(The Debate)

[dfsfsd]

Copperthroat kneaded the ground with his claws, “If what I think helps me survive, then I will keep thinking it,” The tom grunted as he added, “They have a point. We may have crickets and lizards to hunt if the rat population goes dangerously low, but how could that feed a whole Clan? It’s close to impossible to make a meal out of something so small as a cricket, unless you want to spend most of your time hunting.”

Beetlefur acknowledged Frailheart with a dip of his head, “Of course,” He mewed, “I once thought like that myself. But, if you have allies, you have a higher chance of surviving as well. Think, would a true friend abandon you during a time of need?” Beetlefur turned his black head towards Bronzefoot, “And if they did not care for you? It has already been stated by those against the Clan that life is hard enough. Do you really think other cats, regardless of being your kin, would help you if life was hard? In a Clan, you needn’t worry about such.”

[Gosh]

"Allies?" Frailheart meowed with a snort. "Allies? There is no one I can trust except me. What if me and one of my allies got in a fight and that ally accidentally killed me? It's possible and also, no one would want to be one of a very, very frail cat's allies." She looked at Beetlefur bitterly.

"Did I say I would worry about death? No. I'm not afraid of death. If I were, why would I have gone on a rat hunt earlier today?" Bronzefoot rolled his eyes.

[Ten]

"Frailheart, if you worked with other cats outside of hunts, it would help prevent other cats from stealing what you catch. Your clanmates would be there for you at all times - the bond of Clan membership is stronger than mere allegiance.

"As for the rat population in correlation with organization, is it not safe to say that there are times when both a cat and a rat are killed in a hunt? Organization would perhaps not so much increase the amount of rats killed than prevent more feline deaths." Woodstripe paused and narrowed her eyes. "Bronzefoot, did I see you with my brother earlier today?" she asked, not realizing he wouldn't know who she meant.

[dfsfsd]

Beetlefur sighed, “Any cat could attack you,” He mewed, “I could if I felt like it, those two could,” Beetlefur indicated towards Copperthroat and Bronzefoot, “We all could, basically. But that doesn’t mean we have to. Besides, being ‘frail’ has nothing to do from it. And from now on I won’t refer to you as frail.”

‘She’s still standing here,’ Beetlefur through sourly. It annoyed him when cats downplayed themselves, even if it may be true in some ways.

Turning to Bronzefoot he mewed, “I never said you were afraid of death. But, if you wish to die from starvation, that is fine with me.”

[Gosh]

"I don't so much have a problem with organization concerning rat hunts, but I do have a problem with the food pile. Two, actually. I already stated both of them," Bronzefoot meowed. "And if I die from starvation because I'm too old to hunt, at least I can savor my memories of rat meat and know that I had a good, long life."

'What I catch? Who is she kidding? I barely catch crickets and lizards. I'm the one who steals,' Frailheart thought. "So you're saying that there would be cats who called me a friend to them?" She thought, 'A nice dream, but not plausible.' With heavy sarcasm, she added, "I can really, really imagine that." She turned to Beetlefur. "How does me being frail not have anything to do with other cats' opinion of me?"

[dfsfsd]

ooc: I post to fast sometimes.

[dfsfsd]

Rage flared in Beetlefur’s eyes, “You don’t know what other cats think, so don’t doubt yourself.”

Sensing the reply his comment would receive, Beetlefur added, “Yes, I know I don’t know either…”

Copperthroat rolled his eyes as he spoke, “Well, that’s a nice excuse, but with a group of cats (who you say will be more organized) a rat is more likely to die then cats. Of course, infections may happen, but hopefully we all have enough sense to try and heal ourselves. I understand it isn’t completely possible, but still.”

Hearing Frailheart speak once more, Beetlefur sighed, "It may, for some, but I don't view a cat on how strong or frail they are. Each cat has some of the same weaknesses and they can each be conquered."

[Gosh]

"If you say so," Frailheart meowed to Beetlefur. "But did I ever say I doubted myself? I don't doubt who I am, and I definitely do not doubt my beliefs."

Spiderpaw suggested, "Well, perhaps only crickets and lizards would be in the food pile? And maybe the number of times a rat hunt made up of Clan cats took place a day could be limited."

[Darky [Megan]]

"Feh," Speckledclaw said, with a twitch of her tail. "Rats are multiplying by the hundreds, I doubt we'd ever run out of them. You have to take into consideration that there are colonies outside the walls as well - many elders have spoken of such. No, I doubt we would ever run out of rats. As for the question of allies," she turned to Frailheart, "Beetlefur has pretty much summed it up. Do not underestimate the advantages good friends can give you. Also, there are many more qualities to cat. A cat is not made up simply by their physical build."

[dfsfsd]

“You make it seems as such,” Beetlefur replied quickly, the rage in his eyes now replaced by a light humor.

Copperthroat snorted at Speckledclaw’s statement, “You haven’t been outside these walls, so you wouldn’t know. Right now, I’m going to speak of the food source I know about. Anyway, rats do not multiple as fast as you say, otherwise those whole place would be overcome with them. Granted they reproduce fasted then us cats, that doesn’t mean there is an endless supply of them. If cats get used to always being full, they’ll want more and more.

“As for your comment, Spiderpaw, lizards and crickets don’t really add up to much nutritional value. How do you plan to feed a nursing cat on such small pieces of prey? I can assure you that’d you’d have to hunt often,” Copperthroat let out a smug purr.