Chapter 4

The five Clan cats led him deeper into the forest, Graystar in the lead with Silverfur at his right side. Rabbitpaw was to the left and a little behind Graystar. Flowershine and Flamepelt brought up the rear, making Hawkeye feel like a prisoner. They jumped over a stream, ran past a shallow sandy pit, and navigated through lots and lots of trees.

I hope I don't get lost out here, Hawkeye thought. All these trees look the same to me.

Soon they came to a ravine. At the bottom of the rocky slope there was a clearing sheltered by dense undergrowth. The group of cats stopped at the top of the ravine and Graystar announced, "This is ThunderClan's camp."

My new home.

With that, Graystar plunged down the ravine with Silverfur and Rabbitpaw at his heels. Hawkeye hesitated for a moment, overwhelmed at all the sudden change in his life. Flamepelt and Flowershine took this opportunity to stalk forward to be on both sides of him.

"Unsure?" Flamepelt whispered.

"If you're not going to be committed to the Clan, you should take the chance to leave now," Flowershine murmured silkily. "You will have to endure bitter leafbares, hunger, battle, and sacrifice. The Clan must be looked after first."

"And we don't like traitors," Flamepelt added lightly.

Despite their soft tones, Hawkeye could hear a veiled threat, especially in Flamepelt's last statement. Sure, I left the human war, but they said there would be battles. What have I got myself into this time? Is there no life I can lead without being drafted?

Hawkeye once again considered his options. Join the Clan, where he would apparently have to work hard and suffer his share of pain but be sheltered and guided, or decline Graystar's offer and worry only about himself in unfamiliar territory, trying to survive in unfamiliar ways?

If only there were a trial period! I could learn to get food for myself, get acclimated to the surroundings and see how I like this Clan thing. Then, I would be skilled enough to live on my own if I chose. But these cats are do or die, aren't they?

"I must come." Hawkeye charged into the ravine after Graystar, Silverfur, and Rabbitpaw who had disappeared into the camp by now. He pushed his way through the gorse tunnel that was the entrance into the camp and couldn't help feeling that it was a bad omen that the entrance caught in his fur and held him back.

I'll get used to it, he assured himself as he pushed into the camp and was met by a strong smell of... cat.

How the hell do I know what cat smells like? Instinct? Hawkeye wasn't sure whether he liked these new instincts of his. True, they would enable him to live out here, but could he still be himself if he found eating mice and licking fur perfectly acceptable? Was that what I wanted? To not be Hawkeye any longer?

Hawkeye suddenly became aware of his visual surroundings. The inside of the camp was a clearing with patchy grass in the center where the pawsteps of many, many generations had worn most vegetation away, but it was thicker around the edges, except in front of gaps in the barrier of thorns and other undergrowth that he assumed were dens. He saw a huge rock at the base of which Graystar and Silverfur was sitting. About a dozen unfamiliar cats were standing in the clearing and every eye was trained on Hawkeye.

Graystar leapt to the top of the rock and called, "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting." Hawkeye assumed this was merely a custom as no more cats appeared.

"A new cat will become apprenticed in ThunderClan," Graystar began. "Not a cat, but a loner who was found near Sunningrocks by Flamepelt and Flowershine." The leader inclined his head to the two warriors who were sitting side by side near the camp entrance, looking annoyed.

"I tried to chase him out," Flamepelt pointed out.

Flowershine nodded. "That is what the correct action against intruders is."

A few cats murmured agreement. "So what is he doing here?" a voice called.

"This cat made it apparent that he meant no harm, and was only on our land because he was new to the forest and wasn't aware of our claim," Graystar explained. "I see no need for unnecessary violence, so I figured a peaceful negotiation could be made in this situation. After briefly explaining Clan ways, he showed an interest in becoming a member of the Clan. I had no qualms with this and neither did Silverfur. And neither should any of you."

Hawkeye noticed that some cats seemed friendly and curious about him, but others were glaring suspiciously.

"He just wants our prey!"

"He can't be trusted!"

"He could never be a loyal warrior, only forest born cats can do that!"

Silence fell on the camp after that last statement. Graystar stood stock still, staring furiously at the cats below. "The place of a cat's birth makes no difference to his character," he said coldly, barely suppressed anger apparent in his voice. "In Hawkeye's case, it makes no matter that he was born and raised outside the Clan. Perhaps it was meant to be, with a name like Hawkeye. Which is why I have decided to allow him to keep his name during his apprenticeship, considering he has had it longer than a typical apprentice would have had their kit name."

This started more controversy.

"Already rejecting Clan ways!"

"I bet he'll always feed himself before the Clan."

"You're right, I bet he's a lazy glutton. Most loners are."

Hawkeye noticed that the negativity was coming from the same two voices. There was an old golden colored cat and a she-cat whose fur was such a light gray that it was almost white who were the main dissenters. Everyone else seemed trusting enough in their leader's judgment to accept him for the time being.

"Hawkeye, you are now accepted into ThunderClan as an apprentice to learn our ways," Graystar started again. "Silverfur, you have great strength and wisdom. May you be able to teach Hawkeye to serve his Clan as well as you have."

Silverfur approached Hawkeye and touched his nose to Hawkeye's. The Clan cats started chanting his name, though Hawkeye was aware of Flamepelt, Flowershine, and the two protester cats staring in a stony silence through this ritual.

Rabbitpaw bounded over, along with another small skinny cat, this one with ginger fur and a bushy tail. Rabbitpaw looked annoyed. "It's really rude of them not to say your new name."

The ginger cat rolled his eyes. "Aw, who cares about the opinion of what, four cats?"

Graystar approached the group. "Well, Hawkeye. Welcome to ThunderClan."