A/N: First fanfic after NaNo (Which I won. Yay). Probably not for those who think ShadowClan has to be mean and ThunderClan has to be good and win all battles and such. Some words in here the cats probably won't know (such as iron) but I couldn't find good words to replace them.

Disclaimer: If I were, I'd be reading Dark River right now, since I'd probably have it. I don't. You see?

Misconceptions – Part 1, ShadowClan

We don't even know how it came about. That stupid misconception, I mean. Everyone believes it; some of us even half believe it ourselves. You don't know what I mean? Well, try this: what's the first word that comes to mind when you hear the word "ShadowClan"?

Let me guess; dark-hearted, evil, mean, mean spirited, vile, cruel, untrustworthy…all the decriptions that aren't too complimentary.

And that's just the decriptions. What are the events that come to your mind when you hear the word "ShadowClan?"

I'll take a guess again. Brokenstar ruling over us with an iron claw, killing apprentices and making cats warriors and apprentices too early, driving out WindClan to take their territory. Tigerstar, the most evil cat to ever walk the forest, our leader, doing all the horrible things he did. Watching a ThunderClan kit that wasn't Clanborn struggle in a fox trap as we stood aside because we shouldn't rescue him, as he was just a kittypet.

And of course, that old phrase that all the other clans say time and again. I believe it goes something like "The cold breezes in ShadowClan's territory darken and freeze their hearts". I wouldn't know; we take it upon ourselves to try not to remember those kinds of phrases and legends.

Am I right? Without you even speaking, I know I am; I see you nodding in agreement. You do it without any trace of shame, because you – and many others – honestly think all ShadowClan cats are like that.

Wrong.

Sure, if you look around our territory, it's dark, tall pine trees casting shadows onto the ground, our cats hidden in the darkness and using it to our advantage. Does that mean since our territory's naturally dark, that so are our hearts? That because we use that darkness to our advantage, it's suddenly not adapting, but something somehow bad?

Don't try to interrupt me and exclaim, "That isn't true! I don't think that at all!" because I know you lie. I can see it in your eyes, watching my every pawstep warily, suspicious that I'll suddenly attack you and leave you to die here.

What makes you think any other clan won't do that, only ShadowClan?

What was that? Yes, I heard you. Muttering that you do know that not all ShadowClan cats are evil, for example, Littlecloud isn't.

Oh, you don't know how amused I am by that. Don't you know you're just showing another stereotype? Medicine cats can be evil, too, you know. There are many stories about such medicine cats; the leaders try to keep them down because those kinds of tales just won't do. The other clans, at least; ShadowClan knows enough that cats need to be told this to beware of such things.

See the sky up there? The stars gleaming down upon the earth? Ever thought about the warriors that are those stars? Here's something to chew on – many of them are ShadowClanners.

I know, impossible! All ShadowClanners have dark hearts, so they should be wandering around in the Place of No Stars! They don't deserve to be in StarClan because they were never kind to the other clans, always cold and haughty! They're too proud and arrogant and ambitious!

Oh, you poor, little, delusional thing. And you think the three other clans are so magnificent, they haven't even brought you up thinking all the clans are good enough for StarClan, or else you wouldn't always be glaring at me and my fellow clanmates. Of course, now you'll try to deny it, now that you're hearing what I'm saying. But we ShadowClanners have good memories – the best of all the Clans.

I know you're not hanging onto my words or anything, but here's a little something to chew on for a bit – a while, if I'm lucky and these words actually have an effect on you.

One of the greatest tales ever with a cat involved in a prophecy was about a cat from ShadowClan.

Honestly, don't laugh. It just shows your ignorance and your sheltered life, showing in a clear light how you've been brought up. You can't even believe that a ShadowClanner was the main cat of one of the greatest tales ever, that a ShadowClanner, and not one of the almighty ThunderClanners could be a hero.

And no, the ShadowClanner was not a former ThunderClanner like one of my ancestors. This cat was a purebred ShadowClanner, every single red drop of blood in his veins ShadowClan. No RiverClan relation, no WindClan relation, and definitely not any ThunderClan relation.

Well, I guess you've heard enough of my droning. But here's what all my rambling gets down to, and if you have any brain in that head, you'll have found out what I mean long ago.

I can see you're not in any particular suspense. I'd like to take that as you know what I mean and you see it's true, but I'm not a huge hoper or dreamer.

Here it is:

ShadowClan is just another Clan.

I see your contemptuous snort, I heard your annoyed murmur. Yes, what I said doesn't seem like much, but believe me, it's something hard for everyone else, especially ThunderClanners, to believe. See, we're not all evil or anything. As far as I know, the wickedest cat ever told of in the tales the elders told me was a leader who was a cat spoken of in a prophecy, said to be one of the most powerful forces for good the Clans would ever have.

He turned out evil. And that's not all; he was ThunderClan. And remember that Tigerstar, the one always said to be hugely evil, was originally ThunderClan. No ShadowClan blood flowed in his veins, just ThunderClan.

Many of us are good cats, noble cats. Just fierce ones who are more openly loyal to our Clans with a more vicious rivalry than most. We're innocent kits, eager apprentices, brave warriors, wise elders, intelligent leaders, all knowing StarClanners.

So think of that every time you see us snarl or smile, every time you see us fight or hunt. And every time you hear a cat that's a ShadowClanner insult someone, I think you'll be able to find that it'll be pretty easy to imagine a cat that's not a ShadowClanner – ThunderClanner, RiverClanner, WindClanner, anything but a ShadowClanner – in their place, hissing that insult.

Think about it for a while.

And remember this: most attributed personalities and characters are usually misconceptions.

A/N: So, thoughts? You're not supposed to know who the ShadowClanner speaking is, it's just supposed to be someone unknown. Anyway, I'd really like to know what you think of this, so I'd really appreciate some constructive criticism!