Unusual Guest [open;; CLAN MEETING]

Returning back to the sanctuary of WindClan's territory had proven to be quite the cumbersome journey.

It had taken a brief period of time to ensure that Jude could potentially even travel such a distance upon a subpar forepaw, and an even lengthier interval to shepherd the bemused Kittypet to the safety and shelter offered by the sparse lands of the territory. With the fresh return of the sunlight, being able to track the progression of time only made things more agonizing- it felt like hours whenever she was guiding Jude up and down the rolling crests, yet whenever she gazed to the sky the sun hadn't even moved. Resisting the urge to expel a grandiose sigh as they finally slipped into shallow dip in the unyielding earth that sheltered the whole of WindClan, the pale-furred molly was quick to situate Jude within the shadow of the Tallrock before too many prying eyes caught sight of the strange visitor. Easily pulling herself atop the smooth, chilly surface of the ancient stone, Brindlestar hurriedly yowled

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Tallrock!"

Stagpaw was grooming himself carefully close to the entrance. As Brindlestar called out, he glanced up. Padding to the leader, the tom's curiousity was aroused. He sat down eventually without a word

The Windclan deputy's head quickly turned to look at Brindlestar and the unfamiliar cat as the leader entered the camp. He got up with a curious twitch of his tail and took a spot facing Brindlestar and the Tallrock as she called for a meeting. 'I wonder who this might be.' thought the tom.

Shadekit looked up from the leaf she was studying at Brindlestar’s call, cocking her head slightly. Turning towards Tallrock, Shadekit focused in on Brindlestar.

Bluekit angrily woke up from his nap at Brindlestar’s call. What did she want and why is it more important than his nap?? He stomped out of the nursery to see what all the hubbub was about. It better be good.

It took most of the energy left in his body to cross the grassy plains with Brindlestar. It was hard for him to focus on putting one paw in front of the other, especially with one curled up towards his chest to prevent any more pain or breakage. Despite the desire to admire the scenery, waft in the various scents, and even question the oddity of this she-cat's name and homeland, he couldn't keep his mind away from the accident.

After what felt like hours long gone, they finally arrived at what he could only assume was her home. He was confused. It was a giant sandpit? Where were the humans?

The pale cat placed him under a rather tall standing rock before climbing it herself. The sun barely broke the horizon under the morning light, leaving Jude in the long and dark shadows. With his dark fur, only his golden eyes appeared from beneath the rock. And with a strong breath, Brindlestar called out to no one in particular, and Jude's eyes widened.

There wasn't just one. There were several. He was sure there were more than a dozen. Pain filled his head and he winced. Something felt off... But the tom couldn't place if it was good or bad. Instead, he sat pondering the bizarre situation. Who were these cats?

Murkkit glared under almost-closed lids at the arrogant, loud ball of fluff that called itself Bluekit as he lay in the corner. For some reason, all the cats outside seemed to think that it was important they run outside as fast as possible to listen to the cat that seemed to spend all her time telling everyone else what to do. So, padding casually outside and taking his time, he wandered over and sat near Smokepelt, about as far from the other kit as he possibly could.
As he idly glanced up at where the bossy she-cat stood on the special rock, he noticed a fat tom he hadn't seen before sitting nearby. Wrinkling his nose, he stared, wondering where in StarClan that cat had come from, and just where it had gotten all the prey to get that fat.

Tired as she was, Oakberry joined he cats beneath the tall rock, wondering what the meeting was about.

Barleytuft was grooming himself quite contentedly in the medicine cat's den beside his friend, Oakberry, when he heard his leader, Brindlestar, call out to the Clan to summon them for a meeting. He hadn't noticed when Brindlestar and the kittypet had entered camp - and in fact he didn't even know that there was a kittypet - but the young warrior did scent a faint hint of twolegplace and wondered how it could've come there. Had Brindlestar patrolled there and found something she needed to share? Only one way to find out. The sandy tom made his way to sit before his leader, Oakberry at his side, waiting to hear what she might say.

There's definitely kittypet scent - and an injury. What's Brindlestar got to tell us? Barleytuft thought curiously.

Gazing down at the curious expressions of her Clanmates with a belated sense of apathy, the silence exuded by Brindlestar was fleeting, incredibly brief at best. Ear twitching slightly as Jude shifted slightly within the dismal shade of the Tallrock, the bemused tension of the dark-furred tom did not go unnoticed. Whether this was a kindness or merely a fresh wound waiting to hemorrhage precious resources, only the nuisance of time would reveal. Stifling the copious amounts of unease that drifted down her spine with an unpleasant sharpness, the pale molly's tail swept across the chilly surface of the ancient stone. "I see that many of you have laid eyes upon the stranger in our camp." Her initial words were simple, void of any decisive emotion, "I do not doubt that you have yet to notice the scent he carries, nor the fact that his is injured." Shifting absently atop the unpleasantly cool surface of the ceremonial stone, the molly hardly even cast Jude a secondary glance as her words hung heavily in the crisp late afternoon air. While marginally more enjoyable than the dire circumstances that had warranted the previous Clan meeting, there were certainly looming drawbacks to her inevitable announcement. Better a few ruffled feathers than the Exiles.

"This is Jude," Brindlestar began once more, methodical voice rising above the soft chatter that lingered heavily atop the cool air, "A Kittypet. Something befell his Twolegs, an incredibly peculiar event I must imagine, and he was abandoned alongside the Thunderpath with an injured forepaw. Seeing as he's a Kittypet quite far from home and stricken with an injury, one could easily see the tricky predicament that has been bestowed upon him. Until Jude's forepaw is healed up or my judgement is revisited, he shall be staying within the care of WindClan." Sweeping her sleek tail neatly around her straying limbs, the brindled molly hardly paid any mind to the various reactions exuded by her Clanmates who were settled below. Extended foreclaw lightly tracing the well-worn surface of the Tallrock with an uncharacteristic delicacy, her teeth clicked together sharply in a wager for both attention and understanding. "Jude is our guest, so ensure that you treat him as such- unless you'd prefer to personally broach the subject of faulty behavior in my direct company."

Barleytuft felt his Clanmates grow quiet as Brindlestar's tail swept across the Tallrock; he had already been quiet, but he felt that even his heart had grown quiet to hear his leader's explanation. She first stated the facts, acknowledging what everyone had already gathered: there was an injured kittypet among them, in the WindClan camp. After a moment of cool silence, she went on to introduce the kittypet, and Barleytuft found himself seeking out this "Jude" who had been offered WindClan's help. He spotted the golden tom's eyes peering out of the shade of the Tallrock, then looked back up to his leader.

She explained Jude's situation, and the first thing Barleytuft felt was a mild, bitter irritation that his leader would be quicker to trust and friendlier towards a stranded kittypet than Oakberry when she had returned injured from being captured - by Twolegs, nonetheless! But the sandy tom tried to force those feelings down; in the end, Brindlestar had believed Oakberry, and his best friend was receiving the care and attention she deserved. Why did Jude deserve less simply because he was a kittypet? As if reading Barleytuft's thought, Brindlestar went on to subtly warn her Clanmates to treat Jude properly.

Catching Brindlestar's drift, Barleytuft nodded dutifully, and then looked again towards the kittyper to try to offer a friendly and sympathetic smile.

Foxspirit padded out of the warriors den to sit next to Swiftstep. She listened to Brindlestar, then walked up to Jude. "Greetings. My name is Foxspirit. I hope you enjoy your stay here in WindClan."

Briarkit bounded out of the medicine cat den and under the Tallrock. Looking up, he saw a strange cat next to Brindlestar. Curious as always, he listened to his leader. A guest! Cool! He got up and padded up to Jude. "Hi! My name's Briarpaw! I'm the medicine cat apprentice! What is it like to be a kittypet?" Then, he noticed her paw. "Your hurt! Let me get you some cobwebs!" He ran off to the medicine den, and returned with a mouthful of cobwebs. He began to wrap up his paw.

Jude swallowed hard as all eyes, curious and spiteful, turned to him. His ears fell flat against his head as several gazes turned away, back to Brindlestar as she called out with a clear and demanding voice. He wondered why everyone seemed encapsulated by her announcement. While he could feel the charisma and captivation of her character as she spoke, and surely even felt drawn to her power, he wondered if she was someone more important than he initially thought.

Despite their earlier discussions about his recovery, he was startled by how... protective she was over the tom. Or perhaps, just his safety. In the end, it didn't quite matter. He was a guest and was there until his injuries were taken care of.

As her speech ended, cats began to walk away, gaze with friendly or disdainful looks, or pull themselves towards his seat. A cat came forward, Foxspirit, shaking his attention away and causing him to nearly jump back in fear. His eyes darted towards his saviour, hoping she would drag him away to some remote location. It was all a little overwhelming. He could only nod towards the warrior and those who tossed him a friendly smile, before staring back at Brindlestar with a desperate look.

As if on cue, a small tom came bounding towards him, introducing himself as Briarpaw, speaking so quickly he couldn't quite reply. "Cobwebs?" he asked dryly. He wasn't even allowed a protest as the younger tom started wrapping his paw with something strange and white. It almost felt like silk against his paws. Soft and fluffy, like his bed at home.