Silverclaw woke to a paw, prodding her side. "Get up! Greystar wants to introduce you." The sharp tone informed her that it was Snaketail speaking. She stood and shook herself, giving herself a few quick licks before leaving the den after Snaketail. Cats were gathered in groups, some looking worried, some looking angry, and some looking pleased. "Up here," Snaketail called from a mound of dirt. She followed her up the mound, and stopped at a tree surrounded by the leader, deputy, and commander. "Greetings, Silverclaw, I expect you slept well?" Flamefur was meowing to her as the clan leader leapt into the small tree above all the other peering faces. "Let all cat's old enough to hunt gather here underneath the Clantree for a clan meeting!" His yowl echoed through the clearing as cats began emerging from dens. Shiverrose appeared outside of the nursery with her two black kits. "As you all know, we have a new cat, Silverclaw!" All eyes turned to her and her pelt flourished in embarrassment. "We found her by the upwalker den, tired and hungry. Now this clan welcomes her, for she carries kits that could be of great value to us, along as her! If you disagree that she should join, say so now, or forever hold your tongue." His gaze flicked through the clearing from cat to cat. Finally, a large grey tom stepped forward, looking alot like Greystar. "How do you know her clan left her, how do we know they didn't banish her?" Fury rised in Silverclaw's claws as she tried to control her anger. "They would never!" She hissed, staring at him with a challenging gaze.
"If that is so, that is the past, and what matters is the present. Silverclaw, Flamefur will be taking you to our training hollow, where we train our apprentices, and he is goung to quiz you, mentally and physically. If you wish to join, you must take this test. Do you accept?" She hesitated a moment, thinking of what would be the beast answer. Finally after a few moments, she nodded. "I do."
"Very well, tomorrow at sunrise, you will meet Flamefur here, to discuss what you will be doing." She sighed, and waited for Greystar to jump down from the tree until she turned to go back to her den. The clusters of cats slowly broke away as they all returned to there den fir the night. Right before she entered her den, she heard a faint hiss from Flamefur. She turned to see the orange deputy padding towards her. "Hello, Flamefur." She kept her gaze steady, trying not to let it slip to the ground. "Hi there Silverclaw," he lightly flicked her flank with his tail as he continued. "After the test tomorrow, do you want to go hunting together? If its okay with you?" Rage filled her from tail-tail to nose at the thought of him wanting to get closer to her. I have a mate! She silently hissed inside her head as she glared at the tom and entered the nursery, ignoring his question. Surely Scourge is fine, right? I would never even think of finding a new mate at the prospect of him still being alive! Complaining herself to sleep, she finally fell asleep for the night, not wanting to ever get up.
