Gathering 2025 Event omach init ──✩°｡⋆⸜ The First Gathering

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This gathering took place in the year 2025.
This tag indicates this is an event specific thread.

Stormcrow's eyes scan the clearing alongside Flowercloud's, though she knows not what to look for. As soon as Flowercloud points the villain out, however, her eyes lock on their target– talking to his leader, the coward. Did Juniperstar know? She had seemed so meek when she asked for their attendance, yet there she stood, no doubt preparing to defend her murderous clan member.

At her king's command, she follows on the heels of Flowercloud, weaving through the gathered cats with the skill of one used to jumping from tree to tree, weaving through branches.

"I'll cover his back," she hisses to Flowercloud, low enough not to be overheard by the scheming leader and her follower. "He won't get away again, I swear it."

She gives Flowercloud a nod, then veers right, coming up to the brown tom from behind, her ears flat to her head.

"I advise you not to try and run again," she growls to Owlbark. "Though, cowardly as you are, I suspect such advice is lost on you."

She shoots an icy glance towards Juniperstar, but says nothing, her eyes quickly fixing on Owlbark again, even as her king speaks. She will not let him out of her sight.

♡ STORMCROW. 54 moons
temporary mentor of teaselpaw,
daughter of snowveil
peaceful powerplay allowed
ooc - addressing @flowercloud then @OWLBARK

 
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juniper

for once, he slinks towards her like a scolded pup rather than a hungering wolf. Owlbark practically nips at her ear for her attention and his urgency sends a nervous shiver down her spine. what could he possibly need to speak to her about now of all times? when SkyClan parades through the crowd drenched in blood. her eyes narrow, skeptical and frustration already coiling tightly in her chest, "What did you do," is all the question she gets to hiss before Hawkstar's voice projects across the open clearing.

to call her a liar.

her jaw sets, teeth clenched tightly against the slander being so carelessly thrown her way. "I didn't lie about anything," the spotted tabby is more than content to adjust her position, sliding in front of Owlbark while the furious SkyClan leader advances towards the both of them shrieking of foul play. murder. she doesn't have the luxury to lecture her deputy for his foolishness, to inquire as to his guilt. but a reckless killer, she knew he wasn't. "Your grief is more than reasonable Hawkstar but this isn't. ThunderClan does not bare its claws at its neighbors for no reason other than to sharpen them. Clearly, there's been a mistake here."

her tail lashes, glancing to her periphery as she recognizes Stormcrow slinking around behind them. The mention of some sort of 'code' makes her lips peel back, "What are you even talking about? You parade through here as if you are commander of all five clans rather than a neighbor. Your clan is nothing more than wayward wanderers too- you were not born in this forest... and I won't be told what's right by a stranger." by someone who'd not witnessed what they'd fought and bled for... who had no context to her integrity. Pikestar knew better, Sablestar especially knew her better than that.

"I do not harbor murderers and blood thirsters," teal eyes glower in the direction of ShadowClan, who were far more deserving of this sordid reputation. "I won't deny you justice Hawkstar but only within reason. You're no more barbarians than we are..."

──✩°｡⋆⸜ 🫐✮
  • interacting with @Hawkstar and @OWLBARK
  • juniperstar
    leader of thunderclan
    eight lives remain
    ignore me
 
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✪ Align my Heart, my Body, my Mind​

indentFear and confusion fill the air like a thick miasma. Dustystar has the mind to call out to her warriors - "Stay calm! Don't panic, keep yours heads on straight." - but as she shouts, her voice is swallowed by the cacophonous noise.

indentWild green eyes watch helplessly as Skyclan warriors begin to surround the small group of leaders. As Hawkstar levies her accusations towards Juniperstar, the blood drains from Dustystar's face. "Juniperstar..." The young leader turns to the accused, a look of betrayal on her face. "Is this true?" Had the peace they sought really been a rouse? Dustystar had begun to put trust in the molly, after her warrior attacked Gorsepaw. 'Was it all really a lie?'


Dustystar - 27 moons - Windclan Leader


 
I am not your kind and gentle husband
Graybird has been quietly smoldering the moment they arrived, his brother carelessly brushing against Juniperstar in what was essentially a bold declaration of what he did not deserve after all he had done, it was enough to ruin his night entirely. No effort was made to socialize, he kept his head down and his holly green gaze on the earth beneath his paws; the very ground where once war ripped across their home, he had claws and fought to defend her then and he would do so now when another foe dared threaten. SkyClan rolls in like a dark cloud, their leader is a pointed dart of a cat moving without pause toward her place among the others but it is her words that have him paying attention to the world around them once more, his earlier annoyance all but faded and replaced with stinging injustice.

He doesn't much care for Owlbark, he had been named aptly and it showed - barking where something softer would suffice, brash and a little too forward with their leader in a way that made his fur prickle angrily; Juniperstar deserved more respect than to be spoken to like a kitten caught misbehaving, frankly he was tired of feeling as if he could not help her more. But she didn't need him really did she? She had those closest to her heart already. It was not because he felt anything for the deputy, frankly he wouldn't be surprised if Owlbark had killed a cat, but Juniperstar had chosen him - surely there was more to it than simple slaughter, Graybird would defend her choices to the grave, it had nothing to do with Owlbark himself. The gray tom's hackles rose, spine bristling as he rose to stand near where the leaders sat and barred his teeth, "You've much nerve calling our leader a LIAR, Hawkstar!" Briefly he wonders what exactly had happened, there as a stiffness to Owlbark that made clear something had - an expression tight and hard to read that neither reeked of guilt nor rebuff of the accusation. Graybird's heart sings to punish the one-eyed molly daring to spit such venom, ThunderClan had always been the one making efforts, even if he himself despised ShadowClan perhaps more than any other soul in their forest did, this gathering of cats was of pure desire for peace, a naive and foolish hope he had wished to guard but was now threatening to crumble around them. Has StarClan not taken enough? Her friend, her kit, her own life, could they not spare even this extended olive branch the constant grief? 'Will you ever smile again as you once did, I would kill for it - even when it was once directed at another.

& I am not the love you knew before.
GRAYBIRD

— Warrior ThunderClan
— He/They
"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
— SH Gray Tabby with holly green eyes.
#82847e
 
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Owlbark did not even get the chance to tell Juniperstar his "crime". His maw was opened and ready to advise their next move when Hawkstar pointed in his direction, voice dripping in rage. He did not flinch or shrink. His spine only straightened and his green eyes found Hawkstar's one. She was impressive, he had to admit - battle scarred, confident, and demanding attention. Owlbark paid no attention to the hawks she sent circling around him with their eyes set on him and talons poised to attack.

What did you do?

Rosebelly, he learned was his name, had trespassed and took his claws to Owlbark. His mother had approached and instead of explaining himself to deaf ears, he had gone. He had never claimed he was wise or thoughtful, but he was able to survive. That's what he did. He survived. Owlbark's eyes remained locked on Hawkstar as he replied, "Only what I saw fit." He hoped Juniperstar trusted him. He hoped she put all the trust she had when she elected him to deputy moons ago. They stood there, side by side, and Owlbark pushed his pelt against his leader's. He was ready to kill again if necessary. The rare moment of his physical contact was hopefully proof enough to his leader. They listen to the SkyClan leader's tirade and he breaks his eyes from Hawkstar to look at his own leader standing in front of him.

She was someone he did not recognize in this moment. This was Juniperstar, leader of ThunderClan. Thornstar would be proud, he thought, and tilted his chin up in defiance at Hawkstar. If there was any doubt that Juniperstar would turn her back on him for his instinct, it is washed away like a flood. He suddenly felt that same rush of hope he had felt when Thornstar approached him all those moons ago and promised a home. A home with others who would accept him. ThunderClan was his home now, and Juniperstar his leader.

Owlbark stayed his place behind Juniperstar, and trusted her. "I am deserved a chance to speak against your claims, Hawkstar," he addressed. He began to speak loudly so all cats of the gathering could hear him now. "I'm Owlbark, deputy of ThunderClan. I was raised in these woods unlike the SkyClanners. I know what survival looks like. I know what it takes to survive. Survival is not allowing transgressions without punishment. Rosebelly chased prey onto ThunderClan territory and laid claws on me without provocation. I returned the attack, and Rosebelly succumbed to his wounds after crawling across the border. He was not the innocent you claim." His eyes found the she-cat that had wailed at the sight of his body after he crawled back to SkyClan territory. Owlbark could only guess the tall-tale she told SkyClan to have them react this way. "Instead of an excuse I gave the truth. And I will not apologize for doing what I had to.

The deputy turned to look at the cats gathered who were not a part of SkyClan. Especially those who looked at him horrified, as if he had morphed into the rabid dog they all believed him to be. "Have you forgotten the forest before the clans? The hunger and defenselessness? Ah, SkyClan would not. They were not here to live as we did. Forgive me for protecting what I fought for from some newcomers who claim innocence for a cat who no longer breaths. If I am wrong, StarClan themselves can take me. I have no fear or doubt. I defended my home like a warrior. Why else are we called that if not to use the claws we were given?" The rage that Hawkstar held was infectious. His voice rose in pitch and his claws dug into the ground beneath him.

"What code, Hawkstar? What code do you hold dear that allows for unprovoked attacks to go untouched? I've never heard of the code you say dictates warriors, but I wouldn't follow anything SkyClan does if it means that I'm not allowed to protect what I have fought for," Owlbark said. His eyes moved to Juniperstar to gauge her reaction. If she decreed, he would use the claws he was given. For her, anything. "If I had treated your warrior with the soft paws you train your warriors to find, then I would have been the one dead. I would hope SkyClan would react the same as I had if ThunderClan acted the way Rosebelly did." The tom, feeling a wave of exhaustion roll over himself, bowed his head to Hawkstar. That would be the only courtesy she received from him tonight.

i turned 'round and there you go *ੈ✩‧₊˚
 
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trigger warning Descriptions of an anxiety attack

Fear strikes a cord in him, cold and restless. There is something about the enormity of the situation that makes it impossible for Peonypaw to shake off—he is used to drowning his feelings, keeping them deep under the surface, only ever experiencing them in full when there are no watchful eyes on him. There are too many eyes here though. His next breath catches in his throat. The awkward scene of Dustystar introducing him to the other leaders instead of him is fully gone now; abandoned, forgotten. Hawkstar takes the stage, quite literally, and her eyes that bleed fury comes near Peonypaw.

Logically, he understands that she is not looking for him. It is wholly unfortunate for him to be where is now, because Hawkstar and her cats begin closing in on them- Owlbark, specifically. Peonypaw is too close.

Too close to the fire.

He has seen this exact moment go down in his brain and behind the curtains of his eyelids before. The moment when WindClan finally realizes that Peonypaw had set that terrible fire, had let it stain his blood with the innocent lives that had been taken that night. The SkyClan warriors that slither forward like snakes suddenly take on the faces of his Clanmates.

Each and every one of them stare at him accusingly.

Peonypaw doesn't realize that he has started backing up. His body is low to the ground, fur standing on edge out of terror instead of an attempt at making himself threatening, shuffling backwards from the leaders and deputies and medicine cats. His heart hammers a rhythm so fast that his chest aches already. When his flank touches someone, Peonypaw's blood turns cold.
"No-"
 This is the part where he gets what he deserves.

When his head whips around, quick enough to make him dizzy, Peonypaw freezes in order to let his brain process what's going on. The dual-colored face of Merrystalk betrays no ill-intent or hostility. Slowly, the real scene returns to him, blurring at the edges.
"Oh, it's just you,"
 Peonypaw breathes, though it's not a sigh of relief. He fully expects Merrystalk to scoff at him for not looking where he was going.
"Sorry..."


Bumping into @Merrystalk
 
𓆝 . ° ✦
 Even for a stickler for discipline and the rules, this is a bit much. SkyClan parades themselves in, smelling of soured blood and crying about a dead warrior and some code. To which Magnoliapeak feels her nose crinkle in a near-laugh. A... code? Did this SkyClan leader expect to come and lay down rules for them all to follow? And even funnier, expect cats like ShadowClan to obey? A group of RiverClan apprentices start screaming about how Hawkstar and SkyClan are going to kill them all, and the chaos is nearly enough for her to miss the group of SkyClanners surrounding Owlbark. Hawkstar goes on about Juniperstar being a liar and how they have made a mockery of peacetime, but Magnoliapeak finds herself focused on getting to the brown tabby instead of listening to the prattling.

As she reaches him, two of the SkyClan cats try to corner him. "Step back," Magnoliapeak demands of Stormcrow, shoving herself between the deputy and SkyClan sun guard "He didn't even try to step away from you." She is surprised to find the Serpentberry flanking her in her defense of Owlbark, but welcomes it nonetheless. This is not unlike the way they had both nearly strung up Stilldream in the middle of camp after costing Juniperstar one of her lives. And when they come between Owlbark and the SkyClan cats, they are not unlike a two-headed cobra. Behind them, Juniperstar stands up to Hawkstar, and the warrior feels pride for her aunt surging within her chest. The meek and mild Juniperstar has been dashed, and the cat Thornstar chose as his deputy stands with them as ThunderClan leader. As intended.

Though her comment on murderers has her glancing at a stoic Owlbark out of the corner of her eye, as if he might react somehow. But none comes. Owlbark is rigid and confident like the trees that mark ThunderClan's territory. He defends himself valiantly, leaving nearly no room for argument, though Magnoliapeak is sure- as any prideful cat is capable of- they would find some way to butt against him. She glances at Flowercloud, then to Stormcrow, and then back to Hawkstar, waiting to see if the SkyClan leader would have any concessions to make. "You'd think for a bunch of hypocrites demanding pomp and circumstance surrounding some fake law they'd at least not show up stinking of rot," she scoffs lowly to Serpentberry. Magnoliapeak is fairly certain Hawkstar will not be willing to back down.

/ with her hatebestie @serpentberry , physically defending @OWLBARK this is technically mobile so sorry if it exploded

"SPEECH HERE"
✧ ° . ✶ . ° ✧
ooc Information
  • ooc: —
  • MAGNOLIA — SHE/HER ･ 21 MOONS ･ WARRIOR & THUNDERCLAN ･ PENNED BY CARAT!
    Click to expand...
    dilute tortoiseshell with amber eyes. here too.
 
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I was given the choice as a child...
To deny who I'm destined to be...
​

LITTLEPAW, They/Them / 6 moons / Starclan - Apprentice
Black self / Cinnamon ticked tabby chimera with a pronounced right fang
Child of JUNIPERSTAR and SABLESTAR, Sibling to MAGPIEPAW, DREAMPAW and ASTERPAW
Creative, Observant, Restless and Kind little soul brimming with potential...
Tagging [@]
Click to expand...
This was... Strange. Strange yet enticing, as if several long awaited pieces were to be placed into an ancient puzzle. The congregation of cats in the living realm stirred something, something incomprehensibly old alongside a sense of completeness... Well, almost. One piece was still missing and nobody knew why, and the living cats were less aware of it.

Within the glittering infinity of Starclan, Little...paw found themselves drawn through the expanse as if they had found the scent of something interesting— but this 'scent' was not tracked by their nose, no. It was tracked by their heart, for it was no scent at all. Rather, it was a familiar warmth. Long in the distance, to the horizon of their perception, a collective of lights came closer and closer together.

So many cats all in one place. More than any one clan— it was all of them. Within this collection of living lights a few stood out to Littlepaw. Family. Once more they were closer to each other, and like one time long ago they were also in a special location as well. It called to Littlepaw, but they did not need to be called— this is what they had always been waiting for. Their soul felt more and more freedom as they rushed across the afterlife towards this phenomenon with a wide grin. "Okay, lets go— Here I come!"

Rippling through the rifts and gaps between both sides of existence, Littlepaw momentarily faded in and out all over the place as they circled the gathering of cats. For a moment, their form happened to stay in the living realm directly facing several cats a little longer- enough to speak a single syllable; Rattlepaw "Okay-", Meadowpaw "Wait,", Stoatpaw "Hey-" and finally Magpiepaw, where Littlepaw didn't flicker out. They had made it! "Yes!! Haha!" Littlepaw spun around in mid air before they spotted their brother. "Magpie, heya!" Littlepaw chirped excitedly as they floated down to him. "I found you again~!" Unlike their brother, Littlepaw was thrilled to be among a living crowd, even if.. Maybe about six of them could see them. Whatever, it didn't matter! "What's happening here? Some kind of gathering?" They asked, looking between Duskpool and Froststorm, ignoring that the latter was also a spirit due to their excitement in arriving. "Who're the old fellas?" And why did one of them smell funny..?

Instead, I prepared for the trials...
But the trials were not ready for
ME
​
 

LEADER OF SKYCLAN

.


Hawkstar is fuming. Her pink maw spills from the corners of her opened lips, enflamed red from the blood that had rushed to her face.

"Should I have brought the body of my apprentice to toss the entrails to you as proof? Are you so starved for flesh that you would require a corpse to satisfy your mockery of our lives?"

Wayward warriors not born of the forest… it would be an insult if Juniperstar's blatant disregard for the code was not injury enough.

"For a hundred generations or more, SkyClan survived in our isolation because of the code that all of our ancestors agreed upon. We kept the memory of the old clans alive by adhering to StarClan's laws, and finally did we return to our ancestral homelands only to find … what? I bring you an infraction of the highest order and you disregard it like you would the ramblings of a kit -"

The voice of the murderer cuts through her righteous scrawl, waving away her fury with a metaphorical paw still dripping with Rosebelly's blood. Even cleaned, even manicured, Hawkstar could still imagine it on him. He makes some pithy claim to Juniperstar's deputyship - even more of an indictment of the betrayal that the ThunderClan leader so easily permitted within her ranks. Hawkstar is ready to jump down from her perch, ready to leave to prepare a proper war party, when he continues:

Have you forgotten the forest before the clans? I've never heard of the code you say dictates warriors.

And Hawkstar stops. And stares. This cat dared to call himself deputy. Juniperstar dared to call herself a leader. These cats dared to call themselves warriors.

And they didn't know a lick of the warrior code.

Defend your clan, even with your life. The facts of the situation slowly dawned on her, spinning rapidly in and out of her mind like a bird in a death throe. Rosebelly, you fool. Oh, you sweet, unknowing fool. Do not hunt or trespass on another clan's territory. Did they even recite these ancient words of the code during their training? Did he even know what danger he put himself into crossing over to catch a mouse or a squirrel or a wayward shrew?

And yet … how much did it truly matter if none of these cats held true to the code anyway?

She knows that SkyClan's eyes have turned on her now, wide, speechless. She can feel the confusion settle on her skin: Hawkstar, who have you brought us to? they must roar inside their heads. They must, because it is the only thought she can muster that is not of utter rage.

"Fine."

The word falls from her lips like a stone.

"For a hundred generations, SkyClanners had been told stories of the ancient clans. ThunderClan, RiverClan, WindClan, ShadowClan. Our ancestors. The survivors of the great calamity that befell the forest all those years ago. But now I see. I see that we have been lied to through ignorance. I have been done in by pretenders, by cats who dress up in the ranks of leader and deputy without even knowing why. You may speak of StarClan, you may have prophets with visions of a civilization long dead, but you all know nothing of the honor that has kept my clan alive when the old ones died out.

So fine. I will instead speak to the rules of your lawless colonies: 'survival is not allowing transgressions without punishment.' Please excuse my attempts at reason within the diction that StarClan blessed me with upon my ascension to leader. Please excuse my softness."

Hawkstar spits the word forth, and she hopes that Coffeestar can see her. She hopes that Applecloud does too, to know that first she did try sweetness and piety before all else.

"Juniperstar, in absence of the code of my ancestors, the law passed down from a thousand leaders directly to me, I demand justice on the terms your deputy has set. A life for a life. His for my deputy's son. Is that reasonable enough for you."

It is not a question.


pointed torbie
◆
64 moons
◆
she / they
◆
bio
 
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A soft giggle fluttered from Stilldream's throat. She was in the midst of a pleasant (and mildly flirtatious) conversation with her chosen target when, inevitably, discord reared its head. As she expected from the start. A shame though, that it had to start so soon. But she wasn't about to get caught in the crossfire.

"I just remembered. I should go check on my apprentice…" She murmured, dipping her head in a graceful farewell. With that, she made an elegant retreat to the sidelines.

Her eyes skimmed the crowd—half-heartedly—for that little pest she was supposedly responsible for. The gathering was too thick to spot him easily, and honestly? She'd much rather watch the show unfold than suffer another round of his ceaseless yammering.

She slipped through the crowd like fog, brushing up beside someone in her search for a clear view. "Oh—I'm sorry." Her shoulder bumped theirs, and she turned with a disarming smile. "You don't mind if I sit here, do you?" Not that it mattered to her if they did. She was already lowering herself to sit, tail curling neatly around her paws.

Her gaze lifted to the center of the gathering. "Oh dear, things are looking grim aren't they?" The ghost chimes to her new companion. And what a scene it was. Tragic, in that melodramatic sort of way. Anger and grief hanging so thick in the air that she could taste it. The SkyClan leader raised her voice in a grand, impassioned tirade—accusing sweet Juniperstar of deceit.

Juniperstar was many things, but a liar? Stilldream wouldn't go that far.

Now that snarling dog she kept around? That was more believable. After how he'd bared those yellowed teeth at her, she was hardly surprised to hear he'd mauled someone. Now, did she believe it was a was murder in cold blood? No, likely just an overzealous display of loyalty. The sort of tragedy that came from giving brainless brutes too much power and too long of a leash.

Stilldream raised a paw to her muzzle in mock-horror, voice fluttering with feigned distress. "That's horrible..." A bit of an exaggerated reaction just for fun. She didn't know the victim, but death over a scrap of prey? A waste of potential, more than anything else.

The plot thickened, and more accusations were hurled. The tension knotted tighter. Owlbark—brainless dog—was busy digging himself a nice hole in the ground.

Stilldream remained seated, lavender eyes sharp beneath her lashes. If things took a violent turn, she wouldn't stay long. She is well aware of her capabilities, and fighting is not one of them. Nor does she feel a strong enough affinity toward her 'clanmates' to risk her pretty pelt for them. Juniperstar would be fine with that fascinating gift of hers, but the others... Well...

Whatever the case, for now, she watched, enthralled by the ensuing chaos.

_________I am not a lover, I'm a thing to be fed 𖥸 I am not a prophet, but I am in your head________
  • "speech"

    Talking to a random cat, anyone can be who she sits next to.

  • ​
    Click to expand...
  • Stilldream she/her & thunderclan
    𖥸 LH albino w/ bluish red eyes and abnormal ears.
    𖥸 A calm and ethereal sounding voice.
    𖥸 Likes long walks in the woods, kissing in graveyards, and collecting fungi at sundown.
    𖥸 Smells strongly of herbs and detritus.
    𖥸 Peaceful and healing powerplay permitted. For other DM.
 
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juniper

it's only a satisfactory answer in that she trusts his judgement. but it is nothing in the way of reassurance. she is just as new to this revelation as anyone else surrounded by these tall oaks is, listening to her deputy spill his confessional like Hawkstar were a priest come to collect it. her eyes narrow slightly, drawing in the context as quickly as it is fed to her and scrambling to organize it into a shape that makes sense; how could she make this fit into the scene cleanly...? how could she preserve her image, shield ThunderClan from a war it wasn't ready to fight-

they're considerations that she doesn't have time to walk to the Moonstone to get answers for and nervously, her gaze lifts towards with moon like it might reveal the answers. Hawkstar doesn't listen to the intention of her words, only snaps at the plainest and cruelest definitions like a dog blinded by hunger. and she is hungry... just not for something to eat. "That isn't what I meant," is all the argument she's willing to waste her breath on. she was not so delusional to suggest that the entirety of SkyClan had just hallucinated one of their own dead on their border.

she is cut short by Owlbark's boldness- he asks the question she isn't willing to so directly make and with a shudder, she sorely hopes Thornstar would've given her a heads up if there was some sort of rules to StarClan's blessings; if they'd permit her a life for the purpose of salvaging something as stupid as a neglected infection, they'd permit her their blessing here and now, right? could it so fickly be taken away? did they only apply when they benefitted this nebulous code rather than just... living honorably in whatever sense most closely followed justice?

there is a weighty pause... and she swears she can see the silhouette of that bird of prey stretch its wings behind the other leader. she is prepared... and with teeth not so far off from the razor-sharpness of a beak, she has made her decision. stooping... lounging in the ignorance with the rest of them who do not know whatever code she holds so tightly to her chest. she will not share it with them... because it wasn't about honor; it was just about controlling the narrative, right? this was just a game of politics... and Juniperstar felt confident navigating a battlefield of this kind.

"If your warrior trespassed upon our land to strike at my deputy then he is well within his right to have defended himself. I don't want for death, not of anyone... I only wish it could've been avoided... but I won't punish Owlbark for protecting himself." he leans against her, a press of twin earthy pelts... and it is probably the most certain she's felt that promoting him was not a mistake. they could find strength in their differences... and now would be the moment to test that theory.

"Fine."

tufted ears twitch, certain it is not that simple, that this hauntingly angry feline is not so easily removed from her righteous grief. to call them lawless is nothing more than a dragging of the claws just above the surface of the skin, meant to sting but not draw blood. it is a precursor to everything she declares next, a set-up to see her blood boil. softness... to call anything about this softness....

a life for a life.

there is no softness in this. her ears flatten, thankful suddenly that Magnoliapeak has scurried forward to aid in the defense of their clan-mate.

but she had promised justice. her chest fills with a heavy breath, before exhaling with an understanding of her purpose here tonight. her strides towards Hawkstar do not bare claws, her lips do not peel back to bear her teeth, it is a purposed climb to meet her gaze where anyone can see. if they would accuse ThunderClan of being liars... of being dishonest... of being unworthy...

"I can't allow you to kill him." her chin lifts, defiant despite the way her heart hammers in her chest. "If he has taken from your deputy what they value most... Then taking his life isn't equivalent. His purpose is to defend... and protect... and ultimately... serve me until my last breath." she doesn't glance at him below, doesn't give him the chance to argue or insist himself a worthy price to pay. the spotted tabby would not be choosing a new deputy tonight... not when things finally started to feel right. "I'll give you what he values most."

because he'd said as much with every glare, with every sweeping stride to stand in front of her anytime they entered a suspicious space. with every growl towards anything that looked at her the wrong way.

"I'll give you my life."

and then... if she stood back up afterward... it would be all the proof Hawkstar needed that StarClan adored her just as much as they adored SkyClan. that she was not lying to call herself a leader. that she had meant for peace and resolution under the stars tonight and would settle it right now if that's what it took. "We'll see if StarClan condemns ThunderClan for their actions that way.... won't we?"

──✩°｡⋆⸜ 🫐✮
  • juniperstar
    leader of thunderclan
    eight lives remain
    ignore me
 
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-

Amber eyes linger on the arriving SkyClanners for a moment longer, then flicked her paw in Snakepaw's direction. "Yuh-huh, you do that." She muttered before slinking off into the crowd.

Something was going down. She could feel it. The scent of blood tainted the air, hushed voices mixed with raised ones. She kept her eyes peeled as she pushed through the crowd. Stoatpaw was out here somewhere—so was Tickpaw. If things were about to blow up, they both needed to be with her. Stoatpaw could hold her own, and so could her brother, but that wouldn't matter much in the middle of an all-out brawl.

Fleafire shoved her way through the gathered cats. "Out of the damn way." The cinnamon warrior huffed, slipping under a broad-shouldered cat until a flash of white caught her eye.

Stoatpaw. Relief smoothed her pelt as she trotted up to her friend, immediately cutting a suspicious glance at who she was talking to. "Heyyyy, Stoatpaw." She drew the greeting out as her eyes dragged slowly back to the stranger and then her friend.

"Something's going down—we need to get back to the rest of the clan. Now."

Stoatpaw was probably still mad at her. Why the fuck she was mad at her, Fleafire didn't know. Whatever it was, it'd have to wait. She'd feel better with everyone gave a damn about in one place. As fun as a fight sounded, the idea of her littermate or best friend getting caught out without her there to help, soured the excitement. "You seen Tick?" Fleafire sat up on her haunches, stretched up as far as she could to search for his pelt amongst strangers.

- - -
Briefly talking to @Snakepaw. Talking to @Stoatpaw. Still looking for @Tickpaw. Anyone could be shoved by her or have been the cat she slipped under.

But touch her and I'll hack you raw
FLEAFIRE
11 MOONS
SHE/HER
- Undersized cinnamon solid with folded ears. She's thin but stubby with very messy fur.
"SPEECH" - crimson | 'THOUGHTS/EMPHASIS' - crimson
Fleafire values family and strength the most. She is clever, sharp-tongued, and quick to anger. She is guided by her desire to become stronger and protect those she cares about—at any cost. Fleafire respects strength but not necessarily authority. She will push boundaries and take advantage of the weak at any given opportunity.

Due to her experiences, Fleafire is corrupt and lacks morals. She does not believe in Starclan but now believes in the Dark Forest. While not a devout follower, her loyalty belongs to her mentor, Froststorm, who reached out when she was at her lowest and saw her into warriorhood.

Growing up in a kitten mill, being separated from her mother, ending up on the streets, and being powerless have deeply affected her view of the world. Despite that, she has grown more resilient as a result of her hardships and bounces back quickly. Her training and mended relationships with some of her clanmates has solidified her devotion toward ShadowClan.


ILL HACK YOU RAW.
 
—————————————— Dreaming along in a pace you'll understand. ✦


The tom listened with bristled fur as the leaders hissed across at one another, fury in their words clinging like smoke in the air. Suffocating. It wasn't like Merry was adverse to an argument, but seeing this? Dear Starclan, he could understand why the younger cats looked at him with such fear for a while after his spat with Sassafrass.

Bitterness clung to his mouth, nauseously reminiscent of that night. He always thought it was the taste of fire on his lips, but maybe it was something else too. His tail thumped absently against the ground, uselessly trying to stifile the nervous clicks of his tongue behind the waning length of rye tucked in his mouth. Stomach churning with the undeniable fear of a full-fledged fight, Dustystar had died once; he had sworn to prevent it from happening again any time soon. But a full brawl with all these cats involved, well, the rest of them only had one shot at this. He knew not many of these cats could fight as well as others, none the less the apprentices.

His mind raced tenfold, part of him wanting to nudge Harefoot, Hollowmumble- All the cats he loved, Hell, all the cats of his clan away to safety. Merry's heart lurched at the idea of any single one of them being hurt, the sight of Dusty's body was already too much for him to ha-

A sudden impact brought him back to attention, his fur stood on end as his eyes narrowed to slits. Until he let out the breath that had been burning his chest for a while now. "Oh, Peony-" He was relieved it was one of their own. Poor little thing seemed stressed as of late, and no doubt this awful back and forth was no help. Tenderly he reached out a paw and ruffled the fur atop the apprentice's head. But, he couldn't help but notice the expression on his face, pained and tensed.

Merrystalk's face softened; he was more than shaken, and a muttered apology towards the gale guard was waved away. "Aye, no need for apologies, this is a lot even fer grown folks, stick o'er here 'nd I'll keep an eye out fer ya, Buddy." He spoke warmly to the apprentice, not truly knowing the turmoil in his mind, but trying to be a grounding presence as ever.

But, of course, the brief comfort of his own words to himself scorched away as Hawkstar bellowed to Juniperstar, Owlbark (Wait, isn't that the guy who lashed out at Gorsepaw? Ohh shit, he had more apologies to make...), and the whole gathering as a whole. A code? Hundreds of generations? A life for a life?

The sudden dawning realisation, pieces slotting together in a nauseating wave. Owlbark, the cat he tried to reason was a dutiful warrior of his clan, was a fucking murderer, and he tried to reason that his correction of Gorsepaw was a lesson that needed to be learned. Something churned in his stomach; if Maremane and he hadn't come to their side sooner, maybe the blood of a child would be in his claws.

Merrystalk's face grew deathly stern, eyes averted from the mayhem, looking between Peonypaw, whom he now carefully pulled closer as if someone were to come and rip a claw through him too and towards his clanmates nearby. "I'm not so sure this should be a public spectacle, but that sick bastard should have no power if he's killin' folks without a sniff 've punishment from his leader." His whispered, unusually calm given the rage that thrummed through that place like a sickness.

His tail batted against the ground, trying to maintain some semblance of steadiness in the sea of discord. His gaze flickered first to Dustystar, who was stuck in the middle of this Starclan forsaken argument; she was unreachable. So, as always, he turned to his brother, the deputy. "Goldy..." His voice caught in his throat, shaking his head. "Goldenroar. I got 'n awful feelin' 'bout this. I don't think we should all stick 'round to see what happens if Hawkstar's gonna h-"

But his voice faltered, hearing Juniperstar finally retort back. 'Throw away a life of her own for this murderer?' He shook his head, looking away. Merrystalk riled Peonypaw to his paws, eyes flickering to his friends. "C'mon now, we're not entertainin' a bloodbath." He shook his head. Their clan had their own problems to handle, let alone the gripes of other clans with one another. He nudged his head against the side of Harefoot, motioning him to stand. "Where's Meadow gone off to..." He wondered aloud, growing more nervous by the second.

— And it's harder than you think,
Telling dreams from one another. —
  • Talking to @PEONYPAW , @GOLDENROAR , @harefoot but any other windclanner can reply with their thoughts cause oh dear starclan all the drama is happening right now and we are bystanders,.........
  • Merrystalk
    ✦—Windclan Gale Guard | 29 Moons
    ✦—He/Him
    ✦—"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
    ✦—A skinny, tortoiseshell cat with bright green eyes and pelt speckled with hay.
    #9D6E46
 
Things go from bad to worse. Skyclan's arrival, blood sullied and thick with anger. It causes murmurs in the crowd, shouts as they realize what's going on, the scuffling apprentices across the way even quieting down. Goldenroar's eyes turn cold, watching the deputy that just introduced himself move quickly back towards his leader as he recognizes their arrival, as Hawkstar begins to speak. Goldenroar's teeth grit together. Skyclan's warriors have already surrounded the Thunderclan leader and her deputy, and the large moor-runner looks on for a long moment.

It's his brother's voice that spurs him into action. The leaders are arguing back and forth- a life for a life sounded pretty fair back on barn-land, but this wasn't really barn-land anymore. "Merrystalk." He says, voice sharp. There's a difference between Goldenroar at home, easy going and full of smiles, and the Goldenroar that is presented with the opportunity of a bloodbath. Of their lives risked. They already lost enough in the fire. There is no reason to remain, especially as this devolves. "Tell the other Gale Guards. Get Windclan out, now." He orders. He isn't his brother's brother right now, he's their captain, squad leader, their deputy. Dustystar would forgive him for sending their clan home, probably.

Goldenroar's shoulder shoves him past any cat blocking him from Dustystar. The golden red tabby grimaced as he stepped into the throng of leaders, feeling the tension only amplify as he enters the proverbial ring. "Dustystar." He states, voice strict. He is nothing more then a mirror of her normal self now- as if he has taken her strength to wear for tonight. "I told Merrystalk to start pulling Windclan out of this gathering. This issue-" He gestures towards Juniperstar, Hawkstar, towards the Skyclanners covered in actual blood, to the Thunderclan deputy covered in unseen and washed-away stains. "Isn't out own, and frankly, it feels dangerous. We should leave, but I won't go without you." He states, uncaring if the other clans hear, stepping next to her shoulder.

His aqua eyes then turned, narrowed sharply towards Thunderclan, then Skyclan. Messy, and dangerous.

_______________________ I KEEP RUNNIN' BUT ☼ I'M STANDING STILL _______________________
  • "speech"
    // speaking directly to @Merrystalk and @Dustystar
  • Click to expand...
  • GOLDENROAR he/him, windclan deputy, thirty nine moons.
    ☆ a lh golden red marbled tabby with low white and glimmering aqua eyes. often seen with a smirk, confidence oozing from him in heaps, but always the ever-helpful guy.
    ☆ mentored by who / mentoring dandelionpaw
    ☆ older brother to merry
    ☆ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / / underline and tag when attacking
    ☆ penned by dallas ↛ dallasofnines on discord, feel free to dm for plots.

    ☆ mini by tasmagoric, ref image by dallas (yours truly!)
 

☾ Harefoot stirs when Merrystalk does, his nervousness rubbing off on him quickly. He had not entirely been listening to the Skyclanners, instead tuning into a different conversation, a different murder– that of the Riverclan leader. When Merrystalk asks where Meadow is, he replies calmly, pointing his tail in the direction of Meadowpaw.

"She is helping Riverclan, along with the Thunderclan medicine cat apprentice," he says steadily. "There was an argument– someone named Adderfang… his family is sick… in any case, he attacked Pikestar, and Pikestar has just lost one of his nine lives. An apprentice went to fetch Rowanpaw and Meadowpaw to help, but Pikestar was already dead. Now I think she's getting moss…" His voice drifts off as he looks at Merrystalk. "She will come if someone asks her. It seems to me that there is not much they can do for Pikestar."

☾ HAREFOOT. 26 moons
peaceful powerplay allowed
ooc -

 

✪ Align my Heart, my Body, my Mind​

indentDustystar touches her tail against her deputy's flank, although her eyes never leave the leaders at the center of the commotion. 'There cats are crazy! Attacking and killing eachother unprompted? A life for a life? She can feel the pads of her paws become sticky with sweat. 'If this takes a turn for the worse, will Windclan be able to defend itself?'

indentPainfully, she tears her eyes away from the action. "Goldenroar. Thank you." For everything. "Keep gathering cats. Don't leave until everyone's accounted for." Anyone left alone could become mincemeat if a fight broke out.

indent"Don't wait up for me though. I think I need to see this out." Although her rabbit-heart tells her to flee, to return to the comforting darkness of her burrow, there's some sickening force keeping her eyes locked on the altercation. "Look at this", it says. "Behold it. See what barbarians of the forest are surrounding your borders."

indentSince the killer had revealed himself, once question had weighed on the young leader's mind. "If Gorsepaw had been a little less lucky, would the same have been done to her?"

Dustystar - 27 moons - Windclan Leader


 

Hollowmumble, -- 39 Moons / 'Windclan' Cat -- Ages on the 14th
Black spotted ghost tabby with bright amber eyes.
She is friendly, yet quiet, and always willing to help.
Click to expand...

Tagging @Weaselchirp @Cloverpaw @Merrystalk
Hollow knew this would happen. Her fears and skepticisms were fully realized. This was going to be a bloodbath. She needed to get out of here. Claws sinking into the soft dirt, she looked around, ears perked. Spotting Merry, she bumped @Cloverpaw 's side and moved forward, leading Cloverpaw and @Weaselchirp through the crowd, weaving through cats to get to Merry's side. They needed to leave.

Catching the tail end of Harefoot's explanation, she felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up. Blood had already been spilled here, and she hadn't even noticed. "Stay close." she commanded of Cloverpaw and Weaselchirp, tone more serious than they had ever heard her. Wordlessly, she dove back into the crowd, urgency nipping at her pawsteps. She took note of every single Windclan cat, marching up to every single clanmate she came across to inform them to gather up, they were leaving, now.

 
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" Nothing to apologize for, ghost. " rumbled the massive tom beside Stilldream, his amber eyes glinting with thinly veiled satisfaction. What were they all at heart, if not killers? And here it was, laid bare, unmistakable. The strongest rooting out the weakest like weeds beneath their claws. His gaze cut across the clearing, catching the golden-eyed fool in the crowd, his smile widening just enough to show his teeth, for his son to see. One leader dead. Another accused. One demanding blood. The only silence came from Sablestar and Dustystar, likely wondering what chaos they'd just walked into. He tried and failed not to look too pleased.

A sidelong glance toward Stilldream. So small beside him, she was nearly swallowed up by his presence, the stark white of her fur almost hidden by his shadow. They looked like predator and ghost, sitting side by side. " Things are looking grim. " he mused, voice low. " A shame the clans can't seem to keep their own in check. " His eyes gleamed. " A murderer in ThunderClan... " His ears flicked lazily. " One in RiverClan, their own clanmate, no less. " A soft hum followed, thoughtful and dark. " And SkyClan… eager to shout 'justice' while their teeth stay wet, demanding a life for a life. "

He gave a short scoff. " I think we can agree, this Gathering was a failure. "

___________________ I DON'T FORGIVE, I DON'T FORGET ☆ A wound's a warning, a debt is a debt. ___________________
  • "speech"
  • Click to expand...
  • COALSTRIKE he/him, shadowclanner, sixty-six moons.
    ☆ a lh black cat dangerous amber eyes. has a mane around his head, is huge [ grandiose ]
    ☆ mentoring vanillapaw
    ☆ loyal to sable, despises thunderclan
    ☆ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / / underline and tag when attacking
    ☆ penned by lion ↛ lionharted on discord, feel free to dm for plots.
 

LEADER OF SKYCLAN

.


CONTENT WARNING: emetophobia warning, depictions of severe violence, blood, killing, and death. Powerplay permitted by pre-planned plot, do not interfere

TL;DR hawkstar invites juniperstar up on the boulder and she rips her throat out. juniperstar is dead. skyclan is not to retreat because the debt is paid, stormcrow is summoned to make a headcount before skyclan leaves.​

How could you deign to know what rights you do and don't have without the code? Hawkstar bites back the retort, unwilling to continue to beat the dead horse anymore than she already had. These cats were barbarians, only giving way when she spoke in the murderous tongues of their shared but foreign language. Whatever leader and deputy meant to them, whatever criteria they imagined for themselves to be enough, it only strengthened Hawkstar's conviction that SkyClan - despite returning to their ancestral home - was still utterly alone in this world, adrift despite her every attempt to make them connected and whole.

Juniperstar accepts her offer, standing in front of her 'deputy'. A martyr. Mythic in her sacrifice. Malevolent in her allowance of bloodsport, wickedly offering her own throat in some show of credence to what her vagabonds were allowed to get away with.

Juniperstar puts her own head in front of the executioner's axe, and Hawkstar - proud, unwavering Hawkstar who did her best to speak every word pursuant to the truth - can only nod.

"So be it. SkyClan, to me." she flicks her tail, calling away Flowercloud and Stormcrow as she so often did, though she hoped her clanmates could not see the slight slope in her shoulders and the small shaky breath she took in the gloom. No. No, under the clear, bright moon.

Was that moon for her punitive justice, or for Juniperstar's martyrdom? Which StarClan watched over them now: the StarClan of the ancient clans, the very same that informed the argument that Hawkstar clung to as readily as a kit clung to their mother? Or the StarClan that allowed Owlbark to continue standing in his ignorance and naivety? Whose StarClan would Juniperstar answer to in the limbo between death and reanimation.

She gestures for Juniperstar to join her on the rock. "A deal is made. I am many things, but I am not flimsy with my word. A life for a life, and then … then it is the end of it. ThunderClan's debt is paid."

She leans in as Juniperstar joins her upon their perch, the guillotine primed before their crowd. Was this entertainment now, as sordid as it was? "I pray that your StarClan will offer you guidance in death, and wisdom in your next life."

And then her teeth flash, dazzlingly white for the briefest of seconds in the moonlight (clear, bright, unwavering and unhidden) before her jaws find purchase around the ThunderClan leader's throat.

Hawkstar bites down deep, searching for her pulse that connects soul to body. It beat furiously against her tongue (badumbadumbadumbdadum) (was that Juniperstar's heart or her own?) (who was she truly condemning here?) (was it fair, was it honor, was it -)

-and then it is crimson.

Hawkstar rips her jaws away, tearing flesh and blood from the martyred leader with one mortal wrench of her head. Blood coats her tongue and maw, cloying, stinking sweet. So much, so fast that she nearly gags at the scent and the taste and the viscera of it all.

She turns and spits out what remained in her mouth, her off-white chest and paws now splattered instead of stained. She staggers slightly back. A life for a life. ThunderClan's debt was paid. And Hawkstar had to fight herself from vomiting at the reality of what the debt had cost.

"S-stormcrow." she beckons her Sun Guard to her side, suddenly very tired and very aware of the way her stomach rumbled and churned beneath her rabbit-heart. "Come, I need - mm - I need a headcount before we depart."



pointed torbie
◆
64 moons
◆
she / they
◆
bio
 
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Reactions: ARSYNNE and muddly
—————————————— Dreaming along in a pace you'll understand. ✦


Oh, Starclan, was he grateful that Goldy agreed, and like a dutiful soldier to his captain, he nodded, watching his brother shove through the crowds to retrieve their leader.

He turned to Harefoot, stunned to hear Riverclan blood was being spilt. Merry's jaw locked; it was clear this was a required move, or else innocent blood would be spilt. With a tender motion, he nosed his mate's cheek with a purr. "Go home." His voice was soft, unbecoming to the shouting and rage; there was no need for Hare to have come along. Merry could see the discomfort in the others' eyes. Even to him, this place was too loud; for a cat so adept at hearing the intricacies of the smallest whisper on the wind, this would have been torture. "Lead them home, I'll warn Maremane 'nd Nutmegpurr 'nd I'll grab Meadowpaw too, I'll follow y'all when I know ev'ry warrior 'nd apprentice is outta here." His voice stern yet gentle, now was the time to show he could be a solid rock for his clan. No panic nor rage, a simple leave for them all.

Merry shot a smile to Hollow, who quickly corralled away Cloverpaw; none of them needed to be subjected to this. It was a mistake. He turned with a shaky breath, already spotting the distinct pelt of his... Friend.

"Mare." The gale guard interrupted a conversation of hers, unfortunately so, but they had no time to hover. "Find every warrior 've ours, we're leavin'." His voice solid, not a command but a warning to someone he truly didn't want to be seen injured in the midst of all of this. They had their ups and downs, but that was in the past. "Thunderclan 'nd Skyclan sound ready to kill each other 'nd sounds like Riverclan's fallin' apart from the inside." He shook his head, flicking his tail to motion to where they'd all come from. "Just grab as many folks as you can 'nd head to the moors, Windclan blood ain't bein' spilt today."

It felt like a daze, like everything was a distant blur of a memory rather than a current event. But he couldn't lose his nerve now, as he passed clanmates, he barked orders to follow Maremane and Hollowmumble out of the gathering, find their apprentice, tell him if someone was unaccounted for. He would not leave this place until every one of his own was accounted for. Green eyes flickered to the growing fight in the midst of the crowd; everyone was too focused on the shouting and raving to see Windclan slowly filtering out.

He let out a breath of relief, finding his other guard quickly. "Nutmeg!" For a moment, his gaze flickered around, hoping- Merry deflated with a sigh, no sign of Meadow. He shook his head with a gulp. "We're evacuatin', it's not safe, Hawkstar sounds 'bout ready to make this place a battleground, gather as many 've our folks 'nd lead 'em home." The tortie shook his head with a scowl towards the circle of leaders; he just prayed they wouldn't be so senseless as to lash out at Dusty and Goldy too.

"'m gonna go grab Meadow now, she's helpin' an incident with Riverclan, I promise she's gonna make it home safe, but don't wait fer us." He spoke sternly, not cruel but desperate; he knew Nutmeg well, desperate to keep her sister safe, and he hoped she knew he wanted the exact same. "Go, I'll meet y'all back in the moors."

Satisfied, he turned his nose to track. It had been a good long while since he had the need to, bringing his nose to the air over the cacophony of scents. Blood- There it was. A nauseating feeling permeated his mind. It was an awful dread to have to follow the scent of blood to find Meadow. He just had to hope, pray to Starclan, that she was okay. Pressing through the crowd, he followed the scent, ready to step up and fix where his kin had failed before.

And yet.

Like a rolling storm, sudden, unexpected, the yelling of Hawkstar behind him, the sudden commotion, the bloom of fresh blood in the air. His stomach turned, pushing forward. He and Goldy had set their plan in motion at the perfect time; nightmares were about to become a waking phenomenon.

— And it's harder than you think,
Telling dreams from one another. —
  • Talking to @harefoot @Hollowmumble @MAREMANE @nutmegpurr
  • Merrystalk
    ✦—Windclan Gale Guard | 29 Moons
    ✦—He/Him
    ✦—"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
    ✦—A skinny, tortoiseshell cat with bright green eyes and pelt speckled with hay.
    #9D6E46
 
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