Chapter 16
"Attack!" Stormstar yowled. "Shadestar, how could you? You will kill all your warriors," Stormstar hissed.
"I have to claim Sunningrocks." He paused. "For the Clan." Stormstar lunged at the RiverClan leader.
Silkpaw yowled a battle cry. "For ThunderClan!" Silkpaw narrowed her eyes as Blackstripe came around the corner. He yowled and ran.
"Run, you mouse-brain!" Silkpaw growled. She looked around for Maplepaw. She was struggling under a dark gray tom. Silkpaw lunged at the warrior.
Silkpaw scratched at his muzzle, making it bleed. He hissed at her and lunged. Before he knocked her to the ground, Maplepaw came up and scratched his flank. He ran, leaving a trail of blood.
"Maplepaw, go find Stormstar and help him," Silverpool pleaded. Maplepaw nodded quickly and dashed to her mentor. Silverpool ran off to defended her Clanmates.
"Hello, Silkpaw," a voice mewed, startling Silkpaw. She turned.
"B-b-b-branchpaw?" Silkpaw mewed.
"Nope. Branchpelt!" he mewed proudly. Silkpaw lunged at him: she was furious.
"Why did you come?" Silkpaw sobbed. "I don't want to hurt you!" Silkpaw cuffed his ear.
"I don't either," Branchpelt mewed, dodging her attack.
"Well, attack another cat! I don't want to hurt you." Silkpaw ran away, when suddenly a cat slammed into her. She fell to the ground, having no protection.
"Leave her alone." It was Darkfur. Silkpaw was surprised.
"You're going to okay, my sweet," Darkfur soothed, attacking the other cat. Silkpaw gazed at him with moony eyes.
Silkpaw's eyes strayed to where Stormstar was still fighting Shadestar. The RiverClan leader had Stormstar pinned down, and slowly raised his paw triumphantly. Oh no! Silkpaw thought. The deathblow!
Darkfur followed her emerald eyes, and then took off. Silkpaw sighed wistfully. He's going to save Stormstar's life, too! Silkpaw thought.
Darkfur plunged into Shadestar's side and attacked him with vicious fighting moves that Silkpaw had never known before. In a flash, Shadestar was wounded badly, with a deep gash in his shoulder.
"Retreat!" Shadestar yowled. He turned fiercely to Stormstar. "Well, you won. Keep your Sunningrocks!"
"We will," Stormstar yowled back. Was that a pleased look in his eyes? Silkpaw thought.
It was sunhigh and cats were sharing tongues. Silkpaw was sharing tongues with Darkfur. Maplepaw came over with a look of hatred.
"Come with me," she growled. Maplepaw pulled her to the edge of the clearing.
"Isn't Darkfur dreamy?" Silkpaw asked. Maplepaw's look changed from anger to incredulousness.
"What?" Maplepaw mewed. "How could you, out of all cats, love him?"
"Number one - he saved my mother's life, and number two - he saved mine," Silkpaw mewed.
"Oh, yeah, he saved my father, too," Maplepaw mewed sarcastically. Silkpaw stomped off, mad at her friend.
"Why can't you see the good side of Darkfur?" Silkpaw mewed, half asleep in her nest. Maplepaw turned her head, revealing an angry but pained expression.
"Why can't you see that he murdered my father?" Silkpaw bit back an insult.
She got up, feeling fresh to the new day. Where is Darkfur? Silkpaw thought.
"Darkfur!" Silkpaw mewed.
"Hello, my sweet," he meowed, padding over to her. He licked her cheek.
"You look tired – eat some fresh-kill," Darkfur suggested. Silkpaw nodded and picked out a sparrow. She took a half-hearted bite, and after a while of picking at her food she was done.
"Silkpaw - hunting patrol," Sunpelt meowed. Lately Sunpelt has been really bossy, Silkpaw thought.
"Coming! Bye, Darkfur," Silkpaw mewed. She ran to catch up to her Clanmates. She caught a squirrel and two voles, when they finally went back to camp.
Silkpaw saw Maplepaw's bored face and padded up to her.
"Do you want to share tongues?" Silkpaw asked. Maplepaw looked as if she were about to insult Silkpaw but paused.
"Fine."
They sat in silence, sharing tongues. Will we ever be friends again? Silkpaw wondered.