Clan Meeting 01/26

This is a thread for clan meetings. You (the clan leader) can start as many topics as you want, but they must be within the clan. Since this one is already started, I'll let it go.
Morningstar led her Clan through the winding path up to where the Gathering would be. She had brought her brightest apprentice with her, Cinderpaw. When they got there, they realised that StormClan was missing.
"Where is StormClan?" asked Morningstar.
"I don't know," replied Cheetahstar, the leader of FireClan. "I thought you were travelling with them."
Morningstar cast a worried look at the StormClan camp. It was very far away, and she could barely see anything.
Just then, she saw a straggly line of cats approaching. Morningstar opened her mouth, and the pungent smell of a sickness hit her. Quickly she closed her mouth again, because the smell was horrible.
Lightningclaw, her deputy, looked at Morningstar with a look of disgust on his face. "What is that smell?" he asked, wrinkling his nose.
"Sickness," Morningstar replied. When she opened her mouth to speak again, the horrid smell hit her once more, and she quickly clamped her mouth shut.
Pretty soon the StormClan cats had arrived, and Morningstar tried not to choke. The smell was worse than being sprayed by a skunk right in the face!
All of the StormClan warriors were very thin and straggly. Some of them had burrs stuck in their fur; others had knots, and tangles all over.
Stormclan's leader, Dappledstar, cast them a weary look. But then her expression quickly changed to one of anger. She opened her mouth to speak, but decided against it. It would have to wait.
Pretty soon all was quiet. The three leaders hopped up on to the great rock. The deputies positioned themselves at the base of the smooth boulder.
Dappledstar stepped up to speak.
"FernClan has been stealing our prey!" She yowled into the night sky.

I padded down the slope. I was SO proud to be at my first gathering. As soon as Sormclan arrived, the horrid stench him me. But it was my only instinct to worry for them. I hurried to them, trying to keep my distacne. I shouldn't get sick, I kept telling myself. I tryed to identify the sickness, but soon the gathering began and I took my place in our clan. As soon as Dapplestar's words were spoken Leaftail, a muscular, brute from Fernclan, stood up. He lashed his tail in fury, and opened his mouth to protest.
I awaited a glare from Morningstar. Our whole clan was whispering and spitting with rage. They glared defiently as a team, at Stormclan and their leader. As far as I could see, I was the only can sitting neatly, awaiting Dapplestar's next words.

Morningstar looked cooly at Dappledstar. With a flick of her tail, her Clan was quiet, even Dewfoot, the burly tabby tom.
"I am aware of what my warriors are up to. I can assure you, Dappledstar, that they have been doing no such thing."
Dappledstar looked at Morningstar in disgust. "I have lost five of my best warriors because of this terrible sickness that was caused by lack of prey. It is leafbare. Rabbits are scarce in our territory!" Then she swept her gaze over the warriors sitting at the base of the large rock. "My warriors saw cats crossing the border, taking our rabbits, so many times! If it happens again, I will call a battle!"
The StormClan cats yowled their approvement. But the FernClan cats were outraged, spitting at the StormClan warriors. Dewfoot stood up and hissed very impressively, so loudly that the StormClan apprentices quickly moved to a farther spot. "We will not stand for this!" Dewfoot yowled. then, arching his back, he hissed once again, and then he striked at one of the StormClan apprentices who was too brave to move back.
"Fight someone your own size!" exclaimed Ivytail, a StormClan queen. She immediately leaped onto Dewfoot's back, and he yowled in surprise. Then he rolled over, knocking Ivytail off of him. He jumped onto her exposed belly, but she was too quick for him. Ivytail swiftly rolled over and scratched Dewfoot on his flank as he passed her. He yowled in pain and surprise, then quickly turned around. He striked at Ivytail's nose and heard the satisfying screech that was her reply. Her nose was bleeding hard, but Ivytail didn't care. She shook off the pain and locked herself onto Dewfoot's back. Before she could do any harm, Dewfoot shook his enemy off and turned once again on her. Before Ivytail could get up, he pinned her down. With one paw stretched out, claws glinting in the moonlight, he prepared to strike...
Morningstar was outraged. "Dewfoot, stop this at once!" She yowled. Dewfoot let Ivytail go immediately and turned to face Morningstar. He was panting hard, and bleeding from the large gash Ivytail had given him. Morningstar gave him an angry stare and thrashed her tail. Dewfoot flattened his ears and looked guiltily up at his leader. She never got this angry!
Ivytail, bleeding badly from her nose, limped back to her mate, Lionclaw. He licked her clean, fussing over her nose, and telling her not to put weight on her leg; it seemed like it was hurt. He shot dirty looks at Dewfoot, and once in a while spitted at him in disgust and rage.
The moon dissapeared behind a thick, hazy cloud. StarClan was not happy. Morningstar watched as the cloud covered up the moon slowly. Then the moon was not visible anymore.
"I am sorry for this, Dappledstar. Dewfoot will be punished."
The large tabby tom looked up at Morningstar. She looked dissapointed. She knew that her warriors could do better than that.
Then he shifted his eyes toward Dappledstar. She seemed to be a little bit satisfied about the punishment he was going to get.
The whole time, Cheetahstar was sitting, watching quietly, pricking his ears every once in a while. After the battle, he stood up and padded over to Dappledstar. She was seething with rage, but Cheetahstar's calm look seemed to help her cool down.
"I took the prey," he meowed.

((Sorry it's so long, it was too good of a story not to put in here... ))

((OMG! the end is super surprisin!! ))
I yelled to Dewfoot to stop before he would regret it. Instinctivly digging my claws into the ground, I crouched, close to the ground, and watched the sky, not the battle. After dark clouds covered the moon, rain began to drizzle and soak everycat's fur. The only light left to guid us home, were the stars of Silverpelt. But to my dismay, one by one, they either twinkled out, or got covered by more jet black clouds. Soon the sky was lit by only a few more than four stars, like only a leader and their deputy was guiding each clan home, instead of the whole of Starclan. They've been angered, and they have broken the truce. I felt like yowling in rage when I saw Dappledstar let her warriors fight, and spread that smug look on her snout when Morningstar agreed to punish Dewfoot. I payed no attention to what was going on anymore, I was lost in my thoughts, until one phrase caught my ear. Four words, that seemed to silence the whole forest in astonishment. The words were those of Cheetahstar's: "I took the pray." He uttered, and I gasped. What would happen next. I prayed this gathering would end.

Dappledstar stared at Cheetahstar with disbelief and anger. Morningstar, taken aback by Cheetahstar's comment, stood there watching, shifting her gaze from Cheetahstar's calm look to Dappledstar's angry one. Dappledstar looked like a bomb; she would go off any second.
"Cheetahstar...is this true?" Morningstar felt that she should say something. The darkness was starting to make her shiver, and she wished she could curl up in her den and just sleep.
"Stay out of this, Morningstar!" snapped Dappledstar with a snarling growl. "Explain yourself, Cheetahstar." Her cold eyes turned back to FireClan's leader, and he just blinked back slowly. Cheetahstar took a breath, and began his story.
"Last week was the horrible storm. All the cats had to stay in their dens, and pretty soon the openings got filled with snow. Our elders were complaining non-stop, and the fresh-kill pile only had two scrawny mice in it.
I had to do something. I dug my way out of my cozy den, reluctant to face the cold, bitter wind that greeted me. But I was their leader; i had to do something.
When I finally got out of all the snow, I checked the air. There was no scent of prey, not even a very faint smell. They were all in their own little dens, hoping that the storm would stop soon, and so-"
Dappledstar gave him a fierce look and cut him off. "Get to the point!" she snapped.
Cheetahstar's calm look seemed to leave his face for a second, but then it reappeared, calmer than ever. So he continued his story.
"As I was saying, there was no prey. I checked three times, and still nothing. So I went a little farther, hoping to catch at least a little mouse for our elders and the queens. Pretty soon I was five fox-lengths away from the camp, and I still went farther. Now, I realize how far I went. I crossed your border, and caught three mice and a vole, Dappledstar, and for this I'm sorry."
Dappledstar looked warily at him. She seemed calmer, a bit more relaxed, but she still didn't let her guard down. She realized that it had been a mistake, that Cheetahstar didn't mean to steal prey. But then one question popped back up in her head, and she felt she had to ask it.
"Why did you smell like FernClan, then?"
Cheetahstar's calm, serene look evaporated. Now he looked alarmed, but he tried to hide it with his calm look.
"How did you know what I smelled like?" He asked warily.
Morningstar opened her mouth slightly. Cheetahstar smelled like FireClan, but then she caught it - FernClan smell! It clung to his fur like a tick, not letting go.
"I was watching you, Cheetahstar. I didn't know it was you, though. You smelled just like a FernClan cat, and you were with another cat - I didn't recognize her, though." Dappledstar replied.
Morningstar looked at Cheetahstar. "Another cat? that smelled like FernClan?"
She shifted her eyes from Cheetahstar's alarmed look to her warriors.
There, in the middle, sat Honeyfur, her youngest female warrior.
Morningstar opened her mouth.
Honeyfur smelled like FireClan.

(( Yay! Another twist! Okay, after this post, there will only be one more...then they can go home! They've been at this Gathering for about a week now! ))

((LOL. okay. I LOVE twists. This is getting good.))
I took a step forward. "NEVER!" I thought to myself. "He's lying, he didn't go too far! He meant to do it! I just know it!" I said in my mind. I calmed myself. I had no buisness here. But I just wished Moringstar would do something! I looked over at Honeyfur. She was a sweet, quiet cat (i think) and the Firelan scent surprised me. Was she in this for the clan? Or was she keeping bad secrets? Soon the whole clan was rudly parted their jaws one by one to catch the scent, then shudder and scowl at her, immedietly asuming the worst.Mumbling began to rise and I was feeling bad for Honeyfur, if she was bd or good. I silenced Leaftail and Dewfoot, who were scowling at her, with a cold stare, hoping it would send the message: "How disrespectfull!" I went on and pushed through other cats with the same stare and sat beside her. I didn't speak. I just wanted her to know, even though she was a warrior, she was allowed to make mistakes. But deep inside me...I suspected more than a mistake....

Honeyfur, caught by surprise, had wide-open eyes that stared at her leader. They seemed to plead to her, Please, don't tell anybody... She noticed Cinderpaw and tried to slowly move behind her, but it was no good. Morningstar, clearly unpleased at her, decided her explanation would have to wait.
She silenced her Clan with one short hiss, and they all stared at her fearfully. Morningstar had never hissed in her life. Ever. Everybody was taken by surprise when the peaceful leader bared her teeth, silencing everyone instantly.
She dipped her head at Cheetahstar, who was hanging around at the back. "Any more news?" she asked respectfully, as if nothing had happened.
Cheetahstar nodded silently and moved up. A couple of FernClan cats, including Dewfoot and Leaftail, stared at him angrily, but they were not about to anger their leader again.
"We have named three new apprentices this past moon," He said quietly. "There are also five new kits. Their names are Mosskit, Heatherkit, Redkit, Fernkit, and Rainkit. That is all." He moved back slowly, watching Honeyfur with an expressionless gaze.
Dappledstar moved up. "The storm has brought bad times for us all." she chose her words carefully, so she wouldn't reveal how weak her Clan was. It was pretty visible, with their ribs showing, matted fur, and how quickly they breathed. "But there is good news too. We have named two new warriors, Mousewhisker and Harepelt. There are also two new kits, Rowankit and Heatherkit." She quietly stepped back, and Morningstar took her place.
"We have named two new warriors and a medicine cat this past moon," her clear yowl startled the weary cats. "Cinderpool is our new medicine cat, and her two littermates have earned their warrior names too. They are now known as Stonetail and Frostsong. Cloverleaf has had three healthy kits, named Berrykit, Cloudkit, and Foxkit. Our new apprentice, Runningpaw, is learning fast and will have his assesment sometime this moon." Her clear words reached every ear, and she finally said what everyone was waiting for. "That is all."
The three leaders jumped down from the Highstone, and the deputies followed. The cluster of warriors broke up as they quickly padded to join their own Clanmates. No goodbyes were said as the cats started to go back.
Lightningclaw caught up to Morningstar. Her weary look was reflected on his face, for this had been a hard night for them all.
"Let StarClan forget this ever happened," he mewed quietly. Morningstar nodded.
"It's all over now," she meowed wearily. "Let's go home."
Together, they padded down the clearing, leading their Clan back home.

((The punishments will be given in the FernClan:Camp section. Did you like it?))
Morningstar

((LOVE it ))
I gninded my teeth. I didn't even feel proud when my name was announced. Thunder was rumbling an dI was was getting extremely worried. As we padded back to camp, I looked around the forest. My pads hurt, like the usual soft leaf covered earth had been turned to stone. When we reache camp I curled up in my daen and immediately fell asleep.
Nothing disturbed me in my sleep, but I was quite tired and damp when I woke in the moringing.