hey aren’t we supposed to be friends? [OPEN to SC/WC]

After the… encounter with Nightstar, Russetpaw had decided that, well, if WindClan was going to be allies with ShadowClan, shouldn’t they know each other a bit more? She didn’t know any ShadowClan cats… or cats from any other Clan… and maybe, the way he’d talked, as if WindClan’s safety totally depended on him… well, it made her fur prickle. She didn’t like it. WindClan- WindClan was allies with ShadowClan because both of them benefited the other, not because ‘oh ShadowClan please save us!’

Yet surely not all ShadowClan cats were like that. Their pelts- aye, they were mostly black or tortie, but she’d seen some white and tabby and even orange colors amongst the ShadowClanners. Maybe their personalities differed like their pelts?

So today, today Russetpaw had waited until dusk, when WindClan was winding down to sleep. She thought she’d seen Sleepypaw herding Fuzzykit away from the other Clans, but she wasn’t sure- but if Sleepypaw was busy, she didn’t want to bother her… but if she wasn’t, she’d likely see Russetpaw and follow regardless.

Slowly, Russetpaw stretched. Then, slowly, she meandered over to ShadowClan’s side of the clearing, where cats were sitting in groups sharing tongues, like most did. Picking a ShadowClanner that didn’t seem too awfully scary, Russetpaw picked her way up to them.

“‘Eya,” with a respectful dip of her head, just in case. “I’m Russetpaw, what’s your name?” She kept her tone friendly, albeit respectful, and she’d groomed her pelt earlier, so hopefully this would go well.

Harrierpaw had been busy cleaning the mud from her fur when a cat with an interesting scent padded up. Half her fur still muddied and matted, she returned the friendly greeting although extremely embarrassed. "I'm Harrierpaw!" To be very honest, Harrierpaw wasn't very up to date with who was even in her own clan, unfortunately.

But she did know what her peers smelled like, and that scent was not on Russetpaw. Her green eyes flooded with curiosity and a thousand questions, but she didnt want to seem weird to a possible new friend. "Sorry about my appearance. A lot happened on the way here, you know." She laughed nervously before tearing bits of moss and stray splinters from her overgrown claws. "It's my first time being here so... Which clan are you from?"

Okay, so, apparently she’d chosen correctly! This cat- although she honestly looked a mess and Russetpaw mentally berated herself for taking so much time to groom her pelt when it turned out she didn’t even need to- this cat was nice! Russetpaw perked up, her attitude changing from formal-respectfully-ity-ness-pls-don’t-kill-me-or-start-a-war-over-this to her typical friend-lets-go! demeanor, shifting from paw to paw and not even trying to stand still.

“Nice ta’ meetcha, ‘arrierpaw! Ah, that’s a’right, I was all dusty-like when we came here, but someone made me clean off. OhmyStarClan, it’s my first time being here too! I was all like ‘aaaaaaaa’ at first- oh, right, yeah, I’m from WindClan! An’ I already know you’re from ShadowClan, me an’ Sleepypaw (that’s my friend, Sleeps) ran into Nightstar so I know your scent!”

Russetpaw abruptly cut herself off- gotta let the other cat get in a say. She was full of questions, hopefully the other apprentice wouldn’t mind? Surely not, she seemed like a nice cat.

The sudden change of energy finally made Harrierpaw pause her grooming. "You've met Nightstar?" She did recall her leader and a few others leaving camp one day, though she didn't care to ask questions at the time. "I've never heard anyone talk like you before- Do all Windclan cats speak like you?"

At Sleepypaw's question, Harrierpaw's own question seemed to be answered almost immediately.
"Sorry, I havent seen any cat like that yet!" Though the black she-cats ears heated up when Sleepypaw pointed how disheveled Harrierpaw looked. "Yea I uh... There was a lot going on before we got here.. haha... ha..." Maybe she should have hidden somewhere to make herself more presentable after all... Nightstar's blood still speckled her face and the small white patch on her chest. Not her best look, admittedly.

Suddenly, Sleepypaw appeared! Russetpaw beamed, waving her tail at her friend, giggling a bit at her joke. Fuzzkit was… a pawful, to say the least. Then- “Sleepypaw! That’s rude,” Russetpaw squawked, ears flicking back. “Wh-what if that was ’ow all ShadowClanners looked, ta hide from t’ evil muck monsters or someat.” She gave the other apprentice a nudge in the ribcage, just to make sure she got her message.

She turned back to Harrierpaw with an apologetic grimace. ”Sorry. Erm, I dunno? Don’t think so, though, jus’ me an’ my family, some other cats-like too. No, no, we met Nightstar when Fuzzbutt-“ a giggle- “-that’s Fuzzkit, really, but he’s such a hassle- stole some prey from your pile? Kinda on accident but… I don’t think he really would’ve cared regardless? So Nightstar came and was all scary-like an’ then we gave him a rabbit to make up for it.And dunnae worry ‘bout your pelt, either, mine’s usually worse but when I made up m’ mind ta talk to one of you ShadowClanners, I wanted to look all nice an’ presentable. Sleeps can attest ta that!” she purred.

Harrierpaw's eyes closed as she laughed, for real this time. If only she'd been there to see Nightstar's reaction to that! "I bet that was a real spectacle! Wish I had been there. Nightstar might seem scary but he... Well, he is scary. But he's nice too. Don't tell anyone, though." She was serious on that last bit. "Nah I'll have to pass on that one for now, Sleepypaw. Thanks for offering, though. Maybe I'll take you up on that later." She appreciated Russetpaw being apologetic about the whole thing and gave a quick nod of thanks.

But muck monsters? Now that was an idea. Harrierpaw's face suddenly got serious. "But... there ARE monsters in ShadowClan." She lowered her voice, ears going back as she leaned in closer. "You think we sleep during the day by choice? They can't see at night. But you can hear them groaning during the day if you reeaalllyyy listen closely." She had no idea how much these two knew of ShadowClan, but she wont back down on this joke.

“Scary-like but nice too? Heh, sounds like Shrikestar, though the nice-bit’s more like… I dunno, really. Curiosity killed the cat, eh Sleeps?” she nudged her friend again with a grin, though more gently this time. Nightstar? Nice? She doubted it. He was just scary- real scary’like. Russetpaw groomed down the fur on her shoulder real quick, getting rid of some of the most spiky bits as she settled into the conversation. Harrierpaw seemed nice, if a bit… dirty, to say the least. But the circumstances were hardly ordinary anyways, so she wouldn’t hold it against the other apprentice- though she didn’t really think she’d hold it against her regardless. Russetpaw was hardly the epitome of cleanliness herself, after all.

Suddenly, Harrierpaw leaned in with a spooky hiss, and Russetpaw drew back, ears pinned and eyes wide. Wha- monsters? Real ‘uns? “R-really? Ya- really? Oooh… I ain’t never going near ShadowClan territory- what’d they look like, an’ why don’t they cross the Thunderpath into our territory? We’ve never had trouble with monsters, leastaways not day-time ones.”

Harrierpaw thought about it for a moment. "They're HUGE! And fast. If you ever get spotted by one, it's over." It was taking everything within her to not start shaking from the laughter she was swallowing back. Russetpaw was so much fun... Harrierpaw decided that she liked this cat. "I wish I was pulling your tail, Sleepypaw! Those beasts scare even ShadowClan, it's a miracle that even we can live there. It would be a shame if someone of a different Clan even glanced past out border..." She glanced between the two WindClan apprentices. Even if they didn't fully believe her, she would never admit the truth!

"Promise me you'll never set paw past ShadowClan's border! I'd hate to find out you were eaten by those Muck Monsters."

Russetpaw’s jaw dropped as Harrierpaw continued. F-for real? “No-no way,” she protested, but she was obviously completely taken in. Muck monsters. Fast. Deadly. Hungry. She wondered what they looked like- mucky, obviously. Muddy? Dusty? Bigger than a cat, a fox, a monster even? Were they brown, or black? Did they have fur or scales, or could one even tell?

“No, no way! Not me! Right, Sleeps?” she nudged her friend, but… of ShadowClan had monsters… maybe she could make up some WindClan monsters? It- would it be fair? Harrierpaw’s were real, of that she had no doubt… but maybe she wouldn’t notice if Russetpaw made some up?

“Ya know, WindClan has monsters, too- great, overgrown worms as big as a cat that prowl the dens and burrows… waiting for a cat to wriggle in after a rabbit… mouths full of teeth!” she unsheathed her claws, digging them into the earth, hoping to scare the other- and hoping Sleepypaw would back her up.