(The Debate)

[dfsfsd]

Copperthroat parted his jaws to speak, but instead of his harsh mew a soft laugh came forth. Whipping his head around, eyes ablaze, the tom cat curled his lips at a black figure coming forth. The new cat moved with a slow, bumpy gait and he took his time reaching the group.

Upon reaching them, Beetlefur dipped his head to each cat in turn, “Hello. I’ve been listening in for quite some time and I figured that maybe I could be of service. My name is Beetlefur.”

He sat down beside Copperthroat as if he had known the tom his whole life. With a hiss, Copperthroat scooted away, but Beetlefur took no mind. “The discussion of clans has always interested me and I wish to try and teach other cats what my parents taught me. Many of you, though, seem to know plenty,” His gaze swept across the pro-clanners, “but, sadly, I cannot say all of you were properly educated.”

[Gosh]

"Not properly educated!?" Bronzefoot meowed in disbelief. "I was educated just fine, thank you very much. I can hunt well and I can fight even better. Would you like me to prove that to you?" He scowled at Beetlefur.

"Now, there's no need for fighting," Frailheart meowed, "but - I assume you support the idea of a Clan? Well, there is no need for one. Clanhood would bring fighting due to the fact that many cats would not like a Clan, which would mean the death of many cats. That would mean less kits and less kits mean less kits who survive to adulthood. Try to impose Clanhood on us all and you might kill off the entire race of cats."

[dfsfsd]

Beetlefur purred, "Fighting and hunting is not everything. If you think that it is, then clearly you are ignorant. Though, ignorance is nothing to be afraid of," The black furred cat turned his yellow gaze on Frailheart.

"Of course I do!" He sounded shocked at the idea of not doing so, "There is always a need for one. Look, now. If this was a Clan we would not be close to fighting. Do not tell me you think a Clan will cause only fighting. I won't deny it does sometimes cause such, but I see no cat here as a traitor." Beetlefur flicked his tail and curiosity entered his mew, "Do you?"

[Ten]

"Welcome, Beetlefur," Woodstriped mewed, dipping her head. She then addressed the group. "There isn't a Clan now because, when we were first betrayed and enclosed here, our ancestors did not know who to give authority to. Some cats also felt that authorities could no longer be trusted - this being the origin of views opposing a Clan."

She twitched her whiskers. "Bronzefoot, understand this: no cat does anything without a reason. Now concerning territory, I don't see a reason for borders... and concerning the desire for 'all do their bidding', what would a leader tell a cat to do that would be opposable?" The tabby chuckled. "I've noticed something just now: Frailheart, from what you've said, it seems your main reason for opposing a Clan is that cats might oppose a Clan."

[dfsfsd]

Copperthroat thought about what Woodstripe said before replying, "If we have no borders, then how can cats not in a clan be assured safety? What if the clan needs a rat that a group of non-clan cats are hunting? What will happen then?" He knew sharing would not happen and that idea was just as insane as breaking down the walls in the enclosure was.

"Most of what I heard is about how a Clan will make things run smoother. If cats oppose in the Clan, things do not run smoother. Instead, you've got cats on the inside of the Clan fighting and cats on the outside." Copperthroat smirked, there was no way any cat could say everything would be perfect from the start. That would be impossible!

"Well, perhaps the leader could compromise...Excuse me, I seem to have forgotten some names. What is yours?" Beetlefur directed the question to Copperthroat.

"I'm Copperthroat."

"Well, perhaps the leader could compromise. Would you agree, Woodstripe?" The black tom felt a flicker of pride for remembering the tabby's name.

[Gosh]

"If there were no borders, than how would you know the Clan cats from the non-Clan?" Bronzefoot asked scornfully. "And Beetlefur, fighting and hunting is our way of life. It always has been. Or do you believe in the tales of the so-called medicine cats?" He snorted.

"That is my main reason, but not my only one," Frailheart lied smoothly. "For instance, how do you know whether cats would want to cooperate on things other than rat hunting? And Beetlefur, how would the leaders compromise?"

[dfsfsd]

Beetlefur's whisker twitched and he chortled, "My friend," He mewed, "they are not tales. Or how do you wish to explain the way we got in here? Besides, are we hunting and fighting now? No. We are debating and yet we are living."

Copperthroat snorted, “You take things to literal,” He muttered.

Beetlefur ignored the tom as he replied to Frailheart’s comment, “I cannot say, it’d depend on the leaders. But, let me tell you an example. Say an aggressive cat is one of the leaders, while another is more thoughtful. Now, the first cat wants all cats to be in the clan. The second is content with the numbers. To compromise,” The black cat lingered over the word, “they could hold a meeting with all of the cats outside the clan. Compromise.” Beetlefur repeated.

[Gosh]

"Ah, but do the cats inside the Clan get to voice their opinion in your example? What if the Clan cats disagreed with the non-Clan cats, but they didn't get to say so?" Frailheart asked.

"I explain it this way: This is the only world that exists. Simple. And we live by eating rats and crickets and lizards. The last two of those three examples are gotten by simple hunting; the first is gotten by fighting, is it not? Besides, I have seen cats fight over water, another necessity." Bronzefoot nodded his head as he spoke.

[dfsfsd]

Beetlefur flicked his tail, “They could speak up, of course. But that was only a example of compromise,” His yellow eyes glowed with laughter, still, and Copperthroat wondered how the tom could stay so calm.

‘Arrogant brat,’ He thought as Bronzefoot spoke, only hearing half of what the other cat said.

“There is truth in your words, but you are thinking in only simple scales,” Beetlefur mewed, nodding his head as he thought harder about what Bronzefoot was saying, “In a Clan, a cat would not have to always fight. Would you rather fight or live being safe from most cats?"

[Gosh]

"Well, then how would the distributing of water and food work? And by saying that I am thinking in only simple scales, are you trying to call me stupid?" Bronzefoot narrowed his eyes. 'Perhaps it's time we stopped sitting around and talking,' he thought irritably.