[ti]Open[/ti]Beyond these Walls

[noctemq]

A slightly nervous look covered Cherryhawk's face; hopefully she was making the correct decision, yet it dissipated as quickly as it came. Her confidence was still present, though she was just worried at how other cats would react. It was easy to lump any strange cat with the rogue groups that threatened the clans... Cherryhawk liked to believe that Rose didn't have any hidden agendas between her claws. She gave the other she-cat a smile in response before turning around to lead the way. Rose's excitement made her feel like she was doing the right thing, and it was even beginning to rub off on the warrior herself. This was a huge responsibility and would change Rose's life completely!

"Follow me." Her tail was held up high like a flag as she proceeded forward. Every now and again, she'd turn back to face Rose and make sure she was still there. The torbie halted right in front of the Thunder Trails for a short moment before looking up and down the track before crossing as quickly as she could; it was much scarier the first time, but now her mind was on other topics. She also figured that the monsters that came around here would be incredibly loud and announce their presence.

"You'll really like Mothclan. We're pretty friendly and open to other cats. And it'll be waaaay easier for you to fit in since you already know a lot about the clans," Cherryhawk made small-talk, which helped her ease whatever negative thoughts filled her mind. "Have you thought of a name yet? I guess Rose works the best and it won't be confusing or anything. But you could also start over completely... that could be fun too?" Her voice suddenly hushed as she approached a clearing full of various sized stones. Was that her mentor, Batstrike sitting near the camp entrance? Cherryhawk's ears flattened momentarily in uncertainty before perking back up. She'd have to explain herself, and hopefully he'd approve. Maybe he'd even help with their cause when they were present to Brackenstar?

[Storm]

Batstrike
MothClan | Warrior | Tom | 22 Moons | Heterosexual

A lean black figure sat peacefully at the camps entrance, his long tail wrapped neatly around white paws.  Batstrike was enjoying the chill rolling through his ruffled fur and watching his clanmates pass by as they came and went.  Keen yellow eyes had spotted Cherryhawk's pelt on her approach at some distance.  The figure with her didn't spark any recognition, but it hardly concerned the tom; just someone he didn't talk to much probably.  The feline let a purr warm his throat happily as he awaited his former apprentice to reach camp.  He lifted his chin to the sky and let his eyes laze to rest while the two felines padded nearer.

His poor nose picked up on Cherryhawk's scent as she drew close, but very suddenly something hit him that wasn't right.  Batstrikes posture stiffened, he sat up as his head snapped down and his gaze fell cold on the figure with the MothClan warrior.  No, he certainly didn't know this she-cat and she didn't bare the scent of any clan.  The hints of her being an outsider are what shifted his glare into action, Batstrike stood sharply.  A scowl crawled across his maw, tail lashing violently.  Cherryhawk being with her didn't stop the tom from stepping between the entrance and their path as he became a gatekeeper to the camp.  

The feline had made it all the way here with Cherryhawk, it wasn't likely that she was going to suddenly become a threat and lash out, but it didn't change the fact that she didn't belong here- that she could be a danger to the clan.  "Cherryhawk," the tom spat out harshly, "what is this?" His tone directed to the little she-cat he had come to know so well, but his eyes burning on this newcomer.  As much as he loved his former apprentice this was so like her, not to think thorough a decision like bringing a possible threat to the heart of her clan.  Batstrike didn't address the she-cat that stood before him as his skin prickled, flat fur starting to shift on his back.  

[noctemq]

Cherryhawk felt needles in her pelt as she looked down at her paws for a moment, then back up at her mentor. Yeah, this was the sort of response that she was expecting. She stood her ground on the matter, trying her best to keep firm, yet level-headed in order to not anger any cat more than she needed to. The tension laid itself like a stuffy blanket over her frame as she opened her mouth to respond.

”This is Rose. She’s not a rogue and has some ties to Ivyclan. And she’s looking for a new home,” she explained in the most watered-down way she could. Cherryhawk figured that she’d be repeating this information a lot, so it was probably better to start short and keep the message tidy. She allowed her prickly fur to settle down before looking up to Batstrike with a gentle plea in her umber eyes, a look that said trust me on this. Maybe the young she-cat felt soft for Rose because she too was an outsider that needed sanctuary, and maybe that would be her downfall today with whom she considered to be her father figure. Part of her felt like chickening our right now, especially when she saw Batstrike react the way he did, but the other half told her to continue trekking forward into this dangerous territory. 

[Storm]

Batstrike
MothClan | Warrior | Tom | 22 Moons | Heterosexual

Batstrike simply shook his head in disappointment as he met her pleading eyes.  "And you thought bringing a cat that we know nothing about, that could have lied to you, to camp was a good idea?" His voice was lowered but scolding.  A hint of anger dashed in his words, honestly he was annoyed she had pulled such a immature and reckless stunt.  The tom thought he had trained a wiser warrior.  These were all words for a later discussion though, a private one between the two of them.  His gaze shifted to Rose, "If she has connections to Ivyclan why would she seek a place among us?" It was suspicious to him, why one would choose to try and join a clan when they knew cats in another one.  If she had been turned away from IvyClan, MothClan wouldn't have a use for her either or was it all part of the outsiders web of lies? Oh, this was drama and Batstrike hated drama.  He withheld sinking his claws into the cold earth beneath him when he realized he had addressed his question to Cherryhawk instead of Rose, who would be able to answer it better.  

The tom shifted his attention to the newcomer, puffed out a sigh and did his best to be civil as he spoke to her now.  "I apologize for that," he shot a glance to the little warrior to refer to their conversation, "Cherryhawk has approached this the wrong way, I hope you understand my hesitation on you being here." He was trying to soften his tone, but it was still uncomfortable.  If only Cherryhawk had thought to leave the she-cat at the border and bring their leader or deputy to her instead this wouldn't have had to been so hostile.  "It not my place to ask you any questions, you can explain yourself to someone that will actually make the decision on what to do with you."  Batstrike said with a nod to the newcomer before rolling his head over his shoulder to call into camp for either Eveningblaze or Brackenstar.  He would deal with Cherryhawk, they could deal with the outsider.  

[sabs]

BRACKENSTAR - - >

    The tabby tom had been sunning himself on the High Rocks, taking in the last of the morning light as it warmed his pelt in the chilly weather. His eyes were slits as he surveyed his Clanmates, feeling more peaceful than he had in moons. That was, until he heard commotion near the camp entrance. Brackenstar saw Batstrike, and what appeared to be the torbie pelt of his former apprentice. Then there was another, unfamiliar figure. He quickly hopped down from his perch, striding gently towards the black and white warrior. He stopped, a few tail lengths away, listening in on the conversation between the two before stepping forward. It seemed he was scolding her. Setting his tail calmly against Batstrike's shoulder, he turned to the torbie she-cat. His presence was cool and collected, but he kept his air of authority around him.
    "It seems Cherryhawk has brought us a visitor." He mewed, eyeing the fiery red she-cat stranger. Normally the leader may be more defensive, or order a warrior to chase off the outsider, but he sensed no intent of threat from her. Besides, what small she-cat would walk into a camp filled with battle ready warriors? The thought brought an amused smirk to his face. No, she didn't seem like she'd seen a lick of a fight in her entire life. A kittypet? No, her fur was far too rugged for that, and she smelled of forest. He sat back on his haunches as the thoughts crossed his mind for a moment, then spoke again. "What brings you to MothClan?" The tom spoke, his yellow eyes fixed on her, demanding a response. 

[Miss Tactical]

The black tom had been organizing another hunting patrol. For a lot of the younger warriors, it was their first leaf-bare hunting on their own, prey seemed to be lacking. The snow often disguised scents of prey and made finding rabbits, or lighter prey more difficult. He snorted when he saw the next group drop just a single mouse and a finch. He was about to send out another group when an odd scent hit his nose. Eyes narrowed he curled his lip into a deep snarl before turning around to face Cherryhawk, Batstrike and some…loner…kittypet rogue who knew. He was about to stroll over, but Brackenstar beat him. He huffed slightly before standing to join him. His eyes narrowed into beady little slits, and his tail lashed. His eyes burned into the newcomers pelt . When MothClan first formed, they were open to outsiders there was no need for outsiders to join now.

His ears swiveled when Cherryhawk mentioned that she had ties to IvyClan to Batstrike. He looked over at the darker tom he knew she was his first apprentice but Shadowstorm taught him better than that, about bringing outsiders into the clan. His eyes then went to Cherryhawk what was she thinking. ”And what made you think it was such a grand idea to bring her back here. We have plenty of mouths to feed we don’t need another. And what kind of lesson would it teach Ruststripe he was punished time and time again for doing the same thing YOU just did. “ He mewed firmly. Oh no, she wasn’t going to get off that easy.

Did this rogue really have ties to IvyClan or was It deceit ? You couldn’t trust anyone these days. ”Do you realize how much DANGER You could have just put your entire clan in? Do you know how many of your clan mates have died at the claws of outsiders? Let that sink in for just a moment. “ He turned and cast a look at Batstrike for a moment before looking at the loner. He stepped forward, closing in on the she-cat. ”Mark my word if you try anything I will chase you so far you won’t ever want to step foot near a clan again. He mewed firmly.

[noctemq]

Cherryhawk felt he’d usually fluffy and perked ears flattened against her head in an unpleasant mix of shame and embarrassment. If this was any other cat, she’d fight back, but she knew better than to try and out-mouth Eveningblaze. She began to question if it was worth bringing Rose in; maybe it was just terrible timing and a mix of a bad salesman pitch. The death of Mothstar was still fresh in everyone’s mind, and she knew that meant the clan cats were going to lump every outsider with the rogues, no matter how unfair that was.

She refused to meet Eveningblaze’s gaze with her own and instead focused on her paws. In moments like these, she could feel her small frame grow even smaller, as if she was still apprentice-sized. Hopefully Rose could defend herself, because Cherryhawk could barely manage the words being thrown to her. It was probably better to keep her mouth shut before she could say another thing that could be interpreted as foolish, so Cherryhawk just nodded and kept her head down.

[mewmehh]

All the swirling scents had Rose's head buzzing, a goofy, blissful expression on her face as she plodded along after Cherryhawk. Feeling light as air and ignorant of the thoughts that were likely plaguing the younger cat, the red she-cat was caught a bit unawares when they had push through the entrance of the camp and were confronted with an unfamiliar black cat. Interest piqued, Rose's turquoise eyes glued themselves to Batstrike, listening keenly.

The exchange was curt; not cold and unfeeling like a superior bossing Cherryhawk around, but rather full of feeling, like a parent scolding their kit. In an instant, Rose wondered if the older tom was perhaps the tabby's father, or mentor, if memory served. Regardless, he seemed quite concerned with Cherryhawk's decision to bring her here and clearly he wasn't the only one, as she spied many pairs of eyes on them and a few more bodies approaching. Even still, Rose could appreciate the black warrior's manners as he spoke to her briefly. Shaking her head lightly, Rose offered a small smile and returned, "No worries, I completely understand." Her voice was bright, though she quickly mentally reminded herself that she ought to avoid being quite so familiar with them; she was a stranger after all, and Cherryhawk was likely going to be reprimanded somehow for bring her here. "I just hope Cherryhawk doesn't get too much flak for this," she added, a little bit crestfallen at the reality of the situation for her new little friend.

Just as she had finished speaking to Batstrike, it appeared that she would have more to tell as another black cat and a tabby had reached them; both were strong-looking, with one being more burly and the other's face filled with scars. However, it didn't scare her; rather it filled her with a sense of inspiration and awe. No time for that now though! Brackenstar's tone was deep, but not too unfriendly, which was welcoming in comparison to Eveningblaze's sharp retort. At his hostility, Rose felt the fur on her lower back bristle, curls looking like fiery thorns. Her expression narrowed and she boasted a toothy, challenging grin. "What's 'anything' supposed to mean? Like 'trying to join Mothclan?'" Her flashy eyes flicked from Eveningblaze to Brackenstar and back a few times before settling on the tabby to answer his previous question. "It was as I told Cherryhawk. I've come to join Mothclan, to learn all I can from Mothstar. I've heard that of the three clans, Mothclan was the strongest, the boldest and most wild." Conviction twinkled in her eyes as she continued. "I've heard of cats joining clans here and there, though I guess they were always young ones. Maybe I missed my mark. But then, I guess Longwing would be to blame; he always told me as a kit that I'd never be accepted because of my blood or some sort. But then Ivyclan would accept that very same blood into their clan?! Starclan be, I was surprised at that! Err.." She gave the group of cats a sheepish grin and mumbled, "Sorry, didn't mean to get so worked up."

Straightening up a bit, she looked back to Cherryhawk and continued, "The long and short of it is that living in the twolegplace is for the rats and I know that most of what's out here is clan territory. Makes it hard to go about living without pussyfooting around. Not to mention living alone is rough, even in the twolegplace. Everyone there's selfish, whereas in the clan, you care for your own. The ones too old or small to hunt are cared for and everyone works as a unit, as a family. And I've heard stories about Mothstar and how he broke from the other clans to make his own when he believe the other two fell short of the clan ways, and I really think that's incredible. I want to learn from him all I can and prove to Longwing and that one she-cat in Ivyclan that I've got what it takes; that I'm just as wild as them." Her rigid posture relaxed a bit as she flattened her ears in embarrassment. With a small chuckle, she mewed, "Oops. I didn't mean to talk y'alls' ears off. My bad."

[noctemq]

The torbie she-cat looked up and tried to gauge the reaction that Rose’s response would elicit. Thank Starclan that she was much better with words, because that was one of Cherryhawk’s weaknesses. She grinned awkwardly, as if she was saying ta-da to the toms standing in front of her. She shuffled her front paws close together with her tail waving around behind her; that was one helluva convincing statement which managed to show both her knowledge of the clans and her determination at the same time. If Brackenstar and Eveningblaze weren’t on board by this point, or at least harbored less doubt about Rose’s real intentions, Cherryhawk would be baffled.

[sabs]

BRACKENSTAR - - >

    Yellow eyes blazed as he watch his deputy tear into the two she-cats. He didn’t speak or interject. Instead he just let his gaze speak for him. He kept a close watch on the outsider, seeing how she would react to hostility, and was surprised when she began talking as soon as Eveningblaze had finished his episode. She didn’t seem too shaken by it, in fact it almost seemed to...excite her? He listened as she told her story, a pang in his chest at the mention of Mothstar. Strange, it seemed, that all these outsiders would always flock to MothClan. He wondered if the other two Clans experienced as much influx as they had. Perhaps it was the weather.

    Once the red she-cat had finished her speech, the tabby leader sat quiet for a moment, a thoughtful look in his eyes. It seemed she’d even left the moody black deputy speechless. He motioned with his broad tail for her torbie companion to step forward. “Though my deputy seems to not know how to hold his tongue before passing judgement, he does have a point.” The leader paused to twitch his whiskers. “I know we opened ourselves to welcome outsiders that seem fit for our ranks, but bringing one into camp is nonsensical. No matter how complacent they may appear.” He gave a sigh, switching his gaze to the curly she-cat. “That being said, you seem able enough. You will receive temporary rank among our Clan as an apprentice. I shall assign you a mentor” He looked to the young warrior beside her. “Cherryhawk, since you seem so eager, I am trusting you to watch over her and teach her our ways. As we are short on prey for leaf bare, whatever you catch is whatever you will eat.”

    He didn’t wait for a response before rising back to his paws. “I suggest you both start hunting now, before the sun leaves us.” Brackenstar gave a smirk, turning towards his deputy. “Looks like it's time to close our borders, Keep an eye on those two.” He mumbled under his breath. The tabby tom failed to address the Mothstar situation. No, he figured she would discover that through the grapevine. He had to admit that he was quite intrigued by the curly-haired she-cat. Time would tell, though, if she truly had what it took.