Hiya, this is Leopardshadow679. I think I got the author note thingy down, so I'm going to continue with the story. Hopefully, alliances are coming next chapter. Sorry if the clans see a little small. We haven't met anyone else from the other Clan's yet, and I don't want to fill up ThunderClan too fast. That would mean killing cats to make space for the cats I want to add, and I hate that sort of pointless murder.

Oh, and if anyone is wondering, this takes place in the old forest, not at the lake.

On with the chapter!

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Silverstorm twitched her tail, watching Eaglepaw and Skypaw spar. They were not practicing a routine, they were actually practicing on the spot battle. Silverstorm thought it was easy to see the apprentices fighting styles. Eaglepaw relied heavily upon his sheer size advantage over Skypaw, while Skypaw took her smaller size and used it to her advantage.

Silverstorm also noticed that Eaglepaw was holding back, not taking advantages of the spaces where he could have attacked. "Cut," Silverstorm called, padding forward. "Eaglepaw, stop holding back. Skypaw's never going to get any better if you don't give her a challenge!"

"Oh," Eaglepaw dipped his head, "Sorry."

"Don't feel sorry," Nightshadow snapped, "Just do it better next time." Eaglepaw started, staring at his mentor.

"Nightshadow," Silverstorm mewed reproachfully.

"It...it's fine," Eaglepaw meowed. He trotted over to Skypaw. The light brown she-cat flicked her ears in embarrassment. They started sparring again. Eaglepaw didn't hold back this time, but Silverstorm could hear him muttering "sorry' every time he hit Skypaw particularly hard.

"Enough," Nightshadow said. As the two apprenticed broke apart, Nightshadow gazed around thoughtfully. "Where are WindClan and RiverClan?" She mewed, "Swiftbreeze, Lionpaw, and Wildwind should be here by now." Silverstorm nodded. It was a bit odd that the other cats not be here. Maybe they had gotten the date messed up.

"We could go look for them," Eaglepaw said brightly, " Me and Skypaw are small. We wouldn't be detected very easily."

Nightshadow snorted. "No Eaglepaw. You happen to not have the finer points of stealth. You sound like a lumbering badger whenever you try to be quiet." Eaglepaw ducked his head.

Skypaw stood up for Eaglepaw. "No he doesn't. He's managed to sneak up on me several times."

"Which shows how inept you are at hearing," Nightshadow turned to Silverstorm. You really ought to take your apprentice to your medicine cat. She must be half deaf."

"You do not talk to my apprentice like that," Silverstorm meowed firmly, her green eyes livid. "I am shocked at how mean you are to your own apprentice."

"So?" Nightshadow snapped, "Have you seen those two, Silverstorm? I mean really look. Is it that hard to notice?" Glaring at Nightshadow, Silverstorm turned to her apprentice and the ShadowClan apprentice. Eaglepaw was murmuring comforting words to Skypaw, Skypaw was snuggling into Eaglepaw's fur. Realization dawned on Silverstorm. She turned to Nightshadow in shock. "Took you long enough," the black she-cat commented.

"You can't seriously..." Silverstorm stuttered, but as she turned to look at Eaglepaw and Skypaw snuggling, she couldn't deny it otherwise.

"Skypaw," Silverstorm raised her voice. "Time to go."

Skypaw twitched her tail. "Why?" She sounded irritated

Silverstorm scrambled for an answer. "umm... Grayleaf said that Dawnburst will be having her kits very soon. She's my sister. I want to see them born."

"Pushy," Skypaw muttered, but trotted over to Silverstorm. "See you at the gathering tonight, Eaglepaw."

The Gathering! Silverstorm had totally forgotten about it. She had time to say, "Who says you're going?" before Skypaw had bolted back into the forest.

"Eaglepaw and I are going to stay here a little longer," Nightshadow mewed, "maybe the others will show up." Silverstorm nodded, and followed her apprentice.

She caught up to Skypaw as they passed the Owl Tree. "Skypaw," Silverstorm called, before we get back to camp, I want to talk to you about something."

Skypaw stopped. Trotting back lazily to Silverstorm, she meowed, "What?"

Silverstorm stared evenly at her apprentice.. "Is there something going on between you and Eaglepaw?"

Skypaw's fur bristled. "No," she snarled, "What makes you think that?"

Silverstorm flicked her ears. "You and Eaglepaw were wound up tighter than a thicket of brambles back there. "Not to mention you got really mad when I asked you just now."

Skypaw struggled for a comeback. "Well... I'm just outraged that you would think that."

Silverstorm laid her tail on Skypaw's back in comfort. "I understand," she meowed, "It's natural at your age, but Eaglepaw is from a different clan. It will only cause difficulties and pain for you."

"You're wrong!" Skypaw yowled, jerking away from Silverstorm. "We can be together. You just watch Silverstorm. Just watch." The apprentice bolted away towards camp.

Silverstorm sighed, and headed after her.

As it turned out, Copperstar did want Skypaw at the gathering. It was probably so he could show her off as a good apprentice of ThunderClan. How wrong he was. Upon reaching Fourtrees, Skypaw began weaving through the ShadowClan cats, looking for Eaglepaw.

Silverstorm narrowed her eyes. Skypaw, she thought with disgust. 'Silverstorm," Wildwind bolted up to her, the RiverClan cat looked very worked up. "I...I'm getting an apprentice soon," He cried.

Silverstorm twitched her ears. "Isn't that a good thing?" She asked.

"Yes," Wildwind kneaded his paws. "But I'm not getting the kit I think would be good for SunClan.

"Oh," Silverstorm nodded, "Who is he or she?"

"She," Wildwind said. "Her name is Hazekit. She's pale ginger, and she has the most amazing blue eyes." He looked down. "I'm getting her brother, Rockkit. The kit won't shut up about how many warriors from the other clans he's going to kill. He couldn't ever be a member of SunClan."

There's always a chance of swaying him," Silverstorm meowed.

"Very little," Wildwind paced in a circle. "What in StarClan's name am I going to do?" He sat down.

"You could talk to Shorestar," Silverstorm offered, "She might understand. Just tell her that you've had your eyes on Hazekit for a long lime and would love to have her for an apprentice."

Wildwind nodded. "Maybe I'll do that," he mewed.

That was when Blossomstar called the Gathering to order. "There is nothing that ShadowClan needs to report. The prey is running well in this full leaf, and we are strong." The ShadowClan leader stepped back.

Copperstar stepped forward. "ThunderClan has nothing to report," He mewed calmly.

Galestar, the WindClan leader, stepped forward. "We have sad news to report," she glared at Creekstar. "Due to a scuffle with RiverClan earlier, we have lost a warrior," she paused, "Swiftbreeze has gone to StarClan."

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Oh boy, did I just kill our first SunClan member? I think I did. What's going to happen to Lionpaw, her apprentice? Of course I know the answer, but you don't! Mwahahaha!