Silentkit volunteered to help Juniperflower and other cats, but Juniperflower decided it was only best to help her unless others asked. She had told him, "Not all cats trust you yet, though you have decided to take the path of a medicine cat. When you do become my apprentice, be cautious, because there are cats out there that truly believe your life must be taken to fulfill the prophecy."
Silentkit himself, was scared of course, but never as much as his parents were. Waspclaw always offered to play with Silentkit first, and the warrior always chose out fighting games, or games where he was an enemy and Silentkit had to attack him. "No thank you," Silentkit would mew. "I'm strong enough to defend myself, papa. And, there will always be at least some cat willing to defend me," he had said with pride.
Yet, it didn't feel like it. Do I really belong as ShadowClan's next medicine cat? Silentkit asked himself as he weaved inside the nursery. He dropped the wet moss on the ground, then Juniperflower shooed him out. "Stay out for now," she meowed. "Thank you for the water, though. Hollystorm will need it." Hollystorm cried in the background, and the medicine cat turned back to her. "Come on, Hollystorm," she urged. "Two more kits."
"I can't get two more kits out!" Hollystorm gasped. "This pain is unbearable!"
"Take your mind off it, then," Silentkit mewed. "You can chew on a small branch. I can get it for you!" His ears perked. Hollystorm stared at him for a moment, her breathing heavy and quick. She then nodded.
"Yes, please! Be a dear to me and go get one," she cried. Juniperflower narrowed her eyes at Silentkit, but then gave him an approving nod. She flicked her tail, and then Silentkit scrambled off. He padded over to the small bush growing next to the camp entrance, and poked his head into it. The kit placed his teeth lightly on one of the branches, and then snapped it off.
"Where are you going with that? To play fetch like a dog?" came a snicker. Silentkit glanced up to see the cream structure of Sedgepaw snickering down at him. His tail twitched.
"I'm giving it to Hollystorm. She needs it to keep her mind off the pain," he mewed. "We are cats, not dogs. You seem to have the intelligence of one, though," Silentkit grinned at his own joke, and then brushed past Sedgepaw, who was glaring after him. Ten moons and she is still a big, stupid bully. I'm five and I'm way smarter than her! That made Silentkit raise his tail in pride. Smarter than an apprentice!
He scrambled back to the nursery, and nearly flinched by the blood staining Hollystorm's nest. She wailed in pain, and Silentkit dashed up to her then dropped the stick. Juniperflower turned to him. "Thank you," she meowed. "Hollystorm, it's okay, one more kit, you got this. I'm not going to lose you, you are going to be with your family!"
Acornwhisker abruptly pushed through the nursery entrance.
"Is she alright?!" he mewed like a kitten with worry. His eyes were wide, then he turned to Silentkit. "What are you doing in here? Shouldn't you be with your mother? I don't want you handling my kits!" Juniperflower whipped around to face Acornwhisker.
"Out!" She snapped. "You aren't helping your mate by being in here. You'll only get in the way, unlike Silentkit, who's actually been helping me, thank you! For a kit he's far more mature than you!" Acornwhisker flinched, then quickly slid out with a glare at Silentkit. Silentkit frowned, turning back to Hollystorm. Her breathing was heavy; the last kit finally slid out onto the nest, and Juniperflower cleaned and warmed it up. Hollystorm wrapped her tail around her newborn kits, tears stinging her eyes from the pain. Silentkit puffed his chest out. He was only a kit and he helped deliver some!
"Go and find your mother now, Silentkit. Thank you for your help." Silentkit scrambled outside of the den, but stopped and turned for a moment to listen to the hearing.
"Have you thought about making him your apprentice?" He heard Hollystorm ask. "He's mature for a kit, and did really well with helping out. He'd make a good medicine cat, and the clan would be sure to treat him as equal afterwards." Juniperflower let out a sigh.
"That's sort of what I'm hoping to happen. I've already asked him to be my apprentice, and he agreed. I also think if he is the key to... you know what, he should become my apprentice. But if he didn't want to be it, I wouldn't force him to take my path." Silentkit frowned. He was only asked because of the gossip going around? Oh well, I wanted to be a medicine cat anyway. Even if Juniperflower didn't ask me, I was going to ask myself!
The tom turned around and scampered off to Quietstep.
"Oh, Fogkit! You just messed your fur up again!" Quietstep hissed.
"All cats gather around for a clan meeting!" Oakstar yowled. Quietstep nosed her kits forward.
"Make me and Waspclaw proud!" She meowed.
"Today we have three kits becoming apprentices," Oakstar declared. Four heads poked out from the nursery. Silenkit glanced back, and Hollystorm was stumbling outside while her kits were piling on her. Silentkit held back a small giggle. The four kits had been trouble for her, and he had kittensat them all. Hollystorm and Acornwhisker had named them Stormkit, Darkkit, Squirrelkit, and Acornkit. He turned back to face his leader.
"Fogkit, Thornkit, and Silentkit, you will be known as Fogpaw, Thornpaw, and Silentpaw." Oakstar's eyes flicked around the camp. "Cedarnose, you will mentor Fogpaw. You are a strong and confident warrior, and I believe she will follow in your foot steps to be one of the best warriors in the clan." Fogpaw bounced off to her new mentor, and the two pressed noses. Oakstar then turned to face Thornpaw. "Owlwhisker, you will mentor Thornpaw." Oakstar raised his head to look at the seal point she-cat. "You are a brilliant hunter, and very loyal to your clan. I am sure you will pass down every skill you know to him." Thornpaw padded over to Owlwhisker, and flinched as she pressed noses with him.
Oakstar then looked down at Silentpaw. "Silentpaw, is it your wish to take the path of a medicine cat?" Silentpaw nodded eagerly. "Then Juniperflower, I trust you will make Silentpaw into a fine medicine cat, the next one of ShadowClan."
"I have an objection!" the black tom, Tornear, yowled. "How can he be a medicine cat after what we've heard? How can his ceremony be performed when our ancestors are-"
"Silence!" Juniperflower hissed. "Silentpaw will make a fine medicine cat, and StarClan will approve of my choice! They have never led us wrong before. Do not worry the clan because of some message you heard at the gathering moons ago." Her eyes flashed with anger, then beckoned Silentpaw. "Come. It has already been done." Silentpaw slid over to his mentor, heat nagging under his pelt as murmurs awoke when he passed. The tom glanced back at Oakstar, who had his eyes narrowed.
"Dismissed," he meowed, jumping down off the rock. Juniperflower nosed Silentpaw.
"Let's train," she mewed. "Don't let them bother you. You are ShadowClan's next medicine cat, whether they like it or not. You cannot be kicked from your position just for words that were spoken from a ThunderClan apprentice's mouth." Silentpaw nodded, glancing at Tornear. The elder was muttering angrily to his denmate, Cherryflower. When he noticed Silentpaw's eyes, his own narrowed, then the elder whipped around and stalked off. Silentpaw shuddered at the glint that shone in Tornear's amber eyes. Juniperflower turned to him, flicking her tail, then padded towards her den. He followed after, pondering about the future.