Warrior Cat Clans 2 (WCC2 aka Classic) is a roleplay site inspired by the Warrior series by Erin Hunter. Whether you are a fan of the books or new to the Warrior cats world, WCC2 offers a diverse environment with over a decade’s worth of lore for you - and your characters - to explore. Join us today and become a part of our ongoing story!
News & Updates
11.06.2022 The site has been transformed into an archive. Thank you for all the memories here!
Here on Classic we understand that sometimes life can get difficult and we struggle. We may need to receive advice, vent, know that we are not alone in our difficult times, or even just have someone listen to what's going on in our lives. In light of these times, we have created the support threads below that are open to all of our members at any time.
Post by simplylight on Aug 11, 2022 21:14:39 GMT -5
WINTERCLAN (Winter, for plot purposes, this is the in between before the traditionalists rise up the first time so it's a period of uncertainty)
Tuskstar wove through the underbrush, her thick black coat sticking to the brambles as she went. There was no keeping it a secret that Winterclan had made it's arrival to the gathering considering half their pelts were left on the trees afterwards. They were not used to so many trees and bushes. The Mountain Clan gatherings were usually an easier trek, but the large ones left sore pads and raggedy coats. The large feline glanced back at her clan as they entered the clearing and she gave a nod. "Winterclan, feel free to disperse. The others should be here soon." She meowed roughly and made her way to where the leaders would eventually gather together to discuss the weather and pretend there was no drama in or between their clans, she hoped. Her gaze drifted warily across her group one more time, wondering if they would be able to keep their own emotions in tact with how tense everything had been lately in Winterclan.
SwiftClan lingered on a hill within viewing distance of the gathering, too nervous to be the first to arrive. Adderstar sighed in relief when she spotted a mass of lumbering warriors entering the trees. “Let’s head out,” she announced, and led the group to join the other clan.
They were an… interesting formation. Spread out like a threatening army, an impressive array of cats, but without the discipline; instead of stiff ranks, SwiftClan was a loose gaggle of wanderers. Most of them were frightfully young as well, curious and naive apprentices, chattering eagerly as they joined the clan. There was even a single kitten in their ranks: the one tradition Adderstar adhered to was bringing the entire clan to the gathering.
“Well, here we are,” Adderstar mewed. She beckoned Meadoweyes to her side and whispered, “what now?” @ash
i’m setting this… after the current ncpi plot thread despite it not being finished it, don’t talk to me i just follow where the vibes lead
When Kier padded into the gathering place, melting in out of the black shadows with a faint, ominous rustle of the undergrowth, it was clear he was badly banged up — he was walking gingerly, each step clearly causing him a good deal of pain no matter how careful he was with them; his pelt was criss-crossed with fresh wounds that had only just begun to heal; one eye was slightly more closed than the other, like it was causing him difficulty. And yet, despite his physical state, he was in a jolly chipper mood — the League had bested him this particular time, taking back their stolen kits with a rather unfair amount of circumstantial luck, but they’d failed to take one of his lives, no matter how close to death’s door he had been, and his mate was pregnant again in what seemed an impossible defiance of the odds, of fate. The loss of Bermondsey’s kits was insignificant beside it — everything was. NightClan could have been wiped off the map and this deliriously happy smile wouldn’t have faded. It seemed to be a thing of habit with him and the universe — one litter was born, and another immediately followed to snare away his interest. Poor Sablemaid’s kits hardly featured in this happy new family story, relegated to background players as something new, something better, something wanted took centre stage and stole the limelight away.
So, despite his visible agony, he wasn’t grumpy at all. It was rather disconcerting. Really, this was a momentous event — NightClan’s first Gathering after all his moons of leadership, after all his moons of building them and himself up for this very moment. And what a wonderful show of force and prestige it was — with all these moons to grow up and perfect themselves, the apprentices and young warriors who came in with him and dispersed with cocky, violent confidence among the other Clans were haughty, and hostile, and imposing. It was the first time many of them — any of them, really — had ever been among other Clans, aside from the arrogant foray into SummerClan and the night raid on the League. And they made an entrance, well-fed and self-centred and with smiling, gleaming eyes. They believed themselves gods among cats. “Hellooooo!” Kier greeted cheerily as he wove, limping, through the crowd, as un-self-conscious as he always was among silent, staring cats. His entourage cut through the sea and slotted themselves with threatening confidence among the other Clans. He talked as he went, and when he reached the great oak tree, he climbed straight up the trunk like he was a lizard with bristles on his pads, so far the smallest and the youngest of the leaders. “So sorry we’re late — the state I’m in, you know, the going was rather slow. Lots of stops, very embarrassing. And then the Inferiors — you know, we brought one or two in case the apprentices got restless — they were irritating me, so we stopped on the way to—” Kier broke off with a laugh. He was showing off. “Well — luckily they piped down after that, because a beheading was next. Isn’t that right?” He laughed again, looking down at the lone Inferiors cowering in the mass of cats, sitting separated from the other Clans. He spoke quickly, excited to be here, and when he finished he drew in a breath and looked around with a beaming smile, taking in the sight below him. He turned cheerily to the other leader beside him, then looked down at where Adderstar was lingering nervously. “Well!” he said again, more than happy to take over the proceedings. For a second, as he looked at Tuskstar, his gaze caught and lingered, truly horrified in a staring-mesmerised-at-a-freakshow sort of way with a pleasant smile on his face; then he finally managed to rip his mismatched eyes away, trying to be so melodramatically polite. “Only she-cats so far, mm? Yes, you know, I’ve noticed we’ve rather gotten over our pandemic of female-led majorities — much more equal now.” A little TOO equal for my tastes, but that’s neither here nor there, he added more quietly to himself, looking down over the assembling crowd again and musing with a hum.
“How are we all? Good? Come up, my dear,” he added with sudden warmth to Adderstar still lingering on the ground, jerking his head in invitation. “You’re a leader, aren’t you? No point in shyness. Come up, come up. I’m afraid I haven’t met you yet — SwiftClan, you know,” he laughed loudly, like it was a nasty joke all the audience was in on, “hardly passes for a Clan, does it? More a joke. Rather difficult to keep up with. But it’s gratifying to see they chose for themselves such a pretty leader — if you can’t be respected, at least you can be gentle on the eyes.” He smiled down at her, so chivalrous and saccharine, but it was laced with degrading venom; she immediately had to be put in her place.
The small tom moved without pomp or circumstance, almost as if he didn't want to be there. Of course, there was a part of him who genuinely didn't. There were a million places that he'd rather be than the gathering; even the idea of coming gave him a headache that wouldn't quite go away. It was a low drumming in his skull, an ache that had only gotten worse as the sun slipped over the horizon. He'd had half a mind to ask Sunveins for something for it, but in the end, he had decided that his own discomfort wasn't worth getting her concerned. He'd be fine, he just needed to get through this and then he could slip back into his palace and shut the doors and pretend that he wasn't being put into an impossible position. If he had a deputy, perhaps he would have sent her in his place, but, of course, he didn't. So, onward he walked, trying to keep as much composure as he could.
There were two reasons that he didn't want to be here. The first was the fact that now, the tom knew she was around. He still didn't know quite where, but she was somehow close enough, somehow alive enough, to still cause him problems. Going to a gathering meant that there was a very real possibility that she would be there. Of course, Aspen wasn't improper; she wasn't the kind of cat to start something she couldn't finish, especially not in front of a crowd. Even if she was here, quietly haunting the gathering space, the worst she could do was let her gaze rest on his. It was almost worse than having a conflict; he was acutely aware of the fact that she kept tabs on him, and a gathering would make her job of monitoring him significantly less difficult. Going to the gathering meant offering himself up on a silver platter. He didn't like that.
More than that, though, he didn't want to see Kier. Truthfully, he wanted to pretend that Kier didn't exist. It was easier that way, easier to avoid him entirely than it was to face him. Moonblight and the story that he had spun the night he had come to ask for assistance had complicated the relationship between the two of them. There was a part of him that still wanted to show the NightClan leader grace, the same part of him that thought that maybe, just maybe, with enough tenderness, enough compassion, the tom would change. There was another part of him, though, that wanted to go right up to the other tom and demand to know what was wrong with him, to demand the freedom of his nieces and nephews. He was conflicted; he didn't want to believe Moonblight and he knew he had to simultaneously. That left him at a loss: what the hell was he supposed to do now? In his own kingdom, secluded by the peonies and carnelians, he didn't have to know. He could stay in his state of confusion, of frustration, with little argument. In a gathering, a full gathering, no less, he lost that option.
Foxstar let out a quiet sigh as they entered the gathering space, turning his head to the patrol that lingered behind him. "Tread with upmost caution," he meowed quietly, a murmur meant only for the cats that he loved. "Be watchful, be ready, but still try to enjoy yourselves." He let his gaze shift between each member of the patrol before offering a nod. "If any of you needs me, you know where to find me."
With that, Foxstar flicked his tail, dismissing the patrol. He then let his gaze shift to where the leader's congregated. Of course, why wouldn't he be here already? the young tom thought with an unsettled flick of his tail. And he looked ... frankly he looked like hell. That couldn't be a good thing. Nothing in life could be easy for Foxstar, could it? With another soft sigh, he made his way over.
"Evening, folks," he meowed with a nod, before forcing himself into position. There was a part of him that thought it best to avoid looking out into the crowd; the longer he could avoid another set back, the better. He approached in the middle of Kier's greeting to Adderstar, hearing only the if you can't be respected, at least you can be gentle on the eyes.
"I see tact isn't something you've gained since our last foray," he meowed with a squint. He then glanced down to Adderstar, offering her a wave of his tail. "Do ignore him. He must have stayed up too late last night, and you know how cats can be if they don't get their beauty sleep." Why was it that, despite the fact that Kier's presence was part of the reason he didn't want to be present, he felt that he needed to apologize for the other leader? Why was there still a part of him that felt responsible, that wanted to prove Kier was better than he seemed?
Pinespell had followed closely behind Adderstar. He'd never been to a gathering before, and was excited to experience something new, but below the surface there was a strong anxiety there. So many cats in one place was bound to bring trouble, he thought. As they made their way in with the others, he gazed around wearily, wanting to have an eye on every cat before they saw him. Kier's voice drifted towards him, and it already seemed to rub him the wrong way, made him quite uncomfortable, like nails on chalkboard. He'd never met the tom, only heard short stories, but the way he talked to everyone didn't make him too happy; especially to Adderstar. Pinespell tried to clench his jaws closed as his eyes bore a hole into Kier's scrawny head. "Yes, more than could be said for you. Looks like you've been chewed up and spit out. Though, no one needs to point that out, do they?" With that, he turned and gazed into Adderstar's eyes for a long moment, then dipped his head, embarrassed but refusing to show it in front of the others. "I'll take my leave."
He turned and headed into a mass of cats, hoping to find some better company.
WINTERCLAN It was his first time at a gathering in many, many moons. Blizzardyrefuge was sure that no one outside of WinterClan even knew who he was anymore - minus any FallClan cats, since he had spent a time there recovering from injuries. That was also a few moons ago, though, and he was sure that much has changed since he was there. Despite the nervousness that the grey tom felt, he had walked into the gathering area with his head held high behind Tuskstar. To anyone else, it would appear as if he couldn't care less about being here. His icy face rarely showed any emotion, even when he wanted it to. So, only he knew that he was struggling to remember where he should sit, until his green gaze fell to the spot below the great tree and the memory returned to him: deputies had always sat at the base of the tree. As weird as it felt, that was where he belonged now. If he had been more social, perhaps he would have stuck around with everyone else for a little bit and socialized, but he never knew what to say to others, so he went directly to sit down.
Blushingdawn stood with the rest of WinterClan, her light green eyes focused on the leaders in the tree. Although she wasn't close enough to hear Kier, or Foxstar's response, she could at least see the effect that it had on Pinespell. As the SwiftClan cat walked away into the crowd, the red furred she-cat turned her gaze to the other cats that have already gathered. She had yet to meet anyone outside of WinterClan, so perhaps she should take the opportunity to do so? That was the point of gatherings, was it not? Whatever was being said on top of the tree was none of her concern right now, after all. With one more glance at the leaders, she pushed back her curiosity and separated herself from her clanmates.
A newcomer joined the party, and he gathered her full attention. Her pale gaze fell first on his physical shape: on his slim shoulders and large ears, tender and youthful, small enough he could blend into her crowd. He was just a kid. Then she took in the rest of him, and Adderstar stiffened, the short hair on the back of her neck threatening to raise. He was just a kid and brutality was beaten into every inch of his skin, from the torn lines in his back to the swelling around his eye. Someone had looked at this kid and seen a target. Cold fury gathered in her stomach, intangible mist creeping steadily thicker.
"Forget it," she muttered to Meadoweyes, no longer interested in listening. She pushed her way through the crowd and toward the pack of other leaders. Kier's speech was too long, too jagged, too casual. He was puffing up, a fox pup bristling fur to look fierce, exaggerated swagger a little too over the top, too young to know when to hold back, to play the game right. He was too loud and overplaying his hand, and if he wanted fear, she would not give it to him. Her clanmates would not be easy prey either: not because they were steeled against him, but because they were naïve little nuisances, too isolated from the other clans to really understand what he said, too rebellious to pay a cat their age any real respect. He wasn't authority, he was a clanmate, and that meant they would dunk him in the river, not follow his orders.
At his invitation, she leaped up to join him, edging onto the same branch. He was even smaller this close. Adderstar was not a tall cat, but even she stood a head over him, and it took the bite from his venom. Every hurt kit lashed out with the tools they were given; it wasn't his fault he knew only violence and faltered for the first low blow to come into reach.
At Pinespell's interjection, she turned abruptly and shot him a warning look. Her deputy was young and foolhardy too; trading insults would get him nowhere. She would not rebuke him in front of the clan, but the pressure in her gaze was enough, and he turned away soon enough.
Adderstar turned to Foxstar next -- another kid. Adderstar was not an old cat, only a couple of moons beyond her current company, but in their presence she felt older. She felt responsible. They should be tumbling with her apprentices, not arguing in front of their entire clans.
"Good evening," she returned to him, and finally her attention turned back to the basket case on her right. "I regret that you haven't had the chance to meet my clan yet," Adderstar agreed amiably, a light smile pulling up the corners of her mouth - not genuine, not soft, but kind. She did not dignify his insults with a response, did not feed his hatred; if he wanted anger he would feast someplace else. "Perhaps you should journey down some day to visit and 'keep up' with us. In fact, we were planning a lovely night under the stars, a few days from now. We'll do some crafts, share some secrets, perhaps exchange a few gifts. It would be a pleasure for you to join."
When Foxstar padded in, Kier visibly brightened, sitting up straighter and smiling down at the other leader expectantly as he wove through the crowd, eager to be joined by him. I see tact isn’t something you’ve gained since our last foray. “No, but I’ve gained a space in my bed if you want to join me, Foxstar,” he greeted him with sultry, exaggerated flirtatiousness, leaning forward so far over the edge of the branch that it looked like he might hook his claws in and spin a whole loop around it as he tracked Foxstar’s progress beneath him with a teasing grin. He sat back. As Foxstar joined him in the tree and apologised for him, Kier laughed along, endlessly willing to be the lost cause to Foxstar’s preppy straight A’s.
Kier just snickered at Pinespell’s interjection, shoulders shuddering and head thrust forward where he sat above him. “Who are you?” he tittered, watching as Adderstar reprimanded him and he slunk away; he felt immensely special — powerful — to be of the same rank as the she-cat scolding the other tom, exempt from it. “A deputy? Be quiet.” He felt that he had successfully manhandled this Gathering into his own paws.
When Adderstar turned to greet Foxstar, Kier peered around her to look at him with a smile, practically batting his lashes; he felt a certain ownership over the SwiftClan leader because he’d seen her first, and now that she was talking to the SummerClan leader he felt that smugness of I already know her. It was petty and childish, like he had taken the hand of a substitute teacher and was parading her around the playground. And then she was talking to him again. As she spoke, his smile slowly fell and he quickly became uncomfortable. If Foxstar’s pity made him angry, Adderstar’s strange, unexpected welcome made him nervous, awkward, sheepish. It was the most quickly and thoroughly he’d ever been quietened. He didn’t know how to be crass to someone who was speaking to him like a gentle mother. His stomach squirmed with shy discomfort; he could no longer meet her eyes. “We’re busy,” he mumbled, looking down at his paws and hunching his shoulders slightly like an unsettled, cowed child. His voice suddenly sounded indescribably young; it had lost its usual posh flair and now it was like it had hardly broken. It was a faint hint that his normal voice wasn’t his natural one; this one was so much less polished, a little crackly like it still broke now and then, a mite higher and a world more insecure. His ears had pinned backwards; he felt scolded when she’d done nothing but be kind. A perfect school ma’am. “Thank you,” he added politely after a long few moments of silence, the words no less mumbled and his eyes still on his paws. His ears burned self-consciously. Cleaver @ian faeish
Brat, Kier’s eldest daughter, pranced into the Gathering in the midst of the patrol. Back home, she’d become a more brooding figure since the birth of her father’s newest litter; now, though, out and about for the very first time in her life (well, the first time that wasn’t a slaughter), some of her old exuberance had returned. She danced up to the closest cat and greeted them with a warm, genuine smile. “Hi!” @anyone <3
Leveretpaw — now well and truly an adult despite his name — limped in at the back of the patrol, looking like a battered, silent rabbit among a pack of trotting, violent foxes. He had escaped the fate of the other Inferiors Kier had spoken of; it was a good thing, to fade so silently into the background. Too nervous to look for a place he actually wanted to sit, he gave the clearing a brief, anxious once over and then sank down where he was standing. @anyone <3
SUMMERCLAN
Brin prowled in after Foxstar, shoulders rolling and glare ever-present; she loomed behind him like a hulking, ominous shadow. In the absence of a deputy, she had taken to shadowing the leader like a general; he was just a baby. She could feel war brewing. She’d come to SummerClan to escape such tiring violence, but now that she was here, she’d stay; she’d do right by them. She was honourable if you looked at it one way; she regarded SummerClan like world-soft tufts of wool if you looked at it another. No matter what she’d heard about their occupation under NightClan, she didn’t trust them to survive. She couldn’t do much, but she could walk up the lines, could make sure their armour wasn’t rusted, could be a makeshift nurse if Cypresspaw and Sunveins needed those extra claws. Knowing their history with NightClan, her glare glided over the other Clans’ cats — over their leader preening in the tree — with frosty distrust.
Spotting Adderstar above her, she dipped her head; if she felt anything at seeing her there, she didn’t show it. She just sat down heavily — didn’t look at where, didn’t matter where — to keep an eye on SummerClan, forepaws spread and shoulders hunched like she had no concept of elegance. @anyone <3
Peonypaw marched in in the middle of the SummerClan patrol with her nose in the air and her fur scattered with pink flowers — in her thick neck fur, along her back, on her flanks, in her tail. “MOVE,” she said to the first apprentice she saw, shoving past them without a look and walking with the daintiness of a princess past them. This was Doefreckle’s daughter’s first Gathering as an apprentice and she was going to get a good seat. Especially if Sunrisepaw was watching her. @anyone <3
?
A pair of golden eyes may have been watching from the undergrowth. They scrunched up in frustrated pain when a twig snapped, and then shot sideways to glare at someone beside them. “Watch it, mangy stray,” the black and white tom hissed to the Siamese she-cat beside him. “That was my paw. I have so little left; pray don’t take from me my mobility.” goldcresti had to
Foxstar shot him a look. “We’re fighting, just so you’re aware,” he meowed with a squint, his body noticeably tenser than it normally was. “It’ll take more than that to make me not want to punch you in the face.” Of course, Foxstar wouldn’t actually punch the tom in the face, that went against his very code of ethics, but he wanted Kier to know that they weren’t on the best terms. “And, just to clarify, not just because you’re not on your best behavior tonight. You’re never on your best behavior.” He shifted slightly on his branch, his head tilting to the side as his gaze slid to Adderstar.
Immediately, the frown started to melt from his face, replaced with a slightly amused appreciation. Ah, so he was going to have an ally in the journey. Most cats feared Kier – although, probably not in his current state – or were angered by Kier, or some mix of the feellings. Few spoke to him so plainly, and there was a part of him that was absolutely thrilled at the other tom being taken on by someone who wasn’t him. It would be much less work for the SummerClan leader if there were other’s who showed him a tiny ounce of decency. Maybe, just maybe, with some help he could knock some sense into the other cat. He couldn’t help but smile when Kier mumbled; he wasn’t sure what it was about Adderstar that seemed to affect the other leader, but Foxstar couldn’t help but be grateful. He made it a point to get to know the other in the future.
When Kier added the thank you, Foxstar’s smile became a little more painted on. “Wow, you’re learning manners. I’m genuinely impressed. See, our work together is working. Doesn’t mean I’m not still mad at you, though.” fox
SWIFT Aspenflicker thought it was sort of endearing, the way that she’d been invited to the gathering. Adderstar was simply following tradition, of course, but in the past, she’d been strictly banned. It was part of taking in a war lord, she supposed. It was best to keep her under wraps. Of course, no one had been so direct as to tell the she-cat she couldn’t go because half of the forest feared her, hated her, despised her, wanted her dead, certainly not when she was ill. But, someone had always stayed back with her; it would just be too much stress. We know how she gets when she’s stressed, they had always murmured. And she’d been too ill to challenge. This was the first full gathering under Adderstar, and Adderstar had no way to know that following tradition to the T, letting everyone come, was certainly a mistake.
It was strange, not going straight to the leader tree, but there was a part of her that knew it would be just as entertaining from the ground. The SwiftClan adult, one of the few there were, settled in the middle of the crowd. Although there had been a part of her that wanted to go to the front row, she knew that it would be better not to. There were multiple cats in that tree that probably didn’t want to see her, so settling in the crowd would be good, another nameless face. A half smile crossed her face; it was amusing to her, the idea that she would ever be nameless. Her tail tip twitched as she let her gaze move to the tree. A soft purr exited her chest; she had half a mind to waltz up and tell Foxstar that he looked so handsome up there. That would be improper, though; from what she could hear from the leaders’ conversations (which was of course, minimal), little Foxy seemed a little distressed as it was. It was best not to disturb him, at least not yet.
For now, she just needed to wait and enjoy the show. @anyone !
Post by simplylight on Aug 13, 2022 16:24:46 GMT -5
Winterclan
Having grown used to being gawked at, Tuskstar felt no offense towards Kier's lingering gaze. She curled a lip to reveal one of the long teeth from her underbite that earned her her name, as to make the art of her features more interesting for him, or more intimidating depending on how he took it. Her intense green eyes shifted from Kier to Adderstar and she watched the conversation unfold with mild annoyance and curiosity. This was her first time meeting several of these leaders and so far her hopes of talking about the weather were already shot. It got even more curious as Foxstar joined them. She listened to their conversation unfold, comfortable just melting into the background like a chunk of the towering tree behind them until addressed. Observation told her that both Kier and Foxstar were familiar with each other and both quite young. She wasn't an old cat by any means, but these two were hardly off their milk in her eyes. Adderstar, however, was more dignified and mature. Tuskstar, despite her stalwart nature, had always admired the motherly type. That kind firmness wasn't a trait that came naturally to her. She had witnessed cats larger and more menacing in appearance to her in her stronghold that carried that same warm fairness, so it was just a personality flaw that she did not possess that kind of strength. Instead, intimidation worked more in her favor.
She watched Kier bolden and shrink in the span of that conversation and instinctively she prodded him with a massive paw as lightly as she could given his... mangledness. "What happened to that confidence, hm? Looks like you've seen war enough, but war on pride cuts much deeper. Might as well stand up straight and carry it." She let out a snort of a chuckle and turned her attention to Foxstar, hoping to deter his teasing of the Nightclan leader enough for the other tom to get his chin off his chest. "It seems you may be the only one I recognize tonight. How is Summerclan? And Adderstar, it is good to meet you." Cleaverfox @ian
---------------------------------------------
Summerclan
Charcoalgoat entered the clearing behind Brin and the others, looking both absolutely NOT thrilled to be there and alarmed at the presence of kits at a gathering. His job followed him everywhere, it seemed. He watched the little Swiftclan fluffs play for a minute while he walked. At least they belonged to another clan so if they got into trouble, it wasn't on him. Still, he couldn't help but feel protective over the little tots. It wasn't until he came nose to side with another cat that he realized he had not been paying attention. His instinct was to snap, but luckily his brain kicked in before the words left his mouth. Clamping his jaw shut, Charcoalgoat gave a very small nod of apology to the cat in front of him. "Sorry." He grumbled tersely to the Winterclan warrior. lavellan (to blushingdawn <3)
Edited Aug 13, 2022 16:26:10 GMT -5 By simplylight
If Kier slunk out from the shadows as if he were one of them, Snowblister did quite the opposite — she crept in, ghostly pale figure a stark contrast to the black of the night, pristine in comparison to the leader, and if she bothered to keep her pelt tidy, she would have seemed utterly perfect next to him. In the days before her deputyship, she played an act, one of cheerfulness and helpfulness, one who wanted the best (though, truthfully, that part had never been a lie; she really did want the best, it simply didn't matter how she achieved it), but the moment she had enough power in her grasp to drop it, she did, turning her fake grins and nonsensical words into cold glares and cruelty and quiet. But here, amongst the other clans, amongst cats whose opinions mattered in the grand scheme of politics — even though Kier made an enemy out of half of them — she took up the front once more, face split into a grin that might seem unnatural to the cats who were accustomed to her usual callous attitude. She walked close enough by Kier to be presentable, to give them the illusion of something put together, something that wasn't falling apart at the seams, and when he took his place up the tree, she sat neatly below it, eyeing the quickly gathering cats with a sense of detached superiority, keeping up the false pretense of cheer and goodwill.
Looks like you've been chewed up and spit out. Snowblister's grin grew into something more natural, though hardly anything physically shifted — it simply got lighter, more amused. She fixed Pinespell with an acknowledging look, having half the mind to tap the ground beside her and will for him to stay, but she stayed silent. When he left, she didn't bother to get up and socialize herself — she didn't want to mingle, she was here simply for formalities. Her ears pricked towards the conversation above, self-satisfied smile remaining as Kier grew quiet, awkward, in the presence of Adderstar.
Oleandercurse didn't walk with Leveretpaw on the way to the Gathering, hanging instead in the middle of the patrol, talking and laughing with cats more of her own standing, being loud and rambunctious and eager to prove herself — despite the seeds of doubt cast towards her, despite the mocking of she-cats just like her, despite her deep lack of any real cruelty, she seemed to fit in (though, it was more on the outskirts, someone not quiet in the centre of it all, someone bound to be looking in more than they looked out, but she felt present all the same). She was mean enough to get a laugh out of everyone for pointing out some Inferior or older warrior and poking fun at them, eager enough to join in on whatever was the source of their next jokes, and she was daring enough to sometimes capture their attention — not in the Sneakysnap sort of way, where she was gross and messy and one of the guys, because Oleandercurse could still look pretty and be pretty, she could still bat her eyes to get what she wanted, she could still hold an integral sense of femininity, so unashamed of it, just as she could do anything else.
When they dispersed elsewhere, Oleandercurse hung back, catching the eye of Leveretpaw behind her and slipping over to meet him. "You ever seen so many cats in one place? This is crazy! Crazy exciting. Do you think this gardenia was a good choice?" She waved her paw, "of course it was, what am I talking about?" She hovered beside him, not quite sitting, because she was torn between staying her, with him, and going out to see how many cats of other clans she could find. She liked Nightclan, she couldn't imagine anything else, but she would be lying if she said there was not even a hint of curiosity directed towards the other clans. fox and anyone else LOL
Duskhaunting, inexplicably, was the favourite of Kier's among her other sisters — it wasn't the type of favouritism that protected her from taunts or misfortune, and it didn't offer her any social standing at all, because she was at the bottom, a place she would never leave. But she was invited to the Gathering among only a few other Inferiors, mostly apprentices, and she couldn't help but revel in the joy of it. The space was big, crowded, and diverse, cats of all standings, clans, and backgrounds mixing and mingling, and she felt almost awed. She hardly set foot out onto Nightclan territory itself, let alone any other to get to know these clans, and she was filled with a sense of amazement at the sight of them all. She hung near the back, breaking away when the Nightclan crowd dispersed into the large Gathering space, and though she was apprehensive — she hated crowds, despised them — she made her way further through anyway, taking a spot in the midst of it all, quiet and nervous and awestruck all at once. @anyone !
SUMMERCLAN
Usually, Cypresspaw skipped Gatherings altogether. They were nerve-wracking, loud and full and full of unknown possibilities, and it seemed more of a hazard than anything to have everyone gathered in one specific, crowded space, but he had decided to tag along for this one — just once — to sedate the small twinge of curiosity he felt about them. It was silly, to be so scared of them, but he couldn't help but feel uneasy, because the sky was too grand and open, and the ground was too tightly-packed and cramped, and it all combined into one terrifying amalgamation from two separate things that already spiked his nerves.
But it wasn't like he could simply leave. So he resigned himself to his fate, walking close to Foxstar until he left for the other leaders, leaving the medicine-cat apprentice to stand lost, confused, alone. Near the front of the crowd, he took a step back, foot catching on something long, fluffy, and slender, and with an abject look of horror he turned his head to stare at the cat whose tail he had just stepped on. @anyone!!
On the way there, Petuniapaw stuck close by Peonypaw's side, entering the Gathering with her but remaining quiet as her sister shouldered her way through, giving a lingering look — something almost apologetic — to the apprentice she had barked at on her way. At some point, she dispersed from her sister, wandering around but being sure to avoid others, because she wasn't quite in the mood to be chatty. Instead, she took a spot beside Brin, unknowingly until she glanced up at the she-cat who seemed all too frigid for Summerclan, but who held Petuniapaw's respect nonetheless. Beside her, she looked small and scruffy (her fur was notoriously difficult to tame, somehow like her grandfather, Shadedsun's, was, and how Doefreckle had described Lilydawn's to be) and unsure, hunched over herself, occasionally lifting a paw to readjust the single petunia — the flower like a brand on special outings like this — behind her ear. She stayed silent, but occasionally she would turn her head to eye the crowd uncertainly, or her fur would spike when someone bumped or jostled her from behind, and every apology was met with the same stone-cold quiet.
?
The pale Siamese only hissed back, "maybe, you should keep your paws out from under my paws, you stuck-up snob!" Still, she readjusted them. Her blue eyes were nothing more than slits from where they peered out from beneath the undergrowth, a surprisingly pleasant contrast to her counterparts yellow-eyed stare. She gave an irritated snort, "and what are we doing here, again? You miss it? Because if you do why don't you just go out and join them, huh? Make a grand entrance or something, dazzle them. Though, if they're stunned into pure silence by your ugliness, is it really dazzling?"
SunClan It would be such a shock, for these cats to land eyes upon the ones who were thought to have entirely perished. A feline held her head high, leading them. Her dazzling blue eyes set on the spot she would go, to the leader's gathering spot. She saw a nice place to seat herself, and made her way there through the crowd. Upon arriving, her eyes slid along the cats before her, before giving the softest of greetings. "I suppose I will go ahead and introduce myself, I am SunClan's new leader, Oceanstar."
WINTERCLAN Blushingdawn had once more turned her attention to the tree where the leaders perched, pausing mid-step in a crowd of cats that she didn't know. Again, however, all she could observe was the expressions on the leaders, so she turned her attention back to those around her, taking note of the appearance of a new leader. Really, did every clan decide that they were due for a change? There was hardly anyone that she recognized around. Just as she had been pondering this, something bumped into her side, and she stumbled forward a few steps, knocking her out of her thoughts. It took her a couple of moments before she turned her head to look at the cat that ran into her, confusion in her eyes.
"You've nothing to apologize for. I shouldn't have stopped walking there," she replied, though she gave a small nod and a smile to show that she accepted his apology. Finally, she actually took in the appearance of her new conversation partner. This was someone that she had never met before, though that should be of no surprise. "I'm Blushingdawn, from WinterClan. What about you?" simplylight
Post by simplylight on Aug 25, 2022 11:54:32 GMT -5
WINTERCLAN
Waywardpass had not come to terms yet with his new status in the clan. Meaning, Winterclan's new lack of caste system left him in a place where he could finally freely intermingle with his own clanmates, and now others at Gatherings. The grey and white tom scanned the clearing with interest. There were already so many faces and scents from other clans that for a moment he felt a bit swept off his paws. His misty gaze landed on a pair of eyes sticking out from a bush. He tilted his head slightly. That was an odd sight at a gathering where everyone was out in the open mingling with each other. Maybe they were just shy? He padded over, white paws traveling gracefully over the floor almost like they were clouds hovering right above it. "Uh... hey there. I'm a bit uncomfortable at these kinds of things too. I don't think hiding in a bush will help, though." He meowed pleasantly with a welcoming warmth in his eyes, clearly oblivious to the real reason they were hiding out there. goldcrest
Tuskstar's ears flicked as a new scent and voice of a cat entered the group. "Well, what a surprise, mm?" She meowed gruffly, turning to the new Sunclan leader with curiosity. She thought the clan had disappeared somewhere or died in some kind of natural disaster, yet here was this blue-eyed feline followed by remnants of the clan. A half-smile played on her maw, exposing a long tooth more. She loved a good element of surprise. "Oceanstar, it is good to meet you. I am Tuskstar of Winterclan. Sunclan is doing well, then?" Her head nodded to the group of cats that followed Oceanstar in. @ash
SUMMERCLAN "Seriously? Apologizing for just standing?" Charcoalgoat huffed with a roll of his eyes. He instantly felt bad, though, when she responded kindly. These kinds of cats always made him nervous. "Nevermind. I am Charcoalgoat, Summerclan." The tom looked away as he answered, feeling his ears burn. "I can't stand these kinds of crowds. Can you?" lavellan
She wasn't familiar with most clans outside of her previous one — not only had it been utterly isolated, breaches beyond the territory frowned upon, but she had already been an outsider, a young city stray who didn't know much of anything on the clans at all except for what she had been told during her short months staying there. The drama was lost on her. She didn't recognize Waywardpass, only registered the fact that he was coming in their direction, head tilted in intrigue. She used her a paw to shove her companion, partly a hit, and hissed in his ear, "look what you did, stupid! Someone's spotted us."
I'm a bit uncomfortable at these kinds of things too. She clenched her teeth, grinding her canines and hoping that if she refused to respond for long enough the guy would leave. But, alas, she wasn't so lucky. Instead of stepping out herself, playing it off as though she were just some shy clan cat, she clumsily shuffled backwards, trying to make as little noise as possible, and shoved her companion forward, out of the bush and into the paws of the snooper. You deal with it, she wanted to say. simplylightfox
When Aspenstar padded into the clearing — so bold, so fearless, like a tyrant slipping on a masquerade mask and parading right into the trusted ranks of old enemies (well, there was no ’like’ about it; that was precisely what she was doing, and it sent a thrilled, heady shiver through his body at her insolence) — Kier grinned. He gave her only the smallest nod, eyes lingering for just a second, before he flicked them away and turned his attention back to the other leaders, not wanting to draw any to her while she was keeping up her ruse. It was gratifying, to be the only one in all the world who knew her for who she was. That they’d shared a fiery, impassioned night together — the inevitability of it! the fight for dominance! the deputy who had become a tyrant and the tyrant who had become a ghost; the teeth — so recently that he was sure one another’s scents still lingered on each other certainly helped with that generous feeling towards her. A week ago, her name was forbidden in camp and he trembled with paranoid hate at the thought of her; now, he felt them to be allies on the same page, and he was calm. One day, all the forest might quiver beneath the two of them.
When Kier zoned back in, still grinning, Foxstar was laying into him. He blinked, grin in place, and listened for a moment. Then, he gave his head a clarifying little shake and, leaning forward to look at him around Adderstar, asked, “and why are we fighting?” It’ll take more than that to make me not want to punch you in the face. “Oh, please — everyone else has; what’s one more little assault?” Then realisation hit him and he laughed. “Oh — did Moonblight come running to you? I did wonder whether he’d go to foster daddy or sissy first — clearly the gentler embrace won out. Yes, well, if you happen to see him again, tell him we AAALL miss him and would be ecstatic to have him back home. Where he belongs.” He tittered, shoulders shuddering, and turned his head away, voice quietening. “His mate is waiting.” Especially after that war patrol to retrieve the stolen kits — he'd glimpsed the traitorous swine in the fray and now Kier was out for blood.
Fast forward a few minutes and Kier was sulking, cowed by Adderstar’s gentleness. At Foxstar’s condescension, he growled quietly in his throat and leaned forward again to look at him around her, looking small and sullen and scolded beside the female leader — really, this set-up was quite awkward. Made for short tempers, in-fighting and mix-ups. “Shut up, Foxstar.”
And then Tuskstar was encouraging him, giving him a little pep talk. When she prodded him with her huge paw, he glanced down at it in sullen, faintly repulsed confusion before his eyes wandered up to listen to her in silence. Until, very quickly, his heart began to swell with the encouragement. It was all he ever needed — a maternal figure to get his chin up. For all the demeaning insults he levelled at she-cats, they held an unparalleled sway over him, the power to push and the power to pull. With the support of Tuskstar, Kier brightened and his smile returned — if this were a schoolyard, all the other children would have groaned to see his spark return. Now at least he had a shield, a protector, and the fact that she was between him and the other leaders was all the better. Really, he felt a tremendous liking for her. He sat happily at her side and zoned out in cheery, idle silence as she exchanged pleasantries with Foxstar and Adderstar; he smiled to himself, eyes wandering around the clearing, tail tip tapping against the thick branch like he was sitting next to his mother while she chatted to old friends in the supermarket.
I suppose I will go ahead and introduce myself, I am SunClan's new leader, Oceanstar. The new feminine voice brought his attention back. He hardly heard Tuskstar’s address — he ignored Snowblister beneath them completely — as he somehow hurriedly picked his way around behind the other leaders with a bewildering mix of clumsiness and elegance, clinging impossibly to the edge of the branch, braving open air for his pursuit, and then suddenly appeared out of nowhere, shouldering roughly past them and forcing himself in front of Oceanstar. “Kier,” he introduced himself, eyes locked on hers with a sordid, faux-chivalrous grin on his face. He took her paw without it being offered to him and lowered his muzzle towards it — he didn’t kiss it, he just held it, grinning up at her like he was deferring to her. His back was turned to the other leaders and, from the way he’d positioned himself in front of her, he now stood between her and them. Then, kicking his back paw blindly, he caught Foxstar in the side and pushed him a little further along the trunk. Still not looking back at the other leaders or paying them a lick of attention, he hurriedly swept back to take the place he’d kicked Foxstar out of and sat beside him, gesturing with his paw for Oceanstar to take a seat next to him. His eyes still hadn’t left hers; neither had his welcoming grin. His paw hovered behind her like he was guiding her to sit. He wanted to be the centre of her attention before the other leaders could be — especially Foxstar. The attention he himself lavished on her was all the more pointed and false for the way he ignored the ginger tom; he wasn't just flattering her, he was not flattering the SummerClan leader. She had become a plaything in their petty argument, held between them by Kier. For all of Foxstar's kindnesses, he would be meaner. The paw that had been hovering behind her drifted down to stroke up and down her soft foreleg, eyes following briefly before locking back with hers. "Oceanstar — what a pretty name. It certainly suits your eyes." @ash @ian simplylightCleaver
Post by achromatic on Aug 30, 2022 15:26:19 GMT -5
Primal Instinct
Bermondsey's expression was impassive as he entered the space. Everything was already put into place, and his eyes flitted across the audience. He could see a few familiar face, or perhaps, one that put a faint smirk on his face. The glint in his green eyes had changed vastly since they last met. There had always been a darkness in his gaze, sure, but it had never seemed so wild as if there was a screw loose somewhere. One would guess that he wasn't exactly pleased to spot old enemies–Aspenflicker and Kier particularly–but he showed no sign on his face. He simply sauntered towards the center, speaking nothing of his tardiness as if everyone was simply a little too early. "Been a while since anyone's called a meeting," he mused, "did something happen or is this just one of those full moon chats we all do?"
His gaze drifted along the others, though he lingered on Kier for a moment longer, as if amused that the tom was still around. It didn't matter much; he had other plans set into motion now, and he certainly wouldn't let something as simple as a setback hinder his plans.
It was in that moment, that Oceanstar felt her lip curl into a snarl. Her teeth flashed beneath the moonlight, and her once welcoming soft blue eyes had turned to narrowed slits, threatening and dark. The leader jerked her paw away, flinching at Kier's touch. Who did this cat think he was, anyhow? Her fur spiked, standing on end as the black cat before her began to compliment her. Oceanstar felt conflicted on how to react, she wanted to smack her claws clean across his face for the severe disrespect he had shown her. However, it was the full moon, a time that the clans called peace and no attacks were meant to be thrown. Yet, here she was struggling to hold back. Her nostrils flared and she straightened herself, eyes sliding towards Frostcry below, then to Fernweaver. Finally she looked back to Kier, her voice oddly strong, yet not seeming as irritated as her body language showed. "I do not know your name, tom, or what clan it is you hail from. Regardless, I suggest that you keep your..." she paused, lip curling in disgust,"paws to yourself. The next time you touch me, I won't be so nice." With that she lashed her tail and moved to sit next to Tuskstar.
Her pelt gave a ripple, as if she were trying to shake off that encounter that had her frazzled so. Her fur began to lie flat, but her body seemed tense as she turned her large blue eyes to the WinterClan leader. "Yes, SunClan is faring rather well. We have settled into a new territory that StarClan has blessed with plenty of prey and shelter."
Adderstar nodded a greeting to Foxstar, but after a few glances between the pair of toms, she found it best not to intervene further; Kier was cowed and she did not wish to beat him down further. Instead she shifted her attention to Tuskstar, and greeted her kindly.
She was content to remain there in silence until a new leader arrived, and Adderstar straightened to peer over at her, catching only a glimpse before Kier aggressively blocked their view of the newcomer. The look she caught was encouraging: another female leader, another young one, but not a kid like the pair of feuding tomcats. She wouldn't mind having another cat at her side though it was immediately apparent Kier had other ideas--- but so did Oceanstar herself. Adderstar's eyes narrowed at the interaction, and her muscles tensed, but she did not move an inch. It was not her battle, not right now.
SunClan
Frostcry limped through the crowd with dignity, his mostly white fur groomed until it shone. His clan was recovering, and though there was still a little mark of hunger in his skin, he looked well fed and honestly a bit dapper. He sat down beside the other deputies and started to greet them, "Good evening, I'm Frostcry, of--"
His head jerked up at the confrontation above his head. In an instant he was on his paws, fur bristling and muscles taught. Climbing up the tree to join the leaders would be a tricky feat with his twisted foreleg but already his fierce gaze was picking out the best steps to take, where he could haul himself higher and defend his leader, and he had crossed to begin climbing before he was even aware of it. Frostcry leaped up and dug his claws into the bark, scrambling a step higher, before his head turned back and caught Oceanstar's gaze.
She moved to sit with Tuskstar, and Frostcry hesitated a moment longer, his body vibrating with anger and a sudden need to shove that smug little rat off his branch. But as his anger ebbed he came back to himself, remembered the gathering that he was now disrupting. The deputy hesitated, then dropped carefully back to the ground and slunk toward the others.
