SEE ME BARE MY TEETH FOR YOU -- joining

After Thunderclan’s attack and Bleat’s cowardice during the combat, the ashamed Scottish Fold had been trying his best to prove his worth, as much to himself as to his clanmates. As such, the coward was doing something rare, going on a border patrol. Bleat usually didn’t involve himself in surveying Bloodclan’s territory, and his reasoning was sound.

If they ever stumbled across a cat looking to join, all knew that the spineless whelp wouldn't make the best first impression of Bloodclan’s ruthlessness, to say the least. That didn’t matter to him, though. “Besides, what are the chances of finding a joiner anyway?” Just then, an unfamiliar scent drifted into the concrete tom’s nostrils, and he sighed. “Oh, you have got to be kidding me.”

With no small amount of trepidation, Bleat made his way along the border towards the stranger. He recognized the tell-tale twinge of Shadowclan accompanying the cat, a scent he’d learned to recognize after Nathanos’ brief visit to the city. As the cat came into view, the Scottish Fold froze. Not only was this stranger terrifying, he was uncomfortably familiar. The eye, that one piercing eye that seemed to look through one’s soul and beyond, it was the same as-

Bleat shook his head, attempting to clear his thoughts. “Nathanos is dead. Coincidence, nothing more.” Coming to a stop across from the stranger, the coward sat down. He was trying his best not to be intimidated, even though this shadowclanner dwarfed him. Still, His voice remained calm (though his quaking legs did not). “Hello, welcome to Bloodclan territory. My name is Bleat, and I need your name and business.”

———— HEMERA ————

DO NOT PUT ME IN YOUR POOR, PREJUDICE CAGE

"Grizzlypaw?" Hemera's voice rang out with a hint of confusion as she went to stand beside Bleat. It was surprising to see the ShadowClan medicine cat apprentice waiating on the boders of the new territory, almost as if he was a joiner waiting to be accepted by Ryland or Sergei. He had a special place in ShadowClan, so why would he be waiting along the border? The molly waited patiently for Grizzlypaw - no, Grizzlyfang's reason for waiting alongside the border. "Why did you leave ShadowClan, though? Surely being a medicine cat gives you a better position amongst the clans?"

Although he was a former forest cat, the calico was sure that Ryland or Sergei would accept him. He had indirectly helped BloodClan by teaching her all that she knew about herbs, and she would make sure to remind Ryland or Sergei about that if they ever questioned his integrity towards joining BloodClan. Besides, surely being this Nathanos reborn would give him some sort of reportoire amongst BloodClan?

"Speech."

"Yeah there is a leader, hon. And a deputy as well of course." Neither of which she thought about much as she went about her daily routine of snooping through the twoleg place and wrapping other strays and kittypets around her paw. She enjoyed the ability to worm herself into other feline hearts. Being in the oak forest was boring at beat and it drove her up the wall to just stare at trees all the time. She had come from a twolegplace herself so she much preferred to continue that lifestyle. Tilting her head as she looked at Grizzlyfang she was rather pleased she had convinced him make that move. Afterall the clans were all just nitpicky and couldn't seem to tell up from down. It was rather sad and now they were crying about their cat gods or whatever. Shame. The cream amd white molly ventured forward then and she allowed a small smirk to pull across her muzzle. "Glad to see you made up your mind, dear. Now you can actually have a life that won't be boring. I'm sure Ryland or Sergei will be here soon, they have a strong...border thing going on." More patrols, more training. Killing cats blah blah blah.

"There is indeed a deputy," he said wearily, fetched from the camp by a stray ripper who had noticed the meeting on the border. His single eye flicked over the faces gathered, before settling with some surprise on the cat he remembered as Grizzlypaw. It would have been difficult to forget his meeting with the eerily familiar ShadowClanner. "Ah, you again."

A sly grin crept across his weathered face as he realized the heavy-set tom was here to join their gang of rogues. Oh, excellent. They needed fighters and they needed healers, and the young man seemed formidable enough for both. Certainly Grizzly could be of some use to Sergei, and he made a note to keep close attention on the forest defector.

"I suppose the clans' failings got the better of you, eh? " He said, a hint of bitter laughter ever-present in his foreign voice. "It's quite the honor you chose us, really," he said, whiskers twitching amusedly. "I believe you could fit... quite well in BloodClan, my friend. No foolish rules to follow here— except, of course, to keep your tail in line," he said, leaning forward with the slightest spark of madness in his one eye. He was oddly eager for Grizzlypaw to join their ranks. It would feel like old times again. He could finally have his triumph— if only over the reflection of the old king.

^{Aspen was the next to arrive, later than the others but there without a doubt. "We need all the healers we can get since Cypress left. I wouldn't mind having someone like you around. personally, I'd feel safer with you on my side then some of the others around here." Aspen said, half joking and half telling the truth. While he had some medical knowledge, it was nice to know if something happened to him he could go to someone who actually had extensive medical knowledge and training. perhaps they could even teach him sometime. Aspen wanted to be able to help more than he did- and this could be his way to learn it. "My names Aspen, by the way. Ripper of Bloodclan. Pleased to meet 'ya." the grey tom said.}

"Well then, I shouldn't see why not," he purred, the tip of his ratty tail flicking. "Good on you for offering something, Grizzly. Most of our joiners of late have not been so generous." His single eye rolled, a bit exasperatedly. It had been exhausting to see kittypet after kittypet arrive on their borders as if they'd had a right to be there, and Sergei, in his pre-raid good mood, had let them in on hopes of improvement. But now that they were battle-beaten and bloody, he wanted the liabilities out and cats he could rely on in. If he was to be deputy of BloodClan, then BloodClan was not going to be a joke.

He beckoned Aspen and Grizzlypaw, preparing for the journey back to their remote camp. "Welcome aboard. I do hope you enjoy the stay." A crooked grin spread unevenly across his tired face, so cold and exhausted it may well have been a grimace.