Aaand here's the big milestone! Tweeenty chapters! I know this story isn't super popular, but I would appreciate it if everyone left a review on this chapter about what you think of the story so far! I would love to hear everyone's opinion!

Here's a question: How do you think this story will turn out? How do you hope it turns out? Please respond in a review, I'd love to hear a response!

Ever since he managed to help fight off the fox alongside the warriors, Tigerpaw had become somewhat of a celebrity among his clan. Well... among the kits, at least. He liked to exaggerate his tale to them, loving the way they watched him with wide, unblinking eyes. He reasoned that Stoatpaw and Mothpaw were just mildly upset with him for him trying to assert his authoritative power. He was trying to practice so he'd be ready when he became the leader.

He kept seeing Silverdust. Every time he saw or even thought of the silver she-cat, his fur would stand on end and he'd become very, very proud. He loved having Silverdust, and he loved her. He didn't think that anything could go wrong between them. I just hope no one knows. he kept thinking.

The night after he fought off the fox, he went to see her. Silverdust. The beautiful she-cat that he got to call his own. He made his way through the woods, thinking of her sweet scent and her laugh and the way she made him feel. This was no kit crush; he was madly in love with the OakClan warrior.

He carefully made his way to their secret meeting spot, comfort washing over him as the sound of the rushing river replaced that of the sound of crunching leaves. The night was cold, but he was not. Warmth spread through his body at the thought of meeting Silverdust. He picked up the pace, unable to bear the thought of being apart from her for so long. He burst through the ferns, and caught himself just as he was about to go tumbling into the rapids. Perking his ears, he looked around for her. I hope she's here tonight, he thought, worry forming a knot in his stomach. What if a cat has found her on her way out? What if she's fallen in love with another cat? he couldn't bear the thought, and softly called her name.

"Silverdust?"

Silence, then...

"Tigerpaw? Is that you?"

Relief flooded through the white and brown patched tom. He stood, sniffing the air and taking in Silverdust's sweet scent, reveling in how it crossed the river so easily. The scent of OakClan was so sweet to him, because it reminded him of Silverdust. "Yes, I am here, Silverdust." he watched as the ferns on the other side of the river split to reveal her, her pelt shining in the light of the moon. He itched to be closer to her. She swam across the river, purring as soon as she reached the other side.

"Oh, Tigerpaw! I'm so sorry I couldn't be here sooner... Beewhisker kept asking questions. He's become so clingy lately, and I don't have the heart to tell him that... that someone else has my heart." she purred, pressing her muzzle against Tigerpaw's. "Beewhisker's a new warrior. He likes me a lot, but... you're the only one for me, Tigerpaw."

"And you're the only one for me, Silverdust." he purred her name, then stood, puffing out his chest. He liked the way her eyes lit up as she watched him. "I'm going to be a warrior soon. I can't wait! Can you, Silverdust?" he exclaimed, leaning down to lick her cheek. She purred, her tail flicking back and forth. Tigerpaw calmed down a bit, then continued, "Today, I actually fought a fox."

Silverdust gasped. "On your own?"

Tigerpaw shook his head. "No, I was with a bunch of other warriors. But Stoatpaw and Mothpaw were so weak that they couldn't even chase it out from its den! It just followed their scent out into the open!" he let out a laugh, pleasure flooding his body as she joined in. The two cats sat in each other's company, laughing loudly. Tigerpaw's heart swelled at the sound of her laughter. "Oh Silverdust, you have the prettiest laugh. Has anyone ever told you that?"

"You have." she purred in response.

"Silverdust, I want you to come to SteamClan when I become leader." Silverdust sat up, her blue eyes wide and sparkling. Tigerpaw gulped, struggling to continue. Her eyes were absolutely gorgeous. "I-I've decided that my calling is to become leader. And when I do, I want you there by my side, Silverdust." he looked up at her beautiful eyes, which were full of emotion. "Will you?"

"Will I? Oh Tigerpaw, of course!" she purred, and Tigerpaw had never felt happier in his life.

The two sat down, sharing tongues and enjoying the company of each other.

Tigerpaw woke up extremely tired the next morning. His little romp with Silverdust that night had proven to be extremely tiresome. He loved going out to visit the silver she-cat, but it was beginning to get in the way of his apprentice duties. He was so tired after one night that he couldn't even catch a simple mouse! He decided that he wouldn't go visit her that night; instead, he'd stay in his warm den, in the comforting presence of his denmates.

Blinking his eyes, he saw that Stoatpaw and Mothpaw were nowhere to be found. Staggering outside, he saw that Shiningeyes was waiting for him, annoyance gracing her features. "You're finally up. Now, I've got something special planned today." she beckoned him with her tail, and he followed. He was so tired, but he managed to walk it off when he spotted the nice, fat mouse that sat at the top of the fresh kill pile. Shiningeyes must've seen him looking at it, because she said, "Okay, go have breakfast. Then meet me in front of the cave wall when you're done."

He nodded, and eagerly made his way to the top of the pile. He grabbed the fat mouse and ate it quickly, feeling much less tired and a lot more pumped up to train. I'm going to become the greatest leader ever! Even greater than Falconstar! he thought, his tail swishing back and forth. Then I can get to work. Who'll be my deputy? Probably Mothpaw. And then everyone else... oh, the possibilities!

He met back up with Shiningeyes, who was chatting with Fuzzytail.

"... and Sageberry's kits will be coming so soon! Maybe even in the next couple of sunrises! I fear for the apprentice's den; it's going to be full of 'paws!" Fuzzytail was saying, before spotting Tigerpaw. "Oh, hey, Tigerpaw! Has Shiningeyes told you the plan for today?" she asked, her yellow eyes sparkling. Tigerpaw shook his head, and Fuzzytail's face lit up.

"You're going to be battling Fuzzytail today as an assessment. Then, you'll be going to hunt. Catch as much as you can." Shiningeyes explained. Tigerpaw's heartbeat quickened; he was only over three moons an apprentice, and they were already assessing him? "You learn quickly, but you're still not ready to be a warrior." his spirits dropped at her words, but were soon picked back up as the group of cats made their way up the cave wall and to a different training field.

"Why aren't we going to our usual training spot?" Tigerpaw asked.

"That's where Mothpaw and Stoatpaw are training. I don't want to disturb their learning by assessing your skills." Shiningeyes explained once more. Tigerpaw puffed out his chest slightly in pride as Shiningeyes's words. The cats entered a smaller field that was covered in ferns. Tigerpaw could see the dirt peaking through in places where the ferns were thin. Shiningeyes meowed, "We're here. I want you and Fuzzytail to get into battle position, then we'll start."

I can't believe it! I'm going to be fighting a warrior! Tigerpaw thought, his heartbeat quickening. He watched as Fuzzyail leaned down, her muscles rippling beneath her soft gray pelt.

"Begin," Shiningeyes meowed, flicking her tail.

He launched himself at Fuzzytail, and almost froze when he saw that she didn't move. But once he hit her, it was like he'd rammed into a rock. He fell back, stunned, as Fuzzytail grabbed his hind legs and flipped him onto his bag. The she-cat pummeled his belly with her soft paws.

Think! he howled in his head, then remembered Mothpaw's tactic. He went as limp as he possibly could, and Fuzzytail flew off of him.

"Tigerpaw! Oh, Starclan, wake up!" the gray warrior whined, her eyes full of worry. Tigerpaw then bounced back up, scratching at her muzzle and leaping back. While she stood there in shock, he dashed at her again, leaping onto her back. Fuzzytail howled, then rolled over. Tigerpaw held on for dear life at that point.

Fuzzytail stood back up and was about to turn around to face him when he kicked her with his back legs. She jumped in the air, howling. Tigerpaw flew at her once more, bashing her head in with a paw. Fuzzytail swiped beneath his feet, and he fell. He couldn't stand up; he was so exhausted from last night and his fight.

"Fuzzytail wins!" Shiningeyes meowed. Fuzzytail backed away as Tigerpaw rose, and he turned to glare at the gray she-cat. Shiningeyes noticed his angry look and said, "Tigerpaw, you're not going to win every fight. Fuzzytail is a warrior, it's completely okay."

"Fine." Tigerpaw grumbled, his fur fluffing out in anger. I need to take my mind off of this! he thought, and remembered the second part to his assessment. "Don't I have to go out and catch prey?"

Shiningeyes tilted her head to the sky and shrugged. "I guess you can start now. Go into the forest and catch prey, and come back when it's sunhigh."

Tigerpaw nodded, and turned into the forest. He liked being alone. I think I'll go over and see how Mothpaw and Stoatpaw are doing. he thought to himself. I wonder how many times Stoatpaw's been beaten?

He leaped over a log and sniffed the air. He smelled mouse. Oh well. Might as well catch something before going to check out the others. he reasoned, and dropped onto his paws. Sniffing the air once more, he smelled the mouse. Taking only a couple pawsteps forward, he saw it nibbling on an acorn. Remember, Tigerpaw. Be quiet. Wait for the best opportunity... he watched the mouse drop the acorn and dash after it. It got closer and closer, still not seeing him.

It was then that Tigerpaw struck out his paw swiftly, catching the mouse just as it saw him and darted. He killed it in one swift bite, and decided to bury it before coming back for it.

As he made his way to the training grounds where he usually practiced, he noticed less and less prey showing up. Specifically the bird prey. He maybe spotted a goose flying high in the sky here or there, but that was about it.

He caught two mice and a vole, and accidentally let a squirrel escape up a tree. Finally. he said in his mind. I'm here.

Peering through the trees, he saw Rowanleap and Leafclaw chatting as Mothpaw and Stoatpaw scuffled before them. Stoatpaw was clearly dominating, much to Tigerpaw's surprise. The pudgy little white fluffball is winning? he thought, his gaze shifting to Leafclaw as he meowed at the two to get into position. Tigerpaw left, hoping that Stoatpaw would lose. As he heard the sounds of scuffling behind him, he suddenly became very doubtful that he would. Stoatpaw's getting stronger... finally.

He thought about heading over to the river, but then stopped. If someone was watching his every move, assessing him, he couldn't let that same cat see him and Silverdust. He veered away to catch more prey.

When sunhigh rolled around, he had caught four more mice and a lone quail. Much to his surprise, Kestrelwind stepped out of the trees to alert him he was finished.

"I can go and pick up some of your prey," the gold tabby told him, looking him up and down nervously. It hit Tigerpaw that Wheatstar and Mossfang were finally beginning to trust his faith in SteamClan. "You take your recent catches back to the camp and rest. I'm sure you're tired."

Tigerpaw gladly took his advice, and went back to the camp with his catches. Upon entering the cave, however, he noticed Darkseed acting frantically in the nursery while a fluffed up Cloudkit nervously ran herbs between the medicine den and the nursery.

Tigerpaw noticed Fuzzytail and Oatbelly sitting nearby, staring at the nursery as they exchanged words in hushed voices. He padded up to them and asked, "What's going on? Is someone hurt in the nursery?"

The two warriors turned to face him "No, Sageberry's kitting a little early." Oatbelly explained. "She wasn't supposed to kit until maybe tomorrow, or even days after then." Tigerpaw blinked. More kits were going to be in the nursery? There were already seven!

The kitting lasted a while, and soon, Darkseed emerged, bearing the news to the clan. "Sageberry has given birth to two healthy she-kits, Brightkit and Honeykit."

The clan cheered for this, and soon, they all dispersed. Tigerpaw spotted Cloudkit, who looked exhilerated and excited to be helping out as a pseudo-medicine cat apprentice. It made Tigerpaw happy.

He relaxed the rest of the day, only waking to eat dinner with Stoatpaw and Mothpaw.

"And I ended up catching this absolutely huge sparrow! In leaf fall! Isn't it amazing?" Mothpaw was telling him a story about how she'd caught a fat sparrow earlier that day. The female apprentice scooted closer to Tigerpaw, eagerly biting into her mouse.

At least Mothpaw seems to have forgiven me, Tigerpaw thought. But Stoatpaw... he holds a grudge for a little while. I hope he grows out of this one.

He turned his head to the entrance of the camp; the sun was setting, and a soft, pink glow had been cast over the forest. He longed to run to the OakClan border and sit next to Silverdust, breathing in her sweet scent. But he couldn't.

A pang hit his heart as he finished his dinner and entered the apprentice den, ready for a good night's rest.

The scenery... it was familiar. Tigerpaw sniffed the air, scrunching his nose up as he smelled the air.

Light filled his vision, and he looked forward to see the same cat that had haunted his dreams since he was a kit. His fur stood on end as he gazed into the dark tom's white eyes.

"Do not let him in, Tigerpaw. Be wary. Watch out for enemies." the tom said cryptically. It drove Tigerpaw insane, what did the tom mean when he said that? Don't let who in? A stranger? A strange enemy? He wracked his mind for any explanation as the dark cat watched him, his white eyes showing no emotion.

Was it a disease? Who was him? A foreign cat that would destroy the clans?

The dark tom turned away, and Tigerpaw found himself clawing at the empty space that lay before him. "No, wait!" he howled, his claws outstretched as he struggling to get an answer. "Please! What do you mean? Who should I not let in?"

Then he felt it. A tingling in his chest, then on his fur. He gazed down at the familiar tabby pelt, the tingling in his chest turning into burning. He screamed out, but his lungs filled with water.

He gazed into the inky darkness, his eyes closing as he struggled and gave up to make light of the situation.

Aaaand that's chapter twenty! Hope you all enjoyed! If you have a response to my question, please feel free to respond in a review! As always, I'd love to hear what you think of the story!

This chapter was beta'd by the amazingly talented SilverMidnightMoon! Kudos to you!