A Silver Tabby Walked Along...

[Runic (Rogue)]

"Oh... right! Let's try to find somewhere just a bit drier." said Runic, remembering Runner's fear of rushing water. "Let's see... I've been traveling north along the river... so let's go west!" He began to move to the west. "Let's go!"

Runic no longer seemed very shy. He was very relaxed knowing he had a friend to travel with.

[Runner]

Runner bounded after him, then fell into step beside him. A shrill noise sounded over head. She whirled around, searching for the source. Never had she heard such a strange noise! "What was that?" (Bird.)

[Runic (Rogue)]

"What? Do you mean..." He stopped and looked at her oddly, "Do you mean you've never heard the bird's sing before?"

Runic was very puzzled. What a strange companion I have made...

[gold]

[Okay, so this is Bristle, and Lilly's let me use my character Goldfeather (and her crazy son Tealpaw!) to accept characters into Mistclan.]

Flash of blue.
Blink of gold.
You see, this was Goldfeather, in all her fluffy blue tabby glory. She was worried for Lillystar, and her friends, and the rest of Mistclan, and so she had gone out to patrol borders for her leader.
Well hello, she thought.
Welcome to MistClan, darlings.

Goldfeather hopped down from a rock nimbly, her feathery tail high in the air. "Bonjour," she purred lightly, padding softly to where the two cats stood: a tom and a she-cat.
Cute.
Her liquidy golden hues flicked from Runic to Runner. They would make an adorable couple, she thought.

But while Goldfeather was thinking of how cute these two cats would be together, her son Tealpaw was exploring every nook and cranny of the places they passed. Such wonder! As a newly made apprentice, the young tortoiseshell tom wanted to see everything.
He did not yet have a mentor, you see; Lillystar was so busy, and he understood that.
He heard the last few things the two cats said, but only really caught what Runner said:
"Of course. I think we should get away from the waterfull, it's making me uneasy."
At this he whipped his head up from where it had been only a mouselength away from a butterfly perched, terrified, on a flower.

"Well," he meowed loudly from a few foxlengths away, "If you're going to be a Mistclan cat you have to get used to that noisy thing."
Of course, Tealpaw was quite serious.
The flirt he was, he didn't joke unless he was around pretty little femmes, or playing tricks on his sisters. But the little boy quickly grew bored of his mother's new friends, and went on to explore more flowers and frighten more butterflies.

[Runic (Rogue)]

"Oh!" Runic bowed his head to them both and gave the she-cat his full attention. "Are you... are you both from the Mist Clan?"

His eyes sparkled with ambition and excitement. He might finally have his chance to find the clan he'd been looking for.

[Runner]

"Oh, a bird. I've never heard a bird like that before," Runner mewed.
What a strange place! The birds are so small! Oh, well. Runic knows his way around. He'll explain things.
She then turned her attention to the shecat. "Bawn-joe? Huh?" she asked, genuinely puzzled. She then whispered to Runic, "I'm not so sure about this. These cats are so... strange. And I can't live near that horrid thing!" She gazed at the waterfall. It was really getting to her now. Her throat tightened, and she let out a terrified yelp, fear overcoming her. "Oh, get me out of here!" she wailed, her fur bristling and her eyes wide and round.

[gold]

With a calm, sweet smile, Goldfeather turned pleasantly to Runic.
"Yes. My name is Goldfeather," she purred softly, then glanced over her shoulder. Her son was pouncing on a spider. "And this is my lovely son, Tealpaw." At the mention of his name, the tortoiseshell apprentice glanced up, and let the spider. go. "Mousedung!" he hissed.
The silvery blue tabby purred, amused as Runner tried to imitate and understand her French. "'Bonjour' means 'hello'," she mewed, but the she-cat was already onto different things.
Goldfeather had adapted to the waterfall.
Sure it was loud, but it was beautiful, and her kits had a wonderful time jumping through it.

As Runner began to have a miniature break-down, the queen darted closer to her and rested her long, fluffy tail on her shoulders. "I apologize," she mewed. Had she upset the other she-cat? Of course, Goldfeather was always worried that it was her fault.
"You get used to the waterfall quite quickly," old Bloodmist's sister meowed. In a more hushed tone, she told Runner, "You know, I am not born of this clan? I arrived just before Tealpaw and his brothers and sisters were born, but I myself was born far away."
Goldfeather glanced at her son, a warmth entering her eyes.
Of course, that warmth had been there all along; but it got...warmer.

[Runner]

"I lost my brother because of a waterfall... I hate being near them. I can't stand them! All that water... so much power.. it's just so... unpredictable! It's like it's waiting... like it wants to kill... like its waiting all through the season of Frozen Water to unleash its fury and kill...." murmured Runner. As she spoke, she sidled away a little from Goldenfeather, pressing closer to Runic, as though he would create a barrier between her and the waterfall.

[Runic (Rogue)]

Runic turned his head to look at Runner and gave her a look of sympathy. "Don't worry, Runner. The water isn't going to hurt you." He glanced back at Goldfeather. "So... you are part of MistClan... then... then could you take us both in? We're starving... she hasn't eaten since I've met her and I haven't eaten since I left the... Rogue Meadow..."

[Runner]

Runner blinked sadly. Her own belly yowled for food, but she didn't want to stay here. Anywhere but here was fine. She sighed, and slowly blinked at Runic. As her eyes closed, an image of her brother flashed before her, then was engulfed by water. She let out a slight cry, almost feeling water crash over her. She stretched her eyes open, barely daring a wink.

[gold]

"Rogue Meadow! Oh, StarClan...Yes, of course."

Goldfeather had heard of Rogue Meadow, but hadn't been there; she'd come to Mistclan from the opposite direction. Surely this Runic wasn't a mean, nasty rogue...right?
She hopped forward, toward the camp, and turned to look over her shoulder. Runner would eventually get used to the waterfall...hopefully.

Home we go!

[Runner]

Runner followed the blue she, every hair standing on end. Did this mean she had to give up the search for her brother? She didn't want to follow this she cat.
"What am I doing here, among these heartless hinds? Among these spineless creatures?"

[Runic (Rogue)]

Runic followed Goldfeather and caught up with Runner. "Runner... maybe... maybe there will be some kind hearts among the clan who would help you look for your brother?" He knew that Runner did not want to follow Goldfeather, but he desperately wanted his new friend to remain with him.

[gold]

"What am I doing here, among these heartless hinds? Among these spineless creatures?"

Halt. Turn your head slowly. Bristle your neck fur. Narrow your eyes.
"'Heartless hinds?' 'Spineless creatures?' Really, now?"
It was not often one saw Goldfeather angry; in fact, you were lucky - or unlucky - if you saw or heard of it in your lifetime. She turned fully, her pupils dilated and her eyes narrowed. Goldfeather drew her lips back in a snarl.
"So I am heartless, am I?" she growled, unsheathing her claws. "Can you tell me, then, why I raised six kits, one of which wasn't even my own, without every raising my voice at them?" She stepped closer to Runner. "Can you tell me why I was about to let you into this clan? Why Mistclan mourned Blindsong's death, even though she was a Stoneclan queen? Why I know that all Mistclanners would have been happy to help you find your brother? Why they are out in the Rogue Meadow, fighting for our freedom?"
Another step forward.
Now, Goldfeather didn't plan to hurt Runner unless she provoked her even more; and with her fur spiked so she looked double her normal size, the Mistclan queen looked quite frightening. She had been trained as a warrior, just like big bro' Bloodmist had. Even by the same mentor. Goldfeather disregarded what Runic said, and advanced further on Runner.

[Runner]

Instead of backing down, Runner took a step forward, so that her nose practically touched Goldfeather's.
"I've never seen it, so I won't believe it! I'm sure your clans"-this word she spat out like crowfood-are as much like tribes as stones to rocks." She sucked in her breath. She was about to recount one of her most terrifying moments... again. "MY only memory of a tribe, my most vivid memory is of the Tribe, of everyone screaming and yowling. The to-bes trapped and unaided, being slaughtered. The caveguards were all dead at the entrance. The preyhunters had run away, but were ambushed. The healer was the only fighting, but only to save his own hide. My father left my mother, and when my mother tried to get away, she slipped in the caveguards' blood and was killed as well. My brother and I stumbled through the bodies, slipping in blood and climbing over what was left of the caveguards and to-bes until we were completely red. We ran away, even though we didn't know where we were going, all we cared about was being together. Give me one scrap of proof th-"Her voice broke, tears burning in her eyes. "That MistClan won't be the same."

[Runic (Rogue)]

Runic was nervous. He did not want a fight to breakout between his friend and his possible only hope of joining the MistClan. He addressed Runner, who was obviously filled with sorrow. "Please Runner... it's ok... we can't fight... not now..."

[Runner]

"I'm not asking to fight," meowed Runner adamantly. "I'm asking for proof."

[Shadow Spirit]

These weary paws still have battles to win...
Her thick white coat, all blossomed with saffron and ginger, felt hot in the heavy green-leaf air. Only the waning storms of the sun-high time had cooled it enough to be bearable. Stepping carefully over the slick stones, Lillystar made her way across the slim bit of stone that skirted the waterfall and out into the open. Immediately her nose scented Goldfeather and one of her kits. She'd not been around them enough to distinguish their individual scents yet, but she could tell that this one was a tom. Walking briskly, she followed the path along the stream until she saw her clanmates ahead of her. Goldfeather seemed very agitated and Lillystar quickly stepped into view, to assert her authority and prevent a fight on her territory.

"Goldfeather, sheathe your claws, what's amiss here?" she asked, laying her tail across her warrior's shoulders to calm her.

[Shadow Spirit]

OOC: Do you two intend to join the clan or just wander around together? Cuz, I'm trying to update the Clan's hierarchy...