[ti]Open[/ti]Step by Step

[mewmehh]

|| Shadder ||

The masked tabby slunk closer to Viper and Aster as Honeyheart strode forward, only to shrink back a bit when their healer joined the golden cat. His green eyes glistened with unease through thin slits as he flexed and fluffed up his tail. All these cat were far larger than he, and such made him even more nervous than before.

|| Milkpaw ||

The small form of a silky white she-cat sat hunched over as close to the decrepit monster as she could, sticking close to her mentor's replacement as Brackenfall took the place of Mothstar this Gathering. The pale tabby had hoped to see her new friend in Mistclan, but was a touch too on edge to try looking for him. She could only hope that he could make out her bright pelt in contrast to the shadows of the night.

Her blue eyes flicked to the movement that signaled approaching cats and her hair stood on end as the smells were unfamiliar. Her claws slid out into the earth and grass to steady herself, but it did little to ease her nerves as a sleek-bodied warrior nearby let out a deep mrrroow of warning. Scanning over the warrior, Milkpaw noted that she was a Mistclan cat. She nearly choked as she studied the large muscles that rippled beneath the stranger's silver, dappled pelt and winced at the burning glow in the cat's orange eyes. Rainpaw sure does have some intimidating clanmates.

|| Saltweed ||

The spotted she-cat flexed her claws and let her sleek coat rise up in thin bristles. How dare these outsiders show their faces tonight?! She'd shake her head incredulously if not for the fact that she were posed for battle. With her thick tail lashing, she awaited the call of Bearstar. At any amount of approval, the young warrior would be tearing those rogue pelts to shreds.

[LupTacco]

--Bearstar ( MistClan Leader) :

Bearstar nodded curtly in response to the tabby tom, sitting back to let him speak. The sooner he took his turn, the sooner the actual leaders could share their piece. She idly scanned the assembled MothClan cats for their newly named, taking special consideration of the large young tom known as Mudjaw. Foolish perhaps, but formidable, she decided. However, before either leader could come in after Brackenfall, a commotion stirred near the back of the clearing. Squinting at the parting grass, she reflexively spat, standing up to glare at the intruders.

"You have no place in the forest, dung-hearts. I am sure StarClan would not mind its own children chasing out skyless murderers, as a fox chases hungry dogs away from its young," she spoke in a level but deeply cold voice, contrasting her eyes, which seemed to have become like living embers. Her fur bristled as she realized that not only had they dared to show up and try to take advantage of their truce, but they had brought kits! "If you think I will not tear your ears off in front of your own children, you are gravely mistaken. Speak quickly, before what little patience I have left leaves me," the MistClan leader growled, eyes narrowing into molten slits. She had to admit, it was hard to keep herself under control at the moment- her fury was begging to tear her composure down, let her claws sink into their lawless, clanless eyes and tongues for speaking and staring with such utter smugness. A deep hatred for these cats had been brewing in her heart, and she frankly hoped their supposed 'leader' messed up only so Bearstar could show her how a real leader fought for her family. 

--Mumblepaw ( IvyClan ) :
Mumblepaw stiffened, her fur standing on end as the rogues strode in, a mixture of indignity and- though she'd never say it- fear. "...how dare they...," she muttered, ears flat and eyes wide like small moons in her face. She could only manage a nod as Mudjaw whispered to her, Stay here please, before he stepped forward with that same old bold look in his eyes. If they hurt him again, I'll... I'll let them have it, she tried to sound challenging in her own head, but it felt a little pathetic. 

--Otterpaw ( MothClan ) :
Otterpaw whipped around as Mudjaw pointed out the newcomers- she'd been a little engrossed in just how to poke fun at the young warrior! A devilish grin creased her muzzle, flashing her sharp little teeth. "Hey! Rogues! You guys aren't so tough! Mosta ya are real tiny looks like! Pfffhahaha!" she chortled, purring with amusement and entirely unable to hold her tongue. "You here to beg for mice? Just turn around lady, you got some right th-mph!" The tan she-cat grumbled, spitting grey fur out of her mouth as she shook Bleabelly's tail out of her jaws. 

--Bleakbelly ( MothClan ) :
"Shut it. Let them speak. I have limited patience myself but let's at least attempt to honor our ways, as they are attempting to honor it themselves," he growled into the apprentice's ear before turning to the rogues. "Speak, then. We're not getting any younger here." 

[gingersnapsdacat]

Lilycloud
The brown-pelted she-cat rubbed against her mate, silently greeting him.
"Yeah," she said in response to her black-furred mate, "He must have gotten sick again."
As she was watching the monsters, she heard an unfamiliar voices ringing out to the leaders.
Can't upset StarClan, can we?
I'm sure you have rules!
She glanced around, only now seeing the unknown cats within the large numbers of the gathering. 
What is happening? she wondered. When she heard the voice of bearStar, Lilycloud fully understood the situation.
The rogues are going to attack us!
When she looked closer, she saw the kits curled up at the paws of one rogue. 
"Why would they bring their kits?" she questioned. "What are they going to do?"

Stoatwhisker.
Stoatwhisker had continued to watch the leaders, curious to see what would happen next. Her ears perked and swiveled, and her tail twitched in surprise as she heard a voice ring out. 
He was given permission to lead, yes LEAD tonight
Before the white-furred warrior was able to react, she heard another, more familiar voice beside her. She glanced over to see Cottontangle, a fellow Mistclan warrior, sat down beside her. Quickly, she filled him in on everything he had missed. 
"MothStar is sick apparently. So his deputy is leading in his place tonight. But rather than sitting where he belongs with the other deputies, he thinks he deserves a place with the other leaders."
She instinctively quieted when Brackenfall cleared his throat, whether or not he was a real leader. But then, she heard the cool voices ringing out in the moonlight, and her tail went rigid.
How dare they show their faces here?! She thought as she spun to face the group of rogues.

[ladyspectral]

Like a wound left to fester, rage bubbled in Honeyheart's chest, fur bristling as her eyes traveled over the group of cats. "I believe I have already spoke, we are here to share news with our forest dwelling brethren." She replied, glancing back toward Aster. The scarred rogue knew she had to remain calm, but every insult spewed by the clan cats brought on a new wave of anger. Her gaze traveled over to Otterpaw, cold and harsh.

Her claws began to poke from her somewhat tender sheaths at the threat. "Do not threaten me in front of my kit unless you wish to follow through with it, Bearstar. Idle threats come from idle cats, as we say in the twoleg's place." She warned lowly, eyes narrowed to slits. Her neck however craned, giving Viper a reassuring lick atop his head as the tom kit pushed himself gently into his side nervously. She again looked toward Aster as if to ground herself and push her rage to the side.

"Now, I believe our healer Aster asked a question. Unless you have more insults to fling, that is." She stated, fur beginning to flatten and claws retracting again as the rogue settled herself down once more.

[bird]

| harestrike |

Harestrike didn't know what she was expecting from the gatherings, but this surely wasn't it. Seeing cats who, presumably, didn't even have a clan coming here was frightening. She'd heard of rogues, and while she was sure she'd encounter them eventually, she didn't think she'd see them here, of all places. Surely, they were just here for peaceful means. There was a truce over gatherings, that she knew. Maybe they just wanted to share tongues with the clan cats? That must be it, surely. 

Still, that didn't quell the fear in her heart, and she kept close to the cats from her clan, silently watching this all go down. It wasn't her place to intervene. After all, she was barely a clan cat, barely more than a kittypet, what place did she have in a verbal quarrel between the clans and the rogues?

| rainpaw |

Rainpaw, meanwhile, had arrived a bit late to the gathering, trailing behind some, as he was reluctant to come to the gatherings for precisely the reason of drama. Sure, he would love to see Milkpaw, and there she was, but he'd always disliked gatherings for exactly the reason that there was always, always drama of some sort, mostly from other clans trying to gloat about some thing or another, or even his own clanmates trying to gloat. 

While rogues weren't exactly the most common form of drama at the gatherings, they definitely counted as yet another reason why Rainpaw didn't want to come, albeit an unexpected reason not to. But here he was, having come to the gathering, mostly just to see Milkpaw. His new friend was here, but was it really worth it to come if they'd probably not even be able to interact? Really, he doubted it was.

He was easily intimidated by these rogues, even though they didn't seem to even want to intimidate. They were stronger than him, with exception to what seemed to be a kit, of all cats to bring. They could have more cats hiding in the forests around the carriages, just waiting for an ambush signal. Navigating his way deeper into the sea of cats, he tried to avoid looking too hard at the rogues, but he did pay attention to what they said, wondering why they'd come here, and more importantly, what they wanted.

| swiftberry |

The she-cat watched this all go down from a carriage, thinking to herself. What were rogues doing on clan territory, much less the gathering spot? She didn't dare interrupt, but this didn't anger her; it only made her interested. Unlike many clan cats, she didn't exactly very much care for clan life, making her sympathize with rogues a bit more than she would otherwise. That, and as long as her family wasn't in the way of harm, she really didn't care too much about what happened with rogues. If they wanted to come to the gathering, really, what was the harm in that? 

[silverfang218]

Silverfang had been sitting quietly to one side, but as the unknown cats spilled into the clearing, the MistClan medicine cat ventures closer to the disruption. She listens passively to the entire back and forth, showing only contemplation on her face. After Honeyheart declares that her little group wishes to join the Gathering, Silver snakes her way through the crowd until she is in front of Honey. Turning her head back to glance at the leaders, Silver makes a calm gesture to Bearstar before asking the leaders, “May I speak?”

She turns back towards the rogues, not waiting for an answer as no leader should refuse such a simple request from a medicine cat. As she speaks, the medicine cat’s voice never raises not does it sound accusing or threatening. She speaks as if stating a simple fact, like that the sky is blue, yet her voice stays loud enough that every cat should be able to hear her. “I notice a little something. It doesn't seem like you follow StarClan, at least I doubt that most of you do, so why come to a Gathering at all? That is kind of the point after all, a truce and time of sharing under StarClan. That being said, you wish to be included under our truce, which as far as I understand it only applies to Clans that live under StarClan. You were either so confident that we would agree that you brought your kits or you hoped that no one here would attack you because of them. Just between you and me, I hope no one here wishes to harm kits no matter who their mother is, but I can name at least a couple who wouldn't mind ripping you apart in front of them. That's not a threat, merely an observation. As it all appears to me, you are only really here to slight us or our ancestors, though I'm not quite sure which. That begs a question though… why should we allow you to use our traditions only when it benefits you while casting aside our culture whenever you please?” Silverfang turns and nods to the leaders, handing the conversation back to them before facing the rogues once more. Her eyes are like chips of ice; Silverfang typically is friendly to loners who aren't hostile that happen across her when she’s picking herbs, but she has heard briefly of the attack on IvyClan by rogues and based on Mudjaw’s declaration and the general attitude here, it isn't hard to guess that these are the same rogues. While as a medicine cat Silverfang cannot and will not participate in squabbles between the Clans, Silver will not sit idly by should all the clans leap at this common enemy. As a former warrior, Silver is confident in at least her ability to hold her own. That still doesn't stop a certain young snowy tom from working his way through the crowd before stopping in front of his adopted mother. Sootheart has his good eye pointed towards the rogue group, a glare and a threat clear in his expression. If you lay one claw on Silverfang, I will rip you to shreds with all the fury of StarClan behind me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Liongaze is too far away to hear the argument between the leaders, MothClan’s deputy, and Eveningblaze, but he can easily guess what the problem is. A bit of a smug grin appears on his face as Brackenfall starts the Gathering and announces MothClan first.

The grin quickly fades as a… group of rogues enters the clearing? Lion shakes his head in disbelief but… when he looks back the rogues are very much still there. In only a moment, Lion is on his paws and maneuvering through the crowd with more agility than the big tom has ever let on he had. It doesn't take him long to join Bracken; moving to the deputy’s side, Lion gives Bracken a nod: I’m your warrior, just give the word, my leader his gaze says.

[Miss Tactical]

Hickorynose looked to Harestrike sympathetically. "This is abnormal for a gathering..." He whispered. There normally wasn't this much excitement at a gathering. His ears swiveled when Otterpaw spoke out he snorted slightly. "That's because that's only two of them with the kits.... There are many more that are warriors who would shred your fur." The IvyClan tom mewed. He remembered warning Roseblaze about them there were a few missing.... "There are quite a few missing...." He looked around not seeing them...he hoped that this wasn't a diversion so the rogues could attack the camps... "Like I said...MothClan likes to blow hot air...." The ginger and white tom mewed.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aster looked at Mudjaw with a smirk on her face. "Ah yes it is a shame that Eagle Weasel and others aren't here to bless you with their presence." She mewed. Her eyes flashed over to Otterpaw before turning back to the silver cat who spoke. There was something about her, no she wasn't a leader, but the way she spoke about StarClan, yes she was a medicine cat. Aster listened with an irritated flick of an ear before letting out a sigh. "If that is your wish then so be it." It was clear that these leaders would not let them join however another spark of an idea hit the she-cat. Sure she wasn't normally one to be violent, but she didn't mind playing mind games with the cats.


"Just remember that many of us...horrible rogues are missing from this gathering tonight." She mewed speaking out to the cats willing to listen. this was her time to plant the seed. "It would be a shame if those that were missing were heading to your territories right now would it not?" Aster smirked slightly, sure...they were more than likely just at their camp waiting for them to inform them of their findings. There were holes...yes holes in the way the cats interacted. Mistclan...they would be a good target next. She huffed before turning around to look at Honeyheart and her kits. "Come now, we have things to do." She mewed.

The gray she-cat turned around about to head out of the clearing when she stopped looking at a golden flower. She looked over to the leaders, then the other ranked cats before plucking a couple of the flowers with her teeth. "I'll be taking these as...a GIFT for our meeting." She mewed She kicked up dirt behind her, before vanishing into the shrubbery. Aster had left, and she hoped she made her mark.

[bird]

| harestrike |

Watching the rogue walk away, Harestrike blinked, then mumbled to Hickorynose, "I wouldn't think this is what happens at every gathering. It's weird. Rogues usually don't come to the clan territories, right?" She was almost looking for reassurance, trying to make sure that her decision to come to the gathering with Hickorynose wasn't a bad one. It didn't seem to be, but she wasn't used to such drama, and it scared her easily, especially because she'd heard just how much of a threat the rogues were. Not being one of them and being new to the clans, she'd never seen any of them before, but they did look like intimidating cats.

| rainpaw |

Rainpaw had been silent for the entire exchange between the clan cats and the rogues, and as he watched the rogue trot off into the distance with flowers in her mouth, he sighed. "Good riddance," he mewed, mostly to himself, before making his way through the sea of cats and trying his best to find where Milkpaw was, having lost where she was in the confusion of the discussion with the rogue. "That's not something you see every gathering," he said once he reached Milkpaw, forgoing a hello and skipping right to the meat of the matter. It made him feel a bit rude, but how could you not discuss something as big as a group of rogues showing up at a gathering?

[mewmehh]

|| Shadder ||

Shadder felt his fur itch anxiously as so many pairs of eyes sear into his pelt. So hot were their gazes that he had to turn his face away. Luckily he had his dark, shadowy pelt which bled seamlessly into the darkness of the night, or else he would likely feel even more vulnerable. He had been listening to the cats' powerful voices carrying through the air, shaking his body with each reverberation. However, it was when Aster had finished speaking that Shadder finally moved, pulled from his petrified state.

As their healer pulled away from the conversation and summoned the group with her, Shadder almost jumped to join her as he padded after. As he scrambled, he used his long tail to brush over Viper and fell into steps after Aster. He couldn't wait to get home, though he was sure he wouldn't be able to sleep a wink tonight.

|| Milkpaw ||

As the gray rogue spoke her piece and turned away, Milkpaw let her fur lie flat and gave a small sigh. She noticed though that the spotted Mistclan warrior beside hadn't relaxed yet, so the pale tabby padded a few steps away. As she sat down, she almost immediately stood back up again as she heard a familiar voice.

"Rainpaw!" she replied in a heartily tone before flattening her ears and feeling her cheek grow warm. She said that far too loudly, and it embarrassed her greatly as she threw sideways glances to her see if any of her clanmates were floating around nearby. Still, her embarrassment did little to stifle her excitement at seeing her friend in Mistclan. She hopped over to greet him and bore a bright grin.

Scanning over him with her blue eyes, she tried to recount his words and her smile softened into a more worried frown. "No kidding. What did they think they would accomplish by coming here?" Something about the whole ordeal didn't feel finished. Too many questions were left that made Milkpaw's skin scrawl.

[ladyspectral]

Honeyheart fell silent as Silverfang spoke, giving Viper another reassuring lick on the top of his head. Her fur again bristled in anger at the outright rejection, waiting for the medicine cat to finish. "What I was doing was extending a paw out for peace." She replied coldly, glancing down to Viper. The kit's fur was bristling as well by this point, back arched and claws beginning to poke from their sheaths.

She opened her mouth to speak, but fell silent to let Aster reply. Oh, a threat. She nodded her head, adding,"I believe there's no reason for us to stay longer, then." She stated as she stepped back, turning to follow after Aster and Shadder. Viper moved ahead of her as the group left, beginning to trot to keep up with the small healer.

Honeyheart moved to walk alongside Shadder, muttering to him. "You were brave tonight. You'll fit in well with the group, I think. Keep it up."