don't be so greedy

[Shadewing]

[[i'm starting this gathering early, since the full moon's on the 31st this year. the moon's red btw.

shadestar's arriving late soo and WindClan will be third because Orangestar almost forgets about the gathering.]]

[Twilight]

[[ Holy crap. At first when I saw this topic I went - Hmm... how shall Nightstar ring in her clan?- Then I stopped myself. MAN! She'll still attend though, even if she is just a StarClan cat. Lol. ]]

[Silky]

Cloudrunner had returned to his clan. Owlpaw was ready. Milkystar led his clan through the thick snow. The lake had frozen over. It was so cold. "Watch your step. Try not to slip." He meowed, flicking his grey eye up to the moon. It was red; blood red. It sent shivers down the white tom-cat's spine. He made his way across the lake, trying out for weak spots. "Follow my exact footsteps. Don't fall in. I doubt you will. The ice is so thick anyway." The tom commented, as his clan made their way across.

They crunched their way through the snow. It was deep, and there was still a lot of flurry whirring about. All his cats stuck close together, like clumps of snow, to try and sustain their body-heat. Milkystar looked around. Oddly, ShadowClan was not the first here. He ignored that fact, and sat around with his cats. He didn't want to sit in a tree and freeze to death. Hisc ats talked quietly amongst themselves. Milkystar wondered if Orangesky was Orangestar yet, and if he had his deputy chosen. Waterpelt had come to him, saying she no longer wished to be deputy. He had no idea why, but he was musing over who to make deputy. Tigerstripe was a good idea, but he was brash. Blossomfire would be good too, but her heritage might make others angry. Blacksnow, perhaps? She no longer had a mate, and she had a fire burning within her. He nodded; Blacksnow would be his deputy.

[Quick Fox]

[[Cloudrunner's going home tonigh after the Gathering :]

He doesn't know about Nightstar btw

Any TC cats welcome as long as there aren't too many]]

Cloudrunner was overjoyed. He was going to be home with his clan soon. After this, he planned to take Owlpaw to the Moonpool, and to make him a full-fledged Medicine Cat. It would be nice to go home to Windclan. He was so happy, and was ready to bounce around. He knew Owlpaw was ready. It would be great to see Windclan, and Nightstar with everyone else. He would be with his family again.


Twinestar looked across to the island, with Riverclan already on it. He glanced across, and figured the river was probably pretty frozen, so he steped on. "Careful not to go on any ice that doesn't look safe," he mewled. He got onto the island and watched the rest of his clan cross, before moving on. He struggled to get through the deep snow, but finally reached the tree.

"So Milkystar, how is your clan fairing? Glad to have young Mothkit back?" he asked. He was glad that they had at least gotten Mothkit back, for everything that happened. He looked down at the ground, and his tail swished back and forth. With sadness in his eyes and a bit of pain in his voice, he asked Milkystar, "So, what do you think Winclan will be like tonight, eh?" He looked into the sky. The moon was blood red.

[Twilight]

The moon was as red as her eyes. The black she-cat with starry fur was present before any of the clans arrived. Tonight was the first gathering for Orangesky. She padded softly on the ice, through the mist, and onto the bank without a sound. No cat could see her unless she so wished them to. She wanted a better look over her clan, and the others to be precise, than just at that stupid pool! Her blazing eyes traced up to the moon. She spoke, her voice ethereal, spectral. It was so much different than it had been before. "StarClan. If this gets to violent, I will show myself to everyone present to stop it. Though the leaders will know I am here and plan to continue to attend." she spoke with defiance against her mother mostly. Twilightstar had clearly not approved of her love of Orangesky, and even her continuous infatuation with him in her death.

Her black spectral form padded slowly across the island, garnishing every sight, sound, and scent. Her starry paws had finally led her to the Oak that she had once stood upon. She looked up at it, and stepped beside Milkystar, brushing her starry fur against his. In his ear she whispered. "I am here. Be not afraid, I bear no harm." she made her form visible to both Milkystar and Twinestar, but to none other. Not until Shadestar or Orangesky arrived would she reveal herself to more than these two.

[Shadewing]

Polarpelt twitched his nose, and narrowed his eyes. "I think something's up. I don't smell any recent ShadowClan scent. They're usually the first ones here." he was scarred all over his pelt, his once fluffy white fur now riddled with scars, only partially covered by his fur. He looked like an ugly disaster since Owlpaw found him nearly dead on RiverClan territory. Owlpaw had even said something about thinking that the FireClan cats had tore his entire pelt off, but luckily Polarpelt was only on the snow so blah, blah, blah infection. He was slipping in and out of life, so he couldn't understand the chatty apprentice.

Polarpelt's heart was twisted with apprhension. What if they were sending out raids while cats were at the gathering? He almost didn't want to stay on the island. But, if he left, would FireClan attack the island and massacre the cats that were here? Polarpelt's pelt shivered with the thought, just hoping that they'd show up soon enough. "WindClan's usually here early. Maybe Orangesk-star just forgot to come here at the right time."

The words didn't soothe him, and probably weren't soothing others. He peered out of the island, looking at WindClan territory. He couldn't see them over the hill. "I hope WindClan's okay.." Visions of WindClan cats being slaughtered by FireClan and ShadowClan filled his mind, when all of the Clans would least expect it. I'm just paranoid, he concluded, walking back over to the island.

Owlpaw was on the island, and spotted Polarpelt talking. "Don't you think that StarClan would have told me if something bad was going on? Relax, Polarpelt, everything's going to be just fine tonight." he wanted to believe it, and the way he said the words made it sound like he did believe it as well. But the two Clans, especially ShadowClan being late.. there was no merry explanation for that.

[Dewdrop]

Dewdrop had followed her leader onto the island and sat quietly on the edge of the group of RiverClan cats. She fluffed her fur up against the cold and watched ThunderClan arrive. She looked at the moon and shivered. It seemed bad to her, having a red moon; especially when there was a Gathering going on.

Dewdrop glanced around warily and wished the other Clans were here. She wanted to get home quickly because she didn't like leaving the camp undefended after a battle. In fact, she didn't like leaving camp much at all unless she was hunting which was why she wasn't rarely seen at Gatherings. She wasn't a sociable cat but she had wanted to go to this Gathering to see if the other clans were okay after the battle.

She looked around her; she couldn't see anyone badly injured but she supposed that no one would bring injured cats to a Gathering. They'd want to seem strong and anyway, if a cat was badly injured it wouldn't be able to make it to a Gathering.

[Shadewing]

Leopardheart's ears pricked up as she thought she heard running pawsteps. She looked near WindClan territory, and saw Orangestar and his fast Clan of cats run right across the ice. They were so light that they posed no threat to the ice, so it held up for them, as they all took one small leap up onto the snowy island.

"Great StarClan, sorry we took so long! I figure we must all be the last ones here, huh?" Orangestar said, panting. His cats all looked fairly hungry, but they didn't seem to be too fazed by it.

"No, Shadestar's Clan isn't here yet." Leopardheart meowed. Were they really going to hold up the gathering? "And we can't have a three Clan gathering, it's just not right.. Of course, we don't have any cats who would dare go into ShadowClan territory because you'd likely get raped: Queen or not. I don't think FireClan's too picky."

ShadowClan had taken a long while to get to the island, and Leopardheart was starting to get annoyed with them. Time flew by, and eventually she heard crunches in the snow. She turned, along with other cats, to look in ShadowClan's direction. She could hear Shadestar voice telling about the ice, and to be careful.

"You'd better have a good reason for arriving so late, Shadestar! You've kept us all waiting!" Orangestar yowled without an answer for a little bit. Then Shadestar walked up onto the island, many cats behind him. There were so many.. ShadowClan's cats were nearly cramping the island. "You've brought more cats than all the Clans combined."

"Would you believe me if I told you that it was done purposely, and that I have many more cats back in camp?" His eyes looked ghastly against the white snow, and so did Redeye's one eye. The combined Clan looked terribly frightening. "I wouldn't be complaining about how late I was. Especially not if I wasn't even planning to come, and if you've raped apprentices willingly before. Innocent ShadowClan apprentices, at that. Made them carry kits against their own will. Needless to say, I'm pissed, and I'm completely outraged you allowed yourself to become leader."

"Twinestar, don't even put a face on yet. You've been the one allowing your Clan to steal the prey on our land. The leftmost twoleg path is still our border, you seem to have forgotten. And don't say you'd never know, because I know that ThunderClan's scent reeks, and I'd imagine ShadowClan's too also." He jumped up on his branch, and stared Milkystar in his one eye.

"And Milkystar. You've been plotting against ShadowClan for a long time. I know that you hate my guts, and I hate yours too. But at least I don't make plans to steal herbs that belong to good cats. That was not my raid, I would have thought you to know that. You are the most ignorant leader in this entire forest." Shadestar bared his teeth, and his fur prickled.

"Oh, and to talk about starting a war! I almost forgot! ThunderClan cats are more savage than ever, not only ripping away a life from me, who has never killed a Clan cat, but also killing my own young daughter. She didn't trip and die from her leg out in the snow. I saw the scratch marks all over her pelt, and the neck that was torn in a way that could only be used to purposefully kill a half-deaf apprentice! You are all completely heartless, killing a cat who posed no threat to you, and you even heard me say how she was harmless due to her impairment! No, you did this to get me riled up, and it did! I will take no more mercy on your weak and feeble cats. ShadowClan was the only Clan that ever did, and you three Clans have blown all of your chances. Embrace your friends, we'll become the Clan everyone thinks we are, a Clan with cold hearts who don't care less about who we kill!" Shadestar yowled, hot with anger, eyes narrowed, and claws unsheathed. Leopardheart looked up at Twinestar. She hadn't smelled any prey that smelled of ShadowClan, and Sablepaw must have only been an accident.. Badgerpaw was in no way strong enough to rip a cats throat out!

"The cat who attacked your daughter was Badgerpaw!" Leopardheart yowled back to Shadestar, she opened up her mouth to say more, but she was cut off.

"Your honesty is appreciated." Shadestar growled, staring the she-cat in the eyes, angrily.

"That's not what I was saying! He was a young apprentice, there was no way that--"

"I doubted it myself. But the small claw marks all over her fur show that an apprentice must have done it. The black fur that came off of her shined white in the sun. Sablepaw's fur did no such thing. It was pure black." Shadestar growled, jumping down from his branch, right up to Leopardheart. "Is Badgerpaw black, with white shining fur? No other cats I have met have this feature."

Leopardheart opened her mouth to protest, but no words came out.

"And is anyone going to stick up for the proud new leader over there?" Shadestar asked, looking at the orange tabby, who avoided eye contact with the leader. "Shameful, the new leader has no fight in him. Oh, just look at all of you little kits, tongue tied with nothing to say. Beg for forgiveness and I'll make your punishment lighter."

[[anyone can come except for kits and queens, that stuff.]]

[Twilight]

Nightstar saw her beloved, and Clan's new leader, enter with the faces she had so well memorized and etched into her eternal and ethereal memory. She swished her tail and sat, awaiting the arrival of Shadestar. When finally he came, the clearing was in an uproar as he had more cats than every of the other clans combined. This show of force only meant violence. She stood up. She was still only allowing Twinestar and Milkyustar to see her, though she knew they would keep her secret. Hopefully. Her orange eyes flashed as her spectral form took a step forward.

Poppyclaw's ginger striped pelt walked onto the island with all the dignity she could manage, having just been raped. The she-cats were so weak they could defenc themselves no longer. Hopefull she had not concioved by that rotten mange bag of rat poop.

Destinycall had been sitting with her recovering daughter, Blacksnow, and licked her ear as ShadowClan and FireClan entered, their force very large, especially considering they had more at camp. Her fur started to bristle, and she had to put her tail on Blacksnow's paws to keep her from leaping. Luckily, Milkystar had chosen to leave Tigerfrost at home, which she and Blacksnow both felt was a wise move.

[sandfire]

Maybe he was pushing his luck... He wasn't sure. Part of him wanted to stay behind, because he didn't dare want to be caught with the 'traitor'-- but he couldn't handle staying behind in camp. He rarely spent any time there- he was always on patrols, hunting, with other Shadowclanners, and always staying quiet and to himself.

But wasn't that always how Drydusk had been? Still, his blue eyes looked and searched for his love. Where was she? She had come, hadn't she? He supposed that Orangestar wouldn't want the ex-Shadowclan cat to come, after all. He didn't let the shot to his heart show. He looked around and listened, ears pricked to his leader's words, to the words of other cats, unable to say anything.

He didn't know what to believe... And he tried not to worry about that. His eyes, softer than his icy brother's, rested upon the blackened form of the leader. He stayed hidden away in the shadows of the other cats, not wanting to draw attention. He felt like he was in a dream... Moreso with the red, glowering moon overhead.

[Silky]

Jaypaw sat by her brother. Her fur prickled at Shadestar. "Shut up! Shut up JUST SHUT UP!" She roared. She shot to her feet. "Have some respect you furbag! This is a gathering! A PEACEFUL GATHERING!" She hissed angrily, spitting. "Hell, even I could tell this gathering was going to be one bite after another. Look at the moon. THe moon is red, the colour of blood, just like Redeyes. Is that not a sign? Or are you as blind as you are stupid?" Jaypaw meowed. "Everything that my father, Milkystar and Orangestar have done was to protect their families and clans from the likes of you and Redeyes. Redeyes was a ThunderClanner, can you tell? He's my uncle, and he broke mamma's neck! If you had stood your ground, and fought them off, my mamma wouldn't be an elder! She'd be a warrior! A strong warrior! But no! You ruined it! You and those fleabags who dare call themselves a clan! I don't care what you say about my brother! I'll protect him til the death! He's innocent! He was young, naive! How was he supposed to know when to stop attacking? How do you know it wasn't one of your precious FireClan that killed her while she was weak? Those bastards would see her as a drain on resources, because she's deaf." Jaypaw hissed again. "You're a fool. Blind, stupid... Arrogant too! And I dare you to insult any of my clan mates, or the cats of RiverClan or WindClan, because we've got allies, and friends. I doubt you have 'friends'." The littlle she-cat stood up tall. She was plucky, and way out of her depth speaking to a leader like that. But she was a defiant youngster. She wanted to avenge the ealry retirement of her mother.


Milkystar's fur prickled with anxiety. "Shadestar. Shut your face." He said, teeth bared. "I'm not planning your downfall. That would be foolish. The balance of four clans is needed to sustain the forest. I know that, everyone knows that. We were taught that at birth. They were not. FireClan know no boundaries, no rules. When they hunt, they probably eat the prey they find. They feel free to rape any she-cat, left right and center. They kill our family and friends, and take our kin from us, and what helps sustain our health. They don't follow the Warrior code. I doubt they follow any code. You really think you can control them? Even the ones who you claim were stolen from us?" He asked, staring at him with his grey eye. "No one can, and the only way we can settle this is most probably war. If it kills FireClan, and saves ShadowClan from them, then so be it."

[Quick Fox]

Cloudrunner's fur poofed up, and slowely he stood. He was not so big or scary, but Shadestar was just to... full of himself. Cloudrunner agreed - some things were happening that shouldn't have been, but... this was surely not the time nor place to do it. Not when the moon was already blood red. Silently, he walked across half of the island, standing eye to eye with the cocky leader.

He whispered, low enough for only Shadestar to hear, knowing all eyes were on him. "Shadestar, you don't even know what you've done to us." His voice was full of scorn, and he wasn't the least bit scared of the Shadowclan leader. He swished his tail, still standing, not moving. Shadestar could kill him right now - it hadn't been a good move for Windclan, but something told Cloudrunner that Starclan was protecting him.



Twinestar had tried to keep it secret. He knew what his son did to poor Sablepaw, after the battle, he'd come to his den. He remembered how Badgerpaw told him of killing Sablepaw, and how he'd left. She was alive when he left, but he was a sensable apprentice, and he knew she'd die. Seeing Cloudrunner cross the island, he stood with his breath held.

The cat muttered something, he couldn't tell what. If anything, there were three other clans worth of cats there ready to oppose Shadestar. Before anyone else could move, or say anything, he spoke. It was not loud, but he knew Shadestar could hear him.

"Maybe it was Badgerpaw. But I'll tell you what - you brought it upon yourself."

[Shadewing]

"Because rape is so right, you little harlot!" Shadestar snarled to Jaypaw. "Ravenpaw was only your age when Orangestar raped her. How would you like to be embarrassed and feel so powerless at your age? Forced to carry half-Clan kits that could never live as any other! Shamed by the other kits because of their longer legs! If Milkystar raped you, tell me you'd be fighting for his innocence. Look me right in the eye and tell me." Shadestar so badly wanted to cuff the little apprentice, but then that would start such a fight.. of course, ShadowClan would likely win, but he'd rather just throw the Clans in disarray then risk lives. "And let's ask how Daddy would feel if his youngest kit was killed by an apprentice from my Clan in cold blood. Let's say my apprentice started the fight, and killed his daughter, ripped her entire throat out. How could that have possibly been accidental? You're a little apprentice. I suggest you shut your little mouth, since you have no idea what in The Dark Forest you're talking about."

He then turned his hard gaze over to Milkystar, eyes still icy with hate and anger. "Your words are wasted breath, Milkystar. After all of the attacks FireClan's had, you'd want to punish me for their misdeeds as well. Sure, maybe you'd let our Clan live, but you'd make us all suffer. I know your cats too well. 'Big scary FireClan cats, us otters better lumber our plump bellies all the way over to ShadowClan and kill them, teach them a good lesson. Maybe we'll let a few live, because we respect our code somewhat. But, then again, I doubt Milkystar will mind too much. After all, he was the one who had two sets of Half-Clan kits, so he won't care too much. He thinks he's such a defiant leader!'" Shadestar mocked them, putting emphasis on his Half-Clan kits.

"StarClan knows I am telling the truth. They think its better that I warn you all ahead of time of the war. If anything had gone wrong, would the moon not be covered up?" Shadestar looked above him, at the bloodred moon. Not even a single cloud passed over it. He looked back down, a grin on his face.


Owlpaw looked up at the moon. That's not StarClan's moon. StarClan's moon is pure white, or blue. That moon must belong to the Dark Forest. It has to. It's the only place where peace is hated. Great StarClan, ancestors of the stars, please take this gathering, and lead it along the right path.. Owlpaw prayed, hoping that StarClan could regain their night. But the stars weren't plentiful. Few shone in the sky, most distanced from each other. Owlpaw spotted Cloudrunner, and slowly walked over to him, trying to stay under the rest of the Clans' radar. He reached the black and white tom, and then whispered:

"This night isn't StarClan's, Cloudrunner. That moon.. the feeling's off. I think... it might be the Dark Forest or something.. What if there's a fight and they fight on FireClan's side?" he said it so quietly, it was right under his breath. He needed to discuss this with Cloudrunner. Maybe he had gotten a sign.. or.. He's WindClan. I really should be distancing myself from him. It's just..

Shadestar looked down at Cloudrunner with his eyes. "Oh, look, it's your little quarter-Clan apprentice, right? He's a bit too muscular to be your flabby RiverClan cats." He looked down at the strange-eyed apprentice, and he looked up at him with such a fury, but did nothing but pad back into the crowd. "Maybe not. He doesn't have ThunderClan pride in him."

He heard Twinestar's words, and was still for a moment. "I heard you, Twinestar. I did no such thing. If you had killed the pitiful life, ThunderClan wouldn't be on the edge of having many of its cats killed. Don't be so defiant, you look like a little kit, especially when you say it so you think I can't hear it."

[Twilight]

Blacksnow could take no more. fury flowing through her veins and her ruby gems flashing at the leader, she pounced up against her mother's protests. "How dare you talk to my son like that! His father died nobly protecting him from FireClan when he was a helpless little kit. I doubt I could say the same about your father, or even you for that reason! Your little clan of fire has destroyed or harmed more of my family than I can even care to count! Name of Mudstripe for one, Snowpaw, harming my son, hurting my father, my mother..."[/color] She stood there seething, her fur bristling. "And yet you're whining over one little child of yours that was lost at another clan's paws! That's the life of a warrior, and you chose to let her take that path! You were the one who sent her into battle against another clan not expecting them to send for help. You thought she was safe as long as you were by her side, but that's not how battle works! You get seperated! You as a leader should know that better than Sablepaw did. Yes, she was killed by another clan, but yet you have never thought to think how many of your clan and that stinking pile of rat shit that calls themselves a clan have killed and ruined of other cats' families? This isn't just a bid to get FireClan away anymore, Shadestar, it's a fight for the protection of our families and clans! Finally, she was done, and she stood there, her ruby eyes still locked on the blue eyes of the leader.

This had to stop now. She jumped to a higher branch, and as she landed and spun around to face all the cats, her black pelt burst full of stars, and she became a beacon of light, drawing attention to her. Some cats muttered surprise, but others muttered fear. Her voice rang out clear, her proud eyes earching through the cats, her tail twitching. "Cats of the Clans, whom I now watchs from StarClan, he claims no clouds covering the moon to be a sign of StarClan's approval. StarClan does not watch over this gathering tonight, other than myself. I have chosen to make myself known in the world of the living, and so have certain rights that normal StarClan cats do not. This blood red moon is not a moon of StarClan. It is the Dark Forest's moon. The Dark Forest harbors all kinds of evil cats that approve of FireClan and the things they do, so there is no clouds to cover this moon tonight. Here I bode a warning for you all. As long as FireClan is in our midst, the moon of the Dark Forest shall reign supreme. They brought this about, and who was the cat who let them in? It was Shadestar. But bear no ill will towards him. Honestly he did only mean the best, but now his failed attempts to control them have twisted him into the evil cat he has become. Ridding ourselves of FireClan will rid this leader of the darkness he harbours in his heart. " She paused to let her words sink in. Finally, her pectral gaze locked on the leader and herr ethereal form jumped off of the tree, her coat still shining with stars as she walked through the red light of the Dark Forest Moon. She met Shadestar evenly, and spoke quietly to him, knowing he could not harm her. "And why do you think he 'raped' her? Do you not think she coud have made the choice to mate with him? I know Orangestar, Shadestar. He was my deputy, and in the end, my mate, so I know he would never mate with an unwilling she-cat, unlike your fireClan ingrates."

[Dewdrop]

Dewdrop had started off being scared by the outbursts, but her eyes had begun to narrow when Shadestar had started talking and she had gone from scared to furious. She glanced at the moon and wondered if it was having an effect on the cats arguing. Then yet another cat, this time Blacksnow, jumped up and yowled her thoughts. Dewdrop agreed wholeheartedly with everything she said, but she refrained from getting up and saying so.

Then her gaze was attracted to a cat; not just any cat, but a StarClan cat. She recognized it as the leader of WindClan just before Orangestar. She felt in awe of her and also scared. Dewdrop listened to her long speech (While listening, she realized that a lot of cats seemed to be making long speeches. She couldn't imagine where they were finding all the things to say because she wasn't as good with words) and was shocked. It scared her that the cats in The Dark Forest were watching over this gathering and not StarClan; now she wanted to go home more than ever.