CaC - Roleplay thread - Calling all cats,Calling all clans -

[[kat]]

ᴠᴀɢᴀʀʏᴄʟᴀɴ

♪ Foxcatcher
tom ; warrior ; tags: ploverheart
When Foxcatcher turned and saw the attractive molly meandering towards him, suddenly his confidence started to slip. He recognized her scent from the PineClan border, so at least he knew she was friendly, but now he was aware that he wanted to make a good impression on her. He cleared her throat as she made it to him, and dipped his head politely, albeit a bit awkwardly. "Hey! Didn't think I'd meet such a pretty molly tonight, but here you are." He meowed, flashing her a wide grin with confidence reinstated.

❋ Brindlebirch
molly ; perma queen ; tags: mapleshadow
Brindlebirch couldn't hold back a purr when Mapleshadow spoke. "You know I'm always happy to see you." Her reply was soft, and laced with nerves, but genuine as it could be. Her eyes widened when the Highgarden molly produced a delicate rose, its petals still full of color despite not being in season, and she swallowed her surprise to hear Mapleshadow stuttering about something- not what she had ever expected from the confident molly. She leaned down and daintily touched her nose to the petals, holding her breath so as not to damage it, and when she rose again she couldn't keep the smile from her muzzle. "Mapleshadow- it's beautiful. Seriously, no one's ever given me something so lovely." She glanced at her paws for a moment, building up the courage to say what she next had in mind. "It... it's like you, in that way."

❧ Poppyshade
molly ; warrior ; tags: jayswoop
Poppyshade's expression softened immediately upon hearing who Jayswoop and chosen to name himself after. "Of course I remember Ravenswoop. That's really sweet, Jay." She touched her nose to his tentatively. When she had last seen anyone from SpruceClan besides her father, it had been in a fight between herself and her siblings, and even though Brambletuft had been with her again for a while now, she still felt guilty about what had happened. "How are Daisystem and Violetspark?" The question came quietly as she reminisced on that horrible day- the last time she had seen her siblings. "Brambletuft- he lives with me in VagaryClan now- he told me their names. They... they probably won't be too happy to hear from me, but I miss them dearly."

✥ Lotusfall
molly ; warrior ; tags: splitfire
Lotusfall peered over the hill, taking in the many different pelts and scents before taking a tentative step in. She drew in a slow, nervous breath and padded down, looking anxiously for her mate's colorful fur. She wanted to update Splitfire on their daughter, Lilykit, but it had been a while since the two had seen each other, and she hoped that Splitfire would be happy to see her again. Unable to see her yet, Lotusfall took a seat near a large fern bush and waited for IslandClan to arrive.

ᴋʏᴀɴɪᴛᴇ ᴋᴇᴇᴘ

♛ Night of the Stars
molly ; queen ; tags: rookstar
Night of the Stars almost jumped out of her fur at the tom that had actually addressed her- she hadn't expected anyone to approach, and had been too focused on seeming sure of herself. Unfortunately this seemed to give her exactly the opposite results as she had still been nervous and easy to startle, and she inwardly cursed herself for appearing so foolish in front of another leader. After attending a few Gatherings she had learned that most leaders of other Clans carried the "star" suffix, so she knew she was in the presence of a fellow high rank. She cleared her throat and dropped into a gentle bow, low enough to signify her respect but not touching the ground, which would deem her the rank of warrior in the presence of a superior. No, she would make sure that each Clan she interacted with was aware of her leadership, hoping that the prospective respect would help her settle into the role herself. She softened her gaze and Rookstar a small smile. "It's lovely to meet you, Rookstar. I am Night of the Stars, of Kyanite Keep." She offered a quiet chuckle at his mention of not knowing her. "Yes, it's true that Kyanite Keep- and myself- are still quite new to Gatherings. And there are so many cats, it's difficult to address all of the Clans." She took a seat and swept her tail across her paws. "You must be a bit warm- this weather isn't suited for long fur. How was your journey here?"

[ponz]

SPRUCECLAN
-----

CRICKETPOUNCE | Deputy | M | 82 moons | TAGS: Frostflower (PineClan)

A flash of waving white fur in his peripheral vision caught Cricketpounce’s eye. Perhaps it was coincidence, but the nearly inaudible one-two step of a PineClan cat, stealthy as even the clumsiest of their number were, could not be ignored. “Frostflower!” Cricketpounce called, whirling around to greet her with a smile. And as he’d thought, the white molly hovered just behind him, long tail swaying in the gentle breeze. “I’m so glad to see you here this evening. It’s really been too long. How have you and Ramkit been?”

JAYSWOOP | Warrior | M | 40 moons | TAGS: Poppyshade (VagaryClan)
Jayswoop, touching noses gently with Poppyshade, smiled wistfully. “Yeah... call me sentimental, but he’s the reason I ended up in SpruceClan. I thought that, maybe, a name would be a nice way to thank him for that.” Given that he’d spent what felt like a lifetime glued to Daisy’s side, it was inevitable that he’d learn the gestures and tells that ran in the family— the minute slump of Poppyshade’s whiskers and soft voice betrayed her vulnerability. Quickly, Jayswoop leapt to reassure as he answered. “Daisystem is doing well,” he said, letting his tail rest against her flank comfortingly. “She’ll be thrilled to hear from you, Poppy. There’s no bad blood. I promise.”

CRIMSONTAIL | Warrior | M | 26 moons | TAGS: open!

Crimson bared his teeth in frenetic glee, splitting from the fold of his clanmates into an enveloping crowd. SpruceClan called him Crimsontail, perhaps a wry jab at Crimson’s daunting plumage, but he wasn’t particularly bothered. Hardly a moon he’d spent with the mountain cats, and now he was accompanying them to a meeting between more clans than he could count. He liked the thrill of it, of running headlong into danger and the shock of adrenaline that followed suit. The Gathering wasn’t exactly dangerous, as far as he knew, but it was still nice to be somewhere where he could play around for the evening. And as Crimson raced into the fray, he could hardly help himself from yowling in delight. This was certainly going to be fun!

BRAMBLINGPATH | Warrior | F | 23 moons | TAGS: open!

Leaf-fall winds ruffled the long fur of Bramblingpath’s chest, a welcome coolness that reminded her of home. She eyed Crimsontail as he sprinted off into the crowd, howling in excitement, and shook her head with a bemused laugh. “Strange guy,” Bramblingpath hummed, padding off towards the central mass of strangers, but not actually venturing in herself. With no tail of her own to let twitch idly, Bramblingpath instead fell back on her whiskers, which swiveled and twisted mindlessly while she roamed. She’d let Lady Luck determine whether or not she encountered someone at this particular Gathering, and in the meantime, relished in the cool evening air.

STORMPAW | Apprentice | M | 9 moons | TAGS: Caperpaw (CascadeClan)
Stormpaw paid little attention to the cats around him at first, too focused on the whirlwind of his thoughts. It was a regular enough occurrence for his mind to be occupied with Darkpaw and Betonypaw’s shenanigans that he didn’t snap out of the haze until . Eyes brightening with eagerness, Stormpaw padded after the small cat he’d spotted behind a larger, black and white tom. They were an apprentice, probably, who looked about as old as he was. Curiosity sparked, and so the little ginger tom wriggled past the warrior keeping an eye on the object of his attentions. “Hey,” he called to the black tabby, his own striped tail rising in curiosity. “M’names Stormpaw. What’s yours?”

GOLDEN KINGDOM
-----

FROST’S SHEEN | Crown Princess | F | 23 moons | TAGS: Chasmstar (ChessClan)

“Ah, so I wasn’t mistaken!” Frost’s Sheen purred, now much more at ease. Contrary to the intimidation many other leaders might feel when faced with the head of a powerful entity like ChessClan, an intimate understanding of her conversation partner left Frost feeling much more sure of herself. This way, she knew exactly who to appeal to. “It is an honor to meet the cat behind such a prodigious clan. My father has spoken of ChessClan’s reputation before, and I am certain he would be flattered to know word of his name has reached you, Dame Chasmstar.” Curious now, Frost’s Sheen tilted her head, meowing a soft query as respectfully as she could. “In fact, I’ve heard many cats of your clan take names in another language. Is this true?”

LYNX’S PROWL | Knight | M | 54 moons | TAGS: Sunflicker (LightClan)
“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Sunflicker!” Lynx’s Prowl rumbled, offering his own smile in return. He stretched out slowly, dropping down into a seated position and tilting his head towards Sunflicker. “I’ve always thought these Gatherings were a nice place to make friends. Is this your first?” After a moment of thought, Lynx offered another question. “Ah, but I’m getting ahead of myself. I meant to ask you what clan you call home! Myself, I come from the Golden Kingdom.”

MAISIE | Knight | F | 43 moons | TAGS: Conuresun (TidalClan)
“Life in TidalClan sure sounds nice,” Maisie hummed, already visualizing it in her mind’s eye. “Peaceful days by the shore... why, that’s any cat’s dream! Or, at least, for us the Golden Kingdom. We don’t often see a body of water bigger than a puddle!” Chuckling a bit at the mental image of Conuresun and Sanderlingfrost bobbing up and down in the ocean’s tides, Maisie nodded as her half-sister confirmed the absence of her mate. “You’ll have to tell him that I said hello!” she purred. “It was nice to meet him at the last Gathering.”

DESDEMONA | Knight | F | 37 moons | TAGS: Fluttercloud (MoonClan)

“Thank you,” Desdemona murmured, climbing atop the rocks, and nodding in appreciation as she settled into the space that had been cleared for her. The stones were still sun-warm and made a pleasant surface to sprawl all four of her spotted legs across in contentment. For a moment, Desdemona just relaxed into the warmth, focused on nothing but the quiet breathing of her neighbor. But while sitting in comfortable silence with this unknown molly was already quite nice, she was curious as to whose company she was keeping. “My name is Desdemona,” she offered, flicking one silver ear in the molly’s direction. “What’s yours?”

YOUNG ALYSSUM | Squire | F | 8 moons | TAGS: Willowdancer (Celestial Beings)

Alyssum smiled to herself as she padded into the Gathering-place after the rest of the Golden Kingdom. It was indeed a bustling, noisy hubbub of activity, just as Frost had said, and the cacophony of sound and scent assaulting her senses had Young Alyssum nearly reeling. Still, though, the excitement brewing beneath her skin went untempered. She knew she was small and dainty, like her father and her sisters and her brother, but she was not afraid. Not even when she bounded headfirst into a full-grown molly! Stumbling backwards, Alyssum’s face felt as warm as her ginger fur as she stammered apologies to the ticked tabby before her. “My name is Alyssum, and I’m a squire from the Golden Kingdom,” she said, once she’d collected herself enough from the embarrassment. “Sorry again for bumping into you!”

-

[Vaporeon03]

Claritysong - Cis Female - 33M - Melody (Leader) - Open

Looking back, Claritysong suddenly realised that more members of LyricClan had tagged along than she had realised. Some of them probably had a change of heart after a while and decided to follow along without informing the initial group. This was peak clan communication here. Right now, she only saw Spritshackle, but there may be others.

Spiritshackle - Cis Female - 26M - Harmony (Deputy) - Starlingflight [HazeClan]
As the other cat spoke, Spritshackle frowned for a moment. "It's good." She muttered. A momentary pause. Right, she should probably introduce herself or something? "Spiritshackle of LyricClan, she/her." She explained to the other. "And you?"

Nightmist & Halftwist - Trans Female & Cis Female - 25M & 25 M - Tenor (Warrior) & Tenor - Brunostpaw [Celestial Beings]
Nightmist and Halftwist both gave Brunostpaw confused looks as he noted on them being pretty. Neither particularly appreciated his idea of praise. Being "pretty" was, in general, not much of a praise in LyricClan. While some cats may appreciate it, Nightmist and Halftwist certainly didn't, especially not from a stranger.

"We live in the rainforest. Mostly in the canopy layers. We like singing." Nightmist responded this time, in a quick and sharp manner. She didn't want to give too much away. "What about you?"

[chaotic creativity]

CHESSCLAN !!
ROOKSTAR - Tom - 57 Moons - Roi - Tagged: Night of Open Stars (Kyanite Keep)

Rookstar watched as the molly bowed and began to speak. Night of the Stars was a rather unique name, and so was the Clan name of Kyanite Keep. Rookstar knew many Clans had unique names and naming systems, so it was no shock that this new leader came from one such Clan. As she spoke of her Clan being new to Gatherings, Rookstar nodded slowly. He remembered when ChessClan was new, though Aspstar and Horizonstar had been ruling at that time. It seemed like it was so long ago, back when Rookstar was only Rookpaw, and only a few cats still remained that remembered that time. "Oh, it's beyond miserable with this horrid heat. I believe I shall have to be carried home by moss because I will surely be a puddle by the time the moon sets," he meowed. He almost felt as if his pelt was dripping sweat, but he knew that was unlikely. It wasn't as if he had just taken a swim and he was still drying, even if he felt like that would cool him down tremendously. "I believe I will go for a swim before long. Maybe the water will cool my ever burning hide," he meowed, sitting and turning to look intently at Night of Open Stars. "I'm rather glad I happened across you tonight. I love meeting leaders of Clans I've never heard of or interacted with," he purred, grinning as he turned to stare at her fully. He hoped she didn't believe him to be weird or unsettling, but his cheery and friendly attitude often made him act as if he had known a new cat for ages.

CHASMSTAR - Molly - 48 Moons - Dame - Tagged: Frost's Sheen (Golden Kingdom)

The dame couldn't help but stand straighter and stiffer with each praise of ChessClan's name. As Frost's Sheen expressed her joy at her own father's name being known, Chasmstar couldn't help but nod and smile. "Many of my Clan do, but we are beginning to rid ourselves of that tradition of the past. It was a token of the original ChessClan, the one that Aspstar descended from, and we want to distance ourselves from them. Very few cats have any ties to the ancient Clan, and the only true one we knew of turned on us and left us hurting. I believe that we should strike out and make a name for ourselves," she meowed, the same words falling from her lips that had when she had announced the breaking of this tradition to the Clan. Many cats had been outraged, but others were more understanding. "Does all of your Clan have two names, the first being possessive of the second?" she meowed, wondering how the progression of the names happened as cats aged. "Are you born as Frost's Sheen, or does your name change depending on your rank in the way most Clan cats' do?" she added, hoping to make her question clearer and more well known. She hated when cats began answering a question she asked as if it had a different meaning than she intended. Yes, it was true that mistakes happened, but Chasmstar constantly took it upon herself to ensure that it rarely happened. She just didn't want Frost's Sheen to ramble about some strange topic she hadn't meant to inquire about.

RICHTERSCREECH - Tom - 67 Moons - Tour - Tagged: Open


Richterscreech just chuckled as Rookstar bounced around like a hyperactive kit. The tom had always been over the top and excited, and Richterscreech couldn't help but feel a fatherly love towards him. The two had been close ever since Rookstar had been his apprentice, and he smiled as the tom padded into the crowd. Richterscreech didn't spot any of the cats he'd previously talked to, so he smiled happily as he said hellos throughout the crowd. He was happy to be back after missing the last Gathering, but he was also too nervous to approach any cat just yet. With a smile, he sat down and began to scan the crowd for any familiar face. He just wanted a light conversation to carry through the night, but he didn't know who to approach first.


WOLFWHISKERS - Tom - 72 Moons - Fou - Tagged: Emberspark (HazeClan)

Wolfwhiskers flicked his ears as Emberspark nudged him and spoke of him finding retirement boring. It was true that he enjoyed working, always having something to do, but he always thought he could use the days to laze about and do nothing but sleep in the sun. He could imagine the warmth now, stretched out on stones by the stream. He let out a shaky sigh, nodding to Emberspark. "I've looked forward to retirement since the day I joined ChessClan," he jested. He couldn't help but feel as if he'd worked for more seasons than he could count, but it'd barely been three season-cycles since he joined the Clan. His eyes wandered to where Lichenpaw and Lindtpaw were sitting, and he knew he wouldn't retire when they received their full names. He wanted to teach another medicine cat from the beginning; he wanted to see the lights turn on with each action and remedy they learn. "They'll never get my creaky bones out of the medicine den, and you know it. I'll haunt the place as a ghost once I'm in ÉtoileClan," he meowed, nodding firmly to Emberspark. The molly was sweet and kind, and he felt safe to be himself around her. He may continue to act tough and stoic, but she knew he had a kind and soft heart. Rocherpebble constantly teased him about how close they had grown, but Wolfwhiskers always looked forward to the Gatherings in the hopes of seeing her again. He almost wanted to tell her this, but he bit his tongue and looked away. He'd been so bold with Morningwhisper, his last closest friend, but something about Emberspark made him unwilling to admit his feelings and thoughts.

FAONDAPPLE - Molly - 26 Moons - Fou - Tagged: Cloudtongue (PineClan)


As the tom introduced himself as Cloudtongue of PineClan, she smiled. She'd heard of PineClan before; Rookstar had spoken to their leader once. As he asked her about why she was called Faonpaw if she had her full name, she dropped her head to hide her blush of embarrassment. "I meant Faondapple," she meowed sheepishly, knowing she'd messed up. She was still getting used to calling herself Faondapple, and she couldn't believe she'd already goofed up at her first Gathering as a full fou. "I'm still getting used to the name," she chuckled lightly, hoping Cloudtongue wouldn't make fun of or laugh at her. She'd worked so hard, training entirely as a warrior apprentice and then switching to be Wolfwhiskers' apprentice, that she'd gotten so accustomed to being called Faonpaw. Her training had taken nearly twenty moons, after all. She had been Faonpaw longer than both Faonkit and Faondapple combined, and yet she was still entirely embarrassed to call herself the wrong name. "This is my first Gathering with my full name, and I'm so excited to be here," she purred, tail curling high over her spine. Most medicine cats that she had met had been kind, if not a little grumpy, and Cloudtongue seemed to be on the kinder side. She had yet to meet a genuinely cruel medicine cat, but she doubted that would ever happen. Why would a cat who hated other cats want to help them? In any case, she hoped to never meet a medicine cat she didn't like.


LINDTPAW - Tom - 14 Moons - Fou Apprentice - Tagged: Open


Lindtpaw let out a quiet growl as Lichenpaw began to chase him. "You'll never catch me!" he cried, running in a circle around Faondapple. The two cats were delighted as they ran, and he skidded to a halt as Wolfwhiskers began to scold them. "I have more sense than a kit," Lindtpaw gasped, placing his paw on his chest as if in shock. Wolfwhiskers just shook his head and padded off, quickly followed by Faondapple. "Well, where would you—" Lindtpaw was cut off as he realized Lichenpaw had already dashed away. The molly was clearly eager to be at the Gathering, so he stumbled through the crowd slowly. He wanted to find other apprentices, maybe even another medicine cat apprentice, but he felt that the chances were low. With a grumble, he sat down and let his eyes flutter closed. He was just going to take a quick nap, and then he'd find someone to talk with.


LICHENPAW - Molly - 10 Moons - Fou Apprentice - Tagged: Open


Lichenpaw nipped at Lindtpaw's tail and began to chase him, growling lightly as they spun in circles. As Faondapple tapped her on the nose, she spotted Wolfwhiskers trying to hide his smile. He quickly reminded them of the rules, and Lichenpaw stuck her tongue out at him. As soon as he began to leave, she took off at a full run into the crowd. She was so eager to find a cat to talk with, she just wanted to know more about the world. She'd never left the territory, and all she wanted was to learn about other Clans nearby. Other Clans were always so interesting, even if she loved ChessClan more than any other cat.


OISEAUDAPPLE - Tom - 21 Moons - Cavalier - Tagged: Quakestone (Highgarden)


Quakestone spoke of tournaments, and Oiseaudapple longed to have something similar in ChessClan. "It's feather-brained that roses can't participate in the spring tournament. If you could, I might just sneak in to watch you put all the toms on their tails," he meowed with a huff, pretending to be more serious than he really was. As she mentioned the rose tournament to find an heir if there wasn't one, Oiseaudapple shuddered. "I couldn't imagine having to rely on a tournament for the next dame and roi. It's a good thing that we have a tour to take over when they pass," he meowed. Richterscreech was getting old, so it was clear that he would be replaced soon since it didn't seem that Rookstar and Chasmstar were going anywhere anytime soon. Quakestone asked about traditions in ChessClan, and he just shrugged. "Our final assessment is a two moon ordeal. We have to start at the far point of the Northern Pass and survive on our own in the treacherous terrain until we make it back to camp. No cat comes back unscathed, and many don't come back at all," he meowed. He was reminded of when Fourmisplash took off after a gut feeling told him that Acaiheart was hurt. When the tom returned with the injured apprenti, it had only made Oiseaudapple even more afraid for his own final assessment. Yet, all he'd returned with was a hidden scar on his belly from a close call with an eagle. "It's a shock I made it through with just the one scar," he purred, his heart racing as he remembered the fight for his life.


SPIRIT - Molly - 21 Moons - Cavalier - Tagged: Sunlight (The Fallen)

Spirit couldn't help but beam as the tom shared that this was also his first Gathering. "My name is Spirit. What is yours?" she asked, reaching for the polite greeting she had so clearly forgotten in her rambling. She sheepishly sat down and curled her long tail around her paws; it wrapped entirely around her body and then some. She'd been a kittypet all the twolegs commented on, what with her long tail and all, but she knew from the moment she stepped outside that she was meant to be wild. She didn't care if she had come from a special breeder, she only knew that she wanted to spend her entire life in the open and away from the four walls of a twoleg den. It was hard, leaving her old life behind, but it had all been worth it when she had been accepted into ChessClan. "If talking is all we're meant to do, why did we bring apprentices? They're notorious for getting into trouble when they don't have tasks to busy their paws with," she chuckled, knowing that she'd been at the short end of plenty of pranks in the two moons in ChessClan. The wind was light and breezy, and Spirit couldn't help but turn into it. She loved the feeling of it rippling through her fur as she raced across the meadow, and she couldn't wait to leave the mountains so that she could race Lapinhop and Oiseaudapple through the territory and back to camp. She loved to run and feel free, but she also jumped at the smallest ripple in a shadow. She was constantly teased for being as jumpy as rabbit, but she knew she was just clearly being cautious.

LAPINHOP - Tom - 22 Moons - Cavalier - Tagged: Shadowgaze (TidalClan),


Lapinhop's long legs were aching by the time he reached the Gathering. His eyes were strained from being narrowed against the bright sun through most of the journey, so he walked with his eyes mostly closed until they reached the crowd. He stepped on several paws and tails until he stopped to apologize to one molly. "I'm extremely sorry, my eyes still hurt from that intense sunlight we had today. Why couldn't we have had a single cloud for cover?" he moaned dramatically, resting his paw on his forehead and swooning backwards. He had hoped to make a good impression on the molly, who was just a blob in his sight as he tried to open his eyes wider. He knew there was only the light of the full moon, but it would take him several moments to adjust to the semi-darkness. He'd been warned as a kit that his eyes would make him more easily hurt by the light, but he hadn't believed them until recently when he couldn't leave the trees until the sun was beginning to set. He sat beside her and rubbed his eyes with his paws, the blurryness beginning to retreat from his vision until he finally stopped and turn to look at the molly fully. She was rather pretty, with her pelt shimmering in the moonlight. Lapinhop noted that every pelt seemed to shine in the moonlight in a way completely different than in the sunlight. "It's beautiful out here tonight, now that I can see," he chuckled. He was tired and could have taken a nap right there, but he knew he needed to stay awake and at least talk to one cat at his first Gathering.



THE ORDER OF THE HYENA !!
HYENA'S BREATH - Molly - 36 Moons - Matriarch - Tagged: Open


Hyena's Breath narrowed her eyes as she approached the Gathering. The last time she had attended the Gathering, she hadn't had a single member in her Clan other than herself. Now, she had an Aide, an Herbalist, and three Scavengers. All five cats followed along behind her, and she turned to nod at them slowly. They fanned out behind her, their thin frames hidden behind long claws and bared teeth. She wouldn't do to have her Clan present themselves as quiet and calm, and she nodded as she saw them hiss at the cats who got too close to them before they reached their destination. "Now, you know to only gain information. Never give away any news about the Order," she meowed, slinking off towards the leaders as the rest of her Clan broke apart behind her. She sat down and swept her tail close to her, her strangely mottled tortoiseshell pelt making her blend into the dappled shadows across the ground.


CIVET'S SCURRY - Molly - 34 Moons - Aide - Tagged: Wispwillow (SnowClan)

Civet's Scurry's eyes were wide as Wispwillow described snow and all the wonderful uses for it. At the mention of snowcats, Civet's Scurry couldn't help but chuckle. It sounded about like how she used to make things out of mud in the wet season when she was just a kit. She'd never made a cat, though, and she wondered just how hard it would be to make one out of mud. "Moving camps is rather smart, especially if your weather changes over the seasons. Our camp only moves if the wet season floods reach us. I believe we're far enough from the river to avoid that," she meowed with a chuckle. She'd witnessed the savage floods that ripped through the savanna, whisking away full grown elephants and cats alike. She'd never witnessed the floods reach close enough to camp to warrant a move, but she'd heard plenty of stories of the entire savanna being submerged beneath the water. "I wish we could get snow at our camp, but I've also heard of things called blizzards. They're apparently like storms, but with snow," Civet's Scurry shuddered. Storms were all too common, with the flash of lightning and the roar of thunder. They'd had to shelter in aardvark burrows during the worst of the storms, begging with the gods so that their safe haven didn't flood. If snow was what a blizzard used as its weapon, Civet's Scurry could only imagine how think the blanket on the ground would be. "The more I think about this snow, the more I wonder if I'm lucky that I've never seen it," she chuckled, eyes on Wispwillow as she hoped not to offend the molly who came from a Clan that seemed to always be coated with snow.

OSTRICH'S CRY - Molly - 43 Moons - Herbalist - Tagged: Halepen (CascadeClan)


Ostrich's Cry listened to Halepen explain what each of the ranks did at the Gathering, noting that something called a deputy existed. The Order didn't exactly have a deputy so to speak; the Aide carried out the Matriarch's wishes, making them almost like a second in command, but the Shadow was more respected than the Aide in every fashion. As Halepen commented on her name and asked where she was from, Ostrich's Cry bit back a sharp retort about how he didn't need to know. She took a deep breath to calm her threatening temper and put on a clearly forced smile. "I am from The Order of the Hyena, a Clan that takes shelter on the Savanna," she meowed, wondering if she should scare him with stories of the predators and massive prey animals that they shared their home with. The predators were dangerous, but you couldn't survive if the prey animals the large predators went after stepped on you. Giant hooves and teeth alike haunted the Clan's dreams, and Ostrich's Cry shook her pelt out as she was brought back to the present. "Halepen's a rather unique name as well. I've never heard of a hale, a pen, or a halepen," she meowed, not knowing if Halepen was one name or a prefix and a suffix. There were so many unique names in the world, and Ostrich's Cry wanted to learn more about them. She might have found the cats detestable and rather avoid them, but sometimes doing things you didn't like was all you could do to reach your goals. Ostrich's Cry only wanted knowledge, not friends or companions or a mate. She found that she'd never felt the love other cats spoke of, and she was content with that. Her wish to learn was much more important than any form of relatoinship.


ZEBRA'S GALLOP - Molly - 40 Moons - Scavenger - Tagged: The Tree (DuckClan)

Zebra's Gallop's mind was racing as The Tree spoke. She was still perplexed, but she chose not to press the issue. Some traditions of other Clans would never make sense to her, and she felt it not to be beneficial to try and understand. With a sigh, she listened to where he came from. She had never heard of tribes, but she had definitely heard of Clans. "Matriarch Hyena's Breath might know more about tribes, so I'll have to ask her for more information about them. I've never actually heard about them," she meowed. The savanna was only home to the five Orders, none going by the name 'Clan' or even using traditional Clan naming systems. The only reason they were considered a Clan was because they claimed themselves to be one. "If I'm being honest, I've never heard of DuckClan. I've never actually heard of any Clan, but that may be because I'm so new to the Order, who is not bordered by any Clan," she chuckled. They were a secluded Clan, and she rather liked it that way. There was a high chance that this would be her last Gathering, mostly because she never wanted to return to such a large group of cats. It was rather unsettling to be surrounded on all sides after living in such a small Clan as the Order. She wasn't used to the large number of cats in one place, but she wondered if the Order would ever grow large enough to have more than a dozen cats in their camp. She couldn't help but chuckle at the thought, especially since the Order had been so small for several moons now.

WILDEBEEST'S STAMPEDE - Tom - 38 Moons - Scavenger - Tagged: Fairytail (MoonClan)

Wildebeest's Stampede could see that Fairytail was slowly becoming more comfortable the more they spoke. Fairytail was a rather unusual name, mostly because Wildebeest's Stampede didn't know what a fairy was. "You have nothing to apologize for, Fairytail. Some cats struggle with conversation and meeting new cats, and that's completely fine. Several friends I've had were the exact same way," he chuckled, remembering how Crash and Boom had always frozen and mumbled any time they met a new cat. At the thought of his old friends, who he hadn't seen in many moons, he couldn't help but wonder what they were up to now. What was in the past stayed in the past, so he turned his attention back to Fairytail. "It's good to be wary with what kinds of cats are running around nowadays. There's been too many stories of cats trying to take over Clans to fully trust a cat at your first meeting," he rumbled, hoping to comfort her but wondering if it was at all the right thing to say. "I'm not saying that I'm one of those evil cats, at least I don't think I am, I just thought it might help. I mean, with your nerves. Well—" he quickly clamped his jaws shut and shook his head, refusing to speak another word before he fully thought out what he was meaning to convey. Zebra's Gallop always teased him that he had a tendency to get tongue-tied out of the blue, but he always hated it when it happened around a cat he'd never met before.

LION'S SHADOW - Tom - 41 Moons - Scavenger - Tagged: Mallowbrook (LightClan)

Lion's Shadow stared at Mallowbrook as she mentioned never hearing of the Order before. "We've come a rather long way, if I'm being honest. It was a several day journey to attend, which is why we don't make it to every Gathering. This is my first, and my Clan has only attended one other," he meowed, his voice just as quiet as when he had introduced himself to Mallowbrook. They had left approximately three sunrises before, and they'd traveled for several days to attend the Gathering. Hyena's Breath had spoken that she would only like to attend a maximum of every other Gathering, but Lion's Shadow knew they wouldn't even make it to that many. It was simply too far, and too tiring to attend very many. Lion's Shadow may still have been a relatively young scavenger, but he didn't want to spend most of his life traveling. He had settled in the Order for a reason, but he was willing to attend a Gathering every now and then. "Have you had to travel far? I'm not sure where any other Clans come from," he meowed. As a new member to the Order, he only knew that they didn't border a single Clan. Before the Order, he hadn't even known Clans outside of the five main Orders of the savanna even existed. Now that he was here, he was aware that Clans came from all around. While the Order may be removed from most of the Clans, he knew that he would happen across a Clan no matter what direction he traveled in. There were too many scents of different Clans to count, and it almost shocked him that this was just a small fraction of most of these Clans. It was beyond thrilling to think that so many Clans existed.

[beebun]

snowclan
can bring three more.

briarstar / leader / 56 m / tags: open

the tabby molly sits near the leader’s area, but doesn’t seem to want to interact with anyone yet. she looks annoyed, her tail flicking back and forth.

jinglenose / deputy / 36 m / tags: fishleap tidalclan

“yes.” jinglenose nodded before adding, “how is.. tidalclan, right?” jinglenose tried to keep all clan names in his mind, because who knows when he would need that information? besides, briarstar sometimes asked him to talk about other clans that he knew.

glimpsebark / med cat / 34 m / tags: open

“have fun, wispwillow!” glimpsebark mewed to the other molly— she had become fond of wispwillow over the moons she had known the blind cat. wispwillow nodded, a solemn smile on her face as she slipped into the crowd. glimpsebark sighed and walked away, going towards where the medicine cats met.

wispwillow / warrior / 35 m / tags: civet’s scurry the order of the hyena

“yeah. that’s exactly what a blizzard is.” wispwilow thought for a minute before adding her reply, “though I’ve never been in one. if you get stuck outside in a snowstorm —what we call them, but it the same thing— only the toughest cats survive. the clan usually keeps cats in the caves when they happen.” her voice sounded ominous, though the blind warrior didn’t mean it too be. “I wouldn’t say your lucky to have seen it or not.. it’s a dangerous beauty.”

snowballshine / warrior / 13 m / tags: pinepaw duckclan

“ohh.” snowballshine mewed, realizing that most clans were named after their founders, which made the leader self-absorbed in their eyes. “well, snowclan has snowy weather, we almost never get rain. in the summer it’s warmer though.” they paused, “well, briarstar is our clan’s founder —also my mom— but she named the clan after the landscape, which is almost always filled with snow.” they burst into laughter. “I think I’m the only one in the clan who truly loves snow.”

seapaw / app / 12 m / tags: aulandrawhisk cascadeclan

seapaw blinked at aulandrawhisk. “oh, snowballshine? they became a warrior a moon ago. and yes, I do.” the apprentice gave the warrior a faint smile, “very excitable. but they mean well.” seapaw contemplated telling aulandrawhisk that snowballshine was here now, and decided to do it. it was most likely that her friend had made friends with the molly in front of her. that was snowballshine’s thing, they were really good at cats. “snowballshine is actually here, by the way. don’t know where they went though.”

[salvation.]

the fallen

one|leader|tom|open

one led the rather small group, mostly consisting of younger warriors into the gathering. badgermask was closest to him while smokefur hung back a little still walking close to the two. one knew the look on smokefur's face, he was listening waiting for badgermask to say something to the leader. the molly said nothing, she held her head up high and continued to walk into the clearing.

badgermask|deputy|molly|aldernight (cascadeclan)

badgermask settled down next to him. "nothing much, i finally got the deputy position. much bigger things are on the horizon i suppose." she paused, much bigger things were on the horizon, albeit she wanted to keep it quiet for now. "how are things in cascadeclan?"

smokefur|med cat|tom|open

smokefur watched one and badgermask intently, he had always been very cautious of badgermask but after her threat last moon he felt that anything she said towards one would be a hint as to what she was planning. he watched as she left the group, he allowed himself to relax a little, at least she wouldn't be hanging around them tonight.

owltalon|warrior|molly|hornetsting, open to others

owltalon excitedly followed one and the others. it was her first gathering ever, and her first gathering as a warrior. hornetsting who was walking alongside her did not wear a similar expression. she was busy watching her mother, badgermask. "hey! its the gathering, you should cheer up a bit."

hornetsting|warrior|molly|owltalon, open to others

hornetsting watched her mother leave the group with an upset look. she wanted to be around her mom, and maybe talk to some leaders with her. her head turned to owltalon's voice. "sorry, i was just thinking about something else. lets go find a cat to talk to." she suggested adding a bit more excitement to her tone.

sunlight|warrior|tom|spirit (chessclan)

sunlight listened to the she-cat speak, taking note of her tail, it was quite long at least longer than any tail he'd ever seen. she also had a single name which he didn't find too odd either, one had a single name. "my name is sunlight, i'm from the fallen." he said dipping his head slightly. he laughed at her comment about apprentices, remembering that he was one not too long ago. "i guess its nice for them to meet other cats their age."

[[kat]]

ᴠᴀɢᴀʀʏᴄʟᴀɴ

♪ Foxcatcher
tom ; warrior ; tags: ploverheart
When Foxcatcher turned and saw the attractive molly meandering towards him, suddenly his confidence started to slip. He recognized her scent from the PineClan border, so at least he knew she was friendly, but now he was aware that he wanted to make a good impression on her. He cleared her throat as she made it to him, and dipped his head politely, albeit a bit awkwardly. "Hey! Didn't think I'd meet such a pretty molly tonight, but here you are." He meowed, flashing her a wide grin with confidence reinstated.

❋ Brindlebirch
molly ; perma queen ; tags: mapleshadow
Brindlebirch couldn't hold back a purr when Mapleshadow spoke. "You know I'm always happy to see you." Her reply was soft, and laced with nerves, but genuine as it could be. Her eyes widened when the Highgarden molly produced a delicate rose, its petals still full of color despite not being in season, and she swallowed her surprise to hear Mapleshadow stuttering about something- not what she had ever expected from the confident molly. She leaned down and daintily touched her nose to the petals, holding her breath so as not to damage it, and when she rose again she couldn't keep the smile from her muzzle. "Mapleshadow- it's beautiful. Seriously, no one's ever given me something so lovely." She glanced at her paws for a moment, building up the courage to say what she next had in mind. "It... it's like you, in that way."

❧ Poppyshade
molly ; warrior ; tags: jayswoop
Poppyshade gave her old friend a small smile. "Sentiment can go a long way," she murmured, taking a moment to remember Ravenswoop herself. It had been a while since she had thought of the tom and his tragic death, but she had respected him, and his death was another reminder of why she'd had to leave SpruceClan all those moons ago. But now, she had caught the slip in Jayswoop's statement, and she tilted her head at him. "I'm glad to hear it- maybe I'll see her at the next Gathering. What about Violetspark? How is he faring?"

✥ Lotusfall
molly ; warrior ; tags: splitfire
Lotusfall peered over the hill, taking in the many different pelts and scents before taking a tentative step in. She drew in a slow, nervous breath and padded down, looking anxiously for her mate's colorful fur. She wanted to update Splitfire on their daughter, Lilykit, but it had been a while since the two had seen each other, and she hoped that Splitfire would be happy to see her again. Unable to see her yet, Lotusfall took a seat near a large fern bush and waited for IslandClan to arrive.

ᴋʏᴀɴɪᴛᴇ ᴋᴇᴇᴘ

♛ Night of the Stars
molly ; queen ; tags: rookstar
Night let out a soft mrrow of amusement at Rookstar's worry of turning into a puddle. Her own silver and black pelt was quite short and she often found herself wishing for longer fur since the caverns that made up Kyanite Keep's camp certainly didn't lend any heat, especially in the colder seasons. Standing here in the Gathering, though, she couldn't say she envied the other leader's predicament. "I hope you get a chance to cool off before the night's end. Do you have this trouble in your own territory, or is it cool where you live?" She observed the tom's lax appearance, deciding that he was decent company after all, and doing her best to set aside her nerves. "I'm glad to have made your acquaintance as well," she meowed, giving another slight dip of her head. She stiffened a bit upon hearing that Rookstar had never heard of Kyanite Keep, but she had to remind herself that after the original Clan fell to civil war, it would make sense that no modern cat would know of them. "You seem like a level-headed cat. So, what is your experience leading ChessClan like?"

[ponz]

SPRUCECLAN
-----

CRICKETPOUNCE | Deputy | M | 82 moons | TAGS: Frostflower (PineClan)

A flash of waving white fur in his peripheral vision caught Cricketpounce’s eye. Perhaps it was coincidence, but the nearly inaudible one-two step of a PineClan cat, stealthy as even the clumsiest of their number were, could not be ignored. “Frostflower!” Cricketpounce called, whirling around to greet her with a smile. And as he’d thought, the white molly hovered just behind him, long tail swaying in the gentle breeze. “I’m so glad to see you here this evening. It’s really been too long. How have you and Ramkit been?”

JAYSWOOP | Warrior | M | 40 moons | TAGS: Poppyshade (VagaryClan)
Just like that, Jayswoop’s joyful reunion with a dear friend came to a close, swept away by a tide of disbelief like a ledge slipping out from under his paws. His ears swiveled backwards, eyes softening. “Did... did Brambletuft not tell you?” he asked. “Violetspark, he—“ Jayswoop choked on the words, throat closing up with a wave of unexpected grief. He certainly had not been planning on becoming the bearer of the worst news Poppyshade could possibly receive. It wasn’t fair, what had happened. ’Riverhowl always did say grief was a part of life,’ Jayswoop thought, and opened his mouth to deliver the bitterest truth. “Poppyshade, I am so sorry. Violetspark died in the fight against Sharptalon.”

CRIMSONTAIL | Warrior | M | 26 moons | TAGS: open!

Crimson bared his teeth in frenetic glee, splitting from the fold of his clanmates into an enveloping crowd. SpruceClan called him Crimsontail, perhaps a wry jab at Crimson’s daunting plumage, but he wasn’t particularly bothered. Hardly a moon he’d spent with the mountain cats, and now he was accompanying them to a meeting between more clans than he could count. He liked the thrill of it, of running headlong into danger and the shock of adrenaline that followed suit. The Gathering wasn’t exactly dangerous, as far as he knew, but it was still nice to be somewhere where he could play around for the evening. And as Crimson raced into the fray, he could hardly help himself from yowling in delight. This was certainly going to be fun!

BRAMBLINGPATH | Warrior | F | 23 moons | TAGS: open!

Leaf-fall winds ruffled the long fur of Bramblingpath’s chest, a welcome coolness that reminded her of home. She eyed Crimsontail as he sprinted off into the crowd, howling in excitement, and shook her head with a bemused laugh. “Strange guy,” Bramblingpath hummed, padding off towards the central mass of strangers, but not actually venturing in herself. With no tail of her own to let twitch idly, Bramblingpath instead fell back on her whiskers, which swiveled and twisted mindlessly while she roamed. She’d let Lady Luck determine whether or not she encountered someone at this particular Gathering, and in the meantime, relished in the cool evening air.

STORMPAW | Apprentice | M | 9 moons | TAGS: Caperpaw (CascadeClan)

Stormpaw paid little attention to the cats around him at first, too focused on the whirlwind of his thoughts. It was a regular enough occurrence for his mind to be occupied with Darkpaw and Betonypaw’s shenanigans that he didn’t snap out of the haze until . Eyes brightening with eagerness, Stormpaw padded after the small cat he’d spotted behind a larger, black and white tom. They were an apprentice, probably, who looked about as old as he was. Curiosity sparked, and so the little ginger tom wriggled past the warrior keeping an eye on the object of his attentions. “Hey,” he called to the black tabby, his own striped tail rising in curiosity. “M’names Stormpaw. What’s yours?”

GOLDEN KINGDOM
-----

FROST’S SHEEN | Crown Princess | F | 23 moons | TAGS: Chasmstar (ChessClan)
“How fascinating!” Frost’s Sheen purred, long white tail flicking side to side with childlike intrigue. But Chasmstar’s explanation of the ending tradition struck a chord of empathy. With a half-smile, Frost thought back to the bloodstained legacy of the Golden Kingdom and the tenuous relationship she and Crown of Embers shared with the spirit of its founder. It was with some relief that she allowed her mind to drift instead to Chasmstar’s query. “For those who adhere to the traditional naming system, yes,” she meowed. “A suffix is chosen to describe the qualities of one’s name.” Frost’s Sheen laughed airily, dipping her head. She knew perfectly well that it was an odd system, but hopefully, Chasmstar would understand. “We are born with one name, which changes with rank just as a clan cat’s might. Myself, I was known as Kit of Frost in kittenhood, Young Frost as a squire, and then became Frost’s Sheen upon knighthood.”

LYNX’S PROWL | Knight | M | 54 moons | TAGS: Sunflicker (LightClan)

“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Sunflicker!” Lynx’s Prowl rumbled, offering his own smile in return. He stretched out slowly, dropping down into a seated position and tilting his head towards Sunflicker. “I’ve always thought these Gatherings were a nice place to make friends. Is this your first?” After a moment of thought, Lynx offered another question. “Ah, but I’m getting ahead of myself. I meant to ask you what clan you call home! Myself, I come from the Golden Kingdom.”

MAISIE | Knight | F | 43 moons | TAGS: Conuresun (TidalClan)

“Life in TidalClan sure sounds nice,” Maisie hummed, already visualizing it in her mind’s eye. “Peaceful days by the shore... why, that’s any cat’s dream! Or, at least, for us the Golden Kingdom. We don’t often see a body of water bigger than a puddle!” Chuckling a bit at the mental image of Conuresun and Sanderlingfrost bobbing up and down in the ocean’s tides, Maisie nodded as her half-sister confirmed the absence of her mate. “You’ll have to tell him that I said hello!” she purred. “It was nice to meet him at the last Gathering.”

DESDEMONA | Knight | F | 37 moons | TAGS: Fluttercloud (MoonClan)

“Thank you,” Desdemona murmured, climbing atop the rocks, and nodding in appreciation as she settled into the space that had been cleared for her. The stones were still sun-warm and made a pleasant surface to sprawl all four of her spotted legs across in contentment. For a moment, Desdemona just relaxed into the warmth, focused on nothing but the quiet breathing of her neighbor. But while sitting in comfortable silence with this unknown molly was already quite nice, she was curious as to whose company she was keeping. “My name is Desdemona,” she offered, flicking one silver ear in the molly’s direction. “What’s yours?”

YOUNG ALYSSUM | Squire | F | 8 moons | TAGS: Willowdancer (Celestial Beings)

Alyssum smiled to herself as she padded into the Gathering-place after the rest of the Golden Kingdom. It was indeed a bustling, noisy hubbub of activity, just as Frost had said, and the cacophony of sound and scent assaulting her senses had Young Alyssum nearly reeling. Still, though, the excitement brewing beneath her skin went untempered. She knew she was small and dainty, like her father and her sisters and her brother, but she was not afraid. Not even when she bounded headfirst into a full-grown molly! Stumbling backwards, Alyssum’s face felt as warm as her ginger fur as she stammered apologies to the ticked tabby before her. “My name is Alyssum, and I’m a squire from the Golden Kingdom,” she said, once she’d collected herself enough from the embarrassment. “Sorry again for bumping into you!”

-

[[kat]]

ᴠᴀɢᴀʀʏᴄʟᴀɴ

♪ Foxcatcher
tom ; warrior ; tags: ploverheart
When Foxcatcher turned and saw the attractive molly meandering towards him, suddenly his confidence started to slip. He recognized her scent from the PineClan border, so at least he knew she was friendly, but now he was aware that he wanted to make a good impression on her. He cleared her throat as she made it to him, and dipped his head politely, albeit a bit awkwardly. "Hey! Didn't think I'd meet such a pretty molly tonight, but here you are." He meowed, flashing her a wide grin with confidence reinstated.

❋ Brindlebirch
molly ; perma queen ; tags: mapleshadow
Brindlebirch couldn't hold back a purr when Mapleshadow spoke. "You know I'm always happy to see you." Her reply was soft, and laced with nerves, but genuine as it could be. Her eyes widened when the Highgarden molly produced a delicate rose, its petals still full of color despite not being in season, and she swallowed her surprise to hear Mapleshadow stuttering about something- not what she had ever expected from the confident molly. She leaned down and daintily touched her nose to the petals, holding her breath so as not to damage it, and when she rose again she couldn't keep the smile from her muzzle. "Mapleshadow- it's beautiful. Seriously, no one's ever given me something so lovely." She glanced at her paws for a moment, building up the courage to say what she next had in mind. "It... it's like you, in that way."

❧ Poppyshade
molly ; warrior ; tags: jayswoop
All at once, Poppyshade felt hundreds of different emotions swirl through her upon hearing of her brother's death. Stunned into silence, all she could do was stare at Jayswoop, her jaws opening and closing as she tried to form words. It couldn't be true- Brambletuft would have told her, surely, especially since he had told her about Roselight. Hurt and betrayal washed over her, and she took a small step back from the SpruceClan tom, shaking her head slowly. "You- you're lying. Brambletuft would have told me. I know... I know Roselight died, but he wouldn't have just left Daisystem on her own."

✥ Lotusfall
molly ; warrior ; tags: splitfire
Lotusfall peered over the hill, taking in the many different pelts and scents before taking a tentative step in. She drew in a slow, nervous breath and padded down, looking anxiously for her mate's colorful fur. She wanted to update Splitfire on their daughter, Lilykit, but it had been a while since the two had seen each other, and she hoped that Splitfire would be happy to see her again. Unable to see her yet, Lotusfall took a seat near a large fern bush and waited for IslandClan to arrive.

ᴋʏᴀɴɪᴛᴇ ᴋᴇᴇᴘ

♛ Night of the Stars
molly ; queen ; tags: rookstar
Night let out a soft mrrow of amusement at Rookstar's worry of turning into a puddle. Her own silver and black pelt was quite short and she often found herself wishing for longer fur since the caverns that made up Kyanite Keep's camp certainly didn't lend any heat, especially in the colder seasons. Standing here in the Gathering, though, she couldn't say she envied the other leader's predicament. "I hope you get a chance to cool off before the night's end. Do you have this trouble in your own territory, or is it cool where you live?" She observed the tom's lax appearance, deciding that he was decent company after all, and doing her best to set aside her nerves. "I'm glad to have made your acquaintance as well," she meowed, giving another slight dip of her head. She stiffened a bit upon hearing that Rookstar had never heard of Kyanite Keep, but she had to remind herself that after the original Clan fell to civil war, it would make sense that no modern cat would know of them. "You seem like a level-headed cat. So, what is your experience leading ChessClan like?"

[ponz]

SPRUCECLAN
-----

CRICKETPOUNCE | Deputy | M | 82 moons | TAGS: Frostflower (PineClan)

A flash of waving white fur in his peripheral vision caught Cricketpounce’s eye. Perhaps it was coincidence, but the nearly inaudible one-two step of a PineClan cat, stealthy as even the clumsiest of their number were, could not be ignored. “Frostflower!” Cricketpounce called, whirling around to greet her with a smile. And as he’d thought, the white molly hovered just behind him, long tail swaying in the gentle breeze. “I’m so glad to see you here this evening. It’s really been too long. How have you and Ramkit been?”

JAYSWOOP | Warrior | M | 40 moons | TAGS: Poppyshade (VagaryClan)
Jayswoop’s shoulders hunched in further. “I don’t... what do you want me to say?” he whispered, the raw hurt plastered across Poppyshade’s face reminding him of his own losses. His next words were measured, chosen carefully as Jayswoop did his best to keep the honesty from cutting too deep. “You’ve been gone a long, long time, Poppy. Lots of things have changed in SpruceClan. After Violetspark died, Brambletuft went out looking for you, said he had to know if you were even alive.” Swallowing thickly, Jayswoop bowed his head. “But you need to know that Daisystem was never on her own. She has me, and she always will.”

CRIMSONTAIL | Warrior | M | 26 moons | TAGS: open!

Crimson bared his teeth in frenetic glee, splitting from the fold of his clanmates into an enveloping crowd. SpruceClan called him Crimsontail, perhaps a wry jab at Crimson’s daunting plumage, but he wasn’t particularly bothered. Hardly a moon he’d spent with the mountain cats, and now he was accompanying them to a meeting between more clans than he could count. He liked the thrill of it, of running headlong into danger and the shock of adrenaline that followed suit. The Gathering wasn’t exactly dangerous, as far as he knew, but it was still nice to be somewhere where he could play around for the evening. And as Crimson raced into the fray, he could hardly help himself from yowling in delight. This was certainly going to be fun!

BRAMBLINGPATH | Warrior | F | 23 moons | TAGS: Owltalon + Hornetsting (The Fallen)
By her third circle around the Gathering place, Bramblingpath found herself succumbing to boredom. Surely, it would be more interesting to find someone to talk to! As she slowed her brisk pace to a walk, the nearby bushes rustled in the wake of a small clan entering. Two mollies, one a mottled tortoiseshell not unlike herself and the other pitch-black in color, trailed off to a stop as the two older warriors leading the way split from the group. Curious now, Bramblingpath let her head tilt to the side and padded closer. “Hello,” she greeted, smiling lightly at the two newcomers. “I’m Bramblingpath from SpruceClan. Mind if I join you two?”

STORMPAW | Apprentice | M | 9 moons | TAGS: Caperpaw (CascadeClan)

Stormpaw paid little attention to the cats around him at first, too focused on the whirlwind of his thoughts. It was a regular enough occurrence for his mind to be occupied with Darkpaw and Betonypaw’s shenanigans that he didn’t snap out of the haze until . Eyes brightening with eagerness, Stormpaw padded after the small cat he’d spotted behind a larger, black and white tom. They were an apprentice, probably, who looked about as old as he was. Curiosity sparked, and so the little ginger tom wriggled past the warrior keeping an eye on the object of his attentions. “Hey,” he called to the black tabby, his own striped tail rising in curiosity. “M’names Stormpaw. What’s yours?”

GOLDEN KINGDOM
-----

FROST’S SHEEN | Crown Princess | F | 23 moons | TAGS: Chasmstar (ChessClan)

“How fascinating!” Frost’s Sheen purred, long white tail flicking side to side with childlike intrigue. But Chasmstar’s explanation of the ending tradition struck a chord of empathy. With a half-smile, Frost thought back to the bloodstained legacy of the Golden Kingdom and the tenuous relationship she and Crown of Embers shared with the spirit of its founder. It was with some relief that she allowed her mind to drift instead to Chasmstar’s query. “For those who adhere to the traditional naming system, yes,” she meowed. “A suffix is chosen to describe the qualities of one’s name.” Frost’s Sheen laughed airily, dipping her head. She knew perfectly well that it was an odd system, but hopefully, Chasmstar would understand. “We are born with one name, which changes with rank just as a clan cat’s might. Myself, I was known as Kit of Frost in kittenhood, Young Frost as a squire, and then became Frost’s Sheen upon knighthood.”

LYNX’S PROWL | Knight | M | 54 moons | TAGS: Sunflicker (LightClan)

“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Sunflicker!” Lynx’s Prowl rumbled, offering his own smile in return. He stretched out slowly, dropping down into a seated position and tilting his head towards Sunflicker. “I’ve always thought these Gatherings were a nice place to make friends. Is this your first?” After a moment of thought, Lynx offered another question. “Ah, but I’m getting ahead of myself. I meant to ask you what clan you call home! Myself, I come from the Golden Kingdom.”

MAISIE | Knight | F | 43 moons | TAGS: Conuresun (TidalClan)

“Life in TidalClan sure sounds nice,” Maisie hummed, already visualizing it in her mind’s eye. “Peaceful days by the shore... why, that’s any cat’s dream! Or, at least, for us the Golden Kingdom. We don’t often see a body of water bigger than a puddle!” Chuckling a bit at the mental image of Conuresun and Sanderlingfrost bobbing up and down in the ocean’s tides, Maisie nodded as her half-sister confirmed the absence of her mate. “You’ll have to tell him that I said hello!” she purred. “It was nice to meet him at the last Gathering.”

DESDEMONA | Knight | F | 37 moons | TAGS: Fluttercloud (MoonClan)

“Thank you,” Desdemona murmured, climbing atop the rocks, and nodding in appreciation as she settled into the space that had been cleared for her. The stones were still sun-warm and made a pleasant surface to sprawl all four of her spotted legs across in contentment. For a moment, Desdemona just relaxed into the warmth, focused on nothing but the quiet breathing of her neighbor. But while sitting in comfortable silence with this unknown molly was already quite nice, she was curious as to whose company she was keeping. “My name is Desdemona,” she offered, flicking one silver ear in the molly’s direction. “What’s yours?”

YOUNG ALYSSUM | Squire | F | 8 moons | TAGS: Willowdancer (Celestial Beings)

Alyssum smiled to herself as she padded into the Gathering-place after the rest of the Golden Kingdom. It was indeed a bustling, noisy hubbub of activity, just as Frost had said, and the cacophony of sound and scent assaulting her senses had Young Alyssum nearly reeling. Still, though, the excitement brewing beneath her skin went untempered. She knew she was small and dainty, like her father and her sisters and her brother, but she was not afraid. Not even when she bounded headfirst into a full-grown molly! Stumbling backwards, Alyssum’s face felt as warm as her ginger fur as she stammered apologies to the ticked tabby before her. “My name is Alyssum, and I’m a squire from the Golden Kingdom,” she said, once she’d collected herself enough from the embarrassment. “Sorry again for bumping into you!”

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