Warriors: Reign of Fear

[VanilleFF13]

Moonpaw let out a small cry of outrage. Facing the rogues that called themselves a 'Clan', she cried, "StarClan? How dare you speak of StarClan at a gathering!" she screeched. "StarClan has abandoned us! We haven't abandoned them!" Fire raged inside the medicine cat's blue eyes towards the rogues, but also towards StarClan. She had thought she had a connection with the stars, but then she learned the truth; that StarClan was no longer with them. For countless half-moons she tried to connect with them, regardless of what others said. Other RiverClan warriors moved closer to her, to try and calm her down, hushing her. Moonpaw resisted at first, giving the rogues a few nasty hisses, but finally sat down, eyeing them with hatred.

 

Ravenfrost's amber eyes narrowed to slits. "A true warrior?" she echoed. "The warrior code states that a true warrior doesn't have to kill to be victorious. But you're stating otherwise," she challenged. "You clearly haven't been sent here by StarClan." Pain shown through her eyes at the mention of StarClan, but she shook it away.

 

((I keep getting nija'd D:))

Edited January 21, 2012 by VanilleFF13

[Stunningfire]

Lightningstar raised her tail again for silence, then turned to the rogues. "I apologize for our rudeness," she meowed evenly. "If you will leave now, I believe that we will all be better off." There was a warning in her tone. Don't make us drive you out by force . . . The jet-black she-cat's heart was beating as fast as a mouse's, but she continued to fix Eagle with her stern gaze. Nothing showed that the leader was frightened and uncertain besides an occasional twitch of the tip of her tail and the fur on her neck bristling. Help me! Lightningstar silently pleaded of the other Clan leaders.

[Kokay]

Quietpaw knew the other Clans were outraged, but he couldn't deal with it by himself. His whole body shuddered as he looked at the powerful cat just a few paces away from himself. He backed up. He moved slowly, back still arched and his teeth still bared. He was terrified. No longer did he feel as though the strength of the Clan was right at his back. He felt as though they were all too afraid to stand up. And, if it came down to them or him, he would be the one dead. These dark thoughts plagued his mind until he did something he never thought he would. He ran. Quietpaw sprinted away from the Gathering, running back to the camp. No, he turned directions. He ran up a tree and kept going. He hid his small body in the crook of the branches and closed his eyes, forcing himself to calm down.

 

~~~

 

Eagle's lip lifted in a snarl. "You cats are foolish. Can you not see your history? Surely your medicine cats could tell you, or perhaps your Elders would be more capable of doing so. In the beginning, every one of your foolish Clans didn't exist. You were all Rogues! A great battle took place and then StarClan came, stopping the fighting and creating the Clans! Which one of you, who never speaks to StarClan, can tell me that the same has not happened to us?! Which one of you has the courage to step up and see if I, like your leaders, truly have nine lives?" He yowled. His challenge hung dangerously in the air, the cats behind him were silent as though they trusted him and only him. His eyes seemed to pierce the hearts of every cat there.

[Laurarockstar]

((Figured they cant all be againtst them))

 

Boulderpaw shook his head. "Mousebrained cats!" he called addressing the real clans. "Don't you see?!" he cried. "Starclan has not abandoned us! Why do you dissagree with the truth? They have finally come back!" he called, very loudly, stepping up. The poor medicine cat was crushed when he realized StarClan was not part of his duty, after hearing it's amazing stories. And finally, after so long, StarClan had forgiven them for their cowardly flee from the lake, and these thick headed cats could not see it!

 

[TwilightMoonDragon]

"Enough!" Lionstar raised his voice for what seemed like moons. He lashed his tail once, and glared at the Clan. "StarClan did not bring you here. They have not been among us for moons!"

"Hush now!" Leafpath cried, looking at Boulderpaw. "Let the Gathering take it's course."

 

((Fail!))

[Kokay]

"Come down to me, now! Foolish Leader! StarClan is among you! They watch everything you do! They have always been among you and they always will be." Eagle yowled. Perhaps his voice didn't rumble quite like Lionstar's did. But, his voice carried a certain, horrid malice that made even the cats who he'd lived with cringe. "See what StarClan has done for me! I have nine lives like you! Or, perhaps you are fearful of what I could do to your mortal body if we were in combat?" Eagle was, obviously, bluffing. He was the only own who knew it.

[TwilightMoonDragon]

Lionstar was oh so tempted to leap down there and fight Eagle. This couldn't be the cats that StarClan sent to them. Oh no. His yellowish eye looked up at the round, full moon. No. Even if he did not believe that StarClan was there, he still loved them with a passion. He loved evey single claw in StarClan. "No." he said, rasing his voice even more. "The full moon symbolizes peace among the Clans for one night. I am not one to break the truce."

 

 

[Kokay]

Eagle's mouth twitched nervously. "You should listen to your apprentice. The young medicine cat knows." His eyes locked onto every Leader there. "I will be attending Gatherings from here forth. Anyone who does not support this idea will not only answer to me, but to StarClan." At once, The Clan moved organized. He turned around and walked back into the forest, The Clan surrounding him as he left. The others would learn. They would learn soon enough that The Clan wasn't joking around.

[Stunningfire]

There was a drawn-out silence in the clearing as Eagle left, The Clan along with him. Every cat was terrified. Then, an apprentice broke the silence with a "wow" and every cat exploded into commenting on what had just happened and their opinions. "Did you see how Eagle looked? His eyes!" "I don't believe for a moment that StarClan sent them." "Well, I don't know . . . " Lightningstar shook herself slightly and raised her tail for silence a third time. The clamor quieted down gradually. "Please," the leader meowed, "let us continue on with our Gathering." She'd rather not think about what just happened until she was safely in her nest.

 

Hazelpaw checked to see that Eagle and The Clan were truly gone, then slipped out through the cats to find Quietpaw. Nobody else seemed to have noticed that he was gone. When he left, there was a look of terrified panic on his face. Perhaps Hazelpaw could do something to calm the poor ThunderClan apprentice down; she was quite good with that. She followed the scent trail Quietpaw had left until she found him up a tree. "Quietpaw?"

[TwilightMoonDragon]

"I agree with Lightningstar," Lionstar murmured, flicking his tail to show that he meant business. "It is time for the Gathering to continue. I allow RiverClan to begin the Gathering." he dipped his broad head toward the she cat with the white streak on her flank.

"Hey, Quietpaw!" Emberpaw shouted loudly. All the cats that were listening glared at her. "You're such a mouse heart! Though it was brave you stood up to the Clans!"

[SkySong278]

((not really sure if Mint and Shadow were taken with The Clan or not so i guess I'll just have Shadow still be there before heading back to her and Mint's territory; will edit if they were taken with Eagle))

 

Shadow just watched The Clan leave and since she wasn't sure whether to go with them or not, she just stayed where she was before moving into the shadows. She also hadn't heard an order from the leader that said to bring the hostages with them so she figured that she and Mint were left there. After a few minutes of hearing the excited chatter of the other cats and the leaders saying what they did, she turned to leave to go back to her and Mint's territory. Once she was far from the Moonpond, she shook a bit and she wasn't sure if that was a combination of fear and hurt from how The Clan treated her or if being at the gathering of ThunderClan, ShadowClan, RiverClan, and WindClan got to her and made her nervous. She figured that it was just her hurting from the injuries that she sustained while in The Clan's company. After awhile of walking, she was able to pick up her and Mint's scents only in the territory that she had now gotten to with slight traces of The Clan but it was mostly her and Mint's scents and that made her smile as she headed to their camp.

 

Streampelt was relieved when The Clan left and just had her attention go to all the cats gathered there since they were talking about the rogues that had just left before hearing Lightningstar and Lionstar say that the Gathering should continue. Off to the side, she heard an apprentice shout loudly to another apprentice that she figured a was friend and turned her head to look at her. She could see that some other cats were doing that too but they were glaring at the young apprentice. With a sigh, she just turned her attention back to the leaders and waited to hear what they had to report. She was eager to find out what the other three clans were up to and wanted to hear what they had to say. She was also curious about what Lightningstar would say so she kept her attention on the leaders.

[Laurarockstar]

Once the odd clan left, Oakpaw stopped shaking. "Hahaha..." he nerously laughed, trying to lighten the very tense mood. "Well... uhm... that was different..." he said to Bluepaw, still pressed againtst her and not making any action that meant her would move. The turned back to the leaders and waited to see what they would do. They would probably say nothing at all about it. The Clan's scent still hung in the air and it uneases Oakpaw how he had not heard them coming... They were very silent... It was only small relief when he heard heard the rouges leaving. He glared slightly at the smug looking Boulderpaw. It seemed he was safe from the clan, maybe he had the right idea...

[Kokay]

Quietpaw shifted. He had been in the same place for a while. Now he heard two voices calling to him. One, he could tell, was Emberpaw. The other he knew vaguely. It took a moment, but then it dawned in him. It was Hazelpaw. He looked down at the two she cats. "I know. I'm sorry. It just felt like he wanted to kill me. I don't think that I could have even scratched that mangy cat's fur." Quietpaw muttered. He climbed down nimbly. He looked at Hazelpaw. Just being around her sometime made him fel calm.

[Hollyleaf]

Jayflight narrowed his blue eyes. This group of rogues was clearly going to be causing trouble for some time, if they weren't stopped soon. Lightningstar had sounded confident and commanding, but knowing her well, he could detect a faint waver in her voice. He didn't want to think about what would happen until later. Glancing over at Streampelt, who was sitting quietly next to him, he noticed she looked relived to be continuing with the Gathering as they normally did.

 

Haven stalked around the edge of the clearing, her dark indigo eyes flashing almost violet in the moonlight. She could clearly see the leaders perched on the fallen branch, with troubled expressions and ruffled fur. Wrapping her tailaround her ink-black paws, she sat down in the shade of a bush to listen. If The Clan tried to recruit her, she certainly wouldn't be joining, no matter what they offered her. Even if Haven wanted to take revenge on the four Clans, she wasn't about to do it at the cost of her free will.

[SkySong278]

Streampelt glanced back over at Jayflight when she saw him out of the corner of her eye do the same. She then had her attention go back to the leaders, wondering if she had enough courage to ask him to go on a border patrol with her tomorrow when they headed back to camp. She hoped she did since she really wanted to ask him that. She also hoped that he would agree to do so. She then sighed softly as she remembered what Eagle did to one of his own cats, not being able to get the image out of her head and her tail absentmindedly brushed against his in its small agitation and making her blush a bit when she knew what it did. "Sorry," she whispered softly before looking up at the moon.

[TwilightMoonDragon]

((To give Stun some ideas, I'll have Lion go first. ^^))

 

Lionstar rolled his eyes and puffed out his chest, getting up and parting his jaws to speak. "Now the we're starting, I wish to start first." he let out a sigh. "ThunderClan is well. Other than losing two warriors to a dog attack. It was a big one; it came into our camp and destroyed most of our dens, but we've repaired and fixed them. ThunderClan is and always will be strong." he turned to Froststar, Foxstar, and Lightningstar. "I suggest that the rest of the Clans should heighten their border patrols and report at the Gathering if they see any sign of rogues that Eagle is leading. I also wish to go with the leaders in a few sunrises to Moonpond to see if any word from StarClan comes."

[VanilleFF13]

Shaking her head, Ravenfrost refused to listen to another word Eagle spoke. She kept her head down the rest of the time was was there and tried to close out all the noise around her. She smiled happily as the Gathering commenced. As Lionstar spoke of ThunderClan, Ravenfrost, among other ThunderClan warriors, cheered.

 

Moonpaw couldn't believe how Eagle has spoke about StarClan as if they were right above their heads, amonst the stars. "That's fox dung!" she cursed under her breath. "StarClan has long since abondoned us. As medicine cat, I should know." Shaking her head furiously, she listened to what the leaders had to say.

[Stunningfire]

Lightningstar frowned slightly as Lionstar said that he wished to start first, but she shrugged and stepped back without complaint. She was still slightly shaken up about The Clan and what it had done, but she refused to let it show. Once Lionstar was done, the RiverClan leader stepped forward. "Thank you, Lionstar. I will take your suggestion, and look forward to meeting the rest of you at the Moonpond." She looked at Froststar and Foxstar as if daring them to argue, then began her report. "RiverClan is well also. We are thriving on the fish and voles we are catching, and for once not having trouble with dogs or foxes. I would like to welcome a new apprentice: Bluepaw." She paused to let the Clans cheer for a little while, then waved her tail for silence. "Thank you, that is all I have to say." She stepped back and nodded to Foxstar, signaling that the WindClan leader should continue.

 

Bluepaw was still pressed up against Oakpaw and realized with a thrill of happiness that he wasn't pulling away. The fear she felt was eased by his warmth, and she purred softly. "Well, I wouldn't know, this is my first Gathering," the young apprentice meowed. She listened respectfully as Lionstar gave his report, then perked up her ears when Lightningstar stepped forward. She introduced her to all the Clans, and Bluepaw blushed with pride, ducking her head. The happiness of the moment, being recognized in front of all the Clans, and Oakpaw still pressed against her side reassuringly, erased all memories and uncertainty about The Clan for the moment.

 

"It's all right," Hazelpaw purred reassuringly. She placed her tail-tip on Quietpaw's shoulder. "We all felt the same. That rogue has no business killing a cat right in front of us," the WindClan she-cat spat, her fur bristling. "Come on, let's go back. We've probably already missed a leader's report by now." She led Quietpaw back to the Gathering and settled next to him near the back. Lionstar had finished his report and Lightningstar was now speaking. She cheered Bluepaw's name along with everyone else, making sure that Quietpaw was okay and not going in to shock beside her. He seemed all right - like all of the other cats Hazelpaw had calmed in the past.

[Kokay]

Quietpaw followed her silently. He felt much better than he had before. Eagle had angered him into action. That was something rarely attained by the worst of cats. Quietpaw was an inherently calm cat and didn't like the idea that he had lost control. It was uncomfortable to him. But worse than that was the fact that he had fled the scene. Hazelpaw assured him that it was okay and that any other cat would have done the same, but he just couldn't take it to heart. To him, they were just kind words.

[Laurarockstar]

Foxstar narrowed her eyes. "Windclan isss doing amazing." she said whith her usual snake-like voice and prolounged 's'. "We are healthier and ssstronger then ever and we are ready for anything, a pesssky dog won't bother usss." she said with a wave of her tail. "Prey isss plentiful, no worry of usss ssstarving." Her red fur reflected the light of the moon, slightly, making her stand out. The Windclan leader stepped back, head high. The appearance of the clan barley bothered her, just another bump in the road.

Edited January 23, 2012 by Laurarockstar

[Stunningfire]

Mint waited, hardly daring to breathe as Eagle herded The Clan out of the clearing. When they left, he heaved a sigh of relief. They seemed to have left him and Shadow there - they were free. The actual four Clans ignored him, and he wasn't really interested in this Gathering of theirs, so he turned to leave. Shadow seemed to have the same idea, and he brushed his pelt against hers as they headed back to camp. Mint was so, so glad that ordeal was over. The Clan seriously creeped him out, and he was constantly worrying that they would do to him and Shadow what they did to that poor other rogue. Oh yes - the body of that rogue. They couldn't just leave it there; that was way too disrespectful.

 

"Don't mind me; go back to camp," Mint murmured to Shadow. He briefly touched his nose to hers - he was still very very relieved that she was safe - and slipped back to the Gathering site. He could hear the leader they called "Foxstar" giving her report with a snake-sounding voice that sent shivers down Mint's spine. And that was why he didn't want to join the Clans - there was no way he could approve of each and every cat, and he wanted to sleep, hunt, eat, and fight with cats he trusted completely. For now, the only cat he trusted completely was Shadow, and it would probably stay that way for a long time. Not that he minded, of course. The black-furred she-cat was his best friend.

 

Mint found the body of the dead rogue on the side of the Gathering site. The Clan cats seemed to have forgotten all about it. He dragged the cat's body, still warm, to a small stream running nearby and buried it. Poor cat - he probably had a family somewhere that missed him, maybe a mate or kits, his whole life before him . . . a life taken by those nasty rogues that called themselves The Clan. A jolt of anger shot through Mint. These rogues shouldn't be allowed to do this; he would stop them at whatever it took, even if he had to join the four Clans to do it. Only for a little while, of course. But what these rogues were doing was wrong - very, very wrong.

 

Mint lashed his tail once and headed back to camp. He crossed the Clan border into the territory that he and Shadow called theirs, and a feeling of peace and security washed over him. The Clan better not step into their territory again - or Mint would show them what the meaning of respect was. Fur bristling, he strolled into his and Shadow's camp, then made his fur lie down again as he greeted his friend. "Hi, Shadow," he purred, settling down next to her. "That was . . . nevermind, I don't want to talk about it." He looked deep into her eyes, reliving the feeling of desperate, helpless worry he had felt what seemed like heartbeats ago.

 

"Shadow . . . " Mint started, not sure where he was going. He wanted to tell her how much it had worried him for her to be in danger, but he wasn't sure why or how he would do that. "I was so worried . . . I thought I was going to lose you for a moment there," the tom confessed, his amber eyes very round. "I don't want to think about what I would do if I lost you forever. You're my best friend, you know," he added with a purr, nuzzling her neck affectionately. Feelings were stirring up in him that he hadn't felt before now.

 

[MY RP SKILLS ARE COMING BACK ]

[SkySong278]

((yay ))

 

Shadow had nodded in reply to what Mint had said earlier about not minding him and going back to camp before touching her nose with his and then arriving back at camp shortly afterward. Now she was laying down beside their fresh-kill pile, eating a mouse when Mint came back. "Hello," she purred back in reply before returning her attention back to the mouse. She had just finished it when he started to say something before thinking better of it before stopping all together. She sat up so that she was sitting beside him now, tilting her head a bit to the side as she wondered what he had wanted to say before he started saying what might have been what he wanted to say earlier but she wasn't sure and just listened. "I was worried about you as well and yes I know and you're my best friend too," she said with a replying purr and then purred a bit more when he nuzzled her neck affectionately. She thought that now might be a good time to confess her feelings to him but she wasn't sure if she could say what she wanted to.

[Stunningfire]

Mint smiled, his amber eyes warm as he looked at Shadow. They were so close that their pelts were brushing; he felt a strange impulse to twine his tail around hers. What am I thinking? Mint asked himself, puzzled. He liked Shadow as a friend, a sister, not as a mate . . . or did he? Mint glanced sideways at the black-furred she-cat lying next to him, licking her lips after the mouse she had just finished. Yes, he loved her - but he didn't know in what way. Sighing softly, Mint pushed away his feelings to ponder at a later time and got to his paws. As padded over to the pile of fresh-kill, memories flooded through his mind. The last time he had hunted to refill this pile . . . the fear he had felt when The Clan caught Shadow sneaking up on him, her cry of fear, the huge cat grabbing him as well . . .

 

No, I refuse to think about that. Mint pushed away the memories and grabbed a vole. He carried it in his jaws back to where Shadow was still lying, settling himself down next to her, though not as close as they were before. The tabby took a huge bite of the vole, realizing that he was famished. He hadn't eaten in what seemed like ages and he gulped down the rest of the vole in one bite.

[Hollyleaf]

[bwahaha found evil purple for Haven nice job peanut!]

 

Haven got to her paws, plucking a withered leaf from her shoulder as she did so. The Clan was bad news, but as long as she stayed out the way, everything would be alright. Yes, so a cat was dead. As long as it wasn't her, who cared? Her family was most likely dead anyways, but she just wanted to know who they were. Haven glanced up at the moon. Faint wisps of clouds dangled near the huge white sphere, but nothing else did except for the dozens of twinkling stars. It will be a clear night. She set off towards her current shelter, but she'd stayed there too long. Almost two moons had passed since she had last switched dens. It was just a matter of time before she moved on.

 

Haven stretched, allowing a low growl to rumble from deep in her throat. If she planned it right, someone would be able to tell her who her family was. At least one cat would know about her parents, or siblings. When they were at her mercy, she'd show all of them what she could do. And I'll learn about my mother and father, and any brothers of sisters I might have had. Anyways, might as well change dens now, Haven thought, clawing up her nest and dumping the scraps into a puddle nearby. Sweeping the ground clear of paw prints with a fern, she scattered fresh dirt everywhere. After soaking the den with bundles of wet moss, she tasted the air, and satisfied that it had no trace of her scent, grabbed her small herb collection, and trotted through the undergrowth in search of a new den.

 

Haven circled the empty space warily. It looked like a nice place to stay, at least for awhile. Well-concealed by waving ferns and the trunk of a birch, the tiny clearing was just the right size for her. Not to mention a trickling stream of water that fed a shallow pool in a corner, and decent-sized hollows in a fallen tree to store her herbs in. Perfect. Tucking the dried leaves away, she decided to explore. The place she'd chosen was just outside the Clans' border, but she'd caught the faint scent of non-Clan cat markers. Just loners, she reassured herself, though the cat scent was getting stronger, as she crept towards the roots of a huge tree practically dripping with moss.

 

The bundles of fluffy green moss plopped onto the ground in front of her as Haven slashed at the roots of the tree with powerful, rhythmical strokes. Pausing to rest her claws, she caught the faint murmur of voices. Who are they? Momentarily forgetting about her freshly cut bedding, she peered around the tree to see a pair of cats sitting together, quietly talking. Berating herself for not noticing them earlier, she rolled up the moss and stuffed it under a bush. Haven skittered up the side of the tree, the ground rolling sickeningly underneath her. A twig cracked and fell down to the ground, where it struck a rock with a loud crack as it shattered. She jumped and scrabbled her way onto a branch with a clear view of the pair, though a cluster of leaves hid her. Pricking her ears, her heart pounding with shock, she waited for them to talk.

[SkySong278]

((what about Jayflight, pine?

 

Streampelt glanced back over at Jayflight when she saw him out of the corner of her eye do the same. She then had her attention go back to the leaders, wondering if she had enough courage to ask him to go on a border patrol with her tomorrow when they headed back to camp. She hoped she did since she really wanted to ask him that. She also hoped that he would agree to do so. She then sighed softly as she remembered what Eagle did to one of his own cats, not being able to get the image out of her head and her tail absentmindedly brushed against his in its small agitation and making her blush a bit when she knew what it did. "Sorry," she whispered softly before looking up at the moon.

))