keep hangin' on {The First Gathering}

[Mint]

the gathering

     "If BirdClan hadn't elected that traitor-" One cat began to yowl, fur standing on end.

    "Shut your mouth!" A second cat snapped, her own fur bristling. "Don't talk about our deputy like that!" Snarls of hiss and fury errupted everywhere, and the eyes of the cats gleamed in the moonlight. Rootstar could only watch in agony as everything fell apart.

    Two apprentices, neither of his Clan, let out loud hisses and leapt at each other, much to the shock of the other cats. A warrior immediately leaped onto the back of one of the fighting cats, claws unsheathing. A second warrior appeared though, and tackled that first warrior off.

    Chaos errupted, as cats hissed and tackled, snarled and cried. And amid all this horror, the sky became clear again, a peaceful moon over watching all the blood shed.

    "No!" Cried Rootstar, leaping further up the rocks, "Stop!" They couldn't do this, they couldn't break out in battle during a full moon. It was a sacred time, dictated by StarClan, their ancestors. What if StarClan did decide to abandon them, because of this act? What if they had just been testing them? They had all failed, surely.

    Mintleaf struggled to her paws, letting out a demonic hiss. No cat attacked her though, not surprisingly. It would be cowardly to attack an elderly medicine cat; and besides that, Mintleaf would tear off the ears of any cat who dared to even wave a claw at her.

    Still though, there were warriors stronger then her, so the tabby backed up, eyes sparkling with shock at the display in front of her. Fights had broken out at gatherings before, but not for many, many moons had one of this size came about.

    Adderpaw was pinned under a hefty tom smelling like redwood trees and bird crap. It was the young cat's first battle, and he was clearly out matched. In his time of need, all his battle skills seemed to allude him, leading him to bat his paws loosely at the stomach of the ginger BirdClan warrior.

    Letting out a snarl, he tried to sink his teeth into the warrior's paw, only to feel the claws of that very same paw rip into the side of his face. Dammit! Why was this so hard? No one had warned him fighting would be really, really, really difficult! Adderpaw'd barely managed one claw into the other cat's pelt.

ooc.
Tis an all out brawl. Feel free to make up your own enemies, or attack current cats. Please avoid the leaders for now though.<3
Oh, and no killing any other cats, mkay?(:

[Willow]

Willowbreeze hissed and backed away from the fighting. Her ears were pinned down and she lashed her tail as she backed away. "Stop! What if Starclan is angered because of this?" She cried out to a couple of fighting cats nearby. She tried to get to the edge of the gathering area. Maybe if she got there she would be able to keep out of the fighting, or possibly be able to break up a few fights in order to get other cats to the edge with her. She wanted this to stop, it was a /gathering/ not a battle! 'Oh Starclan, please let this stop!' She prayed silently as she maneuvered around two fighting cats.

[chirrup !]

Fur was flying and fear-scent permeated the air. Claws extended, cats leapt and tacked each other, disregarding each others’ ages and Clans. It was through this death-trap that Ashfall was going to cross, for she could clearly see her apprentice being threatened by menacing warriors from another Clan. Anger radiated from Ashfall - Nightpaw was only an apprentice! Had they no shame or compassion?

Well, Ashfall wasn’t about to blindly throw herself down into that massacre. Eyes frantically darting about, Ashfall mentally mapped out her course. With a sharp heave, she launched up onto the Three Stones, muttering apologies under her breath. Her steps, light and quick, brought Ashfall close to her apprentice, who thankfully hadn’t yet been attacked by the large warriors. Coiling her back muscles, Ashfall sprang with the power of a true BirdClan warrior, right onto the back of the heaviest tom. She knew she was outmatched physically, but Ashfall had the element of surprise on her side.

The startled tom lost his balance, as Ashfall had expected him to. Pitching forward, Ashfall barely released her claws in time to avoid being squashed against the ground as the tom fell. Without hesitation she tore past him, pausing only to rake his exposed face her hind leg once before continuing on. Tonight her mission was not to kill, but to rescue.

The other warriors had noticed their fellow tom’s attack, and subsequently had redirected their attention to Ashfall. Perfect. “Nightpaw, run!” Ashfall only managed to get those few words out before the three warriors leapt, hatred seething from their eyes. The BirdClan warrior was aware of her very poor odds, and so once again she utilized her powerful jumping skills to try and clear the warriors and get to high ground, where she hoped Nightpaw had fled. However, the warriors had anticipated this act, and just as Ashfall was clearing their heads one sprang up with surprising agility. He only had to bat her lightly with a paw, and Ashfall’s trajectory was abruptly changed and she slammed back into the ground, the Three Stones mocking her from just a mouse-length away.

Her breath taken away, Ashfall lay there in acute pain as the warriors advanced. It took a moment too long, but Ashfall regained her breath and struggled to her paws, determined to fight the enemies with every last vestige of energy that she had.

It turned out the she-cat wouldn’t have to, for the advancing warriors became unexpectedly preoccupied with another battle, they were lost in the midst of flying fur and teeth. Sighing in relief, Ashfall slowly and painfully followed the base of the Three Stones to the edge of the clearing. She surveyed the scene before her - cats lay on the ground, prone or mewling in pain. Blood slicked the ground; several times Ashfall had nearly slipped. It killed Ashfall to see another BirdClan apprentice, Adderpaw, being pinned by a large tom - she wanted to help, she just needed to, but she physically couldn’t. “Somebody… help Adderpaw,” Ashfall mewed as loudly as she could, only to be swamped by another wave of pain. Somewhere down the line she had acquired a massive, bloody gash on her left hindleg, and her lungs were still on fire from both the exertion of fighting and from being knocked onto the ground.

Dizziness threatening to overwhelm her, Ashfall crawled as far she could before collapsing. Overhead, the bright light of the full moon was the last image in the she-cat’s mind before blackness enveloped her.

[~*;Saki;*~]

Shadowstripe jerked his head up, eyes on the cat that had Adderpaw pinned. He snarled, crouching down, and he took off, ramming his shoulder into the other cat's side. "Paws off the apprentice." The tom snapped.

Riverstar hopped onto one of the rocks, letting out a loud, strong yowl. "Stop this at once! You all are acting like a bunch of kits!" She growled. Do you wish to anger StarClan further with all this fighting?! It is unnecessary!" She changed her gaze to Rootstar. "Control your clan!" She hissed.

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[Mint]

the gathering

     "My Clan?" Rootstar snarled, turning on Riverstar. How dare she blame him for this? StarClan knew that his Clan hadn't broke a damn rule! They followed the Warrior Code like they should, even if her Clan didn't! "If you're Clan wasn't-" His retort was cut off though, by snarling at the rock base.

     A dark brown tabby was rolling around with a smaller silver she-cat. Tail lashing angrily, Rootstar leaned over the edge of the rocks, letting out a snarl.

     But Openstar beat him to it. "Get off my warrior, you mouse-brained fool!" Shoving the she-cat to the side roughly, the brown tabby glared up at the rocks.

     "StarClan hates you!" Spat the tabby, fur bristling. A wave of unease flashed through Rootstar, and he gazed down at the brown tabby.

     "Birchheart, put away your claws!" The leader shouted at his deputy.

     Instead of doing such, the tabby let out a ferocious hiss, and launched himself up the rock. Eyes growing wide, the long haired leader hopped back, unsure if his own deputy would attack him.

     Birchheart slammed into Openstar's side, both cats howling. A flash of claws, and the rocks were covered with a splatter of blood. Rootstar froze with horror. Openstar was stumbling away from SwampClan's deputy, neck sliced open. Terrible shaking over took the BirdClan leader as he lost a life.

     And Birchheart raised a paw, ready to strike again.

     "No!" Anger pouring through him, the leader serged forward, tackling Birchheart. The only thing that raced through his mind was rage, rage that his own deputy would commit such a sin. His own deputy.

     When Birchheart disappeared from under his paws, the long haired tom wasn't quite sure what happened. Then he himself managed to slip. His back paws scrambled against the smooth stone, and Rootstar only barely managed to pull himself away from the ledge.

     Birchheart was laying in a growing pile of blood at the base of the rocks, not moving. Chest heaving, Rootstar withheld the need to puke. No, his deputy had to be fine. He didn't just kill his own deputy, even by accident.

     A skinny old tabby she-cat emerged from the fighting cats, and made her way over to the fallen cat. The SwampClan leader watched with horror as she leaned over Birchheart, gave the tabby's pelt one sniff, then shook her head.

     What had he done? What had he done? Head tilting back, Rootstar gazed up at silverpelt and the glowing moon. StarClan would hate him. What had he done?

     A strike of thunder ripped through the crowd, and the cats fell silent, their fighting forgotten. No matter the mixed signals before- the thunderbolt was all they needed to know that StarClan wanted them silent. Scared yellow, green, and blue eyes darted about, blood gleaming silver in the moonlight.

     The faces all swiveled towards the Three Rocks, as if they expected their leaders to share wise words. Rootstar felt like puking all over again. Birchheart. Birchheart had been a fine deputy.

     Gasps; Openstar had pushed himself to his paws, and all the cats in the clearing could see the gash on his neck. Forcing himself to look at what his deputy had done, Rootstar took in the bright red cuts. StarClan could not heal it.

     Or was StarClan no longer around to heal it? That thought was so chilling, Rootstar shoved it out of his mind.

     The next words stilled the crowd. "Shadowstr-" Pausing to cough hard, Openstar struggled to continue, "Sha-shadowstripe must not succeed me!" Shocked whispers broke out from all around the clearing. "He must not! He is... he will..." Openstar spoke slowly, struggling to breathe, "... will not be leader... no..."

     Raising his head for the last time, Openstar called out across the clearing. "Gingerfur will be the next leader! Gingerfur is my true deputy!" Green eyes gleaming, the old leader took a few steps forward, paws unsteady. Then he fell, right off Three Stones, landing with a sicking thud.

     Adderpaw couldn't find the words to speak. Openstar was dead, and why did Rootstar look so simply horrified? Was it because StarClan hadn't healed Openstar? And... why? Why was Gingerfur not elected deputy first? Why the fight, why anything? It was so confusing, and the apprentice hadn't ever felt more tired.

ooc.
Pretty long, and a bit depressing. Sorry 'bout that.^^;

BirdClan's new leader : Gingerstar, role played by Ku.
Congratulations!

[~*;Saki;*~]

Confusion fell over the young deputy. Openstar.. He couldn't mean that.. I-I should take the role, n-not Gingerfur... Shadowstripe's body shook, thoughts racing in and out of his mind.

He looked up at Silverpelt, ears drawn back. "Th-this can't be right.. He shook his head. "Openstar can't be serious.. I-I was supposed to be chosen, not another warrior!" He meowed frantically, confusion in his eyes.

"Oh, dear..." Riverstar's lips curled into a frown. StarClan had to have left the clans, and this worried the she-cat. Her head snapped over to SwampClan's deputy and she shook her head. What shall befall us now?

[Willow]

Willowbreeze stared up at the leaders in shock. Openstar was dead? And Gingerfur, no, Gingerstar, was her leader now? But why hadn't Shadowstripe been chosen? He was the original deputy. She realized that her mouth was open and she closed it with an audible snap as she fought through the crowd trying to find Hazelpaw, her apprentice. "Hazelpaw!" She called out anxiously, she hoped that the young she-cat was alright, she didn't even want to know how many cats had died that night. She knew of two, but she wished that there would be no more deaths.

[>>ku.]

   Gingerfur hissed in rage as he leapt at one of the fighting cats, tackling her to the ground as her claws tried to rake his side. Stupid Swampclan! How dare they start this! It had to be them! They were the ones who had objected to Openstar's choice of deputy - they doubted Birdclan! He hissed as she spun to face him, ducking under the claws to tense before plowing into her stomach, larger size helping him drag her across the ground and dig his claws into her belly. She snarled and shrieked as he did, though he did more of the snarling, and she more of the shrieking. They doubted Birdclan, they doubted a Leader who had shown more courage and faith in Starclan then all of their pathetic clan!

   The air was driven from his chest as something hit him from the side, claws finding their mark on his back. He snarled and hissed, twisting under the claws to throw his own claws at the tom's face, eyes flashing in recognition of the Grassclan cat. Grassclan! The traitors! He had ben about to claw the other cat's eyes out when the flash of thunder made him cower, hesitating before smacking his paw - claws sheathed now, reluctantly - into the distracted cats terrified face. Hissing slightly he bounded to his own paws just as the other was knocked off his.

   His body was shaking, he realised, and he held his ground, legs spread out to hold his weight evenly should something - someone - come at him from another direction. Only...He turned his head, staring over at Three Rocks with narrowed yellow eyes as he tried to spot the three leaders who should have stopped this beginning. Wait...Was that...Birch-heart? Oh, Starclan it was; the Swampclan deputy was dead? He stood a little straighter as he stared, glancing up with worry at the top of Three Rocks. The Leaders! How had they allowed this to happen?

   He wailed as he saw the cuts on Openstar's neck, taking two leaps forwards to get closer. Not Openstar! He was a good leader, a fine warrior, Starclan had to heal his wounds for his next life! Or had he run out? He couldn't remember if he had, he couldn't remember! The cat had done nothing but follow Starclan's orders all his life, why punish him now for something that obviously not his fault?

As the other tom began to speak Shadowstripe's name, Gingerfur listened with open ears, expecting nothing more then the announcement of the tom as the new leader of Birdclan - he was the Deputy, and Gingerfur expected nothing else from his old Leader. To follow the code..."Sha-shadowstripe must not succeed me!" He froze. Not suceed him? But he was Deputy! He had to suceed him! He spun, paws feeling weak as he tried to find the dark cat, to ask why he wouldn't be - eyes were suddenly on him and he froze. "Gingerfur will be the next leader! Gingerfur is my true deputy!"

[/i] He almost slipped on the bloody grass, eyes widening as he tried desperately to find Shadowstripe, so say this was a mistake! [/color] 'I cannot be Leader! I don't...I don't even...Starclan help me!'

   Gingerfur stood shivering - adrenaline still rushing through his veins from the fight, his head swimming - as he stared at the cats around him. It couldn't be him... ”Shadowstripe! He can't have...He shouldn't...” He stopped, not quite knowing what he should say.

'It cannot be me...'[/size]
[/blockquote][/blockquote]

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ooc ; no banner...that says the wrong thing XD but yay! go gingerfur!
word count ; 590
song ; edie ; leddra chapman

[/size]

[Prowler]

HAZELPAW

Even the young apprentice couldn't believe what had happened. She herself had gotten into a few scuffles, though she tried not to. Even she, originally a kittypet, had known the warrior code well. She limped through the crowd of cats, following her mentor's calls. "Willowbreeze!," she mewed loudly. Finally she spotted the ginger colored she-cat.

"There you are!," she growled as she got closer and closer to Willowbreeze. Her right paw had been injured in the few scuffles she was involved in, and her new found limp was visual proof. She sat next to her mentor's leg and leaned against it for comfort. "Are you okay?," she asked with concern, though deep down she was also confused about why Shadowstripe was not to succeed BirdClan's leader this time around.

I'll prove myself some day.

[Willow]

Willowbreeze sighed in relief as she saw her apprentice walking towards her. "Oh thank goodness you are alright, but you should get that leg looked at," She meowed as she hadn't missed the limp that her apprentice was showing. She was proud that her apprentice had come off alright, that would help prove to Birdclan that the apprentice was loyal, despite her Kittypet heritage.

"Are you okay?,"

Willowbreeze smiled tiredly and smiled gratefully at Hazelpaw as the young apprentice sat near her. "Yes, I am fine," She meowed in reply to Hazelpaw's question. "I am just worried by what happened to Openstar, and how Gingerfur became the leader instead of Shadowstripe. What is more worrying is that Starclan couldn't heal Openstar's wounds." She said even softer, in a barely audible meow.