Chapter 10
Silverstripe sat down outside the nursery. Inside, Yellowflower was helping a pain-filled Woodpecker birth her kits. Silverstripe was sitting outside with Lionstar, keeping him company as the process went on inside. She had lived through that with Lichenpaw, Rainpaw, and Mosspaw. Memories filled her, making her swell with pride. There were memories she would cherish.
Rainpaw and Shadefrost came from the camp entrance. Shadefrost had put his apprentice out on a solo hunt while Walnutfur was on post duty. Rainpaw had wanted to patrol the FireClan border and Shadefrost had offered to go with her.
Silverstripe flicked her ears at them. They looked windblown, as though the wind was fierce out there, but Silverstripe knew it wasn't. Rainpaw stopped with Shadefrost to report that they had seen nothing. Silverstripe spotted Lichenpaw coming out of the elder's den, and Silverstripe beckoned her with her tail.
"Lichenpaw," she ordered as the apprentice came near her. "Rest up! You have night post tonight at the FireClan border. Rainpaw, you have Night Post near the HillClan border, and when Mosspaw gets back, so does he near the Circle Quad." The cats dipped their heads and padded off to the apprentice's den.
Shadefrost didn't even look after her before heading into the warrior's den for a rest.
Yellowflower came out. "She's fine, Lionstar. You may look." Lionstar's tail was wiggling with excitement and he pushed his way in. Silverstripe could see in. Woodpecker was lying in a nest, curling in for some sleep. Silverstripe heard her murmur to Lionstar,
"One tom, Gorgekit. Like the gorge where I met Silverstripe and was led to this Clan and you." Silverstripe could see the bald tom, but he looked like he was an angel, lying beside Woodpecker. His skin, the color of the fur that would grow, was a molted brown. Silverstripe wondered what color his eyes would be.
Reedtail stopped as he passed, peering inside to see the kit. He smiled gently at Woodpecker before moving on. Reedtail and Woodpecker had become good friends. Since they were both born outside the Clan, and with no relatives, the considered each other brother and sister. Silverstripe could see that Lionstar was not jealous of Reedtail. It was his kit having been born from her.
"Gorgekit," he murmured, gazing at the tomkit. "He's beautiful." He walked away, his green pools shimmering with pride. Silverstripe dipped her head to him respectfully and followed, looking around.
"Lionstar," she asked finally. "You told me that you had plans for tonight; what were they?"
"Oh," he gasped, as though remembering for the first time that there were priorities to handle. "I was thinking, Auburnfeather, that we should make Mudpaw, Gingerpaw, and Barkpaw warriors." Silverstripe stopped.
"Yes?" he asked.
"Uh, um..." Silverstripe felt awkward.
"What?" Lionstar smiled jokingly. "Did I say something?"
Silverstripe stared seriously into his green eyes. "Lionstar, um, you just called me...Auburnfeather..."
Lionstar's face fell. He glared at her. "I did not. Why would I call you the name of a cat that's dead?" Silverstripe shook her head. She did not know how to tell him that he had indeed called her the name of a dead cat, and that that dead cat was his sister.
"Lionstar..."
"No!" he snapped suddenly. "Auburnfeather's dead; I wouldn't...you look nothing like...of course you're..."
"Lionstar!" Silverstripe called in alarm. She began to stopped. Other cats were watching now. She had to get him to calm down. "You—"
"I did not call you Auburnfeather!" Lionstar screeched with fury and began to prowl around Silverstripe. She stood completely still, knowing that if Lionstar attacked, she'd die, because she wouldn't fight against him.
"Lionstar," called a weary voice from behind. Yellowflower, Cherryheart, Stemheart, and Speckledflower came from behind. They rushed past Silverstripe and dragged him away. He wasn't fighting them as they rushed him off towards the nursery. Silverstripe guessed that they were taking him to see Woodpecker and Gorgekit.
"Silverstripe," Speckledflower started. "I'm sorry. We've got it."
"What's going on?" demanded Silverstripe, staring at Lionstar from around Speckledflower's body.
"Lionstar's just lost his sister less than a moon ago, what do you think is going on?" Silverstripe remembered how he had seemed when he had ordered the move of camps. He had seemed so desperate, so helpless.
"Oh," was all she could say. "Well, when will he calm down, because he wanted to make warriors tonight..."
"I don't think that will happen," Stemheart murmured, limping over to stand beside Speckledflower. Silverstripe was surprised at how much they looked alike. Speckledflower and Stemheart were sisters, no doubt about it. They acted alike too, and Silverstripe was sure that if Stemheart hadn't been injured all those moons ago that the young she-cat would sleep next to Speckledflower in the warrior's den.
"Well, they're ready, what do we do?"
"You can do it," said a voice from behind once more. Silverstripe gasped as Cherryheart came forth. "SoulClan would not be angry, and at a time like this...Lionstar would appreciate what you'd do for him."
"But..." Silverstripe stammered. Deputies couldn't name new warriors without having gotten their leadership name from SoulClan. Since Silverstripe was Silverstripe, and not Silverstar, she couldn't do the naming ceremony properly.
"Silverstripe, SoulClan would want you to have practice, wouldn't they? Yellowflower is known as Yellowflower, not Yellowpaw, and Whitestar didn't name her then, I did. I'm not the leader. I'm not Cherrystar. You can do it."
"There's a difference between a Medicine Healer and the deputy, Cherryheart, and I'm not it!"
"If it helps any, deputies can rename cats as long as their leader is unable to do it."
"Can't we do this another time?"
"Silverstripe," scolded Stemheart. "Don't you want practice for when you're leader?" Silverstripe shook her head.
"I'm not gonna be a leader, because right now, Lionstar isn't dead!"
"Well, you're not dead either, certainly not old enough to retire, and you have no other destiny." Stemheart looked at her from the side of her face, head tilted. "This is your destiny, why don't you accept?"
"Because..." but Silverstripe didn't have an answer, so she allowed herself to be hurtled up and onto the Greatledge to call a Clan meeting. "Let all cats old enough to hunt for their own prey join here beneath the Greatledge for a Clan meeting!" she gave the call. Her voice shook and she grimaced at the sound of her voice.
The Clan gathered, confusion showing on their faces. Darkclaw sneered up at her. "She thinks she's leader already!"
Silverstripe ignored him, and felt satisfaction when Hollowtail himself hissed Darkclaw silent.
When all cats were gathered, Silverstripe began. She had decided that Goldenpaw was ready for his name as well. She hoped SoulClan saw to it as well. "Goldenpaw, Mudpaw, Barkpaw, and Gingerpaw, step forward." She didn't know what she was doing, but she had heard customary words, and Cherryheart had said something to her before she had leapt up.
"I call upon my SoulClan warrior to look down upon these four apprentices, for they have dedicated themselves to understanding and following your noble codes, and I know that I am not the leader of StormClan, but our leader is unable to commit this meeting, and I, Silverstripe, deputy of StormClan is so. I pray that you understand our problem and accept these four apprentices as warriors in their turn." She turned back to the apprentices, who had a note of surprise on their faces. Gingerpaw was looking thankfully up at her, Barkpaw's tail was quivering in his excitement, Mudpaw looked mildly surprised, if not more than excited, and Goldenpaw looked ecstatic. He had every reason to be. Goldenpaw had been apprentice to longest.
"Barkpaw," she ordered. "Step forward." The tom did so. Silverstripe had never gotten the chance to ask Lionstar what he was going to name them, so Silverstripe thought of one quick. "Do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and to protect and defend your Clan at the cost of your life?"
"I do," answered Barkpaw confidently.
Silverstripe continued, "Then, from this moment on, until said otherwise, you shall be known as Barkclaw. Let SoulClan light your path, wherever it may lead!" She grazed the top of his head with her nose and he licked her shoulder in return. She smiled at him as he moved to stand beside Stormclaw.
"Gingerpaw, step forward." The ginger apprentice did so. Silverstripe noticed how she seemed to be a moving stream, a river in motion, in her graceful movements. She was a stream... "Gingerpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and to protect and defend your Clan at all times, even at the cost of your life?"
Gingerpaw spoke for the first time since the incident with Auburnfeather. Silverstripe wanted to wince at how hoarse her still-gentile voice had become. "I do."
"Then, from this moment on, until said otherwise, you shall be known as Gingerstream. Let SoulClan light your path, wherever it may lead!" Silverstripe touched her nose and whispered, "I like that voice of yours, my Gingerstream." When she lifted her head after getting her returning lick, she saw that Gingerstream was smiling at her. She turned to pad over to Thornfang. They gazed at each other before Silverstripe began again.
"Mudpaw, step forward." She smiled proudly at her first apprentice, the apprentice that she'd remember forever. "Mudpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?" Though Silverstripe thought she knew the answer.
"I do." His pride matched hers, and she stared warmly into his green pools, trying to show him that there were no hard feelings on her. The look in his eyes suggested that he felt the same way.
"Then, from this moment on, until said otherwise, you shall be known as Mudpelt. Let SoulClan light your path, wherever it may lead!" She grazed his head with her nose, and murmured to him, "I will remember you always."
He licked her shoulder and stood beside her, looking around awkwardly. His Mentor was currently sitting in the nursery, trying to feel better. Silverstripe smiled down at him and whispered, "I'm your first Mentor, remember?"
He stared up at her with almost accusatory eyes, but his smile gave him away. She turned to the impatient Goldenpaw.
"Goldenpaw," she said to him finally. "Do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
"I do," he held his head proudly, but his eyes flicked to Darkclaw for only a second. Darkclaw looked more than proud, or angry...
"Then, from this moment on until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Goldenshadow. Let SoulClan light your path, wherever it may lead!" The new warrior licked her shoulder respectfully as she touched his head.
When he stood next to Darkclaw, she shouted, "Touch noses!" The new warriors and now senior warriors touched noses. Silverstripe and Mudpelt touched noses, Silverstripe both priding her first apprentice and stepping in for Lionstar, who was at the moment unavailable.
When the older warriors and new warriors had touched and shared, Silverstripe said, "Goldenshadow, Gingerstream, Barkclaw, and Mudpelt. Tonight, you will guard the camp in silent vigil while we sleep." The new warriors dipped their heads without words, and began to divvy up the camp with their tails.
Stonetail, Dawnfrost, Orangepaw, Rufflepaw, Daisypaw, Flowerpaw and Coralpaw crowded around the warriors as they moved away. Silverstripe could see Coralpaw eying Barkclaw in a manner that Silverstripe was sure she knew from Softfur.
Speaking of the tom...as the Clan began to break up, everyone talking about where Lionstar was, Silverstripe felt a cat brush her back. She saw Softfur, with Stormclaw and Moonpelt waiting patiently.
"Great job, Silverstripe," he purred. She began to lick his sides, the start of sharing tongues, but no deputy ever got to share tongues anymore.
Other cats surged over to congratulate the new warriors. Barkclaw and Goldenshadow were popular, so was Mudpelt. Gingerstream was very popular too, apparently, and to Silverstripe's surprise, cats surrounded her along with her brothers, congratulating her profusely. Though, she didn't seem to take it well, her eyes were wide with every new cat that came.
Silverstripe turned away from them, hoping against all hope that she hadn't ruined the Clan.
...
Silverstripe twisted in her sleep. She was dreaming again. The baby vole, this time. It swelled. Silverstripe could tell it was pregnant, carrying heavily. She stared at it. The vole swelled fatter than any vole possibly could. Suddenly, it burst, and tiny foxes came rushing out...
"Be careful where you place your paws, look before you step," whispered a soft voice in her ear.
Silverstripe awoke with a start. She looked around the camp. Softfur murmured something non-understandable from where he lay next to her. Mudpelt, on the other side of the warrior's den, lifted his head, green eyes open, looked around, muttered something indecipherable, and rested his head once again.
Silverstripe didn't want to go back to sleep. Ever since the naming ceremonies several days before, she kept dreaming of the vole giving birth to tiny foxes. The last dream she had had about voles and foxes had been about Shadefrost torturing Mosspaw in training sessions. Of course, the vole in that dream had been the father to a mouse's kits, and Silverstripe knew that those voles had been Softfur and Rainpaw. She twisted uncomfortably. Softfur wasn't pregnant, but did that mean that Rainpaw wasn't?
...
Lichenpaw looked around. Rainpaw had just come from Yellowflower's den and was almost crying with the weight of what she knew. Lichenpaw needed Silverstripe right now to help with Rainpaw's situation. Rainpaw had winced when Lichenpaw had suggested there mother, but the knew of no other choice.
Lichenpaw looked around again. There she was! The deputy was walking to the warrior's den. It was almost night time in the StormClan camp, and Silverstripe had worked hard all day.
"Silverstripe!" called Lichenpaw, rushing over. Lichenpaw stopped suddenly. She knew now of how to start this...it was too late. Silverstripe was padding over.
"What?" she asked in a serious voice. Lichenpaw winced, regretting that she had said anything. Remembering Rainpaw, Lichenpaw asked,
"How is my training going?"
Silverstripe tilted her head to the side suspiciously. "Great," She added awkwardly, "I was thinking of talking to Lionstar about getting you three your warrior names." Lichenpaw almost cheered. This was just what they needed. Now to push for information...
"Really, when?"
Silverstripe's eyes stretched wide. "I don't know. Probably in a moon. We need apprentices until Bloomkit and Thrushkit are ready. You just be patient. Now, is that all you needed?"
Lichenpaw shook her head before she realized what she had done. Her own eyes stretched as she realized what she was doing.
"Well, spit it out."
"Rainpaw's pregnant," she spat out, just like Silverstripe had said to do. Silverstripe's tail stopped twitching in it's natural way.
"What?"
"She's carrying kits. We need our names. Battle training just doesn't suffice, and hunting will become a problem. So will the law."
Silverstripe shook her head. "Rainpaw!" she called, beckoning her daughter with a flicker of her tail.
"She won't say who the father is," warned Lichenpaw. "Trust me, I asked."
"That's okay," said Silverstripe. "You can always tell." Rainpaw sauntered over and hung her head.
"I know what I did was stupid, I was seduced..."
"Rainpaw, right now, I'm concerned more for the kits and your safety than I am your punishment right now." Silverstripe glared at her daughter. "Though, SoulClan will find punishment for your actions. Like they didn't blame me, I'm not going to blame you for being seduced by breaking the warrior code, though believe me, SoulClan will punish you."
Lichenpaw was tempted to ask how, but didn't. Now was not the time.
"Rainpaw, come with me," ordered Silverstripe. Lichenpaw followed. They went to Yellowflower's den where Woodpecker was getting her Gorgekit checked out.
"Yellowflower," said Silverstripe. "Sorry to interrupt, Woodpecker." Woodpecker dipped her head, showing her nonchalance at being interrupted.
"Yellowflower," Silverstripe began again. "Rainpaw says that she is carrying, is this true?"
Yellowflower bent over the apprentice and ordered kindly, "Lie down." Rainpaw did so.
Yellowflower stood over her, rubbing her stomach, pushing in some places, asking questions. As Lichenpaw had told them, Rainpaw didn't mention who the father was, and when she was asked it, she didn't answer.
"Well," said Yellowflower at last. "I do believe so." She glared down at the tiny apprentice. "I believe that she went and mated too early. I don't know what to tell you. Lionstar won't take to this treachery very well."
"Well," said Silverstripe. "I was thinking of trying to get her at least her warrior name within the next moon. Do you think I can do it?"
"Probably. With Lionstar so crazy recently..." Silverstripe winced at Yellowflower's words. "We'll see what a girl like you can do."
"In the least, we have a moon. And I don't know if her pregnancy will last that long let alone be able to be hidden." Yellowflower shook herself.
"Do you want it to be hidden. Maybe the truth is just what the Clan needs." There was wisdom in her words, but Lichenpaw could see the hesitation in her mother's eyes.
"I think one more treachery this moon will send them all into a fit of nightmares. I think it's the last thing they need on their minds. With Lionstar so kooky, with Auburnfeather's death, with the camp changes, with me and Softfur, with me as deputy, with everything going wrong recently..." Silverstripe shook herself. "With all the disappearances, I think the last thing they want to hear is that there are traitors in our Clan."
Yellowflower looked at her. "We can say that she was seduced, and that there is only one traitor in StormClan."
"Yeah, but what would the father say about that? I think we should hide it, and if we're caught, we can resort to that." Yellowflower looked at her.
"The decision is not yours to make."
Silverstripe swelled. "And it is yours?"
"No." Yellowflower looked at Rainpaw. "It is the mother's."
Silverstripe looked at Rainpaw. "What do you want, Sweetpaw? We'll help you no matter what."
Rainpaw looked at them, her eyes troubled. "I'm not betraying their father," she said at last. "We hide it."
...
To Silverstripe it seemed impossible. Hiding the fact that her child was pregnant. She held her ground, though. For the better of the Clan, they would hide it.
"Yellowflower," croaked a hoarse Woodpecker from the corner. She'd had a small bit of a cold, but she was fighting it hard. "I know what we can do. It won't be easy, but it's possible."
"What?" asked Yellowflower keenly.
"We slow down her pregnancy like the Citylegs did to me," answered Woodpecker simply.
"How?" Yellowflower demanded to know. Woodpecker smiled at her.
"There's an herb. It's called turn-up, or dusk leaf. What it does is slows down the hormones that pregnancy has. The children will be okay, but it'll slow down the growth process."
"Where do we find it?"
Woodpecker looked around, and Yellowflower, following her gaze, ended up studying the walls of branches and small trees surrounding them. "It's found in the bark of small trees." Woodpecker informed her.
Yellowflower glared at her. "Which kind of trees?"
"I don't know. Any, I guess. I remember once meeting a Medicine Cat from different Clans, said this is what he knew, said he needed it. I think he mentioned birch, but I cannot be sure."
Rainpaw was once more the center of everybodys' eyesight. "Rainpaw," ordered Yellowflower, walking over to a certain crossing bark. "Chew on this until you taste juice. Once you taste juice, suck it dry. You better earn your warrior name within a moon, because that's the most you've got at this point." Rainpaw began to do what she was told.
"I'm nervous," admitted Woodpecker. "I may be wrong, and that could endanger her kits..."
"No," said Yellowflower surely. "Don't be nervous. Whatever happens happens under SoulClan's watchful eyes."
Okay, so this is a very strange chapter. I'm sorry for anything that seems odd or off. I wrote it like two years ago and I'm FINALLY posting it now. haha Anyway...a preggo apprentice. It's supposed to represent a very human quality. You know like a pregnant teenager? Anyway hope you like.
~Cara Lea
