AN: Hooray for filler chapters /= Oh well, what can you do? Thanks everyone for your awesome reviews! I'm looking forward to seeing what people think of this chapter, and don't forget to check out my other stories!

Chapter Thirteen

*Pebblestar*

When she'd visited ThunderClan with Birchnose and Cedartail at her side, she wasn't sure what Stonestar would say. The problems with WindClan refused to cease, and she had a feeling that it wouldn't until the deputy of ThunderClan was put to an end.

Pebblestar snorted at the thought of Runningstorm giving up his position. The ThunderClan runt was arrogant and hot-headed. His brother was just as arrogant, but Stonestar didn't show it as often. She'd seen the way Stonestar played around with the weakness of a leader already. He was waiting for something to happen between WindClan and ShadowClan. If they decided to become allies, than he would try to sway Featherstar into joining him.

By the time they reached the ThunderClan territory Pebblestar saw that cats were waiting for them. Stonestar must have guessed that Nettlestar would ask for help. Standing beside the clearing was the leader himself, tall and proud as he raised his muzzle. Beside Stonestar was Runningstorm. His expression was hard to read - he looked both pleased and angry at the same time, if that were even possible.

"Are you going to cross the border to try and convince us to stop fighting?" Stonestar called when Pebblestar took a step forward. Birchnose and Cedartail had dropped into a fighting position as they readied themselves for a fight that wouldn't happen. Pebblestar rolled her eyes at them and kept to her side of the border.

"I wouldn't dare cross the border while you are your crony is around," she sneered. "However if it is a weaker warrior... than I'd change my mind." Her claws unsheathed as she glared at Stonestar, whose lips curled in the beginnings of a snarl.

"We still have not forgiven you for what happened to Snowflower," Runningstorm spat. Though there was disgust in his voice it was hidden by malice. Pebblestar met his glare and felt the fur along her neck stand on end. "I won't ever forget what you did to her."

And I won't forget what you have done to us all, Pebblestar thought bitterly.

"Stay out of this mousebrain," Stonestar snapped. Runningstorm's ears flattened in anger but he ducked his head just the same. Even he knew better than to argue with his leader. "Now as for crossing the borders. I can assure you that Nettlestar has been feeding you with lies. We have only marked our territory where the borders meet."

"I never told you why we were here in the first place," Pebblestar called back. A smirk fell upon her face when Stonestar flinched at his words. She knew that she had him right where she wanted. If he tried backing out now she would have all the proof she needed that ThunderClan was trying to steal more territory. "Why don't you just run along and tell your little warriors that we will take care of them if they threaten the borders again."

The dark gray leader just glared at Pebblestar before he began to back away. Runningstorm looked dumbstruck to see his leader in such a state. Pebblestar rolled her eyes and wondered if he could see the weakness within his leader's eyes. Something didn't seem quite right there the way he just glared at her.

"This isn't over," he snarled. He knew that he was outnumbered. Even though Runningstorm was a formidable fighter and he could hold his own in a battle, Birchnose and Cedartail were powerful opponents. And he had Pebblestar to worry about as well. "I will be back, and with stronger forces."

Without another word he backed away and fled before Pebblestar could spit something in reply. Runningstorm turned and ran after him; he was suddenly aware that he was left alone to face them.

"That went well," Pebblestar muttered once they were alone.

"I have no doubt that Stonestar meant what he said," Cedartail growled.

"And if he does mean what he said, than we'll be ready for it," Birchnose added confidently.

Pebblestar nodded in agreement. Her warriors were more than ready to face any battle that was thrown in their way. Any border that was threatened would eventually threaten the other Clans if it wasn't stopped. No Clan could ever get too strong.

*Silverpaw*

She'd made her own decision. For the first time in her life she'd decided on her own. It gave Silverpaw a taste of the freedom she'd never had when she was younger. Living in ShadowClan had changed her in ways she couldn't even imagine. Joining RiverClan had changed her into a better cat.

Featherstar encouraged her new-found courage. The RiverClan leader would let her choose between hunting and battle training most of the time, and for the most part Silverpaw preferred battle training. It wasn't that she was a bad hunter, but she wanted to learn how to take care of her enemies. In the end she'd have to face her father sooner or later in battle, and the more she learned the better off she would be.

It had been three days since their meeting with the ThunderClan cats. WindClan seemed oblivious to the trouble they'd stirred at the border. Silverpaw was surprised to find out that Nettlestar wasn't even aware that there were ThunderClan cats in his territory. Something about the whole idea sounded odd to her.

"It's better not to think about it," Icepaw mewed as they hunted near the ShadowClan border. The area around here was marshy and had few trees growing. The ground itself felt springy underpaw, and it was fun to walk on when they weren't on constant patrol. "Nettlestar knows what he's doing. He's been leader for a few moons now."

"But isn't it strange that there aren't any patrols checking the border?" Silverpaw whispered when she spotted a water vole hiding in the sparse undergrowth.

Icepaw saw the water vole too and sprang forward before it had the chance to run. The spongy ground had softened the sound of their pawsteps, making it easier for them to catch prey. Silverpaw had wondered why Weaselstripe sent them hunting so close to the border, but she knew not to argue with the deputy.

Maybe he's trying to test me, she thought as Icepaw returned with the water vole clamped between her jaws.

She was about to congratulate her friend when she heard pawsteps shuffling in the distance. Icepaw dropped the water vole and buried it before she followed her. The source of the noise was coming from over the border, and crossing it would be mousebrained. But Silverpaw wanted to know what her old Clan was up to.

"Wolfpaw?" Icepaw was the first to ask the question. Silverpaw's mouth dropped open, but she couldn't say anything as the two apprentices glared at each other. "What in StarClan's name are you doing here?" He was hiding behind some ferns that looked as though they'd been trampled on by Twolegs.

"I'm not allowed to hunt on my own territory?" Wolfpaw answered her question with another question.

Silverpaw rolled her eyes and took a step back. Typical of her former Clanmate to start snapping back when he was outnumbered.

"What's she doing here?" Wolfpaw's eyes suddenly brightened with curiosity when he realized that Silverpaw was standing beside Icepaw.

"She's my Clanmate," Icepaw replied. "She only became an apprentice a couple of days ago. That's why you've never seen her before."

Amusement washed over Silverpaw and she stifled back a purr when Wolfpaw rolled his eyes. He'd recognized her anywhere thanks to her distinctive black stripes. They reminded everyone too much of her father.

"Silverpaw. Why'd you run away? Everyone's worried about you," Wolfpaw meowed.

Icepaw glanced at Silverpaw in alarm before she glared at Wolfpaw. "What do you mean by worried?" she demanded.

"I highly doubt that," Silverpaw scoffed. "Since when has anyone in that Clan ever cared about me?" Aside from Rustfeather, she added silently.

"You used to live in ShadowClan," Icepaw murmured. She sounded concerned rather than shocked.

"I may have, but I prefer RiverClan any day," she mewed. "It's the only Clan that has ever accepted me because of what I'm capable of, not my father."

Wolfpaw looked like he was about to say something when he clamped his jaw shut. His amber eyes darkened and he looked away before mewing something under his breath. Silverpaw strained her ears to hear, but she was unsuccessful.

Of all the apprentices in ShadowClan it was Wolfpaw who'd always treated her so cruelly, along with her step-brother Scorchpaw. She would never forgive them for all the constant jibes they would give her or the name calling behind her back.

"I'm glad you've found your place," he whispered before he bounded off.

"That was strange," Icepaw grumbled. "So you're from ShadowClan." Her ears pricked forward when she didn't meet Silverpaw's gaze.

"Please don't tell anyone," Silverpaw muttered with a shake of her head. "I don't want to think about it. They never treated me fairly in ShadowClan just because of who my father is."

Icepaw eyed her for what felt like moons before she nodded in agreement. "You're my friend," she mewed. "I promise I won't tell anyone."

Silverpaw's shoulders sagged with relief as she followed Icepaw back towards camp. They'd managed to catch a fish before they returned, and Silverpaw helped drag it back. Icepaw went back for the water vole she caught before she forgot about it.

Weaselstripe had been impressed with the fairly large fish they found. When he told them they didn't have to clean out the elder's den Silverpaw nearly jumped out of happiness. The elders rarely got passed the fact that she wasn't born in RiverClan. Sweetmallow and Darkshadow refused to let her forget that she wasn't of RiverClan blood. The only way she could avoid listening to their constant name calling was by working alongside Icepaw or Fishpaw.

She thanked Weaselstripe with a dip of her head and backed away to join Fishpaw beside the apprentice's den. The ginger and white tom looked like he was ready to burst with excitement as he clawed at the mouse he chose from the fresh-kill pile.

"What's wrong with you?" Silverpaw asked when she sat down beside him.

"Seedtail is sending me on my first solo hunting trip," Fishpaw explained with a shrug. "We're going out tomorrow at dawn, so I'm gonna have trouble sleeping tonight."

"Sounds pretty exciting," Silverpaw murmured.

"No it's not," Ripplepaw scoffed when he crept out of the den. She wondered how long he'd been sitting there waiting for something exciting to happen. "Seedtail just decided to send you out because no one else wants to go. I'd go myself but I've got elder duty."

"And who's fault is that?" Fishpaw snapped. "You're the one who decided to put fire ants in Icepaw's nest the other night."

Ripplepaw's eyes gleamed with laughter. Silverpaw had to stifle a purr when the two toms faced each other. She remembered waking up in the middle of the night to find Icepaw jumping out of her nest in shock. Apparently fire ants had been found crawling around her nest. Ripplepaw had admitted that he was the one who put them there to see what kind of reaction his sister would give him. His prank had earned his ears a few new scratches. Fresh cobwebs had been wrapped around them by Duskpetal the following morning.

"I think that prank deserved a praise," Ripplepaw meowed as he gave his chest fur a few licks. "And I'm not the only one who's caused trouble in the past. You're the one who decided to give Sweetmallow a two day old water vole from the fresh-kill pile." Fishpaw's lips curled in annoyance but he said nothing in response. "I'll see you two later. Blazeflight wanted to see me about battle training and warrior assessments."

Silverpaw rolled her eyes as he left. Even though he was a mousebrain at times Ripplepaw wasn't nearly as annoying as Scorchpaw had been. He was just a Clanmate that she'd learned to deal with thanks to Featherstar's extra training.

When there was nothing left to say she returned to her nest as the sun began to disappear behind the mountains. Fishpaw had told her that he would stay up a little later while Icepaw had returned the moment they came back. As she curled up in her nest a single image began to form in her mind. At first she thought it was Wolfpaw's face that showed up. But than white fur replaced the darker fur that was covered in shadows. The last thing she'd seen before she fell asleep was Fishpaw.

AN: Hope you guys enjoyed this :) Please remember to leave a review!