leader's announcements [gathering 11/20]

[maddy ★]

s h a d e s t a r
Moonlight streamed through the canopy of Fourtrees illuminating the Great Rock. Cats would be spilling in from all sides an a matter of minutes. The bramble bushes and foliage shivered in the wind but would still provide great cover for the cats. First to arrive was RiverClan, a small group of warriors with their sleek fur fluffed against the chill found their spots among the brush as Shadestar and Hollowsky waited by the Great Rock.

"It's cold," Shadestar murmured to himself, glancing around the edges of the hollow. He thought he could smell ShadowClan scent wafting nearby. His warrior's eyes peered out from the bushes, waiting for the other cats to arrive before the entered into the cold. "I would think it'd be warm for our first Gathering of new-leaf."

Shadestar turned around to lazily sharpen his claws on a smaller outcropping of the Great Rock growing steadily impatient. Where were the other Clans? He didn't like to be kept waiting especially in such weather. His yellow eyes flashed with annoyance as he leaped to the top of Great Rock to scan the horizon for the arriving cats.

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[fyrefacey ★]

rowanstar;

[/color]

The ShadowClan camp was hustling with the sounds of each cat doing their own to get ready for the gathering today. Rowanstar stood stiff at the entrance to the camp, looming over the clan cats. Her large build and figure towered over the cats she had chosen to go with her to the gathering. Rowanstar was always particularly defensive on gathering days, and while on the inside she was jittery and nervous, the outside was calm and collected. The great leader had always had trouble deciding which cats to take with her to the gathering, simply because she wanted to leave enough cats at the camp just in case an attack was launching while the rest of the clan was at the gathering.

Rowanstar narrowed her eyes as she carefully waited until all the cats she had chosen to join her were there, and then they set off. Exiting the ShadowClan camp into the darkness of the territory, Rowanstar proudly lead her clan to fourtrees. Being late wasn't something Rowanstar cared about, neither was being early. They arrived when they arrived, nothing planned or spoken over.

As the cats chosen to attend the gathering with Rowanstar approached the thunderpath, Rowanstar padded up to the slate path. Her eyes leered to look and see if any monsters were approaching. A tail flicked to single a warrior that was waiting with the rest of the cats to come. The clan quickly and quietly made their way across the great thunderpath as they approached fourtrees. Rowanstar went ahead of her clan cats again and proudly lifted her head as she appeared through the trees surrounding the highrock.

RiverClan was already there, and the first this Rowanstar noticed was an annoyed Shadestar and his deputy Hollowsky. A few other cats she recognized as well. The tortoiseshell leader made her way to where Shadestar was near the base of the highrock and greeted him with a dip of her head. She had quite a nice persona to her to other clan leaders, a sort of respect. But ShadowClan was where her loyalties lie, and she didn't trust any clan but her own. "Hello, Shadestar. Cold, isn't it?" she mused, her dark splotched fur bristled as she tried to warm herself.

words: 376
tagged: GATHERING
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[maddy ★]

s h a d e s t a r
Shadestar flicked his tail, staring at the place where ShadowClan were to arrive. Their scent was stronger now and he wasn't surprised when the ferns began to move and the warriors broke through. He watched in anticipation as the ShadowClan cats greeted his own warriors. Everyone at the Gathering was slightly shifty, eyes glancing everywhere but at each other. He watched the tortoiseshell leader Rowanstar jump up to meet him at the top of the Great Rock. Her deputy, Crookedstep's black pelt greatly contrasted Hollowsky's as she strolled up to greet the other she-cat.

"Ah, yes it is," he said softly, eyes narrow as they glanced around. "Where are Smokestar and Swiftstar? Don't they know we're freezing our paws off here?" he hissed, shaking his pelt. Not only was he tired of waiting but adrenaline coursed through his veins in excitement for the Gathering. The new leaves overhead ruffled, seeming to share his excitement. "How are you?" he quickly added, realizing he was being rude. Although he didn't care much for Rowanstar's answer, he felt like they were most alike out of any of the leaders, similar in age and both very determined leaders. He knew that if there were ever any Clan alliances to be formed in the future, she would be the first cat he went to.

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[nøx]

.. Swiftstar;

Swiftstar wasn't one to second-guess himself .. ever .. and he wasn't going to start now. He was concerned though. Would attending a gathering without his deputy make WindClan--make him--appear weak to the other clans? His thoughts were troubled as he led his chosen warriors to the high edge of the Fourtrees clearing. Pale moonlight filtered through the tender new leaves dancing in the breeze overhead. Swiftstar felt hot and smothered, surrounded by trees. He couldn't understand how the other three clans abided it. He needed fresh air, open space, and Silverpelt above his head.

While Swiftstar waited for the last of his warriors to catch up, he groomed his already-perfect short, cream and brown pelt with sharp, nervous licks. He knew that he was accompanied to this gathering by enemies within his own clan, though most of them had been left behind tonight, to be cautiously guarded by one cat he could trust; Ferretfang.

' No deputy,' he thought to himself. ' Will they even care? '

Ferretfang's absence would surely be noted. He'd prepared an explanation.

Swiping a paw one last time over his chestnut ears, Swiftstar glanced over a lean, muscled shoulder. They were ready .. nervous, as always, to be off the moors .. but ready. Swiftstar had brought less cats than usual, many less. Things in his clan were tense. His new-leadership had been met with mixed feelings, to say the least, and he didn't need any WindClan warriors starting trouble with warriors in other clans. They were all on edge--not just his secretive enemies--and it was best not to flaunt Windclan's discord for other clans to take advantage of.

Staring steadily down the steep slope, across to Fourtrees, he noted Shadestar and Rowanstar waiting atop the Great Rock, their dark pelts blending with the forested night. He was unsure how they felt about him as a leader and he didn't much care. Thunderclan was nowhere to be seen. They had the least distance to travel and still they were last to arrive.

"Typical ThunderClan laziness," Swiftstar muttered under his breath.

He glanced up at the full moon uneasily. It reflected back brilliantly in his clear blue-green eyes. No clouds in sight. Still, the night was heavy, and it wasn't just the clustered forest. He wanted to be back at camp. Swiftstar searched the faces of WindClan for Robinleaf, medicine cat. Her presence was steadying.

WindClan was growing restless. Flicking his ears, Swiftstar shook off his disquiet reverie.

"It's time," he meowed clear and loud.

Taking one last steadying breath, Swiftstar led the pounding tide of his clan as they thundered down the slope to join RiverClan and ShadowClan at the third gathering of his leadership.

Me: Swiftstar
You: Everyone
Word Count: 445

[hannah]

smokestar ;[/font]

Smokestar's reign over ThunderClan was drawing to a close. He could feel it in his paws. For many moons, he had guided his Clan through many hardships; he led them through vicious battles and guided them to victory against many foes. To many cats, it seemed like he had been leader for moons upon moons. However, in reality, he had only been the leader of his Clan for fifteen moons. And, in those fifteen moons, he had led many cats into unnecessary battles. It was supposed to be the job of his deputy, Ivyclaw, to keep him in line. So far, she was doing her job well. Before the young she-cat rose to deputy, he had two previous deputies, both of whom died to protect Smokestar.

Now, having aged to forty moons, Smokestar didn't feel he deserved it. Since his deputy moons, ThunderClan's previous leader, Brightstar, had been visiting the gray tom in his dreams. She always delivered the same message:

Smoke will fall; the forest will rise.
Beware the enemy who seeks your demise.

If it weren't for the fear the words brought him, Smokestar would have laughed at the prophecy. It rhymed. Rhyming amused him. But he was scared beyond his years, and he told no one of these occurrences. He was a very skittish tomcat from then on, and he almost always looked over his shoulder.

Now, sitting on the outskirts of Fourtrees, the prophecy played through his mind.

Smoke will fall. The prophecy had to mean him -- prophecies were never literal. The forest will rise. The only possible explanation he could think of was his deputy, Ivyclaw. Ivyclaw was named for her tabby pelt which resembled vines of ivy twisting around her. If she rose - became leader - that would mean he would fall, which eerily made sense. Beware the enemy who seeks your demise. He didn't know of a single cat who had any reason to hate him, but he was sure they were out there somewhere.

He didn't think the Gathering would be a problem, however; the Clans were to gather for a night of peace on each full moon. There would be no bloodshed; no arguments. He knew he was safe. Still, he could tell the storm was coming.

Smokestar was on his last life. A foolish leader at first, he seemed to fly through six of his nine lives. When Ivyclaw became his deputy, she straightened him out, and he became wiser - albeit slightly - with his remaining lives. He was somewhat of a reckless leader, but that didn't prevent him from gaining large amounts of respect from his Clanmates.

He glanced back at them, a fond expression washing over his face. He had been a lucky leader, to lead such a brave group of cats. Stop this, Smokestar, he thought angrily, you're eulogizing yourself. You're not even dead! Swinging his head in an attempt to clear his thoughts, he rose from his crouching position, standing tall at the front of his Clan. He stared down into the clearing.

The rest of the Clans had already arrived. Good. The best are always the last,

[/i] he thought proudly. With a flick of his tail, he signaled for his clan to follow him into the clearing. He charged down the slope proudly and wove his way through the mass of cats to the Great Rock, where he dipped his head in greeting to the other leaders.

His bushy tail flicked merrily, and he showed no signs of his fears. He had time, and he was going to make the best of it.

"Hello Swiftstar," he meowed in greeting, "Shadestar, Rowanstar." He nodded to each of the leaders as he recognized them and let his eyes sweep over the crowd of gathered cats.

"Are your clans well?" Many cats asked this in an underhanded ploy to learn secrets on other Clans, but Smokestar was genuinely curious. He knew that leaf-bare had been especially harsh for ThunderClan; they had lost many cats, including most of the elders. He wondered if other Clans had the same problems. New-leaf was just beginning, though, and he knew it was going to bring a whole new threat. It was only a matter of time, after all.[/blockquote]

[maddy ★]

s h a d e s t a r
Shadestar glanced over ThunderClan's side of the hollow as a small group of cats streamed over the side of the hollow. They dispersed evenly to greet their friends and only now did he realize how loud the hollow cat gotten with cats telling wild stories and sharing news about their Clan. His tail flicked with irritation that they didn't wait until the leaders shared it, especially in the case of apprentices telling other Clans things they shouldn't know.

"Hello, Smokestar," he said politely. "RiverClan is well, I hope yours is too." He turned to the other leaders, impatient and not waiting for their replies. He nodded to them and glanced down at the deputies. Without asking for permission, he leaped forward to the front of the Great Rock, glancing down upon the forest cats and puffed out his chest in pride. Although butterflies fluttered in his stomach, he was more excited to begin the Gathering.

"As not to waste any time in this chilly weather, I'd like to begin the meeting," he said, voice booming. He waited for the cats to quiet down before he began. "RiverClan has been recovering well and the river has unfrozen and fish are abundant. We would like to acknowledge the loss of Redkit, Blackstripe, Frostclaw and Raventail." he stopped himself short, not wishing to expose how many cats the Clan had truly lost. "We hope that they have safely made their journey to hunt in StarClan." He wondered if it was disrespectful to not name all the deceased cats but decided it was too late now.

"We have scented and seen a new band of rogues on our territory near the WindClan border and just wanted to warn the other Clans of their presence. Thank you," he mewed, drawing his speech to a close. He realized how short and pathetic it must have sounded, but the Clan honestly didn't have any news that needed to be shared. He padded back to his spot between Swiftstar and Smokestar, waiting for the next leader to share his news. He glanced around at the cats gathered below him, catching the eye of a few warriors then flipping his head upwards in an irritated manor.

ooc: oh god, that was awful. and i have no idea what the official speech thing is for dead cats just omg.

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[hannah]

smokestar ;[/font]

Smokestar nodded, "ThunderClan is thriving and well. Leaf-bare was unforgiving this season. I hope you have not lost many cats."

But as Shadestar took his place on Great Rock and began to speak, Smokestar realized that RiverClan had indeed lost many cats, perhaps even more than Shadestar was letting on. He dipped his head in respect towards the lost cats, flicking his tail for his warriors below to do the same if they hadn't already.

He tried not to let it bother him -- the fact that Shadestar had decided to call the meeting without agreement from the other leaders. That was simply Shadestar, the cat who he had known as leader for many moons. It was his nature, and Smokestar knew it couldn't be changed.

His ears flicked at the word of rouges in the forest. Useless heaps of fox-dung,

[/i] he thought angrily, his eyes narrowed, come near my clan and I will end you.[/i] The aged leader was now carrying a conversation within his own mind, and he shook it off with a shake of his head. He was being mouse-brained.

He looked towards the other leaders before he stepped up after Shadestar. He turned to look at the leader.
"ThunderClan grieves for your loss," he began. He turned back to the gathered cats, his voice booming. His fur was fluffed against the bitter cold of the night. It was nights like these that Smokestar was thankful for his thick gray fur.
"Like RiverClan, ThunderClan also lost cats to leaf-bare. We grieve for Foxtail, Peachkit, Greenwhisker, and Jaypaw. May StarClan honor them as cats of the skies." He bowed his head mournfully. Then, he locked his gaze on his medicine cat, Skyfrost. He had almost forgotten! "We also bring with us our new medicine cat, Skyfrost. Our previous medicine cat, Tigerpelt, was one of the first lost to the harsh leaf-bare. Skyfrost trained as his apprentice, and many of you will remember her as a former warrior apprentice of ThunderClan. She has altered her path to that of a medicine cat's for the sake of the Clan. Her willingness and loyalty will not be forgotten. We have high hopes for her, and we trust her to be prepared for next leaf-bare."

There was a commanding presence about Smokestar. His pale green eyes sought none other than Skyfrost. His gaze was stern. Willingness? Skyfrost had been anything but willing to train as medicine cat. Clearly, he wished for Skyfrost to accept her fate as the Clan's medicine cat and do her best to do the job well. He had been having difficulties with the she-cat in getting her to understand that she would never be a warrior, and he needed her to know that the Clan needed her as medicine cat. The Clan's livelihood depended on her, and if she could not or would not do her job properly, Smokestar would have no choice but to reprieve her of her duties. He didn't want to do that, either: there was no one fit to take her place. Skyfrost's apprentice, Emberpaw, was not much younger than Skyfrost herself. The last thing he wanted was to leave his Clan in even poorer paws.

He realized he still stood at the front of Great Rock, and he swept his gaze over the gathered cats as he finished his report.


"Despite the harsh leaf-bare, ThunderClan is well." He dipped his head towards the warriors and returned to sit beside Shadestar and Rowanstar. His eyes glowed as he looked towards the sky. The clouds were swirling.

Beware the enemy who seeks your demise, Smokestar. A voice whispered in his ear. Smokestar whipped his head around immediately, but no cat stood behind him. He looked up at the skies again, the outline of a familiar cat appearing in the sky. Brightstar.

What do you mean?[/i] he thought in desperate confusion, shaking his head. What enemy? Am I going to die?[/i] There was no response; his thoughts were shaken as the next leader took their spot on Great Rock.[/blockquote]

ooc: the "proper" words are generally spoken in the Clan, not at Gatherings. What he said was fine, Maddy. c:

[fyrefacey ★]

rowanstar;

[/color]

While waiting for Shadestar and Smokestar to finish both of their speeches, she began to feel the butterflies in her stomach that would not stop. They were announcing the deceased they had lost this leaf-bare, however not every cat, and Rowanstar couldn't find the words she was thinking of to prepare her speech. The alert of a band of rogues frightened her, however she shrugged it off as she would deal with the non-clan cats if the problem arose for ShadowClan. Rowanstar always had a hatred for non-clan cats, and especially for those who joined the clan being born as kittypets. However, some have their uses. Not many cats knew of Rowanstar's hatred for these cats, and she intended to keep it that way. Because of this, she fought to make no emotion when Shadestar spoke of the rogues.

When Smokestar spoke of his new medicine cat, it made her think of her own medicine cat, Raintail. Rowanstar knew that most cats took Raintail for granted, and used her for their own selfishness. The she-cat tried to be proud of her clan, but some cats she was still sketchy about. Rowanstar gazed about the cats that had finally hushed and were looking up at the four leaders. Her gaze swept over cats of ShadowClan, WindClan, ThunderClan and RiverClan. Most she recognized, and some she didn't. Perhaps she would have time to mingle after the gathering and meet some cats from other clans. Oh, if she only knew...

And when Smokestar stepped down from the Great rock, Rowanstar knew it was her turn. She began panicking again, but regained her cool as she stepped towards the Great rock. Her tortoiseshell pelt puffed out in pride and she lifted her head and she loomed over the rest of the cats. Here we go...
"ShadowClan grieves for both ThunderClan and RiverClan losses." she mewed first, probably not the best way to start off her announcement.
"However, ShadowClan has had the same death toll. We mourn for Cloudheart, Fawnstep, Maplekit, and Stormpaw. We hope they safely may hunt with StarClan now."

Rowanstar honestly did not have much to announce to the other clans. while ShadowClan had dwindled in cats, she would not risk showing a weak point by exposing her clan's troubles. Oh! She had almost forgotten. "Our previous deputy, Ravenwing was one of the first to fall ill with greencough, and is now hunting with the other cats in StarClan. We now welcome ShadowClan's new deputy, Crookedstep to take his Ravenwing's place, and we hope he will serve our clan well." she said proudly, her amber gaze sweeping over the cats gathered below the great rock as she looked for the deputy she spoke of.
"Though ShadowClan has dwindled, new-leaf is here and we are doing well again." she said before dipping her head in respect to the rest of the cats.

Rowanstar, being the only female leader at this time, now took her place in between Smokestar and Shadestar as she waited for WindClan to present their announcement. The wind was cold, and dark black clouds begin to cover the full moon shining brightly in the sky.

words: 524
tagged: GATHERING
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[nøx]

.. Swiftstar;

Swiftstar was lost in thought. He sat atop the Great Rock, behind Rowanstar and Shadestar, while Smokestar made his announcement. He didn't mind that he was smaller than the other leaders and was swallowed up by their imposing size as well as the mischievous Moonhigh shadows. He didn't need to feel the swarm of cats--warriors, apprentices, medicine cats--watching him .. "respectfully." Swiftstar knew who he was, a young, strong leader on his first life.

' Your first life, ' he reminded himself grimly.

He'd rather be watching them. His own warriors. Where they whispering amongst themselves? Was that Elmberry--a senior ThunderClan warrior--speaking in Whiteblossom's ear? Whiteblossom, whose thinly veiled disapproval of her leader was no secret in camp. Diaapproval? Who was he fooling? Hatred. She blamed him for the loss of her kits. A "punishment from StarClan" she had said, forgetting in her grief that it was StarClan who had granted him their blessing of nine lives.

' What could those two contrary she-cats possibly have to say to each other? ' Swiftstar wondered with a tiny flutter of panic beating in his chest.

Swiftstar tore his wide, shining blue eyes away from the clustered cats below as Rowanstar stepped forward, allowing the cats of the clans a momentary glimpse of him, his pale pelt gleaming in the silvery light shed from above. Smokestar took her place. He seemed nervous, as well.

' What's wrong with us all tonight? ' Swiftstar pondered.

No matter. He could not let himself be overcome with paranoia. Especially not here, not now. Not when Rowanstar was beginning her announcement. It would be his turn to speak soon.

He knew that speaking to the clans at Gatherings made Rowanstar uncomfortable. She'd be quick. He couldn't say he wasn't completely unsympathetic. These days, everything made Swiftstar a little anxious and "anxiety" was not a feeling natural to him. Once again, he found himself wishing Ferretfang were there.

With talk of a band of rogues so close to WindClan's border he would need to ask Ferretfang to assign extra patrols.

All of a sudden it was Swiftstar's turn. He could feel three sets of eyes boring into him. Swiftstar felt a wave of calm wash over his pelt as he realized that their expressions were just as intense .. strained .. as he was certain his must be.

' Maybe even more than me, ' he thought to himself with morbid interest as he brushed past Smokestar, meeting the aging leaders' eyes briefly, while making his way to the front. Smokestar had led ThunderClan when Swiftstar was still a kit in the nursery. Surely he must be facing his last lives by now. It was humbling. When Swiftstar had been an apprentice, attending his first gathering, Smokestar had seemed so large and imposing; immortal.

Swiftstar preferred to stand as he made his announcements and he stepped to the very edge of the Great Rock, digging his claws into the old, crumbling stone unconsciously. He couldn't let the other clans know about his troubles and fears. If they knew WindClan was divided, they would take advantage of this weakness.

Swiftstar wasted no time.

"WindClan grieves for the loss of so many cats this Leaf-bare past," he yowled with conviction. "We were not spared this tragedy and honor Larkpaw, Blacksky, Honeystep, Longshade and Oneoak, as well as Mistkit, Palekit, and Ashkit who hunt the skies with StarClan and watch over us all now."

Swiftstar bowed his head briefly before staring straight into the hollow pits of Whiteblossom's eyes, below. Her hatred was nothing to him. He did mourn for her kits. He noticed Elmberry still sat with her, glaring boldly up at him.

"We share Whiteblossom's sorrow in the loss of her three kits. Leaf-bare has been cruel to us all but we have high hopes for New-leaf and I am happy to report that prey is running high in WindClan. If any band of rogues thinks to take advantage of our abundance, they will be sorry! I thank Shadestar for news of this and will be certain to protect all of WindClan's borders."

Swiftstar's gaze flicked over all of the gathered cats equally. He didn't focus on any one too long. He radiated confidence and pride.

"WindClan is thriving under my leadership," he purred, with a wide-sweeping gaze that took in every cat.

' It will ... ' he thought determinedly.

"And now," he continued smoothly. "Since I know that this night must seem very cold to any cat not of WindClan, I will end my announcement so we may all return to our camps."

Swiftstar stepped back from the plummeting edge of the Great Rock, into the shadows again. So what if he had come on a little too strong, a little too arrogant. He had done his job. No cat would know his secret.

Swiftstar closed his eyes and took a weary breath. He felt exhausted, as if all the weight of the world rested on his shoulders. Around him, the Fourtrees clearing was darkening as heavy purple clouds gathered above. It was time to go ...

Me: Swiftstar
You: Everyone
Word Count: 856

[hannah]

smokestar ;[/font]
there's a fear in me, and it's not showing.

Smokestar flicked his tail anxiously as Swiftstar finished his announcement. He rose to his paws and looked up at the sky, which had darkened under the ominous clouds of rain.

He stepped up to the front of Great Rock. His fur billowed in the fierce air, and his eyes narrowed against all the ferocity of nature. His voice was loud against the prevailing winds. "If that is all, this Gathering is officially at its end." He waved his tail once to signal its end and leaped from the rock into the swarm of cats below. He was surrounded by his clanmates, and he purred in greeting. Still, his warning was firm in the back of his mind, unyielding to anything. Smokestar flicked his ears and signaled his deputy, Ivyclaw, over to him. She met him among his Clan, bowing her head.

"Take the Clan home, Ivyclaw," he requested, "I'll be home soon." The she-cat was reluctant but, with a sweep of her tail, lead the cats back into the forest towards ThunderClan's well-protected camp. She glanced back once at her leader, worry clearly clouding her mind.

And so it should be. As Smokestar watched the other Clans dissipate to their respective territories, a knot formed in the pit of his stomach, twisting into one of agony and despair. He turned to the Great Rock and leaped back onto the smooth stone, his paw gliding over its surface. He gave a satisfied purr and tucked his paws beneath him as he lowered himself to a crouch, his tail wrapping around him. If he was at the end of his last life, he was going to spend it well.

He was a very sentimental cat; he appreciated anything and everything that was presented to him. He savored everything; remembered, too. He wasn't your average cat that took everything - prey, a safe nest, life - for granted... usually. If this was to be his last few moments with his Clan, he would savor every second.

He remembered when he was a kit just out of the nursery. He was finally an apprentice, and he was eager to prove to ThunderClan's then-leader, Brightstar, how loyal he could be. He stood below Great Rock at his first Gathering and admired the way the leaders conducted themselves and the cats below them. A flick of their ears signaled silence, a wave of their tail signaled greetings. The cats of the Clans revered the four leaders who stood proudly on that large rock, and he knew then that, one day, he would stand there himself.

And so he stood. For many moons, he stood at the front of his Clan, defending his territory from unwanted foes. Every full moon, he led his Clan to Fourtrees, where he stood on Great Rock looking down proudly at his ragtag team of cats. The apprentices huddled below him, and he picked each one - whether from his own Clan or not - out with ease. He liked to think that they wished to be a leader one day like he used to dream of. One day, kits,

[/i] he would promise, one day.[/i]

Now, crouching on the rock that he respected so much, he bowed his head. If this is my time, so be it.[/i] he thought bitterly.

He had led his Clan well, so he believed. He couldn't think otherwise; it would be wrong. He had led his Clan bravely and wisely. Sometimes for better, sometimes for worse. His previous deputies, Darktail and Longstripe, had been of no help to him. They had died in battle, valiantly but in vain. Ivyclaw was his deputy now. She was respected and proud, and he knew she would make a good successor.

His Clan was in safe paws.

Rising, his gaze flicked around the clearing. He looked towards the sky. The clouds were about to break with rain, and the moon was covered by the darkened clouds. He winced. Was this the demise that had been foretold? Surely not; the clouds were not his quarrel. He was being paranoid, and he shook out his pelt in annoyance.

Just before he leaped from Great Rock, death was upon him like a thief in the night. Without any warning, he fell from the rock into the clearing below. He landed with a sickening thud and gave a small moan of anguish.[/blockquote]
ivyclaw ;[/font]

Ivyclaw listened dutifully as Smokestar told her to lead the Clan home, and she nodded in compliance. However, she couldn't help but notice the nagging feeling in her stomach as she trotted through the forest with the Clan in tow. There was something off about the way he acted, and she couldn't place a paw on it, but she had a feeling that she may never see him return. She knew he was on his last life; he had confided in her only sunrises ago about that particular aspect of his life.

She wondered why he hadn't told her sooner, but it was none of her business. She was glad, though, that he had come to respect her well enough to trust her so completely. Still, she worried for her leader.

When she returned to camp, she let the cats return to their nests. She conveyed the most important details from the Gathering to the cats who had stayed in camp: there are rogues in the forest and the other Clans, like ThunderClan, had also lost cats to leaf-bare. Then, she turned out of camp and returned the way she had come. Only one destination was in mind: Fourtrees.

She knew she shouldn't worry for her leader; he was strong and brave, noble and smart. He's probably being a mouse-brain, she told herself with a small purr of amusement. Knowing him, he'd be sitting there calmly, looking up at the sky in admiration of the stars where his ancestors roamed. She shook her head at the thought, a glimmer of amusement lurking in her eyes.

As she arrived at Fourtrees, she noticed him laying beneath Great Rock. She padded over to him cautiously, ears flicking. Her eyes darted around the clearing as if she expected another cat to be lurking in the depths of the forest. Satisfied that there seemed to be none, she padded quickly over to his side.

"Are you sleeping?" she asked incredulously. She nudged him with her nose, but he didn't move. Her eyes narrowed, the worry flooding over her once more.

No, she thought in horror, no, no, no...

Her worry subsided as he gave a fitful cough, his head twitching to look up at her. She heaved a sigh of relief.

"I'll go get Skyfrost," she promised, "You'll be just fine. You'll see. You--"

Smokestar cut her off, "It's too late for that now. I hunt with StarClan soon." His voice was pained, and his eyes were darkened with his oncoming death.

Ivyclaw shook her head stubbornly. "That's not true, Smokestar, and you know it."

He gave a soft purr, "You will lead ThunderClan well."

She went on as if she hadn't heard him, "You're going to be fine. I'll make sure of it. We'll get you back to camp and you can wake up tomorrow to Swallowtail's kits yowling for more stories from the elders. Cinderkit is just about ready to be an apprentice - you'll have to do that, too..."

She couldn't stop herself, and she kept talking long after the life left Smokestar's gray form. When she finally stopped, she looked down at him sadly. She touched her nose briefly to his fur and wished him well on his journey to StarClan.

As she rose to her paws, she glared daggers at the forest around her. Whatever did this - cat or not - it was dead to her. She would flay it alive. She would take pleasure in seeing the life flee its body. Her claws would be drenched in the creature's blood... her fur bristled in anger.

Now, she looked up at the sky herself. The clouds loomed over her, heavy with rain. And finally, they broke. The rain fell around her merrily, as if gloating. Smokestar had left the earth, so, now, the rain could meet it. She snarled at the rain in fury, glaring up at Silverpelt with sorrow and hatred in her eyes.

"StarClan, are you watching?" she yowled, "was this your doing? Was it your will to let Smokestar die? Why did you not stop this? Who did this?"

She sank to the ground beside her leader, her head bowed.

[maddy ★]

s h a d e s t a r
Shadestar led his small band of warriors and apprentices back to camp, tail flicking with pride. Despite everything that had happened in the last few moons, he had never felt more proud of his Clan. Now whether or not he was proud of any particular warriors or just RiverClan in general was to remain in question. They poured over the ridge to cross the small stretch of WindClan territory to return to camp. While there was not much news from the other Clans, it comforted him that his wasn't the only to suffer. He glanced up to Silverpelt, surprised that it had clouded over. He hadn't noticed this at the Gathering since the moon had remained crystal clear. The first drops of rain fell on his sleek, dark pelt and he sniffed. It definitely smelled like a storm, and of course came the worry that the river would flood the camp. While it was unlikely and hadn't happened in moons, it was always a possibility. His warriors murmured with concern and excitement behind them as they noticed the raindrops.

He paused in his tracks, panic flaring in his heart suddenly. He heard a desperate, loud wail coming from Fourtrees behind him. He shared a glance with Hollowsky and she reflected his concern. The source of the noise was saying something, their voice full of anguish. He could recognize it, not well acquainted with many other Clans. His tail swayed behind him as he decided if he should return or not. It could be an ambush of some sort. Nonsense, there is a truce tonight, he thought. Not always however.

"Hollowsky, will you take everyone back to camp? Report to them what happened at the Gathering. I'm going to go check out what happened," he said firmly, not waiting for any arguments before he bounded back to Fourtrees, rain pounding his pelt hard now. He nearly slipped on some mud on his way back up into the hollow, reminding him how bad the storm had already become. He shot a nervous glance at the river, it's rippling surface reflecting black.

Scaling the hollow, what was in front of him made no sense at first. Smokestar's gray body was splayed out in front of him, and what was his deputy leaned against him, her nose buried in his fur. He opened his mouth but the only other scent he could smell was ThunderClan laced with fear. Had none of the other leaders heard her wails? Although it appeared to be a private moment, curiosity got the better of the RiverClan cat. He padded down to silver tabby she-cat, confusion flashing in his amber eyes. What had happened? Was Smokestar dead? Obviously, you fish-brain. But why?

"I- ah," he stuttered, suddenly awkward. He didn't know what to say. "What has happened?" A sudden flash of realization passed through and he pinned Ivyclaw as the murderer. He shook his head, feeling silly. His pelt was clean, if not a little ruffled. It couldn't have been a violent murder. Or... had the murderer been that smooth? He stood there, the ThunderClan she-cat still oblivious to him as a million suspicions flashed through his mind. "What has, uh, happened?" he asked louder, wondering if this was still his business or just ThunderClan's. Of course it was Shadestar's, he was a Clan leader! This was a big deal, and he had the right to know! ThunderClan couldn't just have their leader mysteriously killed on the night of a Gathering and wait another moon to tell the other Clans.

As the entire situation soaked into his fur just like the rain literally was by now, he became paranoid. Was there a killer out there? Was he next? How were they to find him and stop him? Did he only kill leaders? Had Smokestar been on his last life? Irritated by himself, Shadestar once again shook his head clear. But the thoughts kept creeping up on him like a hunter stalking his prey in the night. Standing in front of the scene, how couldn't they? He waited for Ivyclaw's response if he got any, theory upon fear upon suspicion dancing around his head before stacking up in his conscious, driving him absolutely insane.

"Answer me!" he burst out suddenly, impatience coming to a boil.

[/blockquote][/blockquote][/blockquote]

[hannah]

ivyclaw ;[/font]

Ivyclaw glared at Shadestar. How dare he come and demand such information from her. It was not his right to know, and it certainly wasn't his right to ask. She bit back a snarl of contempt, drawing herself to her paws as she met his gaze icily.

How many times would he ask the question before he allowed her to reply? He left no time between them for her to reply appropriately, and her fur bristled in fury every time he posed one. Finally, when he demanded an answer, she shot to her paws in a hiss of fury.

"Keep your fur on, Shadestar," she growled. "Someone - something - has killed my leader. Whoever has done so will sorely pay for their mistake."

There was an edge in her voice as if she blamed RiverClan for the murder of Smokestar, and, although there was no scent of RiverClan on her fallen leader's pelt, she could not rule out the suspicion that RiverClan had a hand in the act. Perhaps they asked for rogues to help them, or an enemy more fearsome than cats. She remembered the elders' tales of the old ThunderClan who had nearly been slaughtered by a pack of large dogs. That was because of ShadowClan, and she now realized she couldn't trust Rowanstar's lot either. She narrowed her eyes angrily, her tail lashing.

"If you did this, Shadestar, you have made an enemy where you need not," she warned.

Even as she spoke those words, she knew Shadestar was not her enemy. They simply couldn't be; there was no hint of any cat on Smokestar's fur. She had no idea of the nature of his death, but every fiber in her body was yearning to figure out what had caused his downfall. She crouched over her leader's body, two paws on one side and two on the other. She protected as much as she could from the rain, her ears drawn back as she stared calculatingly at Shadestar.

She yearned for nothing more than to return to her Clanmates with Smokestar's broken body. She wanted to lay him out beneath Silverpelt and grieve with her Clan. She could do none of that while Shadestar stood before her.

Why had he returned, anyway? Had he been near enough to hear her? Perhaps he had been a part in Smokestar's death... if he had been close enough to hear her...

A snarl returned to her maw, and it was released with all the animosity of TigerClan.

[maddy ★]

s h a d e s t a r
Although less rain seeped through the Fourtrees canopy, Shadestar was already shivering from the cold. Despite being a RiverClan cat, he would never be accustomed to the cold rain seeping into his bones. As Ivyclaw suddenly accused him of killing Smokestar, the rain faded away instantly. How dare she even think of that! Shadestar may be cruel at times but in no way was he a cold-blooded murderer. He raised his hackles, drenched fur bristling.

"How dare you!" he snarled, eyes dark slits. Smokestar may be dead before him but if a cat ever questioned his pride like that, whatever had caused them to do so was irrelevant. He almost screamed out, "What good would I get out of killing that old bag of bones!" but stopped himself out of pure respect. He could actually think of a reason. To weaken ThunderClan and take back Sunningrocks. He snarled at the thought of the long-disputed land. It had originally been RiverClan's when the four Clans were settled, yet Crookedstar couldn't ever reclaim it and Leopardstar didn't have the guts.

He sized up the she-cat, figuring the best angle to attack from. Anger sizzled beneath his pelt, straining to boil over. He paused for a moment to calm himself down like he had been trained to in these situations to put he situation in perspective. Ivyclaw was traumatized right now and anything she said meant nothing. But she had called him a murderer! No, he told himself sternly. He would not attack.

"I am deeply sorry. RiverClan grieves for your loss," he sucked in a deep breath. Nodding calmly, he turned to pad away with the image of Smokestar's pristine body burned in his mind. How had he died?!

[/blockquote][/blockquote][/blockquote]

[hannah]

ivyclaw ;[/font]

Ivyclaw bit back an icy retort. An "old bag of bones!" Didn't your mother ever teach you any manners? she thought in outrage. But then, this was Shadestar. He was anything but well-mannered. She flicked her tail in obvious annoyance, but she allowed the fur on her pelt to lie flat.

This was not the time for a battle; she knew that. She still had only one life, and, without a deputy, she could not afford to risk the sanity of her Clan by flinging herself into battle. If she lost - if Shadestar was the murderer and he killed her - ThunderClan would be in ruins. They would have no leader; no deputy. Everything would be in chaos.

No. She would not attack. She couldn't. She gave a hiss of frustration. If Shadestar had done this, she wanted nothing more than to rip the fur from his pelt. Her claws dug into the moist earth. But she knew she had no proof.

In shocked silence, she watched him carefully as he turned and left. Her eyes were still narrowed suspiciously, but she dipped her head as he offered his apology.

"Thank you," she muttered quietly. She pulled back from crouching over her leader and stared down at him with misty eyes. How was she going to explain this to the Clan? "Oh, he died. No, I don't know how. No, I don't know by whom. Oh, but don't worry! StarClan is still with us!" Even now it sounded foolish. If StarClan were with them, why had they done nothing to prevent this? She shook her head, ridden with grief. Then, without another word, she took her leader's scruff carefully in her jaws and started to drag him back to camp.

It was anything but an honorary journey. She didn't have anyone to help her, and she didn't want to leave Smokestar's body unprotected in order to bring back a patrol. Perhaps I could wait for a border patrol, she thought. She knew that if she didn't return soon, her Clanmates would come looking for her...

She stopped in her tracks and smoothed Smokestar's ruffled fur. Then, she sat down beside him, ears flicking as she waited for a patrol to find her on the outskirts of Fourtrees.

[nøx]

.. Swiftstar;

' He's not returning. It was his last life ... '

Swiftstar was soaked to the skin, vaguely aware that the forest did nothing to shelter a cat from rain. He may as well have been racing the moors on his way home. He wished he was. It wasn't in his nature to slink about in the shadows, spying on cats of other clans. However, Swiftstar was uncertain how to begin assessing the scene below, never mind speaking to Ivyclaw.

Shadestar must have heard Ivyclaw's piercing shriek just as Swiftstar had. Predictably, however, Shadestar had blundered into the scene--alone--and rudely demanded answers from the stricken ThunderClan deputy. Swiftstar had watched it all. Of course he was burning with curiosity and the need to shred whoever had done this, but he had enough problems of his own in WindClan without adding ThunderClan's woes. ThunderClan and WindClan had always had an uneasy sort of camaraderie but this ... this was something else all together. Who was he to intrude? Ivyclaw's own clan didn't yet know of this horror.

Swiftstar was a young leader and had never crossed claws with Smokestar. Though he surely had seen his predecessor, Greystar, take Smokestar on more than once in his old days of wild, reckless battles. In his early lives Smokestar had seemed to fight for no other reason than to fight. As a kit, Swiftstar had dreamed of defeating the ferocious leader on the battlefield. Now ... to see Smokestar die like this ... there was no honor in murder.

He glanced over his shoulder at the three trusted warriors behind him, his blue eyes reflecting shock, anger, and grief. They stared back at him, confused and frightened, pelts bristling on edge. Swiftstar growled low in his throat.

"We should return to camp," he finally mewed heavily, "There's nothing we can do here."

Looking once more into the clearing, he realized that Ivyclaw was attempting to drag Smokestar's body away on her own. Swiftstar squeezed his eyes shut, wishing to StarClan that he could will the image away. He looked once more at the warriors he had brought with him to investigate the commotion. All of them were watching Ivyclaw.

"Perhaps we could alert ThunderClan for her ..." Blueclaw trailed off uncertainly, his awkward meow muffled by the insistent rainfall.

Swiftstar sighed.

' I should just go home,' he thought tiredly. ' I don't need this ... '

Suddenly he realized that this, whatever this was, affected him too. It affected every clan. What if this fox-hearted murderer came after him next?

"Stay here," he growled to Blueclaw and the others.

Bowing his head somberly he stepped out of the trees and paced halfway down the steep slope that marked WindClan's entrance to every Gathering. It was awkward going and Swiftstar dug his claws into the ground carefully, so as not to slide the rest of the way in a torrent of mud.

"Ivyclaw," he meowed steadily, "do you need help? I will send one of my warriors to your camp," he glanced up at the three wet and bedraggled WindClan cats waiting at the treeline. "If you wish," he added quietly.

The cloying silence was swallowed with a renewed surge of rain, pounding blindly onto the cats below, living and dead alike.

Me: Swiftstar
You: Ivyclaw
Word Count: 534