As the small clan wandered aimlessly around the packed clearing, Eaglestar surveyed them with hawk-like eyes. Finally he leapt up on the topmost portion of the log he now inhabited, and yowled out a greeting.

"Hey, everybody!"

All the cat's heads turned and after a bit of a scuffle, they trickled gradually into a small group in front of the log. Hunterfoot sprang up beside him, dragging Dragonwhisper and his apprentice up beside her. Dragonwhisper had his furry face arranged in a permanent pout; Eaglestar chose to ignore him.

"Okay. Just to clear things up a bit, I'm the leader..."

"HEY! Why do you get to be the leader!" Thunderpelt was indignant. (A/N: to clear things up, this is Zhou Xing.)

"Because, I am a good leader. NOW. The deputy is -"

"Me! Ooh, ooh, ME!"

"No, Thunderpelt, it is not you. It is Hunterfoot. Please will you let me continue? Thank you. Now. The medicine cat - "

"Is Ryuga."

"Yes, you're actually right this time. But it's Dragonwhisper. ANYWAYS...Our clan consists of 13 fully fledged warriors, 4 apprentices, and 2 kits. NOW, are there any questions that the helpful Thunderpelt here failed to clear up!?"

"What are these paw-print things on our shoulders?" Wingleaper spoke up.

"A dot means you're a kit. A paw means you're an apprentice. A paw with claws means you're a warrior..."

"BORING."

"THUNDERPELT! BE QUIET! NOW. A small dot beneath the paw each represents an offspring. If it's faded, the offspring is dead. One slash below means one apprentice, two slashes stand for two apprentices, and so on..."

"Where did you get all this nonsense!?"

"Oh, not you too, Spottedheart", Hunterfoot moaned.

"We're using the Runeclan system. If we only had a stained-glass window."

"To expose the kits to their first light?"

"That, and to smash over Thunderpelt's head when he won't be quiet", Dragonwhisper put in.

"Okay, any more of you want to ask a question?"

"YES, ME. QUESTION."

"Anybody EXCEPT Thunderpelt?"

"HEY!"

"Okay, fine, what do you want?"

"Why is my pawprint PURPLE?"

"Because...I don't know. Hunterfoot just put them in different colours according to your personalities."

"So you're saying I'm girly?"

"No, Thunderpelt. You're just a laid-back kind of guy", Hunterfoot sighed. "Don't judge me, kay? I was running out of ideas."

All of a sudden a bright orange, totally unfamiliar paw raised in the air. "I HAVE A QUESTION."

"Yes, Phoenixflight."

"I just wanted to acknowledge the people of my presence. Can I be up on the log with all you important people now?"

"Okay, everybody, as you may have guessed, Ryo is also here now. ANYBODY ELSE."

"QUESTION."

"You already got to ask a question, Phoenixflight."

"But I have another one."

"WHAT!"

"Can I be the leader?"

"No."

"I HAVE A QUESTION..."

"Yes, Wolfclaw."

"Is there an evil clan around here I can join? I don't really belong here."

"I hate to disappoint you, but Bloodclan is now dead. Please stay with the group so nobody kills you."

"QUESTION."

"YES, Sonicpaw."

"Why is it bad if he dies? He's the bad guy."

"Also, he was supposed to be the villain", Cyberpaw put in.

"Well so was Ferretkit and Thunderpelt", Dragonwhisper said, before Eaglestar could answer.

"Okay, okay, we're off topic. Any REAL questions."

"I have a question."

"Yes, Arrowpaw."

"Do we have to eat raw wild creatures which live in the woods?"

"Yes...we're cats."

"Can I be a vegetarian cat?"

"No, Bulletpaw, you may not."

"Does anyone here know how to make fire?"

"No, Smashfoot, we're cats. Cats do not make fire."

"What's our clan name?"

Finally the small clearing was stunned into silence. Hunterfoot cocked her head to the side, thinking. At last, she meowled, "We don't have one. We're a wandering tribe."

"Then why do we have to have a leader, and a deputy, and - "

"All right, all right, don't get all technical, Sorrelpaw. We're a wandering CLAN, ok, with no name."

"What are we going to do now?"

The concerns of the entire clan, voiced by one so small and innocent as Mousekit herself.

"Well...we're going to...sleep. For the night."

"In this clearing?"

"Yes, Ferretkit, in this very clearing. And then we'll wander about and find the other clans. It will be a learning experience", Hunterfoot said firmly.

"Okay, thanks, Hunterfoot. I'll take charge from here." Eaglestar addressed the rest of the clan. "Mousekit and Ferretkit can sleep with Hunterfoot for the night, they're her responsibility. They get to be in the log."

"THAT'S NOT FAIR!"

"Shut your meowler, Liontail. They get the nice dry warm log because they are the only kittens and females in the clan. The rest of you make do!"

"I call that bush."

And so the 19 cats dispersed for the night as the moon rose above them and the wind increased its howl, hopefully safe in the bushes until morning.