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[RoxyTBDW]

FogClan
Cats Attending: Fogspirit, Cygnuswillow, Garwhisker, Reedwade, Lotus

She smiled and imagined cats chasing large rabbits and hares across the moorlands, and then a few cats snoozing inside of a barn, Clan cats or not. "Woah, your Clan is older than mine for sure. I led it myself, my great grandfather had a Clan named MarshClan, but some things happened and it was reborn as FogClan after everyone split up." She turned away for a moment, thinking about her Clan's history and wondering if some of the things she was told was true. "I was not a deputy before, so I'm a bit new to this whole leading thing, but I'm sure I've got it. How long have you been leading?"

He sat over next to Fogspirit, tucking his paws underneath his body to loaf comfortably. He closed his eyes, slowly lashing his tail and nearly knocking his leader over. After she slightly hissed at him, he stopped lashing his tail and sniffed the air, eyes still closed. He opened his eyes, looking at the mass of cats. He reached over for a small stone and began batting it with his paws to keep himself entertained for the time being.

They slowly trudged over to the other medicine cats, trying to avoid anyone's gaze. They really didn't want to be here, but they decided that they couldn't make his first official first gathering bad, so Garwhisker looked over to the nearest medicine cat and cracked a joke to try and cheer themself up and potentially make a new friend. They smiled from whisker to whisker, trying to make themself as welcoming as they possibly could and puffing out their chest.

They nervously looked around. They noticed a sandy-colored she-cat and sort of 'hopped' over to them. They sat down with their paws neatly tucked into the grass and smiled. "Hello, room for me?" They were trying to brush off their nerves, but what if the other cats didn't like them? Were they too intrusive? Too open? Too cheerful? Should they be more serious? They fixed their face to look as serious as possible now that they thought about it.

She looked over and noticed a fellow apprentice. Slowly, she edged over. She didn't really feel in the mood for a conversation, but sitting next to another apprentice for once would be nice. She was still a bit grouchy from being dragged along to this stupid gathering, but she sat calmly and quietly and looked away as if she were curious of the amount of cats. Suddenly, she realized there were quite a lot of cats. She looked over at Russetpaw and decided to actually say something. Being cooped up in camp with a bunch of smelly older cats is boring, maybe a cat her age to talk to would be nice for once. "Uh, hey." She settled herself a tail-length away, still close enough to talk.

[chaotic creativity]

CHESSCLAN !!

Sootpelt | Tom - Warrior - 61 Moons - Tagged: Troutpelt (MeadowClan)

"Oh, come on now! There's just something about running so fast that the entire world blurs and you can barely feel the ground beneath your paws," his voice turned wistful as his eyes glazed over with the memory of his journey here. Realizing he had trailed off into daydreaming, he shook his head and sighed at himself. "Well, welcome to the Gatherings then! Yeah, ChessClan comes just about every time now that I think about it. Obviously the same cats don't always go; it's such a long journey to ask the same cat to make over and over again. That's why it's just me this time around," he explained quickly, wondering if Troutpelt would think it weird that he was the only one of his Clan attending. As she admitted her worries of sticking out, Sootpelt couldn't help but roll his eyes and gesture at the huge crowd of cats. "With so many unique cats here, there's absolutely no way someone could stick out, even if they had horns growing out of their head! And that's saying something, considering one of my clanmates actually does," he snorted, thinking about Taureauwhisper. "Trust me, there's new cats every single moon and most cats here don't even notice it. The attendees change just about every moon, so we're all used to never seeing the same face twice," he said as he cast a glance around in a futile attempt to spot even a single cat he recognized.

OUTBACK RUNNERS !!

Charcoalgleam | Molly - Warrior - 66 Moons - Tagged: Alpinemask (QuickClan)

Worry flooded through Charcoalgleam as Alpinemask started asking if she was happy and if she felt like she fit in. "Oh, the cats are just wonderful! They're so welcoming and kind, of course I feel like I fit it!" she stumbled over the words, dragging the happiness into her voice and trying to smile. Except, there was a part of her that thought Alpinemask might understand some of her thoughts. "It's just such a big Clan, you know? Everything's so well established, including friend and family groups, that a lot of us who are newer tend to group together on the outskirts. Don't get me wrong, I love my friends. Even only knowing each other for a short time, we're as close as siblings. It just worries me about others, if they're feeling the same things. Adjusting to Clan life seems like a monumental task at times, which I'm sure you remember," she chuckled. She had felt like she'd never understand the complexities of living in a group like the Outback Runners when she joined. "Regardless, I don't have to only rely on myself. I'm just absolutely terrible at healing, so it's a wonder I didn't somehow accidentally eat deathberries thinking they were something that'd help a stomach ache while I lived alone," she snorted, remembering the few times she'd definitely given herself the wrong herbs to cure various ailments and scrapes.

IGNEOUSCLAN !!

Ghost | Tom - Warrior - 58 Moons - Tagged: Fawneyes (PinyonClan)

Ghost nearly wrinkled his nose at Fawneyes's pity, the flashes of the pure agony in his clanmates' eyes when asked about the incident dragging to the front of his mind. "It's a bit of a story, if you don't mind," he murmured, looking over at her. "I wasn't a part of IgneousClan before they lived under the island. When I got there, they were a quiet and somber bunch. They used to be called AviaryClan. They shared a connection with a bird, and that bird carried the consciousness of all who came before who shared the connection with the same bird. It seemed the ancestors were unhappy with the way they were living, so they broke the connections. All at once, they said, like their hearts were being torn from their chests. Still reeling from the agony and confusion, a fire erupted from nowhere. It destroyed the forest faster than any natural thing should have been able to, toppling trees and destroying the camp. The fire stole over half of AviaryClan's lives from them. The few survivors were forced to travel away, and they were forced to settle beneath the island when they couldn't go on any longer. We haven't been able to find a new territory, so we're still there," he sighed, lifting his eyes to the sky. He hadn't witnessed the breaking of the bonds or the fire, but he could imagine the howls of terror and grief filling the air in the way Ravenstar had described. Some had even watched their own loved ones be ripped from them, others watched those they cared about sacrifice themselves to save another. It's no wonder they couldn't stomach the idea of ever living in a forest again. "As for prey, well, there's lots of fish!" he shrugged, remembering the way the scales felt on his tongue every time he was forced to eat one of the disgusting creatures. "I just know I'll be thankful once we find a new suitable place to live. I swear I can feel my lungs withering the longer we stay there," he chuckled.

THE ORDER OF THE HYENA !!

Lechwe's Flinch | Non-binary - Warrior - 22 Moons - Tagged: Sootsplotch (SquidClan)

Lechwe's Flinch was a little apprehensive that SquidClan called their leader an "idol". Yes, the Order placed the Matriarch on a pedestal and respected her as their mother-approved guide, but they didn't worship her like a god. Perhaps it was just word choice, they thought, but it couldn't stop the unease from trickling down their spine. "Our scavengers are the main population of the Clan. We hunt, patrol, teach, anything our Matriarch asks of us. We're really more like 'warriors' than anything, I guess," Lechwe's Flinch meowed, quickly adding, "and our Matriarch is our leader and spiritual guide. I know a lot of Clans' healers are their link to the ancestors and gods, but our Matriarch serves as our connection and our healers simply keep us healthy." Their heart warmed at the thought of Hyena's Breath, the molly who had bravely sacrificed multiple lives to protect her followers. She wasn't kind, but she was strong and respectable, which made her all the better leader.

[eagle,]

QUICKCLAN
cyanstar | tom, leader, 82m, tagged: fogspirit
indentCyanstar listened curiosly as Fogspirit explained her clan's history, ears pricked. He nodded sympathetically, having seen so many clan cats join QuickClan after their previous clans were scattered ad split. He hoped that he offered them security in their new homes, and that Fogspirit would be able to hold their new clan together for many, many seasons to come. "I've been leading for many seasons now, but I'm certainly not an expert," he said with a laugh, before growing somber as he thought of how he became leader. "The leader before me, Redstar, was a strong leader. He meant well, and we all thought that he would lead for a long time with his first deputy. But, his deputy stepped down after losing his mate, and Redstar named me as the deputy's temporary replacement," Cyanstar explained. He hoped that he wasn't rambling. "I was a young warrior then, and I still don't know why I was given the deputyship, but it became permanent after a few moons. Then there was... trouble with some rogues. Redstar didn't make it, and suddenly I was leading QuickClan into a war." A clouded look past Cyanstar's face. It held his sorrows, regrets, and lingering questions, but he shook his head and the moment passed. "It was a tough time, but there have been much better days since then. I've been leading for a long time, though I'd be lying if I said that I didn't miss the quiet times from before. But - don't let me talk your ear off," he said, managing a much brighter and more genuine smile. "All that's to say that if I can do it, so can you. Have you had many cats join FogClan recently?" he asked.

splashfall | tom, deputy, 86m, tagged: northstar
indentThe stranger had a confident and strong set to his shoulders, that much was evident to Splashfall right away, and the lithe deputy grinned. He knew that the purpose of his attending the gathering wasn't to sit alone for the entire evening. As much as he enjoyed the peace, it was important to get to know the other clans and become acquainted with cats from far different walks of life. So, when the stranger introduced himself, Splashfall nodded politely to him. "Oh yes, it's a lovely night. StarClan sent us good weather this moon, thankfully," he said. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Splashfall, deputy of QuickClan," he introduced himself. Once more, he spared a glance in Cyanstar's direction, wondering whether Cyanstar might be interested in meeting Northstar himself, but the QuickClan leader was still deep in another conversation. Instead, he turned back to Northstar. "I don't believe I've ever heard of your clan before, but I also haven't been to a gathering in some time. What's your clan like?" he asked.

alpinemask | tom, medicine cat, 87m, tagged: charcoalgleam
indentPerhaps it was because Charcoalgleam reminded Alpinemask of his daughter - but he sorely hoped that she was happy. Though they had only just met, he felt certain that she was a good cat, a good warrior. "Of course, it's a difficult adjustment. To go from your own to suddenly surrounded by so many unfamiliar cats... it's exciting, but scary. At least, I know that I was scared," he said. He purred, amused at Charcoalgleam's explaination of her healing abilities. "It's a good thing that you know how bad they are for you now. Deathberries do have a very good name, right to the point." Alpinemask laughed, happy to see Charcoalgleam smiling genuinely once again. "I'm sure that your leader wouldn't let just anyone join. You add value to the clan by being a member, and I'm sure that your clanmates respect and appreciate that. The clan is better because you're in it, and who wouldn't want to be your friend? You'll listen to me prattle all evening," he said with a chuckle. "Does the Outback Runners take in new cats often?" he asked curiously.

shellpond | tom, warrior, 31m, tagged: moonblink
indentShellpond ducked his head, bashful as he spoke to Moonblink about his crush. It was a secret that he'd worked to hide for the past several moons, since the other tom had arrived in QuickClan - so much so that Shellpond had neglected to confide in any of his family about his feelings. So, when Moonblink offered her advice, Shellpond managed a tight smile. "I'll try. Thank you," he said. Though he wasn't sure if he was confident enough to make himself known, let alone have any clue what he could do to make Marigoldstream notice him, he knew that Moonblink was right. He'd never be happy unless he tried something. He let himself get caught up in her description of the coast. For a moment, he could've sworn that he felt the pull of wind in his fur and smelled the salty sea. "That sounds so strange," he said, though not unkindly. "Salty water that you can't even drink? That sounds useless. Could you at least fish or swim in it?" he asked. He felt an immense respect for Moonblink, having traveled so far, seen more in her lifetime than Shellpond supposed that he ever would. "It sounds like you've seen everything. That's amazing."

ambergleam | molly, warrior, 16m, tagged: bearstripe
indentambergleam hummed thoughtfully at bearstripe's words, thankful that she wasn't alone with her anxiety surrounding the gathering. "i'm not sure. i hope that they do, so we aren't alone feeling like this," she said. she turned her head, looking to where the leaders were gathered. though her view was partially obscured, she saw a flash of cyanstar blue pelt, and smiled to herself, feeling more secure with the knowledge that he wasn't far away if anything bad were to happen. "on the way here, cyanstar told me that he used to be super nervous when he started coming to gatherings. but that was ages ago, when he was a brand new warrior. now, i don't know if anything makes him nervous."
indent"no twolegs? that sounds like a dream," ambergleam gushed. just the thought of twolegs and their massive dogs made ambergleam shudder. but instead she leaned forward, ears pricked as bearstripe described meadowclan's territory. "meadowclan sounds gorgeous. we have some flowers in quickclan, but nothing like yours, i'm sure. but, don't you have to worry about bees? when i was a kit, my moms were always super nervous when we went near flowers, because she was scared that i'd get stung." she laughed at the memory of dandelionspring and autumnflower fussing over her and her siblings. "oh! or does anyone ever breathe in too much pollen and have to sneeze a lot? if i lived in meadowclan, i think i'd do that all time, i'd try to get to close to a flower to sniff it, and then regret it right away!"

russetpaw | molly, apprentice, 9m, tagged:
indent

[selkirks]

𝙨𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙙𝙘𝙡𝙖𝙣 !!

isopodstar - male - 57m - leader - tags; cricketfur

isopodstar gazed around the gathering, seeing a few other clans. he glanced back at his small party. the black tom much preferred having a small group go to the gathering with him- much easy to keep eyes on them. with a flick of his tail, his cats dispersed. as isopodstar looked around, he sat down, folding his paws below him.

sootblotch - nb - 43m - deputy - tags; lechwe's flinch

sootblotch shook out their long fur, feeling a bit hot from greenleaf. not picking up on lechwe's flinch's apprehension, sootblotch smiled at them as they spoke. it seemed like scavenger was another name for warrior, and lechwe's flinch confirmed that. sootblotch nodded as the colorpoint spoked. it seemed like the other clan had a differing name than 'leader' as well, though sootblotch was not too sure what the word 'matriarch' meant. the gray tabby was interested at hearing that the other clan's medicine cats were simply just healers and had no part in communication with their ancestors. "that's cool!" with a flick of their tail, they gestured to a hairless white tom, "that's our healer, basatan! we have another healer, but shes back at camp." sootblotch mewed.

basatan - male - 41m - healer - tags; sandsplash

basatan smiled at sandsplash, glad that he had chosen such a friendly cat to strike up a conversation with, "yup! im what most clans call a medicine cat." basatan sat down before continuing, "i like being a healer, especially in the warmer months. lots of herbs to gather under the warm sun." he stopped and licked his paw before dragging it over his ear. noting sandsplash's longer coat, basatan added, "but in the colder months its a pain to gather in such cold weather. especially going to gatherings- its a bit of a nightmare for hairless cats like me." he chuckled.

[chaotic creativity]

CHESSCLAN !!

Sootpelt | Tom - Warrior - 61 Moons - Tagged: Troutpelt (MeadowClan)

"Oh, come on now! There's just something about running so fast that the entire world blurs and you can barely feel the ground beneath your paws," his voice turned wistful as his eyes glazed over with the memory of his journey here. Realizing he had trailed off into daydreaming, he shook his head and sighed at himself. "Well, welcome to the Gatherings then! Yeah, ChessClan comes just about every time now that I think about it. Obviously the same cats don't always go; it's such a long journey to ask the same cat to make over and over again. That's why it's just me this time around," he explained quickly, wondering if Troutpelt would think it weird that he was the only one of his Clan attending. As she admitted her worries of sticking out, Sootpelt couldn't help but roll his eyes and gesture at the huge crowd of cats. "With so many unique cats here, there's absolutely no way someone could stick out, even if they had horns growing out of their head! And that's saying something, considering one of my clanmates actually does," he snorted, thinking about Taureauwhisper. "Trust me, there's new cats every single moon and most cats here don't even notice it. The attendees change just about every moon, so we're all used to never seeing the same face twice," he said as he cast a glance around in a futile attempt to spot even a single cat he recognized.

OUTBACK RUNNERS !!

Charcoalgleam | Molly - Warrior - 66 Moons - Tagged: Alpinemask (QuickClan)

Charcoalgleam rolled her eyes as Alpinemask complimented her. As he asked about allowing new members in, her thoughts began to wander. "We do, but we also don't. Cats have to prove themselves before they can enter the Clan, though only Marbledstar is the one to decide if they have. She'll make some cats do something to prove their worth, but it's also as if she can judge a cat's character instantaneously. It's a little scary having her stare into your soul while you wait for her to pass judgement," she shuddered as she remembering being inspected by the leader. "What about QuickClan? I've gathered they're a rather large group, but do you pull in newcomers frequently?"

IGNEOUSCLAN !!

Ghost | Tom - Warrior - 58 Moons - Tagged: Fawneyes (PinyonClan)

Ghost nearly wrinkled his nose at Fawneyes's pity, the flashes of the pure agony in his clanmates' eyes when asked about the incident dragging to the front of his mind. "It's a bit of a story, if you don't mind," he murmured, looking over at her. "I wasn't a part of IgneousClan before they lived under the island. When I got there, they were a quiet and somber bunch. They used to be called AviaryClan. They shared a connection with a bird, and that bird carried the consciousness of all who came before who shared the connection with the same bird. It seemed the ancestors were unhappy with the way they were living, so they broke the connections. All at once, they said, like their hearts were being torn from their chests. Still reeling from the agony and confusion, a fire erupted from nowhere. It destroyed the forest faster than any natural thing should have been able to, toppling trees and destroying the camp. The fire stole over half of AviaryClan's lives from them. The few survivors were forced to travel away, and they were forced to settle beneath the island when they couldn't go on any longer. We haven't been able to find a new territory, so we're still there," he sighed, lifting his eyes to the sky. He hadn't witnessed the breaking of the bonds or the fire, but he could imagine the howls of terror and grief filling the air in the way Ravenstar had described. Some had even watched their own loved ones be ripped from them, others watched those they cared about sacrifice themselves to save another. It's no wonder they couldn't stomach the idea of ever living in a forest again. "As for prey, well, there's lots of fish!" he shrugged, remembering the way the scales felt on his tongue every time he was forced to eat one of the disgusting creatures. "I just know I'll be thankful once we find a new suitable place to live. I swear I can feel my lungs withering the longer we stay there," he chuckled.

THE ORDER OF THE HYENA !!

Lechwe's Flinch | Non-binary - Warrior - 22 Moons - Tagged: Sootsplotch (SquidClan)

Lechwe's Flinch was a little scared of Basatan. The cat was large, with obnoxiously long ears, and his bright pink skin was like a beacon. They knew cats came in all shapes, sizes, and colors, but there was something unsettling about Basatan. Ready to banish the cat from their mind, they turned back to Sootblotch and made sure to keep Basatan from entering their vision. "Oh, wow. Our healer didn't come with me. In fact, I'm the only cat from the Order here tonight," they chuckled.

[selkirks]

𝙨𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙙𝙘𝙡𝙖𝙣 !!

isopodstar - male - 57m - leader - tags; cricketfur

isopodstar gazed around the gathering, seeing a few other clans. he glanced back at his small party. the black tom much preferred having a small group go to the gathering with him- much easy to keep eyes on them. with a flick of his tail, his cats dispersed. as isopodstar looked around, he sat down, folding his paws below him.

sootblotch - nb - 43m - deputy - tags; lechwe's flinch

sootblotch turned back to lechwe's flinch as they began to speak, "im here with basatan and isopodstar, but that's it." they meowed softly, "to be honest, i used to be terribly anxious of gatherings- which was a bit ironic, considering im the earl, aka the deputy, and should attend." the gray tabby chuckled, "but ive gotten used to them." the gray tabby brightened, "if i may ask, what is a hyena?" they looked down at their paws, a bit embarrassed. sootblotch had never heard of one before, but seeing as their companion's clan was named after 'hyenas', sootblotch thought it'd be appropriate to ask. they were used to cats asking what on earth a squid was in reference to squidclan's name, but sootblotch had always been on the informing end, not the end which asks. sootblotch licked their paw and drew it over their ear, before waiting for the colorpoint's response.

basatan - male - 41m - healer - tags; sandsplash

basatan smiled at sandsplash, glad that he had chosen such a friendly cat to strike up a conversation with, "yup! im what most clans call a medicine cat." basatan sat down before continuing, "i like being a healer, especially in the warmer months. lots of herbs to gather under the warm sun." he stopped and licked his paw before dragging it over his ear. noting sandsplash's longer coat, basatan added, "but in the colder months its a pain to gather in such cold weather. especially going to gatherings- its a bit of a nightmare for hairless cats like me." he chuckled.

[eagle,]

QUICKCLAN
cyanstar | tom, leader, 82m, tagged: fogspirit
indentCyanstar listened curiosly as Fogspirit explained her clan's history, ears pricked. He nodded sympathetically, having seen so many clan cats join QuickClan after their previous clans were scattered ad split. He hoped that he offered them security in their new homes, and that Fogspirit would be able to hold their new clan together for many, many seasons to come. "I've been leading for many seasons now, but I'm certainly not an expert," he said with a laugh, before growing somber as he thought of how he became leader. "The leader before me, Redstar, was a strong leader. He meant well, and we all thought that he would lead for a long time with his first deputy. But, his deputy stepped down after losing his mate, and Redstar named me as the deputy's temporary replacement," Cyanstar explained. He hoped that he wasn't rambling. "I was a young warrior then, and I still don't know why I was given the deputyship, but it became permanent after a few moons. Then there was... trouble with some rogues. Redstar didn't make it, and suddenly I was leading QuickClan into a war." A clouded look past Cyanstar's face. It held his sorrows, regrets, and lingering questions, but he shook his head and the moment passed. "It was a tough time, but there have been much better days since then. I've been leading for a long time, though I'd be lying if I said that I didn't miss the quiet times from before. But - don't let me talk your ear off," he said, managing a much brighter and more genuine smile. "All that's to say that if I can do it, so can you. Have you had many cats join FogClan recently?" he asked.

splashfall | tom, deputy, 86m, tagged: northstar
indentThe stranger had a confident and strong set to his shoulders, that much was evident to Splashfall right away, and the lithe deputy grinned. He knew that the purpose of his attending the gathering wasn't to sit alone for the entire evening. As much as he enjoyed the peace, it was important to get to know the other clans and become acquainted with cats from far different walks of life. So, when the stranger introduced himself, Splashfall nodded politely to him. "Oh yes, it's a lovely night. StarClan sent us good weather this moon, thankfully," he said. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Splashfall, deputy of QuickClan," he introduced himself. Once more, he spared a glance in Cyanstar's direction, wondering whether Cyanstar might be interested in meeting Northstar himself, but the QuickClan leader was still deep in another conversation. Instead, he turned back to Northstar. "I don't believe I've ever heard of your clan before, but I also haven't been to a gathering in some time. What's your clan like?" he asked.

alpinemask | tom, medicine cat, 87m, tagged: charcoalgleam
indent"That's very interesting. I can only imagine that it must be very intimidating," Alpinemask said as Charcoalgleam explained how Marbledstar decided whether or not to allow cats into the clan. He then nodded immediately at Charcoalgleam's question. "Oh yes, Cyanstar is very welcoming to any cats that we encounter and express interest in joining QuickClan. Since he was once a loner himself and his mate joined the clan from a disbanded clan, he believes very strongly in making QuickClan a refuge to anyone in need of a home," Alpinemask explained. "Under our previous leader, it seemed like we had to expand our dens every day to have enough room for new cats that joined us. It's slowed a bit since then, but we have a good number of warriors with mates and families outside of QuickClan as well," Alpinemask explained, flashing a bashful smile. "Pretty soon after I joined, I met a cat in a different clan, and we had a litter of kits. My daughter came to live with me, and we have a few families like that, with kits living with one parent or the other. It keeps our numbers growing that way as well." He paused for a moment, thinking fondly of Valleymist with a smile. "Does the Outback Runners have many interactions with other clans or bordering groups?" he asked.

shellpond | tom, warrior, 31m, tagged: moonblink
indentShellpond ducked his head, bashful as he spoke to Moonblink about his crush. It was a secret that he'd worked to hide for the past several moons, since the other tom had arrived in QuickClan - so much so that Shellpond had neglected to confide in any of his family about his feelings. So, when Moonblink offered her advice, Shellpond managed a tight smile. "I'll try. Thank you," he said. Though he wasn't sure if he was confident enough to make himself known, let alone have any clue what he could do to make Marigoldstream notice him, he knew that Moonblink was right. He'd never be happy unless he tried something. He let himself get caught up in her description of the coast. For a moment, he could've sworn that he felt the pull of wind in his fur and smelled the salty sea. "That sounds so strange," he said, though not unkindly. "Salty water that you can't even drink? That sounds useless. Could you at least fish or swim in it?" he asked. He felt an immense respect for Moonblink, having traveled so far, seen more in her lifetime than Shellpond supposed that he ever would. "It sounds like you've seen everything. That's amazing."

ambergleam | molly, warrior, 16m, tagged: bearstripe
indentambergleam hummed thoughtfully at bearstripe's words, thankful that she wasn't alone with her anxiety surrounding the gathering. "i'm not sure. i hope that they do, so we aren't alone feeling like this," she said. she turned her head, looking to where the leaders were gathered. though her view was partially obscured, she saw a flash of cyanstar blue pelt, and smiled to herself, feeling more secure with the knowledge that he wasn't far away if anything bad were to happen. "on the way here, cyanstar told me that he used to be super nervous when he started coming to gatherings. but that was ages ago, when he was a brand new warrior. now, i don't know if anything makes him nervous."
indent"no twolegs? that sounds like a dream," ambergleam gushed. just the thought of twolegs and their massive dogs made ambergleam shudder. but instead she leaned forward, ears pricked as bearstripe described meadowclan's territory. "meadowclan sounds gorgeous. we have some flowers in quickclan, but nothing like yours, i'm sure. but, don't you have to worry about bees? when i was a kit, my moms were always super nervous when we went near flowers, because she was scared that i'd get stung." she laughed at the memory of dandelionspring and autumnflower fussing over her and her siblings. "oh! or does anyone ever breathe in too much pollen and have to sneeze a lot? if i lived in meadowclan, i think i'd do that all time, i'd try to get to close to a flower to sniff it, and then regret it right away!"

russetpaw | molly, apprentice, 9m, tagged:
indent

[chaotic creativity]

CHESSCLAN !!

Sootpelt | Tom - Warrior - 61 Moons - Tagged: Troutpelt (MeadowClan)

"Oh, come on now! There's just something about running so fast that the entire world blurs and you can barely feel the ground beneath your paws," his voice turned wistful as his eyes glazed over with the memory of his journey here. Realizing he had trailed off into daydreaming, he shook his head and sighed at himself. "Well, welcome to the Gatherings then! Yeah, ChessClan comes just about every time now that I think about it. Obviously the same cats don't always go; it's such a long journey to ask the same cat to make over and over again. That's why it's just me this time around," he explained quickly, wondering if Troutpelt would think it weird that he was the only one of his Clan attending. As she admitted her worries of sticking out, Sootpelt couldn't help but roll his eyes and gesture at the huge crowd of cats. "With so many unique cats here, there's absolutely no way someone could stick out, even if they had horns growing out of their head! And that's saying something, considering one of my clanmates actually does," he snorted, thinking about Taureauwhisper. "Trust me, there's new cats every single moon and most cats here don't even notice it. The attendees change just about every moon, so we're all used to never seeing the same face twice," he said as he cast a glance around in a futile attempt to spot even a single cat he recognized.

OUTBACK RUNNERS !!

Charcoalgleam | Molly - Warrior - 66 Moons - Tagged: Alpinemask (QuickClan)

"Oh, wow," Charcoalgleam breathed. She couldn't imagine cats so quickly joining a Clan, even though it seemed to her that the Outback Runners would never stop growing. "Oh, we don't really have many of those. I think we might have a few cats who've had flings with those outside the Clan, but I really can't think of any ongoing relationships existing between one of our cats and someone outside of the Runners," she explained. She couldn't imagine living so separated from one's mate. "How do you do it?" she blurted, quickly burning with embarrassment and hoping it wasn't rude of her to ask. "I mean, how can you live so far from your mate? It means you won't see them all too often, and that's got to be hard on you and any kits that might live with them," she added, hoping the clarification might make it better but she worried it just made it worse.

IGNEOUSCLAN !!

Ghost | Tom - Warrior - 58 Moons - Tagged: Fawneyes (PinyonClan)

Ghost nearly wrinkled his nose at Fawneyes's pity, the flashes of the pure agony in his clanmates' eyes when asked about the incident dragging to the front of his mind. "It's a bit of a story, if you don't mind," he murmured, looking over at her. "I wasn't a part of IgneousClan before they lived under the island. When I got there, they were a quiet and somber bunch. They used to be called AviaryClan. They shared a connection with a bird, and that bird carried the consciousness of all who came before who shared the connection with the same bird. It seemed the ancestors were unhappy with the way they were living, so they broke the connections. All at once, they said, like their hearts were being torn from their chests. Still reeling from the agony and confusion, a fire erupted from nowhere. It destroyed the forest faster than any natural thing should have been able to, toppling trees and destroying the camp. The fire stole over half of AviaryClan's lives from them. The few survivors were forced to travel away, and they were forced to settle beneath the island when they couldn't go on any longer. We haven't been able to find a new territory, so we're still there," he sighed, lifting his eyes to the sky. He hadn't witnessed the breaking of the bonds or the fire, but he could imagine the howls of terror and grief filling the air in the way Ravenstar had described. Some had even watched their own loved ones be ripped from them, others watched those they cared about sacrifice themselves to save another. It's no wonder they couldn't stomach the idea of ever living in a forest again. "As for prey, well, there's lots of fish!" he shrugged, remembering the way the scales felt on his tongue every time he was forced to eat one of the disgusting creatures. "I just know I'll be thankful once we find a new suitable place to live. I swear I can feel my lungs withering the longer we stay there," he chuckled.

THE ORDER OF THE HYENA !!

Lechwe's Flinch | Non-binary - Warrior - 22 Moons - Tagged: Sootblotch (SquidClan)

Lechwe's Flinch could relate to Sootblotch's prior apprehension to Gatherings. In all reality, they were terrified of the large crowds and the loud voices. "It seems you've gotten over that fear quite completely," they chuckled. As Sootblotch asked about hyenas, Lechwe's Flinch shuddered with fear. Despite the Mother taking the image of a hyena, and their entire Clan worshipping the species, they still weren't too fond of them. "They're kind of like a cross between a large dog and a large cat, honestly. They're typically spotted, about half as tall as a twoleg, and they've got this weird hunch so that it makes it hard to see where the top of their neck ends and their shoulder begins. They also have this terrifying cackling laugh. I swear I hear it in my nightmares," they shuddered again. "Trust me, you're better off never meeting one. They're typically scavengers, hence the name of our warriors, and matriarchal, hence our leader being the Matriarch. Oh, that means it is always a female identifying creature in charge, by the way," they quickly added, remembering some of their clanmates admitting they didn't know what matriarchal meant when they joined.

[selkirks]

𝙨𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙙𝙘𝙡𝙖𝙣 !!

isopodstar - male - 57m - leader - tags; cricketfur

isopodstar gazed around the gathering, seeing a few other clans. he glanced back at his small party. the black tom much preferred having a small group go to the gathering with him- much easy to keep eyes on them. with a flick of his tail, his cats dispersed. as isopodstar looked around, he sat down, folding his paws below him.

sootblotch - nb - 43m - deputy - tags; lechwe's flinch

sootblotch purred, "im glad i did. my best friend, wrenspark helped me get over my fear." the gray classic tabby mewed. sootblotch noticed lechwe's flinch shudder at the mention of hyenas and the gray tabby dipped their head in confusion, but after lechwe's flinch explained what exactly a hyena was, sootblotch couldn't help but shudder too, "oh, wow. that is... definitely something i'd see in my nightmares." the classic tabby mewed. even just thinking about what a hyena looked like caused sootblotch to shudder. to them, it sounded like a complete monster. sootblotch nodded as the colorpoint explained their rank and what matriarch meant- and sootblotch was glad for an explanation, "will all of your leaders be female-identifying?" sootblotch mewed curiously. it was a new rank to them, but it sounded cool. they knew that most clans could have either male or female leaders- so the concept was new to the earl.

basatan - male - 41m - healer - tags; sandsplash

basatan smiled at sandsplash, glad that he had chosen such a friendly cat to strike up a conversation with, "yup! im what most clans call a medicine cat." basatan sat down before continuing, "i like being a healer, especially in the warmer months. lots of herbs to gather under the warm sun." he stopped and licked his paw before dragging it over his ear. noting sandsplash's longer coat, basatan added, "but in the colder months its a pain to gather in such cold weather. especially going to gatherings- its a bit of a nightmare for hairless cats like me." he chuckled.

[chaotic creativity]

CHESSCLAN !!

Sootpelt | Tom - Warrior - 61 Moons - Tagged: Troutpelt (MeadowClan)

"Oh, come on now! There's just something about running so fast that the entire world blurs and you can barely feel the ground beneath your paws," his voice turned wistful as his eyes glazed over with the memory of his journey here. Realizing he had trailed off into daydreaming, he shook his head and sighed at himself. "Well, welcome to the Gatherings then! Yeah, ChessClan comes just about every time now that I think about it. Obviously the same cats don't always go; it's such a long journey to ask the same cat to make over and over again. That's why it's just me this time around," he explained quickly, wondering if Troutpelt would think it weird that he was the only one of his Clan attending. As she admitted her worries of sticking out, Sootpelt couldn't help but roll his eyes and gesture at the huge crowd of cats. "With so many unique cats here, there's absolutely no way someone could stick out, even if they had horns growing out of their head! And that's saying something, considering one of my clanmates actually does," he snorted, thinking about Taureauwhisper. "Trust me, there's new cats every single moon and most cats here don't even notice it. The attendees change just about every moon, so we're all used to never seeing the same face twice," he said as he cast a glance around in a futile attempt to spot even a single cat he recognized.

OUTBACK RUNNERS !!

Charcoalgleam | Molly - Warrior - 66 Moons - Tagged: Alpinemask (QuickClan)

"Oh, wow," Charcoalgleam breathed. She couldn't imagine cats so quickly joining a Clan, even though it seemed to her that the Outback Runners would never stop growing. "Oh, we don't really have many of those. I think we might have a few cats who've had flings with those outside the Clan, but I really can't think of any ongoing relationships existing between one of our cats and someone outside of the Runners," she explained. She couldn't imagine living so separated from one's mate. "How do you do it?" she blurted, quickly burning with embarrassment and hoping it wasn't rude of her to ask. "I mean, how can you live so far from your mate? It means you won't see them all too often, and that's got to be hard on you and any kits that might live with them," she added, hoping the clarification might make it better but she worried it just made it worse.

IGNEOUSCLAN !!

Ghost | Tom - Warrior - 58 Moons - Tagged: Fawneyes (PinyonClan)

Ghost nearly wrinkled his nose at Fawneyes's pity, the flashes of the pure agony in his clanmates' eyes when asked about the incident dragging to the front of his mind. "It's a bit of a story, if you don't mind," he murmured, looking over at her. "I wasn't a part of IgneousClan before they lived under the island. When I got there, they were a quiet and somber bunch. They used to be called AviaryClan. They shared a connection with a bird, and that bird carried the consciousness of all who came before who shared the connection with the same bird. It seemed the ancestors were unhappy with the way they were living, so they broke the connections. All at once, they said, like their hearts were being torn from their chests. Still reeling from the agony and confusion, a fire erupted from nowhere. It destroyed the forest faster than any natural thing should have been able to, toppling trees and destroying the camp. The fire stole over half of AviaryClan's lives from them. The few survivors were forced to travel away, and they were forced to settle beneath the island when they couldn't go on any longer. We haven't been able to find a new territory, so we're still there," he sighed, lifting his eyes to the sky. He hadn't witnessed the breaking of the bonds or the fire, but he could imagine the howls of terror and grief filling the air in the way Ravenstar had described. Some had even watched their own loved ones be ripped from them, others watched those they cared about sacrifice themselves to save another. It's no wonder they couldn't stomach the idea of ever living in a forest again. "As for prey, well, there's lots of fish!" he shrugged, remembering the way the scales felt on his tongue every time he was forced to eat one of the disgusting creatures. "I just know I'll be thankful once we find a new suitable place to live. I swear I can feel my lungs withering the longer we stay there," he chuckled.

THE ORDER OF THE HYENA !!

Lechwe's Flinch | Non-binary - Warrior - 22 Moons - Tagged: Sootblotch (SquidClan)

Lechwe's Flinch couldn't help but laugh as Sootblotch agreed that hyenas were of a nightmareish quality. They wrapped their tail around their paws as they thought about Hyena's Breath after the question, but they quickly uncovered them and looked up at the sky. This Greenleaf was shaping up to be a miserably hot one here, and they knew it would only get worse back in their territory. "Yes. It's also typically a lineage-based role. While our Matriarch, Hyena's Breath, is allowed to choose any single molly in the Clan as her heir and successor, it is mostly assumed the role will go to one of her daughters. It makes the most sense, really, since her daughter can be raised from birth with the intention of succeeding her. If I was even eligible, I know I wouldn't want to have her position. She's already lost several lives protecting my colleagues from dying terrible deaths. Y'know, maybe my territory isn't that habitable," they chuckled. It was true that so many creatures were giants, big enough to crush a cat with a single foot, but Lechwe's Flinch didn't think they'd trade them for any other predator stalking the other Clans. "I think I've talked enough about myself," they chuckled, "so what's SquidClan like?"