Helloooo! Part 2 is here! Oh and I saw I got 200 views this morning! THANK YOU! I can't tell you how much that means to me. Oh and I've started thinking of making another story for y'all. I hope you read it. Chapter Five will probably be up later today so watch for that. Well, let's finish up this chapter!
Whisperwind was up in an instant. She stared at Silverkit in shock and nervousness.
"Are you alright?" Whisperwind asked.
"Yes! Just a bad dream" Silverkit said.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Whisperwind asked.
"No!" Silverkit said, a little too quickly.
Whisperwind still looked puzzled, but she didn't ask any further questions. She got up and padded out of the nursery.
I wonder if they buried Icekit.
Silverkit jumped after her mother into the clearing. Fawnleap and the other elders. Fawnleap was holding Icekit's body. She and the other elders bowed their heads to Skyfur and Berrytail and left. Silverkit let out a quiet sigh of relief. She now knew Icekit was safe in Starclan.
Acornkit and Mistkit huddled together still very upset about their sister's death. Skyfur and Berrytail wrapped their tails around the kits and herded them into the nursery. As they passed, Silverkit bowed her head.
Silverkit looked around the clearing. Hollowpaw and Ravenpaw sat by their mentors, Bluejay and Smokefur. Bluejay warapped her tail around Hollowpaw and whispered into his ear. He looked up at her with disappointment in his eyes. Silverkit pricked her ears to listen.
"But why? You promised!" Hollowpaw protested.
"Well sometimes, plans change." Bluejay said. She leaned toward him and tried to lick his cheek. Silverkit then had a weird emotion go over her and she growled. Relief washed over her when she saw Hollowpaw quickly pull away. He got to his paws and walked around the clearing. Once his eyes caught Silverkit he bounded toward her.
"Hi! I haven't talked to you since I became an apprentice." Hollowpaw said. He stopped right in front of her.
Hollowpaw had grown so much since he became an apprentice. His shoulders were broader and his legs were getting more muscled. Even his face seemed more toned. He was going to be a very handsome tom when he became a warrior.
"Wow…" Silverkit breathed.
"I know. Impressive, isn't it? I didn't even know I could grow this fast either." Hollowpaw said cheerfully. "Hey. You want me to teach you a battle move before I go out?" Hollowpaw asked.
"Sure!" Silverkit said bouncing up and down.
"Okay. This is how it goes. First, you-" Hollowpaw stopped, when Blizzardstar's call rang around the clearing.
Blizzardstar stood on top of Highledge. Whisperwind jumped down Highledge in a few leaps. She bounded toward Silverkit and groomed her fur. Blizzardstar jumped from Highledge. He cleared a space in front of him like he was making some cat a warrior or apprentice.
But the apprentices aren't old enough to be warriors and I'm only four and half moons old.
"Thunderclan is slowly starving away and we need more cats to hunt for us. So I've decided that kits older than four moons old will become temporary apprentices." Blizzardstar called. Many cats looked uncertain. Nightstorm wrapped her tail tightly around her kits. Despite the uncertain looks, Silverkit, hatefully, had to admit every cat was skinny. Even the elders, quens, and kits. Every warrior and apprentice had their ribs jutting out. Silverkit looked at her pelt. Her fur was matted, dull and ugly. No cat could tell she was once a beautiful silver cat. Blizzardstar was right. Every cat was slowly dying from starvation.
"So until Leaf-bare is over Silverkit will be Silverpaw. She will never leave her mentors side in the forest. She will not learn fighting moves. She will only learn to hunt and that is all she'll do. Hollyflower, you will be her temporary mentor." Blizzardstar said. Hollyflower dipped her head and padded over to Silverpaw.
"Alright, I have one more announcement. There will be no more dawn patrols until Leaf-bare is over. Stormtail, Beetlefur, and Mousepelt have imformed me that Windclan and Shadowclan have both stopped sending patrols to remark the border. Instead of patrolling, all cat's will hunt. You are now dismissed." Blizzardstar finished. He jumped from highledge and padded toward Brackenflame and Stromtail.
"Alright Silverpaw. I'm gonna show you the hunter's crouch here so we don't have to waste time in the forest." Hollyflower said. Her voice was so weird! It sounded like she was holding her tongue when she talked.
"I know my voice sounds weird. When I was kit my sister bet me to talk like this for the rest of my life. It was a very stupid bet but I swore on Starclan I would stay like this. So I have to stay like this." Hollyflower explained. Silverkit felt guilt swarm over her.
"I'm sorry. It just sounded a little strange when I first heard it." Silverpaw apologized. To Silverpaw's relief, she smiled and flicked Silverpaw's ear to show she didn't care if she was surprised.
Hollyflower showed her the hunter's crouch and she quickly got the hang of it. Hollyflower was impressed.
"Hey are you two going out, because Darkpaw and I are too." Stormtail said.
"Actually, yes. We would love to come with you." Hollyflower said. She looked at Stormtail like he set it all up. He shrugged.
"Alright, let's go!" Stormtail said cheerfully.
Hollyflower and Stromtail took the lead, leaving Darkpaw and Silverpaw to walk behind. Silverpaw eyed Darkpaw. He was always the biggest of his brother's, so Silverpaw wanted to see how big he had gotten. He was huge! He was as big as Hollyflower and he only started his training a half moon ago. His shoulders were as broad as his uncles, Applecloud. His head was wide and powerful. He had muscles flexing under his coat. He had the markings of a great Thunderclan warrior in him. Silverpaw even wondered if someday he'd become deputy or even leader.
"Isn't it amazing?" Darkpaw said.
"Yeah, you and your brother's have grown so much." Silverpaw said
"I know. My parents are really proud." Darkpaw said
"I'm sure they are." Silverpaw said.
"Alright you two, it's time to be quiet." Stormtail said. He stopped and looked back at them.
"Yes and if you find any trail of prey. Fresh or not, we follow it. Got it?" Hollyflower said. Darkpaw and Silverpaw nodded.
Darkpaw, Stromtail, and Hollyflower opened their mouths and tasted the air. Silverpaw did the same. The air tasted bland. No prey scent at all.
Silverpaw sniffed around trying to find a prey trail. A bird flew onto a branch above Silverpaw's head.
Hmm, if I climbed on the tree I could kill it up there. But I have a chance of shaking the branch and scaring it away. If I waited for it to fly down, I could very easily catch it. But it might not come down. The tree seems to be my best bet.
Silverpaw leaped at the tree and climbed it. She was lucky she had practice of climbing already in camp with her father. She walked slowly and silently along the branch, not letting it wobble.
Three tail-lengths. Two tail-lengths. One tail-length.
Now Silverpaw was so close she could hear its tiny heartbeat. Silverpaw narrowed her eyes. She pushed back and leaped. The landed directly on top of it! She bit it in the throat and it became limp. The branch cracked. Silverpaw stood frozen. She looked back and she plummeted toward the earth. She landed on her side but the pain didn't last long. She got up and shook herself, still holding her prey. Stormtail made sure she was okay and he congratulated her on her prey.
"Four and half moons old and already feeding the clan." Stormtail said.
By sunset stormtail and Hollyflower both caught a scrawny mouse. Darkpaw pulled a muscle while chasing a mouse and had to go back early. Silverpaw's catch was half the size of her. She had to lift her head to stop it from dragging. When they walked into to camp Silverpaw got many meows of approval.
"Wow. I'm guessing she did well for her first day." Blizzardstar said. He admired her catch.
"It's one of the most impressive pieces of prey we've had in a long time." Brackenflame said with wide eyes.
"If she were a real apprentice that would be a ticket to the gathering." Ashcloud said.
"Of course! Ashcloud we still need to decide who's going tonight." Blizzardstar said.
"Well it has to be the strongest and most feed. Every clan is weak but we cannot show weakness in front of the other clans." Ashcloud said.
"Alright everyone. I'm going to announce who's going to the gathering. Buzzardheart, Birdflight, Moleclaw, Bluejay, Dustpaw, Hollowpaw, Ravenpaw, Smokefur, Snowfrost, Stormtail, Stripetail, Brackenflame, Gingercloud and Drakpaw, if he's up to it." Blizzadrstar said. Darkpaw jumped to his paws.
"Of course I'm coming!" Darkpaw said. His leg was looking much better now. He still a bit of a limp but no cat would notice.
"Alright, but if he's going he has to stay near me." Willowleaf said. Darkpaw's tail drooped and he bowed his head.
As everyone left, the remaining shared the last of the fresh kill. The elders came out of their den. Fawnleap rested her tail over Jayflight's back. Jayflight was hunched over. He didn't look well at all. Silverpaw bounded over to them.
"Silverpaw not to close," Fawnleap said. "Your mother would kill me if I got you sick."
"What's the matter with him?" Silverpaw asked.
""I'm just a little-," Jayflight began, his voice was like dust. It must hurt him to talk.
"You sound…horrible. Why would Willowleaf leave when you're like this?" Silverpaw asked.
"She already gave him his medicine and she told me what to do if he got worse." Fawnleap said, she massaged Jayflight's back.
"Hopefully this is the last bout of illness we have this Leaf-bare." Liontail said.
Silverpaw stood beside Hollyflower while she told her some hunting techniquies. The moon was high overhead and the beams of moonlight made Silverpaw's tabby stripes glow. Hollyflower's fur was a beautiful gray-silver. The cats who went to the island would be returning any heartbeat. Silverpaw had played with her denmates and talked with her mother and listened to the elders stories that night. Silverpaw twitched her ears.
Finally Silverpaw could hear the thumping of paws and knew the patrol was back. She was the first to know. Many heartbeats later the cats burst into the clearing.
Suddenly a strange tang hit the roof of Silverpaw's mouth. She had scented it in the forest when she was out earlier, but it wasn't this strong. Sometimes she smelled it on some of the warrior's coats when they returned. Hollyflower's fur began to rise and a growl rose in throat. The others did the same.
"It's alright everyone. There is an announcement I must make." Blizzardstar jumped onto Highledge. Ever cat gathered below HIghledge and looked up expectantly at him. Silverpaw sat next to Hollyflower and Hollowpaw sat next to Silverpaw. He dipped his head to Silverpaw.
"Everyone, I know you smell Shadowclan but there is a reason for it." Blizzardstar began.
Shadowclan! That's why Silverpaw recognized it. Shadowclan was the clan of fierceness and pride. Silverpaw had always heard that during they fought as fierce as tigers.
"I have spoken to the other leaders and they agreed to do something about all the cat's starvation. We have come up with the decision that all four clans will live at the island until the prey starts coming back. We will be like one clan. We will not worry about former clan rivalries and we will not worry about protecting or borders. We will hunt. Every, warrior and apprentice will hunt all day. We have agreed to meet at the island at dawn, so we have a little more time before to get ready. Oh and every clan gave up two warriors to help the other clans. But we must hurry! It is moonhigh now and we leave soon." Blizzardstar finished, he flicked his tail to show the meeting was over. He began signaling cats to help out.
"Every kit and apprentice, come to me!" Willowleaf called.
Hollowpaw and Silverpaw got to their paws and dashed over to Willowleaf. Everyone else arrived heartbeats later.
"I need all your help to carry my herbs. You must be extremely careful, for these herbs are very precious now." Willowleaf said. She led every cat into her den.
She quickly started making leaf wraps. Every cat got into a line to start picking up the herbs. When it was Silverpaw's turn Willowleaf whispered into her ear.
"Be careful with this herb especially. This wrap contains the most precious herb in my whole supply, probably in the whole forest as well." Willowleaf turned to finish up the rest of the herb wraps.
Silverpaw, now knowing the news, leaped extremely carefully down the cliff. She froze when it started bouncing against her chest. She walked to Ravenpaw and Hollowpaw when it stopped shaking. Ravenpaw and Hollowpaw bowed their heads to her. As they waited, Silverpaw thought about the island. She was very excited. Silverpaw thought about all the great cats that journeyed there and sat in the very same clearing Silverpaw would be sitting in. Leafpool, Jayfeather, Graystripe, Sandstorm, Lionblaze, Dovewind, Cloudtail, even Firestar himself! Just thinking about it made Silverpaw's paws tingle.
Suddenly Silverpaw remember what Fawnleap had told her about the island. She thought back on the conversation.
"I remember my first visit to the island. Dovewing had told me I had to be very serious while I was there. Not only to make Thunderclan look sincere, but another very sad reason. The clans greatest leader was buried there." Fawnleap had said.
"You mean Firestar?" Silverpaw asked.
"Yes. On the night after the Great Battle, every clan agreed to be take their dead to island to be mourned by the all the clans. Thunderclan arrived last placing their dead in the center of the clearing. Blackstar had asked where Firestar was and heartbeats later Sandstorm and Graystripe walked in. Firestar was draped over their backs. Every cat bowed their heads in grief and great respect. He was places in the center of the all the dead. Bramblestar explained how Firestar had saved all of Thunderclan and the clans by killing Tigerstar. If it weren't for him every cat would dead or worked to death. Everyone decided to bury him at the island where the moon shined the most. Now everytime we go to the island every cat has a moment of silence for all the dead, and Firestar, that died during the Great Battle to show their respect for the brave cats that died so we could live." Fawnleap had said.
Suddenly Ravenpaw flicked her out of her trance.
"Hollowpaw! Don't just stand there! Come work!" Bluejay yelled. Hollowpaw hurried after his mentor and called to them. "I'll walk with you to the island."
He looked at Silverpaw for a moment and another strange emotion washed over her. Hollowpaw quickly looked away, leaving Silverpaw to sit in confusion.
Why do I have these strange emotions whenever Hollowpaw looks at me? Silverpaw thought. She shrugged it off and assured herself it was just because they were becoming good friends. Silverpaw turned to Ravenpaw and talked with him.
They finally left when the moon was almost all the way down. Hollyflower had to stay close to Silverpaw and her mother wasn't too far off. The journey seemed to take forever and Silverpaw began to see the first blazes of dawn on the horizon.
What if we don't make it in time? Silverpaw thought. Suddenly a harsh cold wind ruffled the cats fur. Hollowpaw shuddered against Silverpaw. His fur was freezing but she welcomed the warmth it gave once his body wamred up. Then the emotion washed over Silverpaw again. It was much stronger this time, and it was making her legs wobble.
"Cold, isn't it?" Hollowpaw said. He bushed out his thick fur.
"Yeah." Silverpaw said quietly. She looked down at her paws. And she accidently stepped on Hollowpaw's paw.
"Oops! Sorry!" Silverpaw said. He just looked into her eyes and he seemed to be saying 'It's okay'. She purred.
Finally Thunderclan made it to the island. Blizzardstar leaped up onto the tree bridge and padded easily across it. Ashcloud followed with Brackenflame following closely behind. Many other other cats jumped up and padded across. Finally it was Silverpaw's turn. She leaped up with trembling legs. She stared at the other side. It seemed so far away. A cat jumped up behind her.
"Don't worry, dear. I'm right behind you if you slip." Whisperwind said. With new confidence, Silverpaw started to walk forward. She couldn't stop her legs from trembling. Blizzardstar waited at the end and nodded to her encouragingly. His eyes told her to keep going. Before she knew it she was at the end of the bridge. Blizzardstar gave her a quick lick and wrapped his tail around her and led her to a group of cats. As they were walking, Blizzardstar whispered in her ear.
"While you are here I want you to learn the scents of each clan. It will come in handy later on in your life. You may even learn the scents of individual cats. When you're older you will every cat scent by name." Blizzardstar said.
"Greetings, Blizzardstar." A ginger cat said. Her voice sounded so noble.
"Greetings, Emberstar." Blizzardstar said. He bent his head and whispered into Silverpaw's ear.
"Emberstar is the leader of Shadowclan. She has been leader longer than any of us. Every clan respects her. How Swiftstar on the other paw is the youngest and hasn't been leader that long." Blizzardstar explained.
"How long have they been leaders?" Silverpaw asked.
"Emberstar has been leader for more than twelve seasons. Swiftstar has been leader for four seasons." Blizzardstar said. Both seemed like a long time!
That must have meant Emberstar knew Thunderclan's previous leader, Duststar, and led Shadowclan when he led Thunderclan. Duststar was Brackenflame and Hawkflame's father. Dustpaw was named after him since he looked like him.
"Ah…who may this be?" Emberstar asked, bending her head . Blizzardstar nudged Silverpaw forward.
"I-I'm Silverpaw." Silverpaw stammered. Emberstar's eyes broke into confusion as she gazed at Blizzardstar.
"Blizzadstar, I thought you said your daughter was four moons old." Emberstar said. A large white tom nodded agreement.
"She is. I wanted to discuss something about that." Blizzardstar said. Blizzardstar turned to Silverpaw.
"Sweetheart, why don't you find your friend's? I and Emberstar, Swiftstar and Hailstar must discuss things." Blizzardstar said. He licked her ears and nudged her along her way.
Hollowpaw and Ravenpaw were gathered around in a group of apprentices. Silverpaw bounced over to them.
"Hi!" Silverpaw said. All the apprentices stopped talking and looked at her. Silverpaw suddenly wished she kept her mouth shut.
"Who's this?" A cream colored she-cat with green eyes asked. She stared intently at Hollowpaw and Ravenpaw.
"This is Silverkit…well, Silverpaw." Hollowpaw said.
"She's very small for an apprentice." A gray cat with black stripes said.
"I'm a temporary apprentice." Silverpaw said. All the cats muttered the words. Hollowpaw and Ravenpaw scuttled their paws in the dust.
"Sorry…" Silverpaw said to Hollowpaw and Ravenpaw.
"It's okay. They would've found out eventually." Hollowpaw said.
"It's gonna be strange living here that's for sure." Ravenpaw said.
Ah finally finished chapter four! What you think? Please review I really need to know how I can change. Oh and I thought it would kinda fun to have some romance between Hollowpaw and Silverpaw. That was the original plan. But if you don't want that please tell me and I can do something else. I might be posting chapter five tonight. I will if I don't go to my cousins. Oh and chapter five (thankfully for me) is not that long. Um…so yeah. I hope you enjoyed chapter four. Bye bye my lovely Marshies!