Okay, the moment everyone has been waiting for!!! What'll happen to Silverstorm?

I forget to do this all the time: Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors. (But I do own the characters, I made them up!)

Chapter 5

Cloudpaw and Snowstorm had just padded into camp when they heard a loud wail. Snowstorm muttered something to herself, then turned to her apprentice, her ears twitching fretfully.

"You did well with training, Cloudpaw. Make sure you're up for the border patrol tomorrow in the morning," she said. Then she flicked her white, bushy tail and padded toward the warriors den.

Cloudpaw nodded and called after her, "Thank you." He went over to the fresh-kill pile, where his sisters were eating. They were glancing over to the medicine cat's den. Silverstorm, being aided by Mosspelt and Thistlefang, was slowly and painfully making her way to the leader's den. By now, Smokestar had emerged from the den and was making his way over. Forestlily, her fur bristled and her paw steps jittery, was pacing around the clearing, shaking her head.

"What's going on?" Cloudpaw asked.

Dewpaw turned to look at her brother and shrugged. Her eyes were clouded with worry. "I'm not sure. It doesn't look like she's doing so well, though."

Cloverpaw nodded and nudged her vole away. "I don't think I'm very hungry anymore. Do you want it, Cloudpaw?" The grey and white apprentice shook his head. "No, thanks." He glanced around. "I'm going to find Feathercloud and Thorntail. Maybe they'll know what's going on."

Cloudpaw found his parents quietly conversing behind the nursery. He hesitated for a moment, and overheard parts of their conversation.

"Thorntail, I promised myself to tell them after their first moon of training," Feathercloud said.

"I know, Feathercloud. But they're so young. Think how it'll affect them. Besides, I like being their father. And…with what's happening to Silverstorm and all, I don't think I'm ready," her mate replied.

Cloudpaw narrowed his eyes. What are they talking about?

Feathercloud sighed. "Thorntail, I love you dearly, but…"

"Please, Feathercloud. Let's wait, until they're warriors. When they're old enough to understand and deal with it."

"Are you sure they'll understand?"

"Of course," Thorntail reassured. "They'll know what love is like, and what it's like to have to make big decisions. Please?"

"Okay," Feathercloud sighed.

Cloudpaw peeked at them.

Feathercloud looked up, her blue eyes full of alarm. She was nestled under Thorntail's chin. "Cloudpaw, is that you?"

The grey apprentice ran back toward the fresh-kill pile, panting. His sisters had left already. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Thorntail padding toward him. He grabbed a vole from the fresh-kill pile and began eating, trying to act casual.

"Hey, Cloudpaw!" Thorntail called.

Cloudpaw raised his head. "Yes, Thorntail?"

Thorntail glanced at the young tom suspiciously. "Was that you I saw, behind the nursery?"

Cloudpaw shrugged and dared not meet his father's gaze. He felt guilty about lying.

Thorntail sighed. "Well, I was just wondering…" He trailed off, twitching his whiskers uncomfortably. "I guess I'll see you later."

Cloudpaw nodded. As soon as Thorntail was out of sight, he finished eating and went to find his sisters.

They were resting in the apprentices den, but not sleeping.

"Hey, get up! I have to tell you something!" Cloudpaw hissed.

Dewpaw yawned. "What is it?"

"Can't it wait?" Cloverpaw grumbled. "I'm really tired."

Cloudpaw hissed again. "This is important." He lowered his voice. "It's about…Feathercloud and Thorntail."

Dewpaw's head jerked up. "What about them?"

Cloudpaw purred, satisfied that he had gotten their attention. He glanced around, then seeing that no one else was around, began to explain what he had heard.

"Wait, is Thorntail really our father?" Dewpaw mewed, a tremor in her voice.

Cloudpaw shrugged. "He said, 'I really like being their father,' so I don't think he is."

"What if he just meant that he likes the fact that we're his kits?" Cloverpaw mewed.

Cloudpaw shook his head. "There was more meaning in that."

Dewpaw was staring at her paws, and her whiskers quivered.

"Dewpaw, are you okay?" Cloudpaw asked.

The young, black she-cat shrugged, but she didn't meet her brother's blue eyes. "Well, think about it. We look nothing like our father, if he even is our father. I don't know where Cloverpaw and I got the black pelts. And Cloverpaw has green eyes!"

Cloudpaw nodded. "I know, but there's no one in ThunderClan that has black fur and green eyes." After a moment, he added, "And I doubt that Feathercloud mated with someone outside the Clan, because that's against the warrior code." Feathercloud would never break the warrior code!

"I guess we'll just have to wait until we're warriors," Cloverpaw mewed. "They'll tell us the whole truth then."

Cloudpaw nodded. "You're right. I'm sorry I got you two worked up about this."

Cloverpaw yawned and rested her chin on her paws, closing her eyes.

Dewpaw sighed once and did the same.

Cloudpaw was going to join his sisters when there was a loud yowl. He peeked out of the den and saw the Clan gathering under the Highrock. Smokestar was gazing down at ThunderClan, his eyes full of worry. "Hey, Clan meeting," he hissed to his siblings. Then he trotted outside and sat down.

Dewpaw and Cloverpaw sat down beside him, shaking their pelts and yawning. Cloudpaw noticed, that when Thorntail sat down beside Dewpaw, she looked up at him with wide eyes.

Thorntail licked her ear affectionately and turned his attention to Smokestar.

Cloudpaw's eyes wandered around the clearing, and settled on Silverstorm, who was trying to sit upright, Mosspelt and Forestlily now at her side.

"Thank you for gathering, cats of ThunderClan," Smokestar began, his voice shaky. "I-I have an important announcement to make."

A murmur rippled through the crowd, but when Smokestar waved his tail, they hushed.

"As you may know, Silverstorm, one of our senior warriors, was badly injured in the battle with ShadowClan," Smokestar mewed. "Mosspelt and Frostpaw tried their best to help her, but with no prevail."

Mosspelt nodded from Silverstorm's side, her head lowered. Frostpaw, who was sitting beside Lightpaw, lowered her head sadly.

"Silverstorm has decided to retire to the elders den," Smokestar announced. "Silverstorm, is this still your wish?" he asked.

Cloudpaw gasped. She can't!

"It is," Silverstorm mewed. Her voice sounded strained and tired.

Smokestar nodded. "You have led a full life. You've been a wonderful mentor, a loyal Clanmate, and a fierce fighter. You went through hard times, especially when you lost your mate, Lionstar, to death, and you've given birth to four kits in your lifetime. We honor you."

Silverstorm lifted her head proudly. "Thank you."

Slowly and quietly, then building up louder and stronger, the cats all chanted, "Silverstorm! Silverstorm! Silverstorm!"

Silverstorm purred softly and chuckled, "Stop it, my warrior naming ceremony was moons ago."

Cloudpaw sighed. He had to admit, Silverstorm still had the spirit in her eyes, and the gloss in her coat. He would miss the days his grandmother gave him friendly advice on a patrol or a hunt. He glanced at Thorntail, who had made his way over to his mother.

He began trotting over as well. Silverstorm purred.

"Hello, Cloudpaw."

Cloudpaw shuffled his paws nervously. "Um, I…you…"

Silverstorm purred good-naturedly. "I understand. Thank you."

Cloudpaw nodded and took a step back, only to bump into Frostpaw, the pretty medicine cat apprentice. "Oh, hi."

Frostpaw's blue eyes weren't twinkling, but they weren't dull like the other day. "Hi, Cloudpaw."

"Um, how are you doing? You're not still…defeated, are you?"

To Cloudpaw's surprise, the white she-cat let out a silky purr. "Actually, no. Now I see that Silverstorm really had a good life, and it's time for her to rest."

Cloudpaw purred. "Right." Oh, she's so…inspiring. And pretty. Why did she have to a medicine cat apprentice? Why couldn't Lightpaw and Frostpaw switch places, so I'd have a chance with her? He guiltily shook those thoughts away. Lightpaw was a good friend to him, although she wasn't as pretty as her sister.

"Cloudpaw, hunting patrol!" Snowstorm mewed from across the clearing.

Cloudpaw nodded. "I'll be right there!" He turned back to Frostpaw, who was staring at him shyly. Their eyes met, and Cloudpaw wished he could just stand there and stare the whole day.

Finally, Frostpaw tore away and mumbled, "I'll see you later," as she trotted toward Lightpaw.

Cloudpaw called a friendly bye after her, then whipped around and raced over to his mentor, who was standing with Whitepelt and Thistlefang.

"Come on, Cloudpaw," Snowstorm mewed, flicking her tail.

"Hi, Cloudpaw," Whitepelt purred fondly. She was a close friend of Feathercloud.

Thistlefang nodded politely to his nephew.

"Let's go. I say we hunt near the Sky Oak," Snowstorm decided as she led the patrol out of camp. She warned, "Everyone stay together."

~oOoOoOoOoOo~

Cloudpaw padded back into camp, clutching two mice, a squirrel, and a rabbit in his jaws. He dropped it on the fresh-kill pile and shook his fur.

"Nice job," Whitepelt purred as she passed by. Cloudpaw dipped his head respectfully.

Snowstorm, after dropping her catches on the fresh-kill pile, mewed, "Great job hunting. I want you to take something the Mosspelt and Frostpaw, then something to Silverstorm."

"Okay," Cloudpaw replied. He picked up the two mice and padded to the medicine cat's den, eager to see Frostpaw again.

He stepped into the dark, musty den, then looked around until his eyes adjusted. He spotted Mosspelt sorting through some foul-smelling herbs, probably old ones that needed to be thrown out.

"Hello, Mosspelt." Mosspelt turned and purred. "Hi, Cloudpaw."

"I brought some fresh-kill for you and Frostpaw," he said.

"Thank you. Unfortunately, Frostpaw is out collecting herbs, but I'll tell her you brought over this mouse," Mosspelt replied.

Cloudpaw nodded, a bit disappointed. "Okay, bye."

Mosspelt nodded, and the grey apprentice turned around and padded back outside. He grabbed a squirrel from the fresh-kill pile and raced toward the elder's den. Silverstorm was grooming herself.

"Hi, I brought some fresh-kill," Cloudpaw mewed.

Silverstorm looked up and purred. "Thank you," she mewed.

Cloudpaw went over and dropped it at his grandmother's paws, so she could reach it easily. "Do you need anything else?"

Silverstorm shook her head and bit into the squirrel.

"Okay, then. I'll see you later," Cloudpaw mewed as he turned to leave. He heard Silverstorm let out a mew of agreement and padded back toward the apprentices den. On the way, he stopped at the nursery.

"Hi, Birdwing," he mewed. Then he greeted the four kits, whom he hadn't seen in a long time.

Flightkit, Eaglekit, Falconkit, and Stonekit purred and questioned him about the duties of an apprentice.

"I want to go hunting, just like you!" Falconkit boasted.

"I'm going to be the first one to even catch anything," Eaglekit scoffed.

Stonekit pushed him away. "No, I am. Right, Cloudpaw?"

We used to be great friends, but now that I'm an apprentice, I've barely had time to talk to them! Cloudpaw thought to himself. "I'm sure Smokestar will give you your apprentice names soon." Then he continued toward the apprentices den.

Lightpaw was curled up inside, yawning drowsily. When she saw Cloudpaw, she offered a casual hello.

"Hi, Lightpaw," Cloupaw mewed. "Have you seen my sisters?"

Lightpaw shook her head. "No, I haven't. I think Cloverpaw went to train with Smokestar. Maybe Dewpaw went with Frostpaw to collect herbs."

"Oh, thanks," Cloudpaw replied. He curled up in his nest, tucking his tail over his nose. He closed his eyes and yawned.

~oOoOoOoOoOo~

Cloudpaw groaned and flailed his legs around as something prodded his side. "Leave me alone, Cloverpaw! Go away!"

The prodding continued.

"Is that you, Dewpaw? Stop!" Cloudpaw grumbled, his eyes still closed. He sighed and blinked.

A little ginger and white she-cat crouched beside him, her ears flattened, and her green eyes glittering.

"Flightkit?" Cloudpaw hissed, immediately rolling over onto his stomach and getting to his paws. He glanced outside. How long had he been asleep? It was starting to get dark. "What are you doing here? You should be in the nursery, getting ready to sleep!"

"Shh!" Flightkit hissed. She twitched her ears nervously and looked around. Dewpaw was the only one there, and she was snoring away. "I need your help, Cloudpaw, please."

Cloudpaw rolled his eyes. "Flightkit, you're just a kit. Go back to the nursery and ask Birdwing."

"NO! I couldn't do that!" Flightkit protested. "This is serious! I may carry the name 'kit, but you should still take me seriously!"

Cloudpaw sighed. "Okay. What do you need?"

Flightkit stepped closer and lowered her voice. "Falconkit went missing! I think he went out in the forest!"

"What?!"

Much better cliffy! Okay, time to review!!!