Jade feather was out by herself, no particular reason, she was bored. She caught the scent of another cat, and followed it warily. She eventually saw a lone cat, standing at the edge of the border. Jade feather bounded over, stopping a few mouse lengths away. "And who might you be?" She asked curtly.
Jade feather flicked her ears forward, intrigued. Another outsider wanting to join? When she had first joined Shadowclan, she'd felt alone, except for Cicatrixface. Now she had Bracken, also from outside the clans, and now this new cat, Night, was wanting to join too. "Yes, this is Shadowclan territory. It is interesting that you want to join, and I'd be happy to take you to someone who can accept you into the clan. I'm rather new myself, so I can't just say yes. A patrol will probably come by soon, and one of them can evaluate you. In the meantime, what did you want to know?" Jade feather was excited at the prospect of another new cat, and she was somewhat proud of herself for finding her first. She would do her best to answer Night's questions.
As Jadefeather listened to Night, the she cats questions sounded nearly identical to the ones she had asked. "You don't have to do much, except maybe talk to the right cat. As of now, Shadowclan's leadership is... divided. But, I'm sure Twoface would be happy to let you in. If you are accepted, you'll be given a mentor, and taught how to fight and hunt. Not that I'm saying you can't, they just do it anyway. And, to really be accepted, you need to abide by the warrior code. I won't list it here, but if you are accepted you will be taught." Jade feather could tell the she cat was a bit nervous. Who wouldn't be? She hoped Night would be able to handle the few cats in Shadowclan who looked down on non clan born cats, but she had a feeling Night would do fine. "Anything else?" Jade feather decided if a patrol didn't come by, they would start a thread with Twoface, and ask him.
Jade feather realized she was very similar to this she cat. She had been scared about her past too, though Night acted like she'd done something bad in hers. Jade feather feared her past because she knew clan cats despised where she'd come from. She hesitated, then stepped closer to the she cat. "You don't have to worry about your past. It's behind you, whatever you did. Of course there are cats who may judge you for it, but many won't. I won't judge you, and neither will Twoface. He is a fair cat, and won't care what you may have done in your past. Cicatrix face is a great cat too, and he won't have any qualms about your past. And if you felt comfortable talking about it..." Jade feather glanced around. "I would be happy to listen about your past. I know what it's like to have something you wish to stay buried." She was almost certain that Night would deny her request. She was a stranger, and one from a clan. Why was she trustworthy? Just because she had a past too? Not that it's anything compared to what it sounded like Night had.
Jade feather looked at her, wondering what this cat had to hide. After a moment, she said "Yes, I won't judge you for anything in your past. As long as you have learned from whatever happened, I trust that you will have changed since then." Jade feather hadn't even realized that she hadn't introduced herself. "Of course, how rude of me. I'm Jadefeather."
"I suppose that would actually depend on what those mistakes are," Lizardbreath growled, glaring openly at Jadefeather as she approached. "Of course past mistakes matter, are you saying you'd be fine with allowing a criminal into the Clan?" Her eyes narrowed suspiciously and flicked between the two she-cats.
"I suppose we should take your word for it?" she spat back, "Absolutely not. Not when the security of the Clan is at risk. I've heard all I need to. Begone."
Jade feather flattened her ears to, at Lizardbreaths approach, not from fear, but from anger. "Hello Lizardbreath. Of course I wouldn't allow a criminal into to clan. But if she was a criminal, intent on stealing, she would've walked in and done it. I want to hear her out, and then I'll take her to Twoface." Jade feather wished Lizardbreath would be more open to outsiders, but she knew that wasn't going to happen. She curled her lip a little at the queen, but she was still secretly a bit frightened of her herself. If Lizardbreath ever found out where she was from, it would be the end of anything positive between them.
Hearing her response outraged Jadefeather. Hissing, she glared back at Lizardbreath. "It is not your decision whether or not to turn her away, it's Twoface's, and I'm going to take Night to him, whether you like it or not. Just because someone isn't clan born, doesn't mean they're horrible cats who don't deserve a chance!" Jade feathers voice rose a little, but Lizardbreath's words made her furious.
The black she-cat snapped her teeth in warning. "You'll be taking her nowhere. Outsiders are not to be shown the camp until they are accepted. Not even a ThunderClanner should know exactly where it is. Hear her out if you insist, but after she's filled your ears with her lies she will be held at the border until Twoface can get here himself. And I'll be watching to make sure you don't let her one step into our territory."
Jade feather flicked her tail angrily, but she did agree with Lizardbreath. She realised that she had made it sound as if she would bring Night to camp. "I wasn't going to take her to camp, I was going to hear her out, and then look for Twoface. When I found him, I would tell him about her, and take her to him. If he happened to be in camp, I wouldn't take her with me." Turning back to Night, she meowed "Would you like to speak? Or shall I get Twoface? Or perhaps Lizardbreath will get him for us? That way she can make sure the location of camp stays as secret as she'd like.""
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Exasperated, but glad to see him here, Jadefeather meowed "I wasn't going to take her to camp! I was going to find Twoface, or maybe even you, to see if she could join!" She didn't care what he'd heard, or what she'd made it sound like, she hadn't been planning on taking a stranger to camp. Even if that stranger somewhat understands me. Glad that a cat with sense had come along, she dipped her head to Cicatrix apologetically. "I'm sorry I snapped. But now that you're here, maybe we can set this straight."
