A New Member of the Clan? [OPEN WIDE]

Littlepaw blinked flicking her tail taking all the information in before she mewed"I'm sorry I'm with Flamepaw on this one we should give him a chance"She mewed."I trust in Jaystar's judgement and until Gingerstripe proves otherwise I'll welcome him like any other Riverclan cat"She mewed flicking her tail.

"What? No no no, Jaystar, you must be testing us. There is no way you're actually allowing a ShadowClan cat into our clan. At least Flamepaw was as a punishemnt, but you're basically rewarding him for his sins! Not only is he not a RiverClanner, he had kits with one! That's disgusting! Sorry Jaystar, I mean no disrespect towards you, but come on! You have to be kidding!" Hillpaw no effort to be at all quiet in his spiel. Jaystar couldn't be serious. Their clan was already polluted enough by impurity, and now he had to let some ShadowClanner in, who's mate had half-blood kits on the way. No, they should both both be exiled from the territory. Those kits being born in RiverClan would cause nothing but problems. He had never trusted Dewshine anyway. Growling at Flamepaw, he padded up to the front of the crowd. "Are we really going to let a cat who committed murder and took part in a forbidden romance join our clan because he seems nice?"


----------


"Really?" Nutfur's words were filled with shock after Jaystar's announcement. Recently, she had began to expect he was just like Ivystar, cold and selfish. But this cat she saw on the Willow Branch reminded her more of the cat she knew as an apprentice, warm and helpful. Smiling, the brown warrior realized that there was hope for RiverClan's future. They didn't have to remain as the evil clan forever. Look how far they had come, welcoming redeemed codebreakers into the clan. Dewshine deserved this. Gingerstripe was a cat she hadn't even heard of before, but had the feeling that he was a good cat. After all, one of the cat's with the most common sense that she knew of trusted him. And she had the feeling that he might need her help in the near future, with all these protesting cats and all. She didn't even try to contradict Hillpaw, knowing exactly what he would do. Instead, she just looked up at the leader with new eyes. "I'm proud of you Jaystar."

Viperstorm let out a growl. She didn't like this one bit. She didn't agree with this choice. A murderer? Among them? What would Shadowclan think about all of this? She hoped Jaystar was ready for their anger. Viperstorm snorted at the cats protesting, everyone causing drama.. In fighting would only make them weak. There wasn't going to be any arguing about the choice anyway, but if the tom slipped up at least once she was going to tear that rogues throat out.

The blue gray she-cat stood from her spot, and stalked up to the ginger tom. Her blue eyes narrowed into a glare. "Gingerstripe was it? Since Jaystar has already made up his mind, You better learn how to fish so you can provide for your mate and kits. I don't want a useless warrior laying around our camp. Especially seeing how you claim to want to raise these kits." Even if she was a small warrior she knew how to be scary, she would keep this tom under wraps. "Also, If you so much as touch one piece of fur on any of my clannmates I will make sure to flay you alive, got it?" She growled with a cold look at the warrior. She wasn't going to back away til she got the answer she was looking for.

Aspenpaw looked on at his grandfather as he spoke. Murderer? From Shadowclan? Forbidden love? These were all against the code! But.. His grandfather had accepted this cat into the clan. Surely Gingerstripe wouldn't hurt them. He trusted his grandfather. He glanced over at the ginger cat, surely he must be nervous? He came to a clan that could've turned him away, or even worse, killed him! Yet he did anyway. This one is brave, Aspenpaw didn't believe that Gingerstripe had come to harm them.

He stood up and padded closer to the ginger tom. "Hello! I don't know if anyone has really introduced themselves yet but I'm Aspenpaw! I'm sure you're a good cat. Jaystar let you into the clan!" Aspenpaw decided instead of being rude and threatening the tom, that maybe just being polite and kind is better.

Just as he had predicted, most cats in the Clan were very against his presence. Gingerstripe was able to keep his fur from bristling as cats insulted him and recommended throwing him out- he kept his expression calm and took the abuse with nothing but a weary blink. A young warrior who called Jaystar "father" was the first to speak against him, with another, scarred-looking warrior who didn't say too much and an apprentice who openly doubted his leader with something resembling condescension. Did these cats respect the large gray tom that little? For once, he actually felt a bit of sympathy for the cats who took high positions. Many of these fish-smelling cats were absolutely incorrigible. Of course... he had been like that once, too. On the other side, a young and worn-looking she-cat vouched for him, her flame-orange pelt also noticeable among the RiverClanners- along with her words, which set her apart from her Clanmates. Could this be the Flamepaw that Dewshine had mentioned? She was joined by another apprentice, and a senior warrior who seemed gladdened by the decision. It was refreshing to see cats who were actually willing to give him a chance... especially someone who had gained a rank higher than apprentice.

All thoughts of gratitude, however, were forced out of his head as an experienced-looking she-cat stuck her muzzle in his face, hissing threats at him. Her glaring eyes showed no hint of anything resembling acceptance- if anything, the only thing their cold blue light showed was downright hostility. However, Gingerstripe's expression still did not change, remaining calm and pleasant, if somewhat nervous. He'd encountered plenty of hostility as an exile. "I plan on learning how to fish," he responded mildly, "if someone would be willing to teach me. It will be necessary to learn your ways of life since I plan to help hunt and feed our Clanmates, especially my mate and her kits, along with going along on every border patrol I can. Would you be willing to take on the responsibility? You seem like an experienced warrior in this Clan." His eyes glittered with a spark of mischief, along with a slight smile showing that he meant no harm. The smile faded slightly as he spoke the next sentence. "And if I ever became the kind of cat who would do that to someone ever again, then you wouldn't have to kill me- I would do it myself."

Another cat approached him- but this time, it was a young tom who wore a large, if tentative, smile on his face. The tom... welcomed him? The thin ginger tabby blinked in surprise. No one had ever done that before. Eventually, surprise turned to relief, and thankfulness. A real smile touched his face. "Aspenpaw- that's a nice name. Thank you so much- it really means a lot to have kindness from someone. It's wonderful to meet you!" Gingerstripe nudged the apprentice on the shoulder in a friendly way, then stood up and faced the large crowd. "I know you may not feel like accepting me just yet, but I plan on being able to prove myself and stay here. So you may as well get used to me. If you wouldn't mind, I would like to know all of your names so that I can get to know you. If I'm lucky, I'll be with you all for quite a while." He turned and nodded towards Jaystar, dipping his head in respect and gratitude. "Thank you for giving me a chance, Jaystar. I think I have finally found a leader that I would be proud to serve under." Finally, the new tom looked at the she-cat who'd threatened him. "What's your name?" he inquired politely, still wearing a slight smile.

"Don't touch him!" Stormstrike pushed his way through the crowd just in time to see Gingerstripe nudge Aspenpaw's shoulder. With a hiss, the large tom instantly leapt ahead. His graceful legs were strong enough to put him between his young son and the stranger in one movement. He pushed Aspenpaw back with his tail, his summer-yellow eyes narrowed with anger, his long tabby fur raising as he faced the ginger Shadowclanner. His sons were the only parts of Sunfish he had left, and he'd die before he let a tom accused of murder harm even a hair on their pelts.
"I don't trust you." He snarled, shoving his face so close to the newcomer's that they were nearly nose-to-nose. "And until I have concrete proof that you didn't lay a paw on your filthy code-breaking mother, I won't let you anywhere near my son." His expression and body language were usually only seen before or during a border skirmish, reserved for cats who weren't his clanmates. He loomed over the tom, his chest heaving with each breath. He had to keep him away from his sons. They were all that mattered. They were the only thing right about this broken world, and they couldn't remain that way if they were dead.
"Is that understood?"

Having seen to it that Dewshine was settled in the nursery, Scorchclaw had finished the duties that Jaystar had given him. Now, the fluffy deputy approached the group of cats by the willow tree. Jaystar had just finished telling his clanmates the story of Gingerstripe's life. The thin rogue stood at the front of the crowd, right beneath the Willow Branch. As Scorchclaw watched, the gathered RiverClanners burst out into different reactions. Some were bristling, glaring at Gingerstripe; distrust radiated in an aura around them. Some, on the other paw, seemed glad at the news. A few of the latter group were already beginning to welcome him into the clan. Of course, it was no surprise that Nutfur and Flamepaw would be so accepting to this tom that they knew barely nothing about. Hillpaw's words particularly caught Scorchclaw's ears. The young tom spoke boldly, not trying to avoid attention. A low growl rumbled in the brown tabby's throat, and he padded over. "Watch your tongue when you're speaking to your leader!" He snapped, anger flashing in his pale green eyes. "What do you mean by 'I mean no disrespect towards you'? An apprentice like you does not question his leader's decision in that manner. You're right when you say that it's disgusting, but at least Gingerstripe is trying to bear responsibility." At the very least, that was one thing he had to admit about the rogue, disgruntled as he was. Hillpaw's views towards outsiders actually bore resemblance to Scorchclaw's own; however, the deputy couldn't tolerate the disrespect in his tone. "In addition, who said anything about letting him join simply because he seems nice?"

Gingerstripe was taking the hostility thrown his way with surprising calm. Even when faced with Viperstorm's threats, he simply smiled and spoke amiably. Although Scorchclaw would probably die before saying it out loud, he silently commended the former Shadowclanner for his attitude. However, that didn't last for very long. Aspenpaw had walked up to Gingerstripe, introducing himself. In a moment of friendliness, the latter gently pushed the former. As if a trigger of some sort had been pressed, Stormstrike suddenly pushed between the two. Reminiscent of the storm he had been named after, the young warrior's fur bristled with savage fury as he snarled at Gingerstripe. Scorchclaw narrowed his eyes, quickly stepping towards the three cats. "Gingerstripe will be monitored extremely carefully during his stay. The eyes of the whole camp will be on him. He is indeed a murderer and a code-breaker, but that is precisely why measures will be taken to watch him." He held his tone carefully neutral, gazing at Stormstrike with a serious expression. His words were also for Hillpaw to hear. Just briefly, his gaze darted to Aspenpaw. Truth be told, while he definitely didn't have the same reaction Stormstrike had, the sight of Gingerstripe touching his apprentice also caused alarm bells to ring inside his head. He didn't trust the ginger tom enough to let him near the younger cats yet.

Cinderfall also approached, and Flamepaw followed. "I'm terribly sorry about my brother. He lost his mate recently." He shot Stormstrike a sympathetic look, then turned back to Gingerstripe. "My name is Cinderfall. And this is -"
"And I can introduce myself. I'm Flamepaw. I made a... similar mistake."

Viperstorm opened her mouth to speak again, a bit pleased with the way that Gingerstripe had answered. It was a step in the right direction to earning her trust. Her ears went flat as soon as Stormstrike over reacted. Her eyes narrowing more into a hard glare but more so towards her clan mate. Once the outburst was done she decided to ignore the tom and speak to the rogue again. "I will help you because that means I get to keep an eye on you. We can start tomorrow, we will start in the territory and then move to fishing. I hope you are ready for a long day tomorrow." Just because she didn't like the tom didn't mean she was going to intentionally set him up for failure. She was sure that the tom would be able to do it on his own if he wasn't careful. "I am Viperstorm by the way."

Jaystar narrowed his eyes and lashed his tail violently, but on the inside, he was conflicted and hurt. He thought he was prepared for the disapproval of his clanmates... but he was wrong. He looked at the murderer behind him, doubting for a few seconds about his decision. Should he have been harsher? Was the right choice to punish both of them and chase them off of the camp? But if that was the right choice... that was going to be his punishment if the clan knew about his relationship with Goldeneye? At least she was a Riverclan cat but it was still a forbidden romance.

With this life, I give you forgiveness, use it to give rest to feuds that have ruffled fur to moons too long.

The words of the Thunderclan's warrior sounded in his mind as he faced the clan once again. He cleared his throat and his voice came out, it was deep, determined and absolute. When did he become like this? He wondered. Leadership truly changed you, after all. "I've predicted that some of you would disagree but fear not. I'm not trusting in him so easily because he looks nice, as you might think. I already know what a cat with a double-face can do and I won't make the same mistake I did. I'm well aware of his past as a murderer and don't doubt that if he dares to betray our clan or hurt one of us, I will kill him myself without a doubt. You have the same right to do it if I'm not there. He will not be allowed to be near the nursery or the apprentice's den and he will be confined in his own nest in the warrior den, surrounded and guarded by you, warriors of Riverclan. I don't ask you to treat him nice or as a friend because I won't do it either. If Gingerstripe wants a place in this clan, he will have to earn my and your trust as well, to prove that he won't cause problems to Riverclan. Am I clear?" That question was not exactly directed at his clanmates but at the former Shadowclan warrior, which he looked when he asked it.

Jaystar then fixed his gaze on Stormstrike, Hillpaw, Flamepaw and Nutfur. Opposites sides, totally disagreeing between the point of views of each other. But there was someone else. Viperstorm, as loyal as her older sister, didn't like Gingerstripe but was willing to take him under her own guidance in order to do what he ordered. He smiled a little... "Then it's settled. Viperstorm wil be in charge of taking care and teach Gingerstripe."

The newly named Flurryshine overheard the Clan meeting from the entrance of camp where she stood guard, only having become warrior a few hours earlier. At the announcement, her ears lowered, and she whimpered. She already knew Dewshine had chosen a rogue to be her mate, and she already knew of his kits she was carrying, but that didn't make it any easier to hear. She still couldn't believe that Sweet's warning was true...

She shut her eyes tightly, trying to hold back her tears, and she continued staring ahead, keeping lookout over the camp. She definitely needed to have a talk with her former mentor after tonight.

Stormstrike stepped back, his eyes flashing as Scorchclaw intervened. "I'll guard him myself." He grunted, turning his summer-yellow gaze back towards the ginger-striped tom. "And make sure he never steps out of line." The sentence was laced with venom, and there was plenty implied in the dark tone of his voice. He had something to live for now, and something he'd be willing to kill for.
The gray tom nearly stepped down. Nearly. Then, gloriously, Cinderfall had to step in. In a gesture that was so incredibly pompous, flippant and dismissive all at the same time, the tom pushed past them and uttered something so cruel, Stormstrike was too baffled to speak.
"I'm terribly sorry about my brother. He lost his mate recently."
So that's how it was. He was something to be apologized for, to be swept past. Of course. It was better to let the older, more mature cats take care of this.
"Cinderfall. A word." Without waiting for a reply, the dark warrior drew the pale warrior aside. "Listen closely. I'm only going to say this once." The tom hissed, soft enough that only Cinderfall could hear.
"You're no brother of mine," He spat venomously. "I'm done being your kin. As far as everyone is concerned, I have no connections with you." The yellow-eyed warrior stood a head taller than Cinderfall and was far stronger and more skilled thanks to his hours spent training, but somehow his father had failed to see his success. And now, the pale warrior had the audacity to apologize for him, tossing the fact that his mate had died aside as if it was nothing more than fresh kill. "Don't ever speak in such a tone about me again. I'm done with you."
The sleek warrior didn't wait for a reply. He pushed past the tom, his steps carrying him quickly to a secluded corner of camp. Where was Silverfang? Minnowslip? Both were strong, wise warriors that Ivystar had trusted. They'd both agree with everything he'd said and done, he was certain.
Ivystar would never stand for a murderer in camp.

Curiously, Cinderfall turned to hear what Stormstrike had to say. He had braced himself for a snarky comment about Gingerstripe, and instead found a deathly cold declaration of unkinship. But they were brothers! He couldn't do that, could he? Cinderfall pinned his ears back, mouth agape. He wanted to respond but he didn't know what to say. His eyes began to glisten from tears. Was this really the same cat he wanted to be like as a kit?
What should he do about it? Should he confront Stormstrike? Explain his situation to Jaystar? No, that would make Stormstrike hate him more. He'd just stay quiet, then. Yes, that seemed to be the best course of action. Try to get back on Stormstrike's good side.

Silently in the background, Minnowslip watched with narrow eyes as Jaystar gave his orders. To say she was displeased with this outcome was an understatement, but she knew her place. The only hostility that she dared to show was the lashing of her tail behind her as she scrutinised the ginger tom. She couldn't help but wonder if this was planned. Did he seduce Dewshine knowing that Jaystar would carry residual guilt from Shade and let him in? Dewshine, she knew. But this tom, all she knew about him was that he'd turned on his mother. If he was a kinslayer, what would stop him from slaying them all?

Jaws clenched, she waited to be dismissed, until a conflict erupted between Stormstrike and Cinderfall. The tom had been in their camp for only half a shadow's turn and already there were consequences. Letting out the breath that she's been unconsciously hold, Minnowslip locked eyes with her leader, silently shaking her head before giving a pointed look in Stormstrike's direction, conveying to Jaystar, 'was keeping one family together worth tearing up another?' Beyond the obvious letting a murderer in, this conflict between clanmates gave her a bad feeling.

Accepting her role as a senior warrior to carry out her leader's orders, she gently padded after Stormstrike, brushing up against the tom in a placating manner before slowly blinking at him. "I know how you feel, but all we can do as warriors is trust in Jaystar's judgement. And if his faith turns out to be misplaced, we will be here to take care of it. Nothing will harm your sons, if you can't trust Gingerstripe, you can trust Viperstorm and me."

The second he nudged the apprentice, in a friendly way, the first tom who had questioned Jaystar about his decision immediately got in his face. Did no cat respect personal boundaries, even though he wasn't technically their Clanmate? It was beginning to get annoying. "Though I respect you as a member of RiverClan," he meowed politely, but firmly, "and I respect your wishes, I do not have to take orders from you. It is up to Jaystar who I am and am not allowed to associate with, not you; even if this apprentice is your son, you don't get to control his life. If Aspenpaw chooses to come and talk to me, I will respond to him. If he requests it, I will not seek him out."

There wasn't much more time for him to speak with the angry tom- not that he wanted to- because more cats were coming up to him in response to his request for getting to know them. Angry-cat's brother, Cinderfall, was the first. Gingerstripe nodded gratefully to him. "It's nice to meet you, Cinderfall... and I understand the pain of losing a mate." Then he turned to the she-cat who had walked up with him, whose bright orange pelt he had noted earlier. His suspicions had been correct; the she-cat was indeed Flamepaw. He smiled kindly at her. "My mate, Dewshine, told me about you. It's nice to meet you, as well- maybe we can talk sometime." He couldn't hold a conversation with anyone for longer than a sentence; everyone was talking to him now. It was very different as opposed to being alone for moons, with the occasional conversation. The angry she-cat spoke to him next, seeming much less angry now. In fact, she seemed almost impressed with his calmness. "I look forward to learning from you, Viperstorm," he responded easily, glad that at least a few cats were willing to be reasonable.

Finally, Jaystar spoke again, and the former loner's ears pricked forwards as he listened. The straightforward talk of killing him was unnerving, and he began wondering if the leader actually did believe in his honesty at all. But... why would he have accepted him, if he didn't? It was also degrading to hear that he wouldn't be allowed anywhere the nursery.... so he wouldn't be able to see his mate and kits. My kits... part of the reason he was here in the first place. Maybe Jaystar would allow an exception. At least Viperstorm, who was passionate and unbiased but definitely reasonable and intelligent, was in charge of teaching him- rather than Angry-cat, who hated every mouse-length of him, or the accepting senior warrior, who may have been too biased to allow for the Clan to belive his worthiness. It seemed he'd chosen the right person- both he and Jaystar. Unaware of the hushed muttering that went on in the shadows, Gingerstripe tried to make himself honestly believe that, maybe, this could work out.