APRIL GATHERING

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Cedarstorm walked into the clearing of Fourtrees. It was a strange experience, as always, walking into a crowd of cats. There was always no place for the broad-shouldered tom to be alone, and there was always a stranger who wanted to talk to him, in which, of course, he usually snapped at. Then the cat would walk away, usually. The moon filtered onto the ground, creating holes of light that dug at the earth. Cedarstorm avoided them, being circumspect to only place his paws where there was darkness. And so that’s where he ended up sitting, in a jagged piece of shade under a tree. He sat like a soldier, his chest fur puffed out, and his chin up, staring attentively at the leaders in front of him. To his left, there was a cat who smelled of trees, but Cedarstorm didn’t bother looking to see who it was.

Duty was the one word Cedarstorm kept repeating in himself. It was his duty to represent ShadowClan, and to act tough and intimidating especially at these Gatherings where they were all exposed to the eyes of other Clan cats. So the tom tensed his muscles more and sat up straighter, pricking his ears, waiting silently and loyally for one of the leaders to speak.

“Robinthroat. Where is Shadestar?” Lynxtar, the Windclan leader, asked, tilting his head at a red-furred cat.

Cedarstorm moved his shining pupils around and was surprised that he hadn’t noticed it before, but Shadestar was not among the cats who came. Was he sick? Was he injured? Cedarstorm waited for a response, but all of the RiverClan cats seemed to have fallen under a blanket of silence. And then the tom understood. Shadestar did not come to the gathering because he was dead. Otherwise, the RiverClan leader would have come in order to uphold his clan’s pride. But obviously, without a leader, they don’t have any. Weaklings. the tom thought, glancing at the fish-y smelling cats who all looked as if they had rainclouds above their heads.

When nobody said anything, Cedarstorm said quietly, “He’s dead”.

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[Cloven]

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Cloverleaf wasn't really surprised when he heard his name in the list of those going to the Gathering. He didn't see any reason not to go, though he might like to stay and keep an eye on the camp. Not that he figured anything would happen this moon. He thought back on his morning hunt, and how the rest of the Clan had been acting, everypaw trying to guess who would be attending the Gathering. He flicked a tail, trying to focus on his paw steps. The morning was gone, as was the rest of the day. This was Gathering time, and he needed to focus on that.

Once in the clearing, Cloverleaf looked around, wondering were would be the best place to sit to listen. There didn't seem like a whole bunch of cats when you thought about it, but looking at those around him, he felt a little unsure about where. Where should he be? Close to his Clan? Or mingling with the others? Should he keep an eye on the apprentices, or would someone else be watching them?

Not that it really mattered, he didn't think, they would be safe here... Right? A glance up at the sky told him nothing. He would just have to pick a place and settle with it. Looking left, Cloverleaf noted the strong smell of Shadowclan, to his right, Windclan. He narrowed his eyes for a moment, picking up Thunderclan. He's pelt bristled and he forced himself to shake his thick pelt, pushing away whatever feelings he may have had. He needed only too listen to his leader, not worry about the other Clans.

Word Count: 272
Note:

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[shadow]

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Robinstar’s eyes flicked briefly out to his Clan, making sure they had all settled in to the ravine without any trouble. His gaze lingered on Greystream, frowning lightly with concern for the medicine cat. He knew that she would rather be safe in camp, but Robinstar needed her here, to make sure and dispel any blame that may begin to surface towards her. After a moment, the red-furred leader’s attention shifted away from the she-cat to focus back on the other cats sitting by his side, eyes lightly brushing over them to try and catch sight of their opinion on his sudden appearance. The three stayed silent, and Robinstar almost thought for a moment that no comments would be made about the change in leadership until Lynxstar spoke.

“Robinthroat. Where is Shadestar?”

Robinstar’s eyes narrowed slightly at the use of his warrior name, a rush of irritation filling his body. How dare he? Had Robinstar not joined him upon the stone with the other leaders of the Clans? Was that not a silent declaration of his new position? He wouldn’t simply leap up to the leader’s perch to share some news about Shadestar’s late coming. He took a moment to stay silent, frowning slightly at the WindClan leader while his mind worked to figure out just what game Lynxstar was playing at before giving a light rolling shrug of his shoulders.

“Robinstar.” He then corrected, voice slightly tense, though he kept the anger he now felt towards the other leader away from his voice, “You would do well to remember that, my friend.” He fell silent again, eyes lingering on the WindClan leader before shifting between the other leaders again. Nightstar seemed on edge as well, though he had trouble reading the emotions from the snowy Froststar. His gaze paused on the she-cat before his attention was drawn elsewhere, ears twitching as he heard a voice declare the news that should have been obvious to Lynxstar.

“Mm, yes.” The RiverClan leader hummed, looking out over the gathered cats before focusing back on Lynxstar with a collected smile, “Unfortunately, Shadestar will no longer be joining you on these nights.” He hated to be so uncaring with his attitude, but he would not show weakness to these other cats and reveal the current broken state of his Clan. No, he would make sure the other Clans knew that RiverClan was not weakened by its loss. “She hunts with StarClan now.” He stopped there, letting the small smile stay on his maw, though it was not a friendly gesture. He kept his ears pricked for the Clan voices below while he kept slightly narrowed eyes focused on the three leaders before him, gaze lingering with distaste on Lynxstar.

tagged. all of you losers woaaahhh
words. 456
notes. HNNNG

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[Rendezvous]

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With a flick of an ear he acknowledged the words of the Riverclan deputy, yet he didn't answer her question about the well-being of Shadowclan. He didn't care if it was a simple, caring question. No cat outside of his clan deserved to know what went on within Shadowclan's borders. He felt as if anything could give something away about his clan, a weakness, secrets.. It was bad enough that Froststar had given birth to kits a couple of moons ago, something that was rare for a female leader.

So he zoned out the tabby she-cat, drawing his attention back to the leaders that now perched atop of the grand rock. Before he even had a chance to think of the situation, he heard his brother murmur something a couple of lengths away. "Quiet!" He hissed through his teeth before looking back to the leaders. As soon as Robinthroat, no Robinstar, opened his mouth to speak, Pinestep instantly disliked him. The red tom came off as having an attitude, perhaps even arrogant. He almost made the tom wish that Shadestar was still leader and the red tom took her place in Starclan.

Soon enough Pinestep found himself calling out to the red tom. "What makes you so special, Robinstar?" The Shadowclan deputy was standing now, his green gaze glaring at the newly appointed leader of Riverclan. "Why didn't Ferndapple become leader?" It made sense for a deputy to rise to the rank of leader when the previous leader died. But when a plain warrior skipped over the rank of deputy entirely, when the current deputy was still alive and became leader, it just didn't add up. "Or are you going to say that Starclan rightfully chose you as the new leader?" Pinestep didn't waver in his speech nor his gaze.

The tom didn't have any intention on starting a rivalry between Shadowclan and Riverclan, he simply wanted answers. The way Robinstar rose in power to become leader didn't make any sense. Ferndapple wasn't dead, she was well enough to travel to the Gathering. Judging from the malnourished frames of the Riverclan cats at the Gathering this moon, the death of Shadestar must have hit them hard. Drawing in a breath the tom seated himself again, looking to Froststar.

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[tallstep]

a choice which once before
you thought you could not resist

he could have died.
he almost died.
why did they take her away?
his own mother, for starclan's sake!

who was watching over him? over them?
yet, wasn't that the question of the century?

he witnessed the scene unfold like a shakespearian play, the characters carefully drafted to perfection, the act so obscure and original no one questioned its legitimacy. at the same time, however, he saw no reason for this cruelty, this... act of hurt and shame each clan bore against the other. in his dismay he heard lynxstar's broad voice, his tone questioning but tongue full of sharp stone points as he directed his attentions at robinstar. the light blue tom's eyes softened at the new leader. while wary of other clans and unsure about their individual cultures, tallpaw came to realize robinstar was no different than any other cat at fourtrees. everyone wanted what was best for their clan, their cats, and their faith. who could ask for more? and following such question, who would dare demand more? yes, tallpaw knew well the importance of lineage and blood. windclan, especially, valued tried and true relatives, their trust lying on the history rather than the heart.

tallpaw knew many reasons why this ideal need begotten. the soul should define the cat, not anything more. while the rest of the forest saw robinstar as a traitor, a fiend, and one who disobeyed their sacred laws, tallpaw could not adhere to those judgments. but his place to speak was not here. not yet. as it was believed, 'the clan leader's word is law.' but he's wrong! tallpaw screamed inside, his claws extending and scraping the dust on the ground in stress. robinstar had a right to become leader. it was the will of starclan. the will of those above. surely, they knew better than everyone here on the ground? they had paw-selected robinstar as the next riverclan leader. in tallpaw's eyes, that meant everything. it was the deciding factor in this game of wills. his green eyes flicked up to pinestep. the great warrior avoided tallpaw's gaze, but only because he hadn't not realized the young apprentice's existence at the gathering yet. tallpaw closed his eyes, hoping his leader could release his prior misconceptions of robinstar. please, lynxstar. see reason.

law. such a tricky little word. it could unite like rivers but divide like mountains. the warrior code, having existed for centuries, as far back as no cat could remember. yet, he was certain these laws hadn't existed in the same fashion as they did in modern times. was it not reasonable to believe that, over the course of many, many moons, words became forgotten? things were reshaped, reformed, depending on those who justified the means? not every clan leader was correct. if one believed their godliness, one threw away their independent thought, their judgment. what kept bad cats from gaining leadership? tallpaw wanted to know the answers to these questions. he just couldn't sit around and let poor robinstar's reputation sink lower and lower into the dirt. frankly, tallpaw was disgusted by his clan's disrespect of the other leader. he no longer could keep a silent vigil.

"robinstar has a right to be here just like everyone else!"

it has just... come out. he honestly never expected his small voice to go so far, and be so loud... his bravery suddenly cowered behind his cautious nature and tallpaw slunk back, tail tucked tightly between his legs. what was he thinking? he didn't have a right to speak at these gatherings! he was only... only six moons old. what would fernberry think? would he retract his statement? no. while he regretted the time and place he made his boastful announcement, tallpaw's words rang true to what he felt inside. "s-starclan chose him, just like any other leader... he has value," stammered tallpaw, his ears down in guilt, but there was no turning back now.

"he has value."

[atlas]

[ooc] too lazy to go get the code for my table hnng

Shrikefang had been sitting in silence, watching the scene unfold with a cold disinterest. His golden eyes took in every detail, watching every face and every reaction. Robinstar certainly wasn't receiving a warm welcome, and of course Shrikefang himself could never welcome such a stranger into a position of power. It was a position that could threaten the safety of ThunderClan. No one of the other Clans really knew this tom. He was young, he'd never been deputy, wasn't chosen by the leader. Ferndapple, by all rights, should have been leader at that moment. A few cats spoke the objections he felt, though he saw no reaction coming from Nightstar or Wildfang. He wondered, briefly, if they cared. He berated himself mentally for such a thought - of course they care. Robinstar could potentially be a major threat to ThunderClan, or he could be a valued ally. Shrikefang would prefer and ally, but would not be apposed to the untried leader becoming his enemy. The safety of his Clan came before all else, especially making nice with a strange tom.

The way Robinstar spoke of his former leader's death made Shrikefang's fur stand on end. The emotionless smile on the tom's face was unsettling, and his careless mannerisms only proved his inexperience. The massive, scarred warrior sat taller, watching the new RiverClan leader carefully. He decided right then and there that he didn't like Robinstar. He was spiteful and down right disrespectful, and that certainly didn't agree with him. Suddenly StarClan was brought into the conversation and Shrikefang became much more interested. Rarely did gatherings have any news to share that was worthwhile, but he was certainly thankful he wasn't missing this gathering. He narrowed his golden eyes at the RiverClanner, thumping his thick tail roughly on the earth before standing to his large paws. The gray and white senior warrior cleared his throat.

"If StarClan did hand pick you, Robinstar," the tom's deep, rumbling tones came forth like rolling thunder. "Then I am inclined to wonder where this message came from. Or did Shadowstar, in his dying moment, appoint you as leader in place of Ferndapple?" Shrikefang looked towards the she-cat who was still stuck as deputy, his golden eyes glinting. "What makes you so much better than a she-cat who had been picked by your own leader, and has moons more experience in leadership than you yourself do?"

[ooc] short post is short - i'm half asleep guys sorryyy

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All thoughts of updates, of the normal back and forth of clan news, had fled from Lynxstar’s mind. And even, to an extent, all thoughts of Froststar. Though Froststar could never truly be gone from his mind. She was his life, the beat of his heart, a consistent grief. But for the moment, in light of Robinstar’s words, she had been shoved aside. Surprisingly, Lynxstar’s first emotional reaction was rage. He had expected grief, or perhaps shock. He had been fond of Shadestar, in only a way one cat could view another clan. He had respected her, had admired her for her strength – for her wisdom despite her great youth. He had often thought of what new future she could bring for Riverclan. In a way, a passing sort of way, he had even considered them friends. Yet before he could allow himself to grieve, a more pressing matter came to mind. He almost recoiled physically. He did not stoop so low as to snarl, or lose control of his voice. It was loud, booming over the clammering voices of protest and mixed support. He held his head high, his eyes hard. “No. This is not the way of the clans, it has never been.”

He gestured curtly with his tail towards Ferndapple, seated with the other deputies below. He did not doubt Shadestar’s death. No one would lie about such a thing, it was in-humane, beyond capability. Yet he couldn’t truly believe Starclan would defy their own laws, would surpass Ferndapple. “You mean to tell me Starclan has gone against their own law? Ferndapple is deputy, has been for moons!” He stepped back, before he lost his control. His eyes were cold, disbelieving. “This is not the way of Starclan.” He repeated the words, arching his neck to peer towards the sky. Clouds had gathered in the distance, though appeared in no danger of covering their sacred moon. He needed a sign, some communication of what chaos had befallen the clans. He looked to Jaywing, hoping for some signal – perhaps a message she had received. He looked to Froststar and Nighstar. Why did they not speak out? There was an order to clan life, a structure, a code. And a code could not be so easily broken, cast aside like unwanted carrion.

Yet it had been, just like that. Lynxstar’s gaze scanned the crowd. As of yet, none of his warriors had raised their voices. But a good number of others had. He picked out Pinestep’s voice, the somewhat dark deputy of Shadowclan. There were younger voices too, those of apprentices who thought themselves mature enough to handle the problems of the world. Lynxstar returned his gaze to Robinstar. The challenge was unmistakable, the tension between the two downright palpable. He would not accept this, not without a sign. Yet his near seventy moons had taught him that blind aggression would get him nowhere. He stepped back, did not hurl insults or accusations. He would not be the one to instigate a war.

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[Kin]

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froststar

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RiverClan's entrance plunged the gathering into chaos. Froststar sat silent and still in the center of it, ignoring even the words of her fellow leaders. All the cats were doing right now was showing their initial, visceral reactions. She absorbed them all with keen blue eyes, lighting on Nightstar's glance to her and Lynxstar's thunderous expression. The tom before them claimed to have been made leader of RiverClan, completely skipping the law laid down by the warrior code and tradition. Her tail-tip flicked back and forth as she observed, eyes and ears open to the ebb and flow of Clan opinion.

Reactions ranged from Bluefrost's disbelieving sneer to Flameheart's intrigue to a young tom's protest on religious points. However, all seemed to be in agreement that this was not to be so. Her own deputy challenged Robinstar's claim to his position, having risen onto all four paws to demand answers. It was so like him that she flicked the base of her ruined ear to dispel the urge to smile; it would not do for her to seem pleased by the chaos. ShadowClan leader she may be, but the white leader was no nursery-tale villain. She would not plot the downfall of RiverClan, nor would she form any alliances to help the other two Clans bring that downfall about.

Bluefrost shouldered her way through the crowd to stand at a respectful distance from the deputies and leaders. "Who cares if he's RiverClan's rightful leader? That's their problem. Just get the gathering over with!" A few scattered cries piped up in agreement with the blue-pointed she-cat, but her triumphant belligerence deflated at a hard stare from Froststar. She subsided back into the crowd, and sat with her side pressed to her sister Lilacfoot's shoulder. A hard frown was etched on the warrior's face, and her eyes flicked almost continuously between Robinstar and Lilacfoot.

The warrior was clearly worried about what the shift in power dynamics would mean for her kin. Froststar herself had some concerns, as from the look of things Lynxstar and Robinstar would be on fairly hostile terms for at least a few moons. Thankfully, Nightstar didn't look like joining in on the racket, and so Froststar was free to observe. While she would mourn Shadestar's final death privately, the scarred she-cat couldn't say she wasn't at least a bit glad the other she-cat was gone. In addition to being the only other female leader, Shadestar had had the promise of coming into her own and her position as a truly formidable presence; RiverClan was right to mourn their leader, and to abide by her wishes if Shadestar had chosen this tom.

Even as she thought it, a flicker of movement in the corner of her eye caught her attention. Froststar turned her head to watch a little bird wing its way toward the throng of cats, its feathers painted black and gray by the shadows and moonlight. It hovered above Robinstar for a moment before it landed in front of her, trilling brightly. The creature hopped forward and pecked her paw, drawing her attention to its true colors. Brilliant scarlet feathers adorned its body, with black around the bird's eyes; a robin had come to the gathering.

She rose to her paws and drew in a deep breath. "SILENCE." Once the gathered cats had heeded her yowl, Froststar swept her gaze over the assembled cats. This was no different than addressing a pack of rowdy apprentices, and they were supposed to be the pride of the Clans. Hmph. One paw rose and prodded the robin. It trilled again and took flight, circling the edge of the clearing rather than leaving. "StarClan has sent a sign." Froststar padded to stand beside Robinstar, her eyes never leaving the crowd below. "They have sent a robin to show us their will. Robinstar is the rightful leader of RiverClan."

Turning to face the newest leader, she inclined her head in a gesture of regal acknowledgement. "Congratulations on your appointment. I am sorry to hear of Shadestar's fate." Froststar's tail swept behind her as she turned and resumed her former position, settling herself once more into the distant, austere creature she made herself into for gatherings.

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<3

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nom nom drama

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697

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[atlas]

Shrikefang's tail flicked as Lynxstar called in agreement with the Clanners below - there was something wrong about this. Robinstar seemed unfazed by all this, taking it all in without a care, and this bothered Shrikefang further. How could anyone think this was right? He knew if Birchfoot were here, he'd be yowling his protests at the top of his lungs. The senior was warrior knew that his friend would be angry to hear of the news when he returned to camp.

He glared harshly at Robinstar without reserve, convinced that this inexperienced whelp would be the beginning of many hardships for the Clans. He couldn't help but wonder how long it would be before he felt like he had to prove his power? How long would it be before he stole territory? Shrikefang slowly began to think of other possibilities. It wouldn't be long before one of the leaders wanted to test how weak this new leader truly was and make a move against RiverClan, steal territory or rights to prey. His claws flexed against the earth, his heart hammering in his chest at the thought of war.

War is no uncommon visitor to this world, or any world. Bloodshed and conflict is what creates and builds from the ashes, or so history throughout centuries tells. War is bloody, terrifying, painful, and horrifying - but war is necessary. Avoidance is futile, it will fall upon even the most innocent of victims. Shrikefang was certainly not a stranger to this concept. In his life, his father had forced such terrors on him at a young age. War is all he'd ever known growing up into a battle-hardened warrior, and coldness to death was thrust upon him. He knew now how imminent the possibility of war and battle could be with a new, unwelcome leader to RiverClan where Ferndapple should have been in his place.

Just then, Froststar yowled for silence. Shrikefang folded his eyes back, snapping his attention to the she-cat. As she spoke, he felt his irritation grow further. A robin sent from StarClan? He looked up to the sky where the moon shone bright, but the stars themselves were hard to see through the brightness of the moon. He shook his head, and with blazing eyes he looked back at the leaders. He looked at Nightstar, hardly able to believe she was keeping so quiet through all of this. "Coincidence!" Shrikefang hissed. He looked towards Robinstar, lashing his tail at the potential cause of war. "Ferndapple should be leader, not this whelp!"

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[storm]

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The shadowy black tom had arrived late to the Gathering, having been out napping instead of collecting herbs. Sure, he's made it back to camp with the herbs he'd collected and set them in a secure pile to be sorted later, but he was extremely late.

Most would expect a cat to rush to important meeting such as a Gathering, but Coalpaw wasn't like most cats. He was more leisurely and simply trotted toward Fourtrees at a calm pace. How annoying. I'll arrive late my first Gathering as a medicine apprentice and miss the announcement of my new duty. I suppose they'll expect me to be embarrassed. he snorted at the thought as he entered the meeting place.

Shouldering rather rudely past a few warriors and apprentices, the dark tom sat on his haunches and listened to them begin to argue over Robinstar's leadership.

Finally, he let his headache get the better of him and exploded. "You bothersome pigeons! Those who truly worship StarClan should know as well as anyone that if he received all of his nine lives with the blessing of StarClan, he's as much a leader as Nightstar, Froststar, and Lynxstar! Apparently you have so little faith in their decisions that you'd doubt them?" the young tom challenged, voice loud and clear above the voices of the others.

These bloody idiots are probably surprised I'm so knowledgeable.

Shaking his broad head, he breathed in the sweet night air and glared around him as if to dare them to argue with his logic. "Seriously, were you only taught to criticize and judge? You bunch of hypocrites disgust me." he added with a grimace.

Any whom had ever merely heard of him before should know that Coalpaw held nothing back and was brutally honest. Most found it confrontational, and maybe it was, but it was also to teach others a lesson. No matter how young he was, he still had an intelligent mind and knew logic better than most. If none listened, he'd make them listen.

How did I know this'd be such a drag? he thought with a roll of the eyes.

tag. all you idiots. (from Coalpaw ^-^)
words. 351
notes. Pissy and logical Coalpaw is pissy and logical XD

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[pit]

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Her entire pelt was itching. It made her squirm where she sat, restless to get up and move. Jaywing's blue gaze watched as even more cats settled down in their respective areas before she turned her attention back to the leaders. She had not moved from her spot by Fogheart. They were not seated by any particular clan, just off by themselves. She found herself wanting to weave her way to the rest of her clan. Jaywing wanted their familiarity. Perhaps that was the cause of her itchy fur.

Her ears shot forward when the voice of her leader reached her ears. The gray she-cat looked to the russet tom that had confidently made his was up with the rest of the leaders. Her eyes squinted at him, waiting for his answer. Why was he up there, with his head held high, instead of Shadestar? If the RiverClan leader hadn't been able to show, surely Ferndapple would have taken her place tonight. But the red tom opened his jaws to respond just then, and she would swear that every heartbeat in the Fourtrees paused when he spoke.

“Robinstar.”

Jaywing felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise in utter shock and she had to choke on the hiss that threatened to escape her throat. The moment of silence was over; voices cried and rang through the gathering area. She flattened her ears against her head, and managed to keep her jaws clamped shut. She was lost in her own head. Shadestar had passed? She was so young, why would StarClan take her now? And why hadn't Ferndapple stepped up to take her place as leader? How had Robinstar managed to claim the leader position when he had never even been a deputy? This was not how their sacred system worked. The medicine cat snapped out of her head when she heard Lynxstar echo her thoughts.

Anxiety worked its way into her chest and constricted her heart. The Gathering would surely get out of hand if answers were not given soon. Once again, her attention was snapped up to the leaders. Froststar had called to the cats below, gracing them with her icy blue gaze.

"StarClan has sent a sign."

She gaped, unbelieving, at the robin that had perched on a branch. It was true. But StarClan had sent a sign. Jaywing almost wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it all. Now. Now was the time they decided to come out from the dark, sucking depths of the shadows they had wallowed in for moons! Her pelt was on end, and fury pulsed through her gaze. The voices around her became hazy. She had pleaded with their ancestors for any sort of communication. The medicine cat sunk her claws into the earth underpaw. Jaywing was trembling with anger by the time she sorted her thoughts. Her lips had parted before she was aware of what she was doing.

"Our beloved StarClan has been silent for moons," she spit dangerously. "Why would they send something now? After all this time of nothing," Jaywing hissed. She did not doubt that the bird was a sign. But why? Why would StarClan finally show themselves and change their rules around? Robinstar, by the warrior code, should not have become leader. "StarClan is not abiding by their own laws, but they seem to have made a decision. Robinstar is their choice, that is true." Her gaze flicked to the dull stars hanging in the sky. She would have liked to drag their tails down here this instant and share some choice words with them. Unfortunately, that wasn't possible. But she couldn't help but feel a sting of abandonment from them. Her tail thrashed behind her. Surely after this sign they would not return to their pathetic hole! Her stomach reeled. Surely they would not disappear again.

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[tallstep]

[bg=41484f][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellpadding,0,true][atrb=style, width: 445px; font-size: 10px] there seemed no way to quell the discord unfolding in front of him. layer upon layer was ripped from its hilt as screams of vexation and unrest rang like brass bells in his ears. why all this chaos? why the cruelty and animosity against fellow cats? his voice mute among the many shouting and calling out, tallpaw felt it better to step away from the unfolding rebellion, but something within him kept his paws firm on fourtrees soil. the cats calling against robinstar were wrong, this was true, but could standing alongside a cat who breached the sacred warrior code hold for long? would lynxstar see him as an enemy instead of an ally and run tallpaw out of the clans? he shuddered to think of his fate. but something bigger called him, larger and more complicated than this argument, than all the cats together. the four clans needed closure, a reason for this sudden change in tradition. his green eyes raised to the oak branch hanging above froststar's head. he'd seen the robin eyeing the clan, its head tilted slightly in deep though. tallpaw's gaze relaxed and the corners of his mouth rose upward in content. it flitted from the branch and jumped across to robinstar's tree, where it perched proudly, as if it always belonged. the message only persuaded tallpaw that starclan was still with them and monitoring the argument in front of him. this was meant to be, he breathed, dusty air leaving his nostrils as his shoulder muscles relaxed. yet, even with such a blatant message from a higher power the gathering fight did not cease. he pricked his ears in interest as he heard several cats he'd never met before shout about "coincidence." coincidence? tallpaw never saw a more direct link between a leader and the ancestors in his life, nor heard about such things. if only he was older, then the rest of the group would listen to him. but instead, tallpaw wore paws 2 sizes too small, his frame still kit-ish and immature. emerald orbs hardening, he shot strikefang a disrespectful glare. how dare he question the will of those above? but hope was on the way in the form of a dark black tomcat. tallpaw stared at the thunderclan medicine cat apprentice in awe. since his early youth it'd been the first time he'd ever heard such a strong defense of starclan. awkwardly, tallpaw meandered towards the cat, thinking him not disrespectful but heroic. "that was really amazing... what you said back there," admitted tallpaw, his tail twitching eagerly. "i thought, for the longest time, i was the only one who still honored starclan." never in the history of the forest had a cat looked so kindly at another as tallpaw did with coalpaw. "my name is tallpaw," he chirped, making sure none of the other cats heard him. was this another message from starclan? he closed his eyes and allowed the cool breeze to fill every fur follicle on his back and over his face. a calmness overtook him, and words of wisdom filled the canals of his ears. fights like tonight could not go on, and something had to be done. quick, to keep more blood from spilling over the hills. opening his eyes once more, tallpaw took a quick look at the older cats included in the gathering. "do you think... even though it's not, well, traditional... that robinstar deserves his position?" it wasn't a challenging remark, but one that brought forth curiosity and deep thought. tallpaw greatly enjoyed coalpaw's company and hoped they'd develop a friendship to last the test of time, but such dreams would appear in the future. for now, the two of them focused on getting by each day. but tallpaw honestly wondered, with this kind of talk, how long each clan could go before the tightly wound cord of tension snapped.

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[Goldenpaw]

Cedarpaw
And we who listen to the sky or walk the dusty grade
(Or break the very atoms down to see how they are made)

Cedarpaw really hadn't expected things to work out quite this way.

He had accepted that, as apprentice medicine cat of WindClan, he would be attending the Gathering. And he had thought it was exciting and fun that his Clan was the first to arrive. Everything had seemed perfectly normal by his lights, but then RiverClan had arrived.

Sometimes, Cedarpaw didn't understand things--especially other cats. At first he hadn't even thought of objecting to RiverClan's new leader; a big dark she-cat had led them last Gathering, a big red tom led them this time, and that meant that their last leader had died, right? So they had a new leader. Wasn't that what Clans usually did?

Apparently not. At the last Gathering, Cedarpaw had not been paying attention all that much attention to the deputies, and so he had managed to miss the source of the other cats' outrage entirely until they began making a noise about it. Now he found himself at a disadvantage: his memory troubles made it difficult for him to keep track of the arguments being thrown around. Unable to comprehend the issue completely enough to form his own opinion amidst the hubbub, the medicine cat apprentice registered his distress a meaningless yowl that was the only thing he could think coherently enough to produce.

Then a robin appeared, unexpectedly given the time, and lit above the new RiverClan leader. Suddenly, Cedarpaw understood a little better. The new leader of RiverClan is named--Robinstar. He wasn't the deputy. StarClan chose him because the old deputy wasn't ready for the promotion.

Yes. Cedarpaw fixed the image in his mind, of the robin perched on the tree above the RiverClan leader. His name is Robinstar.

And then, when Tallpaw spoke up, his words made sense. At last, Cedarpaw understood what was going on. He wondered why Lynxstar wasn't convinced by this sign, when Froststar clearly was. The ThunderClan medicine cat apprentice was even more convinced, and unafraid to be loud and harsh about it too.

His own mentor, Jaywing, seemed to accept the sign with a strange resignation. The apprentice resolved to ask questions when they were back home; there was a lot that he did not understand. Though Cedarpaw would be unable to remember the exact words any cat had spoken, he was sure he would remember their spirit.

Having seen all this, the WindClan medicine cat apprentice padded over to near where his Clanmate Tallpaw was speaking with the sharp-tongued apprentice from ThunderClan. He couldn't think of words to say to them just now, so he simply watched and listened to them for a moment.

Or perhaps he could think of one word to say...

"Hello."

(Or study cells or living things, seek truth with open hand)
The profoundest act of worship is to try to understand

[Cloven]

CloverLeaf

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Cloverleaf's fur bristled as he listened to the cats around him. The nonesense they were yelling. If Starclan had chosen him to be the leader, then that was that. Robinstar was the rightful leader! He almost let himself leap up to the tom's defense, only to remind himself that if Robinstar needed help, he would call for it.

His attention was summoned to a young medicine cat for a moment, before he forced himself to look around. Were all the warriors acting as apprentices? Flipping out over one little change? Ferndapple may have been the deputy, but that didn't mean she was ready for leadership. Starclan must have seen something no other could. They only wanted the best?

Heaving a sigh, Cloverleaf's tail flicked with annoyance. Trying to imagine how this would be going if Robinstar had been the deputy. Of course that was everyone's problem...

When Cloverleaf saw the robin, he's eyes widened. He would have called an agreement if not for knowing better. He would remain silent while the leaders were speaking. He would watch, he would listen. He would not interrupt- unless he needed too. Though something in the air around him rippled. like pebbles dropping into a pond.

word count: 202
Notes: ~~~

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Robinstar was silent as he listened to the sound of mixed anger and support from the crowd of cats below, his green gaze seeking out the faces of those who spoke up. Seasoned warriors and even apprentices voiced their opinion, and while the general consensus seemed to be that he was breaking tradition, everyone seemed to have a different view on the matter. Was it good? Would it put the Clans in danger? Had StarClan really chosen him to pass Ferndapple and succeed Shadestar? Robinstar couldn’t help but internally scoff at that concern. Surely StarClan wouldn’t be so calm and silent that night if he had taken the position by force. The Clans were reacting with fear, and fear made them look foolish.

The red tom’s eyes narrowed when Lynxstar spoke up again, almost breaking his calm appearance to snarl a challenge at the tabby tom. He would have loved to snap and hiss at him, to challenge the other’s foolish opinions and words. He felt his teeth clench, and prepared himself to respond to the WindClan leader’s words, but a flash of movement caught his attention. A…bird? He frowned with confusion as his eyes rose to track the progress of the little creature as it swooped above the gathered cats before hovering above him. Robinstar shifted uncertainly, wondering what on earth a bird was doing in the midst of its natural predator, but then the moon caught the bird’s feathers and Robinstar felt his breath catch in his throat before sighing with relief. A robin. StarClan had sent his namesake to the Gathering. What better sign was that?

He jerked with alarm when the previously silent Froststar spoke up, but he relaxed again when she voiced his same thoughts to support the appearance of StarClan’s sign. He dipped his head in gratitude towards the she-cat before focusing his attention back on the cats below, a mixture of amusement and irritation filling his body at the reactions below. It seemed as if most were beginning to accept his promotion, albeit a bit reluctantly. But what more could possibly convince them?
“Coincidence?” he repeated one of the concerns from below that reached his ears, “How is this a coincidence? Does StarClan frown down on us this night? The sky is clear, no disapproval from our ancestors.” His eyes focused briefly on the medicine cat of WindClan before shaking his head and sweeping his eyes over the rest of the cats with a small smirk, “StarClan may have been silent, but they are not absent. They chose me to lead RiverClan when Ferndapple doubted her own ability. They granted me my lives and rights of leadership, and even now they send a robin to prove their opinion. You all are too concerned with ways of the past, when even StarClan is willing to change with the times! ” He frowned slightly as he spoke, tail lashing slightly before he sighed, eyes shifting over to glance over the other leaders again. “StarClan has spoken. There should be no more concerns over this. I’m sure they larger problems to deal with then convincing the clans that they truly have chosen me as leader.” His eyes lingered on Lynxstar, eyes narrow before turning away with a huff. This certainly was turning out to be an interesting first gathering as leader.


tagged. all the hotshots on this thread, hey sexies
words. 552
notes. shutup robin you talk too much omg

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