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Wind whipped across the moor, rustling ferns and grasses. A full moon hung over the dusty star-specked sky, a cloud over it. The night was still and silent.
Suddenly the grass shifted unnaturally and a shadow slipped across the ground, not making a sound. Two amber eyes glowed in the darkness.
A small squeak. The shadow froze.
Mouse.
The shadow began to move, very slowly, paw-step by paw-step, towards it’s prey.
Time it just right and…
Pounce!
The mouse fell limp into the shadow’s unsheathed claws.
Suddenly the cloud drifted away from the moon and it shone right on the shadow, revealing a beautiful sleek black she-cat with amber eyes, a mouse in her jaws.
The cat whisked her tail and began to carry her prey away. She enjoyed night hunting, and a cool, clear night like this was perfect for it.
New territory. I wonder if I should finally stop traveling and settle somewhere. I’ve seen a million moors, forests, and twoleg-places at this point.
The cat sat down beside a clump of ferns and bushes and began to chew her prey.
Rustle rustle.
The cat looked up.
Merrrrroooooow! A shape leaped out of the ferns and knocked the black she-cat off her paws, causing her to drop the last of her prey. She hissed and unsheathed her claws.
“Get off my territory!” The shape hissed in the black cat’s face. The black she-cat managed to get her paws under the shape’s stomach and throw it off with a hissssssssss!
The shape was another cat, a small, scrawny gray-and-black she-cat with green eyes. The black she-cat stood her ground as she got up.
“What’s your name?” The black she-cat asked, preparing for the other cat to leap on her again.
To her surprise the gray-and-black cat just sat down. “Mist.” She replied, licking one paw and drawing it over her ear. She looked a little embarrassed “Your obviously new here, stalking across my territory like that. What’s YOUR name?”
“Lighting.” The black she-cat flicked her tail. “I didn’t know this was YOUR territory, and I don’t intend to stay.” Lighting picked up the rest of her prey and began to stalk off.
“Wait.” Mist called raising one paw.
Wondering if this was some kind of trick, Lighting turned around cautiously.
“Have you ever heard of ‘Clans’?” Mist asked, her green eyes wide and serious, with a hint of excitement?
Lighting had never heard the word “Clan” in her life. “No. What’s that?” She asked, curious in spite herself.
“It’s a group of cats.” Mist looked a little uncomfortable. “I-I wanted to start one.”
Lighting looked at Mist. “Starting a group sounds easy enough. Just find some cats and ask them if they want to join. I’m sure someone will.” She turned to leave again, but Mist kept talking.
“It’s not as simple as it sounds. A Clan needs a leader, a deputy a medicine cat,” Mist recited the list as though she’d known all about these “Clans” perfectly for moons. The terms made Lighting’s head hurt.
“In a Clan cats look out for each other. The medicine cats heal the sick or injured cats and the warriors and apprentices hunt for the queens and elders.” Mist finished proudly.
You’re a weirdo. Lighting thought, though deep down, she almost admired Mist for sharing her dreams and knowledge so openly with a stranger. Lighting had met several other lone cats like herself and most just wanted to go their own way and not talk. Lighting suddenly realized how young Mist looked. Young with big dreams of starting some “Clan.”
“Well, best of luck on starting a, er Clan.” Lighting mewed awkwardly. You’re going to need it, weird cat. She added silently. She turned to leave for the third time, but Mist raised her paw and stopped her again.
“I-I could use some help.” Mist turned red and put her paw down. “I’ve been trying to get some cat to help me. But no one’s ever even heard of a clan. A tom the other day almost clawed my ears off when I tried to tell him about it… I thought you were him when I first saw you. No one’s listened to me as long as you and...” Mist stopped to take a breath and looked at Lighting.
...And I regret it immediately. Lighting thought. There’s no way I’m helping this cat. No wonder that tom almost clawed her, she’s weird, running around yapping to other cats and wasting their time with talk of “Clans.”
Lighting opened her mouth, just about to tell this cat just what she though of silly little cats and their talk of “Clans” but Mist’s hopeful face stopped her.
This cat might be weird. But she was also brave. What treatment had she already endured to loyally tell other cats about “Clans” only for them to tell her off? How many times had she seen a cat, and got her hopes up that they would help her, but then was disappointed.
I’ve been a loner all my life. This cat should really just give up…
But Mist’s face haunted her mind so that the word slipped out before she could stop it:
“Yes.”
Mistpaw stretched and 'excitedly' leaped from her nest. She bounced happily at black she-cat, Lighting. “What are we doing today?” She asked her new friend jumping up and down.
Mistpaw remembered meeting Lighting on the moor the day before. The she-cat had agreed to help her build a Clan.
“I don’t know anything about Clans.” Lighting had sighed.
“Oh I’ll teach you!” Mistpaw had assured her. She was so happy that some cat had finally decided to help her. Except Lighting now called her MistPAW ever since she had explained the role of an apprentice even though she’d said over and over that apprentices were only named by leaders. Lighting didn’t seem to think it mattered. But it mattered to Mistpaw. A lot.
Her and Lighting had made a makeshift camp, in a ditch surrounded by different types of grass and bushes. Mistpaw could already picture cats streaming thorough it, greeting one another.
Lighting interrupted her thoughts. “We’re going hunting. It’s sunrise.” The black she-cat meowed, drawing her tongue over her paw.
Mistpaw’s stomach growled. “Okay!” She pointed her tail straight in the air and followed the black she-cat up the trail and out of the ditch.
Mistpaw and Lighting walked side by side in silence. Though Mistpaw’s friendly nature made her call Lighting a friend, she still felt a little awkward around her. Lighting hadn’t shown much emotion and hadn’t hardly even talked since she’d agreed to help Mistpaw. Is she mad at me over something? I am asking her a big favor. Mistpaw stopped thinking temporarily to stalk and leap on a vole rummaging thorough some leaves below an oak tree.
Lighting saw a squirrel and set after it, only to have it run up a tree at the last moment, chattering loudly.
“Mouse dung! I slipped on this stupid dew.” Lighting hissed, shaking the clear wet liquid off her paw.
Mistpaw held back a purr of amusement. The morning had left quite a bit of dew on the ground. It sparkled on the blades of tall grass and dripped off the leaves of ferns and bushes.
Lighting recovered and bent down into a crouch after a mouse, which was out of it’s hole for some reason even though the squirrel had barked loud enough to scare the boldest kit. She leaped and pinned it down before bitting it’s spine.
As they walked back to their makeshift nests with their prey, Mistpaw looked at Lighting. There was something she had to tell her. It wouldn’t be fair to get her into this and not to tell her. She took a deep breath.
“Lighting?” She mumbled around her vole.
Lighting didn’t look at her. “What?” she mumbled back.
“have you ever heard of StarClan?” Mistpaw whispered hesitatingly.
“No. I told you I know nothing of Clans.” Lighting continued towards camp without looking at Mistpaw or putting a paw wrong.
“They’re not like other Clans.” Mistpaw began. She stopped short to hop over a log then continued. “W-when cats die...” Mistpaw stopped. She had no idea how to explain without sounding silly. And she had finally gotten some cat to help her. What if Lighting thought she was so crazy if she told her about StarClan that she decided NOT to help her? But she had to continue. Leaders got their nine lives from StarClan. Medicine cats were chosen by StarClan. How could a Clan form without StarClan? She searched for a way to explain.
“We’re here.” Lighting sighed, jumping down into the makeshift ditch-camp, interrupting Mistpaw’s thoughts. I’ll tell her later Mistpaw thought. When I know a better time and way to explain.
Mistpaw and Lighting sat beside each other and ate their prey in silence.