Gathering 2025 something something DANGER ZONE || September Gathering

This gathering took place in the year 2025.

AND I AM SORRY MY CONSCIENCE CALLED IN SICK AGAIN

______________________________________________________________________

Back to Fourtrees we go.

The thought didn't land as bitterly as it probably should have, but maybe that was because a part of Wolfpack was genuinely curious as to what would happen next. The last time the clans had gathered together, accusations had flown, lives had been taken, and the dead had come down to walk among them once more. The entertainment alone was enough to convince the mottled tomcat that returning would be worth it– if only he could trust his clan to understand boundaries. Some of them were just too eager to play nice with the other groups, and the Shadowclan deputy wasn't interested in dealing with messy friendships or halfclan brats that wouldn't know where to place their loyalties when the time came to draw lines in the sand.

"Don't wander alone tonight. Stay with your peers." He wouldn't bar his apprentice from speaking to the other clans, but he didn't want to see them wandering off alone with anyone. The stars may have sent a cat to demand peace among their own, but it wasn't the stars who led Shadowclan. He didn't trustHawthorn to keep his group safe.

The clearing was empty when Shadowclan began spilling in, but Wolfpack wasn't surprised. The night was young, and his clan was known for coming alive when the world was wrapped in darkness. There were no sluggish paws or jumping at shadows to deal with here, because the marsh-dwellers knew what lurked in the shadows alongside them. Here in the clearing though, moonlight seemed to fill every crevice. As if it were trying to strip them of their very name by washing out the shadows that normally bled so dark across the land at this hour. He could help the annoyed glance thrown toward the moon where it hung in the sky above them, full, bright, and mocking.

Where are the clouds when you need them?


  • ooc : — speaking to @cloudberrypaw
  • shadowclan deputy - male - mentoring Cloudberrypaw - a large, monochrome chimera with mismatched eyes and several scars

 
In the morning when I wake and the sun is coming through
Oh, you fill my lungs with sweetness and you fill my head with you

.


The first Gathering, Marbleshine had missed. In truth, she supposed that wasn't such a terrible thing, she had heard the stories whispered from many mouths, all carrying the same thread: it had gone terribly, horribly wrong. Arguments, tension, chaos… So when she'd been chosen to attend this Gathering, her paws had felt light and heavy all at once. She was nervous, flustered even, her thoughts tumbling endlessly over one another as she padded alongside the rest of ShadowClan. Would it all happen again? Would voices rise into snarls, claws unsheathed beneath the moon? Or… or would this be different? Would they be kind to one another, if only for one night?

Her ears stayed perked, blue eyes flicking to familiar pelts as she stayed close to Wolfpack, seeking the steady presence of her friend. Wolfpack, who was now a father.

The thought still made her blink sometimes, as though she had to keep reminding herself it was real. A father, with Coalstrike and Jadethorn, of all cats. It made her head ache if she thought about it too hard, but… if they were happy... If all three of them were happy, then she would let the questions rest. That was enough for her.

By the time they reached the edge of Fourtrees, Marbleshine's breath caught quietly in her throat. They were the first Clan to arrive. The clearing lay untouched beneath the moonlight, bathed in silver and shadow, and for just a fleeting moment… it was peaceful. Still. She padded closer to the slope, peering down into the sacred hollow, the great four oaks standing tall and silent like ancient guardians. Her chest swelled faintly with awe; she could almost feel the weight of history here, the whispers of every Gathering that had come before.

The quiet wouldn't last, she knew, the scents of the other Clans would soon drift in, pelts brushing pelts, voices rising as the hollow filled... But for now, she savored the calm. Her tail tip brushed lightly against Wolfpack's flank, grounding herself as she breathed softly into the cool night air.

" ...The night is young. "

Speech, thoughts/emphasis


6 MOONS
𖧧
SHADOWCLANNER
𖧧
SONG
𖧧
bio
 


Grayflight had to admit, he was surprised Sablestar had placed attention upon him lately. First an apprentice, now going to the Gathering? His pelt itched with uncertainty. Were his loyalties being tested? Had he been too friendly at the borders or with his Clanmates? Were his cross-Clan ties a problem?

He shook his head, clearing the thoughts away. He hadn't spoken to another ThunderClan cat in almost two moons, and he was happy here in ShadowClan. This was his home! Maybe the exact opposite was true, and he was being rewarded for his loyalty.

Whatever the case may be, he followed his Clanmates to Fourtrees, trying to ignore the bristled fur of Wolfpack as he directed his apprentice to stick with the other ShadowClan cats. He may not have attended the previous Gathering, but wasn't the idea to mingle?

"It's fine to talk to other Clans tonight," he mewed to Mockingpaw, making sure they were out of the deputy's earshot. "Just don't say anything that the other Clans might use against us."

OOC
Tagging: @Mockingpaw
BIO
ShadowClan Thief
58 moons || he/him
SPEECH || THOUGHTS
 
The first gathering was one that Mulberryburst hadn't been present for, deciding to stay at camp to watch over it just in case something were to go wrong, though it seemed as though the wrongdoings were within fourtrees itself. RiverClan tearing itself apart, the ThunderClan deputy deciding that the unnecessary murder of another cat was justified, his leader deciding for Hawkstar to take her own life instead of his, the knowledge that the cats of the forest didn't know the code that StarClan had passed down upon them. Too much happening all in one night, and too much having happened since. This time instead of staying home the warrior had been asked to come, and although he was a little disappointed his sibling wasn't beside him, he had still come willingly - eagerly even - ears pricked as he tried to listen and pay attention to what was going on as they moved into the clearing.

He had yet before this to fully step into fourtrees, never having the time or the means to move outside of SkyClan's territory to venture further and see what was going on. Head tilted upwards as he paid attention to the large trees before them, the clearing of open space that showed the night sky where StarClan watch down upon them, night clear for the moment and he couldn't help but wonder if it would stay that way, the stories of gatherings old playing in his mind, of StarClan getting upset at the clans and covering the moon with clouds and cats having to go home without hearing the news that they came here for. He couldn't help but wonder if they would see another StarClanner tonight, speaking out against the potential fighting that there was sure to be.

Silently he'd sit, tail wrapping around paws as he couldn't help but remain vigilant, watching and trying to learn as always, though he wouldn't be opposed to another face coming toward him so long as they were friendly.
MULBERRYBURST he/him, skyclan 25 moons old.
chocolate x cinnamon mink chimera with low white
mentored by none // mentoring Jaypaw
littermate to Maple
NPC x NPC / father to none / mated to none
"speech" // "thoughts"
penned by tikki ↛ rabbitcake on discord, feel free to dm for plots.
 
juniper
"and this time, she won't be forgiving"
anxious anticipation coils around her heels like a set of chains... a weight to be dragged for every step made into the shade of this large clearing. already other clans gather and she can feel the pin-prick sensation of eyes gouging into the scars that decorate her throat. it's a reminder of their failures... and a reminder of how quickly these groups could devolve into threats and violence even when asked to attend under the blanket of peace. Juniperstar can't help the nervousness that cascades down her spine, a persistent pressure that suggests being ready to protect... or to flee.

suddenly, she is glad she has not summoned Graybird and Asterpaw to attend this time. if only to spare them a little heartache, should things go sideways once more. her gaze skips over the several attendees open to conversation but cannot will herself to be so open as she was once, instead, beckoning towards Gentleflame and his new apprentice. "If anything feels off, I need you two to be the first out. Understand?" a precaution... and hopefully only that.


  • open to interaction!
    speaking with @GENTLEFLAME briefly
  • juniperstar
    leader of thunderclan
    seven lives remain
 
————————————— The melody sings what the words can't say. ✦


In all honesty, Boarpaw didn't want to be there. The apprentice averted his gaze where the events of the last occurred, sat firmly at Juniperstar's side with tensed shoulders and stiff posture. Compared to the last time he was here, however, he towered over his mentor, even as he tried to hunch and seem smaller; it grew harder by the day.

His eyes scanned the slowly approaching cats to the gathering, Shadowclan for the most part. Though his fur prickled with the slightest scent of Skyclan, a mink chimaera carrying the scent, a face he didn't recognise from the last time they were all here.

They didn't seem aggressive. That ghost said the gathering was required to be a peaceful get together, and while he didn't know how much he could trust a word of a ghost, he hoped at least the clans would have some sense too.

Honestly, Boarpaw was just waiting for Riverclan. Pikestar was kind to him the last time, and with a few friends across the border, maybe he could take a little respite in their presence. But, even so, he found himself apprehensive of leaving Juniperstar's side; just as much as Boarpaw wanted to protect his family, he didn't want to see his mentor hurt again. Even if he wasn't the best fighter, he wanted to be the best apprentice he could.

  • Open to interactions! He's just on edge about Juniperstar and Skyclan :(
  • Boarpaw
    ✦—Thunderclan apprentice | 10 moons
    ✦—He/They
    ✦—"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
    ✦—A long-haired, dark grey tom with a prominent underbite and blue eyes.
    #AFBCC1
 
BRIGHTNOSE - SKYCLAN WARRIOR

Brightnose hadn't attended the first Gathering - and honestly, she's glad she hadn't. The tension had been so thick even back at camp, and just hearing about what happened at Fourtrees had made a shiver fly up her spine. It wasn't that she failed to understand SkyClan's rage - the circumstances surrounding Rosebelly's death had disgusted her as much as any member of her Clan - it was because the mere notion of violence made her chest fill with anxiety.
It's for this reason that she enters the moonlit clearing with pinned-back ears and her tail between her legs, not daring to step away from her own Clan to mingle with the others. Watchful eyes cast a long, hard look over the ThunderClan cats that are here, lingering on their leader - the one whose life Hawkstar had taken as repentance for Rosebelly. She hopes that there won't be more bloodshed tonight…
As soon as Mulberryburst sits down, Brightnose pads up to him and sits silently by his side, though she just can't seem to sit still… thoughtlessly, her paws trace circles in the dirt as she continues to glance around.


CHARACTER INFO



  • IMG_3011.png
    Brightnose | she/her | SkyClan warrior

    "A gray striped tabby cat with patches of white on her paws, tail, and face."

    age - 19 moons old

    main skills - hunting and tracking

    traits- quiet, curious, loyal

    "speaking" | thinking

    penned by jharmonia

  • Brightnose is a mostly gray she-cat, with lighter fur on one side of her face and darker, swirly stripes along her pelt. She also sports white patches on her face, right ear, chest + belly, tail-tip, and paws. Her eyes are forest green, and her skin is a salmon pink. Her left ear has a couple tears in it, and her nose has a small scar, from an incident that occurred during her apprenticeship.
    Brightnose has always excelled more at hunting, thus this is where she feels most confident in aiding her Clan. When it comes to fighting, however, she can fall a bit short despite trying her hardest. Conflict worries her, and deep down she fears that she might not be able to protect her Clanmates properly if she needs to.
    Though she is sociable, she tends to keep to herself, valuing her alone time when not on patrol or other assigned duties. She enjoys spending her evenings in the corner of camp, catwatching (and sometimes daydreaming). Due to her curious nature, however, she does have a tendency to listen in on conversations that she's not a part of. This can occasionally lead to trouble, as some things aren't meant for her ears to hear...
  • [tags here]
 
swallowbreeze shares the opinion with many that missing the first gathering wasn't a loss. it's a surprise that starclan insisted on the regular meetings despite the blood that's sunk into the earth, but she's not one to question the logic of their stars. if it's something starclan wishes to see more of, then swallowbreeze will make the trek with her clan. after all, she's the one that urged her fellow medicine cats to meet regularly by the moonstone— who's she to judge?

the amount of cats that settle in the clearing is overwhelming. she's never seen this many in one spot, and she knows the numbers may grow as the seasons cycle, skyclan's numbers have surely grown since their arrival. it feels like everyone's eyes swept over the moment the scent of pine wafted through the foliage, swallowbreeze feels herself shrink at the thought of judgement from complete strangers.

already regretting her decision to come, she slinks towards the back, deciding to bloom as a wallflower for tonight.

// open to interactions :^)
 

✪ Align my Heart, my Body, my Mind​

indent Dustystar makes her way into the clearing, yellow eyes scrutinizing the cats already gathered. The last two times she's been here, they'd met the other clans in conflict and strife. Blood spilled, families separated. The memory still weighs heavy on Dustystar's mind.

indentDustystar glad to see Shadowclan and Juniperstar in attendance. She makes herself over to Thunderclan's leader, meowing in greeting. "Juniperstar. It's good to see you." Questions about the kitten Thunderclan had taken home sit, trembling, on the tip of her tongue. Dustystar bites them back. It isn't her place to know about those things. Although she's taken in Branchkit as a sort of 'family', she has no relation to any of her litter mates. After all, not even Branchkit was kin of her litter mates, anymore.

indentInstead, Dustystar pushes the conversation to more casual ends. "How is the prey in your territory? I hope Greenleaf hasn't left you too quickly."

- talking to @juniperstar -​

Dustystar - 27 moons - Windclan Leader


 
(𓆩✧𓆪) since his conversation with mothbite and the other warriors, the apprentice has been lost in thought more often than not. their sharp words, the bile with which bluegale had spoken of hawthorne, his mother's dear friend, serpentberry's mate, grasp at his mind. similarly, the hollowness with which mothbite had described the hunger, the sickness of the colony before the clans. it makes his pelt itch and his stomach turn. for such violence to be enacted at the order of his own father... but perhaps also by his mother? he's not sure now. they'd all seemed to have fond memories of juniperstar, but still, dreampaw wishes to talk to his mother.

besides the confusion over the past, she also longs to press into her plush chocolate fur and breathe in her scent. the last time she had seen juniperstar, she'd been bleeding out from hawkstar's crimson stained claws. magpiepaw had confirmed her life when he'd been shuttled back to shadowclan, but in the moon since the gathering, she's all dreampaw has been able to think about.

as she pads into the clearing, her nose twitching as scents overwhelm her senses, the boy glances towards her mentor. bidding her a good night with a nod, promising not to get into trouble, he flashes magenta eyes through the crowd until they fall upon the she-cat he seeks. as he approaches her, a thought prickles in the back of his head - does his mom know of the kitten now being nursed to health by timberfrost? sablestar had mentioned littermates, vaguely insinuating that the other clans had claimed one. did thunderclan house a kitten torn from their family?

before dreampaw can reach his mother, another pads up to her - dustystar, he thinks - and begins conversing. spotted ears flatten slightly, but the apprentice approaches anyway, sliding up to juniperstar on her other side. "hi mama," he greets, and embarrassment floods him at the thought of windclan's leader hearing that childish address. "er- juniperstar. a-and dustystar, hello." wary magenta eyes flit over the gray tabby. he's not personally interacted with windclan much, besides his father telling him of his kin there, but so long as the woman does not seem a threat, he will relax. "dreampaw," he introduces, feeling she should at least know his name.

eyes flick back to juniperstar, and the boy shuffles his flank against her. he's gotten taller, leaner too, with the build of a lanky shadowclan warrior. in a few moons, he may just dwarf his mother. wanting to both stick to juniperstar's side and leave the two queens to speak, dreampaw feels conflicted. ultimately, the apprentice bites her lip. "i just wanted to tell you i'm coming home for a few days," she directs this at her mother, nudging her fondly. "have a good gathering," be safe, she doesn't say. don't get yourself killed. again. unless told to stay, she'll bid them adieu.


  • // brief interaction with @Halfshade then seeking out @juniperstar and by proxy talking to @Dustystar - potentially open to new interactions. " #afaf64"
  • DREAMPAW ✧ tags / toyhouse

    demiboy (he / she) / bisexual, padding after NONE
    07 moons old, ages realistically
    apprentice of shadowclan
    brother to MAGPIEPAW, ASTERPAW, LITTLEKIT, HOLLYKIT
    son of JUNIPERSTAR x SABLESTAR
    mentoring NONE / mentored by HALFSHADE
    penned by LAVS / message lavendes on discord for plots!

    a longhaired chocolate spotted tabby with low white and orange eyes. silky chocolate fur cascades in waves across his boxy frame, darker dapples giving him his tabby pelt. creamy white splashes his paws, belly, tail tip, and muzzle, freckling across his face. the hue of a crackling fire, struck through with magenta and violet, sparkles from narrow sockets.
 
Lavenderpaw, prior to tonight, recalled the last gathering as... dramatic. Anxiety inducing and worrisome. Yet to a degree she had shut just as much of it out, focusing more on the facts of the situation they were all in than the emotional turmoil it had caused. Decompartmentalizing all of their trauma into neat, easy to process piles. And yet... as they approach Fourtrees for the upteenth time in the last moon, it is this time that the unprocessed emotions come flooding back in. Will Pikestar - or any leader, for that matter - lose another life tonight? It is StarClan's will that fighting shall not happen beneath the full moon, but how much power does StarClan truly have...?

She nearly clings to @Frostmoth's side as they join the clearing, a smaller circle of RiverClan cats padding alongside them. Instinctively, she looks over all who've arrived, trying to find familiar faces among them. In the depth of the night, despite the glittering stars and moonlight, she finds a familiar speckled and striped pelt. After a short farewell to her deputy, she slips straight towards that tabby frame, an excited smile on her frame. She almost ignores the leaders that stand just nearby (and, at that, doesn't recognize that one of them happens to be the boys' mother.)

"Hey - I figured you'd be here tonight...!" She purrs into the air, attempting to be a little more suave in her approach. The last pawful of encounters were... breathless and uncertain, to say the least. Awkward, most definitely. Yet as she rounds closer to the other apprentice, she finds that she is indeed not Asterpaw, but instead... a doppelganger. "Oh...!" She squeaks, backing a step away from @DREAMPAW, "Sorry - uh... sorry, I thought you were -" She cuts herself short, ears burning with the embarrassment. Her head swivels around, curious if anyone else seen her blunder.

[ interacting w dreampaw but anyone is free to see her silly mix up :3 ]
 

Gatherings never made much sense to Victoryscorn. What was the use of sitting shoulder to shoulder with a bunch of half-trained barbarians who barely clung to the warrior code, let alone the notion of being civil? Nothing worth speaking of came from these meetings, save for justice— and even that, he thought grimly, had been delivered at the first gathering in a way so brutal it left its mark on every cat present.

The night stretched wide above, a heavy quilt of stars stitched against the black sky, and the moon sat proud and silver, casting pale fire across the clearing. Victoryscorn's tangled blue fur caught the light, almost glowing where the strands broke free from the matted clumps along his shoulders. The oak looming overhead swayed slow in the wind, branches dripping shadows across the warriors that milled beneath its crown. Grass bowed low under the restless shuffle of paws, carrying the musk of damp earth and too many unfamiliar pelts crammed too close together.

His eyes narrowed, hard and unyielding, as they swept the crowd. Too many faces he didn't know— pelts marked in ways that spoke of strange forests and rivers, tongues carrying scents that weren't his own. He'd never bothered to learn the names of other clans or their stories, and he sure as thorns wasn't about to start tonight. But the sheer press of strangers was enough to make his hackles stir, fur bristling until the air itself seemed to itch.

No sense wandering into their chatter. With a flick of his tail, sharp as a whip crack, he stayed near his clanmates before peeling off just far enough to set himself apart. "Reckon this'll go smooth… heh," he muttered under his breath, voice rasping like dry bark, sarcasm plain as day. He planted himself on the fringe of the crowd, shoulders squared and chin tipped high, daring any curious fool to mistake his distance for fear.

And yet, amusement tugged at his mouth. Across the sea of pelts sat some creakin' elder so ancient he looked carved from stone, his fur blotched in blue stains that clung like berry juice. Victoryscorn snorted softly. Fox cubs rolled in bushes for the fun of it— maybe this old one had done the same, totterin' into the gathering painted like some fool kit.

  • "speech."
    "thoughts."

    actions.
  • VICTORYSCORN he/him, skyclanner, one hundred one moons.
    an old chocolate lynx mink with blue tabby patches and a permanent scowl, fur usually stained by blueberry plants.
    mentoring no one.
    no current relationships or family ties.
    peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / / underline and tag when attacking
    penned by egg ↛ eggmcbaconboy on discord, feel free to dm for plots!
 

Owlbark followed his leader into the fray with calm, steady paws. He had learned. He had watched and observed and made sure that he would be prepared this time. He trusted Juniperstar to handle herself in the battlefield of niceties, but he would not stray far in case things came to blows again. They had a smaller collection of faces to accompany them this time, and he had hoped the other clans thought of the same idea.

The fourtrees never shook away the disasters that lived here for him. It's all he could see. The shadows of death and murder lurked behind every smiling face. Every other cat in this clearing was on high surveillance from him. He was only three steps behind Juniperstar, and kept a level gaze at the other cats here to pretend as if they were all going to get along. Owlbark looked to his side at the apprentice there. "Rufouspaw. I expect you to be reasonable with other cats and keep your claws to yourself," he growled. The growl was not directed to the young cat, but was just an expression of his own tension. "Go on." He tapped Rufouspaw's flank with his tail, trying his best to be encouraging.

The deputy gave a polite nod to Dustystar as she approached, but had no effort to join the conversation. Again, that was his leader's job. He sat idlely by, watching as cats greeted one another and pretending as if nothing had happened last gathering.

 
juniper
"and this time, she won't be forgiving"
she draws herself some small distance from Gentleflame's side, certain he understands and will be more than capable of keeping his apprentice safe. it is fortunate timing, as Dustystar makes her way closer, calling her name. "Dustystar," she returns with an easy breath, much less inclined to tense at the ashen molly's presence than if it had been Hawkstar. "I'm glad you were able to come tonight- I've been meaning to-"

there is a boyish mewl that silences her would-be suggestion, flicking seafoam eyes towards her child with a small purr. she stumbles, quickly, to correct herself or right her composure in front of more serious guests, "Good evening, dear heart..." since Dreampaw presses himself against her side, Juniperstar takes it as an assurance she is permitted to return the affection, though she tries to keep it as a brief lick to his forehead to prevent embarrassing him. when she draws away, the young cat declares that she'll be joining them in ThunderClan after tonight, another swapping of paws between borders as had become more and more irregular in their growing moons.

"Asterpaw's not here tonight so he'll be glad to see you when we get home- have fun, be good!" already she saunters away as a near full-grown cat... bearing the mix of both her parents in the sharpness of her eyes and the earthiness of her pelt. she stares, fondly, if only for a moment, before returning her attention to Dustystar. "Sorry- back to what I was saying. We didn't get to speak much of it that night and... Sable is... as Sable has always been so I expect to make no headway there. But... if you'd be willing, I think it could be a great idea someday to introduce that kit of yours to the one in ThunderClan. I don't see the harm in knowing they've got kin in other clans- plenty of cats do."

as if it is a scandal, she leans forward with gleaming eyes, an unprofessional nosiness, "Did you see that their eyes are starting to change into their permanent color?" her ear flicks as she hears Owlbark settle in just beside her before her gaze snaps towards him too, dragging him into the conversation if only for a heartbeat. "I worry the other kits are more mischievous than Hollykit; we'll need to make sure they don't take adventure into their own little paws anytime soon."


  • interacting with @Dustystar @OWLBARK and @DREAMPAW , briefly but open to others joining!
  • juniperstar
    leader of thunderclan
    seven lives remain
 
BRINDLEFEATHER ── thunderclan | forager
Even though he hadn't attended, Brindlefeather feels as though the events of the last Gathering are still thick in the air, an odd sense of tension that makes his fur stand on end. This just won't do; the Gathering, as he's come to learn, is meant to be a time of peace between the Clans. Perhaps even a time to form alliances, or make friends. Call him crazy, but as soon as Brindlefeather found out he'd been chosen to attend this Gathering, he knew what he was going to do: attempt to mingle, peacefully, with SkyClan.
The clearing is full of cats, and with all the Clan scents bombarding his nose, it takes him a moment to discern which one belongs to the tree-climbing cats - but he finds them well enough. Holding his head high, he trots up to the group, maintaining a short distance between them but enough for them to know that he's attempting to start a conversation.
"Hello, SkyClan!" He flicks his tail in greeting, casting a glance at the cats that make up the group; mostly younger warriors, though there is one that looks to be older and stronger than the rest. He notices one SkyClan cat sitting more towards the back by her lonesome; curious, he dares to pad closer to her.
"Hello," he says, sitting down with his tail curled over his paws. "You're from SkyClan, yes? I'm Brindlefeather, from ThunderClan." He smiles, fangs glinting in the moonlight - though he can hardly be described as intimidating.
maybe we'll turn it all around 'cuz it's not too late

  • ooc: approaching @SWALLOWBREEZE but anyone feel free to interact, he loves to yap <3
  • "speaking" | thinking | action