Land of the Misfit Clan [Mira and devyn-in-the-dark]

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"Stoneteller had a pool of water inside of his den, actually." Whitefoot stuck close by Gray, leaving Tallmountain to keep an eye on Swift. Her brother seemed to want to keep an eye on Swift, perhaps because he seemed unpredictable...and yet he still lingered with the group. Amber wasn't present. He could certainly make a run for it now if he wanted to. "He used it to keep the sick cats well-hydrated."

Tallmountain bypassed Swift. He tensed his hind legs and made an impressive jump to reach some higher piles of rock. For a while he kept silent, nosing around the different smaller caverns and searching for more caves. He eventually located another cave after using his powerful shoulder to nudge a cat-sized rock out of the way. "There is another one up here!" he called out, tail standing straight up. "There is a boulder beside it that can be moved to block the entrance if necessary. This may be a good spot for kit-mothers. We could use the rock to block the entrance if we are attacked by something."

The red she-cat bounded over to take a look, though she couldn't make the jump and had to find another way around. She eventually discovered a path that steadily led upward, which would make the trip to and from such a den easy for small kits. "This one looks good! I think we've gotten lucky," she added, glancing around at the three toms. "All of these caves have soft earthy floors. The caves back in the mountains all had hard rock floors with only a few soft earthy spots. Those were prime territory, and cats would often fight over those spots. I'm sort of relieved that it won't have to be that way here." The only hard spot among all the caves was in the cave that resembled their old Stoneteller's cave...which could come in handy for storing herbs.

"Ouch." Prince Ali lifted his head again, nonchalantly flicking an ear. "You must be one of those wild cats the strays always speak of. I have heard rumors that you eat other cats. I certainly hope that isn't true. I'm too pretty to be eaten...but I don't doubt that I would taste good." His tail whipped back and forth on the ground. "My Housefolk will only feed me the highest quality of food items, including fresh meat." Orchid's ears perked. Didn't the other cats claim kittypets ate strange pellets, not meat? What made this kittypet different?

"Amber and Orchid," he crooned, head tilting somewhat to the side. "What lovely names." He curled his tail around his front paws once more. His posture wasn't hostile in the slightest, even though these strangers were blatantly invading his territory. This wasn't typical behavior for a cat, especially a tom that was still a tom. He didn't smell like many male kittypets did...after they had been taken to the Cutter. He was definitely still an intact tom. "Dogs? There are many dogs in this town." Orchid squinted. "Town?" she echoed. Prince Ali lifted a paw to motion toward the other Twoleg nests on the horizon. "All of these houses make up the town." The white she-cat squinted even more. "Houses...?" The fluffy tom hummed under his breath. "I suppose our terminology is not the same...? Ah, well. There is a dog who lives with me. A small one. But I would not worry about him turning on you. He adores cats."
 
The two toms followed Whitefoot, unable to make the same jump as Tallmountain. "Definitely a good place for Queens and their kits to hide in," Gray agreed. The cave was a nice temperature, and even with the rock covering it there were a few openings that would allow air to come through. He turned a surprise look to the she-cat when she mentioned hard floors. "Did you not line the floor with soft things, like moss or feathers, to create a nest?" he questioned curiously.

"We have been lucky," Swift agreed. "Everything we would need is here, if we had a large group of cats like a Clan or a Tribe." With his piece said, he turned and made a careful series of jumps back down to the level below. Hunger was beginning to gnaw at his belly, and the fish were still in the place he had hidden them in. He took one of them and settled down just to the side of the entrance to what could potentially be a Warrior's den to eat.

"I can't wait to tell Amber and Orchid about what we've found!" Gray meowed. He sat down facing the sea. "And look at this view! No matter what cave you were in, you would have a nice view whenever you were up. All we need is something for apprentices to sleep in, and we're set."

Amber scoffed. "Eat another cat? Are you insane?" She lashed her tail. "I don't know where those rumors came from, but they are ridiculous." Although the news that he ate meat was a bit surprising. Then again, if his Twolegs were like leaders, then it would make sense they wouldn't have to resort to feeding their kittypet pellets like most others.

The tabby would admit to being unnerved that this Prince Ali didn't seem to mind the she-cats invading his territory. If it had been rival Clan territory, or even territory a rogue or loner had claimed, they would have been in a serious fight by now. The words he used were strange, but it made sense that he would not know the words they used. After all, he was a kittypet living with Twolegs and a dog.

"Just make sure the dog doesn't come near us, and we will be fine," Amber told the tom, flicking her tail. Now that he had mentioned it, she could faintly smell dog underneath the suffocating scent that surrounded the garden and kittypet. "I don't trust dogs, even if you claim him to be harmless." With a final disdainful look at the kittypet, she turned back to the fence. "Let's finish looking around before we return to the others, Orchid." She jumped to the top of the fence and dropped to the other side, quick to put distance between the strange kittypet and herself.

"I'm going to need to stand in the river after this, just to get that smell out of my fur," she complained.
 
"Oh, we did make soft nests," Whitefoot explained, suddenly looking rather wistful. "I have never felt anything softer than an eagle's feathers. They made great nests. But even with the soft things...the hard rock floor underneath was still a bit uncomfortable. The few times I managed to win a soft earthy spot for myself, I never slept better." Tallmountain scoffed, turning his nose up at his sister. "I had no problem sleeping on hard rock. I lined my nest with only eagle feathers and nothing else."

Whitefoot joined Gray to enjoy the view. She craned her neck, excitedly trying to see even further. "We can see a lot from here. But..." She winced. "Are you absolutely certain that you don't have eagles here, or that they're not common at the very least? This would be too exposed of an area for dens back home. Eagles have excellent eyesight, and they are ruthless to boot. They rarely passed up a chance to snatch one of us if they could. Our caves were completely cut off from the outside." Tallmountain pulled a face at her words but said nothing, instead turning and heading in a different direction.

The last thing either twin wanted was to have to deal with eagles again. That was one aspect about the mountains that they were overjoyed to leave behind.

"Ah!" Tallmountain made his way around to a rock pile that was below the designated spot for Queens and their kits. "Perhaps this one for to-bes? Or Apprentices, as you call them? It's a bit smaller...but if it will be housing younger cats, I think it may work." And it was located near the predetermined nursery, as well. There would be plenty of time for help to arrive if one of the Queens or kits needed it.

"I don't think you need to worry about Bacon." Those brilliant green eyes flashed with mirth. "He is harmless! He would never harm a cat. He even speaks some cat." Prince Ali puffed out his chest a bit. "I taught him how to speak some cat, and he taught me how to speak some dog. Did you know that dogs can communicate with foxes?" he added merrily. "They are like long-lost cousins." "Are they really?" Orchid blinked. Dogs could really speak to foxes? That had to be a useful trick. It would make things much easier if they could talk to foxes too. Maybe they could avoid fights with foxes that way.

"Oh. You are leaving?" Prince Ali looked distinctly disappointed. His ears even drooped! "Feel free to come back anytime. I will be happy to share my food, my toys, and my many soft nests with you. And..." He shuffled his feet. "I would not mind learning more about how you wild cats manage to live without Housefolk. The topic fascinates me, to be honest."

Orchid took careful note of these words as she followed Amber onto the fence. She lingered there much longer, watching as the silky red tom sauntered his way back into the Twoleg nest. "What a strange tom..." she mused as she finally hopped down, shaking herself off. "I actually find the smell pleasant. That may be because I'm a big fan of flowers, of course. I used to line my nest with strong-smelling flowers back in the mountains." She padded a few steps forward before peering over her shoulder at Amber. "Maybe we should find the others? Perhaps they've located a place to stay by now."
 
"I haven't seen an eagle around here," Gray told the twins. "We haven't been in the area long, but even the travel here didn't include many eagles. It was mostly hawks, and they tend to leave cats alone more."

The blue tom eagerly joined Tallmountain. He agreed. It was small, if it was for grown cats. But for apprentices, or to-bes, it would be the perfect size. "It's nicely situated, too. They'll be close enough to the Queens that they can help defend them and the kits if they need to, but not too far from where their mentors would sleep."

Gray was happy with this place. It would be good for them and any other cat who wanted to join them. It would even last for a long time and apparently wouldn't flood easily. A purr rumbled in his throat as he once again looked at the place they had found.

Swift had finished his fish in record time. While the others were sorting out the last den, he had moved closer to the waterfall. The sound truly was deafening, but the spray felt nice. From his spot, he could even see a little pathway that seemed to disappear behind the waterfall. Curious, he carefully made his way along the slippery rock to see what was there.

Amber shook her head, sneezing. "I have never really enjoyed the smell of flowers. It irritates my nose too much." She led the way along the outer edge for a little while before agreeing that it was probably time to head back.

"It is likely that the others have found a safe place by now." She glanced sideways at the other she-cat. "Did the kittypet interest you?" she asked, careful to keep her voice from sounding judging. "I will admit, he seemed genuinely interested. It wasn't the usual mocking that kittypets give to us."
 
"Hawks are like small eagles, yes?" Tallmountain's usual air of confidence was back in full force. "We can contend with hawks. I can, at the very least. I have been trained to fight and hunt eagles since I was a kit. The higher up we are...the more of a risk birds like hawks, eagles, and owls pose. Perhaps I could give you some eagle training? Such training will work with hawks...but there are some different techniques I was taught to deal with owls."

Tallmountain seemed genuinely pleased with this place, even if it wasn't the grand mountain they were seeking when they first left their Tribe. Whitefoot was downright enthralled with this spot. If Orchid gave her seal of approval...perhaps they could finally sit down, relax, and enjoy their brand-new home. Orchid was always unpredictable, though...a bit eccentric, if the twins were to be brutally honest about their older traveling companion.

"...We would be a rather small group if we decided to stay together, though..." Whitefoot frowned, gazing off into the distance. "I wonder if there are other cats in the area? Cats who might want to join us? I haven't smelled any other cats since we came here. Maybe there are cats among those Twoleg nests? Maybe cats who don't live with Twolegs? Or maybe some that do and would still be willing to leave. I think I'd be scared to go anywhere near that place, though." Her ears drooped. "I'm, uh...I'm a bit uneasy about the idea of one scooping me up and taking me away. But maybe Orchid or Tallmountain can go looking."

The large tom was the only one who noticed Swift. He quickly moved to follow him, his hard paws finding purchase much easier on the slippery rock. "This is a peculiar path..." He shifted closer to the wall to avoid being pelted by the waterfall. "What is back here...?"

"Flowers that smell sickeningly sweet are the best," Orchid purred, obviously reminiscing about the flowers back home. "I'm hoping to be able to find some similar flowers here to line my nest with. Have you ever seen an orchid? The flower I was named after? Such a beautiful flower!"

She met Amber's gaze with a sideways stare. "He was friendly. I saw no need to be hostile in return. He did claim he was interested in the way we free cats live our lives. Perhaps he would be willing to leave his Twolegs? But, at the same time..." Her nose scrunched up. "He seemed to be in good health, and happy. He apparently is fed real meat. And those shiny gems on his neck...what were those? They were very pretty. I wish I could have taken one with me."
 
Gray decided to stay back with Whitefoot, letting Tallmountain follow Swift. "There's bound to be several cats that aren't kittypets," he said. "I heard tales of cats that would live in the crow-food piles of Twolegs, back when I was with my Clan. And there are always loners, like us, who just wander. Although..." He looked in the direction of where the Twolegplace was. "I suppose there would be a couple of kittypets who would want to be free like us. I don't know for sure."

The small tom could barely hear the other, but he obviously knew how to pitch his voice to be heard over a waterfall. "I'm not sure. That's why I'm looking."

The two toms followed the path until it curved and led into a tunnel-like opening. Swift entered first. He was able to squeeze into the surprisingly small entrance easily. It was nearly pitch black inside, and he had to rely on his whiskers to not run into the twisting walls. Light slowly filtered in from ahead.

Abruptly, the tunnel widened into a large cave. The ceiling was high over the toms' heads, with small holes in the top to allow in trickles of water in some places, and light in others. The water splashed into a deep pool centered in the cave. Swift could only imagine how it would look in moonlight. "This is incredible," he breathed.

Amber shrugged, leaping gracefully onto a large rock by the river's edge. "You can never tell what a cat wants until they do it," she meowed. "If he does wish to join us, then it would be rude to turn him away. However, I will not tolerate a cat who only half-lives the wild life."

She jumped back down, padding a bit into the river. She rolled in the shallows for a quick second before walking back out, shaking her fur along the way. "Let's not keep the others waiting, if they have truly found a safe place." The tabby took off at a fast-paced run, eager to see what might have been found.
 
"I mean, it would be beneficial for us to have cats with many different backgrounds, wouldn't it?" One of Whitefoot's dark-furred ears flicked in an attempt to ward off a particularly irritating fly. "It would be rather boring if we were all the same, after all." Many of the Tribe cats were similar in nature. There were no other cats around for miles and miles, so newcomers rarely joined their ranks. Many cats were brown, red, or gray, blending in with the backdrop of the mountains. Orchid was a rarity. She was the first white kit born in many moons, and she was treated much like a messenger from the Tribe of Endless Hunting...up until she declared that she never believed in such a thing, of course.

Tallmountain was happy to allow Swift to take the lead. He was far too busy taking in his surroundings to worry about leading the charge. The dull roar of the waterfall made this place feel even homier than the caves did. It was a familiar sound, and it soothed the big tom down to his very bones.

For a few frustrating moments, Tallmountain was stalled by the small entrance. He snarled and hissed, trying to fit his body through several times in different ways. Eventually he reared up on his hind legs and pressed down on a loose-looking part of rock, remembering the day he was elected to help expand the Elders' sleeping quarters back in the mountains. Just as he predicted, the weakened part of the wall gave wall and crumbled to the ground. It was loud and messy, kicking up dust everywhere...but that small bit of rock falling did nothing to compromise the integrity of the cave. It also widened the entrance considerably, enough so that two cats of Tallmountain's size would be able to squeeze through together.

Thankfully there was enough room for him to travel through the winding passageways, though he had to stoop a bit to avoid whacking his head on any hanging rocks. He perked up when light began filtering toward them from deeper within and picked up his pace. Wide-eyed, the massive tom stared profusely at the deep pool of water. He made his way to Swift's side slowly, taking a seat beside him.

"...This resembles the place where Stoneteller met with the Tribe of Endless Hunting," he murmured, green irises moving a mile a minute as they scoured the cavern.

"He does seem to be pampered and soft," Orchid admitted quietly, watching as Amber washed the flowery scent from her pelt in the river. "I wonder if he has ever been outside of that barrier...? I must admit..." She strolled along beside Amber when she made her grand return, a wry smile curling her lips. "That grass beyond the barrier was some of the softest stuff my paws have ever felt. Perhaps it would be beneficial to return there and pilfer some of it to make nests. I could imagine kit-mothers and their litters very much enjoying that soft grass."

Whitefoot heard Orchid and Amber approaching before she even smelled them. She had a sharp sense of hearing. "Over here!" Her voice rose to an excited yowl, hoping to guide the two she-cats in the right direction. "Come and look! See what we have found!"
 
Gray chatted with Whitefoot while they waited for the others to return. "Yeah, definitely a variety of cats are needed for any successful Clan. There were several loners that would join a Clan where I used to live, but most new blood came from Queens who had kits with a father from a different Clan, and cats switching Clans." He flicked an ear, trying to ward off the same fly that had abandoned Whitefoot and was now buzzing around his head.

Swift admired his find for a moment before approaching the pool. He sniffed at the water for a second, trying to detect if it was undrinkable like sea water, before hesitantly dipping a paw in. The entire pool rippled, causing the black tom to leap back with a hiss. His fur was raised, ears pinned against his skull. "That," he spat, "is not normal." He shook his paw to try and rid it of the water.

The next approach was more cautious. The pool itself was still moving from the ripple his paw had caused, but was beginning to settle. Soon, only the water dripping from the ceiling disturbed it.

"I'm going to go join the others," he announced. "This place is beautiful, but unnatural." He hurried to exit the cave, absently noting the entrance was now wider.

He had just reached where Gray and Whitefoot were when Amber and Orchid appeared.

"Yes," the tabby was saying as she approached the others. "That grass would make a nice nest lining. Perhaps we can do that tomorrow."

She greeted the others with a wave of her tail, hopping down to join them. "We made a discovery as well. Only one dog, reportedly not a danger to cats, and a kittypet who seemed very interested in the life of a free cat." After headbutting Gray in the side, she continued, "As well as a potential source for decent nest lining. But show us your discovery!"
 
Tallmountain didn't even dare to approach the pool. It resembled the old Stoneteller's pool in the Cave of Pointed Stones so much that it unnerved him, and somehow...he knew better than to touch that water. Especially without permission. Something peculiar began tickling at the back of his head--scrunching his nose up, Tallmountain reached up to swat at his ears, hoping some unfortunate insect hadn't managed to get stuck in there.

Was it possible...that the Tribe of Endless Hunting may not have abandoned them completely? Maybe some of their ancestors followed them all the way here...but then again, that was probably just wishful thinking on his part. Despite his outright hostility toward the Tribe of Endless Hunting earlier on, a small and timid part of the big tom still wanted to believe in his ancestors.

"This pool...I have a feeling that it may be special." He was unable to tear his gaze from the beautiful rippling water for a few long moments, and that gave Swift the chance to get a head start on him. When he finally did manage to turn around, he cast a wistful glance over his shoulder at the pool before picking up the pace, trotting quickly after the smaller tom.

He felt as if he was being watched in this isolated cavern. The mere feeling had his fur standing on end.

Whitefoot intently listened to Amber's report. Tallmountain was the last of the group to appear, striding toward the gathered cats at a leisurely pace. "We have located many sturdy caves among these rock piles." The red tom beat his eager sister to the punch, and she definitely looked miffed about it. "These caves would be ideal for housing many cats." "There's one big one that can fit lots of cats," Whitefoot interjected--this time it was her brother's turn to pull an annoyed expression. "There's another one that's higher up off the ground and well-protected...it might be good for kit-mothers and their litters. There are a lot more than that, too. We've found a lot here."

"Caves, hm?" Orchid brightened up immensely. Just like her two traveling companions, she was instantly cheered by the notion of bedding down in a cave again. "This place does seem like a miniature mountain. It's higher up than the surrounding area, and it's covered with rock piles. We could spot potential threats from a great distance away."
 
The tabby's whiskers twitched in amusement at the siblings. It was obvious that they were attempting to outdo the other, both wanting to give the better report. "It sounds like you all were just as successful as we were."

"Tallmountain and I just found another cave, behind the waterfall." Swift shifted in place uncomfortably when all eyes seemed to turn to him. "It's situated partly under the river. There's a tunnel that leads to a huge cave with a pool." The black tom looked to the side, attempting to stifle his unease at the mention of the place. "It is unnatural."

Both of his travelling companions looked curious at this. "We can save that for last, then," Amber decided, ignoring Gray's disappointed look. "Where is the place for the Queens and kits you said you found?"

"Well, first," Gray started eagerly, rising to his feet and pointing with his tail to the cave they were in front of. "That's where we figured apprentices, or to-bes," he shot a look at Whitefoot to make sure he was using the word correctly. "It's small, but close to the Queens and kits. Tallmountain found it by pushing a rock out of the way which would allow us to seal off the entrance in case of an attack. It's over this way."

The blue tom led the way to the cave, Amber following close behind. "It is nice," she agreed. "Would you push the stone back over with me inside?" the she-cat asked Tallmountain. "I want to see what it would feel like inside." She stood in the center of the cave, ready for the rock to cover the entrance.
 
"Is there really such a thing as a dog who is no threat to cats, though?" Tallmountain sounded awfully skeptical. A dog that was practically harmless to cats? Why, a dog such as that didn't truly deserve to call himself a dog, now, did he? "There might be dogs further in, though..." Whitefoot, in contrast with her brother, seemed uneasy. "What if they are turned loose?" "Mm..." Orchid peered off into the distance, in the direction of the vast sprawl of Twoleg nests. "I suppose we will have to keep an eye out. Perhaps that kittypet would know?"

Whitefoot was clearly excited that Swift and her brother located an unnatural-looking body of water. Their old Stoneteller used a pool of water and tall pointed stones to communicate with the Tribe of Endless Hunting..so maybe they could use this new pool of water to speak to their ancestors as well! Orchid didn't react much to this news. She flicked her tail and averted her gaze.

The red she-cat gave an approving nod to Gray, confirming that he used the right term.. If they eventually decided to stick together in a group for good...they would have to take a census. Amber and Gray lived in a Clan. The three mountain cats lived in a Tribe. Their rules and customs were bound to clash. Sitting down and amicably discussing a blended code, of sorts, was inevitable...and there would almost certainly be fighting and disagreements. Whitefoot, personally, wasn't looking forward to this. Tallmountain and Orchid were wild cards...she wasn't entirely sure how they would behave.

Tallmountain swished his tail when Amber called out to him, striding forward confidently. Any strong cat could move this boulder...but it was probably safer for two cats to work together to roll it over. The red tom squared his shoulders, tensed his muscles, and rammed his shoulder against the rock. It gave surprisingly quickly, rolling over and completely blocking the entrance. There was a small gap at the bottom, but not nearly small enough for a cat or a big predator to get through. It was just large enough for a full-grown mouse to slip underneath.

"Ah-ha." Orchid watched from a respectable distance, looking intrigued. "That could prove to be incredibly useful indeed. Not even a startled kit running for cover in the confusion could escape through that gap." "Maybe we should dig down and create an escape tunnel, in case of emergencies?" Tallmountain suggested, ears pricking upward. "We will have to disguise the mouth of the tunnel wherever it comes out, however, so that nothing could get in from that direction."
 
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Amber looked around curiously. There were small holes and cracks along the ceiling. Those combined with the gap at the bottom would allow plenty of fresh air to come through. Green eyes squinted and blinked for a moment when the rock was rolled back out of the way.

"This will definitely be a safe place for Queens and kits." The tabby turned to look at Tallmountain. "What kind of a tunnel were you thinking of?" she asked curiously. "We would have to make it high enough that kits wouldn't be able to accidently go down it in the first place."

"And where would a safe place for it to end be?" Gray jumped in with his own question. "Are we going to have it let out near the Twolegplace? Near the river? The forest? Or somewhere closer?"

Swift could feel Amber's eyes watching him as he slipped away from the group, but the she-cat let him go without raising a fuss. He counted it as a win. All of this talk of grouping together was making him uneasy. With his travelling companions, he was fine. They allowed him time to himself when he needed it.

But a bigger group? One large enough to be considered a Clan or a Tribe? Despite their intentions, that was the goal the others were working towards, whether they knew it or not. And the black tom didn't know if he was going to stick around long enough to see it happen.

His wandering white paws led him all the way down the cliff. The first step into sand jolted him out of his own thoughts. He moved a hit more onto the sand before sitting, eyes on the ocean not far away.
 
"If you are certain that there are no dogs in the immediate vicinity..." The towering tom's tail lashed back and forth. "Perhaps it would be safest for the tunnel to end near this Twolegplace. Twolegs are too large to fit into the tunnel, and as long as it is hidden well they should not discover them. As well...any kit-mothers in the den would be able to keep a nose out for danger. If anything were to crawl into the tunnel...they would smell the approaching intruder long before it got there. It would give them time to evacuate, and we could prevent the intruder from drawing any closer by rolling the boulder in front of the entrance. The unwelcome visitor would be forced to go back the way they came."

"Back home, we used to dig escape tunnels all the time." Whitefoot was now studying the floor of the cave intently. "The bigger and stronger cats usually dug tunnels. It takes a lot of physical strength. To make sure small kits wouldn't fall into the holes...we would place large rocks around them. Older cats could hop over them. Kits could not."

Orchid and Tallmountain both noticed Swift leaving the group. Orchid scoffed and completely ignored him. Tallmountain considered going after him...but he had a gut feeling that Swift wouldn't just up and leave. Not without telling them first. That tom seemed like the type to need a lot of space and time to himself. Orchid was often like that. She was very much used to being alone, after being ostracized from her fellow Tribe members.

"Perhaps we should gather some nesting materials first?" The large tom stretched his hind legs out slowly. "I suppose for now we could all make our nests in the largest cave." "...What about medicinal herbs?" Whitefoot piped up, suddenly looking concerned. "We don't have a Stoneteller to heal us if we're unlucky enough get hurt or sick." "That's true..." Orchid winced. "I, ah...I know a little bit about healing herbs and such. I was forced to live on my own, without the assistance of the Tribe, for many moons. I learned how to use different sorts of herbs in my isolation. But I'm afraid I'm no expert...and the herbs in this terrain are likely different from the herbs that grow high in the mountains."

"...We will need to elect a leader, as well." The white she-cat slowly sat down, studying each of her companions with a critical eye. She wasn't even going to consider Swift for the position--he didn't seem to be much of a team player. "I don't even know how that's going to work out," Whitefoot murmured, bowing her head slightly. "The Stoneteller always chose the next Stoneteller through the guidance of the Tribe of Endless Hunting. We never had any choice in the matter. And...these skies are different." She glanced upward. "I don't know if any of our ancestors are even watching us here in this foreign land. And even if they were...how would we know?"
 
"I'm not entirely certainn of dogs farther in the Twolegplace, but I know there are none around the perimeter. The Queens and kits would be safe if they came out near the edge." And if stronger cats usually created the tunnels, it might fall mostly on Tallmountain and Gray to dig it. Orchid and Swift were both small, and Amber and Whitefoot probably weren't as strong as the two toms.

Both former Clan cats were anoxious when herbs were discussed. "The medicine cat would take care of our wounds and sicknesses," Gray said. "The most I know how to do is give poppy seeds for pain, and cobwebs to cover wounds."

Amber was likewise lost. "Most of my knowledge is how to help a Queen give birth," she admitted. "My medicine cat was a bit squeamish about that sort of thing; she was an odd she-cat."

"And the deputy always assumed the leadership when the leader died." Gray flicked his tail in annoyance at not being able to solve the problem quickly. "The deputy was chosen by the leader."

The cats were silent for a moment, each thinking about how they could go about this. "Maybe we should sleep on it," the tabby finally suggested after a while. "The sun is starting its descent." She nodded towards the sun. "We need to hunt and gather nesting materials."

"There are two fish leftover from earlier today," Gray piped up, gesturing towards where Swift had hidden them.

Amber nodded in acknowledgement. "Perhaps Orchid and I can go get some grass from that kittypet's yard." She examined the others. "Gray and Whitefoot can fish some more, since the river is close by. Tallmountain, would you and Swift be able to find other nesting materials?" she asked the tall tom.
 
"Cobwebs I knew about. Poppy seeds I did not." Orchid seemed visibly concerned. "We may...have to play it safe for a while. Take few risks. Mm!" She perked up a bit. "Perhaps that kittypet could be of assistance? He claimed to be famous. Maybe he knows of a cat that would fit the role of a healer?" If Prince Ali could point them in the right direction, that would at least give them a starting point. Even if the kittypet never joined their ranks, Orchid felt that it would be practical to maintain a friendly relationship with him. That tom's Twolegs were the leaders of the other Twolegs...or, at least, that was what it looked like. That had to give him some degree of power in Twolegplace, right?

"I can heal minor injuries. To an extent, I can also treat sickness...if I can find the correct herbs." The white-she cat gave a long, drawn-out sigh. "I was able to treat Tallmountain on our way down the mountain. An eagle tried to take his sister, you see, and he fought it off...but he was injured in the process." Tallmountain tilted his head and craned his neck to the left. Barely visible and well-disguised among the vibrant cinnamon-colored fur was a jagged scar. "It snagged him with a talon. So...there is my work, if you wish to judge."

All three mountain cats nodded solemnly, agreeing without words to sleep on it. Their old Stoneteller was sometimes visited by the Tribe of Endless Hunting in his dreams. If they were lucky enough, and if their ancestors truly were watching over them, then maybe, just maybe, one of their group would have such a dream tonight.

"I'd like to learn more about fishing!" Whitefoot jumped at the chance instantly. "I should really learn more about hunting other prey, too...but for now, when we have so few cats, maybe fishing would be enough." She whipped her tail around, peering expectantly at Gray. "You're the fishing expert. Where should we start?"

Tallmountain scowled a bit, unhappy about being left with the difficult Swift, but then he gave an idle shrug of his shoulders. "Soft moss and feathers will do. We will find some." He turned quickly, following Swift's scent with his sharp nose. It didn't take him all that long to locate the other tom. Wisely, the red tom kept his distance, standing tall as always. "We have been tasked with locating nesting materials," were the first words out of his mouth. "Back in the mountains, we lined our nests with feathers and moss. I will be on the lookout for such things."

"So..." Orchid opted to walk side-by-side with Amber, holding her head up high and keeping her ears pricked warily. "Do you think we ought to ask that kittypet about other cats that live in the area? If we're lucky enough...perhaps he will automatically know of cats that may want to join us."
 
Silently, Amber thought Orchid had done a rather good job with Tallmountain. She knew what a hawk could do with its talons, and eagles were probably the same. She knew cats that had worse scars from hawks, or even died from the talons. She smiled when Gray practically bounced in place at Whitefoot's words.

That, and he was all but preening at being called a fishing expert. The blue tom happily led the way back to the river. "We want to start farther from the waterfall," he meowed. "Not only will it be harder to fish if the fish are going by so fast, but if we get swept away too close, there won't be enough time to swim back to shore."

He found a good spot, where the shallows stretched a bit farther out than in other spots. They were still fairly close to the caves. "Now, remember the watch your shadow," he warned. He settled easily in the water, shadow stretched out behind. One paw was raised, ready to dart out. His paw flashed, and a brightly colored fish landed near Whitefoot. "The key is to aim ahead of the fish. That way, when your paw enters the water, the fish will hopefully swim straight into your claws."

He smiled at the she-cat. "Your turn to try!"

Swift barely glanced at the other tom when he arrived. The only signal that he heard the other was a flick of the ears. He spent several more moments staring at the sea before finally getting to his feet.

"The forest will be our best bet for feathers," he said. His tail flicked Tallmountain on the side as he passed, leading the way back up. "Most likely for moss as well. And it wouldn't hurt to get some small branches to shape the nest." A sharp yellow-green gaze turned to the taller tom. "Would you rather hunt the birds for their feathers, or search the ground for fallen ones?"

Amber was equally as aware of her surroundings as Orchid. She was pleased to walk side-by-side with the other she-cat. It was...

Nice.

"It would not hurt to ask," she agreed. She snapped her head up at a strange cry, only to see a bird. It had to be one of those sea birds Swift had mentioned. She had never seen a bird like that before. "And he would know the best of any kittypet of other kittypets wanting to join us."

The two she-cats were back at Prince Ali's nest sooner than before. The tabby jumped the fence again, landing in the yard without looking around first. The smell hit her instantly, as fresh as it was.

Dog.

She whirled around, already batting at the small thing running towards her, claws unsheathed. A threatening hiss escaped. It was followed by a growl rumbling loud in her throat.
 
Whitefoot didn't head straight into the water. Instead she sat contently on the shore, watching as Gray moved on into the shallows. She caught a single small fish earlier...but she wasn't exactly confident in her abilities just yet. Despite her relaxed posture, however, she was quick to pounce when all of a sudden a fish was flopping around frantically right in front of her. She struck it hard with her paws, claws unsheathed. It was dead within seconds. Even if she wasn't an experienced hunter, her instincts would surely help to guide her in the right direction!

The red she-cat rose to her feet, leaving the fish behind for Gray to guard. It was never a good idea to bury fish. She knew that for a fact. Fish were a staple of their Tribe's diet back home. They went bad quickly, much more rapidly than other types of fresh-kill, and thus they had to be hauled back and eaten as soon as possible. Bad fish could still smell good, and if they were consumed...the effects could be disastrous. Whitefoot settled herself in the shallows, closer to the riverbank than Gray. She raised her paw up, just like he did, and settled down for a long wait.

It took her quite a bit longer to snag a fish. She was too eager, moving before the time was right. Eventually, however, her patience paid off. She lashed out, fast as lightning, and a large silver fish was catapulted out of the water. "That's a big one!" She seemed rather impressed with herself. "You know...I don't know if it will work, but a few of our best fish-hunters back home used a technique called 'damming' to trap fish in the pool underneath a waterfall with nowhere to go. There were big brown creatures called beavers in the mountains. They built wooden structures called dams in rivers as homes...but smaller ones work well to pen fish in if they're sturdy enough. It always netted them lots of fish. I don't really know how to make one...but Tallmountain and Orchid might."

Tallmountain merely grunted when a tail brushed across his pelt. He turned and quickly followed after Swift, overtaking him for the lead...but not by much. They had to stick together. "Hunting would not be a bad idea. But perhaps only one or two. As strange as it is to say...if we kill too many birds and Gray and Whitefoot catch too many fish, we may end up with too much fresh-kill." They weren't even in the forest yet when the massive tom discovered a large mossy boulder. He prowled around it, studying it carefully. "...We should leave some moss here. It seems to be growing rampant on this rock. If we take some and leave a bit, it will eventually grow back."

Carefully, the red tom started peeling bits of moss from the rock, hoping to get large pieces. "We built our nests sturdy with small branches underneath back home so that we could move them around with ease. As well, if the cave ever flooded, our nests would simply float on the water and keep cats from drowning."

Mercifully, Orchid was slower to leap onto the fence than Amber was, and she spotted the beast before she could even think of jumping down. It was a rotund brown creature with a white chest, white muzzle, and white paws. It had no tail...and a rather fluffy rear end. Its ears were huge and it was incredibly low to the ground for how large its body and head were. Upon spotting the cats, it momentarily froze...but then it barked loudly, barreling toward Amber. Orchid was about to jump down to help defend her new friend...but she was thrown for a loop when the dog ground to an abrupt halt, nearly falling over itself in the process. It bounced up and down excitedly, its front legs occasionally going up in the air...and then it did something totally unexpected.

"Cats." The voice was strange, of a lower pitch than a cat's...and thickly accented, to boot. "New cats. Not see before." The dog's huge tongue lolled out of its mouth. "Cats, hi. Name Bacon. What yours?" He made a sudden quick movement, dropping the lower half of his body onto the ground and sticking his fluffy rump into the air. "Want play? Like play. Very much! Play fun!"

The white she-cat was shellshocked.
 
Gray watched intently as Whitefoot tried her luck at fishing again. It took a few tries, but soon a big silver one landed near him. He pounced, delivering a quick bite to kill it. The fish joined his in a small fresh-kill pile.

"That sounds like a cool method." He joined the she-cat in the water, moving a bit farther than her. "We can ask the others when they get back if they know how to make one. If not, we can figure it out ourselves or just stick with fishing." A shrug showed he didn't mind either outcome.

He motioned the other closer. "Now this time we're going to try something a little different. I'm not at good at this as fishing by myself," he admitted, "but I know how to do it." He moved even farther out, until he almost had to swim. "What happens is that one cat goes into the water, swimming around to try and scare fish into the paws of another. It's hard in a wide river like this, because they have so many different ways to go, but we can try it."

Swift grunted in acknowledgement. It figured that the one time he was in the mood for hunting birds was the one time they didn't really need the meat. The rock Tallmountain found was a good one, though. He joined him in peeling bits of moss from the rock carefully. "I never used branches in that way before, to float instead of drown," he said idly, carefully using his claws to wriggle underneath one patch of stubborn moss. "I've always just used them to shape the nest and keep it sturdy."

They had gathered a good bit of the moss before having to stop. The rock would need time to regrow before they could pick at it again, but what they had would work for now. "I'm going to hunt," he announced, moving away without waiting for a response. It wasn't long until he came upon a bird picking at the ground.

Immediately he crouched low, careful to stay in the shadoes of the trees. His tail was stiff behind him, ears angled slightly back and paws light as he stalked closer. The bird's head popped up suddenly. He leaped with claws unsheathed. While it had succeeded in flying a bit, Swift had been close enough and had a high enough leap to snag a wing.

He swatted it harshly in the head with a paw to get it to stop thrashing before delivering the killing bite. Mood significantly lighter now, tail swishing contentedly, he picked up the bird and made his way back to Tallmountain.

Amber scrambled back when the dog threw itself in an abrupt halt. The growl cut off in sheer shock as it spoke in cat. Her eyes were wide, fur standing on end. One paw hung uselessly in the air from where it had been ready to swipe at the dog again.

Slowly, careful not to take her eyes of the dog for too long she looked to see that Orchid was equally as surprised as she. The tabby regained her voice quickly. "No, I do not want to play," she said coldly, raising herself to her full height and pinning her ears back. "All we want is some grass. Go away before I decide attacking is worth the risk of getting hurt."
 
"My old Tribemates took advantage of this in the colder months, you see." Whitefoot watched him wade out into the water with a genuinely curious expression. "When most of the river was frozen over, the largest waterfall in our territory and the pool below it remained unfrozen. The constant and heavy movement of the water was to blame for this. This way, even when snow and ice blanketed the mountain we would still have a somewhat steady source of food."

She settled down into an awkward hunter's crouch, keeping her green eyes dutifully trained on the stretch of water in front of Gray. She wasn't exactly a seasoned hunter...but then again, she didn't really have to be if Gray was going to drive the fish straight into her deadly claws. "Oh! Maybe..." Slowly, and as quietly as possible to avoid startling fish, Whitefoot rose from her crouch and padded a few fox-lengths down the river. She settled down into her crouch again within a wide circle of rocks. "Maybe you could drive them in here? Then they would have nowhere to go."

Since Swift had already eaten...Whitefoot figured that they would need at least four or five fish. They had two already, and that was a fantastic start. They would be well-fed here, that was for certain. It was a difference from her original mountain home that Whitefoot heartily welcomed. Many cats starved and died during the colder months purely due to lack of food.

"It was a useful nest-building technique." Tallmountain kept his moss in a meticulously neat pile. Once he had peeled as much as he possibly could from the rock he rolled the moss into a tight ball. If Amber and Orchid could gather enough soft grass from the kittypet's nest, then they would have more than enough material to make extremely comfy nests. Perhaps they would be able to interrogate the kittypet about other cats in the area, as well.

"You are hunting birds, I assume. We will need to pluck the feathers from it, so don't bury it." Curious as ever, the hulking tom decided to follow Swift. He kept his distance, but was still close enough that he felt Swift could detect his scent. He sat by idly, completely silent, as the other tom expertly stalked the unsuspecting bird. He seemed impressed with Swift's hunting technique--his large ears twitched with interest. "A nice kill. But now it is my turn." He rose to his feet, tail lashing about excitedly.

"Let me show you how I hunted eagles back home. The same technique will work with hawks." A hawk was like a small eagle. They were less common than eagles back in the mountains simply because they were no match for an eagle. Eagles would make a quick meal out of a smaller bird. "This way." He turned, padding toward a small clearing he could just barely see in the near distance. "Place your bird in the middle of this clearing, in plain sight. A hawk will eventually come looking for an easy meal. This meadow is too small for it to swoop without hitting itself on the branches of a tree. It will have to land. And just before it does, it becomes vulnerable, unable to fly away. This is when we will strike." The red tom paused upon reaching the clearing, settling himself down under a sweet-smelling bush. "You will go for the wings. I will go for the neck. You must not let it fly away."

The dog's ears drooped and a pathetic expression crawled its way onto its large and expressive face. "Mean cats." He sounded hurt. The beast flipped around, barking at high volume. "Ali! Ali! Mean cats! Mean cats! In yard! In yard!" "Cats?" The distinctive voice of the long-haired kittypet echoed from somewhere within the Twoleg nest. A couple of seconds later, Prince Ali emerged from the small entryway, trotting eagerly toward Amber and Orchid, who by this point had finally dropped down onto the soft grass.

"Good evening, ladies." Once again, the handsome tom was polite to a fault. "I apologize if Bacon startled you. He can be a bit of a pawful at times." Bacon pounded his front feet on the ground, still pouting over being rejected for a play session. "To what do I owe the honor of a second visit on this day?" Prince Ali pressed, head tilting to the right. Orchid said nothing. She was seemingly fixated on the black strip wound around the kittypet's neck, and the beautiful shiny rocks embedded in it.
 
Gray perked up. Whitefoot had the right idea with trapping them. He shot her a smile before finally moving out to swim. After a few seconds he took a deep breath and dived down, opening his eyes to slits. The current was strong under the wster, but he had practice. Not too far ahead, he could see a big group of glinting scales heading his way.

The blue tom resurfaced, immediately turning to swim in an arc. The fish scattered below the surface when he neared, but he managed to herd a couple towards Whitefoot. At the last second, all but the largest wriggled around him. That he managed to force into the trap and Whitefoot's waiting paws.

"I told you I wasn't good at this," he said sheepishly. His pelt was drenched. The hair on his head was flattened to far down that it made his ears look disproportionate, giving him a comical look. "Maybe if we had a couple of other cats to chase them it would work better."

Swift was intrigued when Tallmountain began to explain his hunting technique. It was certainly different from how he hunted, although it did yield larger prey. Reluctantly, the small tom padded forward and placed his catch in the center of the clearing. If they failed, then they would lose this bird, too. Oh well. At least he'd be able to hunt more. After the tom's had settled in hiding, they waited expectantly for a hawk to become curious.

Finally, Swift could hear strong wing beats. Tallmountain's prediction was right. The hawk swooped down, preparing itself to land. Right before it could, however, Swift darted forward and snagged a wing. He sliced through the feathers to keep the hawk off balance in case it did get away before jumping onto the other one flapping hysterically. On this wing he kept his weight centered evenly as much as he could before sinking his teeth where the wing met the body. He held on tight, claws fully extended and jaw practically locked.

Amber was reluctant to feel relieved when Prince Ali arrived, as the dog finally left them in somewhat peace. He did stay closer to the group than she would have liked, but at least she could calm her frantic heart. "We need some nesting materials, and your grass is rather soft. We were hoping to take some back to the others, to make our nests that much softer," she explained. Her claws carved a careful pawful as an example.

"That, and we had a couple of questions." She stared the other in the eye, keeping her posture straight and tall. "We are in need of a cat who knows how to heal wounds and sickness, and we're wondering if you knew of one. In addition, we wanted to know if you could tell us of any cat who would be interested in the free life. We have need of more cats to create a stable home."
 
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