Embers

Chapter 2

"What?" the tom said, looking up at her. He wriggled free from her paw and stood facing her. " Why? And how did you know about the clans?"

"A loner named Martin told me about them," 

He eyed her closely. "I suppose I should talk you to Mothstar. But do everything I say and don't try to escape," flicking his tail deeper into the forest, Agnes was led to Thunderclan. The tom would look at her to make sure she was keeping up every few moments. Soon waves of cat scent rolled over Agnes' nose as they reached a barrier wall made of bramble. They headed near it until he moved his tail to block her from moving any further.

"Okay, follow me and don't make a paw out of line, alright?" He said in a low voice. Once she nodded he stepped through the barrier with Agnes following.

"Who is that?" a black and white tom asked right away. His voice made the other cats around Agnes look up at her and the tom, making Agnes want to curl up and hide as all eyes laid on her. She looked up as a golden she-cat with white paws and forest green eyes  emerged from a den. She walked toward Agnes and stopped.

"I am Mothstar, leader of Thunderclan. And you are?" The gold she-cat asked.

"I'm Agnes. I used to be a kittypet, but I ran away to come here. I've heard about the clans," 

Mothstar nodded. "Come with me to my den and we can discuss this. Swallowheart and Dustpaw, you come as well," A dark tabby tom followed her, as well as the dust colored tom, who she guessed was Dustpaw, and the tabby was Swallowheart, the deputy, judging by his authority .  Agnes followed Dustpaw into the den where Mothstar and Swallowheart sat. 

"How many moons old are you?" Swallowheart spoke first, his voice deep. Agnes calculated the moons that had past since she was taken by the twoleg as a kit. She told them she was about six moons old. He nodded, then looked to Mothstar.

"Our clan is small, and it seems like you know a bit about clan life. Where did you hear about the clans exactly?" She asked.

" I know this loner who lived near the twoleg den named Martin, and he told me about Thunderclan, Shadowclan, Windclan, Riverclan, and Skyclan. He said he noticed my crouch when I would practice in the den yard and said I would do good in Thunderclan, so yesterday I escaped my twoleg den and Dustpaw pounced on me, but I bounced back," Agnes explained. Dustpaw gave his chest fur a few embarrassed licks when she told them about how she flipped him off her back. Once she was done, Mothstar and Swallowheart exchanged a look.

"It seems very interesting how you outsmarted Dustpaw, and how your crouch was well. You seem like a very clan-like cat, but there are somethings you need to know. Once you have joined this clan, you cannot leave to be a kittypet, or eat kittypet food. You must serve your clan well, and feed the elders and kits before you eat. And do not associate anything with the other clans, except at gatherings. Do you understand?"Mothstar added," I will make up my mind soon enough. You may leave,"

Agnes walked out of the den, feeling nervous. Dustpaw must have noticed this.

"Hey, you seem like you'll do fine. I think you'll be able to join Thunderclan. I just wonder who your mentor will be," he looked around. "My mentor is Waspsting, the pale tan tom with dark stripes. He's nice, but strict with battle moves. Oh, and um, sorry I pounced on you," he nodded to the tom, who was returning with four other cats. She guess they went on a patrol.

"If I join Thunderclan, will I be an apprentice? What do I do?" She asked him.

"Apprentice train to be warriors. But they can't eat until all the other cats are fed, and they have to pick the elder's ticks and change their moss bedding. But it's fun hunting with other cats and defending them from attacks. It's all worth it," Dustpaw finished just as a brown tabby tom came and sat down next to Dustpaw.