Cats Can't Cry

[Thistle]

"I'm Branchkit," mewed the tabby, nodding to Patchfur once.
Then she turned to the patched tom and cocked her small head to one side, listening intently.

"Clans without leaders aren't really a Clan, right?" she asked.

"There needs to be a leader so everything will be organized and peaceful. But then," she added, since she knew that some of the others were against a leader, "I don't think you need to obey the leader all the time. If you did, then wouldn't you be a mindless cat that can't think for themselves?"

[Ten]

Shortwhisker gave a vivacious nod. "That is ab-bsolutely and p-positively c-correct, except for that last part. If the Clan d-doesn't do what the leader s-says, then that's p-pointless. But everyth-thing else you said is c-completely right."

[Gosh]

Bronzefoot chuckled. "You just seemed like you were swiping at my face, that's all. Oh, and by the way-your leader never told you to come here, now did he? Or is it a she? Because you seem to be acting like you have one already." After a moment, he added, "No offense, though." After all, the tom seemed a little aggressive.

[Thistle]

"But if you believed that the leader made a mistake, say, he or she led us into a battle when we were much too weak and hungry? If something like that happens, we should be able to speak up for what we think is right."

Finally someone agrees with me for once, thought Branchkit, At least, half-agrees with me.

"Of course, I didn't mean that you should just run off and completely disobey. I just meant that you should be able to think about the leader's decisions and voice your opinions if you don't like it."

[Ten]

ooc| Done with editing. Just had to add one sentence.

bic| "I d-don't have one, I'm sad t-to say." The tom looked at his white paws, head drooped in shame and sorrow. "Even th-though - I m-mean, I wish - w-well - you see - everyth-thing would be perfect if I did." Then he looked up and glared at Branchkit. "I w-would always support my leader."

[Thistle]

If the she-cat were standing up, she would of taken a step back. But since she was sitting, the only reaction she gave was a flash of wariness in her eyes.

She hesitated before mewing, "What if you disagree with your leader?"

[Ten]

"I w-wouldn't! Why is th-that so hard to underst-tand? I'm a loyal c-cat. I wouldn't b-betray my lead-der." The emotional tom gave her a look that begged her to understand.

[Gosh]

"You know, I understand following the orders of your leader and all," Spiderpaw meowed slowly, "and I don't think a leader is a bad idea. But what I think she is trying to say is that there may come a time where your leader does something you think is a bad idea. Not 'you shout out, "This is a bad idea!" But someday your leader may make a mistake that you may think is a bad idea. Does that make sense?" She glanced around, hoping she hadn't offended anyone. But, to keep in with the fact that she supported a leader, she added, "And of course leaders would make a few mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes; leaders wouldn't be excepted from that. And I understand your loyalty." This last bit was directed at Shortwhisker, and she smiled genuinely.

[duckyaisha]

ooc| Ducky, the cats here can't see the cycles of the moons, so they can't use them to measure time.
---X---

Then how do they measure time?

Bic: Patchfur nodded, agreeing with Spiderpaw. "No cat is perfect, and everyone is bound to make a mistake sometimes. You talk about leaders like they're perfect and always right, but no cat is like that. What you're saying is that you would never, never disagree with your leader. But even the best of friends disagree sometimes. The problem with a leader is that even if you disagree, you have to do it. I would rather do what I think is right than do what someone else thinks is right. Because different cats have different ideas of what's right. And even if I didn't want to do something, if I thought it was wrong, I would have to. You have no control, and that's why I don't want a leader," he said to Shortwhisker. The tom had calmed down now, and was trying to discuss things rationally with the other cats.

[Ten]

ooc| Days, for the most part. They also have what they call a light season and a dark season.

"The tom had calmed down now"
--x
Meaning Shortwhisker? The way you wrote it, I wasn't sure.

bic|

"There is n-no possible reason th-that I would ev-ver go against m-my leader," he growled back. "Why c-can't you get that th-through your thick or-range head? I don't want c-control. I d-don't need it. I want sec-curity. Only a Clan p-provides that."