An Appearance Doesn't Define Me

Chapter 9.5: So Many Cats

I plopped down with a vole Splashclaw had permitted me to eat as an evening meal. My eyes ached yet still darted around like mad, I've been in RiverClan for almost a moon and all the cats are still overwhelming – so many colours, scents – though all had some fishy-watery undertone, and names, oh the names are such a hassle. Last night, I went to my nest with a headache from trying to remember names of the cats I'd had been on patrols with that day, the list had totalled to the other apprentices and Splashtail and Thymeclaw.

"Silverpaw! Can I join you?" There's a cat with a name I know, Ivypaw was carrying two minnows in her jaws, dark amber eyes shining with happiness.

"Sure, if you do something for me." I answered, using my fluffy tail to pat the dirt next to me. The white tip becoming dusty as well as green from hunting crouch practice Splashclaw had put me through earlier, although, I kind of liked, made me look like a real wild cat, not a clean and pristine house pet.

Ivypaw let out a light-hearted huff as she plonked down, "What can I do for you?" she asked, tearing the scaly flesh.

"I'm struggling with remembering who's who." I sighed, "Like there's so many names, families, colours!" I may have been a bit exasperated as when I explained, Ivypaw's ear twitched downwards before flicking back up in amusement.

She laughed, "I'll give you the simple run down."

Using her tail, Ivypaw pointed to where two beige warriors were sharing a rabbit, "That's Icewing and Carpfin; they were brought to the Clan after their mother, a loner, died and when their father, Dunnock, was hit by a Two-Leg Monster, he came to the Clan asking for help before retiring to the Elders' Den, when Icewing and Carpfin became apprentices."

"What a story." I muttered, watching as the she-cat battered her brother's ear.

Ivypaw dramatically swung her tail over to were a group of older cats were sitting, "If you want a good story, I would spend more time in the Elders' Den than just tick-removal duty; the grumpy looking one's Rainmuzzle, he's alright when you get to know him... though I still think he might bite my head off." She chuckled before pointing to the two she-cats next to him, "That's Softnose, Tallshade's mother; and Gracepool," She paused turning to me, her face dropped into a serious glare, causing me to almost chock on my vole, "Are you paying attention?  Because it's about to get complicated." Swallowing, I nodded.

"Ok so Gracepool had kits with a tom named Waveleap, he's dead, they had Meadowshine, Dropstar," she pointed to where the grey leader was 'sharing tongues' (as the clan cats say) with a ginger and white she-cat. "and Bravekit-"

"Wait, what's with the name-" I stared to ask, suddenly picking up a pattern.

"Shh, I'll tell you after, do you want to learn who's who?" she asked, cocking her head side to side and deepening her voice.

"What that your impression of Tallshade?" I laughed

"Yes." She admitted, "Anyway, so Bravekit died a couple weeks after birth. A while later, Gracepool's parents had more kits, Grassfur and Dayshine." She pointed to where the two where now talking to Carpfin, Icewing no longer with her brother.

"We gossiping?" a voice from behind made me jump, I turned my head to find a pair of icy blue eyes starting down at me, Icewing.

Ivypaw nodded, "Yep, Silverpaw wants to know who's who." If the ground were to ever swallow me up, I'd love that to be now. I tried to sink into my pelt as the beige warrior sat down next to Ivypaw.

"Alright, where have we got to?"

"I just saying how Dayshine and Grassfur were Gracepool's siblings." Ivypaw shook her head turning back to me, "So back to Dropstar, his mate is Echotail, you remember her?" I nodded, the Queen had been nothing but kind to me since I'd arrived, even sharing prey with me when none of the other apprentices were available. "Her littermate is Eelstripe, who's mate is Rosecloud; they had me and Cinnamonpaw." Icewing looked like she was going to say something, a taken back expression plastered on her face, before obviously thinking better of whatever it was, Strange. "Rosecloud's litter consists of Hollowtail, who's mate is Splashclaw, and their brother Thawtooth, who's mate was Dacestripe; they had a litter who unfortunately died not a quarter moon after kitting, before having Apricotpaw and Nutpaw." I opened my mouth as I released, she wasn't point to any cat when talking about the tom, "He died almost two moons ago."