Chapter Text
As the four cats began to walk, Kitty noticed the way that the forest cats moved like a unit. Lionheart led the way, Firepaw and Greypaw flanked her on either sides, while Tigerclaw brought up the rear, his eyes burning into the back of Kitty's scruff.
'They move as if they know the trees themselves. I suppose they truly do live amongst the forest.' Kitty thought back to her early days of life, before her Knight---when she lived in the forest with her mother. She supposed it wasn't too bad, her mother took good enough care of her and her siblings that she didn't die on the forest floor, but he always did prefer his Knight to the loneliness of the forest.
"So," Firepaw started, padding up closer to Kitty, "Where are you from?"
Kitty's eyes flickered over to the apprentice, watching the way his eyes seemed to shine with curiosity. "I am...from somewhere I do not know the name of, truthfully."
Greypaw tilted his head. "You...don't know where you're from..?"
Kitty's tail flicked. "I was never told the name. But it does not matter. I will not be going back."
Greypaw and Firepaw glanced at each other, speaking without opening their jaws. Kitty must not want to talk about their home.
The group walked in silence for a bit longer, trekking through the forest and they walked enroute to the ThunderClan camp. Kitty looked around the forest, swiveling his head to get a better view of everything. The leaves, moss, and dirt was a welcoming contrast to what Kitty was used to back at the tower. Her ears twitched with every new sound that they picked up on; a mouse skittering across their path, the birds chirping above, and-
The voices of other cats.
Up ahead, Kitty could hear the meows and murmurs of other felines. Their scents mingled together, again, they were layered almost exactly like Lionheart and the others. They each had their own distinct scent but there was an overall woodland smell that they all shared.
"That's the ThunderClan Camp," Firepaw said as he trotted closer, noting the way Kitty's nose had twitched as they neared the camp. "That's where all the other ThunderClan cats live."
Kitty nodded slowly, eyes flickering to the way the ferns moved with the wind. The entrance seemed to be a hollowed out bramble bush that slowly sloped down into an almost ditch-like area. Lionheart gestured for her to follow as he went through the entrance. Kitty blinked and quickly followed, Firepaw and Greypaw still flanking his sides. The warm brightness of the forest was temporarily dimmed as they went into the brambles and Kitty instantly missed the feeling of the sun on her fur. The feeling was only temporary though, as the sun soon greeted her again as he came into camp.
Kitty's wide eyes took in the strange sight. There was so many cats all living together! Some seemed to be play fighting, others were eating or cleaning each other, and some were just sunbathing. It was a strange new sight for Kitty; he had never been exposed to so many other cats, but the feeling that came with it wasn't uncomfortable...
It was quite pleasant, actually.
Comforting.
"Pretty cool, right?" Greypaw said, bumping her shoulder with his own, snapping Kitty out of her thoughts. Tigerclaw said something to Lionheart before making his way towards a large rock in the center of the camp.
"There are many of you," Kitty murmured, locking eyes with a cat who had a pale, sand-like pelt. The other cat narrowed her eyes at Kitty before going back to talking with another cat.
Firepaw tilted his head. "Are there not many other cats where you're from?" He asked her, his tail flicking slightly.
Kitty's ears twitched as she looked down at her paws before quickly looking back up. She would not show weakness to these new cats, especially not to Tigerclaw or whatever his name was. "There was not many others, but it does not meant that I can't adjust." They said firmly.
"Enough talking." Tigerclaw said, suddenly appearing which made Greypaw jump. "Bluestar has been informed about...Kitty's arrival. She will be available shortly-"
"Oh, great!" Firepaw said, pawing at the ground excitedly. "We can show Kitty around camp before Bluestar sees her!"
"-I wasn't done, Firepaw." Tigerclaw said, narrowing his eyes at the apprentice. Firepaw's ears flicked in annoyance but he sat back without further argument. "Kitty is not to leave the ThunderClan camp. Understood?"
"Yes, Tigerclaw." The two apprentices said in unison before whisking Kitty away to explore the camp.
"This is the apprentices den!" Greypaw said, gesturing with his tail to an area with bracken woven above and around it to create a shelter. Inside were a few nests made out of what seemed to be moss, feathers, and other soft things. Kitty stepped forwards slightly, poking their head inside to get a better look. "This is where you and Firepaw sleep, correct?" They asked.
Firepaw nodded. "Yeah, the warriors have their own separate den that we'll move into when we become warriors!"
Kitty hummed to herself as she stepped back, smoothing down his chest fur. "Does each...group have their own sleeping quarters?"
"Pretty much," Greypaw replied. "Kits and Queens share the nursery, though. And the Medicine Cats sleep in the Medicine Den."
"Who's this?" asked a new voice softly. Kitty turned around and saw a black cat with a small patch of white on his chest. He seemed to have an eternal scent of anxiety around him that Kitty found strange, but she didn't question it.
"Oh, hey Ravenpaw!" Firepaw said cheerfully. "This is Kitty. Kitty, this is Ravenpaw!"
'Another apprentice,' Kitty thought to herself. "Hello," Kitty said, inclining his head slightly. "Are you friends with Greypaw and Firepaw? I didn't see you with them earlier."
"Oh, uhm, yes, I'm friends with them." Ravenpaw said with a small smile. "I wasn't with them because...well, I passed out a few days ago. Spottedleaf doesn't want me training or leaving camp too quickly."
'Spottedleaf...' Kitty said to herself, storing the name away for later. 'Lot of others..' Kitty wanted to ask what caused him to pass out, but they didn't want to press too hard into someone who they just met's life.
"We're showing her around the camp," Greypaw said. "We found her while on a patrol and she smells like no cat the we've ever encountered, so we're showing her around while we wait for Bluestar."
Ravenpaw joined the Firepaw and Greypaw as they showed Kitty around the ThunderClan camp. Throughout the experience, Kitty could feel the eyes of other cats on her scruff at all times. No matter where the group went. Not all of the stares were friendly, and it felt like spiders were crawling up Kitty's spine. He noted how Firepaw and the other two avoided certain cats while showing her about, including the one that she had locked eyes with when she first entered the camp. 'Strange...' Kitty mumbled to himself. 'I wonder why that is...'
A few moments had gone by when Lionheart came up to the group. "Bluestar's ready." He said to them, his golden pelt shining in the dappled sunlight. "She's requested to see you, Kitty."
Kitty nodded slowly and said their goodbyes to the three apprentices before following Lionheart towards the center of the camp. Kitty's pelt prickled as the gazes of the other ThunderClan cats followed her movements, her ears twitched as she caught little bits of their conversations.
"-...who?..it's a rouge, surely."
"Is Bluestar just letting any cat into ThunderClan nowadays?"
"Just like that Kittypet...-"
Kitty ignored them as best he could and quickly followed Lionheart into the large crack in the center of the giant rock that stood in the middle of camp. Kitty pushed her way through the vines at the entrance, blinking as her eyes adjusted to the darkness. In front of her stood a large, battle scared cat with grey-ish blue fur. She looked at Kitty and gave them a nod.
"Hello, Kitty." She said. "I am Bluestar, leader of ThunderClan...Lets talk."