Closed Thread [ACTIVITY CHECK] TC Pre-Gathering Meeting [14LG20]

Sunstrike wanted to scream as she traipsed back into camp. Running into Wildcry on her hunting trip made the rain even less pleasant, and it didn't help she didn't manage to find a single piece of freshkill. All she wanted to do was lie down in her nest but Moosestar's call from atop the Highrock made her stomach plummet.

It wasn't that she didn't like Gatherings... actually that was exactly it. She could remember when Sparrowpaw would always volunteer to take her spot when she was chosen as an apprentice - excited to meet the other cats of the clan. Her opinion on the matter was simple. Each clan should mind its own business and keep to themselves; why meet with cats she would inevitably have to face in combat?

That and... She didn't want to admit it but Moosestar worried her. Not in the same way as many of her clanmates mind you - she wasn't one to judge on hearsay and assumptions. Actions spoke louder than words and it was too early to say how Moosestar would lead the clan. But the friendliness that he showed others -  especially clan cats outside the clan - it set her hair on end.

So despite her misgivings, she stepped up to the High rock and waited for his choice. A sodden Bravesong stood not far from her, and she raised her tail in greeting.

In this weather she doubted anyone would contest her interest in the gathering.

Wrentalon stifled a growl as he padded into the camp clearing, the rain weighing down his heavy brown fur. With this growing downpour, he wondered if a real Gathering would even be possible; there was no doubt that every cat would want to leave as soon as it started. They all had dry dens to get back to--or mostly dry, at least. He couldn't help but feel a long trek through a partially-flooded forest was more trouble than it was worth, but even he didn't deny the importance of a clan Gathering. He liked being able to observe the other clans whenever possible, and part of him indeed wanted to go, even if it meant coming home completely soaked and sleep-deprived. He wrapped his tail neatly around his paws, if for no other reason than to hide the fact that his claws were flexing with irritation in the wet soil.

Thought the rain was heavy and heavily soaked her coat, Mistyleaf did not mind the weather as much as one might expect of a ThunderClan cat (or at least out of some of gathered). Instead, as she joined the others at the Highrock and sat near Bravesong, she wondered how the other clans managed with presumably much less tree coverage than they had. Given their continued existence, Mistyleaf knew they managed just fine in their own ways, but were they too as grumpy as her Clanmates in downpours such as this?

While her sister had been checking the den for leaks and plugging whatever holes were found, Dovepaw had been on her paws cleaning out each den, making doubly sure the bedding was pressed dry as she changed each nest in turn. Sighing wearily, though a bit more dry than Brindlepaw, the dilute tortoiseshell apprentice made her way over to her fellow apprentice and bit back a groan as she felt the rain start to seep into her fur. Well, she had been dry.

Tigerrush peered from her den under the High Rock to listen. She was thankful for the rain to have come and attempt to tame the heat. That meant some fresh herbs might be available for collection soon, even if it didn't bring an end to the heat of Greenleaf. As her clan gathered to listen to Moosestar, the medicine cat let her sharp green gaze drift around the assembly to see if she could see any sign of developing sickness or any unexpected injuries that might have popped up that she had missed. The little brown tabby wanted to be sure her clanmates were as close to 100% as she could have them before she left for the Gathering.

Wrentalon nodded with a huff. He wasn't surprised he'd been chosen to go--he and Sunstrike were the ones who broke the news that there was an odd loner hanging about, after all. That was something the rest of the clans ought to know about. And he needed to be sure that Moosestar would deliver the news. He took a vole from the fresh-kill pile, crouching down in a dry spot of the camp to quickly eat before heading out.

Sunstrike tried not to let her disappointment show. She couldn't help but wonder why out of all the cats in the clan Moosestar chose two who were possibly the loudest in their malcontent with his leadership. Perhaps that was the point.

After a moment of mulling over the question while watching her leader, she padded over to the freshkill pile. Might as well wish Wrentalon a safe trip - he might need it tonight with the rain.

"Do you think Moosestar will tell the other clans about the loner?" Sunstrike crouched next to Wrentalon and shook out front paw before hooking a soggy mouse and pulling it towards herself. Silence settled as they ate before she piped up again - somewhat awkwardly. 

"Don't do anything reckless tonight. Starclan seems upset for some reason." She flicked the water off her ears in emphasis. "and Thunderclan needs the fearless Wrentalon in top fighting form." Her eyes followed Savagefox across the camp, more out of curiosity than hostility. What did he think about being called to the gathering?

Wrentalon felt a small pang of sympathy for his fellow warrior as Sunstrike crouched beside him. She had to be feeling dejected, even if she was keeping up her usual aloof demeanor. He had no idea why he'd been chosen while she hadn't--there was no making sense of Moosestar's decisions sometimes. At least one of us is going at all.

When she asked whether their leader would mention the loners, he swallowed a large bite of prey. "He'd better! I mean, if it were one loner that we chased off, that wouldn't be as much of an issue. But this tom acted as if he were a clan cat himself! I can only imagine he'd target all the clans if he has ill intentions." The growl in his throat faded as he finished his thought.

He looked at her almost in surprise as she issued her warning. The sky was pouring a steady, hard rain. Come to think of it, the light of the full moon was not as strong as it ought to be for a good gathering. Perhaps Sunstrike had a penchant for reading omens. "I won't start any fights," he promised, "but I'll certainly finish them if any come up." Part of being in top fighting form was practice, after all.

Then he followed her gaze to the cat across camp. That one was certainly odd, as well, but a reliable warrior. At least, he thought so.