Wax fingers ¢¾

[J I N G O]

Snowprint turned her attention to the apprentice then meowed, "Larkstar has gone to check it out. Lilystream was on the patrol that found the body, I believe." after giving Volekit a few more strokes with her tongue, she continued, "And Snowbird is probably in her den." She turned back to her kits and almost had a nervous break down. How would she ever be able to handle it if one of her kits died? She instantly felt awful about being calm about this situation. Poor Riverheart! But what about her kits? They wouldn't handle it well if she broke down!

Snowbird had heard everything that had happened from her den, and came out with a bundle of poppy seeds for the queens and kits. She heard her name, but didn't pay attention. Right now she was focusing on the kits and queens. "Here. Take these for the shock." she mewed, giving one poppy seed to each cat. Volekit was already sleeping, she noted, and skipped over him. But Snowprint looked like she was about to have a freak out. "Here, Snowprint." she mewed to the queen, softly, pushing two of the seeds towards her. She watched as the queen lapped them up, then turned her attention to the rest of the camp, waiting for Larkstar to come back. She didn't have to wait too long.

Larkstar planned out her accusation in her head the entire way back to camp. As the patrol placed Riverheart's dead body down in the middle of the camp, Larkstar made her way over to Ivystalker. "Riverheart's dead. He was found near the small thunderpath-- right on the ShadowClan border. He wasn't hit by a monster... we believe he was attacked. By ShadowClan, of course." she meowed, her voice pained, but not angry. She still didn't want her Clanmates to hear her anger that was boiling in her blood. She turned her attention to Snowbird, sitting not too far away then signaled the white she-cat over. "Check over Riverheart's body. Figure out exactly how he died, then report anything back to me." she watched as the she-cat nodded, and walked away.

Snowbird shooed the patrol away with her tail, and began examining the body. *cough* examination complete.*cough*. Snowbird stood up, and made her way back to Larkstar. "He's covered in ShadowClan scent... and he has claw marks on each side of him, making me want to think he was leaped on, and the attacker hooked onto his sides. His neck was snapped, causing him to die instantaneously." she reported, "I think he was attacked and killed instantly-- he didn't even know what hit him." she finished up, then waited for her leader to respond.

Larkstar looked over at Ivystalker, her eyes filled with grief for her dead Clanmate. After a few moments, she spoke. "Sneaky. A back attack. I wouldn't put ShadowClan past it. How about you?" she asked her deputy, gazing back over at Riverheart's body, his clanmates now gathering around him in mourning.

[amaterasu]

Mosskit and Mistkit watched the going-ons with wide eyes. Mistkit ate the poppy seed like she was told then curled up beside her brother, but Mosskit refused. She wanted to know what was going on!

Ivystalker kneaded the ground under his paws as he watched Snowbird from afar. He couldn't believe that Riverheart, one of his best friends, was dead! They had grown up together and played together as kits. They were rivals as apprentices. And now he was with StarClan.
Ivystalker lashed his tail and stared up at his leader. The anger in his gaze masked his grief. "ShadowClan will pay!" he yowled.

Coldpaw was upset that Riverheart was dead, sure, but he had never known the warrior very well. At his deputy's yowl, Coldpaw quickly picked it up, screaming "Down with ShadowClan!" and skipping around the camp. He was excited for the battle to come.

[J I N G O]

Larkstar heard the angered yowls rise up first from Ivystalker, then from Coldpaw, and slowly more and more cats added onto it. The entire Clan seemed to think ShadowClan was guilty. She jumped up onto the highwhateveritwas and yowled the familiar summon. "We know that ShadowClan did this. And we will make sure they pay. In two nights is the gathering. I will announce ShadowClan's coldblooded murder in front of all four Clans there. Riverheart will be avenged." she called out to her Clanmates.

[amaterasu]

The cats howled in agreement, happy that their leader had made the choice.

Coldpaw danced up to the highwhateveritwas and purred, "Please let me come to the Gathering Larkstar! Please!"

"Yes!" Dappledance mewed, "Chose the cats for the Gathering right now, Larkstar!"

[J I N G O]

Larkstar looked around at her Clan. "Very well. Ivystalker, Dappledance, Coldpaw, Snowbird, Lilystream, Willowcloud, and Ripplestream," her voice rang over the cleaing, "will come to the gathering." she finished up then leapt down from the highwhateveritis. She padded over to Riverheart's body and silently sat next to the warrior, and swore to herself quietly that she would avenge him.

[amaterasu]

Ivystalker smirked when he was chosen. It was very rare that a deputy was left behind, but it could have happened.
He curled up next to Riverhearts dead body and sat his vigil.
But of course, his sister trotted over and sat down next to him.
"No faaaiiiir!" she whined, "I wanted to go! You always get to go and do the fun stuff!"
"Shh!" Ivystalker hissed a Pebblestream, willing her to be quiet for the silent vigil.
She glared at him, then wandered over to sit next to Ripplestream.

Reedwhisker sat down by herself, her fluffy golden tail wrapped around her paws. She was trying not to look too disappointed that she wasn't chosen to go to the Gathering. It wasn't that she was big on calling out ShadowClan, but she wanted to see her sister.

Dappledance and Coldpaw curled up together for the silent vigil. Coldpaw was almost bouncing in excitement. He couldn't wait for the Gathering! Dappledance was excited too, but she did a better job hiding it than the apprentice. Besides, she knew Riverheart better than he did.