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Post by absurdjinx on Oct 6, 2023 16:02:48 GMT -6
| laurelfern, "far away from your trouble and worries
you belong somewhere you feel free"
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Laurelfern followed closely behind Mushroomstar as he led their clanmates to the gathering place, eager to arrive. While she couldn’t deny she was nervous, she was also just as excited for the big plan she intended on following through with tonight. Part of her worried about the reactions of the leaders - mostly Mushroomstar’s, since he was currently her leader, as well as the most emotional of the three - but the other half of her couldn’t find it within herself to care. Laurelfern was doing good for many and if the leaders couldn’t see that, then that just showed how little they cared about their clanmates. The medicine cats were also a concern. She figured they’d probably say something about how StarClan wouldn’t allow her to do what she was doing, or that she’d bring back luck to her cats, or something else ridiculous. Laurelfern wasn’t exactly fond of the clans, but she did want a good relationship with them. She’d have to stay calm throughout the night, no matter what anyone threw at her. She crossed the tree bridge with ease and somehow managed to wait patiently for everyone else to cross before Mushroomstar proceeded onward. As they walked, all Laurelfern could think about was what she intended on doing. And as Mushroomstar addressed them, all she could hear was her heart threatening to leap out of her chest. When they streamed into the clearing, she was surprised by how disappointed she was to discover RidgeClan was first to arrive. She’d been hoping the other clans would’ve beat them to the gathering place so she could get started immediately. Laurelfern settled down near the rock where the leaders made their announcements and simply watched her clanmates find spots of their own. A thin layer of snow blanketed the ground, but she was so focused on her racing heart that she didn’t even notice how frozen her paws were. However, she did notice when MistClan and PrairieClan joined RidgeClan in the clearing. For a moment, she wondered if she was doing the right thing and promptly reminded herself how many were going to benefit from what she was doing. With a deep breath, Laurelfern rose to her paws and casually strolled toward the massive rock sitting along the outskirts. She was certain her heart had finally abandoned her as she leapt up, but when she reached the top, she heard her heart pounding in her ears. Laurelfern turned around to face the crowd below and was surprised by the amount of cats in the clearing. She hadn’t really thought about the number of cats she’d be addressing, but she knew she’d have to get used to it. She risked a glance at the leaders gathered at the foot of the rock and met Mushroomstar’s shocked gaze for a short moment before looking back at the throng of clan cats before her. “ Let the Gathering begin,” Laurelfern yowled, loud enough for her voice to carry to the back of the gathering place. Before anyone could question why she, an ordinary RidgeClan warrior, was starting the Gathering, Laurelfern was speaking, “ I have an important announcement to make to all three clans tonight. Some of us are very unhappy with the state of the valley and we can’t continue to watch our clans stray further and further from peace. That is why we’ll be leaving the valley and building new lives in the mountains.” She paused as cries of outrage flooded her ears and waited until they’d died down before going on, “ Cats of all clans are welcome to join us, either now or later, if anyone changes their mind.” Her gaze flitted from cat to cat. Laurelfern was sad to see anger in the expressions of some, but pleased to see interest in others. “ We will not be a fourth clan, but something different. We will adopt parts of clan culture, but also create some of our own. We will call ourselves The Kingdom.”
| mushroomstar, "and the world's gonna know your name
cause you burn with the brightest flame"
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Mushroomstar wasn’t looking forward to seeing the other leaders again. While he knew he and Dawnclaw would never be friends, his anger over the loss of his first life had dwindled. He still held a grudge, of course, and thought it was ridiculous and insulting that Hailstar hadn’t punished Dawnclaw for taking one of his lives during a foolish border dispute, but he had other, more important concerns. Now, he was mostly upset about how PrairieClan and MistClan had formed an alliance, isolating RidgeClan. Did the other clans even want RidgeClan around anymore? Because they sure were acting like they didn’t. Well, RidgeClan wasn’t going anywhere. Mushroomstar wasn’t going to let MistClan and PrairieClan bully them. He was doing his best to restore RidgeClan after the damage Wolfstar had caused, but it was an uphill battle and the other clans certainly weren’t helping. He crossed the tree bridge first and waited on the other side for each and every clanmate to follow him. Only once everyone had joined him did he continue toward the gathering place. Mushroomstar stopped his clanmates right before entering the clearing and turned to address them. “Remember, we must still prove RidgeClan’s strength to the other clans. Don’t show weakness.” With that, he led his clanmates into the clearing. RidgeClan was first to arrive, so he settled down beside the rock that the leaders made their announcements from and waited. He watched everyone interact and a fond smile found its way onto his face. RidgeClan may be a mess, but Mushroomstar’s adoration for his clanmates had only grown since he became leader. From those who worked relentlessly to help him repair RidgeClan, to those who had given up on their clan, he loved them all. They were family. When PrairieClan and MistClan arrived and their leaders joined Mushroomstar, he had enough time to exchange greetings with them before he noticed Laurelfern out of the corner of his eye. He watched her, shocked, as she jumped onto the rock the leaders made their announcements from. Nobody except leaders were allowed up there. Curious apprentices would sometimes investigate the bottom of the boulder, but even they had the sense not to climb it. He’d never thought Laurelfern, of all cats, would disrupt a Gathering this way. While they weren’t exactly close, Mushroomstar thought she was a capable warrior. He was so shocked by her unexpected behavior that he couldn’t even speak, but only stare at her with his mouth agape. She met his gaze briefly, but promptly turned back to the crowd and called for everyone’s attention. He’d known some of his clanmates weren’t pleased with RidgeClan’s situation, but he hadn’t thought they’d been so unhappy that they’d abandon their clan. Didn’t his clanmates see he was trying his best? Why would they give up on their clan so easily? Mushroomstar felt like his world was falling apart. Not only did RidgeClan have issues with the other clans, but also within itself, and now part of his clan was leaving? How could RidgeClan ever recover? Instead of getting angry, Mushroomstar just felt defeated. StarClan themselves had chosen him to lead, but he was starting to think they’d been mistaken to pick him. He clearly wasn’t doing a good enough job at helping his clanmates recover from the war if his clan was splitting into two. Mushroomstar, surprisingly, stayed silent as Laurelfern concluded, overwhelmed by his thoughts of how much of a failure he was and how wrong StarClan had been. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2023 10:25:06 GMT -6
#s://i~pinimg~com/564x/9b/00/31/9b003185cf9c96cf9918a8afa9e4bdf7~jpg | cinderflame & mothdapple ooc: the two characters' posts are separated into their own individual sections on the table. |
The full moon hung brightly in the dark night sky, coloring his clanmates silver as they travelled to the Gathering place. Before the battle, Cinderflame always loved coming here every moon; getting a glimpse into the life of each clan and hearing their news in a peaceful setting. It was quite the experience. Now, he felt the piercing stares of the other two groups, untrusting and bitter. He couldn't blame them, either. He would settle down beside his clanmates, his bushy tail wrapped around his paws to keep them warm. Each clan was looking weaker, nothing out of the ordinary for leaf-bare. Besides that, he was glad to see everyone was more or less doing okay.
He was greeting a MistClan she-cat when a yowl would catch his attention. “Let the Gathering begin!" That sounded like...Laurelfern? Cinderflame couldn't help the bewildered look on his face as he turned to see the senior warrior up on a rock, her thick pelt shining in the moonlight. What was she doing? A confused silence would ensue as he waited to see what she had to say. Even Mushroomstar looked confused, which the warrior took to be a bad sign.
"...That is why we’ll be leaving the valley and building new lives in the mountains...We will call ourselves The Kingdom."
Anger welled up inside him, his neck fur bristling as he took in the information. Leaving the clan? In its greatest time of need? The hopeless expression on his leader's face was enough to set him off. The large tom rose to his paws, ears pressed back against his skull. "Traitor! How could you abandon the clan that fed you, kept you warm, and trained you to fight? The moment things get difficult you flee? You're no warrior, Laurelfern." He shouted. How convenient for her. Sleep in RidgeClan dens, eat Ridgeclan prey, all the while planning its destruction. His tail lashed, yellow gaze boring into the she-cat as he waited for support from his clanmates. Surely no one would leave with her?
Mothdapple -
She honestly didn't quite feel up to a Gathering tonight, part of her still worried that the clans would clash once more. She knew of quite a few warriors in MistClan who would still gladly rip the pelts from any RidgeClan warrior given the chance. When her pelt was perfectly groomed, the small cat would join her clan as they prepared to leave, knowing her refusal to go would be noted. She wasn't scared, so she shouldn't act like it. Nettlesplash and Jaycloud would join her, their pelts brushing her sides as they moved through clan territory. Everything would be fine. She found herself searching the group for Wispfang's ice blue eyes.
Once they arrived, Mothdapple made no attempts to socialize with the other clans, nestling into Nettlesplash's side. Her littermate looked around with their head held high, their blind eye flashing as they scanned the clearing. It was good to see them acting like their normal self. The shout of a she-cat would echo around, a shiver of surprise running through her as she looked up to see a fluffy RidgeClan warrior. Definitely not Mushroomstar. Was he having another cat speak for him? The look on his face told her otherwise.
As the she-cat spoke, whispering would erupt from MistClan and PrairieClan, while the RidgeClan warriors communicated their disbelief. How bold of her to announce this for the first time to her clanmates here, in front of everyone! She wasn't surprised when a burly tomcat spoke out against her. Mushroomstar looked on with what Mothdapple deciphered as shock and disappointment. Was he not going to speak? Exile her where she stood? She looked around at her own clanmates, wondering if any were considering leaving and joining her. Doubt it. How could this cat expect anyone outside of her clan to trust her? Not only did Wolfstar damage the bond between the three of them, but she just openly betrayed her leader!
Still, Mothdapple felt a bit of empathy for the cat. Perhaps life in RidgeClan was a tangled mess due to their previous leader. She couldn't imagine the discord that followed the battle. She stifled a chuckle as Nettlesplash leaned over and whispered "Glad you came now?" She honestly was. Silently, she fixed her gaze on the RidgeClan leader and waited to see what he would do. |
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storms make trees take deeper roots
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Post by cosmic on Oct 9, 2023 15:24:41 GMT -6
#s://i~imgur~com/BUxTORV~jpg | cherrynose always the fool with the slowest heart,
but I know you'll take me with you |
The she-cat had been reluctant to go, but Quillfeather had pushed her to. Whether or not he came, she wasn't for certain, as she had shown up late herself due to the patrol that Cherrynose was on right before. Pushing and shoving the cats out of the way, with the occasional cat hissing in her direction for her forcefulness, the complaints laid on deaf ears, as she trudged to the front. 'Geez, no one is friendly toward a short cat, no matter who you are,' she wanted to grumble to herself. But she stood frozen when a familiar voice rang out.
"Let the Gathering begin!" That wasn't Mushroomstar, nor the other leaders. Or even a deputy or medicine cat. No one of authority... it was Laurelfang!
As the she-cat began to speak, it became very apparent what she was calling out about. Oh, StarClan, it's happening now!? Cherrynose had been so involved in her duties, she told herself, that she hadn't had time to think about the warrior's proposition to a new life outside of the clans. The gray tabby, however, knew that she was lying to herself. It was what kept her up at night thinking. When Quillfeather would ask her about her anxiety and shifting at night, she dismissed it. He didn't need to worry.
Laurelfang yowled the name of this group... the Kingdom. In that moment, Cherrynose's heart tore. Her eyes looked frantically around, hearing both sides of the argument from everyone. Quillfeather, Mothflight... were they here? What should she do? Should she risk loosing her friends and family to make this decision now?
As she closed her eyes in fear, she envisioned another cat. Rockbelly. Seeing him in her mind made her loose all focus on the events taking place, only focusing on him. Cherrynose, under her breath, sighed. Rockbelly always pushed to her believe in what she felt was needed. And she knew that he would be there with her.
Again, the gray she-cat moved other cats out of the way, as cats looked toward her. Some in awe, some in anger. But she let their gazes roll off her back, as if her attention solely on Laurelfang made it all burn away. Fire seemed to engulf her every step, as she made her way to the front of the crowd, closest to where Laurelfern addressed the clans. Still standing, her gaze matched Laurelfern's, when the moment was right.
"I'm here, Laurelfern," was all she had to say. Her decision had been made. |
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Post by tor on Oct 11, 2023 16:53:19 GMT -6
RidgeClan was already in the gathering place when PrairieClan arrived and, from the scent on the breeze, MistClan wasn't far behind. Cindersong shared a glance with Littlestar before the leader addressed their clan - nothing special, just words Cindersong heard many times before. And despite that... there was still a buzz in the air. An excitement she couldn't name, like nothing she'd ever felt. She wanted to feed off of it. To turn to her clan and, on the heels of Littlestar's words, tell everyone to be careful. To be on their toes. But she didn't get a chance before PrairieClan descended into the gathering below. As she did every full moon, Cindersong sought out the other deputies. She settled next to Toadfeather with a respectful dip of her head, pleased to see him looking well. MistClan's deputy wasn't far behind. The familiarity of everything began to settle her nerves, the strange energy from moments ago nearly forgotten until a flash of light fur caught her eye. Cindersong followed Laurelfern's trajectory up the boulder with a severe frown, one she felt matched by the deputy beside her. Immediately, Toadfeather's reaction - plus Mushroomstar, who she could see with the other leaders - told her this wasn't planned. Whatever Laurelfern had to say, RidgeClan wasn't expecting it. "That is why we’ll be leaving the valley and building new lives in the mountains."Well, shit. Immediately, Cindersong sought out her clan, attempting to make eye contact with every PrairieClan member in attendance tonight to ensure not a single one of them would humor Laurelfern's treachery. And then... her panic stilled. As treasonous as this was, wouldn't it benefit the clans in the long run? It would weed out the ones not meant for clan life. The ones disloyal to RidgeClan or, StarClan forbid, PrairieClan. Slowly, Cindersong relaxed, knowing if a single member of her clan moved to join Laurelfern, they were never truly her clanmates to begin with. "Ancestors guide you," she murmured, turning to Toadfeather in hopes to parse out his thoughts.
"Laurelfern-"
Morninglight didn't know what he hoped to achieve, calling out his fellow warrior's name as she scaled the boulders. To stop her? Her motives were lost to him, but he couldn't ignore the horrid chill down his spine that worsened with each step Laurelfern took. And now, with the entirety of the gathering turning their attention to her, Morninglight knew it was too late. He took a step toward Mushroomstar, compelled by some urge to be close to his leader when Laurelfern spoke, but was cut off by the cats in front of him shuffling to get a better look at the strange sight. All Morninglight could do was stare at Mushroomstar, hoping the other tom would meet his eyes as if he might communicate what was happening with just a glance. Then, Laurelfern spoke. "Some of us are very unhappy with the state of the valley and we can’t continue to watch our clans stray further and further from peace." Clans? So whatever this was, it wasn't just RidgeClan. When had Laurelfern spoken to other cats? "That is why we’ll be leaving the valley and building new lives in the mountains."Leaving-
"Cats of all clans are welcome to join us, either now or later, if anyone changes their mind."
Morninglight would be lying if he said he hadn't thought about it. But he wouldn't. He could never. Not with Eveningstep's voice so clear in his head, yowling at Laurelfern for betraying RidgeClan. Morninglight couldn't find his own voice, so he closed his eyes and bathed in the strength of his lost friend's words. "The Kingdom?" He called out. "And who bestowed this kingdom on you? Who appointed you its leader? Laurelfern, have you even thought about this? Leaf-bare in the mountains will kill you, and anyone who joins you, without the support of a clan."
Laurelfern was proposing a new life. Something far from the clans, far from the mistakes he made. The mess he was in... Shadowgaze ached to go with her. To step forward and announce he'd happily join this kingdom, if it meant leaving the terrors of RidgeClan's past behind. He thought of Gray - they could be together, with no border dividing them, if only Shadowgaze had the courage to step forward. But was it fear that kept his paws rooted firmly in place, or guilt? RidgeClan was crumbling, tearing itself apart, and he was to blame. Perhaps not solely to blame, but did that matter? No matter how selfish he wanted to be, Shadowgaze knew he couldn't leave. Not until he'd patched the last of his mistakes. He had to see this through - to ensure no oracle arose in the rift left behind by this schism, to guarantee the safety of his friends (oh, ancestors he couldn't leave his friends, could he?), to watch Ravenheart closely in case a new Wolfstar was forming in her. No - there was so much to do. He couldn't leave RidgeClan. And still, he ached. He needed to say something. Needed to prove his loyalty lied with RidgeClan, with StarClan. But the words wouldn't come. All he could do was stare at gathered cats, listen to the cries of outrage and acceptance, until it all became too much and he fled, disappearing into the underbrush that would lead him back to the river, and eventually, back home. |
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Post by adrian on Oct 15, 2023 9:26:14 GMT -6
#s://media~discordapp~net/attachments/1025539847819120731/1099374484936478801/toad_1~jpeg The full moon glowed a cold white against the dark clouds that threatened to roll in, lighting the path of the clans as they made their ways to the Gathering Place. The crunch of the snow underfoot was the only sound beyond the quiet chatter of curious first-time apprentices and gossip of senior warriors - no insects sang in leaf-bare, no birds trilled. There wasn't even the hoot of an owl. Toadfeather's eyes narrowed. A bad omen, he decided, and as the thought crossed his mind a cool breeze came from the north as if in confirmation. If something happened tonight, he was positive he wasn't going to like it. He only managed a deep-set frown and a muttered, "What?" as Laurelfern made her way closer to the boulder where the leaders, their leader, would begin the Gathering. If only she wasn't starting it, first. Tactless, he decided with an air of judgment as he sat back to listen to her outrageous announcement. To put their leader in the thankless position of needing to reprimand her here, when he was already battling so much, was unforgivable. Morninglight spoke in reason before he could. "Laurelfern, have you even thought about this? Leaf-bare in the mountains will kill you, and anyone who joins you, without the support of a clan."Clan structure existed for a reason. Together, with numbers, they were safe. Not always comfortable, but they knew they would survive the harshest leaf-bares and rejoice in the most bountiful greenleafs. Is this what his clan was coming to? Splitting off into some roguish gang because they couldn't handle the pressure they faced from the other clans? "Ancestors guide you," Cindersong said, coming up from the PrairieClan side. Guide him indeed. "She is making a mistake," he said, and then louder, to the rest of the cats gathered but primarily to Laurelfern, "We have concerns beyond your desire to abandon your kin, Laurelfern. What right do you have to disrupt our Gathering in this manner? Stand down, let the Gathering take place as it should, and then if you must leave then make peace with it after the leaders have spoken." |
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Post by Jaecarys on Oct 22, 2023 16:35:01 GMT -6
#s://cdn~discordapp~com/attachments/920197329640902686/1128004475026686144/dawn_icon~jpg | screaming at the ones we love, like we forgot who we can trust. screaming at the top of our lungs, on the grounds where we feel safe. |
Holy. Shit. Cats had been breaking away from RidgeClan for moons, since the very end of the war. He knew his former home was in turmoil, that it was crumbling at its very foundation. But this? A whole new faction, not a Clan, was forming. This was no band of rogues, but an organized group abandoning the Clans, abandoning StarClan. And that, perhaps, is where he was stricken. How could they abandon their ancestors? And then: Duskfang.His heart started to pound, his head swiveling in search of her. He hadn’t seen her when he first entered the gathering place, but what if he’d missed her? He had to know where she was. He had to know where she was going. If she was leaving RidgeClan, she could come to MistClan with him, couldn’t she? But if she was abandoning the Clans altogether… There was a sharp pain in his chest, knowing how far she would be from him, how little a chance there was of them ever being together again. And the mountains were dangerous. Not only the cougars, but the cold. To establish a new home there in the dead of leaf-bear was a death wish. She was his twin. His other half. Surely if she was breaking away from Sunstorm, she would find him. He couldn’t have broken their relationship that irreparably. |
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