too close!→denThe night of the full moon the chosen cats of Oakclan and Flatclan convene on the flat, brittle stones at the edge of the river that runs between their two territories. The usual conversations take place, warriors seeing old acquaintances and apprentices swapping stories to out-do one-another, but the question on everybody's mind is how the unoccupied territory between the clans' land and the new twoleg development will be divided. Tensions have been high of late as each clan wants the land for itself and its warriors. The crowd is buzzing with nervous energy as the leaders deliberate their next move.
. ❝ after the fall, we'll shake it off
.xxxxxxxxxx... show me the way ❞
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BURNTSTAR
oakclan leader
where gathering
with fogcloud, lionstar
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║╚════════════╝ indentBurntstar led her clan from the Oakclan camp, her head low as if she were stalking prey, and she staunchly ignored the more talkative members of her clan as they trekked to the gathering place. These gatherings had always been a tool for making the big decisions, but that made the process of deciding no easier. She knew that her clan would be stubborn about giving up any potential territory-- Oakclan was growing by the season, and regardless of the population of their camp it would be a sign of weakness to offer to share more than half of the land with their rivals. She considered these thoughts all the way to the Flatstones where she stopped her patrol with a wave of her bony tail. Flatclan was nowhere to be seen. As always it felt strange to be the first clan at the gathering, but she didn't hesitate more than a minute before she directed her cats forward.
indentShe waited apart from the group, her deputy Fogcloud not far from her side, while the Oakclan cats waited for Flatclan's arrival. The hushed mutterings of her clanmates barely disturbed the quiet, only otherwise broken by the babbling of the river, and so she was unsurprised when the first of the Flatclan cats started to appear out of the tall moorland grass to find her warriors. Lionstar's bright pelt was easy to spot even at night, and she watched him cross the stones without moving to meet him. The crowd grew and churned at its edges. Burntstar stood and drew the Flatclan leader further from the gathering proper, nearing the river's edge with their deputies in tow. "I hope this past moon has treated you and yours well, Lionstar, but we have something more important to discuss, so you'll excuse me if I skip the pleasantries." Rather than ask how prey was running in Flatclan territory, how many kits had been born, if they'd come into sickness, she would get right to the point and let those things follow after. They were important to the decision they would have to make tonight, and practically pointless as a polite greeting. "We know that the twolegs have moved their monsters out of the forest downriver and they left behind a significant amount of territory neither of our clans have claim to. My cats have been calling for an extension of our borders and I don't think I'm mistaken in assuming yours have done the same. Tonight we need to decide how we'll divide the new territory." Then break the news to their clans. Burntstar was too much of a professional to glance in the direction of the crowd, but she almost wanted to. She didn't want to disappoint them.
. ❝ my head told my heart 'let love grow,'
.... but my heart told my head 'this time, no' ❞
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STORMFOOT
oakclan warrior
where gathering
with adderfoot, snowflurry
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║╚════════════╝ indentStormfoot was loud, and Stormfoot was clumsy. He was dedicated, but he wasn't particularly proficient at any one thing. The few gatherings he was allowed to attend were gifts, and his excitement could be felt in the air around him as he weaved his way back and forth through the Oakclan gathering patrol. He was, at least, on good terms with most of his fellow warriors. He stopped short when they reached Flatstones and quirked his ears to listen, hearing the night sounds above all and the breathing of his clanmates beside him. Flatclan hadn't yet arrived. He leaned 'round Adderfoot beside him to catch a glimpse of Burntstar and ponder what she was thinking. It wasn't long before she decided that Oakclan would be the first into the gathering space and signaled her clan forward.
indentHe stayed beside Adderfoot once on Flatstones, keeping an eye out for the approaching Flatclan patrol while he listened to the idle chatter about him.
indentShortly, the Flatclan cats arrived. Their arrival was quick and without much warning, though that was unsurprising what with their clan's adaptations to living on the open moor. He nodded a greeting to Snowflurry as the mottled tom approached the gaggle of now-mingling warriors, only slightly hopeful the other would respond in kind. They'd shared some gatherings in the past and Snowflurry seemed more likely to stick his muzzle in a pile of crow-food than speak amicably with Oakclan cats. Still, that bit of hope remained; Stormfoot was nothing if he wasn't an optimist. "How's hunting?"
. ❝ the reaper crossed the hay field
....xx as set the blood-red sun ❞
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FOXCLAW
flatclan warrior
where gathering
with pineflower
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║╚════════════╝ indentFoxclaw did her best to follow Lightleaf's side of their conversation as they followed the gathering patrol to the Flatstones. It was obvious what she was doing: she was trying to keep Foxclaw's attention off of the territory dispute for as long as possible. It wasn't working particularly well, more like confusing her thoughts and throwing off her response time. She offered responses when she heard the questions and tried to pay attention when other members of their clan piped up with some tidbit of information or another, but Foxclaw couldn't focus on the goofy small talk tonight. She was very dedicated to her clan, her clan which was running out of prey. With this new stretch of territory, Flatclan would be able to better feed their kits and their warriors-- it would definitely make the Leaf-Bare less of a blow to their strength. She hoped with all she had that Lionstar would push to keep the territory for themselves-- he of all cats must understand its importance to the clan? Lightleaf had to stop her with a flick of her tail from crossing onto Flatstones before their leader gave the OK, and Foxclaw offered her a grateful smile before the Flatclan cats streamed onto the stones and started to mingle with Oakclan's patrol. She watched as the leaders convened with their deputies not far behind, her whiskers twitching. This is it, She almost couldn't look away, as if she could read their lips and understand their solution that way, This decision could be the difference between full or hungry stomachs this leaf-bare.
indentFoxclaw tore her eyes from the clan leaders when another warrior bumped her side in passing. She watched their back through eyes narrowed with annoyance, but she did nothing more than further remove herself from the object of her obsession. She spotted Pineflower among the loose-knit crowd of cats and shoved her way through it to stand nearby. She offered no greeting, catching her ears swiveling in the leaders' direction again, "By the stars, tell me you have something distracting to say."
. ❝ feel the wind in your hair
.... xxxxfeel the rush way up here ❞
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LIGHTLEAF
flatclan medicine cat
where gathering
with wrenpaw, sycamorefur,
featherpaw
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║╚════════════╝ indentLightleaf enjoyed and even expected to travel to gatherings with her sister. It'd been moons-- perhaps since they were both apprentices --since Lightleaf had to go without Foxclaw. Be it by Lionstar's understanding or Foxclaw's reputation, Lightleaf's littermate was always on the roster for gathering parties. The two walked side-by-side to the Flatstones, speaking in quiet whispers about what sort of gossip they might hear that night. Foxclaw swore that she had it on good authority that the Oakclan warriors were napping near the border while they were meant to be hunting. They continued to speak, sometimes an apprentice or another warrior chiming in with something curious, but Lightleaf took care not to mention the subject she knew her sister was most interested in: the unclaimed land at their border. It was undecided how the territory would be absorbed into what already existed, and Lightleaf knew that Foxclaw wanted Flatclan to take it for their own. She always got all worked up about it, so Lightleaf tried to keep the conversation as lighthearted and territory-less as possible until they arrived at their destination.
indentWrenpaw kept a good pace with the rest of the patrol, and with herself especially (admittedly, she was a speed-walker), and she knew that he didn't need a refresher on etiquette. If she tried to give him one he might try to bite her toes off. No, her apprentice would be fine so long as she kept him close. They had a good relationship with the Oakclan medicine cats, and Lightleaf hoped that with time Wrenpaw would find his place among them comfortable as he might've found his life as a warrior.
indentUpon arrival at Flatstones Lionstar gave the signal to descend without much dally, and Lightleaf tossed her sister a goodbye while she made a bee-line for the Oakclan medicine cat.
indentSycamorefur was another staple of Lightleaf's gathering experience, as was her apprentice Featherpaw. As a medicine cat's apprentice, Featherpaw was invited to most gatherings, and so Lightleaf felt confident that she knew the young molly well. She trotted to a halt a respectful distance from her friend and greeted them both enthusiastically. "It's been so long! Are you both well?"
