Come and Take It.

[duckyaisha]

Ooc: No, but he's wondering why Woodstripe said that it isn't worth serious injury/murder when, even though she asked, she hasn't gotten an answer as to what the conflict is about.

Bic: "What if one of their friends or family was injured or murdered? That would certainly justify the perpetrator getting the same punishment he gave to another cat. And I wasn't saying that the fight was just. I was saying /maybe,/ as in /might be./ I never said that I was right. I was just thinking we should find out what they're fighting over before we jump to conclusions and say it's unjust," he answered Spiderpaw, getting fed up with her, with Shortwhisker, with everyone who stuck by Woodstripe's side. If he had stood a chance against the cats that mortally wounded Russetstorm, he would've fought them. Then he turned to face Woodstripe. "Everyone would vote for you because the cats already here seem to want a stereotypical leader, and that's exactly what you are!" he yowled angrily, ginger and white fur rising in ager.

[Ten]

"No need to feel upset, Patchfur," Woodstripe murmured in what she intended to be a soothing voice. "Now what is it that you consider to be a stereotypical leader? All that I know of leaders is derived from the sparse details I could procure from old tales."

[duckyaisha]

The soothing tone was so like his mother's. It made him angry that a cat he considered his enemy could use that voice. But he took a slow, deep breath, calming himself down, and prepared to talk to Woodstripe. Apparently she had come to her senses, because she hadn't said anything about the fight in that tone. Patchfur answered, "A stereotypical leader is brave. You showed that by walking straight into a fight. Stereotypical leaders also talk like you do, very formally. You led us all here, the way a stereotypical leader would. They are always trying to stop fights, which you are doing. And they don't listen to other cats about how to lead the Clan. Ever since I presented my point of view on a Clan leader, you've been pointing out everything wrong with it. You rejected it completely because it wasn't what you wanted. /That's/ what stereotypical leaders do."

[Gosh]

"What's wrong with bravery?" Spiderpaw protested. "And stopping fights is good, because fights can harm innocent cats nearby. And aren't you pointing out everything wrong with leaders?" She bristled. "I think you are acting like a stereotypical cat who doesn't support Clanhood. Since we're recruiting members for the experiment, why don't you stop giving them reasons to not participate?" she snapped.

[Ten]

"Patchfur, the only flaw in this stereotype that you have listed is not, in my particular case, a fact, but an incorrect assumption of sorts. I have indeed heard your thoughts on leadership. While it is true that I would prefer for the future Clan to have a leader, I as a singular individual am not in absolute control of what the future Clan will become. I merely want good for all. At the moment, it is my thought that leadership would be best. If I am incorrect, so be it, and I will realize this at some later date. Now do you desire that when I listen to opinions and notice flaws in an idea, that I disregard these and accept it in spite of it?"

Woodstripe sent Spiderpaw a gentle smile for her support, but urged her, "Do not think less of him for his qualms with me. Patchfur is a noble warrior who is loyal to an unformed Clan. I believe that, like all of us, he wishes for the best."

[duckyaisha]

"Have you even been listening? I /want/ a Clan. It will keep cats safe and healthy. But in my opinion, a leader wouldn't do that at all. Stop lying about me, Spiderpaw! I-want-a-Clan. Just not a leader. Okay?"
He now faced the more difficult task of dealing with Woodstripe. "You chose for the Clan experiment to have a leader, though. Because that was want you wanted. Never mind what I wanted, never mind the fact that moat cats have only lived under authority in kithood, /you/ chose what /you/ thought was best. I'll admit, I wasn't willing to compromise, but now I think we should try to find a leading solution that we both agree on," Patchfur meowed. He wanted to redeem himself with the intelligent she-cat. And he was going to be the first to admit that he had not been very accepting.

[Gosh]

Spiderpaw took deep breaths, calming down. "Don't tell me, tell them," she meowed. "Tell them that you want a Clan, that this experiment can show us how great a Clan would be. Speaking of them, shouldn't we hold off the leadership issue and focus on stopping this fight at least momentarily?"

[Ten]

ooc| I'm going to wait for Skyriver to post.

[Thistle]

ooc: So sorry for the delay! xS

bic: Slatefoot shot a contemptuous look toward Grimykit. At least he wasn't the one being disgraced with such a stupid name. "It's Slatefoot," he retorted, a sneer embedded in his voice. He stretched himself to his full height and looked down at Grimykit haughtily, though he wasn't that much taller than the tabby. "So there," he added.
Then his head swung around, finally acknowledging the prescience of the other cats. "Who are you?" he meowed, glaring at them with flattened ears and a curled lip. His claws stayed unsheathed; they might attempt to attack him, and he wasn't taking any chances. He did, however, manage to catch bits of their conversation, and he heard the word 'Clan'.
So they're all Clanners! he thought. Peace-lovin', idiotic Clanners And then his train of thought was broken as Batkit tripped over a rock, tumbling near Slatefoot's large paws. "Back off!" spat the gray tom, swatting the dark-furred cat away.

The young tabby flinched, uttered a sqeak of alarm, and jumped back. He felt dizzy. Batkit quickly found refuge behind Patchfur; he hid behind the tom and could be heard muttering, "If Branchkit was here, she'd knock him off his paws." Of course, that wasn't true, but the gray feline obviously though of his sister as the most greatest cat in the whole enclosure. Not even this blue-gray bully could scare her.

[duckyaisha]

Patchfur's eyes burned with anger when he saw how the gray-blue tom treated Batkit. Sure, they disagreed, but Batkit was still a kit. "Hey! Who do you think you are, doing that to innocent kits?" the tom yowled, fur bristling. Cats like these got on his nerves even more than cats like Woodstripe. Cats that thought they could get away with anything, even hurting a kit. Patchfur slid his claws out, in case there was a fight.