Ravenstar felt slight annoyance for not having received any acknowledgement from Mintstar for his speech. He knew he couldn't question her on it now -- the matter had been unanimously dealt with. At the very least, he accepted that her silence was still understanding; he had made his point clear and felt it would be followed. It was a subtle victory, dampened by Mintstar quietly shunning his complaint, but a victory nonetheless.
As Ravenstar waited for Pearlstar to speak, he noticed the full moon beginning to descend. It was early morning now and the Gathering was still in session. Mintstar had been right to hurry things along when she did; they were running very behind schedule. Nudged by a strange feeling, Ravenstar frowned and looked at his deputy. Although it was proper to give Pearlstar his entire attention, the black tom crouched and whispered to Ashenmane.
"Ashenmane, this Gathering seems to be taking quite some time. If you don't mind, I'd like for you to return to the Deep Woods. See if Rosestripe and Ratnose would like to go with you. I'll remain here for Pearlstar's announcement, but we should have a clear form of leadership back at camp."
Ravenstar smiled and slightly nodded at the burly she-cat, then straightened and refocused on Pearlstar. He had done his best to be discreet, not wanting to cause offense by stealing any attention from the other leader. If memory served, she was a stickler for fine manners. He didn't want to end this Gathering on a sour note.
As Tigerblaze waited for Pearlstar to make her announcements, he couldn't but look up, and noticed how late it had gotten. Heck, even the moon was starting to get covered over by the clouds. Well, maybe they should start getting back. He looked over at mintstar, and started whispering to her.
"I'm going to go ahead and get Pudgepaw and Owlmask back to camp, it's getting late. You should probably stay here, and listen to whatever Pearlstar has to announce for us."
Then, he stood up, nodded at both Pudgepaw and Owlgaze that they could probably go ahead and leave if they wanted, leave the clan leaders to finish up announcements, and started heading back toward home.
Pearlstar’s eyes glinted during Ravenstar‘s speech, hanging onto his words as if watching a particularly juicy mouse. Glenclan too had had a marking from a Nestclan cat, and his speech gave her less work to do. However, it seemed like her speech would have to be cut short, anyway.
It was already late in morning, and glanced over as she noticed the other clans, leaders included, began to get antsy. Well, she hadn’t had her rightful turn yet. Nestclan was even leaving before she spoke anything, noticing Tigerblaze’s departure. Pearlstar‘s eyes bore onto him as she watched him leave, and made no move to hide her annoyance as she lashed her tail.
“Creekclan has been thriving - the fish are abundant in our territories, and Starclan has blessed us with new kits. All cats are healthy and well. However, it was brought to my attention that my clan found Nestclan marking on Pebble Beach, and wanted to make it clear that we won’t tolerate it. Our borders will be marked clearly from here on.”
Disliking having to end her words in such a brief manner, she also knew it would be discourteous to keep everyone waiting. With a flick of her ear, she signaled the night to be over and went to gather the members of her clan. It was time to return to camp.
Pudgepaw's whiskers switched as the cats sat around and began to speak to one another. This was IT? This was a big clan meeting. She couldn't help but feel a weight in her paws as she watched, slowly sinking down into herself as she felt she was almost drifting away where she stood.
She didn't want to embarass Tigerblaze, after all - but by the time a pretty white she-cat spoke, Pudgepaw looked around to notice that her mentor had already gone. She nearly jumped out of her fur, turning her attention back to Wasppaw.
"I...I think I better go!" She said, perhaps a little too quickly to be friendly. "Tigerblaze's already gone, and I think my twolegs will be missing me!" She trilled, not realizing that that was probably the best thing to say in this situation.
At least she remember to finally acknowledge the other, furless tom as well.
"Maybe I'll see you next Gathering!" And not feel like there were fleas in her fur from sitting still too long.
Quick as her paws could carry her, Pudgepaw bounded after her mentor, leaving Brightrock.
Ashenmane narrowed her eyes slightly, noting that Tigerblaze was the first cat to leave the gathering, without even waiting for Mintstar. She shook her head and immediately turned to look up at her leader, understanding his message immediately.
"I'll lead the others home if you wish to stay, though don't force yourself to stay too long." Truth be told, her paws were beginning to ache - and she missed her camp. She felt like they'd need to make patrols; so much work to do, seeing as the Gathering had run so late.
"Rosestripe, Ratnose - follow me." Speaking to her clanmates, she began her way towards camp. Perhaps she would get her clanmates to hunt with her on the way back. The least they could do was come home with food.
Owlmask turned to see that most of his clanmmates had already left; and he felt like his heard was about to shatter. They hadn't even waited for him! That wasn't fair. Sure, to be fair, Mintstar was still there; but still. Everyone else seemed to be leaving.
His awkwardness getting the best of him, he didn't even say goodbye to the other cats, instead slinking off into the darkness, to who knew where...
Minstar flinches as a searing pain shot through her stomach, her eyes going glazed as she fell to the ground. She lies there, her mouth gaping open, a moment later, her eyes begin to produce an eerie light. She gets to her feet as if nothing had happened and quickly searches around her for a piece of prey to hunt before she left. Rolling for Mouse (1-95) Kgk4ySbi1-100 Mintstar spots a mouse, immediately readying herself to pounce. Rolling for Attack 1d6+5 She leaps on the mouse, nipping at it while it was still in shock. She kills it and immediately begins to eat it, burying it's carcass afterwards. Mintstar begins to head back to camp.
(Mintstar exits)1-100·1d6+5
Last Edit: Oct 18, 2015 11:01:08 GMT -6 by Deleted
Wasppaw had begun to fidget as the Gathering dragged on but thankfully Pearlstar was brief. All of the sudden, cats were getting up and leaving. Before Wasppaw could say anything, the black and white apprentice he had been talking to bounded after the rest of her Clan.
Wasppaw decided he'd better do the same -- he wasn't feeling too well. A mix of tiredness and hunger overwhelmed and disoriented him. He padded after Pearlstar, his steps slow and heavy. He felt incredibly weak now. It had taken him by surprise, though he guessed that maybe his excitement over the Gathering had numbed it somewhat. Now it plagued him in painful waves; he felt like he was dying. Wasppaw, sleepily worried, trudged toward his own home in his starving stupor, not caring about the strange hairless cat or anyone else he had left without saying goodbye. (Wasppaw exits)
Ravenstar smiled and dipped his head to Pearlstar, relieved that her announcement had been short. He hopped down from the Brightrock and watched as the cats gathered into their respective groups and left. After awhile, the black tom found himself alone with a few other stragglers. He smiled at them but was not interested in striking up any conversations. He looked at the rising sun and sighed. This day had felt like an eternity -- he stretched and yawned the sensation of ancientness out of his body.
Although Ravenstar needed to return to his own Clan, there was a shadow of quiet reflection darkening his features. He had not enjoyed a private moment alone the entire day; although he hadn't been irked by this, he now felt the urge to retreat within himself. The discussions tonight had appeared cordial, but Ravenstar was troubled.
Although captivated by his own concentration, Ravenstar had the sense to catch something before allowing himself to wander off in thought. He had a particular taste for feathered delicacies, so he scented the air for blackbird.
H2Ream_C1d100
His gaze drifted upward knowingly, spotting a dark figure in the branches. He approached the tree and looked up its trunk, a small smile creeping across his face as the bird looked down at him with suspicious eyes.
And then he was was gone. Disappearing up the tree in a fluid motion, Ravenstar swooped one black paw toward the bird and watched as it fell to the ground below. From his perch, the tom perceived it had died on impact. He lightly darted down the tree and padded over to it, crouching to take a few slow bites. His orange eyes were narrowed in thought. He had, in fact, noticed Mintstar's sudden and startling incident before she had left. The scene had shot an icy chill through his spine that the rising sun could not warm.
The blackbird could not settle the restless feeling in the pit of his stomach. This Gathering had revealed to him how little he actually knew about the other Clans. These meetings weren't as helpful as they could be; he knew that the Brightrock, pure as it glowed, was only a podium for lies and deception. There was no truth in those pleasant little reports -- just veiled threats and hidden meanings. Ravenstar unknowingly dug his claws into the ground beneath him in frustration.
Black as night and just as cold, Ravenstar was in the business of shadows. It had been reinforced from his birth that he would always inhabit that forsaken hollow of someone else's shadow. He had been destined--no, expected--to die there, too. Silence and invisibility had been his birthright; the afterthought of a better inheritance not meant for him.
Being slighted made him... slightly irritated. Ravenstar's jaw tightened and he stood stiffly. Still, had he not eaten the crowfood life had served him and swallowed it? Had he not accepted shadow and manipulated it to be the dark horse for the deputy position all those moons ago? Ravenstar considered this, drawing his tongue over the blood on his fangs.
In the end, everything goes dark. Darkness is origin of all matter of being; it is not so much the lesser of light, which seems to cast shadow, but rather the stage for all fleeting life. Ravenstar understood this to be the truth of the matter. As he began to leave Brightrock, something nestled in his mind and made itself more comfortable as he thought about it. It was, he perceived, an idea; though he could only think of it in terms of something he had learned some time ago.
To sleep lightly and to look over one's shoulder -- the necessary precautions of a warrior in the wild. It was what you couldn't see, rather than what you could, that would kill you.
Ravenstar was in the business of shadows. Shadows like the ones at the edges of vision, where forms are uncertain and strange. If he were to unveil the truth of the other Clans for himself, he'd need more eyes for that. With new intention in his steps, Ravenstar made a quiet and discreet escape from the sacred territory. (Ravenstar exits)1d100
Last Edit: Oct 19, 2015 13:24:41 GMT -6 by Deleted
Cougarheart's stomach growled, he might as well hunt a little something before he returned to camp. He was hungry after all, and maybe if he was lucky he could bring back something big enough to feed Maplefang and possibly the kits. He purred to himself at the thought of his kits. The large tom resumes the thought of prey and hunting as he resumes tracking down prey. Rolling for Groundhog (1-77) 3lEAU6iW1-100 He picked up the strong scent of a groundhog. Cougarheart crouched, beginning to slowly pad forward. He practically launches himself at it... Rolling for Attack 1d6+5 He successfully rakes his claws along it's side, Cougarheart quickly sinks his teeth into it. Letting the groundhog have a quick and painless death. He drops the creature and begins to take small bites out of it. It wasn't often that Cougarheart got to eat a groundhog, he couldn't wait to show his catch to his mate. After eating his fill, he picks up the remaining groundhog and heads back to camp.
(Cougarheart exits)
1-100·1d6+5
Last Edit: Oct 19, 2015 14:20:58 GMT -6 by Deleted