build high the walls, build stronger beams | meeting 06.03

[dipperstar]

THE UNIVERSE MUST HAVE DIVINED THIS. WHAT AM I GOING TO DO?

The sun had barely begun to rise in the sky when Dipperstar emerged from her den. Her soft golden gaze traversed over the clan. Their numbers small, but their spirits high. This was the dawning of new leadership, new hope, new beginnings. Peace would find its way into their home. The leader knew what needed to happen as the gathering was tonight. She had announcements to make to the clan. The High Rock stood tall in the small clearing they had right above the tunnels. The cinnamon tabby's paws found themselves pressing against the warm surface of the rock as she climbed to the top.

"All cats old enough to hunt in the daylight, gather beneath High Rock for a clan meeting," the leader called out, her voice was loud and confident.

"Firstly, I would like to commend those who have been active within the clan. Twistedpaw, Skypaw, Desertraven, and Inkylotus. I appreciate your activity and encourage others to follow in your example, myself included. Continue making SolarClan proud." She smiled at each of them, encouraged by this. Dipperstar then continued, her gaze looking to each of the apprentices. "Next, some of you are without mentors, which I must rectify. Lilypaw, Cornpaw, Ripplepaw, and Barleypaw. Step forward."

The cinnamon tabby waited for all of them to step forward before continuing. She knew who their mentors would be, she knew each of them deserved someone that would give them their best chance. The bobtailed feline continued. "Lilypaw, your former mentor Stormjaw now hunts with AstralClan. May he hunt well in the everlasting stars. This means you need someone to guide you into a wise and resilient warrior. I will be your mentor. I hope that I can pass on my determination and loyalty to you."

Jumping down from High Rock, she pressed noses with Lilypaw quickly as she acknowledged her new apprentice. The leader smiled down, maybe this one she could keep from straying....unlike Canarywing. Her eyes immediately disassociated for a moment, thinking of her former apprentice. No. Not now Dipperstar. She thought to herself. Dismissing the thought, she climbed back onto High Rock. The cheers went quiet as she took her place on the rock.

She looked to Cornpaw next. "Cornpaw, you too have been without a mentor for too long. You need someone courageous and fierce to train you to become a strong and dependable warrior. Nebulaflare, you have been a fiery spirit in this clan for many moons. I believe you can give Cornpaw the training needed to become an excellent warrior within SolarClan." The leader watched as the shadowy feline pressed his nose to his new apprentice's, waiting for the clan cheers to die down.

"Ripplepaw, you also have been without a mentor. I believe you need a confident and bold mentor to guide you. Goldenfang will be the cat to mentor those qualities best. Goldenfang, may you give Ripplepaw the training needed for him to become a strong warrior of SolarClan." She watched as the two pressed noses as well. Dipperstar only hoped that placing them together would be a good idea. As the cheers died down once again, she continued.

The final apprentice that she had called forward. "Barleypaw, you need a mentor as well. To guide you,
I believe you need a spirit who is loyal and caring. None better than Desertraven. Desertraven, train young Barleypaw to become a loyal warrior of SolarClan."

Again the two pressed noses and cheers were aplenty. The leader smiled down on the pairs and her own apprentice. "May AstralClan guide all of your to become proud and true warriors of SolarClan." The tabby feline then looked to the rest of the clan as she announced the gathering. "Cats of SolarClan, there is to be a Gathering tonight. All of those wishing to go to the Gathering may go except for Coyotefang, Lotussplash, and Thundercry (NPCs). You will stay to guard the camp. I trust each of you to do your part."

"Speech"

LAIKA OF THQ

[cornpaw]

Cornpaw slips into the crowd at Dipperstar's call, immediately finding herself next to Barleypaw - like usual, and, like usual, her brown-tipped tail finds his to rest against. Her attention drifts upwards towards their leader, interrupted briefly by a yawn, but as the announcements begin her ears prick forward. Activity shout-outs, well deserved as always, of course, but new mentorships come afterwards, and that's one of the things she really needs to pay attention to with Pigeonhaze's retirement to the nursery. Not that the grey molly had really been her mentor officially, but ... She dips her head respectfully as Stormjaw is mentioned, AstralClan rest his soul, but Lilypaw would be training under the leader now. Good for her! "Lilypaw! Lilypaw!"

Cornpaw hops to her paws as her name is called, blinking in surprise. She needed someone fierce? Really? Well, maybe that was true ... she wasn't too enthusiastic about fighting, but Nebulaflare wouldn't be the sunbathed she-cat's first choice in mentor if she'd been given one. Really, he was much too grumpy for her tastes. But, a mentor is a mentor, and Cornpaw carefully makes her way over to the shadowy warrior to touch noses and take her place at his side amid the cheers for her name. "I'll do my best."

Ripplepaw is called next, Dipperstar announcing that Goldenfang would take on the job, and Cornpaw's nose wrinkles. Ooh. Good luck, Ripplepaw. She can only imagine the amount of complaining-gossip she'd be hearing in the apprentices' den over the next few moons. There wasn't anything wrong with Goldenfang, but ... he could be ... uh ... a bit much. But then Barleypaw's name is called, assigned to Desertraven, and Cornpaw's whiskers tremble with excitement.

"Yay, Barleypaw!" She trills to her friend, fur fluffing out in pride. There's a few moments of cheering, congratulations rippling across the clearing, but then pale eyes go impossibly wider as Dipperstar announces that she could go to the Gathering, the first one she would have attended. Head whipping towards Nebulaflare, she whispers eagerly, "Are we going?"

---

SPOILER: Click to show

CORNPAW
✦ solarclan apprentice, she/her
✦ mentored by nebulaflare (maverick)
✦ a golden-brown molly with a white locket and blue eyes.
✦ attack in #D8A54D

[Barleypaw]

give me time and give me space

The sound of Dipperstars' voice is what drew his attention away from licking at his chest, feeling antsy suddenly and not knowing what to do with the sudden burst of energy. The young pointed tomcat looked up before standing onto his large paws and padded his way over to sit amongst the crowd. Though a tail touching his flank startled him slightly for a brief moment, shoulder fur bristling, before relaxing as he realized who it was. Cornpaw settled beside him and he grinned stupidly at her before turning his attention back to Dipperstar.

The leader announced some active members in the group, good for them, and then moved onto reassigning mentors. With the sickness and sudden death with all the leaders, everyone had sorta scrambled to make things work. This included trying to pick up slack where it was lessened like mentors. Barleypaw hadn't had a mentor in a couple of moons at this point and he wasn't sure if he wanted one to begin with. He'd done it himself this far, why not two more months?

Dipperstar announced that she would be taking on Lilypaw, and Cornpaw cheered beside him for her and he nodded in respect for the decision. Dipperstar would make a good warrior out of Lilypaw. Then moved onto Cornpaw, Ripplepaw and then himself, and he had to suppress a notable sigh inward at the thought of a mentor. Barleypaw then watched as Cornpaw went to touch noses with her mentor, Ripplepaw with Goldenfangs' and lastly he was poised with approaching Dsesertraven or not.

Barleypaw was a stubborn tomcat and was use to things a certain way, so there would be no question as to why he didn't get up right away. He had been his own mentor for months now and he wasn't sure how well an adult inserting themselves into his life would go, but he should show basic respect. Even if he was large in size and could very well pass for an adult himself. Still, he moved to approach Desertraven and touch noses with them without question.

Then Dipperstar stated whom wouldn't be going to the Gathering and he blinked a few times. It had been a while since he went to a Gathering that was for certain, how would things be now that everything had changed?

Speech.

aeron at thq

[Inkylotus]

Pulled from the confines of their den, the young medicine cat of Solarclan peaked out from their den entrance at Dipperstars' words. The young cat then moved out from the entrance to sit outside their den and listen in on the for coming announcements. Firstly it was to congratulate those who have been an active member of the clan, and they found themselves dipping their head, they wanted to do what was best for the clan. They had only arrived months prior and they wanted to do as much as they could for the clan as it had done for them.

Inkylotus then perked up their rounded ears at the sound of mentor announcements, and they smiled slightly. Oh to one day have their own apprentice. When that day would come they weren't sure about it, but they were excited for it nonetheless. Right now, he was content with his own solitude so maybe sometime next newleaf. Lilypaw was assigned to Dipperstar, Ripplepaw to Goldenfang and Cornpaw to Nebulaflare. Also Barleypaw to Desertraven and they grinned quietly to themselves, Desertraven surely desvered an apprentice.

Then the subject of the gathering was put in place, and the young medicine cat moved their face up towards Dipperstar. Those who were listed to not go where assigned for guarding camp, and Inkylotus knew they'd have to go along too. The Gathering was a stressful place full of other smells and sounds, it was overwhelming for the young medicine cat but they'd prevail at least.

Speech

coded by benetnasch of THQ

[Dogfight]

DOGFIGHT - TOM - 18 MONTHS - SOLARCLAN

Tossing the mouse he'd caught onto the freshkill pile, Dogfight huffed as he made his way over to where the meeting was being held. Things had been.. difficult, in Solarclan lately. Between the damn beast and the sickness they were sorely lacking in cats, not to mention the fact that almost all their high positions were new. Was Dogfight envious to have no been chosen for anything? Damn straight he was. Had he expected anything different though? Not really.

The golden and white tabby took a seat among the gathering cats, not sitting particularly close to anyone in particular, and then turned his attention to their newly named Leader. Apprentices were made warriors, mentors were assigns- a load of the usual crap, if he was honest. His own name wasn't called among those spoken, but that was no surprise either. Dogfight had a shitty attitude and wasn't exactly known for being the most social cats in the clan. He'd been ostracized one too many times when he was a kit for his mothers kittypet roots and the fact that she'd named him after a dog.

[Cinderpoppy]

She-cat - 38 moons - She/her - Deputy of Solarclan - Apprenticing: None

The she-cat had taken up a spot closest to the front when Dipperstar made the call for cats to gather she had just finished making the Sun high patrols for later when they were all called to gather, folding her tail over her paws so that it was out of the way for those that might pass behind her the light orange tabby gave her full attention to their leader. Once everyone was settled and Dipperstar proceeded with the meeting giving apprentices that did not have them mentors to guide them. She cheered with the others as the pairs were made having highly agreed with the pairs when they had been brought to her attention. Though she had some reserve for Goldenfang being a mentor right now she had been happy that he received one though he was slightly close in age to his apprentice Ripplepaw she felt that Goldenfang could help the she-cat more.

When the subject of the gathering was brought up her ears flicked forward knowing she would be going but wondering which cats might want to come along as well.


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