Private Leader's Den RETRACING STEPS — COUNCIL MEETING

[PIKESTAR PIKESTAR]

To say he was nervous was an understatement. The last council meeting, which was many moons ago had been terrible. However, he was hoping that this time would be different. He had grown a tiny bit wiser. Russetfall had taught him to consider his words, and he couldn't say that he experienced something as horrible as the first council meeting again. Setting aside the hope that he was a little bit better, there were some new faces to the council. Pebbledream, Smokewreath, and Willowburn. They didn't have the experience of the first council meeting that took place, so they wouldn't sit in a apprehensive mood. However, he couldn't say he was entirely reassured with new faces on the team. After all, he didn't know how the three new members would mesh with the rest of the council.

I guess there's only way to find out. His gaze trails over each council member gathered, Jinglemoon included. Even though he was no Life Guard, he was their medicine cat. It was important they attended these meetings as well. "Thank you all for meeting with me." He dips his head in respect before continuing, "We are gathered here today to have a discussion on the future of our clan. There are topics I'd like to bring up and share my thoughts on. Once I'm done, all of you are free to share your ideas."

Pikestar takes a deep breath. "The first topic I'd like to bring up is the sudden increase of mouths to feed. I am worried about some of us going hungry, especially with more mouths on the way." He thinks of Bambi and of Heatherfield who are expecting kits. While he doesn't know when exactly the kits will arrive, he must prepare for them arriving this moon just in case. "We already have a lot of kits, but there are going to be plenty this moon who will be apprentices. This means more paws to hunt, gather herbs, or help around camp. I believe the focus on apprentices should be on hunting, but with parts of the river freezing... Our prey has become more limited." We could survive only a few sunrises going to bed hungry, but I'd rather not let it come to that if we can help it.

The forest is an excellent source of prey, but what good is excelling in hunting if prey was scarce both in the river (in parts that weren't frozen over) and the forest?

"The second topic I'd like to bring up ThunderClan in particular. I understand that our clan wants to remain neutral, but Loonstar was practically hostile towards us last gathering. They've said they wouldn't fight unless we set foot in their territory, but with their skirmish with SkyClan... I can't trust them. Should we have a group focus on solely on battle skills to be safe?"

As much as he would like to avoid getting into any sort of skirmish, he couldn't leave it up to chance. If they were to focus only on hunting for the apprentices, they'd suffer and worse case scenario lose their lives if ThunderClan or even SkyClan struck. He doubted SkyClan would strike them first and it wasn't because they were incapable. He just couldn't think of something RiverClan had that would be interested in. Would they risk crossing the frozen parts of the river? It's a lot harder for them to get into our territory compared to ThunderClan.

"The third topic I can think of is if we should turn away cats? Excluding those who are expecting kits, injured, and young. While there's benefits in having a lot of warriors, I'm more worried about feeding the cats we do have. I'm also worried about potential warriors joining other clans..." He glances at the council. Tail flicking behind him with unease. RiverClan has welcomed cats into their ranks since the very beginning, but he could see the strain it was having on the clan. "That's all from me for now. Please share your honest thoughts. I know these ideas are with our clans best interests in mind."

// @Frostmoth @Jinglemoon @pebbledream. @Russetfall @Smokewreath @willowburn

 

[Frostmoth]

The council is long overdue to have gathered, but Frostmoth keeps this sentiment to himself. He's already spent the last pawful of moons working himself to the bone, and with the thinned council for the downhill half of those moons he'd barely noticed how much time had passed since he'd last been in Pikestar's den with the rest of the council. Frostmoth takes his place next to Jinglemoon, a sign of silent closeness with the medicine cat after the work they'd both put in following the turbulence of the last council meeting. His pale gaze flits about the den. How strange it feels that half of them are new faces. Though it's comforting that Smokewreath and Willowburn- both like elder siblings since far before RiverClan had been formed- now take their places among them.

As Pikestar begins to speak, Frostmoth levels his gaze on the leader. A few concerns are raised by the silver-furred tomcat, each surprisingly reasonable. The deputy waits to speak, feeling calmer than he had in the meeting that had been in the wake of ShadowClan's raid and Adder's betrayal. "I wonder... Should we really be waiting until kits are six moons to be apprenticed?" Frostmoth tips his head thoughtfully "Lavenderspring-" he stutters, his former apprentice's name feeling foreign on his tongue "-Would have still thrived if she'd been apprenticed a moon or two sooner. Hazecloud had been taking her out of camp and teaching her things anyway." He sighs, thinking of all the concerned queens and jealous apprentices that might come on the heels of such a change in policy. "I just worry... With the river beginning to freeze in some places and so many kits in the nursery... What if it snows and we no longer have any land prey and our fish are driven toward the shipyard?"

Frostmoth feels a bit of rigidity return at the mention of ThunderClan. It seemed like there had been such a strange turn in their opinion since Loonstar seemed to have grown harsher. "Loonstar warned us to stay off their territory," Frostmoth rebuts, but keeps his tone blunt rather than sharp "I hardly see that as hostility. I think it's reasonable enough given some of our clanmates seem eager to claim sunningrocks for themselves." Tension rises in his shoulders at his own hypocrisy. He, too, had been one of those RiverClan cats who saw no purpose to ThunderClan keeping hold of sunningrocks, but he wasn't yet to the point of spilling blood over an outcropping of stone. "I would be more concerned about SkyClan," he adds quickly, leveling with Pikestar once again "They are eager to spill blood. They're righteous and cruel. Don't you remember how they behaved when we first settled here? And you think Loonstar is the unreasonable one?"

Frostmoth is eager to move on. He loathes political conversation. What other clans choose to do within their own boundaries has nothing to do with him. If it were up to Frostmoth, they would have picked up and left the moment that they'd discovered there were other clans living beyond the boundaries of the temperate rainforest. "Regardless, refreshing battle skills is always a good idea. I can check in with our mentors to ensure that the apprentices are being taught on an appropriate timeline." He tucks his chin to his chest for a moment, thinking before continuing "I still think we should reconsider the timeframe at which apprentices are made, too. We could do it based on the individual."

A bit of sadness washes over Frostmoth as he thinks of turning away cats from RiverClan- a projection of his past self as a younger cat in the shipyard- but he remembers quickly the primary reason they'd all been brought together. They weren't the same group that had once struggled disjointedly to survive in the shipyard. They were organized now, and they needed to make decisions based on the clan they had built for the good of what persists. "We should," he affirms, though he takes no pleasure in doing so. "Any cat who is not in dire need should be turned away. There is no purpose in being concerned about warriors going elsewhere if we cannot even feed the mouths that we already have. A starving warrior is no better than a dead one." Frostmoth looks uncomfortably around at his fellow constituents. What would they all have to think about this?

OH, MY GOD ★ MAKE ME IN YOUR IMAGE

• "SPEECH"
• ★ FROST — he/him, riverclan deputy, 25 moons
  — penned by carat, feel free to ping or dm for plots!
  — longhair black and white bicolor with blue eyes
  — peaceful powerplay ok! all interactions ok!
  
• penned by carat!

 

[pebbledream.'s icon pebbledream. pebbledream.]

PEBBLEDREAM ──

riverclan | life guard​

​

Pebbledream can think of very few instances throughout their life where they were truly nervous. Sitting here now, a fresh face of RiverClan's council, a voice that will influence the lives of many… this is a moment they will have to add to that list. Still, they focus on the sound of Pikestar's words over that of their pounding heart, sitting still save for the occasional nod to show that they're listening. Prey… ThunderClan… preparing for the worst… there is so much to consider. Frostmoth is the first to offer his own opinions, much to Pebbledream's relief - they did not want to go first and confidently say something that would put the whole council on edge. Clearing their throat, they begin to speak.

"Yes, I think prey should remain at the forefront of our concern at the moment… I see no issue with apprenticing some of our kits early, as Frostmoth has suggested, given that the age discrepancy is small of course. A few extra paws bringing food home would be very beneficial right now." Pebbledream could see the 5-moon or even 4-moon old kittens being trained, even if it's only simple tasks until they are older. Pebbledream was already hunting for themself at that age…
"I'm personally concerned about both ThunderClan and SkyClan. While SkyClan has proven themselves bloodthirsty, I'm not too happy with how shaky our alliance with ThunderClan is either. Sunningrocks or no Sunningrocks, I think we should do what we can to prevent any kind of conflict with our neighbors, especially while we are already struggling. I do, however, agree that battle training should be seen to. We can only appease others through words so much - there is always a looming threat of attack. It's better to be prepared for an ambush that never comes than to be blindsighted."

The last topic is one that gives Pebbledream pause, and they'd almost rather continue talking politics than consider turning potential joiners away. But the facts remain; RiverClan is struggling to keep everyone fed as it is. It would be foolish to add to a group that cannot keep up with its current numbers. "As much as it pains me to agree, you are both correct. For now, at least, it may be best to turn away cats that are capable of hunting for themselves… We must focus on protecting the members of the Clan that we already have." With that, Pebbledream glances in the direction of the other Life Guards, particularly the two that had been freshly appointed alongside themself. All three of them have their own strengths to be used in aiding the Clan, their voices as equally important as Pebbledream's own. It's best to ensure that everyone can voice any potential problems they may have before making a final decision.

a steadfast spirit, never to stall

the vow resounds: honor above all

• ooc:
• "speaking" | thinking | action