(I didn't know I could wield a rifle so efficiently. *blows smoke away from the muzzle*
It depends on what you mean by something, Rose. I'm horrible at celebrations and anything even somewhat similar. x3)
FireClan
Flameheart rolled over onto his back as he slept, sniffling obnoxiously. He was dreaming that he was sneaking through WaterClan territory to see Rainsong, as he had in his younger days. The red tom began to snore lightly, his dream-self having reached the edge of WaterClan camp and called for his beloved. Flameheart had this dream often, and he knew exactly how it would end.
Nightfire waited until the tall grass Ashfeather had dashed into had stopped moving completely except for the gentle swaying the breeze caused. Then the night-pelted cat padded back to her clanmates, refusing to meet anyone's eyes. She thought that maybe Ashpaw and Silverclaw were looking at her, but she couldn't be sure. She wasn't in the mood to find out. Somewhere deep in Nightfire's eyes, a light had gone out. A light that Nightfire's very existance depended on.
Foxflame gasped for breath as he came to the border between SunClan and LeafClan territory. He halted his run for a minute to catch his breath and decide what to do next. His heart had never stopped racing from the shock of Sunstar's appearance. Foxflame was just glad he had gotten out alive.
WaterClan
Rainstar jumped at the sound of a large splash, her eyes flashing in the direction of the river. As soon as she recognized the pair of bodies in the frigid water, her spiked fur began to lay down. "Honeydew! Rivertail!" she called. "Come out of there or you'll freeze to death. Pinefeather already has enough to worry about without you two catching cold."
Rivertail grinned as Rainstar reprimanded him. "We'd better go," he whispered to Honeydew as he paddled back to the shore. The gray tom dragged his dripping pelt out of the water and shook his paws free of most of the water droplets clinging to them. Chilly air hit him like a blow from a RockClan cat, and Rivertail began shivering immediately. Maybe he would catch cold as Rainstar had warned. He hoped not.
Silverleaf closed her eyes and breathed in the moist WaterClan air. She could hear rushing water in the distance, and a splash. And was that Rainstar's voice? The silver she-cat picked up the pace, realizing how close they were to the rest of the clan. She glanced over with a pair of leaf-green eyes to see if Cloudfur had heard the sounds as well.
Dawnmist awoke with a groan, also waking her denmate. Noclaw looked over at the tabby cat with his angry yellow eyes. "What's the matter?" he meowed gruffly, concerned for Dawnmist but also perturbed at being woken up in the middle of the night. The gray tabby smiled weakly at her friend, trying not to show her pain. "It's nothing. You just go back to sleep." Noclaw grunted in disbelief but laid his head down all the same. Dawnmist froze until his scruffy pelt rose and fell in the rhythm of sleep. Then she released the limb that had been paining for examination. The she-cat gazed down at her throbbing paw, squinting so she could see better. There didn't appear to be anything wrong with it... Pinefeather already had her paws full trying to nurse Dawnsinger back to consciousness. She needn't worry about a frail old elder as well. Dawnmist's paw could wait.
AirClan
Stormcall knelt beside his beloved, watching as she slowly lapped up the water the dripped from the moss. Dawnsinger was awake now. Would she be okay? She had to be okay, she just had to. Stormcall waited in silence until the light gray she-cat laid her head back down on the soft earth. "Dawnsinger?" he mewed.
Nightfeather jogged nervously along just behind Silverwind and Stripetail. They were almost to camp, and there was still no sign of Pebblestar and Ashfeather. Where had they disappeared to? For a moment, Nightfeather deeply wished he had gone back with his leader to fetch Ashfeather. It was too late now. Now he could only hope that they were heading safely back to camp.
Ashfeather stared at the ground as her leader talked. It prickled her fur to talk behind someone's back like this, even if it was Bloodstar. She remembered as a young kit when her father would tell her similar things and then wink, "But don't repeat that." It had felt evil, and the same guilty feeling came back to her now. "Exactly. It's not your problem." Pebblestar had already started to walk back to camp, but Ashfeather didn't move.
Great. I must be setting a new record. How many leaders can one cat offend in one night? "It's not your problem, so leave it alone. I never want to hear you talking like that again." Ashfeather's chest heaved with the exhilaration of talking back. She felt like she might cry. "Back at the Gathering, you should have stayed out of it. It was my problem, not yours. I would have been just fine if you hadn't stuck your muzzle in my business."
EarthClan
Moonlily gazed through the shadows across the dark earth, trying to judge how close the group was to camp. They had been walking for what seemed like ages. The pale-furred warrior was tired, and she wanted to get home to her warm burrow. With the last bit of her powers, she sent an echo wave through the ground to tell her how far they were from EarthClan camp. Just as the wave of power came bouncing back to her, Lilystep intercepted it. Moonlily frowned in despair. Now she would have to keep walking, trusting that they would get home eventually. Lilystep turned around, her blue face adopting a mischevious look. "The moon will touch the treetops before we are home." The pointed she-cat turned back around and kept walking, leaving Moonlily to wonder what to do next. The moon will touch the treetops... She turned her green eyes up to the sky, locating the full moon only a mouse-length away from the treeline. At least it wouldn't be too much longer.
Earthpaw was hauled roughly to his feet and then joined by Emberclaw, his mentor. "Hello Pinetail. I see Earthpaw was daydreaming again." The tabby apprentice dropped his ears in embarrassment.
RockClan
Whiterunner ran behind Fawnstar, deep in thought. He deftly jumped over piles of stones and nimbly avoided spiky plants. The white tom knew his territory as well as he knew his own pawprints. He could have navigated his way home with his eyes shut and only sound and feeling to guide him. He had no need for that tonight, though he was so lost in thought. Heathersong. Prophecy. These new ideas were swirling around in Whiterunner's mind, evading his attempts to make any sense of them.
Maybe things will be clearer in the morning. The deputy calmed his mind and let his gaze return to his leader in front of him so he could focus more on where they were going.
Marshpelt glanced at Islandsong again, unsure if he should say something to the creamy she-cat or not. She had been silent ever since RockClan had left the Gathering, and it was somewhat unnerving. Islandsong hadn't even looked up from her paws as she weaved through the dangerous terrain, a deep furrow in her brow. Marshpelt knew that meant she was thinking. And worried. As much as he wanted to say something to reassure her, he didn't think there was anything else he could do. He had tried to say something comforting back in the clearing, but Islandsong had merely brushed him off.
I hope she'll be alright.Stormkit yawned, his tiny kit teeth glinting in the moonlight the filtered through the bracken walls of the nursery. It was so dark. And so late. All of his littermates were sleeping, as was his mother. His mother. The small patched tom got to his feet and padded over to his sleeping mother's face. Her expression was troubled, as if she was having nightmares as she slept. Stormkit gently licked his mother's cheek, a concerned look on his young face. "Sleep well, Mother," he murmured before curling up in the crook of her neck to sleep once again.
IceClan
Skystar led her clanmates into their snowy camp and headed straight for her den. There was a warrior ceremony to conduct, but it would have to wait for morning. The striped leader was too tired, and so were her warriors.
Nightfall padded into camp, breathing heavily. His lungs burned, and he was thankful for the distraction. Skystar padded into her den immediately, signifying that it was time to sleep. The night-pelted warrior looked around for his apprentice. He found Shadepaw staring off into space, lost in thought. "Shadepaw," he meowed. "Get to bed. Your ceremony will be in the morning." Without waiting for the dark-furred apprentice to respond, Nightfall padded into one of the small ice caves that connected to form the warrior's den. He found his own familiar nest and curled up in the soft fern fronds, refusing to let his mind wander as he fought to sleep.
As the IceClan cats arrived at their camp, a remote corner of Stonecry's mind took over his body. His sharp yellow eyes turned to rest on Shadepaw. Wasn't the apprentice ready to become a warrior by now? It wouldn't hurt to have some fun with him. Stonecry took one step toward the black apprentice and heard his paw crunch in the snow. The sound seemed to prick his brain, and Stonecry shook his head. What was he doing? The gray tom cat stumbled to his nest, feeling very confused.
SunClan
Sunstar let out another great sigh and turned to halfway face his clan. "To bed with you all," he meowed, causing the warriors to disperse to their temporary sleeping places. He turned to his mate, who ran her tail down his shoulder comfortingly. "Petalsong is awake now." Sunstar's head snapped up. "Thanks to Foxflame." Oh. Sunstar was a little put off by this, but he still padded into the hollow stump to see his daughter.
Petalsong looked up in surprise to see another visitor; her father. A gentle smile lit up the frail tabby's face. "Good night, father," she mewed. The golden tom smiled in relief and came to give her a lick on the forehead, just as he had done when she was a kit. "Good night, Petalsong." The great leader paused at the den entrance to glance back at his daughter once more, but Petalsong had already laid down. In a few more moments, she and her litter were fast asleep. Sunstar leapt to the top of the stump and curled up there for the night.
Brightpaw padded up to Flowerface nervously, exhaustion visible on her cream-colored face. "Good night, Brightpaw." Her mentor smiled down at her and directed her into the leader's den to sleep. Brightpaw was a little surprised at this. She thought that maybe Flowerface would have something for her to do. Oh, well. The medicine cat apprentice was asleep as soon as her head hit the den floor.
LeafClan
Heathersong trotted along near the front of her clan, lost in thought. The strange prophecy that had been given to her only minutes before was still on her mind, but so far she hadn't been able to decipher its meaning. She was so distracted that her front paw got caught on a tree root just as they entered camp. The medicine cat came tumbling to the ground, causing Berrykit to jump out of the way and several other cats to swerve to avoid her. Heathersong quickly got back up, very embarrassed. She streaked to the medicine den, shame prickling her pelt.
Berrykit jumped out of the way of the falling Heathersong, a bit startled by the sudden disaster. But the medicine cat was back on her feet in only a moment, and she padded away to her den. The small, pale-furred kit turned her attention away from Heathersong to search for Leafshadow. Big brother.
(Aagh! Don't have time for any more, but I'll post the last of my cats tomorrow. Goodnight, everyone!)