Chapter 2
Whitestar padded towards Thistlepaw and Littlepaw, Dawnlight and Silverfur were already waiting for him.
"Ok, let's go," Whitestar meowed. He bounded out of camp and up the ravine, "Thistlepaw and Littlepaw can lead the patrol today," the leader told them as he dropped back to let the two apprentices go ahead.
Silverfur and Dawnlight followed him as he watched them trot in front of him. Thistlepaw was a big and muscular cat; his muscle's rippling under his thick fur. While Littlepaw, as her name proclaimed, was small yet lithe. Whitestar had watched a play fight between the apprentices once. Thistlepaw had always overpowered with his size yet Littlepaw had surprising strength and speed.
The patrol stopped when they saw a rabbit nuzzling some grass on the far side of the clearing. Littlepaw glanced at Whitestar before sneaking around till she was downwind from the rabbit, she then quietly pulled herself forward before she leaped and killed the rabbit with a single bite to the neck.
"Good job," Whitestar said with a nod of his head, "we can bury it here and pick it up later."
The patrol went well, Thistlepaw caught a vole and they were heading back to camp when a stench stopped all of the cats. It was DarkClan!
Whitestar signaled with his tail for the patrol to stop, "I think DarkClan just passed through, they might still be here," Whitestar turned to Thistlepaw and Littlepaw, "you two can try to follow them and we'll follow you, let's hope that it's not too many DarkClan warriors."
Thistlepaw and Littlepaw took the lead, noses close to the ground they quietly sneaked forward after a little bit Thistlepaw looked up, "it smell's as if their were about four cats here, probably all warriors and defiantly DarkClan."
"It looks like they turned back to their own territory," Littlepaw mewed as she looked in the direction of DarkClan and the river.
"I think you're right, we should go back to camp and I'll tell Dirtclaw to bring out more patrols and to check around DarkClan's border more often. Right now we can't do anything though," Whitestar meowed as he and the patrol headed back to camp, getting their prey on the way.
When they were at the camp entrance Whitestar mewed to his two kits, "we almost forgot, you're warrior ceremony will be held at Sundown. You can tell your friends now as well."
"Thank you!" Littlepaw meowed as she and her brother rushed towards the apprentice den.
"You've done well with those two, even though they both were your first apprentices," Whitestar told Dawnlight and Silverfur as he and Cloudstorm sat down beside them.
"Yes, I still can't believe they are becoming warriors. It feels like they have just left the nursery," Cloudstorm said fondly as she glanced at Silverfur.
"Thank you, they were fun to teach, Littlepaw was a very keen yet energetic apprentice," Silverfur meowed.
"It's almost time for the ceremony," Whitestar got up, "Do they know what to do and say?" he asked worriedly.
"They'll be fine, we've told them everything about what to say and do," Dawnlight reassured him.
"They've been able to handle many other things besides a warrior ceremony," Silverfur added as she got up and stalked towards Thistlepaw and Littlepaw who were sitting at the entrance to the apprentice den.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the Rock Hill for a clan meeting!" Whitestar yowled after leaping onto the Rock Hill, which was on the edge of the camp. Sharpfang watched as Thistlepaw and Littlepaw silently stepped forward, their groomed fur shining in the last weak rays of Sundown. Silverfur and Dawnlight stood close by, looking on proudly.
"I, Whitestar, leader of ForestClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you in their turn," turning to face Littlepaw he continued speaking, "Littlepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
Littlepaw's reply was proud and confident, "I do."
"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior name: Littlepaw, from this moment you will be known as Littletail. StarClan honors your loyalty and speed, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ForestClan," Whitestar rested his muzzle on the top of Littletail's head. Littletail liked her father's shoulder, and then stepped back. Whitestar turned to Thistlepaw and started speaking.
"Thistlepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend this Clan, even at the cost of you life?"
Thistlepaw answered firmly, "I do."
"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior name: Thistlepaw, from this moment you will be known as Thistlepelt. StarClan honors you strength and courage, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ForestClan," Whitestar stepped toward his son then put his muzzle on top of Thistlepelt's head. Thistlepelt licked Whitestar's shoulder then went over and sat down beside his sister by the warriors. The whole Clan praised the two new warriors by yowling their new names.
"Thistlepelt! Littletail!"
After the meeting Sharpfang padded over to Silverfur, who was urgently whispering to Dawnlight, "you've done a great job with those two," he mewed, noticing that Dawnlight was looking annoyed and Sharpfang himself could feel anger and worry coming from Silverfur, "what happened? Shouldn't you be happy?" he asked them, he glanced at Silverfur.
"It's nothing, and of course we are happy for Thistlepelt and Littletail," Silverfur snapped at Sharpfang.
"I was just asking!" Sharpfang spat back, "and you know what? You have been acting different ever since the gathering. I'm trustworthy cat you know, but obviously you don't trust me. Something is drawing us apart and I don't know why," he met her eyes for a heartbeat, then spun around and slipped in between the brambles of the warrior den.
"Now you've made him angry, not the first cat in this Clan either," Dawnlight declared after a tense pause.
"You are the one who's been going across the border to visit a DarkClan warrior. Can't you pick a cat from this Clan?"
"You know it's not that easy, and don't tell me you don't know. I've seen how you and Sharpfang act around each other. It didn't just happen because you picked him," Dawnlight told Silverfur, no anger in her words, "I understand why you want me to stop seeing Laststep but I actually can't. Imagine what it would be like if you and Sharpfang were separated by territory and Clan rivalry."
"I don't have to," Silverfur meowed, with a flick of her tail she turned and vanished into the warrior's den.
"Silverfur!" Smallflower called into her ear, "Dirtclaw wants you to take a hunting patrol, we're getting low on fresh kill," Silverfur jumped up with surprise while she blinked out the sleep from her eyes and arched her back to stretch the stiffness that had seeped in.
"Sorry Smallflower, I was really tired," Silverfur mewed in apology as she pushed out from the warrior den, "Did he say whom I should take?"
"Dirtclaw said to go check with him, I have to go now, I'm leading a patrol," Smallflower mewed good-bye as she headed towards the patrol waiting for her at the entrance to the camp. Silverfur saw Dirtclaw coming out of the nursery and she quickly headed towards him. "Smallflower said I should go and get a hunting patrol, which cats should I take?" she asked him.
"I've already asked Sootpelt to go; you can pick the other cats."
"Okay, I'll see who is free. Why were you in the nursery?" Silverfur asked curiously.
"Thunderkit and Bearkit are my kits and they are almost ready to become apprentices, I was just checking with Ripplewing if they are ready."
"When will the ceremony be?"
"Whitestar hasn't decided yet, probably after the next sunrise," Dirtclaw replied as he stood up, "I have to go and talk with Whitestar now, and you might want to get on with that hunting patrol."
"Of course, see you later," Silverfur said as she too got up and left.
Silverfur padded across the clearing to check if anyone that was awake wanted to go on the hunting patrol. All of a sudden she saw Sharpfang push himself through the branches of the warrior den, "There you are," Silverfur hurried toward him, "I was wondering if you wanted to come hunting with me and Sootpelt."
"I can't come," Sharpfang replied coolly as he gave her a hard look, "I promised Breezepaw we'd train today."
"Breezepaw and you can join the patrol, that should be good training," Silverfur suggested as she tried not to flinch from his icy glare.
"We were going to train her fighting skills, you can find another cat to go hunting," then without another word Sharpfang pushed past her and headed to the apprentice den to wake up Breezepaw.
"I can go hunting," Tangleclaw mewed as he came up to Silverfur, "Windfoot asked me to take Wetpaw hunting today. So it would be good training for Wetpaw to come."
"Thanks, I don't know what's gotten into Sharpfang," Silverfur purred as she glanced at Tangleclaw with relief. His yellow eyes glowed softly has he blinked sympathetically.
"I'll get Wetpaw if you'll get Sootpelt," Tangleclaw offered.
"Thanks, we'll meet at the camp entrance."
"So where are we going to hunt?" Tangleclaw asked after the cats had left the camp.
"Let's go close to the river, there is usually prey there," Silverfur told them as she headed towards the WaterClan border.
After hunting for a while the patrol turned back to camp, each cat had gotten some prey but it wasn't a lot. This worried Silverfur; it showed that Leafbare would come any day now. Snow hadn't fallen yet but it was pretty cold and the tree's branches had no leaves on them anymore. A cold gust of wind pushed through a clearing that the cats were in, "Brrr, it's cold," Sootpelt complained as he readjusted his grip on a vole he held in his jaws.
"It is cold, Leafbare is coming earlier then usual," Tangleclaw pointed out as he dropped his prey on the ground, "let's have a quick break and see if there is any more prey near her," he suggested. Before any cat could agree Wetpaw's tail twitched as he flicked his ears toward the bottom of an oak tree near by.
"There's a mouse down there," he quietly hissed. The young silvery grey tabby tom started slinking around the clearing so he was downwind of the tiny animal scuffling among the acorns. He silently put one paw infront of another and with a satisfied hiss he pounced on top of the wood mouse and killed it with a quick bite to the spine.
"Good job," Tangleclaw mewed as Wetpaw picked up his prey and carried it over to the group of cats, his dark blue eyes glowing.
"Thanks, it didn't even realize I was there until I was on top of it," he mewed proudly. All of a sudden Sootpelt's ears pricked toward the WaterClan border.
"I think a patrol is coming from WaterClan," he quickly warned. Even though ForestClan was on their own territory Clan's would still be rival to each other. The hunting patrol slipped back into the bushes, as the reeds on the other side of the border rustled. A ginger tom burst out as he ran towards the WaterClan camp, he bore claw marks on his side and you could tell he was weakened by loss of blood.
"Wait, stop!" Silverfur ordered as she hurried towards the border that separated the Clan's. The tom stopped and spun around, his fur bristling.
"Flameclaw!" Sootpelt rushed to the tom, seeming unaware of the border that separated them, "What happened to you?"
Flameclaw's fur lay flat as he recognized the cats, "a fox attacked me, Heartpaw was hurt really badly and I'm getting help."
"Did you chase it away?" Tangleclaw mewed urgently as he went over to join his patrol with Wetpaw right behind him.
"Is a warrior or two with Heartpaw, she shouldn't be alone," Wetpaw pushed forward to stand beside Silverfur.
"I don't need an apprentice that's barely out of the nursery to tell me what to do," Flameclaw snapped, "I have to go to the camp and get Loudfoot to come." Wetpaw's fur bristled and he opened his mouth to reply angrily but Silverfur slapped her tail across his mouth.
"We'll go and make sure Heartpaw is okay," Sootpelt offered. Flameclaw hesitated but then nodded his head.
"Very well, Heartpaw and I were out patrolling the border near the Twolegs," he flicked his tail to point out the direction.
Silverfur nodded her head and then turned around and started directing orders, "Sootpelt you can go with Flameclaw to get the medicine cat. Wetpaw and I will go to Heartpaw. Tangleclaw, you can go back to camp and tell them where we are and what we are doing," Silverfur glanced at Tangleclaw to make sure he had heard, then without another word the cats split up and went in the different directions.
"Do you know who Heartpaw is?" Silverfur asked after she and Wetpaw had set out too where Flameclaw had indicated.
"I met her at the gathering, she's the same age as me and Flameclaw's her father," Wetpaw answered as he scrambled over a large log in front of them.
"That explains why he was so worried," Silverfur told Wetpaw as she leapt over the log and waited for him to jump down, "Heartpaw is his daughter."
"Wait," Wetpaw skidded to a stop beside a clump of horsetails, "do you smell that?"
Silverfur's eyes widened as the harsh scent seeped to the roof of her mouth, "blood!" she exclaimed.
"This way," Wetpaw swerved around the horsetail clump and almost tripped over the cat lying on the damp ground beside a low willow tree. The dark ginger and white fur of the apprentice was matted with blood. As Wetpaw looked closer he noticed the puncture marks on the neck of the apprentice, "it looks like the fox got its teeth into her neck," Wetpaw commented.
"She's not moving, that can't be a good sign," Silverfur added as she sniffed the unmoving cat, "she's still alive though."
The low hanging branches of the willow tree near by rustled. Wetpaw and Silverfur quickly spun around, ready to pounce, "calm down, it's just us," Sootpelt mewed as he stepped out of the shadows with a tabby tom beside him. Silverfur recognized the tom as Loudfoot, the WaterClan medicine cat. Loudfoot hurried toward Heartpaw, dropping his bundle of herbs he sniffed her wound and then turned towards Sootpelt who sat near by watching them, "Could you go find some cobwebs?" he asked the ForestClan warrior.
"Sure, Wetpaw can help," Sootpelt, told the old medicine cat and he headed to the large bushes near the willow tree behind them with his son following.
"Is she OK?" Flameclaw asked as he rushed to his daughter's side. Loudfoot didn't answer him as he mixed some juniper berries and poppy seeds together on a leaf.
"Where were you, you cam late?" Silverfur asked the ginger tom curiously. Flameclaw glared at her before answering.
"I had to tell Mossstar where I was, I can't just run around giving orders like I'm the leader or deputy. You probably don't know the meaning of that though. Your Clan is filled with cats that order everyone around and don't care who is in charge. WaterClan follow the warrior code, unlike you, that's why StarClan favors us," Flameclaw mewed as his arrogant gaze swept over the bristling silver grey ForestClan she-cat that sprang up before him.
"How dare you insult my Clan and call us traitors," Silverfur hissed at the ginger tom.
"I dare because it is the truth," without a warning Silverfur flung herself at Flameclaw with a screech of fury. The tom stumbled as the angry she-cat gripped his fur with her front claws.
"Stop!" Loudfoot glared at the two cats, "we have an apprentice here that is seriously injured and you two are fighting," releasing her hold on the ginger WaterClan warrior's fur Silverfur stepped back so she could face the medicine cat.
"Sorry, what can we do?" Flameclaw asked.
"You can hold her mouth open while I give her this," Loudfoot said as he stepped toward the apprentice with the juniper berry and poppy seed mixture wrapped in leaves. Flameclaw and Silverfur held open Heartpaw's jaws while Loudfoot gently put the mixture into her mouth, he then stroked her throat to help the apprentice swallow. After the unconscious apprentice had swallowed most of the mixture Loudfoot started licking the wounds on the apprentice's flanks. He signaled the two other cats to help him, at that moment Sootpelt and Wetpaw shouldered through the bushes, holding up the cobwebs they had found in there jaws so the precious strands wouldn't get caught on the branches.
"Thanks," Loudfoot meowed as he started pressing the cobwebs onto the wounds from the apprentice. Finishing with the cobwebs Loudfoot picked up the rest of the herbs lying on the ground beside him. He then glanced at Sootpelt and Silverfur "can you carry her back to the camp? I will be able to treat her better in my den," the grey tabby medicine cat asked them.
"Sure," Silverfur and Sootpelt picked up eartpawHea
Heartpaw gently, on their shoulders.
"What should I do?" Flameclaw asked as he glanced at his daughter.
"Nothing, you were injured in the fight with the fox and are weak, I will treat you after I'm done with Heartpaw in the camp," Loudfoot told the ginger tom as he signaled Wetpaw to come over, "you can bring some horsetail back to the camp, there's a clump right there," he pointed to some tall stalks near by. Wetpaw hurried and bent his head to bite of the stalks; the sap from the plant made is eyes water. The group of cats headed towards the WaterClan camp, Flameclaw led the way.
"Thank you very much for your help," Mossstar mewed in the WaterClan camp to the ForestClan patrol, "Heartpaw probably would have been in worse condition if it hadn't been for your help.
"It wasn't a problem, we were glad to help," Silverfur told the WaterClan leader
"Mossstar is right," Loudfoot came up behind them from his medicine cat den.
"Will she be OK?" Sootpelt asked.
"She'll live, if that's what you mean," Loudfoot replied with a level look in his eyes.
"That's great, we'll be going now," Silverfur glanced at her patrol before turning back to Mossstar, "we'll see you at the next gathering hopefully," Mossstar nodded her head and stepped back to let the ForestClan patrol to pass and head back to their own camp.
When Silverfur had entered the ForestClan camp Littletail quickly rushed over to greet her.
"How did it go?" the tabby and white she-cat asked her, her eyes gleaming curiously.
"Fine, Heartpaw and Flameclaw are both OK and there wasn't any serious trouble," Silverfur answered calmly, "where's Whitestar, I have to report to him?"
Littletail looked down nervously then glanced up at her former mentor, "he's in the Medicine Cat's den."
"What! Why, is he injured?" Silverfur asked worriedly.
"He's fine, it's Tangleclaw," Littletail said.
"What happened? Is Tangleclaw injured?" Sootpelt hurried over with Wetpaw as they caught the last bit of the conversation.
"The fox that attacked the WaterClan cat's crossed the border and attacked Tangleclaw. Tangleclaw just got away but he's been seriously injured. Whitestar was able to find out where you were from Tangleclaw before he became unconscious. You should go see him," Littletail finished as Sharpfang stalked up to the group of cats. Ignoring him Silverfur hurried toward Softfoot's den, which was on the other side of the clearing. After shouldering through the thorn bushes that surrounded the Medicine Cats den and the nursery Silverfur stood over Tangleclaw. The tabby tom lay on the ground, his eyes dull and his breath coming out in rasps.
"Tangleclaw?" Silverfur mewed quietly as she pushed her nose into his fur.
"I think he'll be alright," a voice came from the back of the den. Softfoot appeared with some herbs in her mouth, Whitestar followed. Setting down her herbs Softfoot smelt Tangleclaw's wounds, "he's been seriously injured but the injuries aren't life threatening. Thank StarClan the fox had already fought so he was weakened."
"Yes," Silverfur mewed with a relieved purr. She spun around startled as Whitestar headed toward her angrily.
"Thanks to you Tangleclaw has been injured and we don't have more prey!" Whitestar snapped.
"It's not my fault that the fox attacked Tangleclaw, it could have gone for any cat!" Silverfur glared at her leader.
"Did you have to go to help WaterClan? They didn't have to have your help," Whitestar snapped.
"They needed help! What would have happened if the fox had returned? The apprentice was unconscious," Silverfur tried to control her anger.
"Well the fox didn't return, right," Whitestar took a deep breath as he tried to relax.
"I helped Flameclaw and Heartpaw because they were cats that were in trouble. I didn't care about Clan rivalry," Silverfur explained.
"WaterClan would have been fine, you didn't have to help. Clan's have to be able to take care of themselves, not from the support of other cat's or Clan's," Whitestar told his sister.
"I'm not a kit, I know that. Yet sometimes Clan's need help though, what if we needed help sometime. WaterClan could help us," Silverfur jumped in surprise when she had finished speaking as an angry meow came from behind her.
"Well if we ever are in trouble ForestClan will be able to take care of themselves, not with the help of some other Clan that relies on cats from outside their Clan to protect them!" Sharpfang glared at Silverfur, "not that you'd know the meaning of that."
"What are you talking about? I don't rely on different Clans or cats. I'm loyal to ForestClan!" Silverfur gave an angry and confused hiss at the white warrior in front of her.
"Yes Sharpfang, why are you accusing Silverfur. I know she is a loyal ForestClan cat," Whitestar looked at the white warrior with a worried expression.
"She's been sneaking out to the DarkClan border! I know it, she's meeting some DarkClan cat," Sharpfang gave her a hard stare as he faced Whitestar.
"What! You're out of your mind, I would never do that. That's against the warrior code!" Silverfur stood stiff legged as her fur bristled with surprise and anger.
"Is this true, Silverfur?" Silverfur couldn't read her brother's expression as he looked at her, "Have you been sneaking out to see a DarkClan warrior?"
"I'd never do that! Sharpfang is just trying to stir trouble. I would never go against the warrior code, my leader, or my Clan, Sharpfang is just being mouse-brained!" Silverfur stepped forward as she glared at Sharpfang and then turned to look Whitestar in the eye.
"OK, I believe you, we'll talk about this later," Whitestar glanced at his two warriors with a serious expression before walking out of the Medicine Cat den.
"Thanks a lot! Now you've got Whitestar thinking I'm not a loyal Clan cat. What do you think you were doing, saying that about me?" Silverfur asked Sharpfang.
"I'm just telling the truth. You have been seeing a Dark Clan cat, I know it."
"You actually believe what you're saying? I haven't done anything like that. How could you just think that I would do that, you don't even have proof!" Silverfur's eyes were wide with surprise.
"I have all the proof I need. I saw you with that dark tabby DarkClan warrior at the end of the last gathering! You had DarkClan stink all over you as well after the gathering. Then you were acting really worried after the gathering because DarkClan found your scent on their border visiting that warrior!" Sharpfang lashed his tail angrily.
"You're crazy! How could you think that, I haven't even sniffed a DarkClan warrior since the gathering and that's because we were arguing about something," Silverfur was so frustrated she missed the jealous and sad look that flashed in Sharpfangs eyes, mixed with his anger.
"I know what I saw; I'm not going to tell anyone else because I for one am loyal to my friends, unlike you!" Sharpfang drew back with a final glare.
"One of the mistakes you've made is that you're not very loyal to your friends at all, probably because you don't have any!" Silverfur yowled after him as she watched his white body vanish into the warriors den. With a hiss of frustration Silverfur glanced at Tangleclaw before going towards the fresh kill pile.
