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Post by theatricals on Mar 11, 2019 15:33:08 GMT -6
Ashenstar knew there were many reasons to not go ahead with this meeting--many that came from a place of deep emotional confusion, but she knew that by holding back, her Clan would only fall deeper and deeper into the lies that only continued to grow. It was ironic, her welcoming cats to open up about their actions, when she herself couldn't do the same. It was small, but she justified herself in saying that she had cut ties from her mistakes.
She hadn't, but that was far from the point.
Climbing atop the boulders and rubble left behind from the fire moons ago, she made her presence known very quickly. "All cats old enough to catch their own prey, join together for a Clan meeting." She had called them together barely over a half-moon ago to celebrate the promotion of their youngest members, so a meeting now was unusual. But it needed to be said.
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Post by gingerluna on Mar 11, 2019 17:01:49 GMT -6
Acorndrop stepped forward as Ashenstar spoke, looking around to see if he could spot Shimmerglade, Dreamfeather, or his former apprentice. He wondered what the meeting was about, tail twitching behind him in anticipation as he looked up at his leader and waited.
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Whitemuzzle
Kit
Life's short, eat dessert first!
Posts: 94
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Post by Whitemuzzle on Mar 14, 2019 8:32:13 GMT -6
Brokentooth looked up from where he was sitting outside the elders den. "Eh? What's this?" he asked to no cat in particular. He got up and moved closer to the pile of rocks.
Desertpaw had just finished gathering fresh bedding for the nursery. He ducked inside quickly and deposited the new moss and then dashed back out to attend the meeting, his first since being made an apprentice.
Waspsting and Sandstone made their way from the warriors den. "I wonder what this is all about?" the sand colored warrior asked her brother. Waspsting only shrugged his shoulders and headed over near his father.
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Post by Warrioress on Mar 15, 2019 0:11:39 GMT -6
Dreamfeather perked her ears from where she had curled up in the warriors den, resting after the dawn patrol. Yawning she slipped out of the den and spotted Acorndrop not too far away. Moving through the gathering cats she came up beside him "this is unusual" she commented as she came up beside him.
Arcticpool felt her nose twitch as she noticed the movement of all the cats around her and looked up from where she was sharing a mouse with Pumastrike, her ears perked as she noted Ashenstar was standing atop the rocks. Figuring the leader had called the cats together, she pushed herself up and waited to hear what this was going to be about.
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Post by theatricals on Mar 16, 2019 13:48:06 GMT -6
It was physically painful to stand before her Clan, to look into their confused and curious faces and prepare herself to bring up wounds that were probably better left in the past. But that was the thing--they weren't in the past. She may not have knowledge of everything that happened in her Clan, she could very well suspect, and that was enough to tell her that if she didn't step up now, then things would just continue to spiral out of control.
"We have come far since our home was taken from us," she swallowed as she began, finding it better to begin on a positive note. But no doubt the Clan was unsettled, so dragging everything on was only padding in the grand scheme of things. "...I know it is painful to build connections to other cats only to leave them, and the friendships that were made were hard to separate. But it is the way of the Clans--there is no way around it."
Ashenstar took a deep breath before standing taller. "I know some relationships were not so easily broken--and I know some of you have yet to break those relationships. I am here to tell you that they cannot continue."
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Whitemuzzle
Kit
Life's short, eat dessert first!
Posts: 94
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Post by Whitemuzzle on Mar 17, 2019 14:42:32 GMT -6
Desertpaw looked around at his clanmates with both curiosity and surprise on his face. He was born after the clan returned so he had no connections with cats outside RavenClan. We're there some cats here who have broken the Warrior Code? The very code he was now learning to make him a great warrior? How could they?
Waspsting looked around at his friends with a snarl growing on his muzzle. He had to make a conscious effort to recover his fangs. How could any RavenClan cat think of betraying this clan?! he wondered.
Sandstone had suspected some cats may have made connections with others outside the clan. She herself made friends with a few of the queens since she had to spend most of her time in exile in the nursery. But they weren't lasting friendships. She would speak to them gladly at full moon gatherings but if a battle broke out, she would fight for RavenClan.
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Post by Warrioress on Mar 18, 2019 10:31:14 GMT -6
Arcticpool tilted her head as she listened to Ashenstar speak, noting out of the corner of her eye that Waspsting was looking around at the gathered warriors. She wanted to roll her eyes, like anyone would step up to announce anything but merely twitched her ears instead. She had nothing to worry about, any type of relation she had with cats from other clans was from playing moss ball with other kits, and that was sparingly since she spent much of her time sticking near her brother and mother.
Dreamfeather couldn't help but flick a glance towards her siblings, mainly on Briarpool, as she wondered if her sister was still in contact with Shrikewind. She made a mental note to talk with her siblings, there was a distance between them she didn't like, especially since she realized that she could have been taken from them without trying to make up.
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Post by gingerluna on Mar 18, 2019 20:30:10 GMT -6
Acorndrop's stomach dropped as Ashenstar spoke, and he frantically looked towards his sister. He knew she'd never betray him, but did Ashenstar expect him to come clean now, in front of everyone? While cats were snarling and tensing at the thought? He was no coward, but it wasn't just him he was worried about. His kits and Dancingflame deserved privacy, and he wouldn't betray them, even at the cost of his Clan. If that made him a traitor, then he didn't care. He held his ground, looking at his paws. He'd have to talk to Dreamfeather later. It wasn't fair to hide something like this from her.
Coalfur had perked up at the announcement, and he lurked at the back of the ground, staring wide-eyed at the announcement. That was obvious, right? They could be friends with cats from other Clans, but nothing more, it was a stupid idea. He glanced over at Siltpaw to gauge her thoughts.
Spottedeye poked his head out to listen, letting out a huff and rolling his eyes. "Young cats," he muttered, looking over at Brokentooth. "I don't have time for this." He turned back into the den.
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Whitemuzzle
Kit
Life's short, eat dessert first!
Posts: 94
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Post by Whitemuzzle on Mar 19, 2019 17:37:05 GMT -6
Spottedeye poked his head out to listen, letting out a huff and rolling his eyes. "Young cats," he muttered, looking over at Brokentooth. "I don't have time for this." He turned back into the den. Brokentooth watched his denmate go back inside the den. "I'll stay and listen," he said. "And tell you anything interesting that might happen." Concern shown on his face as he wondered if Spottedeye's pain was bothering him again. He'd ask him about it after the meeting was over. It wasn't like he could bother the medicine cat for poppy seeds right now anyway. |
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Post by theatricals on Mar 20, 2019 20:28:59 GMT -6
Ashenstar could see the shock and uneasy looks going around the camp, not to mention the whispers and rumors that were undoubtedly spreading among them. From the fact that no one spoke out, she could assume that either no one knew who had done what, or they were covering for other cats. She didn't care much in that moment--she didn't need them to share what they had done with the Clan.
"I do not ask you to come clean. What's done is done. But I hope you all realize that it can't continue." It took a moment of contemplation on her end on whether or not to speak further, but she felt it was necessary that she add, "...If for some reason kits have resulted from those actions, you must know that seeing them--or continuing to see them--in secret won't be tolerated."
Her eyes flashed at her last comment, but now that she had their attention, they had to know that while she was trying to be fair, she wouldn't hide the fact that she knew what was happening. "We all have made mistakes. But if they continue to happen, then it is a conscious decisions. We have to look after our Clan, and I think divided loyalties will only tear us apart. You must all see that."
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Post by niftyshark on Mar 23, 2019 20:39:22 GMT -6
At first, Coyotestorm expected a normal announcement. But then as Ashenstar spoke, he realized it wasn't, and his ears briefly flattened as he tried not to think of Dark. He never really gave it thought that others in his clan would also connect with cats from other clans, but he supposed the circumstances made it possible. He was torn between mild disbelief and tepid amusement at the thoughts conjured by the fact that there potentially were clanmates as daring as himself. The allure of doing what shouldn't be done he could understand, but what he couldn't was how Ashenstar knew--and what made her bold enough to think that enough of her warriors did it to warrant an entire clan meeting. Was she trying to sow seeds of discord and distrust? Was she merely going off of a hunch? Did she not believe in her warriors? Why was the announcement coming now, moons after the clans split? He leaned his weight back on his paws and watched with critical eyes, not bothering to hide his suspicious expression. "Where is this coming from?" he challenged in the silence after her words.
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Post by theatricals on Mar 25, 2019 14:57:44 GMT -6
Ashenstar's attention moved to Coyotestorm, where she had to pause and let herself take another breath. It was perhaps right of him to question it, seeing as it seemed to be a strange thing to bring up--not to mention, bringing it up now instead of moons ago. But while she couldn't know for sure just who had broken the code, she could at least suspect. "I am not blind," she told him sternly, although her tone didn't suggest she was speaking only to him. "I know more of what happens within my own Clan than some might think. I also /see/ more. Some cats aren't so tactical in hiding where they are going in the middle of the night."
Her gaze swept over the crowd again, but not once did she settle on any one cat. "Loyalty is what matters. We need it now more than ever. To break the code is one thing, but to /continue/ to go against it is another."
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Whitemuzzle
Kit
Life's short, eat dessert first!
Posts: 94
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Post by Whitemuzzle on Mar 25, 2019 17:44:29 GMT -6
This is serious stuff, Brokentooth thought as he gazed around the camp. Spottedeye should be hearing this. He looked back toward their den but decided not to bother his friend. He might be in pain. He'd tell him about this later.
Waspsting wanted to jump up and proclaim his loyalty but he held his tongue. His clanmates should already know where his heart lies and that is with RavenClan. He didn't want to waste his breath telling them.
Desertpaw looked around at the warriors and wondered which ones might be breaking the Warrior Code. As his eyes fell on each one, he couldn't imagine anyone doing this.
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Post by gingerluna on Mar 25, 2019 21:37:05 GMT -6
Acorndrop dipped his head in shame, remaining silent. He knew he was safe, but he felt like maggots were crawling in his chest. He'd hurt his sister, hurt his Clan, hurt Dancingflame, hurt innocent kits, and he had no way out now. There was no reason to tell anyone. Honestly would ruin Cherrykit and Mothkit's lives, so he simply prayed to StarClan for the meeting to end.
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Post by silentpaws on Mar 28, 2019 17:13:41 GMT -6
Briarpool couldn't help but squirm as Ashenstar's gaze passed over her, and moreso when she caught Dreamfeather looking in her direction to. She hadn't spoken to Shrikewind since she'd returned to RavenClan but that didn't mean she hadn't wanted to, but at every gathering he'd been caught up doing deputy things and she just hadn't found her chance. Yet. Internally she wanted to protest against her leader's words as Coyotestorm was doing but for a different reason; romantic relationships were against the code but that hadn't been her wrongdoing. That had been her parent's fault. And family wasn't something you could forget like a fleeting romance. There was as much WillowClan blood in her as there was RavenClan, and for a brief rebellious moment she wondered if she would be better off on the other side of the river where they didn't mind where you'd come from before joining the Clan.
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Post by theatricals on Mar 30, 2019 14:21:22 GMT -6
While she could see the uneasiness in their eyes, she had hopes that this would not spark hostility between clanmates. There was no obvious proof that one cat had done something over another--not unless any of them had revealed what they had done to another cat. It was all very secretive, and Ashenstar could only guess that it would stay that way for a long time to come.
"We must move on from what has been done. If any cat would like to speak to me, they can do so. But no cat is being forced to breathe a word. This meeting is finished." She leaped down from where she had called them together, pausing for only a moment before heading back towards her den.
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Whitemuzzle
Kit
Life's short, eat dessert first!
Posts: 94
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Post by Whitemuzzle on Apr 3, 2019 17:28:57 GMT -6
Well that's that, thought Brokentooth as he turned to head back into the den he shared with Spottedeye. He will inform his denmate of the news from the meeting.
Waspsting looked around the camp and wondered if any of the accusations were true. He knew he was in the clear. He hadn't even made any friends during their natural disaster imposed exile. As he looked upon each clanmate, he couldn't imagine any of them betraying RavenClan. It can't be true.
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Post by gingerluna on Apr 4, 2019 17:24:45 GMT -6
Acorndrop turned away as the meeting ending and wove through the crowd, looking for Dreamfeather. "We need to talk," he whispered, glancing around. He needed to talk to Shimmerglade, too, but he hoped she wouldn't mind if he came by later. She hadn't spoken up during the meeting, and he was sure she wouldn't tell Ashenstar without talking to him.
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Post by Warrioress on Apr 4, 2019 19:26:03 GMT -6
Acorndrop's voice had Dreamfeather taking her attention away from her sister and instead focusing on the tom with her head tilted. "Okay" she replied, her fur tingling as she wondered what he could possibly have to tell her, especially after the meeting.
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Post by gingerluna on Apr 25, 2019 13:41:36 GMT -6
(fin?)
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