Chapter 2
Misty finished washing herself, looked up stared around at the cats. She was happy to see most of them curious, or impressed. Misty bent her head to lick the tip of her tail daintily once more. Suddenly, there were quiet mews of wonder. Misty looked up and saw the crowd part slowly. A small, lean, Siamese passed through, and she sat in front of Misty. Misty nodded her head in acknowledgment of the cat, but still did not make a noise. The Siamese was beautiful, her blue eyes stood out from cream fur. She had pure black nose, tip of tail, ears, and paws, and as the sun moved, misty could see vanilla splotches all over her back, just like Misty, but not as distinct.
"What brings you here, Misty? That is your name, right?" The Siamese asked, her voice was warm, and smooth, and just a hint of laughter.
"Yes that is my name; I was looking for a place to settle down for the night, and Catty told me I would be able to stay someplace she knew of."
"Well, Catty was correct, you've shown yourself worthy of staying here. Bruno is just a little anxious to impress everybody because he's just joined our clan too. Catty has been here a while, but still hasn't gotten her real clan name." The she-cat mewed, flicking her tail around her front paws.
"What do you mean too?" Misty meowed, done bathing now, and all her attention was focused on the Siamese.
"You want to join, don't you?" She replied, cocking her head.
"You mean, join… you?"
"Of course!" The Siamese laughed a little, and flicked her tail. "Bruno showed up here yesterday, and I've been so busy I haven't gotten around to giving him or Catty their ceremony."
"Excuse me if I'm being forward, but who are you?" Misty asked, trying to be polite, and trying to follow what the Siamese was meowing.
"Oh, I'm sorry. My name is Brightstar; leader of the Forestcats." The Siamese mewed, "And I'm pleased to welcome you into your new home."
"You really mean you want me to join the Forestcats?" Misty exclaimed.
"Yes," Brightstar responded, "We'll have the ceremony now." She then turned and padded away towards a large rock. Misty looked around, and started to follow all the cats after the leader. She still couldn't believe all this happened so quickly, this morning she was curled up in her nofur's nest, now she was about to become a member of a Wild-Cats clan.
"All cats who are old enough to scent their own clan, please gather below the Great-Stump for a clan ceremony!" Misty heard Brightstar yowl. She came to a stop beside Catty and Bruno who were both looking very proud. Her attention was taken quickly, though, by the sound of Brightstar's loud mew once again. "We have recently taken in three rogues, loners, and nofurpets. They each have proven themselves worthy of joining the Forestcats, so I, Brightstar, leader of the Forestcats must give them their honor and new names! Catty, from this sun forward you are to be known as Creekpaw, you will learn how to uphold the warrior code and everything else you need to be a Wild-Cat by Emeraldeyes!" Creekpaw looked around and spotted a pure black cat with emerald eyes padding towards her. The two touched noses, and Emeraldeyes whispered something to Creekpaw, which Misty couldn't hear.
"Bruno, from this sun forward you are to be known as Birchpaw. You will learn how to uphold the warrior code and everything else you need to be a Wild-Cat by Whitewhisker!" Brightstar continued, looking down at Birchpaw. Birchpaw now looked around just like Creekpaw had, and finally spotted the orange tabby cat who had stepped out of the crowd. The two cats touched noses and padded off together next to Creekpaw and Emeraldeyes.
Finally, after Misty figured out what to do from watching Creekpaw and Birchpaw, Brightstar called her name. "Misty, from this sun forward you are to be known as Mistypaw. You will learn how to uphold the warrior code and everything else you need to be a Wild-Cat by Bluestream!" Mistypaw looked around, and saw a large, blue cat padding towards her. Mistypaw got to her paws and went to meet her new mentor.
"Don't worry, you're doing fine." Bluestream mewed in Mistypaw's ear when they touched noses. Then, Mistypaw followed Bluestream out of the circle and they sat down next to Creekpaw, Emeraldeyes, Birchpaw, and Whitewhisker.
"Creekpaw, Birchpaw, Mistypaw!" Yowls of approval could be heard from all sides, then, the cats dispersed.
"It's getting dark out, why don't you go to your den and rest, there is much to do tomorrow, little one." Bluestream meowed to Mistypaw as she was looking around the camp in awe. Mistypaw jumped, and then nodded.
"I will show you where the apprentices' den is, follow me." Her mentor informed the torti she-cat, and then padded off towards a corner of the camp. Mistypaw was about to follow her when a face appeared out of no where in hers.
"Hello!" It mewed, "I'm Willowpaw, and this here is Stormpaw!" Mistypaw backed away a few paw-steps to see the two cats normally. Willowpaw was a fawn Abyssinian she-cat with a white nose, paws, and icy-blue eyes. Stormpaw, on the other hand, was a dark grey tom-cat with lighter grey speckles and green eyes.
"Hello, I'm Mistypaw." Mistypaw offered, looking at the two other cats.
"We know; we were at the ceremony. We're apprentices too, two suns now. We can show you 'round and help you learn things." Stormpaw meowed, looking up at Mistypaw for the first time.
"Mistypaw, come on! We can't chat all night!" Bluestream's mew echoed across the clearing to her.
"Oh, I need to go," she meowed, padding off. Suddenly, she felt fur at her side and noticed the two cats had followed her.
"We live in the apprentice's den too; we train with you, and the other two new apprentices." Willowpaw informed Mistypaw's confused look. Mistypaw nodded and approached Bluestream.
"I see you've found some friends, Mistypaw." Bluestream purred, looking at Willowpaw and Stormpaw.
"Yes Bluestream, this is Willowpaw and Stormpaw." Mistypaw told her mentor, sitting down on her haunches. The two apprentices let out amused purrs and Bluestream twitched her whiskers.
"I know who they are, Mistypaw. They are my kits, and I'm happy you've made friends with them. Now, off to bed with the three of you!" Bluestream's mew sounded so motherly now, and she was started when the she-cat licked the top of her head, and padded off.
"We should be going, come on Mistypaw!" Willowpaw mewed, crawling into the den. Mistypaw nodded and followed her two new friends.
The apprentice den was larger than Mistypaw had expected. She noticed Creekpaw and Birchpaw curled up together in a far corner, sleeping silently.
"You can sleep over here, Mistypaw." Stormpaw's mew made her jump and she turned. The grey apprentice was pawing together some bedding next to Willowpaw who was already curled up. Mistypaw padded over to Stormpaw and looked down at the bedding.
"Thanks, Stormpaw." She mewed, pawing at the bedding. Stormpaw nodded, and began to pull together some bedding on the other side of Mistypaw. Mistypaw settled down, and felt warm with Willowpaw's and Stormpaw's pelts pressed up against her own. She lay awake for a long while, warm, but still aghast at how this did went so quickly. And soon, with happy thoughts of clan life, she too, drifted off to sleep.