Chapter 10

Several days later

Silver's claws hit the rock and she cursed her luck. This was the second time that day she'd missed her prey – something was on her mind, and she couldn't keep her focus off it.

She sat down, wrapped her tail around her paws and sighed. Brambleclaw was on her mind. When she was a to-be her mentor had been her mother, Brook. Stormfur had made sure she'd had the best possible prey hunter in the Tribe and that had just happened to be Brook. Silver blinked tears out of her eyes, knowing that she missed them more than she'd ever thought. She could hear her sister's voice in her ears. Face it, Silver, you're selfish – you're leaving everyone, everything that you have ever known – isn't it enough that you have a Tribe, and parents, and – siblings? Silver knew that her sister Echo hadn't been angry with her; Echo had never wanted her to leave. Now she was regretting her decision, but she knew she couldn't and wouldn't come back. She wasn't going to appear weak to her parents, or siblings. Never, not even if her life depended on it, would she go back.

A warm breeze swept through the forest. The thaw is arriving, she thought, this is the last snow in many moons. It wasn't snow any more, it was slush, and Silver picked her way through it. On the Mountain, the snow barely ever melted – the Tribe lived on a pinnacle. She thought about the snow and the mountain. She missed them. She'd never known anything but snow, and now it was leaving her. Maybe it'll be nice, she decided, after all, the Clan cats seem to welcome it. She sniffed the air and scented Brambleclaw, and her eyes immediately narrowed. Yes, she still loved him, but that didn't mean she wanted him with her every heartbeat of every day. She forced herself to growl deep in her throat, but the dark tabby tom knew she didn't mean it and took a step closer, his pelt brushing the bracken.

"What is newleaf like?" she blurted before he could get a word out.

He fixed her with his serene amber gaze.

"It is a good time, when prey is plentiful," he answered. "There is little sickness, and it is warmer. The breeze doesn't nip your muzzle as a leafbare breeze does. It is the opening to a new world, a different forest."

Silver nodded. Echo would have said, 'Well, maybe it's a good times for you Clans but in the Tribe the cycle of seasons doesn't matter!' Silver shook her head. The cycle of seasons did matter to her, because she was in the Clans now. She abruptly stood up and headed to the Lake, which had previously frozen over. Cracks appeared in the hard icy surface and Silver was tempted to jump on to the surface ice like she would if she were a Mountain kit. Brambleclaw padded up beside her and sat down next to her.

"Do Stormfur and Brook have any other kits?" he asked.

Silver flicked her tail over the surface ice, thinking of what to say. Then she swivelled her head to look Brambleclaw straight in the eye.

"Yes," she meowed. "Echo From Distant Caves, my sister a prey hunter – she looks like me, but she has black paws and green eyes. Leaf Blown On Wind, my other sister, a cave guard – she is an auburn cat with amber eyes. My brother, Moon Of Starless Night, a cave guard – he is a black tom with a white circle on his forehead, and he has deep indigo eyes. I have five younger brothers and sisters – Blue Of Summer Sky, Bracken Where Small Mice Hide, Dark Of Imposing Dawn, Snow Of Cold Moon and Heather Of Open Moor. I believe Brook was due to have some more but I – never got to see them."

He smiled vaguely.

"Tigerstar had many mates – I have reason to believe that he even had a mate in BloodClan," he said. "I should have known my kin, but I knew, and so did every other cat, that Tigerstar probably poisoned their minds to try and get them on his side. I, like my half-sisters and brothers, was looked down upon until I proved my worth."

Silver leant against him slightly, and Brambleclaw licked her head. She jerked, and he expected her to pull away, but she remained where she was, gazing into the distance.

A/N: Thanks to Glacierfall, hytgfred, WolfWarriorz and katienicole426 for reviewing. Reviews are appreciated! Please give me cats for the Tribe of Rushing Water. They're going to be VERY important in the story. Remember that entries close on the 28th of August according to the calendar in Australia. For people in the Northern Hemisphere, please make sure your entries are in by the 27th of August. Thanks.

Just another thought; I won't be able to write the next chapter until I have the cats from the Tribe of Rushing Water – thank you to WolfWarriorz and hytgfred for their cats. Please review!