Meaningless Offerings

Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto Me. The new moons and Sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot endure. It is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. — Isaiah 1:13 | Third Millennium Bible (TMB) Third Millennium Bible, New Authorized Version, Copyright 1998 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved. Cross References: Exodus 12:16; Numbers 10:2; 1 Chronicles 23:31; Isaiah 66:3; Isaiah 66:23; Jeremiah 7:9-10

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Hello and thank you for that! I’m glad you enjoy this nonsense, haha. 

There are actually several types of “gatherings” in this universe! They all consist of cats meeting together, obviously, but they each have different purposes:

Casual gatherings are just called “gatherings”. They’re relaxed, loose events mostly made for the fun of seeing friends from other places and chatting with your neighbors. These are barely ever organized beyond a simple invitation or word through the grapevine that cats might be hanging out in a big group on a certain day.  

Gatherings with a capital G, called “The Gathering”, are several-day events where cats from all over come to meet and exchange news. The leaders or high deputies can be expected to be seen on at least one of these days. This is considered more official and serious than “gatherings”, and a lot more cats tend to show up. 

Coterie gatherings, called “Coterie” for short, are gatherings hosted by the different minor groups in the Clan. Wares are hawked, stories are performed, history lessons are given, so on and so forth. The point is to showcase what each group specializes in and hopefully educate and entertain the masses enough that someone may ask to join one of the gangs. The Larrikins and Storm members, of course, are not invited. 

There are other types of gatherings not specifically called such. There are “meetings”, which are meant to share important news and settle disputes; “assemblies”, which consist of naming apprentices and kits, retiring elders, and changing ranks and names as needed (these tend to happen in bulk and are planned in advance); and “councils”, of which cats of a specific rank all gather for a private talk for business too serious or undisclosed for a random warrior to walk in and listen. All of the ranks between leader and healer have their own type of council gathering, and the minor groups occasionally have councils as well (excluding the Larrikins and Storm Society, obviously). 

Forcing kids who are triggered by loud noises, crowds, are autistic, or have sensory issues to go to assembly’s is appalling. They could have a mental breakdown, anxiety attack, or go nonverbal and it’s terrifying for both them to be trapped in that situation and unable to deal with it and for the people around them who have no clue why their friend just started hyperventilating.

And yeah, a lot of the time schools will exempt kids who have a 504 or really visible autism; but if they’re like me, who didn’t even get diagnosed until I was a junior, you’re still required to go to assembly’s. Or if you have anxiety, or more often experience have sensory overload, it’s the same.

And then kids ditch in order to avoid the assembly and get caught and forced to go, or they get detention. And it’s even more horrible for them when in the first place they were just trying to protect themselves. This would all be solved if schools just cut back on the whole ‘school pride’ thing that’s more like a mob mentality than anything else. Or tried to be more inclusive with disabled students.