This chapter is complete.

  "Uh Coldstar, I need to ask you something..." Soot spoke up, watching Foxscar as he left. Coldstar looked at her.

 "What is it?" He asked after Foxscar was out of sight, You could faintly hear him jumping down from the high ledge.

 "Well you're going to think I am crazy for asking this, but don't. I know what I am saying, and it is: I want to join your group." Soot stated flatly, her eyes fully set on Coldstar. The white tom eyed her. He indeed felt a little confused by her sudden proposal and change of heart toward his clan.

 "I hope you know this means you will have to prove yourself, not only to me but to this clan. You also have to follow our law, do what you're told, and help this clan as I see fit." Coldstar said. Soot snorted, as if everything he said was a minor side quest that she could easily keep up with.

 "Yeah, yeah. There is a... particular reason I want to join your clan and all that extra stuff won't stop me... but in other words, you won't be able to get rid of me until you let me join." Soot said stubbornly. As she spoke she never broke eye contact with him and Coldstar could see something in her eyes. It was a fire, burning heavily with determination, this confirmed to him that Soot was telling the truth.

 "Fine. You will be assigned a temporary mentor who will teach you about Thunderclan and how we hunt." Coldstar said, not telling her who would be her mentor though. Just at that moment Foxscar returned and dropped a small bird in front of Soot.

 "Is that all you need Coldstar?" Foxscar asked.

 "Go get any stray hunters back in camp, I am going to be making an announcement." Coldstar ordered. Foxscar nodded and left the den to do as he was told. Coldstar looked back to Soot.

 "When you finish your meal I will start the meeting," Coldstar said, Soot eyed the bird. She sighed and laid down, pulling the prey to her and beginning to eat.

 "So... who is going to be my mentor?" Soot asked curiously. She had a particular tom in mind that she hoped Coldstar would choose. Coldstar looked down at the soft earth floor of his den.

 "Someone who wont give you a hard time... Lostclaw, Foxscar, or maybe even Southclaw..." Coldstar said.

 "I don't know who Lostclaw or Southclaw are, but I have tried clawing Foxheart," She teased.

 "I wouldn't mind having him be my mentor." Soot said. Coldstar had a light smile on his face. He could tell what was going on between those two.

 "I will inform him during the meeting. Please, eat." Coldstar said.

°---°----------------------------------------------°---°

 The Thunderclan warrior who had been escorting the two outsider cats through the forest stopped.

 "Stay here, another warrior is approaching." She said. The tom and his mate stopped and waited. The unamed warrior went a little farther ahead and they heard some chatter. The she-cat returned to them.

 "My leader is going to be forming a meeting soon. I can show you to him after that." She said. The tom nodded curtly.

 "Then continue to lead us and we will cause no trouble. I can smell your clan from here." He said. The she-cat turned her back to them and started walking again.

°---°----------------------------------------------°---°

 Soot continued to munch on her bird. She paused though and lifted her head to address Coldstar.

 "By the way, don't worry about Bloodclan coming to rescue me... like they would want the weak one..." Soot said, saying the last part under her breath. Coldstar knew she said something but didn't catch it. He sighed and looked away from her.

 "It is a heavy weight off my mind then."

 Soot had finished her bird and Coldstar explained to her that her name was now "Sootpaw". She skipped out to the clearing. Hey, she was an apprentice, she had every right to skip around whenever she pleased.

 She spotted the Golden whatcha-ma call it she-cat warrior from earlier.

 "Hey Golden whatcha-ma call it!" She called out happily. Goldenwind glanced over to her.

 "Hi, and it's Goldenwind." She greeted.

 "I'm Sootpaw, I can't wait to help with battle or something... I'll kill everyone..." Sootpaw said in a some what disturbing tone of voice. Goldenwind looked down at Sootpaw.

 "Warriors don't kill... killing is only a last resort." Goldenwind explained to Sootpaw. Sootpaw looked down at her paws, flexing her claws.

 "Then what is the fun in fighting... if you can't kill?" Sootpaw asked, genuinly curious. Goldenwind's eyes softened as memories came to her.

 "Bringing death to a clan, or to another cat... harming someone's friend, littermate, denmate... their clanmate... it is a burden of pain that no one should willingly bring upon someone else..." Goldenwind said, her eyes distant. Sootpaw's ears drooped, but she couldn't respond.

Both of them heard footsteps from the highledge and turned around to see Coldstar padding out. At that moment Foxscar returned with a few warriors with him.

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather here beneath the high ledge for a clan meeting." Coldstar called out. Most of the clan was already gathered so he started to speak.

"At dawn I am sure you are all aware that we found an intruder in our territory. Her name is Soot. As of now she will be joining our clan. I will allow her this but she will be an apprentice first." Coldstar announced. Happily, though hiding it, Sootpaw stepped up to the highledge. Sunstorm turned her teal gaze to the cat standing beneath the ledge. She wondered who her mentor would be.

 "Excuse me Coldstar but I have something to say." Frostwing, a she-cat warrior, interrupted. Sunstorm broke her gaze from Sootpaw and looked at Frostwing, and so did other warriors.

 "What is it Frostwing?" Coldstar asked. The she-cat felt embarrassed but ecstatic.

 "I am expecting Lostclaw's kits." She announced. Coldstar nodded and the clan congratulated her. After that passed he glanced at Sootpaw.

 "For your training you will receive a mentor. Foxscar." Coldstar said. Foxscar, the ashen and brown tom, turned from congratulating his brother Lostclaw.

 "I want you to mentor Sootpaw." Coldstar said. Foxscar smirked and looked over at Sootpaw.

 "As you say Coldstar." Foxscar said, agreeing to the mentorship job. The meeting had broken up and Coldstar was intercepted.

 "Coldstar I have two cats who wish to speak with you. They claim they are from Skyclan." A she-cat warrior said. Coldstar looked over at her.

 "Thank you, Volefrost." He said. She dipped her head and gestured for the two cats to join Coldstar in his den.

 The two cats entered.

°---°----------------------------------------------°---°

 Southclaw spotted Soot for the first time, or should he say Sootpaw. He frowned.

 "Is that the 'dirty cat' the kit was talking about?" He muttered to his neighbor in the clearing of camp. Snowstorm chuckled.

"I guess so. Sootpaw seems alright for now." The she-cat said. Southclaw eyed her a moment but when he turned back Sootpaw was in his face.

"Who are you?" Sootpaw asked curiously. Southclaw looked at her surprised and straightened.

"I'm Southclaw." He said. Sootpaw grinned.

"You're the deputy, right? Must be a pretty great, helping Coldstar run the clan and all." Sootpaw said, eyeing him closely. Southclaw didn't like how she was looking at him and awkwardly scooted away from her.

"Uh.. thank you..." The tom said.

"Do I have to call you Deputy Southclaw? Or just Deputy?" Sootpaw asked, smiling. Goldenwind spoke up for Southclaw as she walked over.

"You can just call him Southclaw." Sootpaw nodded. Brownpaw sat in the clearing, munching on a vole. She was watching Sootpaw talk to the deputy.

She hoped Sootpaw wasn't going to be a problem.