Moving On [Thunderclan Meeting]

Owlstar trained his eyes on the ground; watching as his claws slid in and out of the peaty earth. He knew he had to face his clan tonight - while the moon still hung ominously in the sky. It was lower now, ready to dip back under the horizon and vanish with the sun. Tonight's events were unexplainable to say in the least. What could he say to his clanmates? What words would ease their aching minds? A heavy sigh left his throat, billowing warmly against his toes. The air was tighter, choking him silent. As Thunderclan's leader it was his responsibility to keep his clan safe but was what he supposed to do? How often did something like this happen? Was it even plausible? The deputy had dropped like a fly - her eerie words still stung his lips, poisoning his mind. He couldn't think of anything else. "They're beneath us." The ground felt foreign beneath his feet.

Lowering his body into a sit, the tom pierced his brows and tried to form some sort of plan. He hadn't had time to speak to Frostbite; her words needed to be heard in confidence, and his clan needed to be soothed now. Owlstar could hear their worried murmurs cling to his walls - each word a claw through his heart. He didn't want to hear them this way; frightened, upset. His eyes hardening the tom rolled an idea over his tongue. Perhaps he could speed up training, appoint a few apprentices; prepare his clan for the inevitable. He could feel it in his blood; this wasn't just a one time thing. A cat doesn't die without reason. The tom lifted his eyes to the mouth of his den, trying to reach the stars with his will, "Please give me guidance." He closed his eyes, and for a few seconds he felt peace overcome him - and it was gone.

The tabby left his den with his chin held high, he could feel the hungry eyes of his clanmates watch his every move as he padded across camp. Bunching his shoulders, he dropped his body into a crouch and leaped onto the high-rock. ""Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highrock for a clan meeting." Owlstar's voice boomed into the clearing - immediately a hush fell over the clan. They fell toward him in quiet waves, for once their wasn't any wondering whispers or ill-tempered remarks. They were silent. The camp was littered with shining eyes and parted maws. They wanted answers. "I would like to begin the meeting with a moment of silence." The tom begin, "The forest has a lost a great warrior this evening and although she was not part of our clan, she was still a child of starclan and a fellow warrior. Our hearts go out to those of Windclan. May Morningstreak rest in peace." His words were quiet, dry on his tongue. They felt empty.

The clan remained silent, each cat dipped their head in mourning; even those who had to remain in camp chose to play along. Owlstar let the moment last; enough just to bide him time. He was lost. He didn't know what he could say to make them feel better; he'd just have to make due with what he had. "I don't know what's happening." The tabby could feel himself grimace, "All I know is that this is the start of something." Owlstar lifted his chin, "And when something happens I want Thunderclan to be ready."

Sitting in her den the medicine cat faced her herbs with no expression on her face. Whatever happened at the gathering still stood with this medicine cat. She had no idea what was to be done or what was going on anymore. A ear gave a flick when the medicine cat heard the end of the leaders gathering call. Taking her time Frostbite got up slowly and turned around and padded out of her den. Cats gathered around and saw one by one cats head go down in the respect for Morningstreak. Frostbite held hers high still but dipped it a slight bit. Something wasn't adding up and it was now making her start to want to find out what. Her eyes went to her leader and knew she still had to talk to him. The dream still haunted her every night and she knew she did the right thing by not telling her dream at the gathering. The other clans might have gotten upset with her but she didnt care. Looking up at the sky she blinked and looked back at her clan.

After the clan had returned to camp Mousepelt had done his best to avoid the rest of the clan keeping to a outskirts of the camp really not wanting to talk about what had happened. He did this for the sole reason of having no idea of what to say about it. He had not known anything about the cat that had died or about anything else that had happened. Thinking it best to keep out of the way he stayed in the outskirts of the camp looking to the ground as he kept on thing about what could happen and what it could all possibly mean but he know that he didn't have any of the answers to any of his own questions probably just like everyone else. But then he was snapped back to the camp when he heard Owlstar call from the high rock for a gathering so Mousepelt slowly got up and joined the clan. Mousepelt sat farthest from the high rock since he was one of the last to join. Owlstar had started the gathering with a moment of silence for the fallen can so Mousepelt had closed his eyes and lowered his head until his nose just touched the ground even know he had never known the cat it was clear she had been highly respected and disserved this moment dedicated to her. As Owlstar spoke of Morningstreak Mousepelt hoped as well that the cat could some how find peace in her death. When Owlstar went on to talk about the gathering Mousepelt slowly sat back up and gave Owlstar his full attention but when he finished speaking Mousepelt stayed silently were he was and slowly looked around at the other cats wondering if anyone else had anything to ask about or to add to what Owlstar had said. This is your regular color. Your thoughts would be like this

[/i]?'

The deputy went to each and every group, sometimes at least twice, to answer the questions as best he could. He'd been the closest ThunderClan cat at the time Morningstreak had first started to bleed, so Blizzardshard felt it was his duty. No matter what he said, though, he had the sense that it wasn't working. The Clan wanted reassurance, yes, but they wanted the reassurance of their leader.

Owlstar had retreated to his den almost immediately after they returned from the Gathering. Blizzardshard hadn't said anything about it, knowing his old friend would need time to gather his thoughts. That had been a while ago, though. Blizzardshard understood better than most that sometimes isolation was the best way to think, but Owlstar would have to face them all sometime, right?

He cast an anxious look at the High Rock just in time to see the leader himself exit his den and leap to the top. Blizzardshard breathed a sigh of relief before taking the deputy's place at the base of the stone, looking up with the rest of his Clanmates to the large tom. "I would like to begin the meeting with a moment of silence." The tom begin, "The forest has a lost a great warrior this evening and although she was not part of our clan, she was still a child of starclan and a fellow warrior. Our hearts go out to those of Windclan. May Morningstreak rest in peace."

Blizzardshard bowed his head in sorrow. He'd never exactly been friends with Morningstreak, but the loss was felt all the same. Grief threatened to overcome him when he remembered his last words to WindClan's lost deputy. ""Hey Morningstreak! Don't take this the wrong way, but I'm surprising you're talking to us. Normally you just sit to the side and ignore everyone until the end of the Gathering." They hadn't been cruel words, but there were most certainly better things to say.

The other deputies had teased Morningstreak too about how she often just stayed out of the way. Since Blizzardshard hadn't thought Morningstreak would die so soon, he hadn't tried to stop it. Now, he'd give almost anything to take it back. He was so caught up in his grieving that he almost missed when Owlstar started speaking, and he looked back up when Owlstar spoke of ThunderClan being ready. "I'll double the patrols around the borders, just in case." he promised, looking at his Clanmates to see how they'd take it.
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Dapplekit yawned as she heard her father call out for the clan to gather. She stretched and wiggled her nose from where she had tripped when she had been out with Smokepaw. Frostbite had looked out it and reported nothing wrong. She perked her ears then slipped out not bothering to wait on Mossykit. She could catch her own prey, so she felt as this applied to her. finding a small rock she hopped up and settled in, just over the warriors heads. Her dad looked so bold standing above everyone. He really looked like a leader and for a bit she felt proud. Then she remembered that he had not talked to her in moons. Her tail flicked slightly before wrapping around her paws. No matter, she still had her mother who cared about her. She didn't need him. Though she had to admit that she missed playing with him. As her father spoke again about the gathering her eyes widened some. Had that really happened? Had a warrior, no a deputy, really died? She thought the gatherings were supposed to be safe times. why would anyone kill a deputy? And why were Owlstar and Blizzardshard being so calm about this? No she wasn't a part of their clan, but she was still a warrior all the same. It was wrong. However, Dapplekit kept her opinions to herself. She knew her place in this clan. she was still a kit. Her opinion didn't matter when it came to clan matters like this. but something inside her, by watching her father's actions, that something else was going on tonight. What else could be happening tonight? She quietly thought for a bit then her eyes widened. She was almost six moons...or was six moons. She never really knew her birth day, but she remembered that Rainflight and Blizzardshard had been talking about apprentice ceremonies. Was tonight the night that she was finally going to get to join the ranks as an apprentice? Word Count: 329 Tags: No one really? lol Thoughts: My little girl is growing up. -sniffles- [bg=f2c469]

Mousepelt sat quietly as the meeting went on after Owlstar had finished Blizzardshard added that he was going to increases patrols but at the same time Mousepelt could tell he was taking the death of the cat a lot harder then most of the other cats "He must have know the cat well. This has to be hard for him." Mousepelt thought to him self. When Blizzardshard was finished he looked at the clan seeming to be waiting for a reaction but surprisingly no one said any thing right away in response. Mousepelt slowly started to get up thinking he mite volunteer to do extra patrols but quickly sat back down again and looked toward the ground. He really didn't feel up to having that much attention from the entire clan especially with every thing that was happening right now. "Everyone is going to need to do extra patrols...he will just send me out when I'm needed he doesn't need me to volunteer to do that." he muttered to him self under his breath scowling him self a bit for almost interrupting a meeting for a pointless reason. After that Mousepelt shock his head a little to clear it of his own self scowling and turned his attention back to Blizzardshard and the rest of the clan.

Icepaw and Glazepaw had been quietly snoozing away the full moon, the Gathering mattered little to them if it did not affect them directly, they stirred a little however when some of the ‘active’ apprentices rushed outside. Icepaw shook the drowsiness away as she heard the hurried whispers of her clanmates, she helped her sister get up, it seemed like a clan meeting was about to start. As soon as their heads popped outside their leader called forth every single cat that could catch prey, they both walked towards the clearing but sat a little farther apart, their bodies touching and their tails curling together from time to time. They half-listened to Owlstar, lowering their heads a little in fake mourning and perking their ears up when the deputy spoke.

Double patrols… what good would that do? Glazepaw frowned just the slightest bit, the leader had announced the death of the WindClan deputy… what she wanted to know was how exactly she had died. Someone had said she had suddenly bled to death, attacked? A poison was at work? Or did she simply drop dead? She turned to her sister with a puzzled expression; Icepaw shrugged and tilted her head.

“I can see why’d they want to double patrols,” The youngest whispered to her sister’s ear, looking at the assembly of cats and hoping none would care enough to listen to their whispers. “But they haven’t told us what we should look out for,” Glazepaw frowned again, her mismatched eyes confused. “Poison?” her sister continued. “A monster?” said the other one. “Or maybe the wrath-“ one mewed and immediately the eldest completed the sentence “of a bunch of dead cats?”

“Plus, if she really simply dropped dead…” Glazepaw left the sentence hanging, allowing its meaning to sink in to which her sister waited patiently. After a few heartbeats Icepaw cleared her throat and spoke, leaning in a little to feel Glazepaw’s warmth “… what good will patrols do?” They fell quiet, respect wasn't their strongest virtue, specially when one talked about the eldest but they still felt their worries were, in the least, valid.

Word count: 354 words.
Tags: All of those who have sharp ears, I think?
Notes: So sorry, mused not working with me lately.

Owlstar
there is a purpose behind you
the whole intends to do something through you

<sup>"I'll double the patrols around the borders, just in case." The massive tom gave his deputy a swift nod of approval. He appreciated Blizzardshard's composure. It was important for them to stay stoic; strong. If they crumbled then where would their clan stand? They would fall as they did, and Thunderclan would be thrown into chaos. Owlstar rolled his shoulders, as if he were gathering the words to say on his tongue. He could feel the bitter winds of leaf-bare approaching and it was important for Thunderclan to speed up it's regime. The more able bodied warriors the better; they had to be prepared for the worst. The tom's golden eyes fell on the young - trailing over each, and every apprentice. He had his own, Smokepaw, and then their were his sisters. The tabby let his gaze rest of the young Hailpaw, and soon they ended on the twins, Icepaw and Glazepaw. There were few. He knew Windclan was boasting an enormous apprentice inventory, and for a second he felt his fur bristle with jealously. The young were important - they were the future of his clan and with so few apprentices he wasn't sure where their future was heading. Narrowing his gaze, he let it burn into the dappled coat of his daughter. She was ready.

Lifting his chin the tom beckoned Dapplekit forward, "Dapplekit, it is time you begin your training and join Thunderclan's ranks as an apprentice." The tom hadn't given it much thought; this was on a whim. He could feel Rainflight's bright, blue gaze bore into him. Owlstar figured he should have approached her first, but she'd understand? Wouldn't she? "Blizzardshard." The words were loud, sharp, "You'll train her." His decision was rash, and completely forward. He hadn't even talked to his deputy about this; he didn't even know if Blizzardshard could handle an apprentice right now. But he was the only cat he could fully trust with his daughter anyway. The tom found himself watching the she-kit as she wriggled with excitement - a small, sad smile curled the corners of his lips. Guilt tugged at his heart; the last time he had really spent time with her was before his leadership. He wish he could have been there for her more.

Clearing his throat he performed the ceremonial words that have been past down from generation to generation, "Although our circumstances are dire, this is a proud day for Thunderclan, by naming apprentices we show that Thunderclan will survive and remain strong." He pulled himself from a sit and into a stand, the tom grabbed his daughter's attention with his stare, "Dapplekit , from now on until you receive your warrior name you will be known as Dapplepaw." He kept his gaze on the newly named apprentice, but spoke to his deputy, "Blizzardshard, you are a gifted mentor and talented warrior, you will be Dapplepaw's mentor. I know you will pass on your strength, wisdom, and nobility to Dapplepaw, and teach her the skills that will make her a valued warrior of Thunderclan."</sup>

Answers. Every cat just wanted answers. Cats would come up to Frostbite and drown her in the fifty questions game and what good could this she cat do? She didn't have answers! Just dreams and signs.. Coming back to reality Frostbite couldn't help but over hear two apprentices Glazepaw and her sister. Padding quietly up behind the two she cats she looked down at them and opened her mouth and hissed, ''Nothing! Doubling patrols wont do anything. We are looking for something...'' Choosing her words carefully Frostbite stopped in her words and thought for a moment. Something we can't see.. she mewed in her head staring blankly at the two apprentices. Looking up at her leader she still waited for him to come to her. If he wanted to talk to her well he knew where he could find her. Going back to her point though, ''Doubling patrols wont do dung. If it was poison the medicine cats would have picked it up. did you forget we were here?'' Sitting proud and tall she looked around still seeing cats talk and talk and whisper. Her heart sank internally when ribs were showing. Including her own. Frostbite didn't think about herself for now.. prey might be gone but herbs to help her work werent.. thank starclan. Hearing Blizzardshard talk about doubling she wanted to go over and claw his ears off and tell him they needed a different plan. Yet she stayed quiet and hung back.

Mousepelt's ears perked As he heard some one speak up and he turned his head to give her his full attention. When she seemed finish speaking Mousepelt slowly got up posed for a moment but then spoke "I can see what you do mean but..." he posed again looking for a moment his ear starting to twitch uncomfortable since he was talking in fount of every one but it was to late to go back now and he felt like he had something important to say so he went on. "At the vary lest extra patrols make sure are own territory is safe from things we can control...and we could do thing other things as well when we are on patrol we could hunt what we find or maybe even collect some herbs if we come across some. What I'm trying to say is that I don't think we can do much to stop what happened at the gathering from happening again besides hoping and praying but extra patrols could at lest help us get by."Mousepelt finally finished looking away from any of the cats toward the ground his ear still twitching and his tail swishing back and forth behind him still clearly uncomfortable

❈ Apprentice Of Thunderclan ❈
I Dream a Dream

She listened quietly as Owlstar talked about the gathering, about losing a great warrior in a different clan. Other cats were muttering around them, wondering what double patrols and worrying would do. Her laid her ears back some in slight annoyance. Did they not trust their leader and deputy to make decisions that would help the clan? Even the medicine cat seemed to be in a foul mood, but again when wasn't Frostbite in a bad mood.

Then she heard her name come from her father's mouth. She stopped and looked at him. Everything in her started trembling as she realized what was going on. He was really stating her apprentice ceremony. She swallowed and slowly hopped off her stone perch and walked over to her father waiting quietly as her father got ready to announce who her mentor would be.
"Blizzardshard. You will train her."

Her ears perked excitedly. She had been worried that he hadn't been able to talk to Owlstar about wishing to train her, but now she had nothing to worry about. She waited quietly as Blizzardshard came over and stood beside her to finish the ceremony. She tried to sit really still but she was so excited. She was going to finally be able to stat training.

'Look at me, Ratkit. I'm finally an apprentice,'she thought happily glancing at the sky. 'I just wish you could be here with me.'
As her father finished she turned and faced Blizzardshard. She looked up and realized how much taller he was and closed her eyes scrunching her little nose some as she waited. However, she never felt his nose. What was she supposed to do? Meet him? or what he supposed to come to her? She decided to take a chance and rose up on her back paws, tucking her paws against her chest, almost looking like a small rabbit. She relaxed and opened her eyes feeling Blizzardshard touch his nose to hers. She grinned meeting his eyes.

As she landed back on her front paws her ears laid back some. Weren't the other clan members supposed to start calling out her new apprentice name? or was that for only warriors? She knew they were worried about the gathering, but did they not care about this as well?

Word Count: 376
Tags: Blizzardshard
Thoughts: Hehe she looks like a little rabbit.

Blizzardshard could hear his Clanmates mutter to each other about the extra patrols. The two apprentices, Icepaw and Glazepaw, were muttering about what good would the patrols do and what were they actually looking for? Frostbite was quick to agree with them, but the deputy didn't miss her trailing off after her denial of the patrols doing anything. She was quick to repeat her opinion that patrols wouldn’t do anything.

He almost wanted to wail out loud. He knew the patrols wouldn’t do anything. They couldn’t fight because they didn’t know the enemy, and they didn’t know the enemy because they couldn’t see it. At least this way they could PRETEND they weren’t helpless mice waiting to be pounced on. To Blizzardshard’s immense surprise, of all cats, it was Mousepelt who practically repeated his thoughts.

The deputy gave a faint nod of approval to the brown tabby, not too obvious but enough that anyone looking at him would see it. ”Blizzardshard. You will train her.” Eh? Train who? He turned back to the actual meeting and realized that Dapplekit was in front of the High Rock, practically quivering with excitement, and understanding flashed. This was Dapplekit’s apprentice ceremony, and he’d just been called forward to be her mentor.

He padded to meet the young she-cat, throwing a single, questioning glance at Owlstar. Blizzardshard had known he’d be Dapplekit’s mentor, but the timing was a little off. Was this meant as just a distraction, to remind the Clan that they had to keep going on no matter what mysteries were presented to them? Owlstar didn’t meet his eyes, instead keeping his stare on his foster daughter even as he spoke the traditional words to complete the ceremony. "Blizzardshard, you are a gifted mentor and talented warrior, you will be Dapplepaw's mentor. I know you will pass on your strength, wisdom, and nobility to Dapplepaw, and teach her the skills that will make her a valued warrior of Thunderclan."

It took him a moment to force his mind away from the events of the other night and to look down at the newly named Dapplepaw. She looked so freaking adorble with her nose scrunched up to meet his that Blizzardshard bit his cheek in an attempt to keep from laughing. But that moment had been too long for Dapplepaw apparently because she reared up on her hind legs to meet his nose.

Blizzardshard obediently lowered his head to meet hers, whispering, ”Told you I’d be your mentor.” This would normally be the time the Clan chanted her new name, but they’d barely taken any notice of the monumental moment. The deputy narrowed his eyes at his Clanmates before meeting the blue eyes of his mate.

Shiningheart took the queue from him and started the chant, glaring at the other cats of ThunderClan to show them just how rude and horrible they were being to Dapplepaw. “Dapplepaw! Dapplepaw!”

Keep quiet no longer,
We'll sing through the day,
Of the lives that we've lost,
And the lives we've reclaimed.

Mousepelt took a long breath breathing all that he could in and then out. This helped him calm him self a bit and after he glanced back up to see Blizzardshard nod in his direction seeming to be a silent thank you all Mousepelt was able to give was a small nod in return but he quickly looked back to the ground sure that other cats would follow Blizzardshard's nod to him and he really didn't want any more attention then he already had. Mousepelt kept his gaze down expecting a tongue lashing from the she-cat he had spoken against but it didn't happen. Instead Blizzardshard seemed to want to change the subject going on to start chanting the new apprentices name. Mousepelt realized that he had completely forgotten about the poor little one in the moment and instantly felt extremely guilty for it but he was unsure of what to do now. This was the first apprentice ceremony he had been to and he wisent sure if he should join in the chant. After a short moment joined in "Dapplepaw. Dapplepaw." he said it low and softly so probably only the closest cats to him were likely to hear him. He felt bad that he didn't say it louder like Blizzardshard but it was the best he could muster.

Owlstar
there is a purpose behind you
the whole intends to do something through you

<sup>An unsettling qualm spilled over the crowd - before a few impatient murmurs and the occasional cough split the silence but now there was nothing. Dapplepaw deflated instantly, her ears pressed against her skull and the little she-cat tucked her chin into her chest. The clan wasn't chanting, why weren't they doing anything? Before the tom could question it, Shiningheart broke the lull with a loud, heart-felt chant, "Dapplepaw! Dapplepaw!" Immediately the clan sprung to life; some were more enthusiastic than others, but it was enough - it was enough with what they had been through. Owlstar joined in as it died down, his words loud and brimming with pride, "Dapplepaw! Dapplepaw!" The crowd slowly simmered until a few quiet murmurs of congratulations remained. The massive tabby cast his daughter a glittering glance, his eyes beaming with happiness. "I'm proud of you." He mouthed the words to Dapplepaw - knowing that she would understand.

Once the silence had returned, the attention drew back to their leader. The tom raised his chin and swept his gaze over the crowd, "Thunderclan will keep it's integrity with heightened patrols and an advancement in our training programs." Owlstar paused, "If you see or hear anything, please report to me immediately." With a quip nod the tom leaped from his podium and into a sea of pelts. He picked his way through until he found Blizzardshard, "Come with me." He meowed quietly, his eyes quickly traveled to the quivering body of his daughter, "I'll have to speak with your mentor for a bit, but once I'm done, I'm sure he'd be more than happy to take you out of camp." Owlstar laid his tail on her shoulder, letting his touch linger for a few seconds before turning to the silver tom, "I need to speak to you and Frostbite."

The tom swung his massive head toward the glowering she-cat. He could feel his stomach drop - he could never get past the intensity his medicine cat possessed. She was a force to be reckoned with. With Blizzardshard on his tail, the tabby slid past a few chattering warriors and met Frostbite face to face. "Are you going to tell me what you've seen or am I going to have to beg?" He meowed dryly. He was a little upset with his medicine cat. Perhaps if she - or any of the medicine cats for that matter - had shared her information they wouldn't be in this predicament. But here they were, a deputy dead, and the clans in upheaval. Before the she-cat could offer any retort Owlstar gestured to his den, "Let's talk."</sup>

^{THIS POST IS HORSE SHIT}

Mousepelt kept his quit voice even as the clan join in the greeting of the apprentice to the new stage of there life. But he quickly fell silent with the rest of the clan after the chanting was over and waited for Owlstar to continue speaking. Mousepelt was happy to hear that he seemed to agree with Blizzardshard since he was increasing patrols and had even taken it a step farther by increasing the training as well. Then it seemed like the clan gathering was over. Mousepelt sat silently for a moment looking around at the others cats reactions and half expecting the she cat to come over and claw him over the ear for arguing agents her. He felt a little guilty for thinking that sure she had her own reasons for disagreeing and that she probably was a decent cat. Still with nothing better to do at the moment he slowly got to his paws and walked over to the outskirts of the camp again siting down in about the same place he had been before the clan gathering. Once there he turned his attention away from the clan and out to the sounds of the forest letting the chatter of the clan become the background noise letting his mind run blank for a bit preferring this to trying to think over recent events.