"C'mon, is that the best you got?!" Amberpelt taunted.
"You wish!" Silverpaw hissed, leaping for her mentor. Amberpelt dodged with a twist, kicking up sand with her hind paws. Silverpaw had anticipated a dodge and reached out, hooking Amberpelt's tail.
"Please, I've trained you better than that!" Amberpelt sneered. She turned again, pulling her tail free from Silverpaw's grasp.
Silverpaw used that force to get her forepaws off the ground and balance. Now she was on her hind paws, towering above her mentor who faced her. Amberpelt lashed out to unbalance her, but Silverpaw dropped down on top of Amberpelt, throwing her weight to one side to topple the larger cat over.
"Now that's more like it," Amberpelt said, picking herself up off the floor. "You'll make a fine warrior."
"What, that's it?" Silverpaw asked. "You're not gonna tell me what I did wrong? How that I only beat you because we've trained so much that I know what you'll do? Aren't you going to say that a real battle won't be so easy?!"
"I could," Amberpelt shook the dust from her pelt, "but words are losing their value. I can tell you everything I've learned through my experiences, and you may still come across something that you would have never expected. Experience is the best teacher. It doesn't matter what I tell you, you won't know what a real battle is like until you've been in one."
"I guess you're right," Silverpaw consented.
"Of course I'm right," Amberpelt teased. "I would hope you at least learned that much!"
Silverpaw let out a mrrow of laughter and head-butted Amberpelt in the shoulder. Amberpelt responded by cuffing her ear.
"C'mon, let's go back," she said, "I want to pay Tigerstripe a visit."
"O.K." Silverpaw got up and bounded out of the training hollow. She stopped suddenly at the top and turned back to her mentor. "I smell a rabbit. Can I go chase it?"
"A hunting patrol should've gone out by now," Amberpelt came up beside her. "But, there's no har-"
She stopped short as a white rabbit darted by, followed closely by a gray cat. "Hi, Amberpelt! Bye, Amberpelt!" Echobound called as she raced past.
"Aww," Silverpaw sighed. "She's got it. Well, can I at least go down to the lake and see if I can catch a fish for Lostmind?"
"How is that old coot going to eat once you become a warrior?" Amberpelt thought aloud.
"I'll bring him a fish anyway!" Silverpaw replied, already heading down to the lake. "A warrior is supposed to serve their Clan, and Lostmind is part of the Clan. Just because I don't have to hunt for him doesn't mean I can't."
"True," Amberpelt replied, the sly edge in her voice indicated that she knew more than she was letting on.
Silverpaw hooked a fish with considerable ease; she had been catching at least one every day and had become quite the pro at it. "Should I catch something for the other elders? Does Tigerstripe need anything?"
"It's nearly sunhigh," Amberpelt replied. "I'm sure the other apprentices have fed the elders and queens by now. There're three more remember."
"But one less," Silverpaw added.
"True," Amberpelt consented. "Still, I'm sure it's fine. And if anyone needs anything, you can always go hunting again."
"Alright," Silverpaw agreed, picking up her catch.
The two cats headed back to camp. Silverpaw was instantly greeted by Tigerstripe's kits running over to her.
"Is that for Lostmind?" Sunkit asked, pointing to the fish with his muzzle.
Flavorkit came up and gave it a sniff. "Smells good."
"You're outta your mind!" Patchkit complained, "it stinks! How does RiverClan eat that mouse bile?!"
"I wouldn't know," Silverpaw replied around the fish in her mouth. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I gotta bring this to Lostmind." She headed off to the elder's den, not caring weather the kits followed or not.
"'BOUT TIME!" Lostmind shouted, leaping out of the elder's den.
Sunkit, Patchkit, and Flavorkit all yelped in fright. The two toms tripped and Flavorkit leapt backwards.
"You scared the kits," Silverpaw mewed, a little shaken up herself. "What was that for anyway?"
"Ta scare the kits," Lostmind replied, grinning.
Silverpaw rolled her eyes and dropped the fish at his paws.
"Well I wasn't scared!" Patchkit asserted, rising to his paws.
"You jumped higher than a rabbit!" Sunkit protested. "You'll never be a warrior."
"Aww, sure 'e will," Lostmind scoffed. "Fear's important too. StarClan knows them ThunderClan cats meet up with a badger alone, they're turnin' tail, and they should!"
"Well that's not brave!" Patchkit spat. "How can they call themselves warriors?"
"It may not be brave, but it ain't dumb!" Lostmind spat. "Warriors die too much sometimes, but cowards live to fight another day."
"Cowards are a disgrace to the Clan!" Patchkit snapped. "When I'm a warrior, I won't be scared a nothin'!"
"We'll see, we'll see," Lostmind replied, settling down to eat his fish. He leaned in to take a bite out of it, but blinked in surprise when he got nothing but air. "Huh?"
"My fish!" Flavorkit exclaimed, dragging the fish away by its tail.
"Dawnkit, bring that back!" Lostmind demanded. "Is that any way to treat your elders?"
"It's a fine way to treat you," Whitetail joked, emerging from the den to see what was going on.
"I'm Flavorkit!" Flavorkit called, "Flavorkit!"
"I don' care if you're Starkit!" Lostmind snapped, "gimme back my fish!"
"Make me!" Flavorkit called, tauntingly.
A growl rumbled in Lostmind's throat, but Silverpaw detected amusement in his eyes. In a matter of heartbeats, Lostmind was up and charging at Flavorkit. He slammed his hind paw on Flavorkit's tail and stood over her, glaring down. "Now then, give me my fish."
Flavorkit dropped the fish and backed away from it without a word. Her brothers both stared in awe at Lostmind.
"I didn't know and old cat could do that!" Sunkit exclaimed. "Pinning down Flavorkit's not easy either."
"B…big deal," Patchkit tried to sound unimpressed. "I'll be able to do that in no time! When I'm a warrior, in fact, I'll be better!"
"Kits," Tigerstripe called, approaching them, "don't bother Lostmind. Let him eat in peace."
"They're no bother," Lostmind replied, picking up his fish and releasing Flavorkit. "If anything, they're helpin' me stay on it, and not just become some worthless old coot."
Tigerstripe smiled warmly. "Well, either way, it looks like the three of you need some grooming."
"Awwww," The three kits moaned in unison.
"Say good-bye to Silverpaw," Tigerstripe told them.
"Bye," Sunkit sighed as he went to his mother.
"You'll teach us some battle moves later, right?" Patchkit asked as he followed.
"Maybe," Silverpaw replied.
"Bye, Silverpaw," Flavorkit said, bounding past her. "See you tonight," she whispered close to Silverpaw.
"I'm so gonna get Brownpaw and Vinepaw tonight!" Flavorkit exclaimed as she and Silverpaw crossed the moor. "I think I'm getting used to ThunderClan territory too. Aren't you?"
"Yea…" Silverpaw admitted, "I guess so."
"They're gonna run outta hiding places soon!" Flavorkit exclaimed, "and when they do, I'll be there!"
Silverpaw smiled at her, but couldn't shake the feeling of guilt, that the two of them were doing something wrong. She turned away and focused straight ahead, hoping the kit would not pick up on her feelings. A breeze blew by, as usual on the moor. Silverpaw closed her eyes as it blew through her fur, letting its chill caress take her away so she forgot her troubles.
Suddenly, she tensed. She stopped dead and put her tail in Flavorkit's way. "Shhh!" she hissed before the kit could protest.
"What is-"
"SHHHH!" She hissed again. She crouched low, pressing her paw on Flavorkit's back to make her do the same. She parted her jaws to taste the air. The scents hit her like a downpour of rain; cats! ThunderClan, she thought, and a lot of them. I wonder if they're across the border. Are they planning an attack?! I have to warn Stormstar! She nudged Flavorkit to her paws, "we're going back."
"Why?" Flavorkit whined.
"You'll know soon enough," Silverpaw hissed. "There's no time! We have to go back!"
Flavorkit did not seem to understand, but she nodded in agreement, and bounded off the way they'd come with Silverpaw right behind her.
"STORMSTAR!" Silverpaw burst through the camp entrance, screaming. She didn't even care if Flavorkit had followed her in, she had to tell someone.
"What is it?!" Stormstar bounded out of his den as the rest of the Clan hurried to the clearing to see what was wrong.
"I was out hunting!" Silverpaw panted, "and I scented…cats! Lots of 'em! ThunderClan!"
"WHAT?!" Shouts of outrage rose from the WindClan cats.
"Were those flea-bags on our territory?!" Blackfur demanded.
"I knew they couldn't be trusted!" Featherdance called out.
"Quiet! Quiet!" Stormstar yowled. "I can't get the answers if you don't stop all the yelling. Silverpaw, are you sure?"
"Positive!" Silverpaw nodded quickly, "I scented them not too far from the border, but the scent was being carried on the wind. I don't know if they're in our territory or not, I didn't stay to find out."
"Good thinking," Stormstar agreed, "if they've gathered on our border, then it can't be good. We need to prepare for battle."
"Should we go meet them?" Amberpelt asked.
"There's not enough cover," Stormstar replied. "If they see us coming, we lose the element of surprise."
"We can't just wait here to be attacked!" Tigerstripe cried. "What about the kits?"
"Amberpelt, organize a patrol!" Stormstar commanded. "Bring at least half the Clan's strength. I'll lead that patrol out to meet ThunderClan."
"But what about surprising them?" Amberpelt asked. "You said yourself there's no cover."
"We can't let them invade our camp," Stormstar insisted. "We will fight them head on if we must!"
"What about us?" Silverpaw asked.
"Silverpaw, you, Adderpaw, and Bitterpaw are coming with me," Stormstar said, "the rest of the apprentices are staying to defend the camp."
"No," Silverpaw said, "I meant what about the apprentices being hidden? Most of our warriors are older and larger than us. A few apprentices, and maybe Canyonleaf, can scout ahead to find the ThunderClan patrol. Then we can see them before they see us."
"I like it," Stormstar replied. "Yes, Silverpaw, you will lead this patrol. Adderpaw, Bitterpaw, and Canyonleaf you go with her."
"Wait, me?!" Silverpaw exclaimed. "I can't lead a patrol! Canyonleaf's the warrior!"
"She's not much older than you are," Stormstar replied. "Besides, you can take the patrol to where you scented ThunderClan. You're also one of the fastest, if not the fastest, cat in the Clan."
"You'll be fine," Amberpelt soothed. "You can do this. I know you can lead a patrol."
You're ready, Silverpaw, Moonsong's voice echoed in her head. You can do it. You will lead the Clan to victory!
A prophecy from StarClan? Silverpaw thought, StarClan has said we'll win! I can do this! StarClan is with me! My mother is with me! She took a deep breath and stood tall, "Alright, Stormstar, I'll do it."
"Good," Stormstar said. "Amberpelt, you will stay here and be in charge of the camp."
"Yes, Stormstar," Amberpelt nodded in agreement.
"Is everyone ready?!" Stormstar called the Clan.
Yowls of approval and war cries rang out from the camp. Stormstar headed to the camp entrance with half the Clan following behind. Silverpaw padded only a few short pawsteps behind him. They climbed out of the dip and scanned the moor before them, but there was no sign of ThunderClan.
"Alright, Silverpaw," Stormstar said, "take your patrol and go find them. We'll wait here in case they come for the camp. Be careful, all of you. Once you see the ThunderClan patrol, report back to me and we'll go from there."
"Alright!" Silverpaw nodded. "C'mon, guys." Silverpaw raced down the hill with Bitterpaw, Adderpaw, and Canyonleaf close behind.
"I can't believe the rouge is leading a patrol!" Bitterpaw spat.
"Hey, can you save it, please?" Silverpaw snapped. "It was Stormstar's idea, alright. We have a mission to do, and we'll fail miserably if you don't keep quiet."
"We don't take orders from you!" Adderpaw snapped.
"Shut up!" Canyonleaf hissed. "Rouge or not, Silverpaw's right. If we're not quiet, we'll get caught!"
The two apprentices acquiesced, but still growled and muttered amongst themselves as the patrol crossed the moor.
"Alright," Silverpaw whispered, crouching, "this is where I first scented them. If you really try, you can smell them on the breeze." She, and the others, all tasted the air for a few heartbeats. "They don't smell any closer. I don't think they're coming."
"Alright, so let's tell that to Stormstar," Adderpaw suggested.
"Hold on," Silverpaw said, "he told us to come back when we see them. If we circle around outside our territory and come down along the border, we'll be less likely to be seen, since they'll be looking out towards our territory."
"That could work," Canyonleaf agreed, "but it'd take a while, you think? They could attack while we are outside the territory."
"I don't think they want to attack us," Silverpaw repeated, "and it won't be too long since we don't have to walk. If we stay far enough away from the ThunderClan border, we can run there without having to worry about being seen."
"Well, it'll only take longer if we stand here talking about it," Bitterpaw spat, "let's go!"
The four cats made their way to the high hills that marked the end of their territory. They agreed to travel on the far side of the hills, just to be sure they were not seen. They ran swiftly around until the scent of the ThunderClan markers was noticeable. From there, they crept silently from bush to bush, keeping the border in sight. Finally, Silverpaw stopped them.
"Smell that?" she hissed.
"It's them," Bitterpaw hissed. "But I don't see them."
"They must be hiding," Adderpaw whispered. "It might be an ambush."
"But for what?" Canyonleaf asked. "They're on their territory. What could they be waiting for?"
"I don't know," Bitterpaw replied, "but they want a fight."
"Think they're planning to ambush the dawn patrol and claim more land?" Adderpaw hissed.
"That must be it!" Canyonleaf agreed. "They have been getting greedy."
"And look where we are," Bitterpaw added, pointing with his tail into WindClan territory, "those are the hills they gave us. They want them back!"
"They never meant to be peaceful about it at all!" Adderpaw hissed, "they were just waiting to steal it back!"
Silverpaw remained silent, her thoughts had been elsewhere. Finally, she spoke, "let's go tell Stormstar." The others agreed, and they headed straight back to camp. That's what it is, Silverpaw thought, they want more land. It's true they tried this before, and the patrols have said the markers have been made even stronger recently. I can't believe I ever thought all this would just be to catch me and Flavorkit. That's stupid; nobody knows about that, and we're just playing, they don't need half the Clan to chase us off!
"What did you find?" Stormstar asked.
"ThunderClan's laid an ambush," Silverpaw told him. "We think it's for the dawn patrol."
"They're right near the hills they just gave us!" Bitterpaw spat. "They want them back!"
"I knew they couldn't be trusted!" Snowsoot snapped. "We'll go rip their fur off!"
"Agreed," Stormstar replied, which surprised the whole patrol. "Mudstar agreed to give us that land, and now she is obviously going against her word. There is no time for words now, she wants war, we'll give it to her!"
The patrol cheered and yowled threats to ThunderClan.
"Echobound, tell Amberpelt we're going to meet them," Stormstar turned to the grey warrior near the back. "Tell her to follow with a patrol, we don't need half the Clan to guard the camp when the fight is on the border."
"Yes, Stormstar," Echobound nodded and darted back into the camp.
"The rest of us will go now and show ThunderClan that they cannot go back on their word!" Stormstar's words were met with shouts of approval. "We will fight for what's ours!"
The patrol ran, cheering, across the moor. They quieted as they neared the border and the ambush. They stopped behind the final hill before ThunderClan territory.
"Silverpaw," Stormstar called the apprentice to him. "Your patrol is not through yet. You all are the fastest I have right now. You will go on ahead and cross the border to draw the ambush out of hiding."
"That's suicide!" Bitterpaw spat. "We'll be killed!"
"You all are fast," Stormstar replied. "As soon as the ambush shows itself, you come back to us. We will be here to ambush their ambush as soon as we see it. They won't see it coming. It is a risky mission, but I would not give it to you if I did not think you were ready."
"We'll do it," Silverpaw agreed, StarClan has decreed that I will lead WindClan to victory tonight!
"Speak for yourself!" Bitterpaw snapped.
"I'll go," Canyonleaf agreed.
"Then I will too!" Adderpaw stepped up beside his sister.
"Wha..!?" Bitterpaw looked at the rest of the patrol. "FINE! I'll go too! Happy?"
"Yes," Stormstar replied, "now go."
The small patrol ran over the hill and across the ThunderClan border.
"Alright, we're here," Adderpaw said, "now what?"
"Shh!" Silverpaw hissed.
The trees rustled and something moved in the undergrowth. The four cats looked around, worried.
"What if they block our exit?" Bitterpaw whispered.
"Stormstar will come," Silverpaw whispered back. "We won't be on our own too long."
From the trees and bushes burst out ThunderClan cats, Mudstar among them. The cats surrounded the four WindClan cats and Mudstar stepped forward.
"We have you now, trespassers!" she hissed.
"Oh really?" Bitterpaw asked with a sly grin.
Trespassers? Silverpaw thought, she doesn't mean-
Silverpaw's thoughts were interrupted by Stormstar's yowl echoing through the trees. The patrol raced down the hill and in no time, the battle exploded into action.
Silverpaw found herself nose-to-nose with Lightningstreak, the young golden tabby tom she had seen on patrol. The tom said nothing, but simply lunged for her throat. Silverpaw leapt over him and landed on his back, putting as much weight on him as she could. Lightningstreak rolled over, attempting to throw her off, but Silverpaw leapt off him in the opposite direction, pushing off of his flank and causing him to fall faster than he anticipated. As soon as Silverpaw landed, she darted in for Lightningstreak's exposed underbelly. With one paw, she slashed along the length of his belly as she ran. Lightningstreak kicked out in an attempt to hit her before he got up, but Silverpaw rolled aside.
The two cats now stood facing each other. Silverpaw wasted no time dashing in for the first move. Lightningstreak simply stood waiting for her to come. Silverpaw expected a counter attack and so pushed off with her hind legs and leapt clean over the tom. She landed on his tail, digging her claws into the small area as best she could. Lightningstreak yelped in pain and pulled away. He winced as blood began to ooze from the slash in his stomach and he darted away.
Silverpaw barely had time to celebrate her victory, she whirled around and looked for a new foe. She saw Adderpaw and Bitterpaw trying to fend off three ThunderClan apprentices. She ran over and leapt onto the largest one, a brown tabby tom. She managed to bowl the young tom over, but he rolled with it and threw her off. Bitterpaw was on him in an instant, then a white she-cat with gray splotches leapt onto him. Bitterpaw and the other apprentice, a pale tabby she-cat, also leapt onto the cats, and it became just a pile of apprentices.
Silverpaw saw a brown tabby tail coming out from the bottom of the mass and bit down hard on it. A yowl came from beneath the cats, and the whole pile moved slightly. Silverpaw grinned at this and began to claw at the tail, ripping off chunks of fur.
Bitterpaw and Adderpaw both pulled a she-cat from the mass and began to fight them, while the brown tom simply laid there. Silverpaw stopped clawing and stared at the tom. Finally, he rose to his paws and ran off into the forest.
"ThunderClan apprentices," Silverpaw scoffed, rolling her eyes. She was instantly knocked to the ground by a small blue-gray tom. She rolled with the tom, fighting to get on top, but he continued to throw her down again.
Suddenly a wail of pain rang out above the others. To Silverpaw, it seemed as if it had drowned out all the other sounds of battle. She looked up, pulling away from the tom, to see what was going on. A short distance away was Canyonleaf, locked in battle with the ThunderClan deputy. Her flank was bleeding, and she was panting heavily. Anyone could tell that she was outmatched. Silverpaw ran to help her, but was tackled again by the tom.
"Think you can run away now?" the tom sneered. "Is that all WindClan can do?"
Silverpaw tried to reach up and slash his muzzle for saying that, but the tom had her pinned, and she was getting too tired to get herself up. Canyonleaf wailed again, and Silverpaw winced as she imagined what Tigonheart was doing to her. She fought as hard as she could to free herself.
"Fall back!" Mudstar's yowl came from further in the forest. The ThunderClan warriors obeyed, vanishing into the trees as they had come. Some WindClan warriors chased them to the trees, then turned back to regroup with their own Clan.
Silverpaw raced over to where the Clan was beginning to gather; she just had to be sure Canyonleaf was alright. Sadly, she could not be assured of anything of the sort. There, lying in the center of WindClan was Canyonleaf.
"CANYONLEAF!" Adderpaw cried out, shoving his way through the cats to reach his sister's side. His ear had been ripped and was bleeding and there was a scratch running down his hind leg. "Canyonleaf, don't die! You can't die!"
Sparrowheart padded up beside Adderpaw and rested his tail on Adderpaw's shoulder.
"I…is she….?" Silverpaw couldn't even think the thought, much less ask it aloud.
"She's breathing," Tailwind replied, "but barely. We have to get her to Pepperface!"
"Yes, right away!" Stormstar agreed. "Sparrowheart, Whiptail, Mooncloud, carry Canyonleaf! Amberpelt, Tailwind, and Longears, carry Coalfur."
"Coalfur?" Silverpaw asked.
"He's hurt just as bad as Canyonleaf," Echobound replied.
"Maybe worse," Stormstar said. "I'm no medicine cat, but I don't think he'll make it."
"Let me help carry her!" Adderpaw demanded. "She's my sister!"
Stormstar nodded. "Of course, if you're alright. Your ear looks pretty bad."
"Nothing that will stop me from….from…" He choked up, unable to think the unthinkable.
"Understood," Stormstar meowed, compassionately. "Alright everyone, back to camp."
Silverpaw followed the Clan back to the camp, watching the cats that carried Canyonleaf the whole way. Adderpaw turned and glared back at her. Silverpaw winced. What did I do?