Glistening as the Stars {Gathering 4!}

HAZELSTAR
I've been broken more than once.

Hazelstar dipped her head to the new Riverclan leader, Ah, to be young again. His body was much more fit then Riverclan's previous leader, but perhaps this was because Snowstar was thin, small, and wiry. While Wolfstar was muscled, large, and broad. Quite a difference when you took it to thought. A small purr rumbled in her throat when he spoke of the snow,
"Nothing we can't handle." pausing a knowing gleam, glimmered within her honey-colored gaze as she studied the tom. He was nervous, but was trying very hard to cover it up. She couldn't blame him, she remembered so many moons ago when it had been her first Gathering as leader. Many were appalled at the sight, such a young, inexperienced she-cat had taken control of a clan. She hadn't been well-known and was a newcomer to hierarchy. Something no one had expected.

As her eyes fell across the clan cats, she wondered if by now they had excepted her position as leader. She wondered if she were still the young-reckless she-cat she was moons ago. As her eyes trailed upwards and onto the sight of her worn paws, sharpened claws, she knew she was still the same Hazelstar. Just wiser, more precise.

Her presumptions slowly slipped away until she was back to where she was, talking to Wolfstar. Sitting down, she murmured casually, "Is Riverclan holding up well, with the river frozen?"

KESTRELPAW
Let's Start A Riot!, A Riot!

Kestrelpaw had been honestly surprised when she had been announced to go to the gathering, but somehow or another Silentpaw had to come as well. That fact itself was a complete buzz kill. With an irritated look plastered across her face she trudged through the snow, over the log, and onto the island. The whole way she was still trying to figure out, why in Starclan did Silentpaw get to come as well?

With a disgruntled sigh she plopped herself down in the middle of the Island, her whole Gathering was ruined. Shaking her head she had to rid herself of these negative thoughts, remember to be mature-- Three seconds later she was contradicting herself, "Oh I wouldn't be talking Silentpaw, your company's just so joyous!"

When she was prepared for one of his insults a different cat spoke up, A Riverclan mouse-brain? Jee just what I want. Before she knew it Silentpaw was introducing them, what I can't speak now? "Actually this is Mouse-brainpaw." Kestrelpaw quickly meowed, grinning she held back her laughs, "He's just to stupid to remember; hence Silentpaw."

MOTHSTORM
Come and get me

"Mothstorm." the silver she-cat muttered, her eyes took no time to narrow into slits. She was hoping for at least some kind of alone time with Hawkeyes, but apparently this slime was too protective over something that wasn't even hers.

Squeezing her eyes shut as tight as she could she let out a heavy sigh, I have to act nice--be nice, just be nice! "How have you--" Mothstorm stood agape as the pair intertwined, their purrs louder then any other sound she could decipher. With a pissed hiss she growled angrily, "What's your problem!"

Jabbing Hawkeyes in the chest she snarled, "Why do you even come over here and talk to me if your going to be all over her?" Lips curled she angrily turned away, "Great Starclan--" The taste of salt lingered on her lips, as the tears fell unwillingly to the Island floor, "Do you always have to play with others emotions?" Pausing she spat out a hasty insult, "Your just a heartless piece of fox-dung." Choked and sobbing the she-cat raced into the shadows, with a powerful leap she landed upon the tattered log and into Riverclan territory. The only option now was to head home, and that was where she was going.

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Hawkeyes

^{I’m no player I’m just in love with two.}

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Hawkeyes jumped at the sudden rage from the silver she-cat before him. Her eyes blazed with green fire as she jabbed him in the chest, stepping back with confusion he laid back his ears.
”M-Moth…” Hawkeyes stuttered before the silver she-cat ran off toward the log and off of the territory.

Eyes wide with astonishment he turned to Spottedwind and murmured gently to her,
”I’ll be right back.” With that he quickly took off following the she-cat’s trail.

Jumping onto the log he ran across it with ease as he saw the silver figure padding along the Riverclan border. Picking up speed he jumped off of the log and landed on hard solid ground,
”MOTHSTORM!” He yowled only a few fox lengths away from her.



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Boneface
^{A purple heart only means you were clever enough to think of a plan. Stupid enough to try it, and lucky enough to survive.}

"Just know this, kid, sometimes as a warrior you gotta do things that are hard." he sighed and ran his tail over his face. "And you have to make choices that will haunt you forever." He sighed, sadly remembering Sandclaw.

"I see." Brighteye looked interested now. " You're a warrior then, by the sound of things. Training is a good idea, but making friends is also important, of course. Friends can be relied on during fights."

"I was, in truth, suprised by your appearance, but I haven't attended Gatherings for a few moons, so it stands to reason I wouldn't have known about you." Brighteye added, scuffing a paw over the ground.

Dragonfly
^{Today is a good day to die}


"I came to this place after the battle of rogue's blood. I was found in the river with a broken leg." She flicked her tail. "It was only a few moons later I joined the clan as a member." she licked her whiskers and blinked a few times. "This is my... first gathering."

"First Gathering, hmm. I bet that was a surprise for you, to be chosen to accompany your leader." Brighteye mewed in response. "The Gatherings are always special. You get to interact with cats from other Clans and make friends with those outside of your Clan."

Featherpaw
<sup>Birds of a feather flock together.

With a silent hmph, Featherpaw stalked away from the fellow Windclan apprentices. Not much action going on over there anymore. She weaved her blue-gray body though the mass of cats, the unfamiliar scents overwhelming. She mewed a few "Hello"s along with quite a few "Excuse me, thank you"s as she passed. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a group of unfamiliar apprentices. Well, one of them she was quite sure was Silentpaw of Thunderclan, but the other apprentices were unknown to her. She confidently trotted up to them.

"A nice night for a gathering, huh?" She mewed casually, glancing up at the stars. Sitting down and wrapping her tail neatly around her paws she added, "My name's Featherpaw, a Windclan cat through and through. Very nice to meet you all, though I don't quite recognize all of you."

Robinstep
Kid, you take life way too seriously.

The tabby warrior sat near the tree, within ear-shot of the clan deputies. Well, it would have been ear-shot if there wasn't so much noise from the other cats flooding the island. After sitting and trying to listen in for a few minutes, only picking up petty things like the weather, Robinstep decided to mingle. Not something he was very good at, but it was best to show Thievingstar just how well-rounded he could be.

It wasn't that Robinstep was cold to other warriors, he was just a tad, well---awkward. His blue eyes quickly spotted a quite peculiar scene; was that Mothstorm, running away from a gathering? Certainly a fellow Shadowclan warrior would know better than that! And a mangy Thunderclan tom had sprinted after her as well! He made a mental note to scold her later.

The two deserters left another cat in their wake, a Thunderclan she-cat. He couldn't quite remember her name, but she was alone unlike most of the other cats who were forming little social groups. Coming over to the she-cat, he tried to appear friendly. "Hello." he mewed simply, not bothering to sit down. "I'm uh...Robinstep, of Shadowclan. Who---I mean how are you?"

Duskpaw
All that is required for evil to prevail is for the good to do nothing.

"Who our parents are doesn't change who we are." the black apprentice mewed firmly. But it certainly would change who other think we are. She thought nervously. What if they were banished from their clans because of their heritages? "If we can prove we're against our wicked lineage, we'd be...we could be heroes. If we stop it, I mean." Duskpaw had to reassure herself with the fact that that was true.

"An elder once told me the story of Tigerstar, but didn't just stop there. She went on to mention how Tigerstar had kits, four of them. I know you've probably heard it too though..." she muttered in embarrassment. "but....but one of the kits was like his father, and he was killed. The other became a medicine cat, another a deputy, and another a noble warrior, because they resented their father's deeds." As she finished, Duskpaw bowed her head and mewed, "Do we want to end up dead traitors like our parents, like Tigerstar and his son?"

"I--I know this is very selfish of me," she mewed quietly after a few moments, "but...another reason I want to help Starclan win this is so that...maybe, maybe they can take my powers away. I can't live like this, knowing such horrible things." Remembering Spiritpaw's question she added quickly, "They would only find out about our powers if we told them, right?"

Suddenly, an awful thought struck the she-cat; What if Nightstalker offered to take her gift away? Would she side with him?</sup>

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WOLFSTAR
A hungry wolf is not at rest.

Wolfstar wasn't surprised when the more experienced leader before him said her clan was doing fine. Thinking back to the cats watching he grew even more nervous as it came closer and closer to the time that the Gathering would start. Hazelstar spoke once again after a long pause, asking himself the same question.
"We're doing great, the ice hasn't gotten too thick so we can still break through to fish..." He paused to think of the new snow. "It is such a winter wonderland this year."
He then realized how sad he felt that Snowstar, the great leader before him, wouldn't be able to see it from this wonderful view, but from the skies of Starclan...
The cats down below them were talking among their little groups, apprentices mingled with new cats they have never seen, warriors catching up on what has happened in the last moon, everyone ignoring their differences and uniting in this one night to talk freely and peacefully.
Wind blew crisp overhead blowing the surrounding trees and whisking snow around like feathers only to settle on the frozen lake surrounding the island. The sky was dotted with brilliant shows of twinkling stars and the crystal orb of the moon shining brightly. Starclan was with them this evening and the leaders would soon speak to their clans. Everything so peacefully perfect...

MYTHPAW
A disaster waiting to happen.

Mythpaw gazed around at the unfamiliar cats and new scents surrounding him. He had just arrived at the gathering, and being his first one he was oddly silent. Back home he talked and talked with every cat, learning more about the past, present, and future. Being his mischievous self he shouldered his way into the mass of cats. When he finally made it through the maze and into an opening in the middle, he gazed up at the leaders. He has never seen the other clan's leaders until tonight. Looking around once more he thought how funny he might look, a new apprentice just randomly sitting there with no one to talk to, just...there.
'I wonder if I'll ever meet anyone' he thought, and for once saddened by his loneliness...

SPOTTEDWIND
Gone--glimmering through the dream of things that were.

Shocked with surprise, Spottedwind sat there, nothing to say. The two cats that were just there before her disappeared just like that. 'What was that all about?'
Sitting there bewildered, her golden eyes fixed on the log she had just crossed and where Hawkeyes and Mothstorm had just vanished. Slowly she came back from a long stare and thought she might go after them, or maybe not. 'I'd better give them some time to themselves...'
Twisting her body she sat facing the leaders in the tree. Boredom struck her quickly so she decided to get an early start on her grooming for the night, starting with her head. With age old precision she licked her paw and stroked her ears and face, quickly cleaning off any dirt and combing her hair so it laid flat on her petite head.
Time passed and there was no sign of them, so she just sat there grooming and grooming...

MOTHSTORM
Come and get me

Trembling, her whole body was rigid with tension, mixed feelings controlled her thoughts;she was nothing but lovesick. And it hurt. Her symptoms couldn't ever be cured unless somehow by some miracle he would return her feelings. So when she heard his voice time gradually stopped, tear-stained eyes turned to face his apple-shaped face. Never before had she seen a tom so determined, so bewildered, so many emotions rippled across his features; simply breath-taking. Swallowing a choke of sobs she whispered,

"Why did you follow me?" Her whisper fell silent, but she couldn't hear a thing, only the sound of his heart, beating wildly in his chest. Everything was drowned in comparison, it was only him and her. "You love her, not--" she cried out in desperation, "-N-Not me." The silver-tabby's tail drooped at her desperate attempt to drop the whole ordeal. Loving him wasn't what she had wanted, but somewhere along the road she had fallen so damn far that it was impossible to get back up. She had taken the plunge.

Blinking away the tears she solemnly looked away, her voice strained to be heard over the beating of his heart, "Just go, this isn't right." Distraught, heart-broken, the she-cat did all she could to hold back the waterworks. She mustn't cry once more, she had already damaged what reputation she had. By now Hawkeyes probably considered her a whiny, shadowclan she-cat, who couldn't keep track of her emotions.

"Spottedwind will be worried." she added quietly, lifting her head to meet his she offered a soft, sad smile, "I was bound to loose anyway, she's beautiful."

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<sup>Rainflight
Keep trying, you'll never bring me down

Rainflight was amused at the she-cat's response. She was right. She seemed to carry the same feelings that she did about her first gathering, and also had the same thoughts. There was so much to do here! Where should I start? Rainflight could remember vividly of those rushed feelings.

With a playful glint in her eye she suggested, "Well, why don't you start small? Maybe tackling a group of apprentices or a lone warrior. Just somewhere to easily join into until you can comfortably mingle with other Clan cats."


Silentpaw
I walk alone

Silentpaw tried his best to ignore the hot rage flaming in his chest. For a moment he let out a sigh, collecting himself. Then faced the RiverClan apprentices with the best seriousness he could muster, "Don't listen to her," with a lower toned voice he meowed, "She just makes fun of me because she has a little crush."


Sorrelstrike
I'm a survivor, and I'll stay that way

Sorrelstrike bounded around in the whole clearing of gathering cats. This was her first gathering as a warrior! It was a perfect moment to shine, and a perfect moment to rub in Crimsonclaw's face! When that thought crossed her mind about the warrior, she hissed sourly. No! I can't let him enter my mind! No matter what reason!

Sighing deeply, she looked around for someone to talk to. Someone to take her mind off of him. Someone like...him! An apprentice stood near by, seemingly lonely. He was in the same Clan as her, sure, but why not help him make a few friends? The little guy seemed pretty desperate.

Smiling brightly, she rushed up to him, crowding his side. "Hey, there, Mythpaw!" Sorrelstrike greeted him cheerfully. "You're rather quiet. Wanna try to meet some new buddies? I thought I could help ya out since you seem kinda lonely."</sup>

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Hawkeyes

^{I’m no player I’m just in love with two.}

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Hawkeyes skid to stop before he could run into the she-cat. He was surprised that the Mothstorm had turned to face him after he called out to her and sigh with relief that she didn’t run off on him. He silently watched the new look and voice of the once sassy she-cat, this she-cat wasn’t like that sassy one that he had always seem to run into on patrols. No, this one was hurt, and hurt badly.

Closing his eyes he sighed deeply,
”Because I-I.” Hawkeyes stuttered lost for words as he slowly opened his eyes to meet the tearful green eyes, the eyes of the one. The one that he had fallen in love with, the she-cat that had broken his shell of shyness, Mothstorm. Taking a small step forward he bowed his light gray head as he quickly search through his mind of words.

”Mothstorm, I don’t want to loose you. I followed you because I want to tell you the truth, the truth about everything.” Clearing his throat he slowly went on. ”Mothstorm I’ve loved you since the beginning, well after the journey to the mountains. At first I thought you were the most annoying thing in the entire universe, but after the journey I felt lost. It felt weird being alone, and I was always happy to meet you in patrol, I just didn’t like how I always treated you.” Taking a deep breathe he looked up to still see the tears streaming from her face.

”I’m sorry for ever hurting you, I just couldn’t show you how I really felt for you since we never had a time alone. Every time we met either Spottedwind was with me or your former mentor, Cougarface I believe was their. And for the sake for both by not getting banished from our clans or being called disloyal I tried to forget you. I tried to be mean and boss you around and make you jealous with Spottedwind, but right now I know I went to far. I didn’t really mean to hurt you I just wanted to save you. Spottedwind will never be like you, Mothstorm… I love you.”Hawkeyes whispered gently swept his long tabby tail across her silver cheek as another tear made it’s way down it.

”Look I know you probably would never accept this apology, but I didn’t want to live the rest of my life not telling you how much you really do mean to me.” He meowed lowering his pale gray muzzle to his paws ready for the she-cat’s answer.


Ooc: Neh not the greatest, but it is really late and I know I would probably not have any time to answer this tomorrow.

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Ravenpaw nodded. Rainflight was right, she would have to start small and work her way up. Scanning the crowd, her gaze landed on her brother, but there were so many Apprentice's there she didn't recognize that even with Silentpaw and Kestrelpaw she didn't want to go over there. Her pale blue eyes wandered on, and landed on a white tom talking to a ginger she-cat. It's better than nothing I guess... Ravenpaw thought. Besides, her paws were itching to move. It wasn't like her to stay this still for so long.

"Well, here goes nothing." she joked as she stood and padded her way through the large crowd of cats. It was nerve racking and many sorries were muttered after many stepped on paws, but the apprentice finally made it over to the two cats.

One smelled of WindClan, the white apprentice. The other, Ravenpaw realized, was Gingerflight of her own clan. She could see the extremely large form of Sabertooth in the background near-by.

"H-hi, Gingerflight." she mewed nervously. Turning to the apprentice, she went on "Hi, I'm R-ravenpaw."

Gingerflight
Victim of a Broken family
Cloudpaw

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Fighting the storm inside

The two friends were talking to each other about past experiences when Ravenpaw walked up. Cloudpaw looked at her and nodded in greeting, and was glad when the scent of Thunderclan washed over him.
'Good, she must know Gingerflight.' he thought looking back at the ginger she-cat.
"Well hello there Ravenpaw. Oh this is Cloudpaw. he's the Medicine cat apprentice of Windclan." mewed the warrior, making Cloudpaw feel heat rise to his face.
"Nice to meet you Ravenpaw." he mewed and bowed his head. "It's wonderful meeting another apprentice from a different clan."
Gingerflight smiled at the two apprentices and was glad she had got to watch the two grow up. And she was also very sure these two could easily become friends.[/center]

Nightscar

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Cause of a broken family

Nightscar nodded at the older warrior and glanced around quickly again. He soon saw her ginger pelt but saw two younger cats with her. He smiled slightly. His sister was always friendly and was willing to talk to those younger than her. He was sure she had an apprentice like him by now. If not, she was probably going to get one soon.
"She seems busy right now." he murmured softly to Cinderheart and licked his shoulder slightly. "Maybe we can catch her before Thunderclan leaves."
He really wanted to see his sister, but right now he could wait. A patient cat always got his reward.[/center]

Speckledpaw

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Let my fire burn

The calico she-cat turned slightly as the black tom padded up beside her. Had he heard her thoughts and came running to the rescue? no...maybe it was just chance. anyways, Ravenpaw was a pain in her whiskers.
When he said hey she flicked her ears slightly in greeting then looked back at the other apprentices.
"So what exactly have y'all done so far in training? I've did battle training with RAvenpaw here and beat the crud out of him." she mewed chuckling slightly and nudging the black tom playfully. Maybe he would get the hint she really didn't want him there. She had never really wanted to train with him in the first place.[/center]

Whiteheart
Let your memory lead you.

Whiteheart looked at Stargaze and nodded slightly. He could see why the deputy would be busy. Anyways maybe the meeting was starting soon. They needed to meet something or there mission would have been pointless. He quickly looked around and soon spotted a tabby she-cat by herself grooming herself.
"So you recognized that one over there?" he asked Stargaze softly, making sure he stayed close to her, and nodding toward Spottedwind. The scent coming from the she-cat's area was Thunderclan, but things right now were so jumbled he couldn't tell anymore right now.
he looked at Stargaze and waited for a response quietly. He didn't want to rush the already nervous she-cat.

<sup>Rainflight
Keep trying, you'll never bring me down

Rainflight smiled as she watched the apprentice rush off to a small group of three. She could spot two of her kind, and one that looked like an apprentice. The scent of moorland drifted from the white cat's pelt. When she noticed she greeted them, she decided to follow, to make things more easier for the nervous black she-cat.

"Hey, Gingerflight," Rainflight greeted her cheerfully. Moving her eyes toward the white tom she meowed, "Who might you be, little one?"


Silentpaw
I walk alone

Silentpaw couldn't help but be amused. Between the two RiverClan apprentices, calling themselves Speckledpaw and Ravenpaw, they seemed to share the same relationship that himself and Kestrelpaw shared. Rivalry.

In their case, he would be Ravenpaw and Kestrelpaw would be Speckledpaw. But Ravenpaw wasn't exactly like him. He seemed even more quiet, and insecure about himself. He wasn't as serious and seemed quite nervous. Silentpaw could tell, though, he was trying forcefully to portray a serious figure.

"You two seem to be close," Silentpaw remarked sarcastically, flicking his tail from the she-cat to the tom. Replying to her question he meowed, "The normal. A few fighting moves here and there, but nothing serious. Though now I learned to hunt properly, unlike Kestrelpaw here. She looks like a limping badger when she's after prey."


Ravenpaw
I live in the shadows, hiding from my pain

Ravenpaw went back to wishing he was with his sisters, not paired up with this tempered she-cat. Even now, she was very hostile toward him, hatred hitting him like a wave of fire. But this time, he didn't want to back down. He didn't want to show he was weak like the times before.

Deciding to ignore Speckledpaw's rude comment, for he was horrible at words, he paid all his attention on the two ThunderClan apprentices who seemed to be the complete opposite of each other. "I unfortunately don't get much training. I do a little, but my mentor always seems busy." Ravenpaw shrugged.


Stargaze
I'm not shy, I'm just quiet

Stargaze smiled, feeling a happy, warm feeling. She didn't know why, but she felt special when he listened to her opinion. Most of her life she was quiet, too insecure and unsure about her words to speak them out. She was scared her opinion was wrong. So no one really agreed with her. Whiteheart seemed to listen and agree, though.

More confident, she followed Whiteheart's gaze toward a lone she-cat, distracting herself by grooming. With a nod she meowed, "Lead the way."</sup>

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Old Talonstrike
^{I'll give you a tale to blow the man down}

Talonstrike bowed his head. "Good Job." He mewed. "Let's find somewhere to sit." He found Smallwhisker a place where she wouldn't be disturbed by any apprentices. Though Starclan only knew how many times apprentices seemed to find him. He chuckled a little and wrapped his tail around the older she-cat. "Can't have you freezing now, can we?"
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