Cuyahoga

'Let's put our heads together and start a new country up

'Our father's father's father tried, erased the parts he didn't like

'Let's try to fill it in, bank the quarry river, swim

'We knee-skinned it you and me

'We knee skinned that river red

'This is where we walked, this is where we swam

Take a picture here, take a souvenir

River walked over the plain, accompanied by the cats who had joined him at Fourtrees the previous night. It seemed like a good place to stay- a river to keep the other Clans away, prey in the brush and fish in the river. They just needed a camp.

"Hey, I think I've found something!" called a young tom from near the river's edge. "You've got to see this, River!" The silver tom rushed to the other cat's side.

A stream glittered at his paws, and beyond it reeds whispered in the wind.

"An island," he murmured under his breath.

"It's great, isn't it?" asked the young tom excitedly. "The other Clans will be too afraid of getting their paws wet to attack us."

"It is a good place to stay," agreed the leader. "I'll call the others over." He started to pad away, but then he remembered something.

"What's your name, by the way?" he asked.

"Ripple," said the younger cat.

"Well, Ripplefoot," said River, coming up with a Clan name off the top of his head, "how'd you like to be my deputy? You've got a good set of eyes and good head on your shoulders. You'd do a great job, in my opinion."

"Wow, really?" asked Ripplefoot, dazed by the honor. River cuffed him playfully.

"I don't speak for the pleasure of hearing my voice," he said. "Come with me, we'll see what the rest of the Clan thinks. About the camp and your appointment." He beckoned his new deputy and they set off together.

Later that day, River rested on the rocks near the island, watching over the camp. His camp, he reminded himself. A hunting patrol returned with fish for the fresh-kill pile while Ripplefoot bounced about, still giddy with his deputyship.

Hopefully experience will mellow him out, River thought to himself with a purr. But Ripplefoot had been doing a good job, and River couldn't help but feel proud of how well his Clan was coming together. RiverClan would truly be the strongest in the forest.

To be continued