With growing tensions with ShadowClan, Snakeshade mostly focused on Silentpaw's battle training in the following moons. Even as the late leaf-fall chill made everything slightly harder on the Clans. He wanted to make sure she was prepared in case a fight broke out. She was the youngest apprentice and most likely to get hurt, so he wanted to make sure she could handle herself. They found themselves in a few scraps with ShadowClan raiders, but as they were usually on border patrol with other warriors, Silentpaw rarely got hurt, which was a huge relief to him.

They had just finished a session of battle training and were pushing their way into camp from the thorn barrier when Tawnyhaze padded up to the two of them, purring.

"How is she doing?" the tortoiseshell deputy asked, giving her daughter a lick on the head which the young she-cat then wiped away with a paw and a muffled purr of her own.

"She's doing fine," Snakeshade responded, looking at his former mentor with pride. "After all, her mentor was taught by the best."

Tawnyhaze gave the two a nod and after bidding them farewell, left to speak with Adderstar, Redwillow, and Lichentail.

"Well," Snakeshade meowed, turning to Silentpaw, "Shall we get something to eat?"

Silentpaw nodded eagerly and ran over to the fresh-kill pile. Snakeshade was about to follow when he noticed Viperthorn staring at him from beside the entrance of the warriors' den.

With a quick glance, noticing that the other apprentices had caught Silentpaw's attention, he padded over to his brother, the look in the black tom's eyes sending a creeping feeling throughout his body.

"Hey," he meowed carefully, trying to judge the other's expression.

"Hi," Viperthorn responded.

Silence stretched between the two for a few more heartbeats. Snakeshade was almost ready to leave before his brother began talking again.

"How is it to have an apprentice?" he asked, watching Silentpaw and the others. The question took the brown tabby off guard.

"Uh...it's... well" he struggled to find the words. He imagined training Silentpaw was a bit different from training other apprentices, but he wouldn't know. She was as excited to learn as any other apprentice, though the lack of constant questions that he heard from the others was a bit odd, but once more nothing he really focused on.

"Silentpaw is a great young cat, I am glad to be training her," he said after some more thought.

Viperthorn made a small noise of acknowledgement, still watching the apprentices. Once more, the lull in conversation made Snakeshade fidget, waiting to see if his brother would continue with more, but there was only the quiet.

After a moment, Snakeshade decided to break the silence this time. "How are things with Yewberry? Are you two doing okay?"

"Huh? Oh yeah..." Viperthorn tore his eyes away, "She's great, she's actually expecting my kits."

Taken completely aback by the remark, especially since his brother said it so matter-of-factly, as if it was no big deal, made Snakeshade flinch. "Wait what?"

"Didn't I tell you?"

"No!" he yowled, his tail raising. "That's great! Congratulations!"

Snakeshade then figured that was why his brother was staring at the younger cats, and why he seemed so distracted. Still, he couldn't shake the odd feeling he got around his brother since he found him and Robinwing training in the cave a few moons ago.

"Thanks, she's really excited about it too," Viperthorn said, shifting his paws.

"Do Adderstar and Sweetgrass know?" he asked his brother, touching his nose to his ear.

"I told Sweetgrass... I haven't told Adderstar yet," the black tom meowed as he stared at his paws.

"Well, I am sure he'll be happy to hear it."

"Maybe..."

Snakeshade was about to inquire what his brother meant when a loud bout of thunder rumbled overhead. Blinking, he looked up to see dark grey clouds, moving sluggishly over the trees. He hadn't realized how gloomy the weather had gotten over the course of the day. When they had left for training there was only a light covering of clouds.

"Well, I think I'm going to turn in for the night," Snakeshade meowed, dipping his head to his brother. "Give Yewberry my congratulations, and you should tell Adderstar, he'll be excited to hear the news."

He slipped past his brother and into the warriors' den, curling up into his nest. Weariness had been tugging at him since the moment he walked into camp, and talking with Viperthorn had only made him more tired. The cold drifted into the dim den, and Snakehade shivered, covering his nose with his tail and curling tighter into his nest. Soon, he slipped into sleep.

A dreamless sleep was quickly interrupted by the sound of hisses and angry yowls. Snakeshade bolted upright in his nest, his heart suddenly pounding furiously.

"ShadowClan!" came a cry from the clearing and he sprang to his paws, quickly pushing his way through the den's entrance just in time to see black shapes streaming through the thorn barrier, silhouetted against the dim light of early dawn. The scent of ShadowClan permeated the air, and flooded Snakeshade's nose.

With an angry hiss, he threw himself at the first pelt he could. He collided into a black she-cat with an audible noise, gripping her shoulders in his claws. She was smaller than he was and he was able to force her to the ground in a cloud of dust. However, size wasn't everything as they say, and she managed to maneuver herself out of his .

The black she-cat turned on him, her grey eyes slitted in fury. He recognized her as Nightmoon, an older ShadowClan warrior, but her age didn't slow her down in the slightest. Without hesitating she thrusted forward, her claws outstretched. As Snakeshade tried to dodge to the side he caught his paw on a rock that jutted from the sandy floor, and tripped. Nightmoon landed on top of him, her claws digging into his shoulders. One paw raised, aiming for, what he could only imagine was a killing blow, but someone called her name before she could strike. Her head flung sideways, a look of confusion on her face.

Snakeshade struggled to see who had called her, but he couldn't see or hear anything else through the mass of fighting and screeching cats.

A disgruntled scoff echoed in his ears as his opponent pushed herself from him and sprang back into the sea of bodies.

Getting to his paws, he shook his pelt out and looked around, not letting his mind dwell on what had just occurred. Instead he saw Flamepaw and Silentpaw being backed into the wall of stone that surrounded the camp by two ShadowClan warriors. Their fur and tails were bristling and their eyes wide with fear.

"Leave them alone!" Snakeshade screeched over the noise and ran as fast as he could to come skidding in front of the apprentices, staring down their assailants. Tigershine and Pineneedle glared back at him, their teeth bared.

"Didn't you fox-hearts learn not to pick on apprentices," he hissed, lashing his tail. He only received hisses in return as they seperated and began to approach him from opposite sides. He watched them carefully, refusing to make the same mistake as he did with Nightmoon. Flicking his eyes back and forth, he took a step back. He could feel Flamepaw and Silentpaw shivering behind him. He didn't dare take his eyes off the ShadowClan warriors.

"Don't worry," he meowed to them, keeping his voice level. "I won't let them touch you."

Before they could both jump on him, Snakeshade yowled and took a swipe at Tigershine, catching the brown tabby she-cat in the face. She screeched and backed up, blood beading on her cheek. Pineneedle growled and tried to throw himself at him, but Snakeshade ducked at the right moment and then threw his head upward, knocking his skull against the ShadowClan tom's jaw. He stumbled back, coughing as blood dribbled from a punctured lip.

The two of them stared at Snakeshade, anger in their eyes before they exchanged glances with each other.

"Tawnyhaze!"

The cry made Snakeshade turn, and he saw the tortoiseshell she-cat laying limply on the ground, blood splattered the ground around her, and Jaggedpelt stood over her. The spikey-furred tom was covered in blood, his eyes shining.

Adderstar suddenly appeared from the crowd, knocking Jaggedpelt from his paws and away from Tawnyhaze. He landed with a thud, the ThunderClan leader stood over him. His father's back was facing him, so he couldn't read his expression, but the tension in his shoulders and tail spoke for him.

"ShadowClan retreat!" called Yarrowstar, who was watching the scene. His one good eye watching Adderstar with an unreadable expression. The flood of ShadowClan warriors began to stream out of the camp, as quickly as they had come. Snakeshade let out a breath he didn't know he was holding when the last of their tails disappeared.

"Brambleshade!" cried Adderstar as he bent down beside Tawnyhaze. The look on his face made Snakeshade's heart drop.

The medicine cat came running from his den, herbs and cobwebs stuffed in his jaws. He came to Tawnyhaze's side, whispering to the deputy.

Snakeshade padded forward slowly, fear clenched around his heart. He could see Tawnyhaze's flanks rising and falling rapidly, her breathing shallow. As he got closer he could see a large gash across the she-cat's throat, her eyes staring upward. Brambleshade pressed cobwebs against the wound, trying desperately to stop the bleeding.

"S-Silentpaw..." she rasped out, blood gurgling from her neck.

The silver tabby apprentice was suddenly at her mother's side without so much as a sound that it made Snakeshade jump. The young she-cat made an anguished cry and pressed her nose into Tawnyhaze's cheek.

"I ... love you..." she forced out, her eyes struggling to focus. Through her struggle, she found Snakeshade locking eyes with him. "T-Take... take care .. of her..." she whispered.

"No, Tawnyhaze... don't'... don't go!" Snakeshade cried, staring as his mentor's eyes slowly closed and her side became still. Silence fell across the clearing, all of the ThunderClan bowing their heads.

Brambleshade stopped his attempts, his blue eyes distraught as he pulled away. "May StarClan light your path, Tawnyhaze," he whispered.

The grief of the whole Clan was almost palpable as one by one, they came to say their goodbyes to their deputy. Silentpaw was curled up at her side, not moving.

Snakeshade hung back, letting everyone spend time with her before he did himself. He watched as Pinefoot, Willowstream, and Foxclaw all came and mourned her. Adderstar whispered a quiet farewell before he padded off to his den, his head and tail low.

By the time each Clanmate had their chance, Snakeshade crept forward, settling down beside Silentpaw and pressed his muzzle into her fur. By now she had grown cold. The sun had begun to rise, lighting the camp. The chill in the air seeped into his very core as he lay there, his eyes closed.

Goodbye Tawnyhaze he thought, hoping she could hear him, I promise I'll protect Silentpaw until my last breath.