Four ways of Trees

The air was thick with greenleaf heat, the insects of greenleaf whining loudly. "Those insects need to shut up," A shadowy cat with glowing green eyes said to an all-white she-cat with amber eyes. The shadow flitted through the forest, from one bush to another. The white she-cat, Mouse, her name was, just cocked her head to the side, and her eyes grew slightly unfocused as they looked at the shadowy cat.

"I disagree," An etherally blue-haired she-cat with sparkles in her pelt said to the shadow. Mouse blinked, and smiled vacantly. "I think it makes for a nice background sound," the blue-haired cat continued. "Anyway, Dark, don't you agree with me that Mouse needs to join one of these clans she heard about?"

"I'm staying out of it, Minnow," the shadow responded.

"I have an idea!" a male tortoiseshell with a kink in his tail chirped up.

"Oh shut up, Idiot," Dark snapped.

"Don't be mean, Dark," Minnow scolded.

Meanwhile, Mouse was still walking along, having come to a group of four huge trees surrounding a clearing, in the middle of which was a large boulder. "Huh. Is this where the clans live?" Mouse wondered aloud. Minnow shrugged, while Dark just glared at Idi, who was leaping from tree to tree, getting higher and higher as he jumped.

The gathering a few days before had been overwhelming. Mistypaw had been relieved when Shadowclan had finally left. Ebonysong had talked to him and her distraction had been helpful, but Mistypaw hadn't managed to relax nearly as much as some of the other cats had been that night. Too many cats, too much noise and confusing scents.

Mistypaw definitely enjoyed being alone far more. His paws had found themselves near fourtrees, inexplicably drawn back to the place. Empty and devoid of cats, and now in daylight, it seemed far less intimidating but no less beautiful. He'd need to go back to camp soon, but for now, the young apprentice was curious, and took a step into the clearing.

A noise caught his attention, and Mistypaw bristled slightly in surprise. Then the scent hit him... Definitely not clan cat, he realized with a start, blue eyes wide as they searched for the source of the unfamiliar scent.

A white she-cat stood not far, and Mistypaw blinked at her words in slight surprise.

"Ahh no... The clans don't live here, but we do gather here at every full moon. What's a rogue doing in fourtrees?" The dark-furred apprentice blurted. And immediately, Mistypaw wished he hadn't spoken. He'd probably come off as rude and unintentionally making an unfamiliar cat angry definitely wasn't on the list of things he cared to do.