PowerClans: The Rise of DarkClan

[FairyoftheFlames]

Gathering

Silverclaw turned her head away from the leaders. What was that noise? She crept away from the gathering cats, smelling Iceclan cats a little ways off. Was someone... fighting? During a gathering? This is a day of peace, why would they fight then? She saw the Iceclan deputy and one of the traitor's fellow warriors. She hid among the undergrowth, hoping that if worse came to worse, she'd be able to stop the fight if or when it happened.

[Arouria]

Gathering

Flowerpaw was still sitting next to Graypaw,Gracepaw,and Ashpaw when she heard the shocking news of Winterfur's betral. The once happy and chatty group looked silent and if they where talking she didn't notice. She had never met Winterfur but her thoughts of a deputy was a picture of a strong fair cat that lived up to the position that her or she for filled. Now her thoughts where turning to that they could be like any other cat. They could have changes of mind too. But still the thought of too much ambition in one cat could lead to something like what happened to Winterfur. She pushed the thoughts away and sat back down and waited to see what news might be on the other leader's minds.(That was a failXD)

[catdoq]

(Ummm....okay....)
Gathering
Silvertail flicked her ears and tail irritabley, licking a paw and drawing it over her ear.

[willowsong12]

Gathering
Islandsong nodded deciding to let her question drop if he didn't want to talk about it. "I know. Its so shocking.....to think a cat just turned on her leader like that." She visibly shuddered at the thought, shaking her head. Her blue eyes were locked on the leaders as she wrapped her creamy brown tail around her paws.

[Africa.]

(Imma make a failed post for Dovepaw xD )
Starclan
Dovepaw watched the two in dismay, from where she stand in starclan. This was a gathering, not a battlefield. Yet she knew that Winterfur was not one to go by the rules, so this would probably be quite ugly. Eyes narrowed to slits, she could feel the sky darkening around her, slowly hiding the moon inch by inch as it threatened to cover the moon, unless they went their seperat ways. "This is a sacred night, there will be no fighting. I think the two can put aside their fight for 1 night." She murmured to herself, dismay gleaming in her eyes. (Fail! XD )

(Okay, it is KILLING me that I have to make a post without RP in it, but did anybody read this post.. )
(Again, I'm super sorry about not RPing! )

[FairyoftheFlames]

StarClan

Lightheart alighted beside Dovepaw, ready to watch the gathering. "What?" she asked, seeing the apprentice's angry expression. Instead of waiting for a reply, she followed Dovepaw's eyes. There, just outside the clearing, were two IceClan cats ready to fight. If she wasn't mistaken, they were the traitorous deputy Winterfur and Nightfall, a warrior. The warrior her daughter had healed. She would be seeing much more of this warrior now. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she wondered how to stop this fight before it began. It would not happen on a night of peace! Her eyes drifted across the multitude below her and rested on a she-cat near the back who was seated in just the right spot to interfere...

((This what you're looking for, Mango?))

Starclan

Lilypelt shuttered. Something was wrong, and she knew it. She saw Dovepaw and Lightheart looking down at the world below. "Hey... What's the matter?" She looked down, her eyes stopping at her mate, Orangewhisker. She sighed. Of all times to die, why did she need to die having his kits? She should be there, consoling her kits, now apprentice aged. At least she had the right to take care of kits who die too early. She was worried about Patchkit and the other Sunclan kits during the battle, but who wasn't? Especially with their unconscious mother...

((By the way Tink, when do we do half-moon med cat things? and I want to have Rockclan's med cat. Is that okay?))

[major tom]

((Hm. . . I will try my hand at writing in first-person for an animal roleplay, but it will probably suck due to my aversion to writing in the morning. Since Lightwhisper is in camp, I will write for one of my Gathering cats, since I feel that they are slightly more important at the moment. Also, good job on Silverleaf's most recent post, Tink -- it was good. :3))

Gathering

~Shadepaw~
My paws couldn't be classified as my own as I bounded down the small slope that descended into the center of the valley, where the large hollow in which Centertree was located in, headed towards the thick of PowerClans surrounded by my Clanmates, whose own paws thudded on the sparse grass that lined the sandy ground while we moved as a whole. Our thick, long-furred coats brushed against and mingled in each other's, for we were pressed rather tightly together so as to travel more swiftly to our destination. The Gathering was nearly fully fledged; the bodies of seemingly all of the Clan's cats thrived in the hollow, teeming with felines as they communicated with one another during this moonly event. My companions' thundering paw steps as well as my own heartbeat wasn't enough to mask the cacophony of voices that arisen from Centertree as we gradually approached, rushing ever nearer as the moments passed by. I imagined that StarClan could hear them loud and clear at their comforting perches far above any of us among the stars of Silverpelt; they were flaring brightly now, tiny pinpricks of light against the dark sky. I briefly noted the clouds ringing the horizon, but they were few and far between, too trivial a matter to worry about -- besides, StarClan was here to listen at this Gathering; it was going to be an important one after all. The Battle of Night and Day -- more commonly known as the Battle of Eclipse, as some cats were now starting to call it, left plenty of news to account for, especially in SunClan -- Sunstar was rumored to choose his deputy tonight, too. In spite of his breaking the warrior code -- failing to appoint his deputy prior to the first moonhigh following his previous deputy's death or retirement -- and his Clan's need to repair itself, the golden-pelted leader had bothered to bring SunClan to the Gathering, I noted as my silver eyes picked out his crouched, shadowy form amid the outreaching branches of Centertree while at the same time my sharp nose detected the vague scent of SunClan among the numerous other smells flooding my nostrils (I doubted that that was because of my presence in their territory). That was good -- it was a sign that his Clan was possibly strengthening; at least, it seemed that they were strong enough to join the Gathering.

The other Clans began to notice our presence, their ears and heads swiveling towards us to meet the oncoming fleet of cats that was AirClan. Suddenly I felt important, out of character as my long limbs stretched out before tucking in while I ran onward and I seemed to glide over the familiar ground and demanding attention, the others being unable to help but watch us race to meet them. My spirits soared with the adrenaline rush as it carries me higher and higher; I felt more awake than I had in quite a while, and I felt as though I would join the stars soon enough. A proud but faint smile danced across my lips, and I wanted to cry, Look at me! Look at me now! Our steps gradually slowed as we were greeted with the bodies of many, many other cats that broke the torrent of sprinting AirClan cats; we fanned out into the crowd and dissipated amongst our friends, allies, and kin -- not to mention enemies -- upon separation. I came to an abrupt halt in the midst of it all, my swelled chest heaving with the great breaths that racked my body due to the exhilarating run here. My individual gasps formed small, misty puffs of precipitation in the brisk night air, which lingered before my eyes to tickle my nose for a heartbeat each before vanishing without a single hint of its former existence. My senses slowly but surely returned to me while my true persona did as well, and just as quickly I experienced a spell of uncomfortable embarrassment that forced me to stare at my paws situated in the thin, receding grass all around me. How inexperienced and kit-like I must have seemed, prancing so unsophisticatedly into the clearing as if I were a strikingly raw apprentice flaunting my shiny new position in the mildly cross noses of my fellow Clan cats. I could barely care less about appearing to be a pompous jerk to the other apprentices; I didn't even care for them, so what did it matter to me? I raised my flushing face to gaze about in case anyone had noticed my immature episode to find my mentor's eyes boring into mine, the barest findings of amusement twinkling in his them -- oh, no! I won't live this one down for several moons yet! But all my horror-filled senses took in was the slightly deprecating snort that the older tom gave me, and his bushy black tail as he stalked away with a slight spring in his step. Still, that alone was enough to bring down my inflated pride; Nightfall was one of the few cats who could do such a thing so easily, for he was one of the very few cats whom I was actually close to.

This very small assortment of loved ones immediately brought my fellow IceClan apprentice Shiverpaw to mind, and I narrowly avoided physically backtracking from that particular stricken, difficult path of thoughts. But it was too late; my mind was already set on the slender, pale-furred she-cat before I could do so much as hope to escape from the surprisingly painful grasp of the memories that haunted me. The roar of blood in my ears and the uncontrollable desire to see it spill on the dark ground on which a writhing mass of battling cats yowled and fought, struggling along the fine, withering line between life and death, good and evil. I remembered my own terrible blood-lust threatening to consume me, then viewing the world through a stranger's eyes, set to kill the first living thing they found. The frightening thing was, it wasn't necessarily the enemy's lives I wished to end. My deadly claws dug deep into the shifty ground while I fought in another involuntary battle of my own against my own subconscious, just as they had dug into and ruthlessly torn the unmoving flesh of a fallen cat with the intentions of murdering the DarkClan minion. I could only imagine who -- no, what I appeared to be to one of my Clanmates or temporary allies after I succumbed to the monster within me. Especially Shiverpaw. My mind reeled at the very mention of her name, albeit an inaudible one. She had attempted to stop my sinful actions, but I was still not entirely myself when I raked my claws across her face, gouging a trio of bright red lines where they had hurt her. Correction: where I had hurt her. Right now, it felt as though sets of claws were scoring down my own spine, and it was all I could to to refrain from betraying the snarl of remorseful agony that lingered just beyond my usual indifferent expression.

Breaking me from my trance-like stupor, Skystar's loud, clear yowl echoed across the clearing and caused the cats within it to fall silent, signifying the true start of the Gathering. I wanted to breathe a sigh of relief, except that I didn't feel every relieved -- when the leaders' reports were drawn to an end, what would stop the flashbacks to attack me again? I could sense them even now, taunting me just beyond the forefront of my thoughts. However, I scarcely managed to ignore them while the leader of AirClan proceeded to speak to the whole of PowerClans. "Cats of PowerClans!" the black and white she-cat addressed us, her loud, steady voice permeating the hollow, radiating confidence and leadership; I may have been imagining it, but there seemed to be an edge to it. The telltale blade of a cat that harbors a dirty secret yet to be revealed faintly played across the octaves, the sound taut as if it bore the weight of the upcoming announcement. That seemed foolish, but I listen on nonetheless, as did my surrounding forest mates whose heads are angled upward in unison; everyone's ears were tilted forward while they paid careful attention, and not a single cat broke away from this bond of silence that ensnared us. "I would like to start by reporting that IceClan is doing well this leaf-fall. Prey is plentiful and our warriors are fit. As you all know, there was a battle with DarkClan. IceClan participated in that battle." continued Skystar, and her curt words on the Battle of Eclipse struck me as evasive. Yes, now there was the slight tone of grim anticipation weaving in and out of her voice; several other cats noticed it as well, for a tiny murmur traveled through the crowd of what they expected to come. This didn't last very long, though, for Skystar quickly went on, bringing their barely audible musings to an abrupt halt, "I need to report an act of rebellion and treason that could very well be punishable by death if I so choose it." Hushed gasps and whispers emanated from the throng of cats about me, yet I refused to join in as my eyes never strayed from the harsh leader's face, watching her intently. The cruel, sharp angles of an unholy grin lit her dark-striped features, illuminated eerily in the moonlight, and I sensed a mutual pang of unease was shared by most of the cats of PowerClans. At the same time, her hard muscles flexed and her posture became threatening when she suddenly struck a battle-ready pose; her penetrating gaze pierced us as it raked like icy claws through the Clans. "I was attacked by my very own deputy. As punishment, Winterfur will be set adrift in the lake for several days. If she uses her powers, she will be killed." I didn't have to look, but I knew that nearly every warrior's, apprentice's, queen's, and elder's jaws gaped in gasps of shock varying in volume, their many-colored eyes widening in total astonishment, every nature-hardened muscle in their body stretched and tensed while the fur above them bristled in shock, as this fatefully dark revelation was revealed. I blinked involuntarily, which is the equivalent of total amazement with me. I appeared indifferent, yet my body was stiller than a corpse in brutal astonishment; a brief commotion was yet again shared by my fellow attendants of the Gathering, but also once more the punishing leader silenced us with her brusque speech. "This will not be tolerated in any Clan! If I hear of any other treacherous acts such as this, I will deal with the perpetrators personally."

Skystar's exit was terse but intimidating impressive in the flash of black and white that accompanied it when she returned to her place beside the other cats high above the ground. Almost simultaneously, the traitorous deputy, the now infamous Winterfur, hissed at the numerous accusing eyes trained on her and snarled something that I couldn't detect from my seat near the back; following the defiant action, she whirled and fled the Gathering after a short string of bitterly spat words into the forest beyond. Utter silence fell upon the hollow, within it the shadows of what just commenced. A foreboding twisted my gut, and I knew that this wasn't over -- and that didn't necessarily mean Winterfur's punishment. Rainstar looked taken aback, but she replaced Skystar's former spot to fill the absence of sound with a short report that I barely registered. She offered prey to any other Clans that were short on food and drew back in the same instant with much haste. Only heart-beats afterward, Flamestar stepped up to the front of the towering trunk and cleared his throat before pronouncing, "EarthClan is well, prey is running quite well and we have recovered from the DarkClan battle. I must say that I am proud of the Clans who fought several moons ago. You fought well, and we have victory to show for it." I ignored the ginger tom's praise to my Clan as well as SunClan and RockClan, but a few cats scattered in the assembly straightened up proudly. Instead of snorting spitefully, I remained frozen in place and attentive; a rare occasion, of course. Having nothing more to say, he withdrew at a calm, steady pace and gazed around at his fellow leaders. Dawnstar, taking the hint, padded forward to insert her required report, which I predicted to be uneventful by reading her unpurposeful stride and composed demeanor. My guess was confirmed correct when the tabby she-cat spoke in a relatively quiet monotone, "Thank you, Flamestar. LeafClan is as usual. Prey is running, and warriors are training their apprentices hard." She stepped back once again and nodded for one of the other leaders to offer their reports to the ravenously curious appetites of our minds. Four down, I thought, my thoughts racing forward tentatively. two to go. I had no doubts whatsoever that Sunstar would speak last. It was to be expected.

"AirClan has little to report; there was a fox in our territory but it's gone now. We don't know where it went now so keep an eye around the borders. Other than that prey is running well and we are currently at peace with all eight Clans." Pebblestar's voice echoed, positive and solid, above the confluence in which we were clustered. Like all of the other Clan leaders before her, the silver feline made room for another cat to take their place so as to announce their news, no matter how trivial it may be. After a few moments of silence, a large white form settled down before the ample mass of cats and studied the vast sea of us with striking crimson eyes, seeming to deliberately fester our anticipation. Bloodstar paused tauntingly before meowing softly but somehow loud enough to hear, "FireClan is as strong as ever; prey is plentiful but dwindling, as is expected during the cold moons, and our cats work hard to raise and train able-bodied generations to come." His voice, quiet but powerful, was almost intimidating when it left the Clans in hushed quiet once again, and he disappeared into the shadows behind him; his silhouette remained among the others' dimly starlit outlines.
((Ack, had to cut this short since I have to get off now. I will finish this post tomorrow; please don't go too far without me! I finished it; I did so because I wanted to, and needed to post Bloodstar's actions without making it a failed attempt. I apologize for taking so long; it's becoming increasingly difficult to find enough time on the computer to piece together a decent post. x.e Also, I's amused that my single vote occupies thirteen percent of the poll, and that I am the only one so far to select that option. e3e))

((Finished my post. A little over two thousand and four hundred words -- woo, that was a long one. . . ! o.o" I hope you get better, Tink! And if not. . . *Flying-tackle-glomps* Don't dieeee! ;A; Geh. Looks like I had three too many coffees. n.n;;))

[Tinkpetz]

(I am the lamest lamo in the history of lameness! x.x I have writer's block and my computer is making me mad. But don't listen to me complain. I apologize for my extreme rudeness, Silver. Are you still confused?
@Fairy: Half-moon med cat things are at half-moon, silly! xD We will do them soon after the gathering. Great! Feel free to make the RockClan medicine cat; we desperately need one.
@Rose: What, you're not excited?! I would have thought the three too many coffees would make you excited. xD Thank you! I'm much better now. I won't dieeee! x3 Oh, and I can play Whiterunner if you don't want to.)

Gathering

Nightfall let himself go limp while she thrashed him around, almost rolling his eyes at Winterfur's threats to injure him. I'm so scared. He shakily regained his footing and looked around outside his fragile ice cage. There had to be something he could use, something she wouldn't be expecting. The black tom's mind again went back to the battle with the wolf. No! He couldn't kill Winterfur! He could only injure her enough so she was no longer capable of hurting anyone else. Brainfreeze! he thought, watching the fur on the top of the deputy's head frosting over. The glow from his eyes was reflected in the fast-melting ice barriers.

Marshpelt nodded in agreeance almost imperceptively. He turned his eyes back to the leaders above him, very aware of Islandsong's slim form beside him. If only. Bloodstar gave a short report, just as uneventful as the EarthClan and LeafClan leaders'. Hopefully Sunstar would have more to say.

WaterClan

Stormcall brushed past Rainpaw - she had stayed home? - and dashed into the medicine den. Dawnsinger was still lying down, although he could hear her raspy breathing from across the den. He wasn't sure if that was good or bad. The gray tom rushed to her side and set the moss gently down beside her head so she could reach it. Please be okay, Dawnsinger, please be okay! He silently pleaded to StarClan that his mate would live.

DarkClan

Flamefoot blinked open his eyes only to close them again against the bright moonlight. Ugh. The ginger tom sat up, breathing in the night air. It was full moon! Why wasn't he at the gathering? Where was he? He looked around at the sleeping cats beside him. Their forms were only vaguely familiar. Suddenly, realization crashed down on him. He had been taken by DarkClan. With that knowledge came a splitting headache that caused him to grimace and lie back down. He wrapped his paws around his head, hoping that the gesture would help the pain. It must be some side-effect of Icestar's powers.

Icestar woke up, feeling a disturbance in her world. Flamefoot was awake with a headache. Wonderful. Normally she would have ignored it, but her minions had to be asleep if she was to fall asleep. Pondweed? The white leader woke her minion that had been acting as a part-time medicine cat for the past few days. He would be able to find some herb nearby that would make Flamefoot fall asleep.

Pondweed woke to Icestar's voice in his head. "Wha?" he mumbled groggily, scrambling to his feet. What could she want with him in the middle of the night? Get Flamefoot back to sleep, his orders came. The black and white tom stumbled over to Flamefoot, the only other cat awake. "Um, what's wrong, Flamefoot?" he asked quietly, his attempted whisper hissing out between his teeth.

Flamefoot recognized Pondweed's scent and mumbled a quick reply. "Headache."

Pondweed looked around nervously. Treatment would require several different herbs. Herbs that he couldn't reach in the middle of the night. He would have to travel to the WaterClan lake, and the SunClan meadow, and the RockClan marsh- Just make him fall asleep! Icestar's shout caused him to flinch visibly. Yes, Icestar. There were a few poppies just outside their camp. He jumped over the other sleeping cats, trying not to step on any tails. If he woke anybody up, Icestar would have his hide. As soon as he found the flowers, he reached a paw up and shook the blossoms, watching as several of the seeds fell out onto the ground. Thankfully for him, it was leaffall, so the seeds were dried and ready to fall. He gingerly picked up the seeds in his mouth and carried them back to Flamefoot. "Here." He pushed three of the seed towards the ginger tom, waiting to see what he would do.

Flamefoot thankfully lapped up the seeds that would hopefully cure his headache. "Thanks," he murmured, his eyelids beginning to droop.

Pondweed nodded in response. What now? Do you need any of the poppy seeds? came Icestar's answer. No, he didn't. He could sleep just fine. Then do it. It sounded like she was trying not to yell, so the black and white tom quickly stumbled back to his nest and curled up, laying his tail over his face.

Icestar took a deep breath, using her powers to put the two toms back to sleep. If anyone else got up, she wouldn't be so nice.

[catdoq]

((A little bit, yea ^-^'))

[dapperbirdie]

Waterclan

Rainpaw glanced at Stormcall as he brushed past. She rolled up a bundle of moss and bat it around with her paws. She got up and stuck her head in the medicine cat's den, "Need anything?"