Minglings and Muses - Open

[Cobalt]

A sopping wet black cat pulled herself out of the stream and draped herself on a rock to dry out in the warm sun. Everything back at camp was taken care of, so Antstep had decided to see if anyone was around at Fourbanks. Sure enough, there were several cats lounging on rocks and chatting or dipping their paws in the cool water. Ever since leaf-bare, the Clans had been friendly, and mingling at Fourbanks had become commonplace. Gatherings still took place, but the leaders all thought it beneficial to allow the Clans to exchange ideas and news, with conflict so unlikely.

Antstep wondered if she'd ever make a contribution at Fourbanks. New fighting styles were being developed, especially in SandClan because of their fairly new territory. It reminded her of when she was an apprentice, skittering over the ice uncontrollably until she realized she could use it purposefully. She stretched, and started washing the silt from her belly. Whatever happened, happened. She wasn't really one to approach cats from other Clans, herself. Instead her yellow gaze traced the riverbank absently, her mind turning to her list of things to do.

[Leah]

The pale ginger tabby climbed out from the water onto the bank rather clumsily. He nearly tripped over a rock and felt heavy from the water that soaked his fur. He was never a particularly great swimmer, and hated how it dripped off his thick pelt. Daisyheart ordinarily did not like to leave the Clan alone; especially since the crisis of last Leaf-bare and the death of the Clan's last Leader Beetlestar. However, he felt like he needed an escape from his duties, especially when he skipped the last Gathering to aid his weakened Clan.

He made his way through the thick growth, hissing as a sharp branch scraped his back. SandClan's edge of Fourbanks was always the most irritating, especially during Gatherings when it's too crowded to go around the bushes and ivy. He poked his head out and saw a few cats sitting around, whatever they might be here for. He knew some were probably here for forbidden romance; his suspicions were confirmed when he saw nuzzling and licking from two mollies with the corner of his eye. Sure, this was ordinary cat behavior, but he knows the difference between a friendly glance and a look that screams "oh, if only all these cats weren't here."

Across his glance was a familiar tiny black cat who anyone could recognize. He pulled the rest of his body from the clump of leaves and gave his tail a friendly but cautious flick. He had to remind himself that while the cats here were clearly not hostile, they were still his enemies. Not one was from SandClan, not that he could spot anyway. He wasn't sure which Clan was more abundant, though he had a suspicion it might be PineClan. He's not sure why he feels that way, probably because their scent is stronger and they have an easier time getting to Fourbanks than anyone else.

His gaze tracked Antstep once again. The MarshClan Deputy seemed to have her attention on something else, whatever it was. Daisyheart wasn't one to approach cats, but he decided to slowly make his way across where everyone else seemed to be anyway. He kept alert as he felt eyes lock onto his movements. He could have also sworn he heard another Warrior say "Oh, look which Clan has finally shown up." and he couldn't tell if it was scorn or sarcasm. He kept his distance from the small cat, remembering how he thought the cat was still an apprentice during one of his first gatherings many moons ago.

"Hello, Antstep," he finally said in a hush tone. There wasn't much to talk about, especially since he's never spoken to her before and doesn't have a real idea of what she's like. "How is MarshClan doing?" The cold season seemed to have brought the Clans closer, and he was genuinely concerned for others. He knows every Clan lost many cats, including their Leaders and Medicine cats. So soon after many harsh moons is not a time to bicker and fight.

[Shima]

The young apprentice bounded forwards, ears perked up excitedly. He had never been to Fourbanks before- in fact, there were still many places he had yet to see, even in his own territory. But his mentor had thought that on a nice day like today, it was a good idea to finally get to see Fourbanks with his own eyes.

Rainpaw personally did not find the sight very impressive, not that he'd tell anyone. The gray tom could smell other cats nearby, strange ones he did not recognize who's scents were foreign and intriguing. Moving as quick as his growing legs could take him, Rainpaw batted at the underbrush as he made his way further inside Fourbanks. A burr caught on his ear, and Rainpaw meowed angrily, twisting and batting it away angrily. Stopping for a moment, Rainpaw sat, surrounded by foliage, and rubbed at his ear delicately.

After a moment, he continued on, owing to himself to find an easier path back to where his mentor waited. He couldn't idle too long- he had training to do- but Rainpaw figured he could stay long enough to at least exchange a greeting with a cat from another clan. He'd never met a cat from another clan, Rainpaw reflected as he pushed himself out of the foliage.

Two other cats were already there- a molly and tom, black and ginger respectively. The molly was small, possibly another apprentice, and the ginger tom was obviously a warrior. Feeling suddenly shy, Rainpaw let out a weak "Hello, I'm Rainpaw," and decided to not get any closer.

[Cobalt]

Antstep's thoughts were interrupted by a light ginger tabby, a SandClan tom by scent. They hadn't spoken before, but she was familiar enough with SandClan now that she recognized him as Daisyheart. The deputy sat up, black tail wrapping neatly around her paws, and blinked politely. "Hello, Daisyheart," she replied in a similarly quiet tone. She preferred body language to words and quiet to loud, usually - something she was trying to work on as deputy. "We're recovering well. I trust SandClan is too?"

She glanced off to the side, as an approaching blue-grey cat had caught her eye. She wanted to say young apprentice just due to size, but she knew size wasn't always a good indicator from her own experience. No, it was more his nervousness and that she didn't recognize him. His greeting confirmed her thoughts, and Antstep gave him a small smile. "First time here? You can join us for a bit if you wish." She hoped Daisyheart wouldn't object. It wasn't as if there would have been anything other than polite conversation anyway.

[Leah]

Daisyheart wasn't quite sure how to reply to Antstep's question. Sandclan's numbers had dwindled to only a few, but he wasn't sure he was willing to admit that. Of course, it's likely that this information was already shared at the last Gathering. "Um, yes. We're doing fine." he wasn't sure how much of that was a lie; they were recovering, but were they doing well? "We-" his words were interrupted by a blue-grey apprentice who spoked rather softly. He looked young and small, perhaps a new apprentice, and smelled like PineClan. He was amused by thinking 'young and small' since right next to him was MarshClan's Deputy and possibly one of the smallest cats he knows. "Hello," he didn't quite catch the apprentice's name, unfortunately. He heard Antstep's greeting, and flicked his ears in agreement. "I'm Daisyheart," he introduced. "SandClan. A Warrior. This is Anstep; Deputy of MarshClan."

[Shima]

Rainpaw nodded vigorously as the black molly spoke to him. "Yes, this is my first time here," he meowed quickly. This was his first time talking to a non-PineClan cat, and he was struggling to keep questions down his throat. Rainpaw suddenly realized he had no idea what clan these two other cats were from, or what their names are.

The ginger tom answered the question for him. He was from SandClan, and the small black molly was from MarshClan, and she was definitely not an apprentice. Before Rainpaw could stop himself, he blurted out, "You're the deputy? Are all MarshClan cats small- and are all SandClan cats colored like sand?"

[Cobalt]

Her ink-black whiskers quivered as the deputy suppressed a laugh at the apprentice's fervent nodding. She gave a quick nod herself as Daisyheart introduced her. Antstep nearly found herself giggling again at the apprentice's questions, or she would have if it hadn't been obvious he'd thought her an apprentice or young warrior. "Ah, no. Just me, really. I am named for the ant, you see." She wanted to fidget uncomfortably, but she managed to sit still, blinking her vivid yellow eyes rapidly.

Antstep cast a glance at Daisyheart, indicating that he should answer the question about his Clan. It was odd to think that the apprentice only knew them as SandClan - even though it had been seasons, she still wanted to call them HillClan sometimes. Would everyone forget someday as all the HillClan cats died out? No, surely not. That was what stories were for, after all, and they had no shortage of those.

[Leah]

"No," Daisyheart replied with a rather amused look. "Well, if there's sand somewhere in the world in other colors, then yes, probably." The thought of gray or black sand was strange, but he continued, "I might as well ask if all PineClan cats are colored like pine trees, but there's an apprentice here in front of me who answers that question."

He never really talked this much except to younger cats, always telling stories and of StarClan. He recalled the blue-grey apprentice of his own Clan who disappeared in the last Leaf-bare; Rainpaw reminded him of the young cat. That Leaf-bare always brought chilling memories to the ginger tom. He lost his brother that season, and the whole Clan lost their Leader.

"So," he spoke up again, before the silence got too awkward, "anything else you'd like to know?"

[Shima]

Rainpaw nodded and listened as the two older cats spoke. He was rather impressed with Antstep- she was so small, like him, but the deputy of an entire clan. And Daisyheart seemed like a nice warrior as well, and he was big and strong, someone Rainpaw hoped he'd never have to fight. The clans hadn't been doing much fighting as of late, but Rainpaw knew from stories and tales that things could change as quickly as a wild storm.

Rainpaw thought for a moment, forgetting about his time constraints. Any question he had he could ask? The little apprentice tom shifted, ears flicking as he tried to think of something reasonable. He didn't have any particular question in mind, but if he didn't ask something, he'd regret it later.

"In your clans," Rainpaw began hesitantly, "what kind of prey do you hunt? Especially since not many animals live in the sand, I think."

[Leah]

"Oh, there's more animals in the sand than you may think," Daisyheart somewhat hesitated. Rainpaw might find it gross that Sandclan hunts insects as a last resort, but he asked after all. "Moles, rabbits, voles. Birds and mice sometimes," he recalls how the hunting of insects was Beetlestar's idea last Leaf-bare. With lack of prey, they dug for beetles and spiders. Scorpions became common when the snow melted, which they would then bite the tails off for obvious reasons. "...insects sometimes..." he finally let out in a soft tone, and braced himself for the apprentice's reaction. The last time he told a non-Sandclan cat they ate bugs, she ran off with a look of terror on her face. Which was strange, he'd think they'd welcome new ideas and ways to catch prey during harsh seasons.

[bbun]

Applestar watched over the mingling cats from where she was sitting, higher above the rest of them. The red-brown she-cat was certain that her Clan would continue to thrive under her leadership. Winter, she felt, had done relatively little harm to her Clan, and even though they had lost several warriors, she knew that there would always be many more cats being born that would eventually replace them. Although she herself wasn't very social, she didn't mind her Clanmates being that way - as long as they didn't break the code, it was okay under her watch. Or if they were spreading rumors. But it didn't seem like any of the other cats were doing that.