"Silverpaw," Crimsonrose's voice cut in. The big ginger she cat had overheard her apprentices voice and had come over catching Cypressbluff's response.
She figured out what was happening.
"My apprentice, why do you think you dont belong here?" She queried. "Has someone doubted your strength? Your endurance to endure the harshness of this climate. Has someone shaken your spirit? To where you now feel you must conform to the cult of the Sun? Tell me, and i will teach you how to fight like a lion. I will teach you that your spirit is your own."

She sat down, "And if neither is the case, tell me. Share with me what burdens you."

Crimsonrose scoffed. "Destiny? My dear if there's one thing I've lived by, it's that you forge your own path. The gods can foresee only so much, and prophecies and destinies are all well and good, but they do not live through you. Your blood does not determine who you are."

She let out a soft laugh, letting out a purr. "I may have WinterClan blood, but it was just as much of a surprise to me as it was to everyone else when Bellona gave me her blessing. I do not know who in my family came from WinterClan, as I'd been part of a rogue group since I was born, and as far as I was aware so was my immediate family. Then I wound up in the league, then when my daughter was born I came here, to live with my student and a clan who would not discard my Mysterykit, because she was smaller than her littermates."

"Blood didn't guide my path, I guided my own. I don't believe we're set to reach a certain place, every decision sets a different path, every decision a different outcome. But destiny aside what would you gain going there?" Crimsonrose asked. "You would be leaving your mother, breaking her heart. You would be going to a place that would mold you, force you to conform, and snuff out all traces of Silverpaw and mold you into... well Foxstar's grandaughter... if she bothers to give you that recognition, I wouldn't bet on it though. She's a foxheart, behind all that body paint, and sharp tongue, is a cat who would be right at home in the bowels of the league. Trust me on that."

"My family used to live in the dark, my mother used to say the sundwellers didn't speak of one simple truth. 'It's light, can only blind and burn.' And blind and burn SunClan will. It will blind you, you will no longer be able to see anything but the Sun. SunClan will be all you'll see, all you'll be allowed to see, and it will burn and destroy everything you are, it will make you into what they want you to be. That's what a cult does Silverpaw. And unfortunately SunClan really ought to be renamed SunCult as that's what they are."

(Crimsonrose is all of the passion!)

"You have a place here, but only you can decide where you belong." Crimsonrose said. "As I told you, I was once a rogue, once a member of the feared League, and now a member of WinterClan. I think I've found my home here, but it was my choice. If you decided to go to any of the clans, well I'd advise waiting till you're a little older. Let the cold toughen you, while your body chills, your spirit will burn hotter to make up for it."

A breeze hit and Crimsonrose turned into it, eyes slitting against it briefly her fur fluffing up. "Fortify your resolve. So that nothing can shake you. The two things you need to develop is strength and spirit. Your strength could come in many forms, swiftness, dexterity, or sheer might. And your spirit is what drives your paws."

"But back to belonging as that seems to be the difficult question. You are not fond of the living conditions. You want the suns warmth, not the cold sharp chill that seems to freeze hearts and blood in leafbare, and even when leafbare ends, the chill lingers, like claws digging into the territory refusing to let go until Greenleaf takes hold firmly. But there are other elements to here. You have your mother here, you have as I said a place here that is irrefutable. Many cats care about you and want to see you grow. Want to see you find your way and find your happiness. I will not tell you that this is where you truly belong. But you have a place here. Many in this clan would hope this is where you choose to belong. But it can also be just a place to start, if that is what you choose. Maybe before your training is complete we will go climb the mountain and look out across the territories. Look at all the clans basking in the suns glow and see where you want to tread. See if after you've grown that wanderlust remains. Maybe we'll go on some missions you and I, see who claws our fur off if we drop by and who doesn't. Get a feel for the lands." Crimsonrose said with a mrrow of amusement.

"I will advise this though, at some point Silverpaw, you will have to look inside yourself and ask yourself, what are you looking for? Do you want to be surrounded by family, and cats you've known, familiaritiy of WinterClan. Do you wish to find those who share your ideals, and wish to join them in hopes of fostering them? Or do you wish to seek a place that has an environment you feel you can thrive in? These are all questions you will have to answer for yourself. Belonging can seem like it's reliant on cats liking you, and often times I've seen that. 'I don't belong here, I don't fit in'." Crimsonrose snorted. "Which is simply put an obstacle that you will face. And admittedly yes, the cats very well maybe an obstacle and thus make a location that while may seem to have all you want... ill suited. Though, that's more the case if you've... gotten death orders against you from that group. But it's a struggle nonetheless, that's why you need to grow a little before you start casting your eyes around. Let WinterClan teach you hardship, teach you fortitude. And then you will be ready to claw a place for yourself wherever you choose. It won't depend on whose blood you may have. IT will depend on the criteria you choose for where you want to belong."

Crimsonrose sat back. She doubted she'd soothed poor Cypressbluff, but Crimsonrose believed in letting cats be true to themselves. She was happy as could be because this was where she wanted to be. She'd gotten numerous side eyes for being a former league cat when she'd first arrived. But they'd quickly come to realize her strength, and Leatherstar's support of course helped.

She hadn't taught the chieftain for an end goal of her own. But to instead see him take his potential and become the best he could be. And standing beside him, even though he was a terrible flirt and had more flings than she could honestly count, she was quite proud that she'd had a paw in him getting as strong as he was. She took pride in seeing him be the best he could be.

And that was what she wanted for Mysterykit. She wanted everything for her daughter. Her daughter was worthy of everything, and Crimsonrose believed that maybe someday her little kit who as far as the league was concerned shouldn't have existed would be among the greatest cats.

She shook off the thoughts and turned her gaze to Silverpaw. She could see untapped potential in her, but she could also see the curiosity, the desire for more. Perhaps that climb to the top of the mountain would have to come sooner rather than later. Give Silverpaw a taste of what lay beyond WinterClan.