The clan went silent as Flashpaw's warning rang throughout the clearing.
Finally, Fernstar spoke. "Flashpaw, where is Silverwind?"
Her voice was steady, but you could hear her panic ever so slightly. "I don't know. She was with me, and then I went off to hunt and smelt StoneClan, lots of them, near the Old Oak. So I ran back…."
Fernstar stared at the apprentice and then turned to her warriors, "Foxeye, Luckyfoot, Lionclaw I need you to go with Flashpaw to where the scent leads. Everyone else, brace yourselves."
"Wow! Three warriors to a patrol!" Blackpaw whispered in Pashpaw's ear. Surprisingly, Blackpaw didn't seem scared. Actually, he sounded pretty amused!
"Uhh, Blackpaw, shouldn't you be scared? This "StoneClan" sounds pretty tough…."Blackpaw looked at him as if he were crazy. "Oh, don't worry. Flashpaw just wants attention. He's always claiming as if Starclan sends him messages! Mouse-brained, huh?"
Pashpaw looked at his friend confusedly, "Starclan?" He asked, feeling like an idiot.
"Oh! I almost forgot, you kittypets never learned who Starclan was! Wow, do I have a lot to tell you!"
Pashpaw felt completely lost. His conscience had caught up to him. No matter how hard he tried he could not escape the fact that he did not belong here, with these wild cats, and he may never learn the ways of clan life.
Four cats gathered high atop a silvery-blue tree that shown in the moonlight cascading through the cave. The trees roots rapped around rocks, making perfect dens and caves. A silver pool sat in an old Hawk's nest, surrounded by four cats.
The first cat, a brown and white-spotted tom, looked into the pool with deep, brown eyes.
The second cat, a pure white she-cat followed the first by gazing into the pool's silver depths with her own, blue eyes.
A black and gray tom was the third of the group. He too stared down into the pool with wise yellow eyes.
The final cat was a ginger tom. He had green eyes, which were deep in thought, as he scanned the pool.
"Cats of Starclan, I welcome you to the Moonnest!" The first cat cried as more cats began to appear on the shadowy branches. "Here we will take notice of how our clans are doing!"
The cats yowled in agreement as the original four cats drank from the silvery pool. The second cat turned to the first and mewed; "Pinestar, would you like to tell us how your former Clan is coming along?" The she-cat's voice was calm, and her scent was deeply reassuring.
"Yes, Cloudstar, I would." Pinestar opened his brown eyes as he began to mew.
"LakeClan has lost one cat, as we know." The cats all turned to a gray tom sitting on the edge of the branch. "But they have also gained one cat, the young and promising, Pashpaw."
Cats cheered at the sound of the new cat's apprenticeship.
"But, Pinestar," The yellow-eyed tom asked. "Are you sure Pashpaw is of worthy blood? It's not that I doubt Pashpaw, but I was just wondering why Fernstar allowed a kittypet to join her Clan."
Shocked gasps rose from the crowd of cats as the word "kittypet" was spoken.
"I assure you, Oakstar, Pashpaw is more than worthy to join Lakeclan." The former leader turned to the last cat. "Flamestar, you have not spoken at all this meeting. Is something the matter?"
The ginger tom turned to Pondstar. "Oh, no. I was just wondering, what if a cat is of too noble blood?"