Re: The Tribal Gathering

by **Longstorm** Fri Dec 30, 2011 4:53 am

Burnsky followed Stoneteller. "Doesn't change the fact that someone is approaching..." She turned and looked at Stormstar, an accusation in her eyes and tone.

by **Runfast** Fri Dec 30, 2011 4:54 am

Talltree stepped forward, "Neither does it change the fact that you're accusing Moonclan of some... some treachery!"
The she-cat and tom glared at one another for a long moment which was broken by the young, quiet voice of Raypaw.
"They're getting closer!" How exciting, the she-cat thought. Loners - or badgers - or bears at my first ever Meeting!

Breeze had joined the group of cats, regardless that some were from a Tribe she didn't trust and a Clan she didn't care for. "We must challenge them as soon as we see them."

by **Meany** Sat Dec 31, 2011 3:55 am

Cloudscar stood with his fellow Moonclanners and the Tribe-cats present, watching where the sounds seemed to be coming from.
Stoneteller looked to her two cats with her, signaling for them to be at the ready, her fur bristling.

After what could have seemed like the longest moment in creation, two shadows appeared. The cats of the Meeting bared their teeth, hissing and lashing tails.
Blackfire stopped at the bottom on the path, staring at the strange, short cats and the taller mud-covered ones.
Snowfeather was staring as well, taking in the fact that they were in battle stances. "I think this is them," she whispered, looking at the pale cats.
Aside from that, though, all was silent.

by **Longstorm** Sat Dec 31, 2011 4:05 am

Dark spat angrily, "It's just a bunch of rogues." She sneered at them, hissing in a leering manner. Rogues were lesser - no doubt about that.

Lilies and Brush, who stood by Burnsky, relaxed slightly. "Be on your way," Brush mewed firmly.
Burnsky looked at the strange two cats and saw how they were built. One looked a lot like a Flameguard, the other built more like a Quickflare - and yet they held themselves the exact same way, walked the same stride, and bore the same pride in their eyes.
"Who are you," she finally asked.

by **Meany** Sat Dec 31, 2011 4:11 am

The two warriors exchanged looks - this cat's accent was strange, heavy somehow.
Blackfire hesitantly stepped off of the ramp and Snowfeather followed, but neither made a move further.
"...Does this territory belong to you," Blackfire asked. He didn't feel comfortable on 'giving himself away' for some reason.

Stoneteller looked at the strange cat, cocking her head at their accents. All cats in these areas, even loners and rogues, sounded about the same. These cats had light, lilting accents compared to their own. But it wasn't her place to speak at this moment, she knew.

Hawk looked over the strange cats, very curious. The she-cat's beautiful fur caught his eye since it shone in the snow, like she had come from the moon itself.

by **Longstorm** Sat Dec 31, 2011 4:12 am

"What does it matter," mewed Brush brusquely.
Burnsky flattened her ears at the strange cats - it sounded as though they were looking for a place to stay. "You can't have these lands," she snarled.

by **Meany** Sat Dec 31, 2011 4:15 am

"Why would we want to stay here - we're not looking for a place to stay," mewed Snowfeather irritably. Blackfire gave her a look - his own home was like the lower climates - and hastily mewed, "We're looking for a group of cats that came here long ago. They called themselves 'Moonclan', and may have stared at the stars - have you heard of them?"

Cloudscar opened his mouth but no sound came out - why would rogues be looking for them? He looked back at Stormstar, a confused look on his face.

by Guest Sat Dec 31, 2011 4:19 am

Stormstar caught his warrior's look then shared another with Sunclaw, who still stood by him. The elderly tom jumped down from the low branch he sat upon and approached the strange, new cats.
"I am Stormstar, leader of Moonclan. And since it is my Clan's territory you stand in, it is in good manners that you answer my question - where are you from, and more importantly, why have you come?"
Sunclaw stood a few pawsteps behind her leader, watching the two cats carefully.

by Guest Sat Dec 31, 2011 4:26 am

Knowing that stepping forward would only make her get in her Burnsky's way, Shadow stayed in...well, the shadows. But her eyes swept the clearing and her nose sniffed, allowing her to detect that there were others in these strangers' midst.

by **Meany** Sat Dec 31, 2011 4:32 am

The two warriors automatically dipped their heads in respect to the leader.
Blackfire sighed when he heard the questions. "It..." He sighed again, looking to Snowfeather.
She nodded and mewed, "We're from what's called the 'cold lands' by the loners who pass through... Both of us, Blackfire and myself - I'm Snowfeather - are from warrior Clans."
The black tom nodded and looked at Stormstar. "Why we're here is a little more complicated... Stormstar - can this be between just us? I don't think this is for the rest of you Clan to hear."

Stoneteller raised her tail for silence - she bore the air of a leader and was granted it. "The Burnsky's and my own cats are not a part of Moonclan. Strange - " she looked at Stormstar. "Moonclan did not tell us there was other Clans, if you are who you say you are."

by Guest Sat Dec 31, 2011 4:35 am

Stormstar could feel the eyes of others upon him. "I cannot explain the actions of my ancestors - these visitors are as much as a surprise to you as they are to me - in fact," he looked at them, eyes hardening, "I am not certain if I believe if they are who they say they are. To my Clan, the idea of there being other Clans is nothing more then legend. You could both very well be loners having a laugh..." His expression changed. "But then I look at your stances and muscular builds, and I wonder..."

by **Longstorm** Sat Dec 31, 2011 4:39 am

Burnsky wasn't convinced. "Are there more of you - you who say they're from Clans?"
Lilies and Brush automatically began to scent the air - "They have the scents of many cats in their coats," spat Lilies, unsheathing her claws.
"It may be a trap," Brush growled.

by **Meany** Sat Dec 31, 2011 4:56 am

Blackfire spoke first, "No, no, no, no! You completely misunderstand the situation - "
"And he doesn't mean that as an insult," supplied Snowfeather.

Stoneteller sighed, flicking an amused glance her cats way. "And it wasn't taken as that..." She didn't mind speaking so Burnsky wouldn't - the young she-cat had a habit of talking out of turn and jumping to conclusions. She had much to learn. "You most certainly don't bear the same traits as ordinary rogues. And, judging by your accents, you're from nowhere near here. So, Blackfire and Snowfeather of the unnamed Clan. What has brought you here?"

Again, the cogs in Blackfire's head were turning. The accents - they were so unfamiliar and yet. Of course - I remember things in my own voice, not for what they are! In fact, it was Jace who'd pointed that out to him suns ago.
He knew the answer.
"We received a dream from your ancestors. They told us to come here and find Moonclan or all the Clans living in the cold lands will be burned to the ground."
Snowfeather looked at him, angry. "We aren't supposed to tell anyone," she snapped.
"Well, we told Sassypelt, didn't we? It didn't seem to hurt anyone," he snapped back.

Stoneteller was shocked. "Our... Our ancestors?"

by **Longstorm** Sat Dec 31, 2011 4:58 am

Burnsky was shocked as well.
"How would you know about our ancestors? We don't tell rogues of the Tribe of Endless Hunting!" It was now that a spark of belief began to show in her eyes.
Lilies and Brush found themselves speechless. The Tribes saw the Tribe of Endless Hunting as something that must be kept between friends, and not to be given out to those they met once in the forest.

by **Runfast** Sat Dec 31, 2011 5:01 am

Breeze took a step back despite herself. How could they know? How could they claim... how?
"How," she croaked. She cleared her throat. "How do you know they were our ancestors?"

Talltree had found himself in the back of the small group of cats. Which was terrible since, even if he was tall for his Clan, he was still a shorty.
On the other paw, Raypaw had found her way around the cats of the Tribes and her Clan and was watching the two strangers with rapt interest.
"What's your Clan called," she asked in a breathy voice.

by **Meany** Sat Dec 31, 2011 5:05 am

Blackfire looked at Breeze. "They... they sounded just like you... and they weren't listed in a long line of ancestors mentioned. It was the obvious conclusion that we've really, really been missing out on."
While Snowfeather was furious with Blackfire, what he was saying made sense. In fact, many things were making sense now.
She looked at the small pale she-cat and mewed, "We're not from the same Clan - I'm from Dewclan. We live in marshes, and he's from Darkclan. They live in mountains sort of like these."

by Guest Sat Dec 31, 2011 5:05 am

Stormstar looked as though he might just believe these cats.
"You two - and how many others?"
"And how far have you come," mewed Sunclaw.

by **Meany** Sat Dec 31, 2011 5:13 am

Blackfire looked at the leader and dipped his head again. "We started with many, cats from each Clan in our forest and from a two-leg place... many were lost..." He look at his paws for a moment before continuing. "Now, at the top of the steep path are a loner and seven other Clan cats, each representing one of the Clans. Myself, Snowfeather, and a cat from the City called Jazz are the eldest, the only warriors of the group. The rest are apprentices, or of a different position. Some Clan traditions are unknown to me..."
"As for how far we've come," mewed Snowfeather to Sunclaw, "We traveled across what the loner with us called the 'Mountains of Indigo' - it was a two-thirds' moon journey from the sky-stones of Darkclan."

Stoneteller looked over at Stormstar and mewed briskly, "Well - it seems there are many things here that are not," she looked at Burnsky, "the Tribe's business - but there is one thing you've said that concerns me."

Meanwhile...

Jazz was restless. Even now, the youngsters he was with had begun to inch down the thin path even more, and he wasn't stopping them.
Now they'd reached the point where they'd begun to be able to hear the voice down the path more clearly.

"Your lands burning - how?"

by **Longstorm** Sat Dec 31, 2011 5:16 am

"Mudbloodclan," came Jace's City drawl, an accent not like the Clans' nor the Barren Lands' occupants. "But it shouldn't be a bother to the 'Tribes'," the young pale cat came into view along with Icepaw and a few others. "They're not stupid enough to make a whisker-freezing journey over those mountains, and they definitely wouldn't like it here."

Burnsky felt her fur bristling when the Stoneteller was obviously putting her down in front of her Tribe, but now there were these young cats, many of who could't even be a full four-seasons of age - except for a strange ginger and white tom who seemed to hang back.
"You came here, though - who's to say this 'Mudblood', these demonic cats who can burn forests," she had a sarcastic tone there, "won't come here?"
Jace shrugged. "We're here because of a shared dream, as unlikely as that is... Besides - if our little group succeeds, there will be nothing to worry your head over."
Burnsky sensed the hidden insult in his words but had no response that wouldn't make her appear kittish, so she settled for a glare.
The tom didn't seem to mind.
"Don't mind him," hissed Icepaw, "he's from the City. They have two-leg stink in their brains - not you, Jazz," he added hastily.

by **Meany** Sat Dec 31, 2011 11:21 pm

Jazz grunted noncommittally.

Blackfire wasn't too happy that the others had followed so quickly, but he'd have to deal. "Regardless," he was growing impatient, "Stormstar, we must speak to you - in private?"

The Stoneteller sighed. "Come on, Raining Dust - this meeting is over." She turned and padded away, nodding to Stormstar and the Burnsky as she went.
Hawk followed quickly. "See you later," he mewed cheerily to Shadows as he passed.

by **Longstorm** Sat Dec 31, 2011 11:30 pm

Burnsky turned to Stoneteller, and hissed to only her, "Why are you not showing more concern over this, Stoneteller? You can't seriously believe their words..."

Dark, following Stoneteller, regarded the Burnsky warily.

by Guest Sun Jan 01, 2012 1:09 am

Stormstar looked at the rag-tag group, seeing how some cats had the same build while others did not - a young she-cat and a tom were both long-legged and thin while a gray tom and pale she-cat stepped lightly, staying away from the others. The tom who'd spoken to Burnsky had a gleaming coat and flat paws, as did the ginger and white tom.
"Wait," Sunclaw mewed, "Just..." She looked at the black tom. "What's the third thing in the Warrior's Code?"
Stormstar sighed, a slight smirk on his lips.

by **Meany** Sun Jan 01, 2012 1:16 am

Stoneteller looked at Burnsky cooly and mewed, "Stormstar has never deceived us before. Why should he begin now? And, I am certain that, if these cats are not who they say they are, Moonclan will tend to that."
The black she-cat turned and padded away, her long tail waving delicately in the air.

Blackfire looked at Sunclaw and noticed how she stood diligently behind Stormstar - it reminded him of how Redfall always stood behind Thornstar.
She must be Clan deputy, he reasoned.
"Kits, queens, and elders are always few before warriors and apprentices," he responded after a moment of thought.
Snowfeather did a slight smile - all apprentices had that little note pounded into their heads by snappish elders when they began training.

by Guest Sun Jan 01, 2012 1:19 am

Stormstar looked at his deputy with an expression that clearly read, 'Satisfied?'
Sunclaw nodded her head.
"Moonclan," she called to the others present. "We're done here."
The elderly leader nodded and he padded next to Blackfire. "It seems," he mewed, "we have many things to talk about, Blackfire of Darkclan. Follow us home, if your pelts can take our frigid winds."
Sunclaw and the others began to make their way up a wide, yet steep mountain path.

by **Runfast** Sun Jan 01, 2012 1:35 am

Mosspaw looked at Sinewpaw, maybe for the first time since they'd arrived in this frigid place a day ago.
"Can you believe it," she breathed - "Moonclan."
Raypaw, apprentice to Talltree, could only agree. She was walking alongside him, but then she decided that the spotted she-cat looked friendly.
"Hi," she mewed as she bounded back to her. "I'm Raypaw! I became an apprentice this sun past! I have a sister and her name is Beampaw - she's training with Otterpool, our medicine cat, so she can someday be a medicine cat! Beampaw, I mean - Otterpool's already a medicine cat." She grinned. "Our parents are Raineyes - he's a great warrior - and Goldenlight - she's another great warrior. My mother's sister is Whitelight. They have the last name 'light' because, together, they helped save the from two-legs!"
Raypaw took a breath.
"So what's your Clan like? Are you really from another Clan? Is it very different there? Does everyone there have the same accent? Why don't you pronounce words the same way as we do? Why doesn't that City-tom speak the same way? What's a 'City'? What's it like? Is it very different there? Do you have bears there? Do you have Tribes there? Do you follow the Sky-Moons? Do you have warrior ancestors? Does your leader have the last name 'Star' too? Does your leader get nine lives? Does your medicine cat talk to Starclan? Are you an apprentice? Do you eat-"

"ALRIGHT!" Mosspaw said loudly. "...My..." She steadied herself. "My name is Mosspaw. I've been an apprentice for nearly six moons and I'll be due to become a warrior very soon." She flicked her tail towards Sinewpaw. "He and I are in the same Clan - it's called Tawnyclan. We're the best tree-climbers in all the territories."
Raypaw, not bothered by Mosspaw's interruption, hopped up the hill, exaggerating the way the warriors were climbing.
Mosspaw, however, was having trouble climbing up the slippery incline. After nearly smacking her face on the slope, she mewed, "How are you doing that?"
Talltree looked back over his shoulder. "Look closely," he mewed in a bored way.
The Tawnyclan apprentice wasn't sure if the warrior was being serious due to his tone, but she looked closely at the path. "Oh." She saw there were small rocky patches, rocks so pale they blended in with the ice. That, and there were niches that looked as though they were gouged out by claw.
She found walking up the path much simpler and caught up quickly.

"But why are your accents different," asked Raypaw again.
"I don't know," Mosspaw replied. "Maybe because we live so far apart?"

Cold, watching Mosspaw, was climbing easily. But he wasn't going quickly - the Moonclan cats were so small that one of his strides was two of theirs.
Well, Cold was nearly fully grown, so it made sense.

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