{ omg. D: fine. -doesn't want to- }

{ Give me a minute to edit this post. >_> } 

Xerus only twitched her whiskers in amusement, a response to his obviously crabby mood. "I wasn't thanking you for accepting me into the clan, silly," she teased. "I was thanking you for not attacking me back there. You don't know what its like to be homeless."
--

Sealpelt chuckled, then her ears perked up and she stared ahead as she started to smell the old two-leg barn. "It's close by," she purred. "Not longer now until we teach it!" 

Quailpaw, as always, was back living in his own little world of dreams where nothing could disturb his mood. As he walked he imagined what it would be like to have wings and a beak, and what flying would feel like. 

--

Fadedstar smirked. "You could say that," she purred, swatting a small stone into the water. She paused, looking down at something orange and shaped like a star. "Come look, Cedarpaw," she said, beckoning with her tail for him to come and take a peek at the small creature. "A starfish washed up onto the shore."

"Some say they are baby stars that fell from the sky and into the ocean." She laughed as Cedarpaw prodded the small creature. "I'm not sure why they call them starfish though. They look nothing like fish." Gentle, as she always tried to be, Fadedstar pushed the orange starfish back into the water, where the waves engulfed it. 

~

Sealpelt giggled. "I'd say he's arguing with Quailpaw, but his apprentice is right here." She flicked Quailpaw gently with the tip of her tail, which snapped him out of his little day dream. Anticipation made her claws sheath and unsheathe themselves repeatedly. "Mm. I can't wait to sink my claws into a plump mouse."

~

Xerus rolled her eyes at him. "Are all clan cats like you?" she asked, curious. "Uptight and bossy?" She padded after him, keeping up nicely despite being out of shape. She blinked with wide eyes past him. "Where are we going? Surely you don't live on the beach?"

{ Yup. c: }

{ Go time skip. >_> } 

"So the name doesn't really mean much, does it," Cedarpaw meowed in confusion. Sighing he watched it settled onto the sand then float up again as the waves lapped onto the beach then fell back, carrying the strange creature with it. "I didn't see a muzzle or a mouth or eyes or anything!" Cedarpaw meowed, shocked. "How does it live?" Nursery clean-up forgotten, Cedarpaw padded down the edge of the beach searching for more starfish, pushing back each one he found into the ocean. A few he nosed were hard and brittle, and being cautious, he left them alone.

--

"Let's forget about Scorchwhisker," Stormwing suggested, "and turn our minds back to hunting. We're near the two-leg den now, so be quiet." The other two cats didn't need a reminder, but Sealpelt's remark about smelling something strange was troubling her and the deputy needed to take her mind off of it. Bounding forwards a few pawlengths Stormwing took the lead, beckoning her clanmates with a wave of her tail as she set down a small two-leg path.

--

"I didn't say we didn't," Scorchwhisker meowed stiffly. "And to answer your first question, no. Most of my clanmates are lax and don't care about the Warrior Code. I do my best to uphold it, and if it wasn't for the fact that I know that my leader would want to meet you, I would have sent you and your flea-bitten friend running for the border." As he started down the path to the Clan he saw Boneshatter and Mistdance, who were talking and walking together. If it hadn't been for the herbs and prey in Mistdance's mouth, Scorchwhiskerwould have been scandalized.

{ Sorry. ;0; }

"I'm not sure," Fadedstar purred, shaking out her silver fur as she stared at the young apprentice. "Isn't it a curious world we live in? What magnificent creatures there are here..." She turned her head slowly and glanced at the intimidating pile of rocks and boulders waiting to be moved. "Come on," she chuckled, signaling with her tail for Cedarpaw to continue working. "We've got to get this cleaned up." 

--

Nodding, Sealpelt ducked into a crouch, drawing her body slowly along the ground behind her deputy as the old two-leg building came into view. All other thoughts mingling in her mind were washed away as she began to smell the thick, musky odor of mouse. Her mouth watered, and her stomach gurgled slightly in anticipation.

Quailpaw, stubborn as he was, did not try and be stealthy. Instead he just padded as he usually did, paw steps heavy against the gr*censored*y turf. The slight breeze ruffled his fur, but he pretended not to notice and focused on the small, lop-sided brick building coming into view.  

--

"I'm offended," Xerus informed him in a very serious tone of voice. "Neither myself, nor my counterpart, have fleas. You'd best watch your tongue, Clan cat. I don't take lightly to being insulted openly." Tail swishing through the air, she glared at him in a disapproving manner.

Cedarpaw heaved a huge sigh of relief as he shifted the last rock out of the way, finally clearing the entrance to the nursery. Ironically, when the Clan was in most need of kits and such, the devastating rockfall had come a perfectly opportune time. Kicking a few clods of compacted dust and pebbles away from his paws Cederpaw crept into the den, sniffing about to make sure no mice or prey had been caught by the rocks and squished into an unappetizing stew. It was a bit foolish to check for prey in one of their dens, the apprentice supposed, but since no-cat had used it in a few moons there was nothing left but to check. "Nothing in here!" he called out for Fadedstar's benefit, wriggling back out of the cramped entrance as swift as a snake.

"It's all clear, I guess," he meowed uncertainly, wondering what chores he'd have to do now.

--

At about this moment Graypaw and Owlpaw bounded over the slight rise, or sand dune, sheltering the nursery, paws skidding in the fine scree of sand, dirt and small pebbles. "I found him," Graypaw crowed excitedly, her eyes shining and whiskers twitching with renewed fervor. "He was just sitting alone in a field."

Rolling his eyes Owlpaw padded up the Cedarpaw and nuzzled him in greeting. "I was trying to hunt," he meowed in complaint, but considering the decidedly happy look in his eyes, he was simply teasing Graypaw. I'm happy she's much stronger now, he thought, letting out a small purr and stretching luxuriantly next to Cedarpaw. And it was true, it seemed only a few moments in the fresh sea air had completely revived the small and weak she-cat in a small and strong she-cat.

--

Though irritated by Quailpaw's attitude, Stormwing didn't let it get to her. Already she had caught a plump mouse and two squeaking voles. It was an average catch considering the amount of prey in the area, but she let it off as nerves and the recent move to the shores. We're still getting stronger, she thought sadly. Weak as kits, but each day we grow and soon we will be apprentices. Imagine! It's as if we're all doing the warrior training all over again. From the weakest ki- Shaking her head to rid herself of the thought the deputy picked up her prey and headed over to where Quailpaw and Sealpelt had been hunting, careful to make sure the prey wasn't making any noise and bumping against her forelegs.  

--

"She-cats," Scorchwhisker muttered, though he flicked an partially apologetic glance in the she-cat's direction. She didn't understand the upheaval her arrival would put the Clan in. Couldn't she have waited a few more moons? Scorchwhisker thought. I would have been -slightly- more welcoming. We're hardly settled down! To turn his mind off the thought he called out a greeting to Boneshatter and Mistdance, nodding at them quickly. "She wants to see the leader," he meowed faintly in answer to Mistdance's surprised ex
pression.

--

Mistdance recovered quickly and nodded. "I thought so," she meowed faintly, though by the shocked ex
pression in her eyes, no doubt she had been thinking Scorchwhisker was bringing his secret mate to the Clan! "Well, good luck," she meowed again, this time in Xerus's direction. I need to be welcoming, she mused. The rogue might be scared and attack...no, now I'm thinking of her as a rat or such. She looks friendly enough, at any rate. 

"Sure thing," Cedarpaw meowed, feeling important for having helped the leader while Graypaw had been sent on an errand. Being a simple cat -sometimes- Cedarpaw seemed happy with the smallest praise, whether or not it had been intended. "Where can we hunt? Stormwing took Sealpelt and Quailpaw to the old two-leg den, and Scorchwhisker is up on the ridge-" The apprentice's voice was cut off by Graypaw biting his tail and dragging him backwards over the sand, flipping him till he faced the cliff. "What is this this time?" he meowed angrily, shaking himself off and sending sand particles flying through the air.

--

Spitting out a tuft of fur Graypaw nudged him again, pointing to the cliff's pathway with her tail. "Scorchwhisker brought a friend!" she meowed in a hushed voice, though it was completely useless considering that she meant for every-cat to hear. "And it's a she-cat!" How she knew Scorchwhisker's friend was female was beyond her, but Graypaw dismissed it as instinct.

--

Ignoring both the leader and Cedarpaw's and Graypaw's scuffle, Owlpaw was staring in the opposite direction with an ex
pression on his muzzle that could only be mounting horror. "Rogue!" he squeaked, attempting to warn his Clanmates. "Coming right for us!" Instead of standing up to face off with the intruder Owlpaw instead stumbled back into Graypaw, knocking her over.

--

"Nice catch," Stormwing meowed, jealousy coloring her tone ever so slightly. "I only got a mouse and two meager voles." Placing her own prey next to Sealpelt's Stormwing nudged Quailpaw lightly. "Did you get anything good?" she asked, preparing a praise for the tom, knowing that he needed some encouragement.

--

"No," Mistdance meowed sadly. "We were pushed out of our old home." Pausing, she gave the rogue a forceful look. "But this time we intend to stay." Sighing as the two padded off she turned to answer Boneshatter's statement.

"Then again, he's not the type to break the warrior code," Mistdance reminded Boneshatter with a small purr of amusement. "I'm beginning to think Scorchwhisker was pressed into this by that rather forceful looking she-cat. It's not as if he looks pleased." Shaking her head slightly to rid it of some of the leaf scraps she had picked up from her wild leap over the cliff edge, the she-cat began to trace the footsteps of Scorchwhisker and Xerus. "We should go anyways." 

{ Hey there stalker... ;D }

"Go where?" Boneshatter said aloud, flicking his ears. "I'm rather content with sitting right here. That, and I'm sure Dreampaw is somewhere near by, so I'd prefer to stay here so she can see me." Green eyes watchful, he watched as Scorchwhisker and Xerus walked away. "Hm. Perhaps you are right. But it still seems odd that a she-cat smaller than him would be able to force him into bringing her here."

"We have our ways," Mistdance called out as she bounded the path, giving Boneshatter an amused look. "I'll go put these in your den and tell Dreampaw you're waiting." Flicking her tail in a gesture of goodbye she darted down the bottom of the cliff, pas.ssing Xerus and Scorchwhisker quietly. So caught up in her little journey of getting Dreampaw the generally clueless she-cat completely missed Fadedstar's angry meow and the little spat that was going on.

As she ducked into the Medicine cat den, almost tripping over the dozy apprentice that was quietly looking through the herbs, she noticed that the den was in fact, empty. "Are all the cats better?" Mistdance meowed incredulously, remembering that Owlpaw had been in there a day before with a nasty cut on his shoulder from the journey.

--

Dreampaw looked up lazily. "Hmm? Oh yes, he left this morning and went hunting on his own." Snorting at her Clanmate's foolishness Dreampaw slowly stood, her eyes lighting up at the scent of herbs. "Oh!" she meowed excitedly, motioning for Mistdance to drop them. "Burdock root! Perfect. We've been getting more rats around the area. Looking for our prey scraps, no doubt." Purring even as the heavy scent pervaded her nostrils Dreampaw shoved them into the little niche that served as the herb storage. "Thanks Mistdance. But since you're the only one here, I'm guessing Boneshatter needs me?" Taking the she-cat's head-dip as a sign of a.ssent Dreampaw nuzzled her in thanks and wriggled out of the den.

--

"Ah...alright?" Cedarpaw meowed, gathering Graypaw closer to him. He didn't want her injured, especially after she had perked up so much this morning. Shoving her in the cliff's direction he started walking, hissing at Owlpaw to make him hurry up. As usual the tom was lagging behind, torn between getting away from the rogue and helping out his leader. "Scorchwhisker is a great warrior," Cedarpaw meowed comfortingly. "He'll keep the leader safe."

"I know," Owlpaw sighed. "But still...I want to prove myself in battle!" "Against one rogue?" Cedarpaw pointed out. 

--

"No," Scorchwhisker meowed heavily. "I think Fadedstar is just worried about you being a scout of whatnot for some band of rogues. Let me settle her down." Padding closer to the leader he touched her shoulder in an attempt to lead her away from Xerus. "I just found her in the forest, along with a male, who isn't here," he began in a soothing voice. "And don't worry, she's not a rogue. She told me she comes from a Clan that lives in a land of permanent snow." After spending time with the she-cat Scorchwhisker felt more sure of this statement, and he hoped the small hint of doubt he felt didn't appear in his voice. Xerus deserved some trust.

--

"Good job," Stormwing meowed. "We should go now." Standing up stiffly she grasped the tails of her prey and could almost have laughed at how strange she must have looked with some rodents hanging out of her jaws. "Before the sun begins setting," she meowed, her voice somewhat muffled by all the fur and flesh stuffing her muzzle. 

Boneshatter only chuckled slightly, shaking his head. Then, as Dreampaw came into view, he stood up and shook out his thick white fur. A hearty purr rumbled in his throat. "There you are," he said, eyes sparkling as if he was glad to see her. "I was getting a bit worried; thought you'd gone and fell of the cliff or something of the sort. How's Graypaw doing?"

__ 

Xerus nodded, unable to shake the feeling that maybe the grumpy tom wasn't the worst cat around. Seeing the Clan cats' muscles ripple under their pelts as they walked away made her slightly uneasy. She was out of shape, and only one in number. If something went wrong, would she be able to get away fast enough?

Fadedstar only shook her head as she walked away with Scorchwhisker in the direction he was leading her. "We have enough mouths to feed as it is, Scorchwhisker. And she doesn't look fit enough to be climbing up and down the steep path to hunt and such." Flicking her tail tip, she thought for a moment. "A place of permanent snow? Intriguing." She sat down, wrapping her tail around her paws, and nodded at the black tom. "Alright, I'll let her explain herself. Bring her over here."

--

Sealpelt scooped up her catch of the day, thick scent masking her sense of smell so she was unable to tell that the tom she'd smelled earlier was close by. Instead she only chuckled to herself as Quailpaw scooped up his tiny mouse, tail held high like a black flag.

"She's stopped worrying me," Dreampaw confessed shyly. "But I can't really put a real diagnosis on her. Since, she's hurt from the inside. I'm that good." Scuffling her paws in embarras.sment the she-cat looked down. "And I'm not that clumsy," she cried out indignantly, finally replying to Boneshatter's first statement.

--

"Alright. I thought she might be hardy, considering her old home," Scorchwhisker meowed with a shrug. Stepping back and dipping his head quickly the tom trotted back to Xerus. "She wants to speak with you," he mewed. "Just explain yourself and don't try lying. Fadedstar is an expert at sniffing them out. Just...stay calm."

--

"Mmnf,"Stormwing grumbled, flicking her head in the direction of the camp. "Mm." She stepped behind Quailpaw and indicated that he should lead them back, since she felt like the tom really ought to feel more important.

[This is fail beyond fail's belief o_o]