[*October Gathering*]

[*Beechstar*]

OOC: Yes, I know it's early, but it take a while and we didn't have one last month.

A tabby she-cat exited her den, entering the moonlit cavern. Her eyes shone as the glowing orb hit them. She yowled, "SpiritClan, it's time to leave!"

Not waiting for her Clan, the cat exited the Clearing at a run. She looked at her surroundings, seeing that the forest's greens were growing back, just in time for the cold.

Getting back to the purpose of her run, she looked behind her, seeing her Clan had joined her. They were almost to the Moon Cavern, so she sped up. She stopped as she entered, then continued at a walk, then jumped up onto the Great Rock. Beechstar sat, waiting for everyone else to arrive.

[.:*Hawkstar*:.]

OOC:: WOO! Somewhere to post! *glares harshly at Luny*

Hawkstar slid from her den and glanced up at the moon. It was time. She padded to the Warriors' den and stuck her head in.

"Gathering," she meowed, "get up and let's go."

Not waiting for anyone to respond, the she-cat turned and began to pad slowly to the exit of camp. The breeze felt good as it teased through her coat. She sighed in relaxation, closing her eyes and allowing memory to lead her. It would be enough.

Knowing her Clan was with her at last, the tabby opened her eyes and quickened to a trot. They had plenty of time this time; unlike the last gathering, where NightClan had blown it off, needing some rest. Hawkstar still grimaced at the memory of walking in last.

Stepping into the large clearing for the Gathering, Hawkstar flicked her tail for her clan to go ahead and mingle with the others. She made her way through the small crowd, and jumped up to meet the light green gaze of Beechstar. Truthfully, Hawkstar was always wondering about her. She was always calm in the tightest situations, while everyone else was losing their nerve. That made her better in battle. Hawkstar hated that.

Nodding a polite greeting to the other tabby, the dark feline took her rightful place in the shadows of the Great Rock, laying down while they awaited the others' arrivals. She shut her pale eyes, dozing slightly. She was tired tonight.

[Nightstar]

She drifted, watching the silent camp around her and the full moon that slowly rose above her. It was time for the gathering, once again, and in her turn Nightstar would have to rouse her clan and head off to the Moon Cavern. Rising to her paws from the dense shadow in the corner of the camp she called softly, knowing that her clan would hear her and not wishing to disturb the quiet of the night.
"The moon rises. The Gathering begins. It is time to advance."
Turning she padded away, slowly as to allow her clan to wake and reach her.

Her paws trod the familiar path to the Moon Cavern and she paused momentarily before entering. Nightclan and Spiritclan were already there. Not that it mattered terribly much. Her muscles bunched under her and she sprang onto the rock. After nodding at the two leaders she glanced up at the moon, a slight frown on her face.
"The moon is bright tonight." She murmured thoughtfully. There was a slightly troubled expression on her face, seemingly at odds with the moons brightness, or maybe the moon was the reason for the expression.
Slowly she sat down, her eyes drifting across the assembled cats.

[.:*Hawkstar*:.]

Hawkstar's green eyes flicked in the direction of movement, and her gaze followed the lean body of Nightstar up to the leaders' rock.

"It is," she agreed softly to the black cat's comment about the intensity of the moon. "Do you sense something wrong with it? I have been awfully sleep-deprived lately." She turned her eyes to the other leader as well. "Do either of you think that StarClan is sending a message through the moon tonight? Haven't seen one this bright in a long while..."

She allowed herself to trail off carelessly, as if the topic disinterested her. She glanced out in the direction of StreamClan. They were going to be late if they didn't get here soon.

[{Lunarstar}]

Lunarstar's eyes opened slowly, the bright yellow orbs glowing alone in the dark den. She stood, shaking out her rumpled black fur. It was the night of the Gathering. Arching her back and stretching, she stepped out of her dark stone den into the moon-lit clearing. The bright circle contrasted greatly with the night sky, almost like a snowflake on a black cat's pelt.

With a short yawn, Lunarstar drifted to the Warrior's Den, where all of her useless warriors --the exception being Smokescore-- slept. She stuck her head in, "wake up! It's the night of the Gathering!" then retreated to the center of the camp.

Lunarstar's head lifted to the moon again, it was odd. The clearing was brightly lit, you could walk anywhere and see exactly what you were doing. The moon seemed to be radiating light, like a dimly lit sun. It wasn't right... Something is wrong. Lunarstar thought, gazing back at the den waiting for her Warriors to emerge. Her paws were itching to move, but she stayed until she saw Prairiestep walk out.

"Prairiestep! I'm leaving now. Hurry up!" Lunarstar called to her sister, jumping ot her paws and running into the forest. She began the journey to the Moon Cavern.


Prairiestep glared sleepily at her sister's back. Where was she off to in such a hurry? Oh well, Prairiestep thought with a mental shrug. She turned and stepped back into the den, prodding her mate's back with a paw. "Wake up." she meowed, then walked outside.

It was bright. That was the first thing Prairiestep noticed, the moon and it's glow cast a white light on everything. She cocked her head at it for only a moment, then shrugged it off. She began to slowly follow her sister.

Lunarstar slowed as she saw the other leaders. She walked up to the Great Rock, then jumped up on it. Landing gracefully on her paws, turning on her heel, and sitting with her tail wrapped around her paws. She glanced at the other leaders out of the corner of her eyes, casting them sideways glances.

"Do either of you feel tonight is different?" she asked, nodding towards the moon.

[*Beechstar*]

OOC: Luny, you forgot to bring your medicine cat...

Ringtail jumped awake when Lunarstar spoke, but ignored her. He did get up when Prariestep told him to though. Following his mate, he padded through the forest, but something seemed strange. The moon was extremely bright. When he reached the Cavern, the leaders who had already arrived were talking about the moons brightness. He sat down and listened.

The orange tabby limped out of his den, hearing his leaders call to leave for the Gathering. He saw Prariestep enter the forest with Ringtail, but Lavapelt passed them and reached the Moon Cavern first. He sat down and listened to the leader, who were speaking of the unusually bright moon.

Spottedfire awoke with a jump as her leader, Nightstar, told her it was time to go to the Gathering. She got up quickly and followed her, while blinking to avoid the sharp moonlight. When she reached the Cavern, she sat down, agreeing with the leaders that there was something wrong with the moon being that bright.

[Nightstar]

Nightstar turned her gaze, slowly taking in her fellow leaders. "If Starclan is angry with us then the skies would be dark. I feel sure that the moon is a warning and that they still want the gathering to proceed." With equal care that she had regarded the leaders with her stare travelled across the Moon Cavern. Seeming to see right through every cat there. "I have been watching the moon closely for a while. It was becoming darker before now." Curling her tail around her paws she looked back at the three other leaders. "Of course, maybe it's just me. No one else seems to pay as much attention to the night." She shrugged dispassionately and looked away. Her tone of voice and her actions were all done with the same amount of blankness, the same calmness and resonating disinterest that she always let off.

[.:*Hawkstar*:.]

Smokescore was on his paws in a flash, sleep shaken off like a light layer of snow; the light cool feel stayed, but the frost was gone. He slipped out of the den just in time to see Lunarstar's tail be engulfed by the forest. He glanced at Prairiestep, then bounded off. He sprinted to his leader's side, slowing to match her pace. He remained one pace behind her, his head bobbing at her shoulder.

Entering the clearing, the powerful gray cat banked to the side and took a seat away from the crowd. He glanced up in time to see Lunarstar take her place atop the rock and visit quietly.

Hawkstar's gaze followed the group of cats as they made their way to the Cavern. The pale orbs blinked in a silent greeting to the lean black leader cat as she sprang onto the rock. Her eyes temporarily flashed to the tomcat that had been at her side on the way there. He was the newest one, and - from what Hawkstar had observed on him from the last gathering - the strangest. StreamClan had always seemed to be the most normal of the Clans in the Hawk's eyes. Ringtail and Prairiestep were the lovers, and Lunarstar was their noble leader.

Now, they had a deranged one among them. Hawkstar could tell that he was the new slave.

"We were just talking about that, actually. Have an opinion you would like to share?" Hawkstar angled her gaze to the black cat.

[*Beechstar*]

CLOSED POST--

Due to lack of responding posts