Eventually, the two cats came to the topic of Fleck's journey to Thunderclan. He had to admit. It was really nice to have someone to talk to after being alone for so long. He could already tell that if he joined the clan, he and Quickpaw would become great friends.
"So how long were you looking for us?" Quickpaw asked curiously.
"It's been three moons since I left the barn." He replied.
Quickpaw's eyes widened. "Wow! That long? You can't be much older than me. How old were you when you left?"
"Six moons old. I'm Nine moons old now." Fleck said sheepishly.
Quickpaw's jaw dropped. "No way! If you'd been in Thunderclan, you would've just been made an apprentice! You must have been really brave to leave home that young."
Fleck's ears heated with embarrassment. "It's not really that big a deal… I was scared to leave home. But I had a promise to fulfill."
This only seemed to impress Quickpaw even more. "But you still left. And you survived on your own for three moons. I mean, I wasn't there during the Great Journey, but I've heard what a hard trip it was. And it didn't three moons. So you must've had it rough."
Fleck's ears pricked. "The Great Journey? What's that?" He asked. He remembered Ravenpaw had told him about how all the clans left the forest, heading for a new home. Had that been the start of this 'Great Journey' Quickpaw was talking about? Ravenpaw had said that the clans had been headed to the setting sun, and looking for starlight on the water. It'd been the only clue Fleck had to go by.
"That's right, you're new here. I almost forgot. Talking with you seems so natural." Quickpaw said good naturedly. Fleck nodded in agreement. He motioned for Quickpaw to continue with a sweep of his tail.
Quickpaw looked up at the fading sun. "Well, it was way long ago. When Sunpaw's mom was only an apprentice, and Bramblestar was a brand new warrior. Or so I hear. The elders talk about it all the time. They say that Starclan sent a sign to one cat from each clan, telling them to follow the setting sun and to find Midnight. The four cats were Brambleclaw of Thunderclan, Feathertail of Riverclan, Crowpaw of Windclan, and Tawneypelt of Shadowclan." He began.
Fleck settled into a comfortable position, already intrigued by the story.
"The four cats were supposed to meet up and find the Sun-Drown place together. Only, it didn't quite work like that. The cats from Riverclan and Thunderclan each ended up brining someone along. Brambleclaw brought Squirrelpaw, and Feathertail brought Stormfur. They all left together to follow the setting sun. They journeyed for a long time before they found it, and barely managed to make it there in one piece. When they got there, they found out that Midnight was the name of a badger. She told them that Twolegs were going to destroy the forest, and that they all had to lead the clans to a new home. The cats began the journey home with this grave message of disaster. They headed over the mountians coming back, and lost Feathertail. When the five surviving cats made it home, they convinced the clan leaders to lead their clans out of the forest. The clans all left together to find a new home. They had to work together to make it here, to the lake. It was a really difficult journey, but they managed to make it." Quickpaw finished.
Fleck blinked. The clans had worked together in the past? They must've been stronger as one then divided into four groups. "Why didn't the clans stay that way? Together, I mean." Fleck asked.
Quickpaw stared back at him, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. "It's always hard for newcomers to understand our ways. The clans will never become one. We are different, and have pride in those differences. We all feel a bond with our clanmates, and protect them. Fight for them. It wouldn't be the same if the clans all joined up. But we aren't mouse brains. We join together in especially hard times, to help one another survive." He explained.
Fleck was deep in thought. Pride in their differences… and a bond with the clan… It sounded like a very fulfilling way of life. Would he be part of that life someday?
"Mind if I join you?" A voice startled Fleck out of his thoughts. A pretty, long furred brown she cat with dark speckles stood before Fleck and Quickpaw, a sparrow in her jaws.
Quickpaw purred happily, clearly recognizing the young she cat. "Sure! Come sit with us!" He meowed.
The she cat padded over to sit by the two young toms. "It's nice to meet you." She meowed to Fleck.
"Ah! I forgot to properly introduce you two. Fleck, this is Lynxpaw, my littermate. Lynxpaw, this is Fleck. You already know about him, I guess. You were there with me when he came into camp." Quickpaw meowed.
Lynxpaw nodded. "You must've come a long way." She said.
Quickpaw jumped at the opportunity to talk some more. "Oh yeah! He's from way far away! You'll never guess how long his journey was…" Quickpaw began to enthusiastically tell Lynxpaw about Fleck's journey. But his eyes fixed on something across the clearing, and he trailed off. Fleck followed his line of sight. It was Sunpaw. She stalked over to the fresh kill pile, grabbed a mouse, and padded off with out a word, glaring at Fleck as she left.
"Geez, someone's in a foul mood. " Quickpaw murmered.
Fleck sighed. "I guess I made her angry. Though I honestly don't know what I did wrong. I didn't mean for her to get in trouble…"
"Nah, don't worry about it. Sunpaw's just like that sometimes. Don't take it personally." Quickpaw reassured him.
As Fleck was about to reply, murmering started up all around the camp. Fleck looked around, trying to find the cause of the commotion. He spotted Bramblestar and the other senior Warriors coming out of the leader's den. They must've come to a decision.
Fleck's heart was in his throat. What if he got sent away? He wanted to get to know Quickpaw and Lynxpaw better, and even grumpy Sunpaw. He wanted to get to know all of Thunderclan. Quickpaw nudged him gently. "I'm sure you'll be ok. Bramblestar's a fair leader. I doubt he'll send you away."
Fleck nodded, unable to speak. Bramblestar leapt up to a ledge that protruded a little ways above the clearing, near the den he'd come out of. His pelt glowed in the dying sunlight, and Fleck couldn't help but think that the clan leader looked like a noble tiger of the ancient times.
"Let all those cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the High-Ledge for a clan meeting!" Bramblestar's voice rang out across the camp. The many Thunderclan cats, young and old, began moving towards the part of the camp where their clan leader awaited them. Even more cats poked their heads out of the various dens, coming out of their nests to hear their clan leader.
When all of the cats had gathered, Bramblestar cleared his throat to speak. "I have come to a decision on whether Fleck is to be welcomed into Thunderclan or not." He meowed.