Hello everyone, I hope you enjoy this story I wrote - it's sort of an experiment but I have some big plans for the plot and after getting the first bits done I'm much more excited and motivated to write the rest.

This story will be a little silly, but it is not a trollfic. Things are going to get good later on, you'll see!

Dedicated to Redstripe RiverClan and JamaicaAndrew.

Newcomers

Chapter 01

All was peaceful in the ThunderClan camp, something quite rare to see in any of the warrior clans. Today there was no overwhelming prophecy or battle on anyone's mind, and nothing needed to be done aside from patrols and basic Clan duties. Even Firestar was relaxed, talking to Sandstorm about casual things such as the results of the last hunting patrol and whether sparrows were better than robins. The mood would normally seem weirdly peaceful and therefore put some cats on edge, but as of now they were grateful for the time they had to sit and relax.

Currently no patrols were out, and none needed to be for a while, so every cat was in camp. Kits played clumsily outside the nursery, watched by their amused mothers. Elders basked in the sunlight, sharing stories and talking about foolish young cats. Warriors talked with one another and shared fresh-kill. Apprentices practiced battle moves and had mock fights in the space they had.

Everyone was having such a good time that they didn't happen to notice the newcomer that casually appeared through the camp entrance. Patiently the cat waited until he was discovered, first by Firestar who turned his head followed by more cats who noticed his presence, not hostile but just surprised. There was a white and... purple cat standing in the center of the ThunderClan camp, his expression unreadable.

Firestar quickly paced down from the leader's den and confronted the newcomer, asserting dominance by standing tall and proud, leader-like. The cat immediately realized he was shorter and less muscular; he pettily straightened himself up, puffing out his chest. There was a hint of a smirk on Firestar's face, but it quickly disappeared.

"Who are you and why have you come to our camp?" Firestar questioned him defensively.

"I'm Halftail." The purple cat said, waving hello with his tail which was indeed split in half.

"Halftail's dead," Firestar pointed out to him. "And you did not answer my question. Why have you come here?"

"I've got no idea who your Halftail is buddy. I'm here 'cause I want to see what your ThunderClan is all about, man!" Halftail said, keeping a chill mood around him.

Firestar immediately looked suspicious. "Where do you come from?" He asked, demandingly this time to alert Halftail that the question could not be avoided.

"I come from the streets, dawg." He started flashing some gang signs (ones a cat could manage).

"What?"

Halftail shook his head. "You don't get that. Nevermind. And nevermind where I'm from! I don't come from here, that's all."

Firestar looked very suspicious now. "Why have you come here?" He repeated, much more forcefully.

"I want to join ThunderClan," the purple tabby cat said innocently.

Firestar let out a low growl. "Absolutely not," he said, the answer as solid as a brick. "Lionblaze, Berrynose, escort this cat out of our territory."

Lionblaze started forward, but Berrynose surprisingly stayed behind.

"But why, Firestar?" He began, his tone mocking. "Don't you want to take this random cat into the Clan?" He challenged.

Firestar looked at the warrior, his fur bristling although he spoke calmly. "Halftail will not be allowed in this clan because we have no idea what his intentions are with us."

Berrynose let out a snort of laughter. "But what if he's just a little kittypet? It would be so wrong not to give him shelter, am I right?" He said in a mock Firestar voice, laughing. And shockingly, a few other cats joined in the laughter.

Suddenly Halftail spoke up. "Maybe you should let me in, seeing as you're such a brave, dignified cat." The tom's voice was full of sarcasm. "I'm sure you could put me in my place." That one was a little different. A... challenge?

Firestar's head whipped toward him. "We have no idea who you are and where you come from. Perhaps if you had been clearer about that, I would have been more likely to allow you to stay here."

"So that's all it takes?" Dustpelt sneered. "Who he is and where he comes from? Sure, let's let this cat who could easily be lying into our Clan, and see what happens!"

Other cats began to chime in.

"He's probably ShadowClan!"

"There's probably a whole patrol outside waiting to ambush us!"

"He'll probably spread a disease!"

"I am your leader!" Firestar yowled over the alarming number of cats challenging his ways. "I will decide what to do about this cat."

There was a pause before he spoke again.

"Halftail, if you do not provide a solid response to my question, you will not be allowed into our Clan. And if you do, you'll be watched very carefully and you'll have to sleep in a special den guarded by the warriors of my choice, along with six- maybe eight moons of apprentice training. Are you sure this is what you want?" Firestar must have chosen his words carefully, because no one spoke up.

"Sure." Halftail said as if the warning did not faze him in the slightest. And it didn't.

"Now, you must tell us who exactly you are and where you come from. Remember that we can pick out a cat from a rival clan easily. Lying is the last thing you want to do right now."

Halftail shrugged. "I'm Halftail. I come from Jamaica. Really, does anyone have an accent like this around here? No. So what's the suspicion about?" He asked, looking amused.

"He does have a point." This was Brambleclaw, who hadn't said a word throughout the whole ordeal; most of the warriors were surprised to see him speak up.

"Oh, so now you want this cat 'Dat com from di Jamaica' in our Clan too?" Berrynose challenged.

"Enough of that. This cat has proven where he comes from and I believe it is reason enough to let him stay for a while. We will proceed with my aforementioned plan, and no one will object." Firestar said, his voice full of edge and a hint of forcefulness to ensure there was no further objection.

"Glad to be accepted here," said Halftail casually, and suddenly he turned toward the camp entrance. "I've got a way to improve this place."

The ThunderClan cats watched him closely as he quickly exited the camp and returned moments later with a very long gray stick of some sort, and some kind of rolled-up leaf with green, yellow and black colors on it.

Halftail studied the camp entrance for a quick second, and then picked a spot close to it to place the gray stick. He dug a small hole in the ground and stuck the bottom of it inside the hole, packing dirt around it to hold it there firmly. Then he unrolled the leaf-like thing and grabbed hold of a white vine, which he tied to the leaf. Then he climbed up the stick object until he reached the other side of the vine - the entire thing was controlled by a round object at the top - and pulled down, which somehow raised up the leaf, all the way to the bottom; the leaf made it to the top and was now blowing in the wind, the warriors of ThunderClan could see it in all its glory. 🇯🇲

"What in the world is that?" Someone in the crowd asked.

"The flag of my home land." Said Halftail simply.

"Halftail," Firestar called. "We understand that your ways are different, but I cannot allow the pride of one warrior to stand for the whole Clan. Please take this down."

"What?" Halftail asked, more surprised than offended. Than his expression became more relaxed. "Well, I suppose I should've expected this from the warriors." He said the last word more quietly, in a tone that was almost mocking, a voice that brought it to the attention of a few that he might be challenging the ways of the warrior clans, that he thought they didn't deserve their title.

But Halftail said nothing more as he lowered his flag and took the stick out of the ground, which he brought back outside the camp and set underneath a large bush.

"All right, where am I gonna sleep?"