CLAN MEETING

[xx snakey]

Duskstar leapt up onto High Rock, fuming. His neck was wrapped with cobwebs and he still felt weak from loosing a life, but the anger fueled the fire in his heart. The moon shown overhead, half ful in the starry sky. I hope your proud of me, Father... He thought for a moment, then looked at the moon lit clearing. "Wake up and get out here you worhtless furballs!" He snarled instead of the traditional calling. He was angry, but his anger was false. He was going to lie, and lie good, to his clan about Shadowclan. They would strike the by the next moonrise. He stood, his tail lashing, as Dawnkit and Silevrflower stumbed out of the nursery, bleary eyed and tired. He smiled, looking at his kit. It's time... He thought, sneering.

[wolfkitten]

Tumblestep would wake with a start, gasping for breath. She had been dead to the world after a wonderous hunt with Shrubwhisker and Stumbleknot. And she was curled up in her nest, which happened to be beside Shrubwhisker's... Just as it had been when they were Apprentices... And yet her close proximity with her dear friend didn't ward off the horrid dreams as it once had.

Well the she-cat looked around quickly for what had awakened her, suddenly realizing that she had heard the voice of her Clan Leader... Now Tumblestep might not agree with everything Duskstar said... But he was her Leader and she would be loyal to him... So, it was with great haste that she hefted herself out of her mossy bed, prodded Shrubwhisker gently with her nose, and moved quickly out of the den and toward High Rock. She glanced around in the gloomy darkness, before raising her gaze to the moon, smiling warmly, before moving to the base of the rock. She noticed that she was one of the first, many still rousing themselves and others, and pulling themselves out of their nests... Some were grumbling about being awakened, some were looking around in alarm... But Tumblestep would fix her gaze upon Duskstar, surveying his form in some surprise. He looked very banged up... What had happened to him... And yet she would remain silent for the time being.

[it's FiSHY, scaredy-cat.]

...S tumbleknot:.

.: Stumbleknot woke up with a start, his tail swiping in the air with a sudden jerk.

"Wake up and get out here, you worthless furballs!" a snarl echoed through the camp.

Not noticing the grumpy tone in his leader's voice, Stumbleknot pranced into the clearing with light pawsteps. The moonlight shone down brightly upon his fur, making it, for once, not look as plain as it really was. The deputy opened his jaw in a deep, rumbling yawn as he settled down next to the highrock, peering at his clanmates, whom most are still dragging themselves out of their dens. He suppressed a chuckle.

Tumblestep was already here before him, the deputy realized. "Hello there," he greeted the she-cat with a feline grin, "'Tis a late clan meeting, isn't it?"

Quietly, he awaited for a response with glowing yellow eyes.

[/blockquote]

[Breezy]

Graypaw woke with a slight start and looked around the Apprentice den to see his sister already awake. She had moved to the warrior's apprentice den after her mentor disappeared. He sighed when he realized that it was Duskstar. He quickly shook himself awake and walked out of the den with his sister still sleepy right beside him. Green eye's looked at the leader with surprise and then just calmed down "Duskstar will be ok" Graypaw thought to himself. Quickly he walked to the front with his sister and they both sat down under the high rock looked up at Duskstar. Graypaw looked at his mentor with respeat, while Silverpaw looked at him with worry of what was going on. What was going to happen to the Clan with Duskstar as leader. Graypaw was hoping that this was the time where he'd finally get his warrior name. He looked at Duskstar calmly and held hope in his eye's that looked slightly like a calm meadown of grass blowing in the wind. But those green eyes could turn hard as fangs in a moment's notice.

[spottypelt]

Ruggedstep was awake in an instant. The second his leader's voice rang through the clearing, he knew something was wrong.

"Quilwhisker, wake up!" He prodded his friend's flank with a paw, already shaking the moss from his own pelt. Quilwhisker twitched her ears and glared at Ruggedstep from behind a paw.

"What? For Clan's sake, it's moonhigh! I don't go on patrol until dusk." She snapped angrily, sour about being woken up from a particularly good dream.

"Duskstar 'called' a meeting. Get up, you great lump!" Ruggedstep butted her in the shoulder with his head, then turned and left the Warrior's den. Duskstar hadn't called the clan in the usual way, instead shouting at them rudly to get up. I wonder what's happening? Ruggedstep thought sleepily to himself. Whatever it was, it was making his paws tingle. He knew something big was coming, and this might just be the night it arrived!

Quilwhisker dragged her sleepy legs out into the clearing and plopped down next to her former meor. She was angry, but was also a little scared. Why was Duskstar calling a meeting in the middle of the night? What was happening? She couldn't help feeling that something very bad was about to happen.

[boo]

Risingfeather strolled out into the clearing and took a long, luxuious stretch. What was all this commotion about? Something about Duskstar calling a meeting? Risingfeather sat down off to the side of the growing mass of cats and, licking a forepaw, drew it lazilly over one ear.

"My my, a meeting at night? Nothing's wrong, I hope...?" He muttered to himself, not expecting anycat to answer. Risingfeather knew that Duskstar was up to something lately, and he also knew that the other clans, even Riverclan, weren't happy with Thunderclan. He hoped Duskstar wasn't going to do something rash.

[Silver]

Rosethorn woke with a start at Duskstar's furious call. Bleary eyed, the she-cat struggled to her feet, practically tripping over Shrubwhisker in the process. The mud-brown tom muttered to himself, then groaned, as he too scrambled to his feet, glancing after Tumblestep. "Duskstar is calling a meeting," she managed to mutter as she slipped outside. Shrubwhisker was at her heels for all of three seconds before he spotted Tumblestep and hurried to sit beside her. Rosethorn rolled her eyes, getting a warm feeling inside as she watched him sit beside her. Graypaw, Quilwhisker, Ruggedstep, and Stumbleknot were also out in the clearing. Rosethon situated herself so she was in earshot of Shrubwhisker and Graypaw, settling herself next to Stumbleknot. "What could all this be about?" she wondered aloud, barely allowing her voice to rise above a murmur.

[it's FiSHY, scaredy-cat.]

...S tumbleknot:.

.: Stumbleknot's attention drifted away from Tumblestep to Quilwhisker to Risingfeather to Rosethorn.

The she-cat was making a fuss as usual. Ruggedstep had called her a 'great lump'. Stumbleknot suppressed a chuckle.

The deputy overheard Risingfeather's comment, who was stretching luxuriously as he strolled outside. "Nothing wrong, I hope?" he had said. Stumbleknot, trying to stay calm, casually flicked his ear and dismissed the remark as if it hadn't been said.

Meanwhile, Rosethorn herself was getting out of her den. "What could all this be about?" she wondered out loud.

Now this made him think. Stumbleknot shifted to the side a bit and shuffled his paws. "To tell you the truth, I don't know either," he mewed. But the she-cat's question lingered in his mind. What was this clan meeting about? He peered at Duskstar, who was smiling down on his kit in a - what's that? A sneer?

Stumbleknot blinked. He had not noticed that before. He shook his head. "Nevermind that...It should just be another apprentice ceremony," he meowed, half to himself, half to Rosethorn, although either way he didn't sound very certain in his words.

[/blockquote]

[spottypelt]

"In the middle of the night?" Quilwhisker pondered. Her whiskers were quivering, and she couldn't keep her tail from trembling. "Why would he do-" But before the tabby could finish her sentence, Ruggedstep weaved his way in front of her to stare the new deputy in the face.

"Don't kid yourself, Stumbleknot. You know as well as I that this is no 'apprentice ceremony.'" He lashed his tail in emphasis, angry, but he really didn't know why. Was he angry at Stumbleknot? No...and yes. He was (almost) over that he had not been made dputy. Ruggedstep must just be anxious for Duskstar to make his anouncement.

[it's FiSHY, scaredy-cat.]

...S tumbleknot:.

.: The deputy blinked at Ruggedstep's sudden response. He hadn't been speaking to him, and hadn't expected him to retort. He turned his head around.

"You sure?" Stumbleknot flicked an ear before pinpointing the little kit overshadowed by his father on the illuminated rock, "If not, why would he have Silverkit up there?"

But as he spoke, thoughts swarmed in from his words as well. Why would he? If this was an apprentice ceremony, why is it so late?

StarClan! He hadn't even noticed it was midnight! Stumbleknot silently scolded himself for being so ignorant, and turned to look at the leader and his kit, two dark silhuoettes under the brightness of the moon's spotlight. A wispy wind breathed through the camp, and it chilled his fur.

Stumbleknot sighed. There were just so many things he couldn't grasp. Was he really worthy of being Duskstar's successor? Should Ruggedstep have been the right decision?

The deputy subtly shook his head. No, it was Duskstar's decision. It was his choice that he favored me over Ruggedstep as deputy. Stumbleknot turned around to face Ruggedstep once again.

Whatever Duskstar had in his mind now, now was the time.

[/blockquote]

[wolfkitten]

Tumblestep shivered as a cold breeze whipped through the Camp, chilling the cats that were gathered here in the dead of night. She wouldn't make so much as a sound as Shrubwhisker moved to seat himself beside her, though she would feel herself move slightly closer to him, feeling his warmth and longing to be curled again close to him in the Warrior's den. Her ears pricked to the whisperings and murmurings around her... Most of which were questions as to what this was all about. One theory she heard was that it was a simple Apprentice ceremony and she would inwardly scoff... Duskstar could be mean... But he was their Leader and he wouldn't do something so silly as that... Would he? He wouldn't wake them all up for something that could wait until the next day... She sighed slightly, but wouldn't say a thing, except mew a hushed hello to Shrubwhisker, glancing back and smiling, as she saw Rosethorn as well.

[W.in.DY.]

Spottedstorm moved torwards the crowd, rather annoyed at the fact that Duskstar decided to call a meeting during the time that should of been spent sleeping. She didn't really care about what ever he was going to say, she just wanted this to be over with so she could sleep. It wasn't that she really wanted to gouge the tom's eyes out--she really did want to-- it was just that she wasn't in the mood. Apparently. She could of sworn right about know she could curse so violently that it would set everyone on fire.


She knew where she would sit, either next to Stumbleknot(if there was a spot on the side Rosewhisker wasn't sitting on) or Ruggedstep. She really didn't care, she was tired, and at this moment, tiredness overrode any other emotion she tried to feel. She sat down. Forget it, I don't care where I sit. She thought, feeling herself nod off. This didn't really help. She had been awake the night before, and she'd probably be awake again tonight. Hopefully not.

[it's FiSHY, scaredy-cat.]

...S tumbleknot:.

.: Stumbleknot glanced at Spottedstorm, whom had just squatted down next to him. He gave her a curt nod, and diverted his attention back to Ruggedstep and the leader.

Meetings were always busy, cats scrambling into the clearing from all corners. The brown tom couldn't help but to feel overwhelmed by all the happenings, and there was so much he didn't notice, too! And with that, sheer attention was driven to the leader - all eyes on him. Except when cats were still gathering. But after that, it was silence to the core.

It was a peculiar thing, meetings, to Stumbleknot. How so many stand it so well he didn't know. But he knew it was important, those meetings, and the one happening right now had the feeling that this was going to be a very important one. But the mere fact that one day he may be the one calling on his clanmates (all eyes on him) put a lot of pressure on the deputy's shoulders.

Hopefully he'll learn in time. And - hopefully - this clan meeting will be a good one.

[/blockquote]

[xx snakey]

Duskstar snarled lightly, angered by the quiet murmurs. Had no one noticed his wounds? His absense for the passed few hours? His anger? "Silence!" He bellowed, fuming. "If you all must know why you are here it is for two reasons." He started, his tail lashing. He tried to breath deeply, tried to calm down. He rolled his stiff shoulders, sore from his battle with the Shadowclanners. "The first is a good reason. Both Dawnkit and Petalkit have reached their sixth moon, and I would like to name them apprentices as soon as Petalkit comes out here... but that cane wait. What is really pressing is Shadowclan." Be braced himself for the onslaught of protests that he knew would come.

"Now, before you start yowling at me about everything, you must understand that today they crossed the line. Three warriors attacked me on our land, of them was their deputy Marshflight. They took my first life and tried to claim the territory as their own. I was finally able to drive them away, but that kind of behavior cannot be tolorated." Duskstar lied smoothly, seamlessly. No one would be able to question him, he had wounds that supported the falsehood he had spun. "I know I told them they had until the next Gathering to make their decision, but this is not a matter of peace, it is a matter of our saftey. I believe we will only be safe in the use of an attack. We have to show them, we will not give up our territory easily." He paused, waiting for his clan to respond. He hoped they wouldn't challenge him too much.

[spottypelt]

Ruggedstep lept to his feet and yowled his approval. This had been just what he was waiting for! A chance to show thos fox-hearts that they couldn't resist Thunderclan power for long. Riverclan had already fallen, and it was now Shadowclan's turn.

"We should attack at Dawn!" Ruggedstep called to his leader, throwing a sidlong glance at the deputy. Why wasn't he as thrilled as himself? He prodded Quilwhisker in the side with a hind-paw.

Quilwhisker didn't think that was the whole truth, she had an itching feeling Duskstar was lying. But, she was quite afraid to speak up, and when Ruggedstep[ poked her side, she spoke up as well.

"I agree!" She said, making sure her voice wasn't quivering. "Shadowclan will be ours!"