The Unexpected Path of a Kitty-pet

Chapter 6

"Who's this?" Asked Shadestar, walking up to Clover and Venomstorm. The leaders eyes were glued to Lynx, a suspicious look in his eyes. Clover glanced at her fellow warrior and stammered. Venomstorm wrinkled his nose and frowned for a moment, before turning back to Shadestar.

"Some rogue. Says he wants to talk to you."

Cats began to pour out of their dens, suddenly interested by the stranger. Way more interested than when Clover came. A cream colorpoint—who Clover learned that her name was Flowerfield—approached Lynx, making Clovers paws dig into the ground slightly. The she-cat blinked thoughtfully at him. "And what do you want with us?" She asked innocently. Clover rolled her eyes and looked away, waving her tail at Berrykit as he fought his way out of the nursery. His mother, too tired to leave her nest, groaned and walked back into the dark den.

Berry ran over to Clover, who he had quickly warmed up to after her staying for only a day.

"Who's this?" He asked.

"This is Lynx." Clover lowered her head slightly for the small tom to hear. Berrykit blinked once, then turned back to the rouge. Lynx, who was too busy trying to dodge Flowerfields attempts to flirt.

"And what makes you want to stay here of all places?" The cream colorpoint batted her eyes.

"Free food." Lynx muttered, backing away from Flowerfield slightly.

Berrykit walked up to Lynx, his muzzle pointed upward from the night difference. Lynx wrinkled his nose slightly and pushed the kit away with his paw. Berrykit, annoyed, huffed and walked back over to his new friend. Clover frowned disappointedly at Lynx. If he's going to stay here, he's going to have to get used to kits.

"So you want to live with us, eh?" Shadestar raised an eyebrow. Usually a rogue rejected the life of a warrior, just as a warrior rejected the life of a kitty-pet.

"Yes." Lynx replied. Greymoon, Shadestars deputy, approached the elder tom. He placed his tail on the leaders shoulders and gave him a respectful nod. "This tom looks like he's been through enough battles to be one of us." He pointed out the scars, as though fighting made the rogue worthy of joining Meadowclan.

"Hm. Yes, but can he hunt?"

"Of course I can." Lynx snapped, furrowing his eyebrows slightly.

Shadestar sighed tiredly. "Fine. We'll have your name ceremony as soon as-"

"Now." Lynx demanded. "What?" Shadestar asked threateningly. Nobody just demanded a leader to do something. Clover awkwardly looked at Lynx, then Shadestar, then Lynx again. Things were getting weird. Her tail curled around Berrykit protectively.

"Fine." Shadestar nodded, surprising everyone. "We'll have your ceremony now." He turned away and walked up his meeting ledge, sitting down.

"All cats old enough to hunt field mice, join me under the high ledge for a clan meeting!" Clover looked around as cats began to gather and sit down. Who am I going to sit with? She frowned, before her eyes landed on Frostpaw. The apprentice patted the ground next to her with her tail, smiling. Clover returned the smile and happily trotted over to her. Berrykit quickly followed the silver tabby.

Clover looked down at Berrykit to make sure he was ok, then back up at Shadestar as he began to talk.

"Spirits of starclan, you know every cat by name. I'm asking for your permission to take away this cats," He motions to Lynx, who frowns at the thought of Starclan. "Name, for it no longer stands for what he is." Lynx winced slightly, but Shadestar only continued.

"With my Authority as leader, and starclans approval, I give this cat a new name."

Shadestar motioned for Lynx to join him up on the ledge. The dark grey tom eagerly went up there, a look of ambition in his eyes. Lynx and Shadestar stood eye-to-eye as the rogue was given his new name:

"Lynxtuft, for he is no longer the rogue he used to be." The elder leader touched his nose on the newly made warriors forehead.

"Lynxtuft!"

"Lynxtuft!"

"Lynxtuft!" As Clover cheered for the new warrior, she couldn't help but notice the disturbing look on his face. He was happy. Too happy. Just by all of the praise, the chanting, just standing on the ledge in general.

But that doesn't mean anything, right? Clover was sure that the tom was completely trustworthy.