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Post by Shadewing on Dec 23, 2009 16:05:37 GMT -5
"I hate to defy a StarClan cat, Nightstar, especially one who thinks she's so right," he hissed, though he was starting to feel uneasy with the presence of Nightstar. "I would hope that Orangestar is not as kinky of a cat to want to mate with an apprentice from another Clan, while he was a warrior. You call him your mate, though it seems yet that he seems to be happy with whatever females he can take advantage of! You are one of them, Nightstar!" Shadestar's fur prickled at the leader, eyes narrowed. He paused for a moment, as he had been thinking of what to say to Blacksnow, with the thoughts she had thrown.
"Blacksnow, it is not your place to be talking like that! A normal warrior t-attempting to talk down to a leader is one thing, but a Half-Clan cat is a different thing entirely! Don't get too puckered up because you're the leader's daughter, you're just as much the daughter of an idiot and the kin of a ThunderClan cat! ShadowClan has never killed in cold blood. FireClan has, but they're not my Clan to command, exactly, though I have a feeling that with their ruthlessness they would be more than happy to fight. Sablepaw was an innocent apprentice, killed by an apprentice who knew the Warrior Code as well as her. I expected there to be a little bit of pity on a near-deaf cat in a war, but I think I overestimated ThunderClan's honor." Two mice, one swipe, Shadestar thought, still making eye contact with Blacksnow's red eyes. It's a wonder how an ugly little harlot like that actually managed to get a genuine mate. Though, I recall Mudstripe being desperate and having a muzzle a little bit too long for his face..
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Post by Twilight on Dec 23, 2009 16:09:12 GMT -5
[Fail post coming... Ohmigawd....]
Nightstar swished her tail and spoke again. "And you think myself used? Look at your position.
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Post by Shadewing on Dec 23, 2009 16:28:38 GMT -5
Shadestar ignored Nightstar, and then looked at Orangestar. "I'd like to hear you speak. Did you rape Ravenpaw?"
"Nightstar just said I didn't, did she?"
"I think it was more of an assumption, and I'm making an assumption that real leaders who are actually still toms can speak for themselves."
"She asked."
"Why would an apprentice ask you? Are you so dim witted that you think that a twitch of a tail means permission?"
"No, and I have no idea," he said, now looking Shadestar in the eye, trying to stare him down. Shadestar didn't look too impressed with his display of confidence.
"You have no idea what permission is?" Shadestar asked, returning a gaze to Orangestar, a skeptical and mocking look on his face.
"Do you think it might make sense for me to say no to an apprentice asking me?" Orangestar growled, whiskers twitching, jowls moving. "You're a mouse-brain, Shadestar. I did nothing!"
"So that's why one of my queens had an orange kit that looked strikingly like you, and kept her mate a secret?"
"I never denied it actually happened."
Shadestar twitched his ear at the leader who had a steady voice. "I'd laugh if this wasn't such a topic. Run back home, skittish WindClan cat. Obviously you don't know how to choose cats for a gathering, since I see some of your weak and young here. Nightstar was a mouse-brain to make you deputy, when you know nothing about being leader." Shadestar meowed, keeping eye contact, as he knew nothing else to do. Orangestar kept his own contact, and hissed at Shadestar, unsheathing his claws.
"I'll fight for my Clan." Orangestar jumped down from his branch, and started to make his way over to Shadestar.
"That would be fighting at a gathering, Orangestar. Even if this is under The Dark Forest's moon or whatever, I haven't come here looking for a fight. I came here to warn. You are the cats who started this. You are that cats StarClan should be most angry at. And maybe that explains why all of us are so hungry."
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Post by sandfire on Dec 23, 2009 16:57:51 GMT -5
"What is the world coming to..." Drydusk murmured softly, his light blue eyes scaling the crowds of bristling cats. The newer apprentices looked terrified or were just following the mindset of the elders. How was this anyway to show how a clan cat behaved? There had to be someway to put this all aside. The fighting was only making things worse. But he dare not say anything. Shadestar was miles ahead of him in strength now, he was just a little brother who dare not speak above a whisper in his presence.
His tail flicked. It was true that Shadowclan no longer had any friends. He couldn't get a look in the eye from another clan cat that wasn't a glare if they knew what clan he belonged to, and his mottled Fireclan and pine scent gave that away in a breath. He trembled slightly.
Starclan, if you can hear me, please, make this stop! You've sent Nightstar, but she isn't enough. Cloud the moon, do something. He didn't believe that Nightstar could be right. How could the red moon be so much different than the normal moon? I know my brother is trying not to start a fight, but he's pushing it so much... If even a small squabble started, all the cats would turn to crowfood and rogues... Emotions are too high...
He hung his head, his ears pinning back as his paws kneed the ground. She could be right. If all Dark Forest broke loose on this night... Give me strength, at least, Starclan. Tell me what to do...
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Post by Quick Fox on Dec 23, 2009 17:48:52 GMT -5
Cloudrunner looked down at is apprentice. He wasn't startled by Nightstar's appearence, he'd known all along that a Starclan cat was there. Silently he prayed that more than just she was looking down on them. Suddenly, a thought came to mind. He must dream tonight, not just a dream... when he took Owlpaw, he would sleep too, and talk with Starclan.
He stood up, standing between the leader of Shadowclan and the leader of Windclan. He felt Nightstar's gaze rest upon him, and he wished he could have helped her. Maybe if he had been there... he pushed the thought out of his mind. He had more imporatant things that to grieve over the lost leader; he had top make sure no fights broke out. If this moon wasn't clouding over, that meant that Starclan had no power at all.
His eyes were soft as he spoke, looking between the two leaders, one cocky, the other unsure. "Stop this, now. Shadestar is right, this is no place to fight. If I had my say, there would be no fighting, no death at all. You are both leaders of great clans, shall we leave it at that this evening? I do not know what it is like to lead a clan, but I know what it is like to have a connection to Starclan, greater than most others. Starclan is still looking out for us, proof of Nightstar being here. No matter what any of you thought of her, she was a great cat - a great leader. May we also leave that as it is?"
He looked around the island, cats murmuring uneasily. He did not want to do this, but it looked like no one else would. Nightstarmade no move to stop it, so he must. He knew it was not quite his place, but this was a gathering of the clans, and no matter whose moon looked down on it, it should be right. The clans should just share their news and save the fights for another day. Silently, he leapt upon the tree.
"Quite! Cats, no matter what clan you belong to, no matter what beleifs you have, silence! We should continue this as a normal gathering. Even if the moon that looks down on us is not Starclan's, we can not have fighting. It is not anyone's will, after the last few sunrises. Please, put your feelings aside, so that we may continue the meeting!" he yowled. Then he jumped down from the tree, and eyed the four leaders. "Now, let us continue. Who will go first?"
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Post by Shadewing on Dec 23, 2009 21:04:03 GMT -5
"Why am I here, again? Damn you FireClan cats, I'm so tired.." Ravenfeather trudged into the gathering area, a small yellow tom leading her.
"I figured that you'd all want to speak with the victim herself." He walked out of her way, and back into the crowd. Ravenfeather's dull eyes looked up at Shadestar.
She opened her mouth and talked slowly. "Better have a damn good reason to bring me out in this cold. Flameshade better be keeping my kits warm for me.." she grumbled, gaze still holding with Shadestar.
Shadestar looked down at Animal, surprised he had got the queen. Animal eyed Claws, and then walked to the other side of the island, almost skittishly. "Did Orangestar rape you?" he asked right off the bat.
Ravenfeather said nothing for a few moments, and then looked at the masses of cats. "Why does any of this matter? This is only a gathering after all."
"Stop wasting your time and tell us! Honestly, we're not going to rip your fur out for telling us the truth!"
"They may."
"I'll kill them first," he attempted to reassure her, and she stayed silent for a few more moments.
"I did ask him to mate with me. And I hope he is the father of my kits. No, he is the father of my kits, I'm sure." She said the words without seeming guilty, but she seemed strong, despite the looks on their faces. "If StarClan thought it wrong, something would have happened to my kits besides one of their adult teeth not growing in."
"Why?"
"Why did I ask him? I don't know, queen's secrecy." Ravenfeather meowed, flicking her tail, and starting to walk away.
"Don't be a hardass, Ravenfeather. Leader's word is the warrior code. Tell me."
Ravenfeather stayed still, now not moving, frozen in her exact position. Eyes fell on her. Either she could prove Shadestar right or wrong. And not even StarClan knew what might happen in either case.
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Post by Twilight on Dec 23, 2009 21:55:36 GMT -5
Nightstar's orange eyes locked onto the form of the Shadowclan queen, worried about her form. Her fur was still full of stars and her form was still revealed to all the cats on the island. She felt as if she were still there in life, participating as she always had. When the queen spoke her part, she sighed, and went up to her. Nightstar touched her nose to Ravenfeather's and sent energy into the exhuasted queen's limbs. She whispered to the queen. "It's alright. StarClan doesn't mind you revealing what happened."
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Post by Shadewing on Dec 23, 2009 22:07:49 GMT -5
"I know, Nightstar. But it's not something that's needed to be told. I defy the warrior code. I won't tell you why, Shadestar. Orangestar did not rape me." She didn't look back at the cats, and just briskly walked off the island, trying to avoid cats.
"What if she was pressured?" a FireClan voice yowled, breaking the silence. Some cats began talking again, agreeing or disagreeing with the tom's suggestion.
Shadestar attempted a yowl above the meows, to silence them all. The voices slowly, with emphasis on slowly, dwindled after a few more ones. "If she was pressured, would she feel so prideful in a dirty WindClan cat fathering her kits?" he meowed, looking at all of the leaders with an open maw. "Let's pray to StarClan that tonight we can figure out the truths from what's false. I will not punish the undeserving." Shadestar was silent for a few moments, and then resumed speaking.
"Orangestar will have the benefit of the doubt tonight. Milkystar shall have that too, as I'm feeling generous. However, Twinestar, I am sure that your Clan is merely underestimating mine. Trying to take our boundaries is just as bad as us trying to take yours. At least we have more mouths to feed than you mangy cats do. And the punishment of killing an innocent still remains, no matter what."
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Post by Silky on Dec 24, 2009 9:29:15 GMT -5
Gladefeet, who had been sitting with her eyes closed, opened them, and stepped forward. "Shadestar, it is a queen's right given to her by StarClan to let the father of her kits remain a secret. She does not need to tell anyone, not you, not me, no one. I kept the father of my kits secret, because he knew he could trust me. I wanted to be a mother, that's why I stepped down from being the deputy. I asked Orangestar to be the father of my kits. His mother told me he inherited a bit of his fathers' promiscuity. Hell, most of the cats around are related to Orangestar in one way." 'Even Nightstar...' She continued inwardly. "You're just bitter because your daughter died. I lost three kits Shadestar. Three of my kits died. One taken by an eagle, another was too weak to feed, and the third froze in the night. I often wonder if they were punished for Orangestar taking a few mates, but it could have been fault of my own. I had a dream last night. A cat visited me. It was Crowstar. He told me how his cousin was stolen and disappeared. Horsekit was her name. Horsekit dropped the end of her name and called herself Horse. She had kits, three of them to be precise. Three little black kits, with brown stripes, and yellow eyes. I was one of them." She meowed. "You have no right to ask why Ravenfeather wished Orangestar to father kits for her. Maybe to save herself from those beasts resting in your camp."
As Shadestar meowed at Blacksnow, Milkystar's fur prickled. "You have no right to speak to my deputy like that. She may be half-clan, but I doubt many of us are pure blood. Even you Shadestar; I doubt you have pure blood of the ShadowClan it used to be. Respected, and feared. Now, we just fear you and what you will do to our daughters and sisters." He said, narrowing his eyes.
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Post by Shadewing on Dec 24, 2009 9:42:43 GMT -5
Shadestar spat. "If I really wanted to rape some cats, Milkystar, I'd go ahead and do it right now, and see if any of you could stop me. I could easily screw up so many lives, and you other Clans don't even think of what I could do and what I'm holding back. She is half-Clan. I am a leader. Nobody but another leader and perhaps a medicine cat may dare to talk down to me." His fur prickled, and he glared at Milkystar. "You have no idea how easy it would be for me to sic my cats on you and rip your other eye out."
Shadestar prickled at Gladefeet. "The elements took all of your kits. And you may have done something wrong. I did nothing wrong. One of my kits died because it got sick and then the dumbass medicine cat was too busy mating with my mate to care for him. Then the next one was killed by ThunderClan. No, I've had just about enough. I barely even know if they're my kits. I think cats think it's funny to piss me off and cause trouble. Yeah, not anymore."
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Post by Silky on Dec 24, 2009 9:53:43 GMT -5
"You'd dare attack another cat at a Gathering Shadestar? Great StarClan, you're more stupid than you look." came the voice of a cat in the WindClan crowd. "You have no right to doubt a leader when others are in doubt about you being a leader. Orangestar was the one to protest when Nightstar planned on making me a warrior. To prove myself to him and to WindClan, I went and caught three rabbits in the pounding snow." She continued, standing up and moving out the crowd. "You wouldn't have the guts to rape anyone, even if they were helpless and defenseless. You're such a terrible leader. You wouldn't know what to do if all your cats turned against you. Heck, maybe they're planning an uprising. I can see it in their eyes. I know some of them better than you do." Dustfeather meowed, sitting down calmly. "If you attacked anyone, you'd be damning your clan to a fiery end." She said, indicating to the moon with her tail.
Milkystar felt his fur stand on end. He was at the end of his tether. "I've had enough of your mousedung Shadestar. RiverClan, we're leaving. Only a fool would remain, what with that moon out tonight." The white tom said, leaping from his branch. Murmurs swept through the clans. "You may think of us as overfed otters, but it's getting so cold that the river is freezing. We have no way to hunt, as we rely on the river. And Shadestar, if you had brains in that head of yours, asking for help instead of rushing into battle for territory would have been more wise."
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Post by Twilight on Dec 24, 2009 10:08:44 GMT -5
Blacksnow was seething. She had to walk past Shadestar to get to her father, and she did so happily because on her way by the leader her ruby gems remained locked on him as she spat at him. She didn't lunge at him, no, she just spat angerly at him and walked on, meeting her father at his shoulder. Destinycall padded behind her, not even looking at the disgraced leader with her violet gems, her powerful pelt showing him she didn't care a lick about what he thought of half-clan cats. At least this net litter of her's and Milkystar's would be full RiverClan. In theory at least. She met her mate on his other shoulder and looked to the black starClan cat who was higher than the other cats, seeing as she had jumped back up on the tree. Finally, the cat with starry fur spoke.
"I suggest you all do as Milkystar is doing. This gathering is bringing nothing but violence, and as my job as a StarClan cat among the living, I cannot permit blood to be shed on sacred ground." Her eyes got starrier than they ever had before as she stared up at the moon. She sent out a prophecy to all the cats. A premonition. "As StarClan so bids... the red moon rising signifies the shed blood... The fire... It must be dowsed by the water for the land to return to it's natural course... How this is to come is known by every StarClan cat, even myself, but the living will have to know for their own..." With that said, she faded until she was nothing, only to reappear at Orangestar's side. She was only appearing to the WindClan leader. to him she spoke. "I'm going back with you. I have chosen to live in the world of the living, and so be it, I will."
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Post by Quick Fox on Dec 24, 2009 10:22:43 GMT -5
Cloudrunner looked around. This was crazy. His pelt was prickling, and he made no efforst to stop the othet clans from leaving. This was madness. Nightstar faded away, and he figured that she'd gone back to Starclan. He'd find out tonight. He had to reach Starclan, some way or another, and talk. Not just dream. Talk. He had to try and change this.
He rested his tail on Owlpaw shoulder for a moment, signifying that theyshould leave to. He lead his apprentice off of the island, and to the Moonpool. That was their last option. It would be the only way for Starclan to see hiim, and for him to see them. Obviously, they were no longer in power.
"Come Owlpaw. We must go and give you your full name. I know that you are ready."
Twinestar was bewildered. Ever since Shadestar had come to power, he had driven the clans into the ground, and taken them on a roller coaster ride. He no longer wished to be on the islnad, and with Nightstar's announcement, he too decided to leave.
"Come Thunderclan. It is time that we head back as well."
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Post by Silky on Dec 24, 2009 10:37:23 GMT -5
Jaypaw padded to her father, not looking at Shadestar. Her fur was still on end, but layed a little flatter now. She looked over at the ShadowClan cats and the WindClanners that remained. She turned her eyes back to the cats ahead. Ever since Shadestar had risen to leader, cats had died. Good cats. She shook her head, and left.
Dustfeather walked over to her mother. "Mother... Tell Drydusk to meet me here tommorow, when the moon is at it's highest. I need to speak with him." She meowed quietly. Her mother had the smell of a FireClanner on her pelt. "...did one of those monsters get you momma?" She asked, licking her ear.
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Post by Twilight on Dec 24, 2009 10:46:42 GMT -5
Poppyclaw looked over to her daughter and purred as she came forward and talked to her. The request normally would have set her on edge, but after what had happened she didn't really care. "You know I'll tell him dear. It's something when you leave your clan and cats are sad, but it's another matter entirely when you feel you have to do it for yourself and there's a cat who loves you who can't even help them with their problem." She paused before she went on, her green eyes sad and somewhat ashamed. In answer to her question about the FireClanners, she finally spoke with a heavy sigh. "Yes. Three of the toms ganged up on me when I was out hunting alone. I had tried to have some time to myself before the gathering, but... " she trailed off, her dark eyes full of anghuish.
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