Thanks to a really touching review on another story I'm more ready to write than ever! And cycle tests are done so I can update at least once a week. I would've updated sooner but this deleted so I had to re-write it!

Bloodpaw didn't know in which direction she was going. They were out the territory now, heading through unfamiliar forest. The trees were thinning slowly but surely, and in some pplaces there were stone paths that twisted like snakes in the grass.

"There it is," Tansyclaw said with a purr. Bloodpaw peered through the bushes. The nest was square shaped and had a large fenced in garden with mostly flowers. In the center was a tall tree with a a piece of wood hanging down from it by two vines.

"She used to play on it when she was young." Tansyclaw sounded wistful. "I share this nest with two other cats; they don't like me much but don't worry about them, okay? The dogs are small and should be asleep at this time of day. The female twoleg who feeds me is probably away and so is the male, so we can definitely go in. My twoleg, their kit won't mind. If she is even here. No, she isn't, it's far too early."

"Are you sure?"

"Trust me. She's hardly ever home these days, just in the morning and at sunset I make sure to be here for her. When she is here…she always has someone with her, the other female who she's brought home since she was little and the new male…he seems nice enough but I can't help dislike the way he touches my twoleg."

Bloodpaw shivered. How could Tansyclaw be attached to one of them? True, she had never seen one for herself but from what she'd heard, they were bad news.

"I know what you're thinking. That love for a different species is crazy but it works in a strange way. One of the cats I share with, Whisky, came from a farm and was friends with this creature called a horse. They didn't understand each other at all, but somehow Whisky knew that they were friends."

Wisp, who had been with us up to now, suddenly opened his eyes wide. Two small dogs were running up to us and barked. He fled. I just managed to stop myself from telling him not to run but it was too late. Maybe he'd had an incident in his past life that made him hate dogs? I'd be sure to ask him about it later.

"Don't sit there with your mouth hanging open! Hiss at them!"

I obeyed and they stopped their howling.

"See? Just show them whose boss. They really are sweet little things once you get to know them."

I shook my head. Sweet? No way!

"Come on, let's- oh joy."

I could see her face darken a little when a fluffy white cat came strolling out the house, his face smug and covered in what appeared to be milk.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Stripey! And what's this? A little pet to follow you? How sweet."

"What do you want Snowflake?"

"Same as everyone, a long happy life."

She sighed. "Look Snowflake, I'm just showing my friend from the forest what it's like to live with a house and a family."

"A wild cat, then? What's your name little one?"

I bit back a growl. I'm not that little! "Bloodpaw."

"I see. Do you live in the same what's it called as Stripey?"

"It's called a clan, and yes I do."

"That's quite enough, thank you," Tansyclaw sighed. "I just want to show her around."

Snowflake shrugged and strolled off, giving me a few hungry glances on his way.

"Do you live with him?"

"Great StarClan no! He's the neighbor's cat. He comes here from time to time; share the gossip with old Whisky. Rumor has it he just comes to see Pillow; she's the other cat I share with. She doesn't like anything to do with wild cats so I just avoid her. Whisky doesn't like me much on some days, but some days he talks to me for a very long time. He's old and wise but he is so gentle that you can't help love him. I'll take you to meet him if he's in a good enough mood today."

Silently, Tansyclaw hopped across the fence and started towards the wall of the den. She hopped into a hole in the side of it. Bloodpaw followed with a lot less elegance. Her fur caught on the fence, her paws made rough sounds on the smooth stone and it took her three tries to make it into the hole, which she later learnt was called a window.

"Right, come on. Whisky says he'll talk to you if you promise to tell him something. And I must wait for you outside. If you're not out soon though, I'll come looking! Be careful not to offend him, okay?"

"I'll try."

"He's just like an elder, although he's got to be a good few seasons older than Deadfang! Oh, and he sometimes talks to himself so please, please be careful."

Bloodpaw felt very uncomfortable as Tansyclaw left her outside a room with a strong cat scent coming from it. I mean, she was leaving her alone in a strange place with a cat who talks to himself!

"Hello?" Bloodpaw called out hesitantly.

"Well, what ya waiting for out there, hm? Come on, move it, I don't have all day!"

Bloodpaw stepped inside and an audible gasp came from her mouth. Inside sat a flat-faced old tom, with so much grey in his fur you couldn't tell if he was grey to start with or his fur was once black. Beside him, purred an elderly black and white she-cat. A ghost.

"She's quite a pretty one." The she-cat said with a smile.

"Ain't she just?" Whisky replied.

"Thank you." Bloodpaw said.

Suddenly their eyes widened, although not in surprise.

"Have you no respect? Do you always interrupt conversations like this?" Whisky asked with a rough edge to his voice.

"Calm down, dear, she's only a young one. We were young too once."

"That was a long time ago. Hah, it was so long ago even old Mulberry probably forgot about it!"

"Oh, poor Mulberry."

"Who's Mulberry?" Bloodpaw asked, and then quickly apologized for interrupting.

Whisky smirked. "I like you, cat. I knew you'd be one of us the moment I saw your friend out there."

Wait. Had he just said 'one of us?'