Trespassing Through Trees [closed]

Summer had been doing a lot more traveling in the last few days, but traveling had been a part of her life since she was old enough to hold her own. She was enjoying these new territories and the interactions with the Clan cats, even if a few started (or ended) with a scrape and her having to make a hasty apology or retreat. The lean cream-furred she-cat with pale ginger points moved once again through thick foliage under a sprawling canopy of trees. Summer liked how safe it felt, though as she approached a tall tree she caught a clear and immediate view of a large owl hole in the trunk hidden up in the branches. The loner slowed as she strolled into the clearing, staring up at it with curiosity and due caution. Was it abandoned, or was something resting inside? She didn't know whose territory she resided in; the only threat she considered at the moment was whether or not there was an owl in the tree across the clearing.

Willowpaw was padding around near the owl tree when she saw a female she-cat. Curious, the pure white apprentice with the brown tail tip moved closer towards the cream and ginger loner. “Hello...I’m Willowpaw. What are you doing here and who are you?” She asked, sniffing her.

There was a soft rustle in the clearing behind her, and for a moment Summer feared that she was about to find out the owl wasn't in the clearing but instead hunting her. When she turned to face the source of the sound, however, she was relieved to see not a swooping moon-eyed bird but a river blue-eyed cat with shocking white fur. Summer's ears perked, and she chirped with acknowledgement of the arrival. Another 'paw name was introduced to her, and Summer immediately understood the she-cat's question. "Hello, Willowpaw!" the drifter answered, dipping her slender head and blinking her sky blue eyes slowly. "I was just exploring, darling. My name is Summer. Have I trespassed on a Clan's territory, dear?" She raised her head to look at Willowpaw with a concerned expression.

“Yes...you have crossed ThunderClan territory. Dont worry, I wont tattle. I know accidents happen sometimes.” Willowpaw said, assuring her. “Where do you come from? I haven’t seen you around before...” She racked her brain to see if she had seen this ginger-cream she cat before, but she couldn’t remember ever meeting Summer before.

So I have! Summer thought to herself as Willowpaw confirmed that she had, indeed, wandered into ThunderClan territory. I wonder why they're called ThunderClan? The pretty white she-cat kindly promised she understood and that she wouldn't get Summer in trouble. The drifter's ginger tail lifted happily at the news and she dipped her head gratefully. When she raised it, Willowpaw asked her where she'd come from. Summer nodded and replied, "Yes, darling, it's not likely you have; I only just found this river less than a moon ago and learned about the Clans a little after that. I come from far away! I truly couldn't say how far, unfortunately. I've crossed my path a few times and forgotten some places and gotten mixed up about others."She chuckled lightly at that.

“Oh...so you’re one of those...traveling cats? That seems cool. I wonder how you sneaked across the border though...” Willowpaw mused, thinking about the Righteous Few. “There are certain...evil cats around that would prevent you from coming in. Also, they’re dead, just to tell you.” Hopefully, Willowpaw didn’t scare the loner into thinking that dead cats could kill her.

Summer nodded at Willowpaw's question, chirping a quiet confirmation. When the Clan cat questioned how she managed past the border, though, the drifter asked curiously, "What do you mean?" The she-cat explained how there were, apparently, evil dead cats watching the borders that should've prevented her from coming in. Summer's eyes widened slightly with surprise, then narrowed with confusion and mild disbelief. "Evil cats?" she echoed. Something about the Clans and dead cats seemed familiar... Had she been told something like that already? "Why would they do that?"

Willowpaw sighed. “They’re called the Righteous Few. They’re supposed to be our ancestors, but, well...they don’t like it when other cats from other places join a certain Clan. They brought down a plague on all of the cats who had betrayed their Clan. They’re now guarding the borders, and not all cats can get through.” Every word was lined with disgust and anger at the Righteous Few, and her claws dug into the soil.

Summer tilted her head, trying to listen intently. When Willowpaw mentioned ancestors, the drifter then remembered the brief mention of some spiritual ancestors when she'd spoken to Morningpaw. Were these the same ones? Judging by how this ThunderClan cat spoke, Summer suspected so. Were these cruel deities that they believed in and obeyed, then, or were there different groups of ancestors for the different Clans? Her eyes widened at the revelation that the Clans had received a plague as a result of breaking their code, and she gasped, "That's awful!" She hadn't come across any sick cats. Had Morningpaw been one of them? Surely she, being the next in command after the deputy, wouldn't be at risk of harm. Summer shook her head and murmured, "You poor dears. Well, I haven't seen any evil dead cats. I'll try to be safe. Is it contagious? Are you alright in your den?"

Willowpaw nodded. “I’m fine. It isn’t contagious, but it’s worse than any sickness we’ve ever seen. Nothing that the medicine cats do seem to help much. The herbs barely make a dent in the illness. The best we can do is give them fresh kill and water, but even that isn’t doing anything.” Willowpaw sighed, shaking her head. “They’re not all evil...just a couple of them...”

Summer lifted her head to look at Willowpaw again as the she-cat answered her questions. The drifter made a soft sound of sympathy, her ears and tail sinking slightly, while the ThunderClan cat explained the extent of the illness: untouchable by herbs or rest, yet unable to travel to others. Summer shook her head lightly and murmured again, "Poor dears..." She tilted her head and asked, "And they're all just sick because they bent a rule here and there?" She was incredulous at the notion, not just because of the unfairness but because of the unlikeliness. Summer didn't believe in StarClan, of course, since she didn't know them; she had heard of them, and she didn't believe they weren't real, but they were new to her.

Willowpaw nodded, a lump forming in her throat. “ThunderClan...we are very accepting at outsiders...and StarClan has punished us because of it. We will never turn away any cat who needs help, and StarClan, the Righteous Few...they, they cannot see that. They can’t...they can’t understand us. They never will...” She turned away, the lump in her throat growing.

Summer's face softened sympathetically at the grief and sadness welling on Willowpaw's face, and the ginger-cream drifter took a few paces forward to stand at Willowpaw's side, gently pressing her shoulder into the pristine white she-cat's for comfort. "I'm so sorry to hear that, darling. No one deserves to suffer so needlessly over something so baseless as being kind-hearted and open." She brushed her tail briefly over Willowpaw's flank and meowed sternly, "Well, someone ought to put them in their place. You seem like a perfectly lovely cat - all the Clan cats I've met have been. It's unacceptable to treat such kind cats so coldly."

Willowpaw smiled, turning to the kind and caring she cat. “You know...ThunderClan would love to invite you to our Clan. After the Righteous Few forget about us, of course.” She knew that Summer probably wouldn’t believe anything about StarClan, but she was fine with that. At least the cream she cat understood.

Summer looked aside when Willowpaw began to speak, but she froze slightly at what the pretty little she-cat said. Commitment; obligation; dedication to rules and a code. Summer was a drifter who always had been and always would be, and the idea of settling down was almost horrifying to her. Thankfully, Summer didn't need to come up with an excuse for why she couldn't join right away, for the ThunderClan cat added that they'd need to wait for the "Righteous Few" to forget about ThunderClan anyways. Summer chuckled lightly, willing herself to relax, and replied, "Of course; they certainly wouldn't want a drifter such as myself bringing mischief with me!" The she-cat moved from Willowpaw's side now that she seemed to be feeling a bit better.