Although he would more than likely never admit it to anyone, Rhinestone was honestly a bit surprised with how he had acted after the hurricane. Had he been just a bit younger or a bit more cowardly, he probably would've abandoned everything at the first sign that he was the only senior warrior left. However, he had grown, and the hurricane wasn't something that Palmclan was unable to overcome. It wasn't some massive attacking force, like in Penumbra's case. No, instead, it was just a disaster. Horrible, but something they could recover from, and they were already well on their way to that recovery. It made him proud, and it also made him surprised about his own confidence, even if he did have secrets he still couldn't share with anyone else.

In the back of his mind, the leader had always figured that they weren't the only clan out there. After all, it wasn't as if their founders were the only felines that had gotten the thought to band together. However, aside from Sugarspice, he had yet to meet a joiner who bore a clan name, let alone someone with a past such as Penumbra. When the mixed and musty scent of Penumbra's group and her travels reached Rhinestonestar's nose, he was struck with a mixture of curiosity, and worry. He could only hope that, whoever Penumbrarunner was, she didn't represent a threat to his clan. Taking a deep breath inwards, the sunset colored tom moved off towards the scent, having to stop himself when he noticed Penumbra's form slinking forward through the trees, towards their inner territory. He hesitated a moment before he spoke, voice firm, "Hey! I mean... hello. Sorry, I just... needed your attention. You're on the territory of Palmclan right now. Would you mind telling me your name, and why you're here?" The male kept his muscles tensed, ready to stand his ground or leap forward, claws out, if the other feline turned out to be an enemy.

RHINESTONESTAR - PALMCLAN - PENNED BY STILLY

Palmclan had never been the type of group to take prisoners, not unless they were dealing with an enemy group, and needed some kind of bargaining chip. Luckily, it had been some time since any enemies had popped up for the relatively small group, so no prisoners had been taken in a long time either. Even if the group had been taking prisoners, Rhine wouldn't have stooped so low as to capture Penumbrarunner. It was obvious that she was scared and needed a new home, and he could understand that feeling, even if he had never experienced it himself. Her tone alone was enough to tug at the heartstrings, and it wasn't as if she was exactly a stretch to let into the group. Unlike someone like Stormspine, Penumbrarunner was just a feline, and she had already come with a two part name – not to mention her obvious clan roots. It would've been cruel to turn her away, and it seemed as though at least one of his warriors agreed. Tilting his head when he heard Sugarspice, he blinked and nodded, speaking simply, "You're right. She seems perfectly safe, and capable, if she has a warrior name." She had the faint scent of another clan still clinging to her fur, but it was clear that it was fading fast. It also wasn't anything that he recognized, which meant that it wasn't one of their past enemies.

Turning his pale gaze back to the newcomer in question, Rhine's tail flicked back and forth behind him before he purred, "As we were just saying... you're accepted, Penumbrarunner. We're glad to welcome you into Palmclan, and hope that you will enjoy your time in your new home. Would you like a guide back to our camp, or would you rather explore for a while?" He knew that their camp could be somewhat hard to find, at least at first. Joiners had a habit of falling down into the shallow dune that held their various dens, rather than actually intentionally coming into it. The rust colored feline had decided to make it a habit to provide guidance, just so that future injuries could be prevented.

RHINESTONESTAR - PALMCLAN - PENNED BY STILLY

On one hand, it was natural that not everyone would know that he was leader just by looking at him. That would be ridiculous. After all, he hadn't suddenly gained any particular markings that very obviously made him a star to everyone who passed, so he could forgive Penumbra's confusion. However, it was simply the way that Penumbra expressed herself that made Rhine smile a bit, his shoulders shaking with soft laughter he only barely managed to hold back. He didn't want to laugh in her face and embarrass her any further, but the entire situation was just so amusing that he couldn't help a couple of chuckles bubbling out. Once he was done, he pressed a gentle paw against his own muzzle to silence himself, muttering with a nod of his head, "Yes, I would be the leader of Palmclan. I've been the leader ever since a recent hurricane struck us." Perhaps talking about the hurricane wasn't the best thing to do with a fresh-faced new joiner, but it wasn't as if it couldn't happen again. Best for her to know what she was getting herself into.

When the other feline expressed that she would need a guide, he found himself nodding once again, a calm smile appearing on his face. He muttered as he turned, tail flicking to let Penumbra know that she could follow him, "Alright, come, I'll lead you to camp. Sugarspice, if you'd like to accompany us, feel free to do so." He didn't know if the other warrior had anything she needed to get to, but either way, he provided her with the option. He led Penumbra away from the forest part of their territory, away from the sparse grass spread across the earth and towards the sand that so many Palmclanners were used to.

RHINESTONESTAR - PALMCLAN - PENNED BY STILLY