Greenpaw woke up anxious, with Sunpaw's uneven breathing next to her. Riverpaw, Sharkpaw, and Tidepaw had already left their nests. Late morning sunlight was streaming into the shallow cave that made the apprentice's den warm and humid.

"Morning," Sunpaw mewed softly as Greenpaw arched her back in a deep stretch. Greenpaw's paws had been tucked under her in a rather uncomfortable position, leftover from trying to keep up with Waterpaw last night. Her bones ached like an elders'.

Greenpaw licked the top of Sunpaw's head after coming out of her stretch. "Did you sleep as awfully as I did?"

Sunpaw nodded, standing up and shaking bits of dried fern from her pretty yellow-striped pelt. She was quiet for a moment before turning her head to meet Greenpaw's eyes. "I'm worried, Greenpaw."

Greenpaw's fur prickled uncomfortably. Sunpaw was always so warm and collected, so opposite of worried. It was distressing knowing so plainly her friend was out of sorts. Scared.

Greenpaw felt an unfamiliar wave of dread come over her. This was so not right. Waterpaw sneaking into the Clan to tell her mam she was leaving; Silverweb's mysterious request to join SaltClan; Sunpaw's certain omen of death. What could it all mean? Definitely not the Clan life she had perceived since meeting the Nighttime cats.

"So ye finally be awake, are ye, lassies?" Seaheart appeared suddenly before the apprentice den. Shellstream's head popped up next to his. "Late night?"

Greenpaw opened her mouth to respond, unclear of what word vomit was about to come out, but Sunpaw quickly answered for them. "Just an uncomfortable one, Seaheart. We're sorry we slept in."

Seaheart nodded approvingly. Despite knowingly being a challenging apprentice, Greenpaw had never seen Seaheart anything less than accepting. Shellstream was a little less forgiving.

"Well," the gray-blue she-cat answered briskly. "Since you've slept in, perhaps you'd like to go fill the fresh-kill pile. We haven't had a morning hunting patrol yet, and it's a little low."

Greenpaw's belly growled disapprovingly in response. "But—"

"Aye, lass, that ye shall." Seaheart dipped his head, meeting her eyes sternly. "And ye shall bide to the warrior code; the pair of ye shall not eat until the Clan has been fed."

Greenpaw dropped her eyes, her belly growling again. "Yes, Seaheart."

"Shellstream," Sunpaw mewed quietly, her eyes glancing outside the den. "May we take Silverweb with us? Perhaps we can practice hunting shrimp with her. She is quite good."

Seaheart looked surprised, but Shellstream nodded. No cat turned Sunpaw down. She was too…good. "Sure. She's already fed, so she'll be sure to keep the group energy up. She's laying outside the warrior's den; you may go get her."

Greenpaw was as surprised as Seaheart. Why did Sunpaw want to hunt with Silverweb? Greenpaw desperately wanted to talk about last night, but she didn't trust Silverweb. She may be a fine hunter on land and sea, but that didn't automatically make her completely loyal to SaltClan.

It was at that moment of consideration that Greenpaw wondered what true loyalty meant.

"Greenpaw," Sunpaw drew the tip of her tail down Greenpaw's back, getting her attention. "Are you ready?"

Seaheart and Shellstream were gone. Greenpaw must have been more dazed than she realized. The lack of sleep and her empty belly were both telling her to curl up by the fresh-kill pile and take a nap. But her duty to the Clan told her to fetch Silverweb for a hunt.

"Yes," Greenpaw mewed with a small lick to the soft space in-between Sunpaw's ears. Sunpaw brushed her bright, warm pelt against Greenpaw's fuzzy, stoney one, and Greenpaw felt an instant decrease of tension. Sunpaw knew what she was doing. There must be a reason for inviting Silverweb.

They made their way over to the warrior's den in silence, stopping a couple tail-lengths from Silverweb's warming spot. Her eyes were closed, but her head was raised into the sunshine. When Sunpaw and Greenpaw's shadows came over her, her green eyes shot open – yet she did not seem startled, only suspicious. "Yes?"

Greenpaw kneaded the ground anxiously. She really, really did not care for Silverweb. It was Sunpaw that answered her. "We were wondering if you'd help us catch shrimp."

"Shrimp." Silverweb repeated. She blinked her eyes a few time, and stood up without stretching her back. She moved her head from side to side a few times, almost as if stretching her neck – then nodded. "They must be growing on me, to trust me enough with two apprentices."

Greenpaw's fur prickled. "Two strong apprentices," she amended, irritated. "And you won't disagree if we were to fight!"

Silverweb's eyes gleamed with something – amusement, maybe? – but Greenpaw couldn't be sure of what. Silverweb was a very mysterious cat, indeed. She fought fiercely, caught much, but shared little. "I do not plan on it, Greenpaw." She answered, giving away no emotion.

The fact that she called her by name somehow annoyed Greenpaw even more. But Sunpaw's tail touched her at the base of her tail, and Greenpaw said nothing.

"Shall we go, then?" Sunpaw asked, no hint of distress in her mew. Greenpaw wondered how she could be so calm – after her proclamation of death following the sleepwalking episode, and the distressing news of Waterpaw leaving them for RootClan…didn't she want to discuss everything together? To figure out what to do?

Sunpaw and Silverweb made quiet conversation as the trio bounded over the Dunes, and in walk of the low-tide wake. Greenpaw's belly grumbled irritably, and she made no attempts to join them.

"How did you learn to catch shrimp so well, Silverweb?" Sunpaw asked as the water crested over their paws. Greenpaw felt a bit more at ease, the salty air thick on her tongue, the wet sand gently massaging her aching paws with every step.

"From the best," Silverweb replied, almost absentmindedly. She too, seemed focused on the happy beach morning. "My mam taught me."

"And where is she?" Sunpaw went on, her tone genuinely interested in Silverweb's response. Greenpaw had to bury her irritation. Half of Greenpaw wanted Sunpaw to ask her a question, to keep her of mind. The other half wanted to stay as quiet as she could, lest Silverweb think she was welcomed on the adventure that Sunpaw had, well, welcomed her on. It was a very confusing contradiction.

"Dead," Silverweb answered, her mew flat. There was a silence, as if she had nothing left to say on the subject. But then she continued, as a flock of seagulls parted before them, cawing and squeaking as they rose in the sea air. "We lived on a small, sandy piece of land in the Saltmarshes, close to the Snakeroot-trees. She was old, and an avid hunter, but fighting was difficult for her. Before I was born, a raccoon bit her on her back leg, and it got infected. She hasn't had much use of it since. A minx attacked her when I was just some moons old. She died protecting my brother and I."

Greenpaw felt an eerie connection blossom as Silverweb shared of her mam's untimely death. She swallowed it away and irritably flattened her ears. But neither cat was paying her any mind.

"What of Pearlpelt? She couldn't help?"

"My mam was very…independent. To the point of fault. She wouldn't depend on any cat but herself and her kin. Even when she was pregnant and nesting…but like I said, she was a fierce hunter. I learned everything I know from her." Silverweb finished with a finalized note in her mew, as if it was said and done, and there was nothing left to say about it.

But there wasn't a lapse in conversation as Sunpaw next asked, "You didn't know Waterpaw until she came to RootClan, then?"

Greenpaw felt her jaw drop. She had to fight the urge her body had to stand paralyzed with shock. And then she rejoiced, a flurry of energy seizing her body. Sunpaw, you are a genius!

"No, I didn't." Silverweb seemed to answer carefully. "It was when I saw Waterpaw in RootClan that I knew I belonged in SaltClan."

Sunpaw nodded, not giving away any more interest in Waterpaw than she had about Silverweb's mam. Sunpaw had a very inviting mew, one that always sounded genuine and interested, but not prying nor suspicious. That's why everyone liked Sunpaw. When she talked to you, you felt like the only cat in the world that she cared about.

"It seems like it's about time for her to be back." Sunpaw commented casually, her mew as gentle as ever.

"I wouldn't hold your breath," Silverweb muttered, looking straight ahead. "I don't see her leaving anytime soon."

"What makes you say that?" Sunpaw mewed, her tone still giving away nothing.

Silverweb stopped, and turned toward the water. She padded along until she was almost belly-deep in the salty sea, dipping her head to take a few licks. Sunpaw stopped as well, turning to face her and sitting down in the cresting water, wrapping her tail around her paws. Greenpaw stood, her head turned toward Silverweb with shock in her eyes she couldn't hide.

Silverweb turned back to them after a few moments, the morning sun making Silverweb's pelt shine, and met Sunpaw's brilliantly yellow eyes. "Because." she meowed evenly. "Your medicine cat apprentice is in love with RootClan's leader."

This may be an overdone sub-plot, but just trust me on this one :) read and review! I always like to know what my readers are thinking!