Disclaimer: In the name of Starclan I don't own Warriors!! (Though I do own this group of rogues…)
"Come on sleepyhead, wake up! You've been sleeping like a hedgehog all morning."
Lionclaw blinked open his eyes and adjusted him to the light that streamed in through the slit. Arising, he quickly groomed his fur and stretched, eager to find out more about these cats.
"Somebody is anxious." Heatherstorm purred, cuffing her mate over his ear.
"Well, don't you want to know about the cats we'll be leaving with?" he retorted.
"I guess you're right. Let's go find Stream." The she-cat suggested, bounding forward.
"Good morning lovebirds." The silver cat greeted them warmly. "Get a good night's sleep?"
Lionclaw nodded. "It was very nice."
"So, are you two going to be staying here awhile?" she queried.
This time Heatherstorm spoke. "Yes. Why, do most cats leave?"
"Well sure. I mean there's no law that's gonna keep 'em here. Most rogues just pass by for a night or two before heading back their way." Stream informed them.
Lionclaw was confused. "But last night you were mentioning something about your leader and mentors and appren- I mean trainees. How could he appoint those if none of the cats stayed here long?"
"I didn't say that every cat left! Most of us have been here for a while. Those who have Thorn appoints them as mentors or trainees or whatever he sees fits them." Stream meowed.
"So Thorn is your leader?"
"Well sort of. Him and about 15 of these other cats, including Tiger and I, came and settled here a long time ago. He was the one who guided us throughout the journey so he pretty much just continued doing so when we got here." Stream meowed.
"Where did you live? How did you decide on living like this?" Lionclaw asked, full of questions for these cats.
Ignoring the first question she meowed, "Well, we all knew how to do basic hunting and fighting for ourselves, but when one of our she-cats had kits, we didn't know what to do with them. It was Thorn's idea to let cats train them until they can fend for themselves."
Lionclaw nodded. This place sounded pretty similar to the Clans.
"The only problem is that some of the older cats, some of which came from the lake that you lived by, are unhappy with this lifestyle. They feel that nothing is directing them to do anything and it's too unorganized."
Heatherstorm nodded in understanding. "Back where we come from every cat lived by the warrior code and abided by its rules. It helped guide us to do the right thing. Also, we have a system for leaders and deputies, mentors and apprentices. Or as you call them, trainees."
Stream nodded thoughtfully. "That doesn't sound like a bad idea at all. But if so, why did you guys leave?"
Lionclaw exchanged a loving glance with his mate before answering, "All the cats were divided into four Clans. One cat was forbidden to have friendships with cats from other Clans. Unfortunately, I belonged in ThunderClan and she was from WindClan so we couldn't be together. It was then that we realized it'd be best for us to leave."
Stream nodded in understanding. "Yeah, I know that Tiger and I would do the same."
"Is Tiger your mate?" Heatherstorm asked.
"Yes. We've known each other since kit-hood and have always been together. We've even had a litter of kits. The trainees Poppy and Spots are ours." Stream explained.
"I see. So, how do you guys organize hunting patrols?" Lionclaw asked, curious about how these cats did things if they had no code to follow.
"Patrols? We don't do patrols. Every cat hunts for himself."
"But what about kits and elders? How do you expect them to hunt for themselves?" Heatherstorm asked.
"Well we're not heartless if that's what you think!" Stream snapped. "Usually a queen's mate will hunt for her and her kits. If the queen's mate has died or left her however, Thorn will assign an older cat to care for her until her kits are made trainees. It's the same way with elders."
Both newcomers nodded in understanding.
"So do you need to come along when we hunt? I don't want to cross your border markers." Lionclaw meowed.
Stream let out a snort of amusement. "We don't need border markers. There's not another cat around here for miles. We hunt where we please and nobody's gonna stop us."
Lionclaw wasn't convinced. "Uh, ok, if you say so. Come on, let's go. I'm as hungry as a badger." The golden tom meowed, nudging his mate to her paws.
"All right, all right. Thanks Stream, do you want us to bring you something?" The light brown tabby queried.
"Oh that's ok. I've already eaten. However I bet Snow will want to eat something. With those rowdy kits of hers that always need watching, she never gets the chance to get out."
Heatherstorm spoke the question that was bubbling in Lionclaw's mind. "What happened to her mate?"
Stream looked down a minute, her eyes clouded with sadness. When she finally looked up, she was staring at something distant that neither cat could uncover.
"One day a wolf came into camp. It was just two weeks after Snow had given birth. Bear, her mate's name, died protecting her and the kits."
Lionclaw nodded sympathetically. "I see." Without another word, he and Heatherstorm padded silently out into the forest, in search of prey.
"I feel so bad for Snow." The she-cat meowed once they were out of ear-shot.
Lionclaw nodded. "Me too. I hope we never have to go through that." The tom couldn't imagine life without Heatherstorm.
"Me neither. Now come on and let's hunt. I'm sure that queen is getting hungry." Heatherstorm meowed, obviously trying to lighten the mood.
Scenting the air, Lionclaw detected the strong scent of mouse and eagerly crept forward.
At last he sprang, killing the prey with a swift bite to the neck.
"Nice catch!"
Lionclaw looked up at the praise to see a black tom padding towards him, a vole in his jaws.
Setting down the prey he meowed, "Thank you, uh, Smokey right?"
The tom nodded. "Yep. Hey, why are you burying that mouse? Aren't you going to eat it?"
"Well yes, but I'm not done hunting yet and I don't want anything else to get it." The golden tom explained.
Smokey nodded but Lionclaw could tell he still didn't understand it by the wary look in his eyes.
"Lionclaw, look!"
Both toms turned to see Heatherstorm padding towards them happily, a rabbit hanging from her jaws.
"Who knew that there were rabbits in the forest? This place is perfect!" she purred, covering dirt over her catch.
"Well we'd better get back to hunting. We still have to catch something for Snow." Lionclaw meowed, wanting to talk with his mate.
"All right. I'll talk to you back in the camp. See ya later!" the black tom meowed, picking up his prey and padding off.
"What did you need to tell me?" Heatherstorm asked once Smokey had left.
Lionclaw blinked. "How did you-"
Heatherstorm purred in amusement. "I could see it in your eyes. Now really, what did you have to say?"
"I was just wondering if you were well, happy here." Lionclaw began awkwardly.
"Of course. Here sit down, I have to tell you something." The light brown tabby meowed, lying down in a soft patch of grass.
"Well, most people would think that because I'm from WindClan, I'd enjoy open plains and rolling hills. But the truth is I hated it. I was always cold and felt really exposed. And every single day we'd eat rabbit. Do you know how bland they get after awhile? I think this place is truly perfect; the best thing that could've happened to us." She purred, licking Lionclaw over the ear.
"Now come on, let's finish hunting. I want to get to know Smokey better, he seemed quite nice."
Getting to his paws, Lionclaw stretched his muscles and let the sun hit his back, warming his golden fur. With the gentle breeze ruffling his fur, and the pleasant sounds of the forest echoing through his ears, the golden tom didn't have a doubt in his mind that this was the perfect place for him and Heatherstorm. And looking at the cheerful gleam in her sparkling blue eyes, he knew she felt the same way.
Aren't those two just adorable? I'll try to update soon for ya, so be sure to review and it might be faster…