(continuation form last chapter)
(in Thunder Clan territory)
A silence drew out between the countries and the Thunder clan cats. After awhile, the countries finally removed their paws from their faces.
"I ask again, what are you doing on our territory?!" Brambleclaw demanded.
"They look like loners. Maybe they were stealing prey!" Toadstep stated. The other wild cats seemed to get angrier at the idea, and began glaring at the countries.
"Dude, Chill! We weren't trying to steal anything! What kind of a hero would do that?!" America explained, trying to calm down the wild cats. They looked a bit confused. 'Chill' what could he possibly mean by that? Did he want them to get cold and freeze or something? And what was with the bit about a hero? "We don't mean any harm." he continued, " We just woke up here in the middle of nowhere as-"
England covered America's mouth with his paw, cutting him off. "What he means to say is that we've been traveling for awhile and just ended up here in the middle of the night and decided to rest here. We couldn't quite see where we were going and were too tired to care about where we were. We didn't mean to intrude on your territory." While the wild cats exchanged looks and questions that the countries weren't paying attention to, England turned his head and hissed in a very low voice to America, "Are you bloody insane?! We can't let them know we're countries or that we were once human! Just think of what would happen! For God sakes America, use your bloody head for once, you git!"
"Geeze dude, sorry!" America replied a bit annoyed that England was right.
Mean while the warriors were having a few conversations of their own.
"Is it just me, or did the cat with the folded ears' voice sound kind of funny?"
"Yeah, and what's with those black spot like things over his eyes? They looked like caterpillars!"
"I don't think they were lying, I don't smell any prey sent on them."
"What should we do then?"
"There's something strange about them, I feel like I've met them before, or like I can trust them…"
"Maybe we should take them to see Firestar, he'll know what to do!"
"And they said they were looking for a place to rest, so maybe we could let them stay in camp! They definitely look a bit worn out."
When their conversing was done, they turned back towards the group.
"Come with us," Brambleclaw said, " We need you to come back to our camp with us"
"Why should we, aru?" China questioned.
"Because you're out numbered, there's 5 of us and only 4 of you." Brambleclaw stated as if was common knowlage.
"No," a quiet voice said that surprised the warriors. They searched for the speaker until their eyes fell on Canada, who was sitting next to America. "Theirs 5 of us. We're equally matched."
"Well with America's strength I wouldn't say that." England whispered to China, just loud enough for the two to hear. The warriors just stared at Canada in surprise.
"…Where the fox dung did you come from?!" Brambleclaw asked in shock.
Canada's shoulders slumped and he sighed as America laughed at the warriors' mistake (which he conveniently forgot he had committed only moments ago). "Maple…I've been here the whole time!" Canada whispered/yelled.
"…Ok then," Brambleclaw said, not quite believing Canada's claim, "Still, you FIVE should come with us."
The countries were silent for a few moments before America yelled, " GOUP HUDDLE!" and dragged the other countries into a circle.
"Ok guys, what should we do?" America asked in his quietest voice, " I think we can trust them."
"I agree with America-san." Japan says.
Again in the distance, they could here a quiet irritated voice saying, "Get your own freak'n opinion Japan!" but this time they just ignored it.
"I don't trust them, aru. What if they lead us into a trap?!" China said, quickly shooting a suspicious look at the wild cats.
"I-I think we can trust them, eh." Canada said quietly.
"Yeah, and even if the do lead us into a trap, we could easily defeat them!" America stated.
"I hate to say it, but America has a point. As far as we know, these are just normal wild cats. We're immortal countries! With my magic, America's strength, and your martial arts skills alone, China, we could easily over power whatever number of ranks they have. Add Japan's ninjitzu and Canada's stealth, we'd be unbeatable." England added.
China sighed, "Very well, aru."
"Awesome!" America exclaimed loudly as they turned around to face the wild cats, "We've decided to let you take us to your camp."
"Ok then, follow us." Brambleclaw said as they turned to leave. The countries trodded after them
(time skip)
(at the Thunder Clan Camp)
It was just an average day for Jayfeather…or so it seemed. He was busy sorting herbs, just after removing a thorn from berrynose's paw, while he whined like a kit, just like any other day. It was only when he hear foot steps approaching the camp, and Dovekit ran out of the nursery shouting about intruders on the territory, did actually think that today would be anything special.
When she first came running out shouting about intruders, he couldn't hear or smell anything unusual, so he though she was simply playing a game with her sister or one of the apprentices. Only when he started hearing approaching footsteps, did he notice anything unusual. He smelled cat scents that he couldn't recognize, mixed with other strange scents: ash, twoleg places, rain, strange unidentifiable herbs, something like maple trees only more sweet, more weird foreign herbs, some kind of reed, soft peaty soil, a sent that was a mix of a twoleg place and fresh kill, some kind of plant that grew very tall that he remembered smelling at the farm he passed to get to the mountains, and cherry trees.
He heard voices, one of them quiet loud, that sounded slightly strange, as if they were from far away places, possibly even farther than the mountains, or the old territory Longtail and Mousefur talked so much about! Was there land that far away? No, that must be impossible. Land ends at the sun-drown place, right? Of coarse.
Jayfeather exited his den. At this point a large crowd had gathered as the new comers came in. Whispers, rumors, and questions about the strangers were spreading though the camp like wild fire.
"Who are they?"
"I don't smell any clan sent on them, maybe they're loners."
"Some of them smell like the twoleg place, they might be kittypets!"
"That one with the ginger splotches looks so weird! I've never seen a cat with ears that fold over like a dog's! And what's with those black spots above his eyes?"
"Those two who look a like have the weirdest fur! See how the one with the darke brown on him has fur that's just sticking up from his head, and the other has a long curling strand, longer than the rest of his fur!"
"They also have manes like lions! And did you notice those strange markings under their eyes? Plus, I think one of them has PURPLE eyes!"
"Purple?! No WAY!"
"That black and white cat has less of a tail than Berrynose! What happened to him? Did he lose it to a dog or something?"
"Never mind that! Look! That black cat has a second tail sticking out of his HEAD!"
" OH MY STAR CLAN! YOU'RE RIGHT!"
Lionblaze walked over to his brother and sat down next to him. "Wow!" he said, these new cats are the strangest I've ever seen!"
"By what I've been hearing from the other cat, you're not making it up." Jayfeather replied, "This is one of the few times I wish I really COULD see!"
The countries could hear the gossip, and were feeling a bit awkward about it. As humans in their society where there was a lot of mixes in cultures, their different appearances normally weren't given more that a second glance. But NOW they were not only in a society that was not very diverse in culture, but also was too primitive to know anything about lands except the ones they lived on. As far as the warrior cats were concerned, the world stretched from Sky Clan's territory to the sun-drown place and that was it, nothing else out there. America remembered that this was how it was for a long time for him. The world to him, before he met England, consisted only of his and his brother's land and was no larger. Boy did his world get rocked when the white men came! He had no idea where they were coming from, but then again, he was a child. He basically though they were just appearing there by magic, and he would keep on skipping his merry way through his forests. Only once he had met England did he fully understand just how large the world really was. Several of the other countries were remembering their days when they though the world consisted only of them and their family, and when they heard there was a whole other new land, just over the ocean. Even then though, they knew there had to be something out there, even if it was just lifeless island that came and went with the tides.
The warrior cats, as clever as the may be, were very simple minded. They had absolutely no idea of the world around them, and didn't seem curious enough (or brave enough) to explore and find out. Their society, though it may seem complex to other cats and animals, was a far cry from even the most primitive times of Greece, or even the Native American Tribes. It was even a farther cry from what the countries had today.
Finally, after what seemed hours, the leader of the cats (as the countries could only guess) came out from his den on the rock shelf, silencing the crowd of cats.
"What have we here?" he asked, curiosity flashed in his green eyes.
"Firestar, we found them in the woods on our territory near the Wind Clan border." Brambleclaw stated.
"Who are they?" The ginger tom named Firestar asked calmly.
"Well, we're not quiet sure, we never asked them for their names…" Brambleclaw said, feeling a bit stupid. How could he have forgotten to ask them for their names?! Stupid!
"Well then, could you please introduce yourselves?" Firestar asked politely.
Before the countries had a chance to discuss whether to tell them their human names or their country names, America, Ever the social butterfly he is, shouted out without thinking, " Sure thing dude! What's up ya'll? I'm America! The hero!" He even did his hero pose the best he could without thumbs. Jayfeather could tell this cat would be extremely annoying to have around, but…there was something strangely likeable and friendly about him, but he couldn't tell quiet what. England and the other countries were about to argue, but then, thinking about how limited the wild cats' knowledge about the world was, decided it would be fine if they used their country names.
"Yes, Good day, I am England, a pleasure to meet you all." England said in his most gentlemanly and polite voice. He heard several "what's wrong with his voice?" 's come from the crowd.
"Nǐ hǎo. I am China, aru." China said with a bow. There were also several whispers about what Ni Hao meant spread around the crowd as well as questions about his accent. One crazy rumor said it means I bless you with good hunting. America snickered at this.
Then Canada spoke up, " I'm Canada, Eh." There were several "Where did he come from?!" 's and "Who?" 's spreading through the crowds this time. Canada's shoulders slumped as he heard this. America patted his brother on the back, trying to make him feel even slightly better. This was, after all, the third time he'd been ignored that day.
Then Japan spoke, and as he did so, he seemed to sparkle dramatically, as random cherry blossoms flew past him and Japanese music played in the background (which no one seemed to notice the last part except for the countries, Jayfeather, and Dovekit). "Konnichiwa, I am Japan. I enjoy sensing the mood, and refraning form speaking." He said. All the she cats sighed (though the ones with mates quickly snapped out of their trance). As the toms saw this, they got jealous. They were the only ones to gossip about Japan's voice and appearance this time. The single she cats were now chatting away about how adorable and handsome Japan was. Jayfeather was suspicious, as was Dovekit, but both were a bit distracted as to where that strange noise that sounded in the background while Japan was speaking had come from.
After awhile of the newcomers explaining their lie as to how they had come to the forest, Firestar spoke up. He asked, " Would you like to join Thunder Clan?"
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To be continued….
