A New world - The Frozen Forest 1# Warrior Cats

7 - Help needed

The bothered felines stormed through the forest, crystallized with the frost glowing with a past Sunhigh sun. The she-cat gathered her last bits of strength to move on, pushing on not only by the healing poultice, but knowing their uncertain mission that had joined them together.

The frost stayed in its place, while the coldness of the air spread out in the risen sun. The cats bravely travelled among the brambles, Lucidpaw soon noticing Moonlit following her. He regained his sense of orientation and uncomfortably led the she to the Clan.

''How are you going tell them?'' Moonlit's voice seemed loud, only because the forest stayed silent, asides from the weak winds that swished the tree tops. The she-cat shook her head, ''I don't care what they say, I'll work my way out. They can understand...''

As the wandering felines approached the camp, the strange voices that tormented her called 'Remorse, remorse, remorse...' . Her ears flattened, expecting to find an unwelcoming clan.

Moonlit sensed the panic in her, ''Hey, if they don't accept you, you can come to Stonewardens. They'll surely want your...bitterness,'' Lucidpaw scoffed at his response, and rolled her eyes.

''I don't need your help-'' she scowled, facing the cat against her cowardness, ''and they'll accept me, of course,'' she reassured.

''But I need your help,'' he replied, calm as ever, ''Anyways, I'll let you die freezing then, Shortfur'' He grinned. The she-cat glanced aside, ashamed, and with frozen paws. Moonlit pawed her playfully, she turned aside though.

They kept walking, the Stonewarden's paws lighter with the snow's reflection. But the voices went stronger while making the cat scent go hidden to Lucidpaw. The black cat stopped frozen in his place, raising his tail towards Lucidpaw's face. ''We're here already. I'm no cat for lies, but for acting count on me.''

...

Moonlit stormed into the clan and, to unexpected action of Lucidpaw, she was thrown again in as she was thrown away out. The clan backed up, but Moonlit stood fair on his ground. Lucidpaw shook the dirt off her cold pelt, matted with dried blood and held poultice. The curious and direful glances of the cats gathered, showing her tired but loyal cats. ''Who's back, now?'' the cat that had hunted her down before stood upon them felines, visibly irritated and injured, but with her hairs straight in defense. Lucidpaw gulped.

A brown frame Lucidpaw recognized as the old tom, it dashed from the rising lands of the camp to the bottom, followed utterly close by another scarred feline. ''Whats going-''

''I don't know this cat, hope you do,'' the black tom interrupted him, ''we're not taking her to Stonewardens, we already have...mouths to feed.'' Lucidpaw was going to reply, but Moonlit dashed through the clearing until it was no more of him seen.

''Oh, you tricked us once, little cat, but you can't twice!'' Stonetail growled, retained back by Oakstar's words. She met his ordering gaze for heartbeats Lucidpaw felt like moons. Without the (almost unbearable) comfort of Moonlit she thought she would struggle to keep herself straight, without them thinking into her being a Stonewarden. But she can manage alone. She is strong, slim, secretive, from ShadowClan.

''Stonetail, she's not a threat,'' Oakstar explained. Stonetail huffed, ''Not a threat? She was sent by the Stonewardens to spy on us! Luckily we sent the other hissing away,'' Stonetail bitterly replied.

''But we don't know if she is a Stonewarden herself. Heard the other, haven't you?'' The leader continued. 'Moonlit,' Lucidpaw thought.

A lighter, brownish cat headed forward, ''Lucidpaw, it is. And she's no Clan cat, isn't she, Oakstar?'' The brownish cat wasn't wrong, she thought. The frost hang on its place awaiting a final response from the leader, Lucidpaw hoping it would be an agreeing one.

''You may be right, Earthfur,'' the leader replied, but before he could reply, the brown cat padded backwards to his place, leaving the leader with no needed response, which he found strange. But he continued, ''She may not be a Stonewarden, but a loner maybe? Yet loners can fend off by themselves, don't they?'' He expected a weak response from the she-cat, although she couldn't articulate as to reply. Her gaze travelled towards a small but fluffy apprentice she could recognize, without the blood and covered in poultice like her. The one she fought with earlier on the day.

''I can fend off by myself!'' She softly growled, ''perhaps a certain cat can tell you why?'' She had hoped Moonlit would leap onto the clearing, explaining everything. He knew more than she on this place, and she had to accept that, even for how annoying it was.

The little tom paced forward, now with a limp front leg. ''She can,'' that was what he said, ''and she saved my guts, Oakstar.'' He looked ashamed somehow. It was an uncommon feeling she found on him, maybe having to do for a cat completely unrelated to his Clan to have saved him, perhaps?

''But how can we know this cat isn't a, well, liar?'' Stonetail persisted, loyal to herself, ''I don't think you should trust so easily.''

''Don't you talk about trusting cats, Stonetail. I do know who to trust,'' he snapped, as if they had had this conversation before. Stonetail was taken aback by the response, and sat slightly quietly amongst the overlooking Clan.

Murmurs rose, and when something rises, it shuts down sometime. ''Silence!'' Oakstar demanded, and loyally the clan rapidly kept their voices hidden behind. He gave Lucidpaw a comforting glance, one of a father, she could remember. Or well, a similar one.

The forest hang for the Clan's silence, the scarce snow flakes dropping from the sky vanishing into thin air. The wind was overheard above the cat's breathing manner. They waited. FrostClan took a deep breath before continuing Lucdipaw's Clan judgement.

Oakstar sighed, and the forest waited on him, ''Lucidpaw shall be a part of this Clan, following the path of an apprentice of FrostClan. And under StarClan's word, you Stonetail. I've seen your effort and compromise to the Clan,'' he glanced at the confused named warrior, ''Wouldn't you mind training this cat, now apprentice?''

Stonetail froze on her place, shooting a mild glare of Are you serious, aren't you? She looked sharply at the ground, and moments passed until she nodded. She still looked at Lucidpaw like analyzing her plans, or whether she could or not spring from her spot right away.

Not much part of the Clan cheered, but found a way to spread out quickly and not make it look unnatural. The apprentice took it as approving, but the nerves faded her smile away, she regained it back although. A warm breeze swept Lucidpaw, finding the way through the cold air. She padded and awkwardly tried to touch noses with her future mentor. Stonetail bobbed her head, but let the she eventually connect.

Stonetail sighed, ''Oakstar is too trusting it seems,'' she murmured partially to herself and her, ''but welcome, I guess.''