Under The Full Moon [Gathering]

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Owlstar left his den with the stars in his eyes. Many things have plagued his mind these last few weeks, but for once he could think clearly. Tonight the full moon hung heavy in the sky. Not a cloud was in sight and the stars shone bright. The tom let a soft sight leave his mouth, "Let's get started." The massive tabby leaped effortlessly onto the highrock and curled his body into a regal sit. He raised his chin and let his voice boom into the forest, "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highrock for a clan meeting." Owlstar watched as his warriors poured from the dens, their eyes burning like tiny moons. His clan settled at his paws, staring hungrily up at his jowls. All of them were anxious to attend. The gathering was an important milestone in every cat's life. Borders melted into the earth; four clans merged into one. The gathering was a night to remember. The tom raked his eyes over the sea of cats, "Tonight I have chosen Blizzardshard, Frostbite, Loudstorm, Shiningheart, Rainflight-" Owlstar felt his voice hitch on her name and for a few seconds his eyes found hers. He could feel his body tremble, his heart sink; a lump lodged itself in his throat - he had to continue, "Lightningshine, Birdsong, Skyheart, Mousepelt, Hailpaw, and Smokepaw to attend the gathering." Murmurs rustled between the cats, he could tell most of them were pleased with his selection, "The rest will stay here and keep Thunderclan safe." The tom gave the clan a dismissive nod and left the highrock with a flick of his tail. He landed neatly on the ground and within a couple strides found himself at Blizzardshard's side. He cast the tom a knowing glance, "I don't expect any trouble tonight, but as always, stay on your toes." He advised quickly and quietly, "I'll lead, and you can bring up the rear." Before the deputy could respond, Owlstar was already racing through the gorse tunnel and up the ravine. He could hear his clan thudding behind him. Without a glance between them, the tom picked his way through the undergrowth and toward fourtrees. The path brought him past the sandy hollow and far beyond the owl tree. It wasn't a long trek, but it definitely took time. As Owlstar neared the sacred trees he opened his mouth, letting the scents drift in. They were the first ones here. "Good." He breathed. Bringing his clan to a halt, he poised himself at the top of the crest, staring deep into the empty hollow. The four great oaks stretched into the sky, their bare branches scraping the stars with their reaching claws. He drew in a deep breath, preparing himself for the meeting ahead. The last gathering had gone fairly well and this moon had been nothing but peace. The patrols had brought only news of good fortune; he couldn't find any reason to fret. This gathering was destined for peaceful conversation and leisurely visits. With the flick of his tail he ushered his clan into the clearing. The cats spilled passed him and into the hollow. Owlstar chose to remain at the top of the ridge, his shoulders squared and his paws dug firmly into the earth. He wouldn't join them; not yet. [bg=816961]

Sunstar looked up at the sky. It glistened with stars, but their light was dimmed by the bright shining light of the full moon. It rose into the sky as Sunstar walked to the center of WindClan camp. With the familiar, age old greeting, she called her clan around her. "Tonight is the gathering, and joining in this meeting of the four clans are Morningstreak, Cloudstep, Honeystep, Ladybird, Blackthroat, Flamestrike, Thunderbolt, Tanglepaw, Flintpaw, Rosepaw, and Swiftpaw." Sunstar glanced across the faces of her clan. Disappointment in the young ones who would not be joining them this gathering, and almost uncontainable excitement from the others. She smiled fondly with memories of previous gatherings. She hoped this one would go as well as previous ones.

She located her deputy, Morningstreak, and with a brief conference with the she-cat, Sunstar lead the way down to the four great oak trees. She kept up a quick pace, but not a run. She wasn't in a terrible hurry to get there. As they neared the meeting area she slowed, sniffing the air for signs of other clans. Only one scent hit her scent glands strong and fragrant, that of ThunderClan.

With a flick of her tail her clan slowed, and formed into some form of single file. She glanced back to see that the apprentices had bunched together. Turning back to what was in front of her, Sunstar plunged into the undergrowth, and emerged into the clearing of Four Trees. ThunderClan had gathered already, just as she had thought. She looked around, but not sighting Owlstar, looked higher, and saw him up on the ridge that lead to ThunderClan territory. She gave a slight bow of her head in greeting, before turning to her clan and nodding for them to congregate at their leisure.

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style,width:423px; height:338px; padding-left: 11px; background: url(http://i.imgur.com/MWdweeF.png);] Mousepelt had been surprised when he had been selected to go to the gathering thinking that there had to be other warriors or even apprentices that would be more worth wale to bring along. He stayed silent about this how ever not wanting to seem unthankful for the privilege he was being give since others had to stay behind. On the way to the gathering Mousepelt stayed to the back of the group following all of his clan members easily keeping pace with them all. When they made it to the hollow he followed them all in only stopping for a moment when he had noticed that Owlstar had stayed put but went on any way not wanting to disturbed him. Once in the hollow Mousepelt quickly separated from the rest of his clan going right over to one of the great oaks impressed by its great size. When he got to the bottom of the trunk he looked up it for a bit just trying to get a feel for gust how big of a tree it was. When Mousepelt got some strange scents he turned to see that one of the other clans had shown up so he started to slowly walk to the other side of the hollow so that his clan members were between him and the other clan but he went on looking at the massive trees for some reason finding that vary interesting. As he looked at the other tree he lost him self in thought thinking of all of the moons and gatherings these infinitely aged trees must have seen in there long lives. [/style]

[center][table][tr][td][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style,width:423px; height:338px; padding-left: 11px; background: url(http://i.imgur.com/MWdweeF.png);][div style="width: 195px; height: 295px; padding: 10px; text-align: justify; font-family: timesnewroman; font-size: 12px; color: #AAAAAA; overflow: auto;"]Post here.  This is your regular color. [color=553425]"This is your text color."[/color] [color=553425][i]Your thoughts would be like this[/i][/color]  Enjoy your table.[/div][/style][/td][/tr][/table][/center]

Ladybird
» "There are no walls, no bolts, no locks that anyone can put on your mind." ~Otto Frank

The chill of leaf-bare was already well underway, but the brisk evening air could do little to penetrate Ladybird's coat, fluffed up with a certain emotion that was not quite excitement, but not far from it. The sight of so many cats congregating in one location had frighten the she-cat at her first Gathering, but it had been dozens of moons since then, and she had grown accustomed to the sight.

Though their pace was not horribly fast, Ladybird felt her paws moving swiftly beneath her, as if a gust of wind was pushing her from behind. As her Clan neared Fourtrees, the imaginary wind seemed to taper down into a light breeze that slowed her to a walk. The scent of ThunderClan was strong atop the crest overlooking the clearing to Fourtrees. The oaks stood firm and tall, as they had for generations, a promise of once-moonly peace from their ancestors. The she-cat took a deep breath as she paused among the line of cats, waiting to descend with Sunstar. Her paws prickled with a slight tinge of anxiety, but her heart was thumping with eagerness.

It was not the socializing that raised the senior warrior's spirits, however -- it was the opportunity to cat watch, to remain tucked away toward the edge of the crowds and observe the cats of all clans join together and share stories. This was an activity that she had learned to enjoy and appreciate over the moons. She would say very little, but do a great deal of listening, and it was the prospect of this that pleased her most. Far more comfortable in seeing what her Clanmates would do first -- who among the other cats they would meet, what they would say -- the Somali waited a moment as WindClan approached the great oaks. She was among the last to slip down to Fourtrees, but Ladybird would not have it any other way.

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Cloudstep was busy sorting herbs and such when Sunstar yowled to gather everyone for the meeting. It was about time. He didn't know why but he was nervous about what tonight would bring. He had been on edge since the medicine cat meeting. As they neared Four-trees he slowed and stopped seeing Owlstar standing at the ridge. He slowed as well and let the other cats pass silently by him. He looked at the stars and traced them a little. 'are you going to reveal your secrets tonight? Are you going to stay with us Starclan?' After a bit he followed his clan-mates and moved over to a tree where a brown cat was sitting, apparently admiring the size and age. He slowly moved over and sat a bit behind him. "Hello" he mewed so he wouldn't scare the cat. They smelled like Thunderclan, but he couldn't recall his name. "These are amazing trees." He paused and waited for the brown tom to respond before looking up at the tall oak trees around them. He wondered how many cats, how many troubles these trees had see. He wondered if anything new would happen tonight. Or had his dream meant nothing. [bg=a3b0b4]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style,width:423px; height:338px; padding-left: 11px; background: url(http://i.imgur.com/MWdweeF.png);] Mousepelt suddenly turned around to face the new cat a bit surprised. He had been so lost in thought about the old trees that he hadn't even heard the medicine cat walking over until he greeted Mousepelt. Mousepelt tried to quickly think about what to say to the cat but luckily the cat quickly went on to talk about the trees as well. Probably since Mousepelt him self had been inspecting them only a moment ago. He slowly sat down again nodding his head a little bit in agreement but looked to the ground to avoid eye contact. "Yes they are they seem older then most other trees I've ever seen and I'm sure they have great meaning as well." Mousepelt said still looking toward the ground. "Sorry if I seem a bit strange I'm still not use to being around so many unfamiliar cats...My names Mousepelt of Thunderclan if you were wondering." he said with a little nod trying to be respectful to the unfamiliar cat. As he sat there his tail quickly swished back and forth behind him just barley over the ground sending a little bit of dust from the ground into the air behind him with every movement. [/style]

[center][table][tr][td][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style,width:423px; height:338px; padding-left: 11px; background: url(http://i.imgur.com/MWdweeF.png);][div style="width: 195px; height: 295px; padding: 10px; text-align: justify; font-family: timesnewroman; font-size: 12px; color: #AAAAAA; overflow: auto;"]Post here.  This is your regular color. [color=553425]"This is your text color."[/color] [color=553425][i]Your thoughts would be like this[/i][/color]  Enjoy your table.[/div][/style][/td][/tr][/table][/center]

A monstrous tom with thick gray locks of fur stretched, icy blue eyes closing as a yawn separated his jaws. Muscles quivering from the stretch and lethal teeth clacking closed, the giant stood at a tall and proud height before slipping elegantly from his den inside the sturdy roots of an old oak tree. The cat was obvious the leading role of his Clan, every step full of the purpose and regality that only radiated from those with power. He, Stormstar, was finished with his thinking and leapt up onto a huge boulder to announce who would go with him to this moon's Gathering. I have barely been leader for a moon or two, so this is my first time leading my Clan to a Gathering...hopefully the peace will stay a while longer. With so many recent deaths of those close to him, the young cat had relished to sweet peace of the past few weeks. Now was the time to keep that peace, so Stormstar had to be intelligent with the way he presented himself. Sure all the Clans knew quite well of his arrogant narcissism, but they also knew he could be serious and leaderly. That was obviously the reason Fernstar had chosen him as deputy despite his extremely young age. Anyhow, now was the time to show to his Clan that he was more than fit to lead ShadowClan and he was well prepared. "Cats of ShadowClan, I have made my decision as to who will accompany me to the Gathering tonight. Please listen carefully and be prepared to leave as soon as I leave this boulder. My companions for tonight are as follows: Emberheart, Thistlespot, Redwhisker, Patchclaw, Tawnystripe, Whiteclaw, Whitesmoke, Cloudspot, Blazingpaw, Foxpaw, and Marshpaw. Let's have a peaceful, fun night without any fights, understood? Those of you remaining, I leave the camp in your paws until we return. " Nodding with finality and satisfaction at his Clanmates, Stormstar took a sweeping jump off the boulder and hit the ground bounding his way out of camp. It felt good to have his Clan on his heals, the thrill of the run coursing through his muscular body. The journey wasn't too extremely long and ShadowClan soon arrived, all bright eyed and bushy tailed with excitement. The stormy gray leader took a moment to look and scent for who had arrived and nodded to his Clanmates when he found they were second to last. ShadowClan raced down to meet WindClan and ThunderClan with Stormstar in their ranks. He was one of the largest and tallest among them so he was revealed easily in his pack of Clanmates, especially when he took his spot where the leaders made announcements and nodded to Owlstar and Sunstar with a charming grin on his maw. "Good evening, looking lovely as always Sunstar." As a still rather young and flirtatious cat, it was a common occurrence for Stormstar to tease sh-cats and even some toms. It was just how he was, and there was no stopping his habits. WindClan's leader was in fact a rather pretty feline and Stormstar tended to admire beauty strongly since he himself was rather good looking. StarClan had graced the gray cat with charm, strength, and looks and he loved to flaunt it so that perhaps he could get a rise out of the females he encountered. Usually it either disgusted or enchanted them when he did this, but he was never quite serious about his advances; this was especially true when it came to cats outside of ShadowClan. [bg=f0f0f1][atrb=border,0,true]

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Cloudstep smiled some seeing that the cat was friendly. Mousepelt. Yes he had heard other cats talk about him. a little quiet and nervous around new cats. He hoped he wasn't intruding on the tom's space. He did seem a little nervous, but at least he was talking back. "Yes they do. I would love to know how the founding clans had found this place. Had these trees just been saplings? or did they even know Four trees, the same number as the clans....of course once Skyclan was gone, would grow here," he mewed, his eyes wide in wonder. He stopped and looked at the tom realizing he was rambling. He felt the heat rise in his cheek and shuffled his paws some. He knew he tended to ramble when he was nervous. He realized he hadn't even introduced himself. "My name is Cloudstep, Medicine Cat of Windclan," he said with confidence. "It's nice to meet you Mousepelt. I enjoy talking to other cats from different clans. You get to learn about more cats and the way they live. How are things going in Thunderclan anyway? you don't have to tell me. I just had friends before when I was an apprentice." He sat quietly and watched some as other cats mingled here and there. He could see Flamestrike moving around the crowd and wondered if he would come talk to him. It had been a while since they had talked. [bg=a3b0b4]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style,width:423px; height:338px; padding-left: 11px; background: url(http://i.imgur.com/MWdweeF.png);] Mousepelt did not reply right away thinking of the best way to reply to Cloudstep with out giving away to much about his own clan but soon thought there was no harm in telling him. "Well as far as I can tell every one is doing pretty well. No problems like sickness or bad wounds so far which is good." Mousepelt said but continued to avoid Cloudstep's eyes instead taking a quick glance to all the other cats. After looking for a bit he realized that another clan had entered the hollow taking a quick smell he thought it must be Shadowclan. "All thats left to show up is Riverclan now. I hope nothing is keeping them." Mousepelt muttered mostly to him self as if he was thinking out loud. Now that he know Cloudstep at lest seemed friendly he had relaxed a little bit shown by his tail that had slowed down a bit but still sent dust in the air with every sweeping movement. "So um...how is your clan doing staying fully fed I hope?" Mousepelt asked thinking it was only polite to talk to Cloudstep since he had come all the way over to speak with him. [/style]

[center][table][tr][td][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style,width:423px; height:338px; padding-left: 11px; background: url(http://i.imgur.com/MWdweeF.png);][div style="width: 195px; height: 295px; padding: 10px; text-align: justify; font-family: timesnewroman; font-size: 12px; color: #AAAAAA; overflow: auto;"]Post here.  This is your regular color. [color=553425]"This is your text color."[/color] [color=553425][i]Your thoughts would be like this[/i][/color]  Enjoy your table.[/div][/style][/td][/tr][/table][/center]

Birdsong
» Take me under your wing tonight

Birdsong stepped lightly as he streamed into the clearing after his Clan, his pelt glowing as it usually was from a recent thorough grooming. He was particularly alert, keen to avoid another incident with Hailpaw. As he ran down the slope that led to Fourtrees, he kept a shape eye out for the apprentice, swaying his head this way and that as he attempted to keep up with his fellow ThunderClan warriors. The tom finally spotted him amongst another group of young cats, and he gave a sigh of relief. With any luck, the journey would leave him with a minimal amount of cleaning afterward, and he could return to camp and--

Yowww!

Suddenly, Birdsong found himself laying on his back, squealing in surprise. Well now, that was a rather jarring transition! A gnarled root twisted just above his head, mocking him as he stared up at the darkening sky. Several cats who were behind him easily leaped over the obstacle, clearing both the root and Birdsong in graceful jumps.

"So much for that," he mumbled aloud to himself, rolling over and shaking himself vigorously. He would have stopped right then and there to begin cleaning himself off, but as more cats passed him, he grumbled and scampered after them, his tail tucked firmly between his legs. He just had to make a fool of himself whenever the opportunity presented itself, didn't he?

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The ginger tom was glad to be going to the gathering this time. However Lightpaw had not been able to come. She would get to come sometime. It was nice to traveling along with his companions. As they entered Four Trees Lightningshine slowly made his way looking around for any familiar face that weren't in his clan. He dind't see any so he found himself just sitting in teh middle waiting. He wasn't really in the mood to intrude on conversations. He was glad to see Shadowclan had finally arrived. Maybe Riverclan would show up soon and the gathering would get started. Looking around he spotted Birdsong looked a little embarrassed. He had heard that he had fallen. It seemed like he needed a little pick me up. He quietly strode over and nudged the tom some. "Hey Birdsong, what's got you down?" he mewed quietly. It was odd for anyone to be down on a gathering night. "Hey if it's about the fall, don't feel so bad. I've seen cats do worse. At least you weren't so excited that you ran through here and ran into one of the oak trees. Guilty as charged." He grinned some and flicked his tail slightly. He smiled at the tom. He knew he was a little different but he didn't care. A clan mate was a clan mate. [bg=d4d6a7]

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Marshpaw’s limbs were humming with a welcoming warmth as Shadowclan crested over the small ridge overlooking Fourtrees. The run hadn’t been quite at a breakneck pace but for the big apprentice that was still trying to find his paws so to speak it had landed him at the back of the group. Well, not quite. There was a full fledged warrior bringing up the rear, technically; just that it was hard to notice them when Marshpaw managed to take up most of one’s field of view. And so it was, when Shadow flew down to meet up with the likes of Thunder and Wind that the eight moon old monster -although considering the express size of some others in his clan- of an apprentice came to rest in the middle of the large group. A first gathering and without his mentor to boot hadn’t been what he had expected really. Although the three Clans had slipped together rather seamlessly, cats from all directions milling back and forth between friends and acquaintances all Marshpaw could really do was stand there dumbly for a moment surrounded by them. In all honesty the tortoiseshell tom couldn’t see the point in allowing him to the gathering when his mentor was to stay behind - who was he really supposed to sit with in that predicament? Well he figured those of a more adventurous or sociable nature would simply chat up whatever cat they came across. His ears flicked gently at this thought. No, he did not see that going well - not when he could hardly hold a conversation with his own Clanmates. No, nothing of that sort. Standing stock still in the middle of the gathering, being as big as he was, wasn’t the best idea either though. He blinked slowly, large head scanning the area with a slow sweep of his neck. He wasn’t all that sure of what he was looking for but he figured the several odd stares he was getting at his statue like state might move off him if he looked like he was adhering to some social aspect of life. Yes, they could just assume he was looking for a comrade… Wait, wasn’t that what he had to do in the first place? Well, he could berate his circling thoughts and unprepared psyche later, for now he had to blend in with some semblance of normalcy. A little farther on the apprentice could spot the long mottled coat of Blazingpaw. As another ‘large’ cat the other apprentice stuck out just as much as Marshpaw did. In fact appearance wise they weren’t all that different. The other tom was amber eyed and long furred mind you but they were the same where most cats would notice it. Perhaps that was the key to tonight. Eyes narrowing minutely Marshpaw finally moved, startling a few cats in front of him as he slowly made his way to the other apprentice. While he was cautious of where he stepped there was little he could do to force his way through tight spaces; it took some time for the dark colored tom to finally find his way through the mass of cats and conversations to Blazingpaw’s side. Here Marshpaw was once again at a loss. The two apprentices weren’t all that close in age, and hardly alike in personality. It was pretty much Clan knowledge that Blazingpaw was a rather ridiculously over-confident cat with a stinging tongue and harsh attitude while Marshpaw was altogether passive and ghost worthy save for the girth of his skeleton. And then there was the she-cat aspect of the other tom… Not pleasant. All the time the two had shared was a hunting patrol and even then Marshpaw had been the only non she-cat there. Oh well, he would deal with being sent away if it came to that. For now the Shadowclan apprentice merely settled beside his denmate, careful consideration put into the tail length distance between them. [bg=977358]

Birdsong
» Take me under your wing tonight

Fretting in typical Birdsong fashion, the white tom was too engrossed in his own troubles to notice Lightningshine's approach. For a cat who was so carefully avoiding a certain apprentice only moments prior, he was certainly easy to distract. His head jerked up at his Clanmate's comment and he began stuttering. "It- it- it- just appeared out of nowhere, I s-s-swear to StarClan!" He inhaled sharply and let out a slow breath. It was several moments before he spoke again, calmer this time.

"Although... like you said, at least I didn't headbutt the trees. Or the Great Rock. Or another cat. Or a rabbit. Or..." He had the potential to go on forever, but stopped after a few more unnecessary examples. Lightningshine must think him a nutcase! Snorting defensively, he straightened his back and began doing what he did best -- washing his face with a forepaw dampened by a rapid stroke of his tongue.

When his nerves had finally settled, he spoke again, changing the subject. "Quite the er, crowd we've gathered here tonight," he mused, glancing about at the variety of pelts around him -- orange and gray, white and black, blue and brown. The murmuring of many cats was beginning to grow louder as ShadowClan arrived.

OOC|| Being dragged off to bed. Night all, see you in the morning! <3

[atrb=border,0,true] Smokepaw was practically vibrating with excitement. Tonight was the first gathering since he was apprenticed, and he was honestly more surprised than elated when he heard Owlstar name him as one of the cats attending.; he'd have to thank his mentor for it later. By the time they made it out of the camp, excitement had taken over, with just a touch of nervousness to balance it out. His nerves grew stronger the closer they got to Fourtrees, and as he came to a stop behind his clanmates, waiting to enter the hollow, his heart pumped quickly in his chest and his paws shook a little with some heady combination of fear and ecstasy. When Owlstar gave the signal, he followed the rest of the cats in rushing past their leader and into the clearing, his heartbeat loud in his ears and his eyes bright in the moonlight. A few moments later, he scented WindClan, and nervously understood that this was where the gathering really began. He watched warily as the other clan slipped into the clearing, some keeping to themselves and some mingling with his clanmates. He didn't immediately move to approach anyone, though, instead hanging back and watching as WindClan filtered into the clearing. Then, not long after, he scented an even stronger smell - ShadowClan - and turned to see them, too, approaching from their territory. It was enlightening enough to hang back and observe, and it certainly gave him ample opportunity to first realize that RiverClan wasn't here yet and then wonder about what was keeping them. Eventually, though, he decided that he was wasting a golden opportunity to learn more about the other clans, so he steeled himself and began to search for someone to talk to. He cast his eyes around the clearing, searching for anyone who looked like he might get along with them. Admittedly, he was capable of getting along with most anyone, but he didn't particularly feel like forcing himself to play nice with someone ornery tonight. Eventually, his eyes fell toward the WindClan side of the clearing, and a particularly striking pelt caught his attention. The she-cat was a vibrant orange-red, and she, too, seemed to be hanging back from socialization. He didn't really want to invade on anyone's privacy, but at the same time, he was curious, and she wasn't engaged in a conversation with anyone else, so she ought to be a safe option for conversation. He got up slowly and wandered over to her, his steps smooth and careful in order to avoid tripping on any of the roots or rocks throughout the clearing, the way he'd seen Birdsong do a moment ago; when he reached her, he hesitated for a moment before settling on his haunches and meowing, "Hello. I'm Smokepaw, from ThunderClan." He wasn't really sure what else to say, so he just left it at that; he hadn't seen this she-cat on the border before, and he certainly had no other way to know her, so he had no idea what her name was. With a pelt that unique, he'd certainly remember it if they had met. wc: 520 (i'm so sorry ;v; ) for: bandit (ladybird)

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Blazingpaw was surprised to hear Stormstar call his name. Honestly, he was surprised any time he was selected to go to a gathering. He figured his charming personality would keep him in camp. Unfortunately this wasn't the case. The tom let a long, irritated breath leave his mouth before dragging himself to his paws and out of camp. He'd never let anyone know it, but he actually enjoyed gatherings. It was different. He liked being thrown into the melting pot. He was so used to the sights and sounds of Shadowclan that anything remotely foreign was stimulating. The tortoiseshell trotted diligently after his clan; intent on keeping his mouth shut and his thoughts tunneled. He wasn't particularly interested in small chit-chat and would rather focus on the task at hand. He wanted to dive into the clearing and settle himself dead and center. He liked listening to the leaders converse. It was inspiring. Blazingpaw never dreamed of being leader. He was fine living the 'ole warrior dream. Becoming a celebrated warrior, settling down, pop out a few kits, retire after a devastating accident; he figured it was his destiny anyway - still the idea of perching himself atop the great rock - well it was an idea. The tom drew to a stop, a slight pause, watching as Stormstar approached the hollow. Blazingpaw opened his mouth, luring in the scents, Riverclan was the only clan missing. He bit the inside of his cheeks, at least we're not last. He figured that showing up late amounted to weakness, and for such a lousy cat he never lacked loyalty. Shadowclan was his clan. Stormstar singled for them to descend and without much thought he threw himself into the frenzy. He was big, burly, and most of the cats could outrun him anyway. For a few seconds he found himself neck and neck with Marshpaw, but the tom hadn't seemed to notice him. Blazingpaw shrugged, it's not like he wanted to talk anyway. Melding into the crowd, the massive apprentice picked himself into the center. Most of the cats were talking between one another, too absorbed to notice the lone apprentice. Blazingpaw gave himself a shake, it started in his hind legs and ended with his head. He found his gaze resting on the great rock. Sunstar and Stormstar seemed lost in idle conversation while Owlstar was off somewhere else. The tom glanced around, hoping to catch sight of the tabby tom. He was a young leader, but well-spoken. For a Thunderclan cat he wasn't that stupid, still, Stormstar easily had him beat. Shadowclan easily had everyone beat. Suddenly he felt someone slide in beside him, the tom looked reluctantly to his left surprised to see a fidgeting Marshpaw at his side, "Are you lost?" He meowed instinctively. He would rather spend this gathering alone but the poor apprentice looked damned wasted. Blazingpaw rolled his eyes, a sharp breath shot through his teeth and into the silence, "Is this your first gathering?" [bg=a99a8d]