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clangenrising · 23 days

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Month 14 - April Gathering

“I’m so excited!” Fogpaw squeaked, bouncing along beside Floodpaw and Slatepaw.

“We know,” Floodpaw rolled his eyes with a groan, “You’ve said so like a million times.” Fogpaw frowned and suddenly didn’t feel like bouncing anymore. She hadn’t realized she was being annoying.

“It’s alright,” Slatepaw said, “I’m excited too.”

“It’s your first Gathering,” said Pantherhaze on Slatepaw’s other side. “It’s completely normal to be excited about it.” He glanced at Floodpaw who looked away.

“Well, I am,” said Fogpaw. She looked up at the full moon and smiled. “Do you think StarClan will cover the moon?”

“I hope not,” said Pantherhaze. “If they did it would mean they disapproved of the Gathering.”

“I just think it would be cool,” shrugged Fogpaw. She imagined a roll of thunder and a sudden stormy sky, a powerful sign of StarClan’s wrath. She hoped that, at least some day, she got to see it.

The RisingClan cats - her, Slatepaw, Floodpaw, Pantherhaze, Scorchplume, Goldenstar, Russetfrond, and Sagetooth - emerged from the trees into the clearing. Fogpaw made an awe-filled sound of wonder at the sight of the Cornerstones towering up ahead. A white she-cat and a ginger one were sitting on top, bathed in moonlight, their deputies conversing on the rubble beneath them. Goldenstar whispered something to Scorchplume and then went to join them.

Floodpaw was moving to meet a group of cats who looked close to his age and Fogpaw decided to follow him. Slatepaw followed her, both of them trailing after Floodpaw like ducklets.

“Have fun and be respectful!” Pantherhaze called after them.

“We will!” squeaked Slatepaw.

“Hey!” A pale, spotted tabby looked up as Floodpaw approached. “Floodpaw, how’s it going?”

“Great,” purred Floodpaw, “We’ve got some big news tonight. I’m excited for you to hear it.”

“Ooh, well now I’m invested,” he grinned.

“You’ve got some kittens stuck to your fur,” said a white she-cat with a ginger striped tail. The ginger cat wearing moth wings next to her smiled in a way that struck Fogpaw as mysterious.

“Oh,” Floodpaw turned to look at them and grimaced a little. “Right, uh, this is Fogpaw and Slatepaw.”

“Hi!” Fogpaw grinned. Slatepaw pressed into her side nervously.

Floodpaw continued, “Uh, guys, these are my friends.” The white cat huffed a mean laugh. “Boldmoth and Fishtrick are from EarthClan and Fernpaw is from SkyClan.”

“It’s Fernspeckle now!” beamed the spotted tabby.

“Aw, really?” frowned Floodpaw. “I mean, congrats, but I was sure I was gonna get my name before you!”

“Having a leader as your mother has its perks,” Fernspeckle laughed.

“An admission you graduated before you were ready,” Fishtrick hummed.

“You’ll get your name soon,” Boldmoth said, looking at Floodpaw.

“Thanks,” he blushed under her cool, golden gaze.

“Your mom is the leader?” Fogpaw asked loudly. Floodpaw and his friends all winced.

“Yeah,” said Fernspeckle, “Snowstar’s my mother.”

“That’s so cool,” Fogpaw said seriously. “My mom’s dead.” Fernspeckle froze in surprise. Fishtrick raised a brow skeptically. Boldmoth frowned sympathetically.

“Hey, uh,” Floodpaw said quickly, “Look, there’s an apprentice your age, why don’t you guys go talk to him?” FallenClan had arrived and Fogpaw followed Floodpaw’s gaze to a pale ginger tom who looked just a little bit older than her and Slatepaw settling down beside a warrior with brown points.

“Oh, okay,” she said, wilting a little. She couldn’t help but feel like Floodpaw didn’t want her around. Still, she was interested in making a new friend so she looked at Slatepaw and said, “Come on, let’s go say hi!” Slatepaw gave a worried noise through pursed lips and glanced over at Floodpaw’s friends before nodding. Fogpaw started to make her way through the crowd, Slatepaw pressed against her side.

Behind her, she heard Floodpaw say, “Yikes, sorry about that, guys.” She sighed a little.

“Fogpaw, why did you say that?” Slatepaw asked quietly.

“Huh?” she asked, looking over. “Say what?”

“You know,” Slatepaw chewed her lip worriedly. “About mama.”

“Oh,” Fogpaw shrugged. She had already forgotten about that. “Cause it’s true?”

“Right,” Slatepaw said softly. Fogpaw frowned, confused. Shaking her head, she decided to ignore it and focus on meeting this new apprentice.

As they drew close, she raised her tail and said, “Hi there! I’m Fogpaw and this is my sister Slatepaw! What’s your name?” The apprentice looked over at her apprehensively.

Beside him, his mentor smiled and said, “I’m Duskstep and this is Lionpaw. We’re from FallenClan.” He nudged Lionpaw’s leg gently.

“It’s nice to meet you,” said Lionpaw, barely audible but in a listless way, not like Slatepaw’s nervous whispering. It was like he didn’t have the energy to speak any louder. Fogpaw immediately decided that he seemed extremely boring. She glanced back over to where Floodpaw was joking with his friends and wished she could just go back and hang out with them.

“It’s nice to meet you too,” smiled Slatepaw as they sat down. “Do you know Poppybird?”

“Yes,” purred Duskstep, “she’s our Clan’s mediator.”

“She was friends with our mama,” Slatepaw said. “She comes and visits us sometimes.”

“That’s nice,” said Duskstep.

“She mentioned you,” said Slatepaw, looking at Lionpaw. He sat up a little straighter and blinked at her. Fogpaw yawned.

“She did?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Slatepaw said. “We asked her about the kits in FallenClan and she talked about you.” Fogpaw groaned and stood to go find someone else to sit with. She wasn’t going to stay here and listen to boring small talk all gathering.

“W- Fogpaw, where are you going?” asked Slatepaw.

“I dunno,” Fogpaw shrugged, “to find Scorchplume or something.”

“Oh, okay…” Slatepaw frowned. Fogpaw wasn’t sure why she was upset but it annoyed her. Huffling she turned and stomped away.

The meeting was packed. Fogpaw hadn’t seen this many cats since they had gathered in camp for the big battle. The noise of it made her hackles prickle unconsciously. She reared onto her hind legs to try and spot her mentor’s bright ginger pelt. It was difficult with the height of the other cats. She padded a bit to the side to try and find a better vantage point, then someone right next to her spoke, throwing her off guard.

“Oh! Look at that!” said a she-cat nearby. Fogpaw looked on instinct and realized the grey tabby was looking right at her.

“Uh…” She glanced around to make sure there wasn’t something else the cat could be looking at.

“I know that pelt,” continued the cat. “You look just like the old tom Snowstar was fighting in the snowstorm battle!”

“Really?” asked the brown tabby next to her. This one narrowed her eyes at Fogpaw, making her want to squirm. “One of the rogues?”

“Yes, exactly,” said the first cat. “Hello there, kit, what’s your name?” Fogpaw swallowed. At least they were talking to her now instead of about her.

“Fogpaw,” she said. “Who are you?”

“I’m Greyvoice,” said the first cat with a smile, “and this is Perchingcall. Please, why don’t you come sit with us?”

“Um, okay,” said Fogpaw. The idea that two grown ups wanted her to sit with them was exciting. Smiling, she settled down near them.

Greyvoice scooted closer to her and said, “This is your first gathering, isn’t it?”

“Yeah,” nodded Fogpaw. “I got apprenticed last week!”

“That’s so exciting,” purred Greyvoice, attentive and warm. Perchingcall smiled too but it didn’t feel right to Fogpaw. “You’re, um, Smokyrose’s kit, right?”

“Yeah,” Fogpaw nodded again.

“Such a shame about her, by the way,” Greyvoice frowned briefly. “I hope you’re doing alright.”

“I’m fine,” said Fogpaw. Her tail tip twitched a bit - she hated when cats pitied her - but Greyvoice moved on quickly so she let it go.

“I’m so curious though,” said Greyvoice, “I mean, I’ve only heard rumors, so I have to ask: Is it true your father is the rogues’ deputy?”

“Um,” Fogpaw screwed her mouth to the side as she thought. “I think so. His name’s Ghost. He’s the reason our mom is dead.” Or something like that. No one would tell her for certain what had happened. She had been forced to glean a few details from overheard conversations.

Greyvoice and Perchingcall at least didn’t get those weird, surprised expressions on their faces like Floodpaw's friends had. Perchingcall frowned like she wanted to tear Ghost’s pelt and Greyvoice let out a soft little noise of sympathy.

“That’s terrible,” said Greyvoice. “What do you mean, he’s the reason why? I only heard that she had died, I didn’t hear what happened.”

“And you won’t,” said Scorchplume, appearing suddenly behind Fogpaw. Her sharp blue eyes were narrowed at Greyvoice as she said, “Fogpaw get up. You’re going to come sit with me.”

“But-” Fogpaw bristled in protest, “But I was just making friends!”

“We don’t make friends with other Clans,” Scorchplume scowled, still not looking at her. “A warrior should know better.” Her words felt pointed at Greyvoice, just as sharp as her eyes. Fogpaw frowned and got to her feet.

“Fine,” she grumbled. Maybe her spell had been wrong and Scorchplume wasn’t a good mentor.

Greyvoice preened her chest a bit and said, “Well I’m fine considering us friends, Fogpaw. Maybe I’ll see you some other time.”

Scorchplume growled a warning. “Stay away from my apprentice, Greyvoice.” The warrior in question huffed irritably but made no further comments. Scorchplume nudged Fogpaw towards the back of the crowd, saying, “That way.”

“I’m going!” Fogpaw griped, stomping off. When they were nearing the back of the crowd, she added, “What was that for? I thought Russetfrond was the one who’s all ‘don’t talk to anybody ever!’” She bobbled her head and deepened her voice as she imitated him.

Scorchplume flicked her tail and wrapped it around Fogpaw to urge her to sit. “Oh, I don’t care about talking to other Clans,” she said, and Fogpaw’s mouth fell open in confusion.

“Then, what-”

“Greyvoice was taking advantage of you,” said Scorchplume simply. “She doesn’t actually want to be your friend, she just wants to know the gossip about your father.”

“Wait, really?” Fogpaw’s ears slid back against her head. She hadn’t been able to tell at all. Her stomach turned into a heavy, nauseous lump.

“Mhm,” said Scorchplume, glancing sideways at her. “I’m not going to let someone like that take advantage of my apprentice.” Her voice caught in her throat on the word, a growl that made Fogpaw feel like Scorchplume would fight a lion for her.

“But, then, why did you lie?” asked Fogpaw.

Scorchplume glanced around as if making sure no one could hear before she said softly, “It’s better if I let her think I haven’t noticed what she actually wants. That way, she underestimates me. That way, I have the advantage next time we meet.” Fogpaw’s eyes were as wide and round as the moon. “So I got you out without tipping her off. I hope I wasn’t too harsh.”

“No, that’s amazing!” Fogpaw breathed. “It’s like magic! You have to teach me!”

Scorchplume’s eyes flickered over her again, a tiny smile poking at the corners of her mouth. “It would be my pleasure,” she said. Fogpaw grinned, kneading the dirt with her paws. The spell had definitely worked.

“Where do we start?” she asked.

“Well-”

Snowstar’s voice boomed over the crowd. “Alright! I think it’s about time we got started!” The assembled cats hushed each other and fell quiet.

“The first step,” Scorchplume spoke quickly and quietly, like she was giving Fogpaw an urgent secret, “is to figure out what cats want. Once you master that, you can start using it to your advantage.”

“Got it,” Fogpaw whispered back.

“As a bit of good news to start off with,” Snowstar continued, “SkyClan welcomes a new warrior, the first of the kits to have survived Red Gut! Fernspeckle has shown himself to be a cat with a quick tongue and a quicker wit and we are beyond proud to have him among our ranks!”

“She’s Fernspeckle’s mom,” Fogpaw whispered to Scorchplume.

Scorchplume raised a brow in interest. “Good to know.”

When the crowd finished chanting Fernspeckle’s name, Snowstar said, “As well, Newleaf has been kind to us. Prey is flowing well and we are happy to continue sharing with our less fortunate neighbors if need be.”

“What does Snowstar want?” Scorchplume whispered to Fogpaw.

“Um… I don’t know.” Fogpaw shrugged. How was she supposed to be able to tell from that?

“She wants to be seen as strong and generous,” answered Scorchplume. “See the way she’s offering to help us like it makes her special? Sometimes what a cat wants is to look a certain way to other people. Remember that.” Fogpaw hummed as she nodded. This was harder than she had expected.

“It’s most appreciated,” Orangestar said, voice wobbling tiredly.

“Yes,” Goldenstar agreed, much firmer, “but RisingClan would like to be self-sufficient again as soon as possible. It is in that vein that I would like to propose another alliance, like the one we made for the battle of the snowstorm.”

“Has there been another prophecy?” Snowstar asked.

“No,” Goldenstar said, “but we have a plan.” She stood and raised her tail confidently and none of the other leaders tried to interrupt her so she continued. “It has recently come to my attention that Razor, the leader of the rogues, is interested in a one on one meeting with me. This meeting will almost certainly be a trap in which he intends to kill me, who he believes to be the Clans’ only leader. We will give him this meeting but we will spring a trap of our own instead!”

RisingClan’s warriors and a few other Clan cats cheered in response. Scorchplume stayed silent so Fogpaw did the same.

“And you need our help to do so,” said Flightstar as if he’d caught her trying to sneak it past him.

“Yes,” said Goldenstar. “RisingClan alone won’t be able to stand against Razor but together we will most definitely be able to overpower him and put an end to this war.”

“Then SkyClan will be there,” said Snowstar. “We would see this conflict put to rest for the good of every Clan.”

“FallenClan as well,” said Flightstar with a twitch of his ear. “Where there’s a fight to be fought you will find the warriors of the deep woods.” A few FallenClan cats crowed proudly.

“What does Flightstar want?” Scorchplume whispered again.

“Um… is it to look a certain way?” asked Fogpaw.

“Mhm.”

“Um… He wants to look brave?”

“Good,” purred Scorchplume. “He wants to look brave and strong and to tell everyone that they couldn’t beat him if they tried.”

“Huh,” Fogpaw squinted up at him. That made sense, she thought.

“What about EarthClan?” Goldenstar asked, looking at Orangestar. “We were hoping to use the edge of your forest for the meeting spot, to help hide our warriors and provide a terrain advantage.”

Orangestar shifted and nodded. “Yes. EarthClan will stand by you. StarClan willing, this is the final battle of this war.”

“StarClan willing,” nodded Snowstar.

“Excellent,” Goldenstar said. “I will reach out to you to pick the location of the ambush. After that, I’ll send for a meeting with the leaders and things will be put into motion.” She shifted her posture to something a little more open and said, “In other news, we have two new apprentices with us today, Fogpaw and Slatepaw.”

Fogpaw jumped to her feet and stood up tall so everyone could see her. A few cats tossed glances her way. She noticed Greyvoice among them. Scorchplume’s tail swished over her back, urging her to sit, and she did. The meeting moved on. The other Clans had very little news to share and soon after, RisingClan was heading home.

“Thanks for teaching me,” Fogpaw said as she padded with Scorchplume to join the others.

“It’s my job isn’t it?” asked her mentor.

“Yeah, but I don’t think this is part of normal warrior stuff. I knew you were special.”

Scorchplume huffed a laugh. “Good,” she purred, “and don’t forget it.”

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r00tclan · 2 months

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moon 5 part 1 :]

#clangen #clan generator #my art #warrior cats clangen #cw eye contact #rockpaw wasn’t at the gathering (it’s a gathering)#bc mudstar didn’t want to start shit with oakclan #but if homeboy were there he would’ve rocked owlsight’s shit he’s dumb like that

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clanborn · 8 months

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I just had a question about the Alaska clans! What kinds of messages would be important enough that the couriers would need to be sent out? Would they be too urgent to discuss at gatherings?

The couriers’ messages are pretty varied and not necessarily characterized by urgency. Couriers serve less as an emergency response system and more like a living telegraph/pony express, just average mailmen. The clans are fairly geographically isolated, but still work as one unit, so the couriers keep the clans in constant contact and updated on anything even slightly relevant. They also help connect family members across clans and deliver personal messages between them. They manage physical items as well, and regularly make deliveries such as herbs or prey, or trade goods with the local trader Captain. However, they are still key messengers in case of an emergency.

#i hope this makes sense #they’re pretty much the local news and also your local mailperson #and gatherings are day long affairs in these clans and are more of a party than just an event for news #i can clarify further if need be #alaska clans #ask #m-adderall #god reading this back my cadence in this sounds like a summarize an article response or something for school lol

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mtg-cards-hourly · 9 days

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Ghor-Clan Rampager

"The Simic come from the cold slow depths. How could they understand the fire in a wild heart?" —Kroshkar, Gruul shaman

Artist: Charles Urbach TCG Player Link Scryfall Link EDHREC Link

#mtg #magic the gathering #tcg #$0.07 #charles urbach #ghor-clan rampager #gatecrash #creature #beast

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bonefall · 1 year

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Hopping off the gathering ask, are cross-clan relationships themselves not forbidden, if a second 'illegal' gathering is able to take place? How does honor-siring work if the father isn't of the same clan? Have there ever been incidents where a particularly law-loving leader turned around and started condemning everyone in gathering 2: electric boogaloo? Is this a "I saw X at the second gathering with Y!" "So what were YOU doing at the second gathering bestie???" situation, where majority of lawbreakers know who else is in kahoots but just constantly keep their mouth shut? Did Mapleshade stay at these gatherings and thats how she got caught? SORRY FOR ALL THE QUESTIONS IM VERY CURIOUS

The answer is; the Aftergathering wasn't so bold back at the Forest territories!

In fact that's why I specified that the one Shellfur went to was an average Lake gathering!

It has always been your right to wander and have friends in other Clans. Unlike canon where a warrior's life is strictly controlled, cats are rarely questioned for hanging out in places they're allowed to be. So long as you do your responsibilities, you're a CLAN cat. Not a kittypet with a twoleg.

But being caught so brazenly meeting with a mate in another Clan, that would be a huge problem. So the Aftergathering existed, but quietly. The cats gave each other privacy.

No one would EVER ask why you were staying. A lot of coded language. If you got cuddly in public, someone would gently tell you to be more discreet.

And of course there was no soup.

The Aftergathering is also not that old! It started forming about a generation after Darkstar's Commandment, when kit-stealing was banned, during the mid-Crusade Era.

It was a genetic necessity, and Clan animosity had a different flavor when Chelford raids were the Clan's main targets. Pinestar was born before there was an Aftergathering.

The Campaign Era wittled the Aftergathering significantly. If the cats hadn't responded by becoming much less conspicuous, there very much could have been a Salem-esque "what were YOU doing at the devil's sacrament" movement. In fact, if Fire Alone didn't happen when it did, it could have been something that a leader with the newly-minted Thistle Law would have done.

It only didn't because it didn't. The soil was ripe for it. History is full of near-misses.

After the TNP journey, cats have become careless about the Aftergathering. The destruction of the forest changed something about them, the divisions were never quite the same again. Paw Soup itself was a cuisine MADE by apprentices who worked together.

As long as you are loyal and fiery for the rest of the month, defending your Clan with your life, the Aftergathering is not made into an issue...

Well, besides during TBC, when the Impostor ruled the lake.

#Gatherings #Clan culture #Bonefall Rewrite #Bonefall TBC

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emberflame999 · 6 months

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thing

I decided that they are cousins (by blood) now

(That doesn’t mean they actually like each other tho)

#I am a Charles having a really big family truther #Stitchhat’s parents would have been rather distant from their family due to joining the Toppat clan #Charles and Stitch are aware of being cousins but they’ve only met a few times at like family gatherings #Loredrop #thsc #henry stickmin collection #henry stickmin #thsc fanart #toppat #the henry stickmin collection #toppat oc #thsc oc #charles calvin

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green-tea-lemonade · 8 months

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if you think this is based off that one powerpuff girls comic youd be absolutely right

#art #digital art #procreate #homestuck #nepeta leijon #sollux captor #karkat vantas #warriorstuck #thats right were still on some warriors au shit and this train isnt slowing down one bit #sollux REALLY isnt a fan of the stars and quite frankly would be much happier dead as dirt than a potential afterlife dealing with them #nepeta knows this and because of that she doesnt really bug him about it unless she really has to #i think if i had the energy to do so i would really like to actually write something about them because it would be very fun #this is some solnep stuff too bc these two are besties even if shes annoying the crap out of him and he just chucks her out a window #nepeta practically has to drag him to every clan meeting and gathering bc he never really wants to go #welcome the clan of rejects and mishaps karkat pop a squat and stick around a while bc its all free entertainment

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fisheito · 3 months

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Lol angst ? about nukani , my super unserious gayporngacha game? Can't be that bad

(10k words later into a fic) Ooohh.ohhh it was a mistake. I should not have read this hahahahahahahgyrk *choking sounds*

#i typically stay in my lane (fluff) but when i exhaust the fics. we must venture into unexplored territory #but the unfortunate consequence of that is like introducing predators to an island ecosystem #I WAS NOT EVOLUTIONARILY PREPARED. I DON'T HAVE THE DEFENSE MECHANISM S #i AM prompTLY DESTROYED #OMG EVEN WHEN I'M READING ANOTHER FIC NOWADAYS #sometimes something will remind me of that eiden dies fic #and the images will flash thru my mind like Sad PTSD #and I'll just ☹️😭😥😭😟😭#i was cocky. thought angst Wouldnt affect me. what a fool i was. where did that complacency come from #i am changed. i will never forget. i will treasure u even more eiden #u are more valuable than u could ever comprehend my dear little bluetwinkmenace pls stay healthy #tears threatening to spill outta my eyeholes while i'm gathering all the clan members into my embrace #picks up another gay little haremboy and shoves it into my protective hold #nOOOOO you stay with the others safe and cuddled and everyone loves u and everyone is fine and #squeezes them all 🥺☁☁☁☁☁☁#i am reading words and acting in ways

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tiny-huts · 7 months

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I know that it was "the end of the game" or what fucking ever but I need to see the My Big Fat Greek Wedding nonsense that would come out of marrying Gale

#it is living rent free in my minds eye #hes like i have to GATHER the Dekarios clan #Gale makes a killer spanakopita #j just know it #he married my dark urge too #all of his family like #why does the man he is marrying look like the ring girl #and have no family #and have all the same friends as gale #bg3 #gale

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cardboard-crack · 2 years

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#Ice Cream Names #Guilds #Factions #Clans #Collectible Card Games #TCG #Magic: The Gathering #MTG #Cardboard Crack

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everybody-loves-purdy · 18 days

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How would you want the Frostwhistle ship to play out if it were canon? Do you think Frostpaw should move to Windclan or vice versa? Or maybe a secret third option…

I think they would both continue to live in their clans. But Whistlepaw at least would have medicine cat privileges to go where she wants so they could meet regularly. Heck they even have the gathering island between their territories. Since both are girls kits aren’t on the cards so that is a big thing they don’t need to worry about

#this reminded me of two of my ocs who are elders and they’re in a cross clan RiverClan and WindClan wlw relationship #and once they retire they say at the gathering that they’ve been meeting their whole lives and since they’re old now they would appreciate #a bit of help being escorted too and from meetings. and if no one will help they will do it anyway and it will be one everyone’s head if #they get injured #anonymous #asc spoilers #wind spoilers #warrior cats spoilers

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clangenrising · 6 months

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Month 9 - November Gathering

The night was cold and crisp. Snow had fallen for the first time the day before, blanketing the world in a thin, cold sheet. The snow had been mostly gone by the afternoon, but that hadn’t stopped Sparrowpaw and his littermates from tumbling around in it for at least an hour, although Barleypaw had much less of a taste for it than he and Floodpaw did. Even Floodpaw had eventually cut their games short, complaining he was freezing to death, but Sparrowpaw could have kept going. He loved the snow.

Now though, the full moon hung in a clear, dark sky and the wind bit at his ears and nose harshly. Beside him, Barleypaw shivered, and he pressed closer to her to try and share his thicker coat. Floodpaw shuddered next to him but pulled away when Sparrowpaw tried to curl his tail over his brother’s back. Sparrowpaw huffed indignantly at that. He reasoned that Floodpaw must have gotten it in his head somehow that real warriors froze their tails off or something. His brother could be such a meathead.

Or maybe he just wanted to look brave when they arrived at the Gathering. That morning Goldenstar had told them that if they got all of their chores done and helped stock the prey pile before nightfall that they would be allowed to attend and the three of them had eagerly rushed about the camp trying to get the dens clean in time.

Their mentors had all been chosen to come too. Obviously, Goldenstar had to go, and Nightfrost and Sagetooth had tagged along as well. Sparrowpaw had asked his Papa why he wasn’t coming and Oddstripe had told him that Branchbark’s cold needed to be monitored by someone, but he hadn’t believed him.

“He’s staying behind in case there’s an attack,” Floodpaw had whispered to him when he’d shared his concerns at dinner. “The warriors will need someone to patch their wounds if the rogues come looking for trouble.”

“They wouldn’t,” Sparrowpaw had huffed and Floodpaw had just shrugged in response.

“Maybe, but he’s staying just in case. I heard him talking about it with Goldenstar.”

That thought made Sparrowpaw’s tail twitch, even now. He didn’t like the idea of his Papa getting attacked by that terrible rogue while the Clan’s strongest fighters were out at the gathering. He could still taste the tangy stench of the city cats on his tongue, hear the tom’s jeering laughter at their fear. Sparrowpaw thought it was senseless how eager Floodpaw was to fight the rogues, but if he ever saw that tom again he thought he might just lose his sense too.

He looked up to the front of the little group to study the final member attending the gathering: Scorchplume. She walked close to Goldenstar’s side, speaking softly and with a serious expression. She had been one of the city cats, hadn’t she? It was strange to think about. She was so different from the cruel tom he had encountered or the frightened Aldertail. She was calm and charming and when they talked she seemed kind enough. She wasn’t as friendly as someone like Smokyrose, but she had never been mean to him or his siblings. Russetfrond insisted she was just pretending, and Sparrowpaw had to wonder if she was one of those ‘Pretender’ cats he had heard Aldertail talking about.

He glanced at Russetfrond and found him scowling at Goldenstar and Scorchplume’s conversation. Was he wondering what they were talking about? Now that he had thought about it, Sparrowpaw was pretty curious himself. Subtly shifting his pace to urge Barleypaw closer to the pair, he strained his ears forward to try and catch a glimpse of their conversation.

Scorchplume was in the middle of a sentence. “-vulnerable, but not too vulnerable. You could handle this by yourself, but it would be an inconvenience. You would see it as a favor if they lent you their aid. You have to convince them that they want your approval and this is how they get it.”

“You’re starting to sound like a real schemer, Scorch,” Goldenstar said with a smirk.

Scorchplume’s tail lashed. “This is serious!”

“Right, sorry,” Goldenstar said. “I’m just… not sure how I feel about lying to the other Clans like that.”

“It’s not lying,” Scorchplume said authoritatively. “It’s called speechcraft. You’re presenting your arguments in the most favorable manner possible in order to protect your Clan. Isn’t that what you want?”

“Yes,” Goldenstar admitted.

“And see?” Scorchplume lifted her head, “I knew what you wanted and I told you I had it. You made the choice I wanted you to make and felt like it was entirely your decision. Speechcraft.”

Goldenstar frowned. “You are the worst.” Sparrowpaw heard Russetfrond huff a laugh under his breath.

“Perhaps,” replied Scorchplume, one ear flicking briefly backwards. “But I’m alive. Trust me, Goldie, this is how you survive.” Goldenstar worked her jaw for a second, as if she regretted her choice of words.

She opened her mouth to speak but Sagetooth beat her to it. “SkyClan’s already here.”

“Are we there?” Floodpaw perked up, his ears flicking forward despite the chill. “Are we at the Cornerstones?”

“We are,” Sagetooth smiled, but added sternly, “Now be on your best behavior. You’re representing RisingClan.”

Sparrowpaw straightened his posture and nodded. “We will, Sagetooth. Don’t worry.”

She smiled again and said, “Good lad.”

The group emerged from the sparse trees they had been walking through, into a clearing that smelled of more cats than Sparrowpaw had ever smelled in one place. The scents were fresh too, not like the fading border markers, and he opened his mouth to drink in the smell of living, breathing SkyClan cats. It was like stone and water, all minerals and musk. He felt Barleypaw press closer to him and smiled back at her.

“Don’t worry,” he said, “I’m sure they’ll be plenty friendly.”

“Go on and mingle,” Yarrowshade said. “So long as you don’t start any fights and you sit quietly once the Gathering starts, you should be fine to wander around.”

“Mm.” Grunted Russetfrond. “Remember, be polite but not too friendly. You may face these cats in battle someday.” He had given Sparrowpaw a lecture about that earlier that morning, about making sure he always knew where his allegiances really lay. Sparrowpaw nodded again, dutifully. He wouldn’t let his mentor down.

“Come on, man,” Yarrowshade frowned. “Let the kids have some fun for once.”

Russetfrond flicked his ear dismissively. “You mentor your apprentice and I’ll mentor mine, alright?”

“Cut it out, you guys,” Goldenstar tilted her head with a pained smile, “you’ll put clouds over the moon.” Both of the toms grunted and looked away in opposite directions. Scorchplume kept her back turned to all of them. Sparrowpaw couldn’t block out the feeling worming through his head that there was something grown-up going on that his kid brain couldn’t grasp. He didn’t like it.

“Come on!” Floodpaw said, getting Sparrowpaw’s attention with a swipe of his paw. “Let’s go!”

“Okay,” Sparrowpaw said slowly. Tearing his mind from the complexities of the grown-ups’ dynamics, he bounded after his brother, leaving Barleypaw behind. He glanced over his shoulder, to see if she was coming, but saw her slinking over to slide under Yarrowshade’s belly. Oh, well, he thought. If that’s what makes her happy then that’s fine.

As they approached the SkyClan cats, one young tom spotted them and moved to intercept. He was a moon or two older than them at most, with a silvery, spotted pelt and cool green eyes that flashed with interest.

He raised his tail in greeting and smiled widely as he spoke. “Hey! I’m Fernpaw! What’s your names?”

Sparrowpaw puffed up his chest, surprised at how much bigger the other apprentice was up close. “I’m Sparrowpaw,” he said. “This is Floodpaw.”

“We’re from RisingClan,” said Floodpaw proudly.

“Yeah,” nodded Fernpaw, “I know. You must be the Healer’s kits.”

“How did you know that?” Sparrowpaw asked, amazed.

“Everybody heard about it,” Fernpaw said. “Healers don’t usually have kits, so your mom is kind of special. Tangletooth says she’s nice though.”

“He’s our dad,” Floodpaw growled, a bit more aggressively than Sparrowpaw thought was necessary.

“Oh,” Fernpaw’s ears slipped backward for a split second. “Sorry, I didn’t know.”

“It’s okay,” said Sparrowpaw, offering a smile. “Is this your first gathering too?”

“Yeah,” Fernpaw nodded enthusiastically, all tension slipping from his posture. “I was sick for a while so I had to miss the last one.”

“That sucks!” Floodpaw groaned sympathetically.

“Right?” laughed Fernpaw. “It’s my own fault though. I ate a deathberry.”

Sparrowpaw gasped. “And you survived?!”

“Of course he survived,” Floodpaw rolled his eyes and Sparrowpaw scowled at him.

Fernpaw just nodded, smiling without a touch of embarrassment. “Coyotechaser was totally freaking out! I passed out and woke up back in camp with everyone hovering about, it was crazy.”

“Who’s Coyotechaser?” asked Sparrowpaw, looking around the gathered cats.

“My mentor,” said Fernpaw, “She’s the deputy. Right over there?” He pointed with his muzzle to the pile of rubble at the bottom of the Cornerstones where Nightfrost had joined a brown and white tabby cat.

“My mentor is Goldenstar,” Floodpaw boasted, pointing to her as if he needed to. It was Sparrowpaw’s turn to roll his eyes.

Fernpaw on the other hand seemed impressed. “Woah! That’s awesome! Snowstar is my mom.”

“Oh,” Floodpaw said, looking at the snowy white cat sitting at the top of the stones.

Quickly, Sparrowpaw tried to cover for his brother’s rudeness. “That’s amazing! What’s it like being the leader’s kit?”

“Uh… I dunno,” Fernpaw shrugged. “I don’t think I get any special treatment or anything. Mom’s really good to everybody.” Sparrowpaw looked at Snowstar again and tried to size her up. She was a lot older than Goldenstar, that was for sure. He wondered how hard it would be for Goldenstar to convince her to help them.

A rustle at the far edge of camp announced the arrival of the third Clan of the night. At the head of them was a fierce looking blue spotted tabby and his much meeker looking deputy. Floodpaw gawked excitedly at them.

“Who is that?” he asked.

Fernpaw opened his jaws to scent them and said, “FallenClan. That must be Flightstar.”

“He’s so cool,” Floodpaw said, bouncing from paw to paw.

“He’s not that cool,” Sparrowpaw huffed. Remember, he thought, these cats could be our enemies one day. Casting a sideways glance, he regarded Fernpaw again. Would he have to face the other apprentice in battle someday? He hadn’t known him long, but already that broke Sparrowpaw’s heart. No wonder Russetfrond had drilled that teaching into him, he was going to have to be extremely vigilant to avoid forming inappropriate bonds with enemy warriors.

“No apprentices,” Floodpaw frowned, as the FallenClan cats finished filing in.

“Maybe EarthClan will have some,” Fernpaw shrugged.

“I hope they show up soon,” Floodpaw shivered. “I’m freezing out here.”

“We can move closer to the Cornerstones if you want,” suggested Fernpaw. “It’s warmer over there - less wind chill.”

“Oh, that would be great,” Floodpaw laughed and the three of them moved closer to the crumbling stone structure. True enough, as they stepped into the corner, the wind died suddenly. Floodpaw sighed in relief and huddled down next to Sparrowpaw. Sparrowpaw looked up at the top of the Cornerstones as Flightstar joined Snowstar and Goldenstar atop it. He had a feeling Flightstar was going to be difficult to convince, even with Scorchplume’s advice.

It wasn’t long until EarthClan arrived. Sparrowpaw spotted an apprentice padding near the front of the group, one nearly grown and wearing a pair of moth wings, one behind each ear. Sparrowpaw reared up on his hind legs to wave at him and the apprentice tilted his head at them and approached, his sleek, russet brown fur shining in the moonlight.

“Someone’s enthusiastic,” he said, raising one brow at them.

“You should come sit with us!” Sparrowpaw said, “It’s less cold here.”

“So it is,” the apprentice hummed, settling down with his tail around his paws.

Floodpaw puffed out his chest and said, “I’m Floodpaw of RisingClan. This is my brother, Sparrowpaw.”

“Fernpaw,” said Fernpaw casually.

“Boldpaw,” said the newcomer.

“Boldpaw,” Floodpaw repeated, nodding to himself. “That’s a great name.”

“I know,” said Boldpaw with a smile. Floodpaw pursed his lips and swallowed, looking away. Sparrowpaw tilted his head in confusion but shook it off. Floodpaw was such a weirdo.

“Alright! Let’s get started!” Snowstar’s voice rang out over the clearing and the apprentices all fell quiet. Sparrowpaw was vibrating with excitement. Above him sat the most powerful cats alive, the leaders and deputies of the four Clans. He felt honored to be sitting so close to them.

Snowstar continued, “We are blessed to have a clear sky tonight after the snow yesterday. As we prepare for leafbare, we in SkyClan thank the stars for the bountiful prey we have been blessed with.” Turning to look at Goldenstar, she added, “However, we recently drove a fox from its den and while we tried to chase it east, it may present a problem in the future. RisingClan especially should keep an eye out for any signs of foxes.”

“Great,” Floodpaw grumbled. “First rogues, now foxes?”

“Rogues?” Fernpaw whispered, but Coyotechaser shot him a look from her perch nearby and he fell silent again.

“Thank you for the warning,” Goldenstar said, dipping her head. “If there isn’t any more news from SkyClan, I actually have a warning of my own.” Snowstar shook her head invitingly and Goldenstar stepped to the front of the Cornerstones.

“It has come to my attention,” she said, “that we have all been living next to a serious threat that has until recently been unaware of our existence.” Cats shifted curiously and Sparrowpaw looked over his shoulder, suddenly wishing he were in the back and not the front. “The twoleg city, just over the thunderpath, is home to a ruthless gang of rogues led by a cat named Razor. A few weeks ago, we took in a young cat who was fleeing his wrath who has since taken the name Aldertail and become one of our warriors. Shortly after, Razor’s scouts came looking for her and harassed our new apprentices. It is our belief that Razor will stop at nothing to kill Aldertail and that he may even try to claim our territory for his own.”

Flightstar scoffed. “It sounds to me like you brought this on yourself by taking in a stray kittypet, Goldenstar.”

“What were we supposed to do?” Goldenstar frowned. “Let him slaughter her for a crime she didn’t even commit?”

“How do you know she’s innocent?” Flightstar shot back. “These are kittypet problems and we should let the kittypets sort them out. This doesn’t concern us.”

“Yes, it does,” Goldenstar said firmly. “Now that Razor is aware of the Clans, he is a threat to all of us. His cats are not kittypets, they are as strong as any of our warriors and they will only get bolder.”

“What would you like us to do?” said Orangestar. Sparrowpaw had barely even noticed her, she was hunched in such a solemn, dejected way that she seemed nearly invisible beside the rest of the leaders. She shrugged and shook her head, “I mean, Razor sounds like bad news but how are we even supposed to help? It’s not like we could launch an attack on the city.” Beside him, Boldpaw sighed bitterly and shook his head.

“I propose we present a united front,” Goldenstar said. “All the Clans will send warriors to defend our southern border from intrusion.”

“And leave our own borders vulnerable?” Flightstar asked. “No, absolutely not. This is your mess, Goldenstar. You can deal with it on your own.”

“If we don’t handle it together now, it will be harder to handle later,” countered Goldenstar. “All of us are weakened by the Red Gut, but together we could stand a chance.”

“I am… inclined to agree with Flightstar,” Snowstar said, and Sparrowpaw felt his stomach drop. “It’s not that I don’t think this is important but I can’t spare warriors to defend a border so far from my camp. Maybe if there were a more specific instance, a battle you were preparing for, but to lose a chunk of our warriors indefinitely does not seem wise.” She shook her head. “I’m sorry, Goldenstar, but my first duty is to my Clan and I have mouths to feed.”

Goldenstar looked lost. “Orangestar?” she asked, “RisingClan would see any aid as a favor to be repaid.”

Orangestar considered it for a moment, looking sullenly at her paws, then lifted her head and said, “EarthClan will stand with you. We can hash out the details later.”

“Thank you,” Goldenstar sighed, smiling.

“And if you have a more actionable request,” Snowstar said, “send word and SkyClan will come to your aid.”

“I will,” said Goldenstar.

Sparrowpaw frowned. That definitely wasn’t what they had wanted. He looked over his shoulder, searching the crowd for Scorchplume, and found her sitting alone near the back of the group. She was shaking her head in disappointment. Sparrowpaw wondered if things would have been different if Goldenstar had tried her ‘speechcraft’ thing. He hoped that EarthClan’s help would be enough. Because if not, things were about to get very bad.

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sun-3-160 · 3 months

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Here are all of my guild playlists lol

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ghostclangen · 2 months

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“Now that we’re done with announcements … are there any discussions to be had? War negotiations, maybe?”

Hornetstar wilts under Crocusstar’s pointed gaze. MoonClan isn’t their enemy, but she can’t risk changing that by angering him. What have you gotten us into, Lotus? she thinks, and sighs. Gathering her wits, she looks to Whimsystar and says, “Right. Whimsystar … this can’t go on. Blood has been spilled needlessly, and I’m not willing to risk my warriors’ lives over a petty argument."

Whimsystar looks down at her with a look of pity that makes Hornetstar’s hackles threaten to raise. Careful, careful—this could break bad.

“I have to admit, it almost feels wrong to go to war with such a small clan,” Whimsystar says, breaking Hornetstar out of her thoughts—and provoking a growl from below.

“What did you just say?” Lotus says, lashing his tail. He takes a step toward the Howling Rock as if to scale it, but he's stopped by a booming voice.

“Enough!” Stonestar cries, digging her claws into the soft moss beneath her paws. “This gathering was meant to bring peace, Lotus, not make matters worse. And Whimsystar-” she turns to her with a stern look- “for the love of StarClan, try not to agitate them more.”

Whimsystar rolls her eyes, but still, she says, “Sorry, Hornetstar. Sorry, Lotus.”

“You're forgiven,” Hornetstar says quickly, not risking giving Lotus a chance to reject the apology. “Really though, Whimsystar, I just … this was a stupid mistake by someone who doesn't know what she's doing in the slightest. And I…” To her horror, Hornetstar finds her voice cracking. Oh, StarClan, no, not in front of all these cats … Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Whimsystar cock her head, and she looks back up, though she can't bring herself to make eye contact.

“Well, I don't see any point in drawing it out any longer,” Whimsystar says, sparing her from embarrassment, and Hornetstar breathes a sigh of relief. Turning to the crowd, Whimsystar calls, “The war between SerpentClan and GhostClan is over!”

As cheers rise up from the other cats, Hornetstar says, “Great! Uh, I mean, thank you. No, that's not…”

To her surprise, Whimsystar actually laughs a little at that. “I can't say it's not self-serving. Your deputy there’s done a number on some of our cats.”

Stonestar gives her a warning look. “Whimsystar …”

“Hey now, it's a compliment.”

Hornetstar glances down at Lotus. Moonlight still glints on his claws, and she shudders—but for now, he's calmed down. Small miracles. “Alright. Then, that's … is that all?”

Crocusstar nods. “It should be. I don't have any more to say, at least.”

“Well then, I guess we should all say our goodbyes and go. Right?” She glances at Stonestar, who nods.

With a soft thud, Hornetstar hops down from the boulder and pads over to where Lotus and Marshpaw are sitting. “I think that went well,” she says with a hesitant little smile.

Marshpaw breathes a sigh of relief. “Thank StarClan that's over,” she says. “Even with just you two and Fauna, it was a lot of work.”

Hornetstar touches her nose to the top of Marshpaw’s head, and the latter purrs and bunts against her jaw. “No kidding,” she sighs. “Speaking of …”

“I'm here!” Fauna comes trotting up to them, his tail held up in greeting. “I was just getting to know some of the other cats. Did you know MoonClan cats smell like fish?”

“Fauna! Be nice!” Marshpaw shushes him with a flick of her tail, though she's still visibly holding back a laugh.

Hornetstar smiles a little, but the happiness fades from her face when she turns back to Lotus. Without a word, he'd started off back to camp without them, and rather than being irritated by the rudeness, she finds herself relieved that she doesn't have her back to him.

#warrior cats #wc #clangen #clan generator #wc oc #warriors oc #gc update #hornet #marsh #fauna #lotus #i haven't read the books in a million years so this might not be how gatherings go . but also leave me alone about it idk im doin this for #**for free #whimsy (sc)#crocus (mc)#stone (pc)

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