Chapter 5
Silverstorm blinked. Did Skypaw really say that? The warrior gave Skypaw an angry look. Well, Skypaw asked for it. "Yes," Silverstorm mewed. "I did say that. I feel Skypaw is ready for her warrior name." Skypaw's eyes blazed with happiness. Silverstorm gave her a piercing glare. The apprentice didn't seem to notice.
Dogclaw nodded. "Perfect. If you want we can have her assessment now and her ceremony at Sundown."
Silverstorm flicked her ears in agreement. "Whatever you think is best."
Dogclaw flicked his tail, gesturing for Skypaw to follow him. The apprentice did, bouncing up and down. Silverstorm groaned. What had she done?
Silverstorm trotted to the Warrior's Den wearily. She flopped down on the soft moss. She hadn't been getting enough sleep lately. Her head hurt. She lay her head down to take a quick nap.
She did not sleep peacefully. Images of Skypaw haunted her. The she-cat was in pain, she saw four pairs of eyes. Two sky blue, two dark amber like an eagle's eyes. Skypaw screamed, and Silverstorm tried to help her, but an eagle flew forward to try to help, but it only succeeded in hurting Skypaw more.
"No," Skypaw whispered, before the she-cat went limp.
"Robin, Spruce, Willow and Golden," a voice boomed in Silverstorm's ears. Silverstorm whirled around, trying to find the source of the voice, but a shadow had covered the sun, and it was dark all around her.
"No!" Silverstorm awoke. Sun streamed in through a few cracks in the den's roof. She shook her head. All of this was starting to get to her.
"Silverstorm," Firefur peaked in the entrance. "Come quickly, Dawnburst is having her kits."
"What... wait for me," Silverstorm fairly flew from her bed to the Medicine Cat Den. Dawnburst's labored breathing reached her ears.
"It's okay, it's okay," Grayleaf whispered, "push, push," Dawnburst heaved a deep breath as the first kit slid into the world. "Dawnburst you're doing wonderful, just push once more, that's it." The second and last kit mewed in hunger. Dawnburst hardly paused before beginning to lick the kit's fur dry.
"It's a tom," Grayleaf mewed, "And the other one is a she-cat."
Firefur looked at the kits, studying them as their fur dried. "The tom should be Fleetkit," he meowed, nudging the little pale ginger tom.
Dawnburst studied the tortoiseshell she-cat. "Flickerkit," she mewed, nudging both of the kits toward her stomach, where they could feed.
Grayleaf nodded happily. "Two perfectly healthy kits," she mewed, "that's what I like to see." Flickerkit and Fleetkit began feeding, their little paw's kneading their mother's belly.
"Congratulations Dawnburst," Silverstorm meowed to her sister, "they're beautiful."
The new mother stared down at her kits. Silverstorm exited the den. Skypaw was still gone. Silverstorm sighed. Would Skypaw be in this position in the future, but with no medicine cat to help her, just Eaglepaw. Fear clenched at Silverstorm's heart. Was that what the dream had meant?
Silverstorm finally made herself think about what she would do if Skypaw really decided to run away with Eaglepaw. She would continue to be a SunClanmember, so that was good. She wasn't sure that she was ready to give up that part of her life yet. Most likely she would get another apprentice, one that would not run away, and the apprentice would continue her job. She could settle down and maybe have a relationship with someone. Maybe have kits of her own.
Silverstorm frowned. There really was no one in her clan that she really liked. No one that she felt ready to have a relationship with. And having a mate and kits would be extremely time consuming. Right now Silverstorm didn't want that responsibility that a mother would have. How could Skypaw decide that she wanted this so early in her life. Once she and Eaglepaw ran away, there was no coming back.
Silverstorm debated whether to tell Rippedtail. Somehow, a tom just wouldn't understand. That was when Silverstorm knew who she needed to talk to. Nightshadow. The black ShadowClan warrior would have the same problem she did with losing an apprentice.
But how? There was no SunClan meeting until tomorrow, and by then, Skypaw might have gotten her name and run off. Silverstorm started to pick her way toward the ShadowClan border. Maybe she would get lucky and Nightshadow would be on a hunting patrol.
Silverstorm listened intently for approaching pawsteps, and tasting the air for Nightshadow's scent. She had been past here, not but moments before.
"Mousedung," Silverstorm cursed. If only she had moved little faster. She might not have missed Nightshadow.
"Hey," Silverstorm heard a gruff tom's voice, and ShadowClan's scent washed over her. She whirled to see Oakstripe, a ShadowClan warrior approaching her with a patrol of other cats. Silverstorm breathed a sigh of relief. There was Nightshadow. The she-cat's eyes widened when she saw Silverstorm.
"You are very close to our territory ThunderClan cat," Oakstripe meowed, "What are you doing?"
"I was hunting, one last hunt before the sunset," Silverstorm addressed Oakstripe, but she was looking at Nightshadow. "The night will fall soon; I wanted the advantage of the shadows. I didn't notice where I was going."
Oakstripe nodded grudgingly. "Very well," he meowed tersely, "But don't let us catch you here again."
"Thank you Oakstripe," Silverstorm gave one last look to Nightshadow, hoping that the black warrior had gotten her hidden message. Silverstorm hurried back to ThunderClan territory. But she hoped back out as soon as The patrol had left, and waited for Nightshadow.
The SunClan warrior came a good while before sunset, much to Silverstorm's relief. "What?" Nightshadow asked.
Silverstorm hesitated. "Out with it," Nightshadow commanded. "I didn't come out here for nothing."
Silverstorm sat down. "It's a long story," She mewed.
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Hiya everyone. This is Leopardshadow butting in. I'm pretty sure that this chapter is going to be a long one, so for all of you with nervous habits, you might want to get up and move around a bit now before you come back to the story.
For everyone else, on with the story!
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"You know how you talked to me about Skypaw and Eaglepaw liking each other?" Silverstorm mewed. When Nightshadow nodded, Silverstorm continued. "Well it's gotten more serious. Skypaw said that she and Eaglepaw were planning to run away together after they got their warrior names."
Nightshadow's tail drooped. "I should have known," she paced back and forth. "Eaglepaw's been acting really keen to get his warrior name. He finally convinced Clifffoot that it was time for him to get his warrior name. He's having his ceremony at sunset."
"Skypaw too," The two SunClan mentors stared at each other. Green eyes and amber ones. "What are we going to do?"
Nightshadow shook her head back and forth in worry. "I don't know," she meowed, "But we have to do something."
A strange thought crossed Silverstorm's mind. "What if we let them go?" She asked.
Nightshadow whirled on the ThunderClan warrior. "What!" she yowled, "Are you seriously considering that?"
"No... I just don't know a way to stop them."
"There's always a way... always. StarClan, why are you letting this happen?" She yowled. She began pacing again. Suddenly she froze. "There's another reason you were ready to let the apprentices go. To stay in SunClan."
"No..." But Silverstorm knew it was true. She didn't want to lose SunClan, to lose... no, she wouldn't let her thoughts wander that way. She wouldn't be any better than Skypaw.
"You are seriously considering it," Nightshadow mewed in a faint voice, "These are our apprentices Silverstorm. We can't lose them!"
"Why does it matter to you?" Silverstorm surprised herself by mewing. "You don't even like Eaglepaw."
Right after she said that she knew she had made a mistake. Nightshadow whirled, fire in her amber eyes. "You're wrong Silverstorm. Eaglepaw means more to me than you think."
Silverstorm dropped her gaze. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."
"Maybe we should let them go," Nightshadow mewed bitterly. "They've already betrayed SunClan. Soon they will betray their birth clan. Why should they be treated as anything but traitors?"
"We should let them go if they want to;" Silverstorm thought aloud, "But let them know the consequences of their choice. They will never be let back in either of the clans, and we will treat them as rogues." Silverstorm's voice cracked.
Nightshadow dipped her head in agreement. "That is probably the best plan of action until another plan can be decided," She turned toward ShadowClan territory. "May StarClan be with you," she called over her shoulder, and pushed through the tall grasses on the border. Silverstorm trotted back to camp.
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And although this is a perfect place to stop, I'm too excited for the next part. So I'll continue.
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The clan was gathered around Highrock when Silverstorm returned to camp. She was almost bowled over by an excited Skypaw.
"I'm getting it!" She yowled, jumping up and down, "I passed my assessment! Heartpaw and I are getting our warrior names now!"
"Skypaw, that's wonderful!" Silverstorm meowed, hoping that her enthusiasm didn't sound too fake.
"Will all cats old enough to catch their own freshkill, gather here beneath Highrock for a warrior ceremony!" Silverstorm heard Copperstar yowl. Silverstorm's breath caught. This was it.
Heartpaw and Skypaw hopped up onto Highrock next to Copperstar. Silverstorm held her breath. She knew what was coming next. "I, Copperstar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices today. They have trained hard to learn the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn. Skypaw, Heartpaw, do you swear to uphold the warrior code and defend the clan, even at the cost of your life?
"I do," Heartpaw mewed confidently.
"I do," Skypaw meowed, and Silverstorm's heart clenched. Skypaw was already lying.
"Then I hereby give you your warrior names," Copperstar declared, "Heartpaw, from this moment onward, you shall be known as Heartflight. StarClan honors your courage and welcomes you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Copperstar rested his chin on Heartflight's head and she licked his shoulder.
Copperstar turned to Skypaw. "Skypaw, from this moment onward you shall be known as-"
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Ha. You really didn't think I'd tell you Skypaw's warrior name right now did you? No, I'm going to use it to blackmail you. Unless I get eight reviews (and for those who are not a member of , I like your reviews too) I'm not going to tell you her's or Eaglef... oops, did that come out? I think it did. Anyway, eight reviews. If I get ten I'll answer almost any question you ask in your review. Do we have a deal, 'cause I'm as excited as you are to start using the apprentice's warrior names.