Coldgaze:
Coldgaze's fur was absolutely soaked through, and he hadn't the time to deal with it. While he did shake out some of the water once the gathering members were back in the shelter of the Twinwillows it wasn't nearly enough for a long-furred cat like him. He took a couple of tentative licks in an attempt to stop the water from pooling on the floor of the Rabbit warren, but he would have to sit down and spend a good portion of his night grooming if he wanted to warm up. At least it gave him something to do.
He could feel a slight headache in his temples at the idea of forming coherent thoughts at the moment - the gathering had been...a lot to say the least. The twolegs delaying their arrival, the kits at the gathering, the prophecy from the Medicine Cats, Thunderclan's strange behaviour. He could feel a knot of tension in his belly tighten thinking about it all.
Coldgaze got to his feet and stalked the length of the warren. Pacing was the only thing he could do. Boldstar had taken the kit from him to place it in the nursery with Otterwhisker- Coldgaze did not envy that task. He half expected for Boldstar to reappear sans 1 life; but when he did return he was followed by the Riverclan queen herself.
He didn't stop his pacing even as he watched Boldstar, waiting for... he wasn't sure what.
14
Boldstar, Coldgaze, Willowfrost, Nettlepaw, Otterwhisker
The leadership of Riverclan debriefs after the events of the Gathering.
The Rabbit Warren/Leader's Den - the night of the Gathering.
Characters:
Coldgaze: (M) Ruthless Riverclan Deputy
Lawn Gnome: (F) Motherly Semi-Feral Shecat
Redpaw: (M) Thoughtful Shadowclan Apprentice
Sootbounce: (M) Bubbly Shadowclan Warrior
Sturgeonpaw: (M) Altruistic Riverclan Apprentice
Sunstrike: (F) Anxious Thunderclan Queen
NPCs:
Quailcall: (F) Fierce Thunderclan Warrior
rise from the smoldering pyre of wormwood and weeds
↫ ⭒ ☽ ⭒ 〄 ⭒ ☾ ⭒ ↬
The events of the gathering and the clear omen of the arrival at the promised kits had a lot for Nettlepaw to think about. He arrived in camp with a dour look on his face, a whirl of thoughts coinciding with his expression, but he glanced up with a shake of his pelt right before entering camp proper. With a kit in toe it would only be a matter of time before Otterwhisker was involved, and watched as the queen made her appearance from the nursery entrance. Only time would tell if Starclan's gift would make up for the deaths that affected the clan - affected him.
What I dream, the day might send. Just around the riverbend.
❖ ⭒ ❖ ⭒ 💧 ⭒ ❖ ⭒ ❖
The raindrops made for a pleasant lullaby for her kits as they were lulled to sleep, but Otterwhisker was a light sleeper and knew that the gathering attendees would arrive back soon. Her eyes went up at a familiar presence at the entrance, and tucking the special addition of her brood to sleep in a nest of comfortable moss and down she left them to tend to the bodies outside. She blinked a bit sleepily at the deputy, but her gaze was intense as she awaited the news.
FROM RIVERCLAN:
Cottonbright, ♀ Anxious Warrior
Nettleplume, ♂ Cynical Medicine Cat
Merrypaw, ♀ Steadfast Apprentice
Otterwhisker, ♀ Adventurous Elder
FROM THUNDERCLAN:
Brindlespice, ♀ Selfish Warrior
Bravesong, ♂ Gracious Elder
Leopardrose, ♀ Striving Warrior
Wildcry, ♀ Fierce Elder
FROM WINDCLAN:
Cloudflare, ♂ Suave Warrior
Barleyswipe, ⚧ Ornery Elder
Heatherkit, ♀ Sweet Kit
FROM SHADOWCLAN:
Palestar, ♀ Stern Leader
Honeyglow, ♂ Reserved Elder
Emberdust, ♀ Artless Warrior
Duskpaw, ♂ Opportunistic Apprentice
FROM WHITEHART & BEYOND:
Ahryndae, ♀ Princess of Camelot
Lelouch Von Noon, ♂ Marquess of Noon Cattery
Kosmo, ♂ Visionary Feral
Montgomery (Monty), ♂ Sentimental Semi-Feral
((Faux, let me know if I’m getting anything wrong about my assumptions about the conversation Otterwhisker and Boldstar would have just had about the kit. I’ll edit if needed.))
Out with the old - In with the bold
‹‹‹‹ ››››
”The kit is settled, now, with the rest of them.” Boldstar said by way of warning as he slide out of the nursery and into the tight open space before the dens. It was a tight space for a meeting, but warmer and drier than any space in all of the territory. There was tension running through Boldstar’s body, leaving the tip of his tail twitching as he looked over his shoulder towards Otterwhisker. She may not have been out in the rain, but she was mothering four kits every moment of the day.
”You can say what’s on your mind.” Boldstar prodded at his deputy. ”Otterwhisker will want the details of the story, anyways.”
Coldgaze:
He blinked at his leader, trying to sort through his own feelings on the matter. Of course, Otterwhisker would want to know what had happened. He wanted to know the same thing.
"We arrived at the gathering late." He stilled his nervous pacing and sat beside Nettlepaw. "When we did, the other clans had found a group of kits. The medicine cats..." He hesitated, looking at the apprentice beside him. Not with any sort of judgment - anyone who knew Coldgaze well could see the tom was wildly overwhelmed. "The kits were divided between the clans, on the order of Starclan."
He took a deep breath."I don't believe it. I don't. Starclan decided that a group of kits were the solution to our problems? How? In what way does Misty solve our problems? She's one more mouth to feed. She's another cat that has to be taught everything about the Clans. She's a burden." Coldgaze didn't talk much, and he knew that his voice was hoarse from the cold air and lack of use. "This just gives us more to deal with - doesn't solve anything. She's compromised already; we can't teach her to distrust her kin." He tried to keep his voice quiet to not wake any of the kits, or alert the clan to his concerns.
"It doesn't bring back what we lost." He looked down at the dirt, trying to hide under the scrutiny of the other cats. If Starclan, or whatever had sent these kits thought they could replace anyone who was lost, they were sorely mistaken.
Characters:
Coldgaze: (M) Ruthless Riverclan Deputy
Lawn Gnome: (F) Motherly Semi-Feral Shecat
Redpaw: (M) Thoughtful Shadowclan Apprentice
Sootbounce: (M) Bubbly Shadowclan Warrior
Sturgeonpaw: (M) Altruistic Riverclan Apprentice
Sunstrike: (F) Anxious Thunderclan Queen
NPCs:
Quailcall: (F) Fierce Thunderclan Warrior
rise from the smoldering pyre of wormwood and weeds
↫ ⭒ ☽ ⭒ 〄 ⭒ ☾ ⭒ ↬
Nettlepaw felt as if he were far away, far from the comforting bodies of the larger cats beside him. Like he was still caught in the rain, pelt heavy and sodden despite shaking off the droplets before entering camp. He didn't meet anyone's gaze, and seemed to stare blankly as if trying to decipher some unknowable code. He half listened as Coldgaze was bade to speak, but his silence didn't last long as Coldgaze described the situation. "Starclan's meaning is hardly clear, but they made their will known - and it's up to us to figure it out." But what he meant to say was, it was up to him. Him and Willowfrost. No one else in the clan was qualfied to try and sort out this mess, except, perhaps Boldstar, who was touched and graced by Starclan's lives.
What I dream, the day might send. Just around the riverbend.
❖ ⭒ ❖ ⭒ 💧 ⭒ ❖ ⭒ ❖
Otterwhisker was exhausted, but she held fast knowing that four - now five tiny beings relied on her for everything. Comforted by Boldstar, and perhaps a bit emboldened, she listened intently to Coldgaze's description of the night. Every setback and transgression even before the Gathering proper, but when he relished in his grief and set to blame the poor kit, Otterwhisker spoke up. "I will not have Misty punished for her circumstances. I have no doubt that Misty will become a productive and cherished member of Riverclan - Or do you merely doubt my own ability to rear her?" Her short, dark tail lashed in the tight confines of the warren despite her own tiredness. "We just need to mean more to her than her old kin, and that won't happen if you seethe at the very mention of her, Coldgaze." Her voice was soft and calm (for the kits' sake) like the bubbling of a calm dip of a river, but could and would rage like one right after a storm if he challenged her belief. It wouldn't be right, or fair, for Coldgaze to be so affected by his recent losses. Doubting Starclan was doubting his own kin who now resided there.
FROM RIVERCLAN:
Cottonbright, ♀ Anxious Warrior
Nettleplume, ♂ Cynical Medicine Cat
Merrypaw, ♀ Steadfast Apprentice
Otterwhisker, ♀ Adventurous Elder
FROM THUNDERCLAN:
Brindlespice, ♀ Selfish Warrior
Bravesong, ♂ Gracious Elder
Leopardrose, ♀ Striving Warrior
Wildcry, ♀ Fierce Elder
FROM WINDCLAN:
Cloudflare, ♂ Suave Warrior
Barleyswipe, ⚧ Ornery Elder
Heatherkit, ♀ Sweet Kit
FROM SHADOWCLAN:
Palestar, ♀ Stern Leader
Honeyglow, ♂ Reserved Elder
Emberdust, ♀ Artless Warrior
Duskpaw, ♂ Opportunistic Apprentice
FROM WHITEHART & BEYOND:
Ahryndae, ♀ Princess of Camelot
Lelouch Von Noon, ♂ Marquess of Noon Cattery
Kosmo, ♂ Visionary Feral
Montgomery (Monty), ♂ Sentimental Semi-Feral
((I don’t play her much, but I feel like she should be here…))
”Did StarClan promise solutions? No.” Willowfrost’s voice was gentle from where she’d been standing at the back of the group. ”As Nettlepaw says, the meaning is not clear. The kit will come to be one of us in time, and provide for the clan. A gift for the future, not some tool to solve the problems of now.” She settled herself in an upright posture, seated with tail wrapped around her paws. Her clouded eyes didn’t see well in the dimness of the nighttime warren, but her sense of smell let her know where each cat was standing. She was watching where she knew Coldgaze to be standing.
Out with the old - In with the bold
‹‹‹‹ ››››
Boldstar couldn’t help but twitch his ears backwards a bit. Otterwhisker could be as dangerous as a bear when she was riled. The tone of her voice indicated a great dal of danger. Boldstar’s tail twitched behind him, not exactly sure what to say to settle his Deputy’s concerns.
”Bloodlines only mean so much. We will teach Mistykit that the Clan comes first. About the things that make being RiverClan something to pride above all else.” As he spoke the words increased in confidence. Molding kits into loyal Warriors was what the Clan did. ”She was abandoned by that scum that sired her. No Clan cat abandons one of their own if they can help it.”
He still has no answers for the other concerns. Those caused by the stress of what was happening. Cats dropping as if they’d swallowed deathberries...
Coldgaze:
Ah.
He was in danger.
Coldgaze stretched out from his seated position, his front paws sinking into the slightly loamy earth, towards Otterwhisker. After a moment of stretching his front legs, he flopped onto his belly, eyes flicking over to look at Boldstar as he submitted to the wishes of Otterwhisker. A decisive win for the queen - even he knew better than to fight with her over this.
Their arguments didn't remove his doubts. Bloodlines were of no value to him - but blood itself was thick in the clans. Perhaps he was just old fashioned but allowing cats to join on a whim would just erode the values the clans were founded on... that being said.
"... Perhaps he couldn't help it" (in response to 'if they can help it') was his final resistance to the rest of the ranked leadership. After a moment of lying on the ground with his legs tucked underneath him - looking a bit like a dejected and waterlogged rug - he let out a huff. "I trust your judgement on this matter Willowfrost - and Nettlepaw. And Otterwhisker... I would never harm a kit, no matter their origin. Unlike some cats."
His gaze was pinned Boldstar - he had to know what he was thinking. Coldgaze had never been silent about his opinions of Thunderclan to his leader... this could be an opportunity.
Characters:
Coldgaze: (M) Ruthless Riverclan Deputy
Lawn Gnome: (F) Motherly Semi-Feral Shecat
Redpaw: (M) Thoughtful Shadowclan Apprentice
Sootbounce: (M) Bubbly Shadowclan Warrior
Sturgeonpaw: (M) Altruistic Riverclan Apprentice
Sunstrike: (F) Anxious Thunderclan Queen
NPCs:
Quailcall: (F) Fierce Thunderclan Warrior
What I dream, the day might send. Just around the riverbend.
❖ ⭒ ❖ ⭒ 💧 ⭒ ❖ ⭒ ❖
Otterwhisker's tail flicked again, this time to the other side. A sidewinder poised to spring, but as her gaze fell to watch as the tom appeased her, she inhaled slowly to take a deep breath lungs filling with the moistened air. She deeply appreciated all this being brought to her, and she knew she'd have her paws full with not only her own brood, but the little foundling as well. "It seems all the clans had a eventful day, and there will be more work to be done tomorrow so I suggest we all get some rest." Even if Otterwhisker couldn't remain on her feet anymore, the rest of them had treked far to Fourtrees as well as avoided two-legs in the process - in a downpour no less. "Things will be clearer in the morning." She tried to assure them, but also to reassure herself. Starting with a warm welcome from the clan over freshly caught breakfast.
FROM RIVERCLAN:
Cottonbright, ♀ Anxious Warrior
Nettleplume, ♂ Cynical Medicine Cat
Merrypaw, ♀ Steadfast Apprentice
Otterwhisker, ♀ Adventurous Elder
FROM THUNDERCLAN:
Brindlespice, ♀ Selfish Warrior
Bravesong, ♂ Gracious Elder
Leopardrose, ♀ Striving Warrior
Wildcry, ♀ Fierce Elder
FROM WINDCLAN:
Cloudflare, ♂ Suave Warrior
Barleyswipe, ⚧ Ornery Elder
Heatherkit, ♀ Sweet Kit
FROM SHADOWCLAN:
Palestar, ♀ Stern Leader
Honeyglow, ♂ Reserved Elder
Emberdust, ♀ Artless Warrior
Duskpaw, ♂ Opportunistic Apprentice
FROM WHITEHART & BEYOND:
Ahryndae, ♀ Princess of Camelot
Lelouch Von Noon, ♂ Marquess of Noon Cattery
Kosmo, ♂ Visionary Feral
Montgomery (Monty), ♂ Sentimental Semi-Feral
Out with the old - In with the bold
‹‹‹‹ ››››
”If a problem were to… develop,” Boldstar eyed Otterwhisker to track her expression. Riling a nesting queen was a fool’s game. He would not play. ”It will be dealt with. However, I don’t foresee one now. We don’t need to borrow trouble from the future. We’ll have enough of that without making up ideas.”
He caught the unspoken implications against the red ThunderClan tom. Blessed StarClan, was he happy that one was someone else’s issue. ”No cat in our Clan will be a problem. Otterwhisker is right. We should rest. Tomorrow the sun will rise again and bellies will need filling.”
”Time never stops.” Willowfrost agreed quietly before turning towards the scent of Otterwhisker. ”Once you’re properly awake tomorrow Nettlepaw and I would like to make sure the kit is well.”
