Chapter Five
Stoneheart, Squirrelfur, Goldenpaw and Stormpaw padded toward the RiverClan border. It was nearly sunhigh and the hunting patrol had been out for hours. Cold winds blew their fur and chilled them to the bone. Frost had crusted the ferns and plants since early morning. Snow was beginning to fall lightly and steadily growing heavier.
"Alright" Stoneheart meowed. "We're at Jagged Tooth so keep your hunting close by."
"Right" Goldenpaw meowed, padding toward the boulders.
Stormpaw set off in the opposite direction for his hunt. Stoneheart and Squirrelfur also headed to hunt. In the shadow of a boulder Stormpaw stopped and drew in the cold air. It stung his lungs slightly but something stung even more.
Claws fell across his shoulder. Stormpaw cried out and heard Stoneheart yowl from nearby. Soon the air was full of screeching cats.
Stormpaw whirled around to face his attacker. It was a scrawny black tom that stank of crowfood. Stormpaw gagged against the strong smell of the thunderpath and saw more cats prowling around Stoneheart and Squirrelfur. Goldenpaw was striking out against an ugly brown she-cat.
With a yowl of rage Stormpaw leapt at his attacker, raking his claws along the cat's flank. The black tom leapt aside so that his claws only scratched his pelt. Stormpaw and the cat circled together for a few moments then he ran at Stormpaw.
Stormpaw dropped back quickly and felt claws swipe across his ear, missing by hardly a whisker width. Again the tom swiped at him. Stormpaw scrambled back, trying to put distance between him and his attacker so he could get in a good leap. The tom however kept coming each time Stormpaw stepped backward.
Finally Stormpaw ran at the rouge, slamming his shoulder into the cat's chest and throwing his weight against the older cat. The rouge yowled in surprise as he was forced back. Stormpaw hooked his claws in the cat's underbelly and felt blood seep over his paws. Stormpaw drew back again and leapt, landing almost on top of the attacking rouge. He latched his claws onto the cat's shoulders and bit down on the back of his neck.
The taste of blood and unwashed fur was horrible but Stormpaw forced himself to hang on as the tom began thrashing wildly. Stormpaw had a good grip and kicked out with his back legs. He knew he had struck eyes and a face.
With a yowl of pain the tom gave one more wild shake. Stormpaw was thrown from his shoulders. Stormpaw struck the ground and was winded, expecting an attack. None came.
Stormpaw looked around and saw the rouge running blindly away, blinded by his ruined eyes and pain. Stormpaw leapt up and saw another cat run away from Squirrelfur. Stoneheart was struggling under a mangy looking ginger she-cat.
Goldenpaw leapt to help him and Stormpaw attacked a rouge stalking toward Stoneheart, pinning him down and biting down hard on the rouge's shoulder, drawing blood and feeling his fangs scrape bone. The cat gave a shirking yowl of pain and thrashed free, fleeing after the others.
The battle ended.
Stormpaw looked at his clanmates. They were mostly unharmed though there were a few scratches. Squirrelfur was watching the rouges with distaste in her narrowed green eyes.
"They're heading for RiverClan" she murmured.
"They probably don't know they are" Stoneheart meowed warily, shaking dust and rock from his blue-grey pelt. "If they meet a patrol they'll be dead in no time. Fallenstar hates rouges."
"Come on, we'll mark the border and get out of here" Squirrelfur meowed, looking around warily. "They might come back."
"Right" Stoneheart agreed. "Goldenpaw, Stormpaw, head back and report this to Risingstar or Icestorm. We'll take care of the border and follow."
Stormpaw and Goldenpaw nodded and headed off back toward camp. It was sunhigh and snow fell heavily on the returning apprentices. When they reached the ravine, it was slick and they half fell down the ravine to camp. Once in camp Goldenpaw headed straight for Icestorm without asking Stormpaw if he would like to help with the report.
Ignoring Goldenpaw's rudeness Stormpaw headed for Greyfoot's clearing. To his surprise, Runningpaw was in the clearing having a thorn removed from his paw.
"I got careless when I was hunting" Runningpaw explained sheepishly. "I was chasing a rabbit and didn't notice…"
"A thorn bush?" Stormpaw meowed, hardly able to hide his amusement.
Runningpaw flicked his ears in embarrassment and caught the scent on Stormpaw's pelt. He stank of rouges and he knew it. "What about you?"
"Rouges attacked our patrol" Stormpaw meowed bitterly.
"Sit still and I'll take a look at those scratches" Greyfoot meowed, glancing at Stormpaw. "They don't seem too deep but is it too much to ask for you to stay in one piece for at least half a moon?"
Stormpaw purred. He knew Greyfoot was joking. Greyfoot always had away of lightening any cats' mood. Even though he was old, Greyfoot had more energy then most of the warriors in ThunderClan.
When Stormpaw was cleaned up he walked out of the clearing with Runningpaw and saw Stoneheart and Squirrelfur talking with Risingstar and Icestorm near the highrock.
"Come on" Runningpaw meowed, flicking his tail toward the thorn tunnel. "If we hurry we can go visit Silver and Patch and still have time to hunt."
"Okay" Stormpaw agreed. "But keep an eye open for rouges."
The two brothers headed back into the ravine. The snow had changed now, a cross between rain and solid snow. It penetrated their pelts as they walked and made them shiver. Small ice crystals were forming on their coats when they reached the twoleg fences. Stormpaw went first, leaping on top of the wood fence and looking into the garden. A moment later he was joined by his brother.
"Silver?" Stormpaw called quietly. "Patch?"
"Hi" meowed a cheery voice.
Stormpaw and Runningpaw turned and saw Patch walking along the fence toward them from a few gardens down. Stormpaw and Runningpaw went to meet him.
"Is Silver around?" Stormpaw asked.
"No" Patch meowed. "To tell you the truth I haven't seen her in a while. The twolegs have seen you two and are keeping her in."
Runningpaw snorted. "Typical."
"I know" Patch agreed. "Oh well, what's going on in the forest? You must have news if you were coming out this far."
"Rouges are loose in the forest" Stormpaw told his brother.
Patch licked his black and white pelt and thought for a moment. "Strays? In the forest? I though clan cats were strays."
"We're different kinds of strays" Runningpaw corrected. "We have everything we need and we have a system. Rouges don't. They just go around stealing prey and killing cats and kits."
"Oh" Patch meowed. "Well I have good news for you two."
"What's that?" Stormpaw asked, flicking his ears forward in slight interest even though he had long since lost interest in kittypet news.
"Sheba is going to have kits in a few moons" Patch announced happily, tail waving in pleasure. "According to the twolegs she'll have four kits."
"Congratulations" Stormpaw purred, licking his brother's ear.
Runningpaw purred loudly and pressed his muzzle to Patch's shoulder.
"Are they yours?" Stormpaw asked.
Patch nodded. "Yes."
"We should get going" Runningpaw meowed. "We still have to hunt if we plan on eating tonight, come on Stormpaw."
"Would you like some of my food?" Patch offered. "We have plenty."
"No" Stormpaw meowed. "That would be breaking the warrior code. We're not allowed to eat kittypet food because that's betraying the clan if we eat for ourselves and don't bring back prey."
"I see" Patch meowed, nodding. "Bye then."
The two tabbies leapt off of the fence, waving their tails in farewell to Patch. Together they dove back into the forest which was steadily being coated in ice and snow.
When Stormpaw woke the next morning he was curled deep in his nest with his tail over his face. Runningpaw was curled up beside him with Poppypaw on his other side. Streampaw and Goldenpaw were curled up nearby and Amberpaw was pressed beside Stormpaw, purring softly in her sleep.
Yet again Rootpaw had haunted Stormpaw's dreams. He had been there but had kept walking away into darkness. Stormpaw had called out to him but Rootpaw had ignored him and continued walking. When Stormpaw tried to follow, ranks of StarClan warriors would close in on him and cut him off. What in StarClan's name was going on?
Stretching, Stormpaw got up out of his warm nest. Stoneheart would be waking soon and they would be off to train again. There was no use in trying to go back to sleep if he would only dream. The dreams StarClan sent him left him feeling tired and he never woke feeling refreshed like he should.
"Stormpaw?" Amberpaw murmured drowsily. "You awake already?"
"Yes" Stormpaw meowed softly, touching her head with his nose. "Go back to sleep, everything's fine."
Amberpaw's golden eyes flickered for a moment before she dropped back into deep sleep, Stormpaw's reassuring scent lingering in her mind before she was engulfed with sleep.
Stormpaw got up and padded into the clearing, stretching his front legs in front of him and arching his back in a luxurious stretch.
Thornheart, Breezecloud, Frostfoot and Rainpelt were going out on dawn patrol when Stormpaw left the den. Risingstar was coming out of her den and stretching. Stormpaw headed for the fresh kill pile and chose a vole from the pile and took it to a nettle patch to eat. Stoneheart joined him with a mouse.
"I think we'll work on your tracking skills today" Stoneheart meowed thoughtfully, biting into the mouse.
"Okay" Stormpaw meowed, stifling a yawn.
Stoneheart looked at him. "Are you alright? You haven't exactly been behaving normally lately. Normally I'd see apprentices fighting outside the den at night, you head straight to the den and sleep."
"I'm not sleeping very well" Stormpaw muttered, it was completely true. "Nightmares."
Stoneheart nodded. "I know the cure for that. Go to Greyfoot when you're done and get some poppy seeds and get some sleep. We'll continue training when you wake up."
"But my training…"Stormpaw began.
"No" Stoneheart meowed forcefully. "I won't train an apprentice that's so tired he can hardly stand on his own paws. Go."
Stormpaw went. Greyfoot gave him the poppy seeds and he went right to the den. Runningpaw and Breezecloud were leaving when he crossed the clearing. Stormpaw flopped down in his nest and fell instantly to sleep.
Stormpaw woke just after sunhigh. A shaft of sunlight was warming his pelt and he felt groggy and heavy with sleep and warmth. For the first night in nearly a moon he had slept without dreams. StarClan had given him a break. Stormpaw didn't move for several minutes, letting his mind begin pushing away the effects of the poppy seeds.
"Awake?" Runningpaw asked, padding into the den, sunlight rippling across his dark tabby pelt.
"Yes" Stormpaw meowed, stretching. "I feel a lot better."
"Greyfoot does wonders" Runningpaw agreed. "I haven't heard you in such a good mood for the past moon!"
Stormpaw stared at his brother. "I wasn't that grumpy."
"Well I went to see Silver today" Runningpaw reported. "She said she's going to have kits again about the same time as Sheba."
Stormpaw stared at Runningpaw in disbelief. "You're kidding! For StarClan sake! We're Silver's kits; I didn't expect her to have more kits so soon."
Runningpaw shrugged. "Her excuse is she likes being a mother, not matter who the father is."
Stormpaw shuddered. A cold dread was soaking through him. It was hard for both brothers to live so far from their true family even though their hearts belonged to ThunderClan without question. Silver seemed to already be forgetting about them.
"You want to go see her?" Runningpaw asked, studying his brother carefully. "I'll wait here."
"Okay" Stormpaw meowed. "I guess I'll hunt on the way back. Thanks Runningpaw."
Stormpaw padded out of camp, making his way slowly toward twolegplace. On his way there he managed to catch a mouse near a tall rowan tree. Stormpaw hid it and went on, finally reaching the fences. After pausing to make sure no dogs were around, Stormpaw leapt on top of the fence.
Something moved at the window and there was a rattle. Stormpaw saw Silver come striding across the garden which was covered in a layer of unbroken snow. Stormpaw leapt down into the bushes. Even though it wasn't snowing, the shelter was better then sitting out in the raw wind. Moments later, Silver joined him, licking his ears.
"Runningpaw told me you weren't well" she meowed, gazing worriedly at him.
"I'm fine" Stormpaw assured her. "I just couldn't sleep very well so I had to get some herbs to help me."
"I'm glad that you're okay" Silver purred, twining her silver tail with his.
"Runningpaw told me you were going to have kits in a few moons" Stormpaw meowed. "Is it true?"
"Yes" Silver meowed. "But don't think badly of me Stormpaw, I will always love you and Runningpaw and Patch. You'll always be my kits but the twolegs want me to keep having kits."
"Who's the father?"
There was a rumbling growl and Stormpaw was thrown off his paws and flung into the middle of the garden. Silver yowled in surprise.
Stormpaw scrambled to his paws, tail lashing and fur on end. Stormpaw saw a thick pelted brown tabby stalking toward him. Stormpaw flung himself at the cat, catching the kittypet off guard. Claws hooked on his fur and Stormpaw tore the tom's shoulders. Blood spattered his fur as he leapt back and lunged again with lightning fast reflexes.
The kittypet tom tried to rear up and Stormpaw smashed into his belly, clawing at him and biting down on his foreleg. Finally the kittypet went limp, panting with his eyes glazed with fear.
"Stormpaw stop!" Silver meowed, bounding forward. "Go! Run, twolegs are coming!"
Stormpaw flung himself toward the fence, disappearing over the other side in a single leap.
Tiger laid in the snow with blood trickling from his fierce wounds. He looked at his mate. "That…who was that?"
"Our son" Silver meowed. "Smoky, Stripe was here earlier but you would have gotten the same reaction from Stripe."
"You told me they were dead!"
"I thought they were" Silver meowed helplessly. "They're called Stormpaw and Runningpaw now. I found out about a moon ago. They joined clans of wild cats and live there now. I'm so sorry Tiger."
"He…he tried to kill me" Tiger stuttered.
"You attacked him!"
"I though he would hurt you" Tiger meowed weakly.
"Next time they come I want you to apologize and explain" Silver meowed sternly. "Lay still, I'll go find a twoleg."
Stormpaw returned to camp, trying to act as if everything was normal. He met Stoneheart in the ravine and after giving his mouse to the queens, the pair of toms went to the training hollow to practice his fighting moves.
It was past dark when Stoneheart finally decided that they were done. Stormpaw saw Runningpaw and Poppypaw sharing tongues near the apprentice den and purred in amusement. Runningpaw was head over tail for Poppypaw even though he was good at hiding it.
Streampaw was sitting with the elders listening to Palepelt and Tallheart tell their stories of old times long past. Amberpaw was playing with Mossflower's kits outside the nursery, tumbling with Leopardkit while Cloudkit leapt around her. Darkkit was staring intently at Greyfoot, listening to the old tom tell his stories.
Stormpaw crouched with Stoneheart and they shared a scrawny rabbit, finishing it as snow began to fall again. Something seemed to be on Stoneheart's mind but Stormpaw didn't ask.
Risingstar leapt on top of the high rock as midnight approached. The cats moved closer to the highrock. Stormpaw followed Stoneheart who sat beside Breezecloud with Runningpaw on her other side. Risingstar's sharp green eyes searched the crowd of cats in front of her before she spoke.
"Runningpaw, Stormpaw, approach the highrock."
Stormpaw glanced at Stoneheart before following his brother to stand at the edge of the highrock's shadow. They looked up at their leader; both wondering what had gone wrong.
"You both have finished your warrior training" Risingstar announced.
Stormpaw stared at Risingstar and turned to Runningpaw. Runningpaw's bright amber eyes were wide with surprise and pleasure.
Risingstar spoke again. "Spirits of StarClan, look down on these apprentices with pride. They have earned the right to hold a name as a ThunderClan warrior."
There was a moment of silence. Starlight glittered above them and Stormpaw almost felt Rootpaw standing nearby. He caught the scent of healing herbs and knew Rootpaw approved. Even though Stormpaw had never known the live Rootpaw, he had grown used to the brown tom.
Risingstar leapt down from the highrock and approached Runningpaw. "Runningpaw, do you promised to uphold the laws of StarClan and the warrior code?"
"I do" Runningpaw meowed firmly.
"Then from this moment on you will be known as Runningfoot, wind of ThunderClan. My StarClan honor you."
Risingstar touched her muzzle to Runningfoot's head. The brown tabby licked his leader's shoulder and stepped back, head and tail high with pride. Risingstar turned to Stormpaw.
"Stormpaw, do you promise to uphold the laws of StarClan and the warrior code?"
"I do" Stormpaw meowed.
Risingstar stepped forward and rested her muzzle on his head. A jolt of energy shot through him. "From this moment on you will be known as Stormfrost, warrior of ThunderClan. May StarClan honor you."
Stormfrost licked his leader's shoulder and stepped back. Cheers rang from the ThunderClan watchers. They leapt to their paws chanting, "Stormfrost, Runningfoot, Stormfrost, Runningfoot!" Tongues passed over Stormfrost's pelt and happy voices rang in his ears.
Amberpaw bounded forward through the cats and pressed herself to Stormfrost's flank, purring heavily and twining her tail with his. Stoneheart followed her and touched noses with Stormfrost, looking proud and pleased. Stormfrost dipped his head to his mentor.
"Thank you Stoneheart" Stormfrost murmured.
"Don't thank me, thank StarClan" Stoneheart corrected lightly.
Breezecloud was saying the same to Runningfoot, nodding to him and looking very proud. Both cats looked overjoyed as their apprentices passed into their warriorship.
Streampaw and Poppypaw greeted Stormfrost as well before Poppypaw bounded over to Runningfoot, looking overjoyed. Streampaw and Stormfrost stood together, watching their siblings with amusement as the two licked each other's ears and touched noses. It was nice.
Stormfrost looked around and saw a faint shadow standing in the thorn tunnel. Stormfrost padded toward it and saw that it was Rootpaw.
"Welcome to the ranks of warriors" Rootpaw meowed, vanishing as a cold wind swept through the clearing.
Stormfrost blinked awake and stretched. It was just before dawn about four days after his warrior ceremony. Runningfoot was curled up next to him still in a deep sleep. All around Stormfrost warriors slept peacefully, snoring lightly and some twitching in their dreams as they dreamed of chasing fat prey rather then the scrawny bare-leaf prey.
Yawning, Stormfrost left the den to stand in the snowy clearing. Something caught his eye. Stormfrost turned and saw Darkkit standing outside of the nursery by herself. Stormfrost padded over to her, snatching up a mouse from the fresh kill pile as he went.
"Hello Darkkit" Stormfrost meowed, putting down the mouse in front of her. "Go on, you can have it."
Darkkit looked up at him. "Thank you Stormfrost" Darkkit meowed.
Stormfrost waited while the little kit ate the mouse and glanced into the den. He saw Mossflower coming out of the den with Cloudkit and Leopardkit.
"How about I take the kits around the forest?" Stormfrost suggested.
"Would you?" Mossflower asked. "They've been eager to try hunting."
"I'll ask Runningfoot to help keep track of them" Stormpaw meowed, nodding to the tortoiseshell queen. "Would you like that kits?"
"Yes!" they mewed together, eyes bright with excitement.
"When do we go?" Leopardkit asked, her golden dappled coat shimmering in the morning sun.
"How about you go wake up Runningfoot and we'll get going?" Stormfrost suggested. "I know the perfect place to hunt mice."
The three kits ran toward the warrior den. Moments later Runningfoot came out of the den looking drowsy but happy as the kits tumbled around his paws. Runningfoot nodded to Mossflower and turned to Stormfrost.
"We're taking the kits for their first hunt?" he asked.
"Yes" Stormfrost meowed. "But if you're too tired I'll just ask someone else to help."
"No" Runningfoot meowed quickly. "I'm okay. Let's go but no wondering off alone" he warned the three kits. "And no eating plants you don't know, they might make you sick."
"Okay" Cloudkit meowed. "We promise."
"Good" Stormfrost meowed. "Let's go."
The kits kept close to the two young warriors as they led the way through the cold forest, carrying the kits across frozen streams toward twolegplace. The mice were fatter near the twoleg nests and many warriors hunted here in bare-leaf. When they stopped, the kits began to explore the clearing.
"Don't go too close to twolegplace" Stormfrost warned.
"Okay" they mewed.
"Alright then" Runningfoot meowed. "Let's start."
Runningfoot dropped into a hunting crouch, pinpointing a mouse. Stormfrost watched with the kits as his brother shot forward into some frost covered ferns and scooped up a mouse, killing it instantly and carrying it back to the three kits.
"Wow!" Leopardkit meowed excitedly.
"How did you do that?" Darkkit asked eagerly, green eyes wide.
"Like this" Stormfrost meowed, dropping his flanks and pressing his belly to the ground. His claws flexed lightly as his ears and nose scoped out mice and other prey. In a flash Stormfrost leapt forward and dug a mouse out of the snow and killed it.
"Let me try!" Cloudkit meowed.
The two warriors and kits watched as Cloudkit dropped to the ground in a surprisingly good hunter crouch. Slowly he stalked forward and then ran forward. A heartbeat later there was a panicked yowl from Cloudkit.
Stormfrost and Runningfoot threw themselves forward, bowling over two large cats hanging back in the undergrowth. Stormfrost scooped up Cloudkit and flung him toward his sisters. Runningfoot pinned a brown tom and Stormfrost pinned down a silver tabby.
It was Silver and the brown tom that had attacked Stormfrost. The two toms leapt back, pacing back to the kits and gathering them quickly.
"Who are they?" mewed Darkkit.
"Kittypets" Runningfoot explained. "It's alright, the silver one is our mother. They won't hurt us."
Leopardkit leapt forward toward the brown tom. Stormfrost leapt forward as well and grabbed Leopardkit, tossing her back toward Runningfoot who grabbed her and pulled her back.
"No Leopardkit" Runningfoot meowed sternly.
"Silver, what are you doing out this far?" Stormfrost asked.
"Are those kits yours?" Silver asked.
"No" Runningfoot meowed. "They belong to the clan. I'll go take them back Stormfrost."
"No Runningfoot" Stormfrost meowed, signaling with his tail. "I don't trust that one." Stormfrost flicked his tail at the brown tabby beside Silver. "What are you doing out here?"
"Looking for you two" Silver meowed impatiently. "Have your names changed?"
"Come on" Stormfrost meowed, picking up Cloudkit. "Let's go back to camp. This wasn't as safe as I thought it was."
"But Stormfrost!" Darkkit whined as Runningfoot picked her up. "We want to hunt!"
"Not now" Stormfrost meowed. "Come on Leopardkit, time to go back."
"Wait just a second" the brown tom meowed, leaping forward.
Leopardkit squealed as he leapt past her. Stormfrost dropped Cloudkit and leapt on the tom, pinning him down in one effortless move.
"Move and I'll claw your ears off" Stormfrost growled. "Runningfoot, take the kits and go."
"What's going on?" Runningfoot demanded.
"This one isn't a soft kittypet, I'm sure of it" Stormfrost meowed, tightening his grip on the tom.
"Stop, both of you" Silver meowed sharply. "Stormpaw, that…"
"Stormfrost!" Darkkit corrected. "He's not an apprentice, he's a warrior."
A proud gleam overtook Silver. "Congratulations, both of you now Stormfrost let Tiger stand up. We won't harm the kits or you."
Stormfrost didn't move. "Runningfoot, take the kits back to camp."
Runningfoot nodded, gathering the kits with a wave of his tail. Darkkit, Leopardkit and Cloudkit bounded under the long limbed tom but Runningfoot didn't move, he was watching Stormfrost, not sure what to do. He didn't like leaving his brother to deal with a tom he didn't know.
"Go on" Stormfrost meowed. "Don't worry, just give the kits to Mossflower and if she asks where I am tell her I'm hunting. Come back when you're done."
Runningfoot nodded and grabbed Darkkit, since she was the smallest kit, and bounded toward camp with the kits being urged along in front of him.
When his brother was gone Stormfrost leapt back, glaring at Tiger. Tiger didn't move, wincing from his wounds from his last fight with Stormfrost.
"You protect kits that aren't yours" Tiger mewed softly.
"Why wouldn't I?" Stormfrost spat, bristling. "Mossflower would never forgive me one of this kits was harmed."
Tiger sat up slowly.
Stormfrost watched him warily. He hoped Runningfoot would return soon. The idea of being stuck with Tiger was uncomfortable. There was something strange about the brown tom. Tiger had an uncanny resemblance to Stormfrost's brother but his fur had no tabby stripes and his underbelly wasn't white like Runningfoot's, yet…
"Stormfrost" Runningfoot called, leaping effortlessly over a bracken clump and skidding to a halt beside his brother.
"Silver, what's going on?" Stormfrost demanded. "What's this kittypet doing in the forest?"
"He's my mate" Silver meowed quickly. "Tiger fathered my kits and…and you two."
Stormfrost and Runningfoot stared at Tiger in disbelief. Their paws were frozen, locked in place. Tiger gazed at his sons with pride. They were strong and handsome.
The one they called Stormfrost had lush dark grey fur streaked with tabby stripes. A white star was vivid on his chest against his dark pelt. Glowing blue eyes burned from a handsome face, the same eyes as his beloved mate. Runningfoot had long limbs and a slender body for running. His fur was brown like his own and he had the same amber eyes. A white underbelly set them apart. Both toms in front of him had smooth flexing muscles and definitely were strong fighters.
Stormfrost roused himself first, glaring at Tiger and Silver. "Get out of ThunderClan territory" he growled, unsheathing his claws. "This is our territory."
"Stormfrost…" Silver began.
"No" Runningfoot meowed firmly, standing beside Stormfrost. "We're warriors now, not soft apprentices. We have to make you leave by the laws of StarClan. We must fight to the death for our clan's territory and safety."
Silver stared at her sons, her heart breaking. "Runningfoot, Stormfrost, you're my kits! We wouldn't even try to hurt you or your clan. We're kittypets."
"Exactly" Stormfrost meowed, his eyes hard and his voice as cold as ice. "Kittypets aren't welcome here, we should know."
Silver laid her tail on Tiger's flank as he opened his mouth to speak. She shook her head and led him away. Tiger glance back, also heartbroken.
As Silver led him out of the territory, Tiger caught a scent. A cat leapt in their path, growling, fangs bared. Tiger stepped forward but Silver stopped him.
"It's alright Amberpaw, it's only me" Silver meowed. "Remember? Stormfrost and Runningfoot's mother?"
Amberpaw relaxed. "Sorry Silver, I can't be too careful though. Times are hard now. Have you seen those two hotheaded toms?"
"Just now" Tiger meowed. "They told us to leave."
"I can't blame them" Amberpaw meowed reasonably. "Stormfrost is always uneasy. He doesn't want ThunderClan to think his heart is divided between his kittypet life and his warrior life."
"Why would they think that?" Silver demanded. "Do you?"
"No" Amberpaw meowed simply. "I know the look in his eyes. His spirit belongs to StarClan like any clan born cat I've ever met or known."
"You seem to protect them a lot" Tiger meowed, slightly surprised. He expected forest cats to be harsh and uncaring.
Amberpaw shrugged. "I protect the cat I love."
