Silverstripe
"Speckledheart! Speckledheart!" Silverstripe raised her voice along with the others, though no cat could trump Leopardspots. Despite insisting she hated the idea of giving up everything to care for whining, mewling kits for six moons, she had raised Speckledheart wonderfully. He was a great warrior.
"I wanna be a warrior and fight in battles and win them all now, too!" Troutpaw complained. Minnowsplash looked terrified at the idea. Silverstripe resisted a sigh at Minnowsplash's over-protective manner. She'd have to learn Troutpaw was growing up one of these days.
"Not just yet, dear," she said quickly. Troutpaw looked sullen, until Lakepaw padded over and started talking to him, cheering him up. Silverstripe purred, and glanced over at Blackfang, who was talking to Bluepaw and Willowpaw. He looked up.
"Yes?" he asked, realizing she wanted something.
"I just wanted to know if you wanted to go hunting," Silverstripe offered. They hadn't done that in a while. Sometimes she felt like her kits saw more of him then she did. It wasn't his fault, but it still made her feel a little left out. She'd gone hunting with Littleflower yesterday, but it wasn't the same as with him. Blackfang smiled.
"Sure. Just one minute." Silverstripe walked over to the enterance and waited as Blackfang finished telling Bluepaw just why the idea of dumping her half-sister in the stream and holding her down until she let Bluepaw have the bigger fish had been a very mean one. Silverstripe sighed. She loved Willowpaw, but she worried about her. She wasn't the strongest apprentice, after all. She knew as a mother that she shouldn't play favorites, but really, it was Shellpaw. She may not have been brave enough to merit a Starclan mentor, but in Silverstripe's eyes, she was worth ten Starclan cats. She was brave and loyal, and a great fighter, though Silverstripe was tired of Cloudstep getting mad at Shellpaw for being too aggressive. She was just trying to be the best she could be, Silverstripe thought crossly. Volepaw and Beetlepaw were too interested in playing, or too nervous. Stonepaw would rather watch the others and learn by watching, instead of doing. He needed long-drawn explanations. Willowpaw and Mistpaw were too soft. Shellpaw was the only one willing to dive in head-first and learn something, and she was fiercely loyal, and understood the warrior code. Silverstripe was proud of her.
"Sorry for taking so long," Blackfang said as he came over. "Where should we go first?"
"Lets make some ice-holes," Silverstripe suggested, as they crossed the stream easily. It wasn't quite cold enough for snow yet, but the rivers and streams had frozen, and the lake already had a thin layer of ice on it. Silverstripe led the way to the main river that the others branched from, leading to the lake, and leaned forward to smash the ice carefully. Blackfang purred, leaning down next to her.
"Be careful," he warned her, as usual.
"Please," Silverstripe rolled her eyes, "I'm always care-ahh!" Silverstripe pretended to fall. Apparently it worked a little too well. Blackfang dove in, in his mind "after her," terrified.
"Silverstripe?!" Blackfang looked up to see Silverstripe, still on the bank, purring in amusement. Blackfang narrowed his eyes.
"Very funny," he grumbled good-naturedly. "At least give me a bit of help up?" Silverstripe leaned down, intending to grab his scruff and yank him up out of the water. She was not expecting a yank from his side. The next thing she knew, they were both in the water, drenched.
Blackfang was laughing so hard he could barely help her out of the water. Silverstripe couldn't begrudge him his little joke. It had brought them closer together for a while, huddling under a bush together and helping dry off each other before heading home. Nothing could be better than time with her loved one.