an image of my sona, an anthropomorphic tan cat with brown ears and pale yellow eyes, looking toward the contents of the page

Story

Chapter # - Chapter Title

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The meeting took place on a small, quaint lake. It was frozen on the edges like windows in the cold, but its center was a mess of slush and floating ice. A small tree sat just on the edge of the lake, leafless but broad. The cats gathered underneath the shadows of its branches.

Snobal hurriedly joined Tabith and Keth at the foot of the tree, Brittny straining to see them against the white snow. It was easier than it would've been in the day due to the red light that washed over everything, but even then, the fur of the strangers beside them stood out more.

The first stranger reminded Brittny of Looloo. Based on the scent, Brittny assumed that she was a mollie. Her fur was a short and shiny black, though her throat and muzzle were white. Her eyes were bright, beech-leaf green and glittered like a swarm of fireflies.

The second stranger was barely out of kittenhood. He was absolutely tiny, probably the runt of his litter, and had silky, pale brown fur with rosetted spots. His eyes were a fiery orange that blazed with immeasurable passion.

"With all of the attendants here, we can begin," The black-and-white mollie said. "Winter has pounced upon us like a kitten to a leaf. The primary storm of this season is the strongest I've seen in many. In spite of this, the Tree's Leaves don't need much. We're ready to listen to demands."

Tabith flicked her tail. "Then, we have one. We want the Low River."

"The Low River is not up for claim." The mollie said.

Keth leaned forward. "It's frozen, Tenu. It's useless to you right now."

"The Low River yields many lizards and frogs during the warmer seasons. I can't give it to you without a guarantee of return." The mollie—Tenu—said cautiously.

Finally, the tiny tomcat decided to jump in. His voice was surprisingly low, but it was also extremely nasal. "It's win'er. The Low River'll be frozen over. Ya wouldn' wan' it."

His accent was the oddest of all. While the cats she was staying with spoke with an elegant, swooping accent with soft 'r's and well-pronounced 't's, (almost like a rich Brit's crossed with a classy southerner's) the brown tomcat's was the opposite—hard, tapped 'r's, and 't's turning to 'd's or being dropped entirely. Tenu spoke with a mixture of the two, with soft 'r's, and lazy 't's that sounded like 'd's.

Snobal opened—well, opened wider; he'd never closed it—his mouth to speak. His mother silenced him with a stern, ocean-blue glare.

"Then, surely, there's no harm in letting us have it for the winter." Tabith said. "After all, there's no prey near it now that the frogs and lizards are hibernating."

"I know you'd never return it, and we'll need it when Kitten Season comes." Tenu said. "It's in your best interest to stop pressing."

Tabith growled and exchanged an infuriated glare with Keth. However, neither said anything.

"Can we move on now? I wan' to talk about the squarestones." The brown tabby said.

At this point, Brittny got her fill of pointless debates. She gazed around the lakeside, keeping watch for unfamiliar cats. Few stood out, but most of the ones she didn't recognize seemed to stick together. The cliques were probably from the same clowder.

What was this meeting for, anyways? Was it all just a bunch of pointless debates regurgitated each season like cud? Well, the leaders could chew cud all they wanted. They didn't need to make everyone else watch it.

Brittny blinked slowly as a pale orange tabby approached her. The tabby was a mollie, and a pretty one at that, with classic marbled swirls along her sides and bright yellow eyes as radiant as the sun. They reflected so much light it was hard to look at them.

"Are you new?" She asked excitedly.

Brittny shuffled nervously. "Uh, yeah."

Her eyes lit up even brighter, if that was possible. "Oh! That's amazing! We haven't had an outsider here in ages. What were you before you came?"

"I was a housecat," Brittny said. "My humans left."

She hesitated. "Well, at least you found this place. My name is Keeden of the Tree's Leaves... What's yours?"

"I'm Brittny of the... uh," She paused.

Keeden trilled in amusement. "The Mouse Catchers, maybe? You look like their type."

Their type? Brittny gazed around the clearing. It was difficult to recognize anyone yet (she only knew a few scents due to being at their camp for a day) but most of those she recognized seemed to be diverse. There was Sky with his gray fur sitting by a large cattail, Looloo with her black-and-white fur hiding in the shade of a bush, and the three snow-white leaders were still arguing below the tree. Though, perhaps they were a bit monochrome.

"Er, yeah." She tried the new name on her tongue, "Brittny of the Mouse Catchers."

"They're strange. I can't understand them, but I'm sure they've got something going on." Keeden said, the cautious edge in her voice betraying that she was being intentionally vague.

If only she knew...

"I've only been there for a couple days. They seemed friendly enough." Brittny said, hoping the mollie would get the hint from the way she flicked her tail upwards.

Keeden blinked slowly, a sign of empathy and understanding.

"Well, I'm sure they'll treat you well." She said. Then, she changed the subject without segue, "Star is going to compete in the Climbing Race today. He's so tiny. I can't wait to watch him."

Brittny snorted. She had to be talking about the little brown tabby up front. She motioned towards the tomcat. "Him? He's smaller than a bunny!"

"Yeah, but he's a great fighter. He brings rabbits back to the Jagged Oak all the time. If I had to fight him or a howldog, I'd pick the howldog!" Keeden said. "Even some of our best Full-Rankers are jealous of him."

She was so... friendly. Keeden just casually spoke of the Crow Hunters' leader as if she'd known him her whole life—as if he weren't debating with her leader right now about the Low River and the squarestones. Hell, she was complementing him. It was like a dog befriending a porcupine; the idea seemed cute and fun, but what happened if the dog got too close to the needles?

But, maybe that was the point. It was genius! If everyone cared for one another, loved each other, then there could never be war. Well, not never, but battles would be rare. The meetings were peaceful ways to settle disputes and an excuse for chatting as the listeners got bored.

Was the process intentional? Did the clowders create such a system with that goal in mind, or did it result from generations of mistakes? Before Brittny could continue her epiphany, Keth's booming voice addressed the group.

"With this meeting's debates concluded, it's time to begin the festivities." The line read as a well-rehearsed, ceremonial one that even the other leaders seemed bored of. At the announcement, Keeden's tail shook with excitement.

Tabith continued the announcement, "The first competition will be the Climbing Race. Then, we'll have the Ice Chase and the Long Run. Now, it's time to select judges."

"You should be a judge!" Keeden said excitedly, almost purring the words into unintelligibility.

Brittny cringed. "Uh, I think I'd rather just watch."

"But that's exactly what judges do!" Keeden said, butting Brittny with her head. "Come on! It's even more fun than competing... and not just because I always lose."

Brittny felt a twinge of amusement at the mollie's words. As ridiculous as this was, she couldn't resist the pleading, dopey look that the Leaf was giving her.

"Alright, fine."