Hey guys! Thanks for all your reviews, on this story and on my other one.
This chapter is dedicated to Rabbitstorm, who has loyally reviewed every single chapter!
And it's Seapaw's POV, on to Chapter 14!

SEAPAW

Grief flickered in a young silver tabby's ocean-blue eyes as they surveyed her devastated Clan. All around her, cats huddled in groups, their shock apparent in their wide, disbelieving eyes. Pity twisted Seapaw's heart as she caught sight of Tornadostorm, the MeadowClan delegate. He was sitting a little ways-off from the other cats, his slender gray tabby body stretched out. His yellow eyes stared blankly at nothing, as if he couldn't believe this was happening to him.

This morning, Dovefeather, Typhoonstorm, Duskpaw, and Mudstrike had been patrolling near the Fishingpond. Duskpaw had returned alone, his pelt heavy with claw marks, and had collapsed shortly inside the camp. As soon as he came to, he explained that Cliffstorm had ambushed them, with more than half of CoralClan with him. They had not killed them, but taken Dovefeather, Typhoonstorm, and Mudstriek captive. Cliffstorm had said he was only getting his vengenance for all of the deaths Tornadostorm had brought to CoralClan, and that he would take away every cat that Tornadostorm loved, one by one.

Just then a light-colored tabby slowly padded up to Seapaw, bringing her out of her thoughts. Seapaw dipped her head in submission to the pale ginger tabby and recognized Sandstar, the MeadowClan ruler, and her trainer. He narrowed his green eyes, brooding with thought, as he glanced at her.

"I never thought I'd live to see the day that three of our greatest protectors were taken from our own territory," Sandstar confessed to her, swishing his tail thoughtfully. Seapaw noticed how the ginger stripes were barely visible in the sunlight, and for a moment, she thought he strongly resembled some cat she must have known, but she couldn't think of who it might be. Seapaw nodded absently in agreement as Sandstar meowed, "If we are to stand any chance of surviving this war, we will need more protectors. It is time for you and Duskpaw to become protectors."

Seapaw's silver tabby fur bristled in excitement, and she couldn't surpress a purr of pure joy. Finally, after moons of training, she would be a protector! Still, she felt a pang of guilt as she realized that she wished Typhoonstorm and Mudstrike could be here to see this; they had, after all, trained together for a few moons, and she would have liked her denmates to share this moment with her. Sinking her claws into the dirt, she vowed that she would help rescue the two protectors at any cost.

With a jolt, she heard Sandstar's familiar yowl sound from the Boulder, and her heart began to beat faster and faster. Duskpaw limped steadily up to her, and Seapaw winced at the sight of her brother's mangled body. His dark ginger pelt was matted with blood and dirt, yet his yellow eyes shone with the strength of his spirit. Suddenly feeling self-concious, she gave her silver flanks a few licks, hoping that she looked a nice sight better than her brother.

"I..I wish Dovefeather were here..." Duskpaw murmured unexpectedly, his tabby tail drooping slightly. Seapaw's heart ached for her brother, who rarely showed emotions; Dovefeather had been Duskpaw's trainer. No, Dovefeather IS Duskpaw's trainer. I know she's still alive. She shook her head, as if disagreeing with herself, and she touched her muzzle to her brother's bloodstained flank briefly. He purred, and unsheathed his claws into the dirt, adding, "When we're protectors, we will go and rescue her."

"We'll rescue all of them," Seapaw promised her brother, though doubt flickered inside her heart like a tiny flame. How, pray, were they supposed to rescue three cats from within the heart of the CoralClan camp without suffering serious losses? But as she met her brother's hopeful amber gaze, she knew they had no choice.

"Seapaw and Duskpaw have completed their training, and it is time for them to become protectors of our noble Clan," Seapaw had heard the familiar words so many times, she felt as if she could recite them. She exchanged a thrilled glance with Duskpaw as Sandstar continued, "Come forwards, both of you."

Seapaw crept fowards, feeling a silent awe. Her big blue eyes were trained upon Sandstar, who was glancing down at them with pride glowing in his green eyes, as if his own kit was becoming a protector. Her silver pelt faintly brushed the ginger flank of her brother, and she was glad that he was here and alive to experience this moment with her. The two siblings stopped a few tail-lengths away from the Boulder, and Seapaw gazed at Tornadostorm. The dark gray tabby was watching her with a curious expression in his yellow eyes. The MeadowClan learner blinked at him with surprise in her blue eyes, but he looked away quickly, one of his ears twitching. Seapaw turned her attention back to Sandstar, who was gazing up at the stars of IslandClan, his green eyes closed.

"Spirits of IslandClan, rain down your blessings upon these cats, who have trained hard in your ways to become protectors," Sandstar meowed, his voice ringing across the hollow. Seapaw's paws prickled with excitement, and she felt Duskpaw's tail lashing with impatience. "Duskpaw, Seapaw, do you promise to uphold and defend the code of tooth, claw, and compassion, and be a loyal member of your Clan?"

"I promise," Duskpaw's yellow eyes shone, and Seapaw was surprised to notice that her brother's voice seemed lower than when she had last heard it. Perhaps, in her worry about the Clan and her secret meetings with Goldenhawk, she had neglected to spend time with Duskpaw, and he had grown up quite a bit since they were mewling kits in the nursery.

"I promise," Seapaw echoed, her voice quiet. She felt something inside her stir, like an eagle spreading its wings within the confines of her heart. Every piece of prey she had caught, every battle fought, every tick pulled out of the veterans' pelts, was all for this moment. She gazed up at Sandstar with her ocean-blue eyes and blinked her gratitude, hoping he could sense how grateful she was to him for training her. Sandstar dipped his head, and turned his green gaze to the sky for several moments, as if consulting the spirits of IslandClan.

"By the power granted to me by our ancestors, who walk in IslandClan, I give your protector names. Duskpaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Duskwind. IslandClan commends you for your unwavering loyalty and strength, and welcomes you as a protector of MeadowClan," Sandstar leapt down from the Boulder and touched his nose to Duskwind's briefly, as was customary. Duskwind's ginger body trembled with excitement, and he went over to stand beside Typhoonstorm. Sandstar jumped onto the Boulder again, consulting the stars once more.

Seapaw's breath caught in her throat as she realized that it was her turn now. She wondered what Sandstar would name her. He seemed to have the same question on his mind, for the pale ginger tabby looked up at the stars for a long time and did not speak. The silver tabby learner felt her paws prickle with frustration. The Clan seemed to mutter among themselves, as if noticing that Sandstar was taking an unusually long time. Seapaw felt panic clutch her heart like talons, and she wondered if something was wrong. Did IslandClan not approve of her?

Relief flooded Seapaw's panicking heart like a tide as he turned back to her, his green eyes shining as he studied her approvingly. The Clan immediately hushed, and awaited Sandsta'rs next words.

"Seapaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Seabreeze. IslandClan commends you for your faith and for your loyalty to what you know is right, and welcomes you as a protector of MeadowClan," Sandstar jumped down from the Boulder, tiny rocks tumbling down with him. Her former trainer touched noses with her, his green eyes glowing with pride as he mewed to her, "I'm very proud of you."

Seabreeze's entire body shook with excitement, and she blinked her ocean-blue eyes at her former trainer, hoping he could see the gratitude brimming in her eyes. Even if she was allowed to, she knew she would have been too choked-up to speak as the cats of MeadowClan chanted, "Duskwind! Seabreeze!" Seabreeze closed her cerulean eyes and let their voices wash over her, pride prickling in every silver hair on her pelt. She was a protector. The silver tabby exchanged a thrilled glance with Duskwind, who was purring louder than thunder. Sandstar again leapt onto the Boulder, his pale ginger pelt turned white under the hot rays of the sun.

"Duskwind and Seabreeze will sit their protector's vigil tonight and guard the camp. This meeting is adjourned," With a flick of his ginger-striped tail, Sandstar sprang down from the Boulder once more and disappeared into his den, a small cave in the side of the Boulder. Seabreeze turned to her brother, whose amber eyes shone with pride. Together, the two cats padded over to the bramble tunnel, to guard their camp throughout the night. The sun began to dip below the horizon, and Seabreeze could see a few protectors of IslandClan glittering in the orange and pink sky.

A warm breeze stirred her silver tabby fur as she settled down next to Duskwind, and Seabreeze pricked up her ears as she strained to hear voices on the breeze. Am I going crazy? Seabreeze wondered, before remembering that Goldenhawk had heard the voices, too. Maybe they were both crazy. But her thoughts again drifted to the sharp-tongued golden tabby healing cat, and for a moment, her paws prickled and her silver pelt felt a bit too warm.

Duskwind nudged Seabreeze, breaking her out of her thoughts. Clearly, he thought that she was dozing off. Annoyed, she gave her silver chest fur a few good licks, trying to hide her embarrassment. She had not been napping, and at any other time she would have snapped angrily at her brother. She glanced again at the light ginger tabby, his fur rippling with dark red stripes, and she followed his amber gaze to a pretty light brown tabby she-cat. Seabreeze supressed a purr of amusement as she recognized Snailstripe, who blinked fondly at Duskwind with round blue eyes.

Envy stirred in Seabreeze's heart as she realized that she had no cat in the Clan that she was close to. Her gaze flickered across the clearing, where, it seemed, all of the cats were sharing tongues with their mates. Nighthawk and Fernleaf sat side by side, their pelts, black and dark gray, brushing together as they proudly watched Sleetpaw and Tumblepaw practice their fighting moves. Falconclaw, a ginger tabby who also was her father, whispered something into the ear of a silver tabby she-cat, and Seabreeze recognized her mother, Morningfrost.

A pang of loneliness shook Seabreeze, so deep that she felt her heart was breaking. Her only friends were Duskwind, her brother, who probably would rather spend time with Snailstripe than her, and Goldenhawk, a healing cat from an enemy Clan. No, the enemy Clan. She had never felt that she belonged anywhere but MeadowClan, but for the first time in her life, she felt incredibly lonely. As she continued to watch the bramble tunnel for signs of enemies, she found her thoughts straying to Goldenhawk once more, and realized that she could hardly wait until morning, when she would see him again.

GOLDENHAWK

Amber eyes blinked, in horror, down at a little gray tabby body that was fighting for breath. Goldenhawk bowed his head as he realized that there was nothing more he could do for Pelicankit. Pelicankit's gray flanks heaved, his amber eyes glittering with pain as he fought for breath. With a final shuddering breath, his striped flanks suddenly stopped heaving, and he lay very still. The golden tabby's paws prickled with frustration as he saw that Pelicankit's yellow eyes had glazed over. He was dead. The CoralClan healing cat closed the tiny kit's eyelids with his white paws.

"You would have made a fine protector," Goldenhawk murmured as he touched his nose to the gray tabby's fur in grief, and he licked Pelicankit's cooling fur. Grief flooded over him, and Goldenhawk felt as if he had failed Pelicankit as a healing cat. He noticed, out of the corner of his eye, a tiny silver tabby padding up slowly, her striped tail drooping in the sand. A jolt of alarm coursed through him as recognized Featherkit, Pelicankit's sister.

"Is he...dead?" Featherkit whispered, her blue eyes swimming with sadness and grief for her dead brother. Unable to speak, Goldenhawk simply nodded and swept his long tawny-striped tail along her tiny flanks. Featherkit let out a low murmur of grief and crouched low to the ground, pressing her muzzle into her brother's fur. Choked with emotion, the CoralClan healing cat touched his nose to the silver kit's flank, and backed out of his hollow, not wanting to intrude on her grieving. He collided with a light gray tabby she-cat, who was looking at him with hopeful blue eyes.

"Gentlebreeze..." Goldenhawk searched for the words to tell the CoralClan queen that her son was dead. Gentlebreeze seemed to gather the worst from his expression, for she let out a wail of grief and raced into the hollow, to see Pelicankit's body for herself. Icewhisker, Pelicankit's father, quickly trotted over to Goldenhawk, with his other son Littlekit behind him. The two cats noticed the grim face that Goldenhawk was wearing, and Littlekit followed his mother into Goldenhawk's den.

"I'm..I'm so sorry, Icewhisker," The light golden tomcat struggled to speak to the silver tabby tom. Icewhisker narrowed his blue eyes, obviously trying to hide his emotion, but his grief was apparent in his stiff, rigid limbs and bristling pelt.

"I will grieve later. I must be strong. Gentlebreeze and our kits need me now," Icewhisker meowed in a low, sad voice. Goldenhawk blinked in surprise as the tabby tom continued, his voice quavering, "I know you did all that you could, Goldenhawk."

Guilt prickled in the golden tabby's tom as Icewhisker brushed past him into the hollow, and almost collided with Featherkit. The little silver tabby padded over to Goldenhawk, her eyes unusually bright with sadness. She sat down next to the CoralClan healing cat, and simply stared up at the sky. The sun was dipping below the horizon, leaving the sky splattered with an explosion of pinks, blues, and oranges. For a while, they sat in silence, tails swishing in unision as a single star glittered above them in the evening sky. Goldenhawk wondered, briefly, if it was Pelicankit, watching over his grieving family.

Goldenhawk could not bear to think of the dead kit, so he turned to Featherkit, who was watching the sky with an expression of awe on her face. Her silver tabby pelt reminded him of another young cat, with rippling silver stripes and blue eyes. But Featherkit's blue eyes resembled the clear sky of a cloudless day, while Seapaw's reflected the greens and blues of the raging ocean waters. His ivory paws tingled briefly as he thought of the spunky MeadowClan learner, and his golden tabby pelt seemed to grow warmer.

As Gentlebreeze and Icewhisker brought the body of Pelicankit outside and carried him out of the camp, Goldenhawk felt sadness overwhelm him. He had not just failed Pelicankit; he had failed Gentlebreeze, Icewhisker, Littlekit, and Featherkit. He had let a cat's son and brother die. The fur along his spine prickled with guilt, and he found that he could not look at Featherkit, for fear of seeing her blue eyes full of accusation.

Loneliness flooded over him once more as he realized that the path he had chosen would only bring pain and solitude. Other cats seemed to revere him, and hold him in higher regard. No cat in his Clan wanted to casually chat with the healing cat. His thoughts turned to Seapaw, and, annoying as she was, he realized that she did not judge him like CoralClan did. His ivory paws tingled, and as the moon ascended in the sky, he found himself wishing to be by her side again.

A/N: Sorry it took so long for me to update (3 days isn't that bad!), I promise the next one will come soon. Also, props to anyone who can come up with a good warrior name for Sleetpaw, Dolphinpaw, and Tumblepaw!