadowClan began to fall. Why was it falling? It had been perfectly healthy at the last Gathering! He winced as the tree collided with the earth, miraculously avoiding the gathered cats, but before he could speak to ensure all of his warriors were okay, a cat leapt up onto the fallen tree. At first, Rookstar thought it was a StarClan warrior, but the cat looked too sickly. Loner? No…it couldn’t be, no loner would be foolish enough to come this close to this many cats. He eyed the cat more closely before realizing it was Lilypelt- a ShadowClan warrior. She fell ungraciously to the ground when she leapt off the tree, but it did not seem to affect her. The she-cat merely continued on forward, coming near the great rock. “ShadowClan has fallen!” Cats began to murmur. Rookstar eyed Lilypelt before regaining his voice, “What do you mean by this? Where is your leader?”

[blackie]

The kits were nearly apprenticed age now, there was no need for her to stay in Windclans camp to watch them. Soon they would be attending these on there own. Her whiskers twitched as cats greeted each other. Nothing was different here. It was like she was still in her old clan, accept windclan was her home now.

At first, they did not like her family, they were an annoyance. However they were soon gotten used to, they made themselves useful on the patrol. She had been working hard to earn Vixenstars and Hawkfangs respect, she had hoped she was close to it. She didn't want to be in a clan where her leader didn't like her. well she had already been there, and honestly, it was not much fun.

Windclan was going nicely. Her daughter Stormkit desperately wanted to be Blackmoon's apprentice. She couldn't help but smile at herself. THe tom was never very good with children, however then her smile turned to a frown. Would he take her energetic daughter on as an apprentice? She took in a sharp breath and turned her attention back to the gathering. A lot of commotion had gone on while she was in her own world.

Elkstar? Had she gone missing? Her ears perked and her eyes trailed to each cat. No Elkstar was present. Perhaps the deputy Coldstripe had become leader? No that couldn't be right, Elkstar was healthy, and had lots of lives left, she wouldn't just be taken to Starclan. However, Singedpelt seemed to be around where the deputies would be sitting. Perhaps the rumor she had been hearing was true, Elkstar was gone.

Suddenly, the queen let out a hiss of agony. She watched as Shadowclan's tree had fallen in the midst of the gathering. Perhaps a new sprout would grow one day. Maybe four clans will be in this forest once more....maybe...just maybe. She held a deep breath not wanting to say anything. Her eyes just fell on Lillypelt, a former clan mate."Lilypelt..."She mewed softly. She suddenly felt guilty. What if Shadowclan could have remained.....

"Shadowclan has fallen"

Her ears perked, and blue eyes stared. That was no news. However when she heard Rookstars response, apparently the rumors had not gotten to Riverclan just yet. She stood up and looked the tom in the eye. Crowfrost sighed then looked to the Shadowclan she-cat."Lilypely Swampclaw and Lilacpaw are the only ones left of Shadowclan." She started."Willowstar left our clan....At least she went on a patrol to talk to Starclan when my family went to Windclan.... I'm guessing, by what the she-cat stated that the leader is non existant. She didn't even pick a deputy when Duskfrost dissapeared. There was no one to take over after anyways..." She mewed.

[Deleted]

[atrb=border,0,true][bg=black] "Greetings, Coldstripe." Coldstar twitched an ear and grinned when he heard his warrior name. So word hadn't gotten to WindClan. Either the ThunderClan patrols had obeyed Stormheart's order and kept quiet about it or it hadn't crossed over from RiverClan yet. In the ancient stories, he knew that WindClan was often the first to hear about new leaders, as they had to cross through their territory to get to the Moonstone and receive their nine lives. As a new Clan, though, there probably weren't enough patrols out to see him and Stormheart along the border, which was troubling. As far as he knew, they only had one she-cat who could possibly bare kits. With Viperfang's infamous attitude, it was bound to be tough for any tom to get passed her claws. “Greetings.” Coldstar bowed respectfully to the RiverClan leader. As a new cat to this rank, he was determined to give a good first impression and, staying true to Stormheart's vision, keep ThunderClan at peace with the other Clans for as long as possible. "The rabbits have been plentiful on the moors," Vixenstar reported. "Good to hear," he replied with a purr, trying to keep the mood light on the great rock, "It sounds like WindClan is off to a fair start." The tall tom would have said more if it hadn't been for Rookstar being within earshot. He actually would have liked to hear how the ex-ThunderClan cats were getting along with their former enemies, but didn't want to seem too friendly. It might come across as the beginnings or evidence of an alliance, which was not at all what he had in mind. Any alliance was always seen as a proclamation of war against the remaining Clans. No, what he wanted was calm peace, that was all. "Are you here to speak for Elkstar?" "Hm? Oh," Coldstar twitched his tail uneasily when Vixenstar broke the silence, drawing him from his thoughts, "Actually, I-" “Good StarClan…” Stormheart followed the leaders' silent gaze and layed eyes on the falling oak. His yowl was drowned out by the sound of the branches snapping and roots breaking. After what seemed like a moon, the giant tree hit the earth. He jumped to his paws, fur along his spine and tail bristling with terror, his eyes wide in shock and wonder. His mind was on full tilt, reeling away the answers to the questions sounding off around him and in his head. Finally, he landed on one answer that most seemed to think was either the cause of everything or nothing. StarClan. There was no other explanation. The tree had been so healthy a moon ago! If it were to decay suddenly, it must have fallen terribly ill on the inside and finally crashed under its own weight. But why would it fall during a Gathering? And why had it missed the cats? StarClan directed it. And there, walking along the trunk of the tree, was a single cat. For a moment, he thought it might have been a StarClan cat, but he recognized her as the living body of Lilypelt from ShadowClan. And that was ShadowClan's tree! What had happened? Where was Willowstar? Finally, she jumped ungracefully from the fallen oak and headed up toward the great rock. Obviously, she had an announcement to make. Stormheart hissed under his breath as she passed him. The shock hadn't faded quite yet. Coldstar gaped at the she-cat as she scrabbled up. He would have helped, but he was too stunned to do much. He simply stepped back to let her take a place beside the leaders and waited for her to speak, tail still bristled from the very sound that the fallen tree had made when it hit the earth. “ShadowClan has fallen!” “What do you mean by this? Where is your leader?” "What's happened in ShadowClan?" Coldstar asked, adding his own voice to the barrage of questions. Word Count: 654 Audience: Cats of all Clans Comments: None

[{Otter}]

[bg=black][atrb=border,0,true] Chaos ensued as if in an instant. One moment she was watching Coldstar's face as he prepared to speak to her of Elkstar's condition, and the next moment Rookstar was hissing, and a great cracking drowned out all other noise. Fur fluffed up to its fullest as Vixenstar sprang to her paws, tail straight in the air and ears flattened as she stared in horror at the ancient tree. It groaned, shrieked, and came crashing to the ground just inches away from a single, raggedly-looking cat. At once, Vixenstar's eyes sought out her Clanmates, searching out each and everyone of them to make sure they hadn't been crushed. No, all of WindClan was safe, and it wasn't until a few moments later that she realized she had also been looking for some cats who were not of her Clan. Brackenheart, for one. She didn't see him, but that didn't mean he'd been hurt. No, he could have easily just not come to the Gathering. Simple enough. Enough, she thought to herself, forcing her fur to lie flat as shrieks and yowls arose among the cats. For a split second Vixenstar feared the worst--she feared that StarClan had changed their minds, and had decided that WindClan should not remain a Clan any longer. But as the raggedly she-cat yowled out the fateful words, the ginger leader breathed a sigh of unimaginable relief. She glanced at Rookstar, expecting him to reign in the rest of the cats, but he seemed too intent on the ragged form of Lilypelt to deal with the mousebrains who were shrieking like kits. And true enough, Vixenstar was just as interested to hear Lilypelt's news. ShadowClan had fallen? Could this be true? It was impossible not to feel a small twinge of excitement by the fact, and Vixenstar had a hard time bringing up any regret or feelings of guilt. What sorrow could she have for that dark Clan? The Clan who had driven WindClan from their home, who had taken part of ThunderClan's land, who had been a scar in this forest for as long as one could remember? Revenge could often take control of Vixenstar's thoughts, and this was one of those moments--ShadowClan had gotten their due. Finally. But how had it happened? Crowfrost spoke up, talking about how Willowstar had traveled to the Moonstone before she and her kits joined WindClan. But that wasn't much information in itself. This was all too much. The noise, the yowling, the chattering. "Quiet!" Vixenstar yowled finally, lashing her tail in irritation as she shot her sharp amber gaze around the cats. "What is yowling like frightened kits going to do for us? Will you all not shut up and listen?" Her boldness was unbecoming of a new leader, she knew, but really! Asking the same question over and over again wasn't going to get anything done! Word Count;; 471 Muse;; Pretty Good Notes;; bold, loud-mouthed Vixenstar ^.^

[Willow]

First, there was a stunned silence and all eyes stared blankly at the frail she-cat as if they expected elaboration on the statement. But, when they were offered none, they began to murmur amongst themselves in hushed, awed tones. Speculations flew through the clearing like wild fire and Lilypelt continued to stand awkwardly among the leaders upon the Great Rock. The former ShadowClan cat blinked slowly as Rookstar addressed her. She was unused to talking to leaders other than Willowstar.

Lilypelt opened her mouth to respond, but Crowfrost beat her to it. Hostility coursed unnoticeably through Lilypelt’s skinny body as she looked at the black cat. During her last moons in ShadowClan, Lilypelt had grown loyal to Willowstar, an unimaginable feat. Crowfrost’s parting words to her leader still did not sit well with the cream she-cat. But, she let none of this anger show as the black she-cat gave her account of the story. But there were details missing in the queen’s tale. She had no clue what had happened after leaving the great Clan.

Lilypelt opened her mouth to speak again, to answer the questions of Coldstripe and or Rookstar but again she was unable. She stood, mouth partially opened at the new leader, Vixenstar called for silence in a loud, strong voice. Lilypelt stared at her, eyes wide. This cat reminded her vaguely of Willowstar and the audacity the once great leader had possessed. She blinked slowly and nodded to the ginger cat in brief thanks for silencing the barrage of questions.

“What Crowfrost says is true!” she yowled in a faintly quavering voice. “There was no cat eligible to become deputy after the disappearance of Duskfrost and we were without a medicine cat for moons. Then WindClan was formed and we began to lose cats to the new Clan. That was the final blow to ShadowClan. Willowstar left late to travel to the Moonstones and took with her Fawnpaw and Stagpaw.” She paused to gulp in a breath. “I saw her once after her journey and she was a changed cat. There was something dark about her, sinister. Willowstar was never sinister or evil before but I sensed some darker emotion in her. The apprentices were silent, especially Fawnpaw but they stuck with their leader. Willowstar instructed me to call her Shadow. Apparently she thinks she is all that is left of ShadowClan.” Lilypelt sat on the cold rock and stared out across the mass of cats then slowly turned her green-eyed gaze to the other three joining her up there, waiting for their reactions.

WORDS: 428
AUDIENCE: Gathering!
MUSIC: The World I Know – Collective Soul
COMMENTS: