Chapter 14

Silverpaw's POV

The Silver she-cat slowly opened her eyes and looked around. She blinked in surprize as she found her surroundings different. Slowly the memories of the last two days came back. She yawned, slowly rose from the nest where she had lain a few moments before and stretched the sleep out of her limbs. She looked beside her and noticed Brackenflight was still asleep. She smiled and licked his head. She looked at the other nest and noticed Leaffire was already awake. The she-cat was smirking proudly as she licked her forepaw.

'What you looking at?' Silverpaw hissed.

'Nothing.' Leaffire meowed and went back to her grooming.

There was suddenly silence in the den.

'So' Leaffire meowed breaking the silence after a few moments. 'You and Brackenflight a couple?'

Silverpaw turned her head away from the tortoiseshell embarrassed. Was it that easy to tell? The Silver Apprentice thought.

Silverpaw lifted a paw and licked it, closing her eyes and she pushed it up her face until it stopped at her ear. She half opened her right eye. Leaffire was looking at her with an amused look on her face.

'What?' Silverpaw asked.

'You and Brackenflight are so in love with each other!' The she-cat meowed loud enough for the whole den to hear.

Silverpaw tackled the she-cat down and put her paw over her muzzle.

'Shh!' Silverpaw hissed.

But Leaffire keep talking through the apprentice's paw.

'I knew it!' She meowed. 'I knew it!'

'Would you be quiet!' Silverpaw hissed.

Silverpaw got off the warrior and the she-cat stopped but the smirk was clear on her face. Just then Whitepaw walked over to them, looking sleepy.

'What is this about Brackenflight and someone?' Whitepaw asked, just before he yawned.

Silverpaw couldn't help twitching her whiskers in amusement at her brother. But before Silverpaw could say anything, Leaffire interrupted.

'Brackenflight and Silverpaw are a couple!' The Tortoiseshell meowed almost jumping up and down. 'I totally called it!'

Whitepaw purred with amusement at the warrior but then smiled at his sister.

'Congratulations.' Whitepaw meowed.

Just then Silverpaw noticed Brackenflight stirring. Passing her brother she walked over to Brackenflight, the Silver she-cat licked his ear and he looked at her.

'Good morning sleepy head.' Silverpaw meowed.

Just then Whitepaw shot out of that part of the den and Leaffire, Brackenflight and Silverpaw exchanged a look of confusion. Silverpaw walked over to where Whitepaw had gone and peered around the corner. She saw her brother looking over an orange she-cat. With a jolt Silverpaw realised it was Flamepaw. Rushing over she stopped next to Whitepaw.

'What happened?' Silverpaw asked.

'She was injured yesterday when Sunclan attacked.' Whitepaw meowed.

'Sunclan attacked?' Leaffire asked coming around the corner. Whitepaw nodded.

'Not long after Silverpaw and Brackenflight had gone to sleep.' Whitepaw meowed.

'Why didn't you wake us?!' Brackenflight hissed and came over to stand next to Silverpaw.

'We didn't have enough time, after I got Icepaw in here, I ran back out to help fight!' Whitepaw meowed.

'Leave it you two it's done now.' Leaffire meowed.

'We should be returning to camp today.' Silverpaw meowed changing the subject.

Silverpaw and Brackenflight left the medicine cat den after talking with Icewhisker and Echomist who gave them the all clear. It was a sunny Greenleaf morning. Silverpaw sniffed, and smelt Leaf-Bare winds coming.

'Leaf-Bare will be here soon.' Silverpaw meowed.

'Just over a moon now.' Brackenflight agreed.

Silverpaw looked around and spotted Stonestar with Mistheart, Spotfur and Mistystorm. Spotfur and Mistystorm nodded and Mistheart meowed something before the two cats walk over to the Rock tunnel and exited the camp.

Stonestar and Mistheart have probably sent those two to cheek our territory.

The Silver apprentice thought.

Just then Silverpaw saw Brackenflight walk over to her. Silverpaw blinked not realising that the tom had disappeared from her side. He held a vole and a sparrow in his jaws. Silverpaw ran over to him and the two cats went to find somewhere to sit among the cats.

Silverpaw licked her muzzle after finishing the vole Brackenflight had got her. Just then she felt something against her ear. She looked next to her and saw it was Brackenflight. She purred and then licked the Brown tom chest. The two shared tongues for a while until Silverpaw heard Stonestar yowl. She looked up and saw Mistheart gathering the clan. Stonestar said something to Lakestar and the two friends licked one another's ear before Lakestar bowed her head and walked over to the deputy, sat down and shared words. Silverpaw looked curiously at the two leaders for a moment. She looked at Lakestar and saw although she was talking to Feathercloud she was looking right at Silverpaw.

As Whitepaw and Leaffire emerged from the medicine cats den, supporting Flamepaw, Lakestar shifted her gaze from the two apprentices for a moment, before Feathercloud nudged Lakestar and the leader jumped and looked at her deputy. Silverpaw and Brackenflight got up and ran over to the clan. Icepaw and Icewhisker were already there, as was Blossomheart carrying Rosekit and Willowkit. Silverpaw left Brackenflight side and ran over to Blossomheart.

'Here.' Silverpaw meowed and slowly took Rosekit from the she-cats jaw.

'Thanks.' Blossomheart meowed. Silverpaw smiled.

Just then Stonestar and Mistheart led the clan out of the clearing and Silverpaw took one last glance at Lakestar. The she-cat Queen smiled at her and then mouthed something at her. Silverpaw tilted her head and tried to read what she had said.

Meet me at the Lostclan border before Dusk, bring Whitepaw and Icepaw. The she-cat had said.

Silverpaw hesitated before slowly nodding and running, paw step by paw step next to Blossomheart. Putting Lakestar at the back of her mind she focused on the road home.

Silverpaw ran out of the Rock tunnel and waited for her brother and sister. She had told them where they were going and she was curious why Lakestar wanted to see them. A few heart beats later Icepaw emerged with Whitepaw right be hide her.

'Why are we going again?' Icepaw asked.

'Because Lakestar asked.' Whitepaw reminded her. 'Remember she could help us figure out who our mother is!'

'Oh right.' Icepaw meowed.

Silverpaw and Whitepaw helped Icepaw to the Lostclan border and soon they were there. It was almost Dusk and Lakestar wasn't there yet. Icepaw sat down and so did Whitepaw.

'I'm going to see if I can find us some fresh-kill so we can eat.' Silverpaw meowed just remembering that they hadn't eaten since earlier. Whitepaw nodded.

'Get some for the clan too.' Whitepaw suggested.

Silverpaw nodded and ran off into the forest. The ground was still soft from the flood water, but not too soft. Prey was slowly returning but not fast. Yesterday it had stopped raining and the camp was a mess. Icepaw said that she was going to collect herbs and Silverpaw and Whitepaw said that they would help. Silverpaw sniffed and found a vole coming out of a bush. Silverpaw crouched making sure she was upwind of her prey. She stalked forward and soon she leaped. The vole looked up a heartbeat before Silverpaw landed on it and killed it with a swift bite to the neck. Silverpaw found some leaves and dropped her prey under it and then sniffed again. It wasn't a few moments until she had found another bit of prey. It was a mouse and Silverpaw easily killed it. She dropped it with the vole and hunted for a bit longer before returning to the cats. She noticed that Lakestar had bought some prey.

More prey for the clan. Silverpaw thought and dropped the prey down next to her before sitting.

Whitepaw grabbed a vole and passed it to her.

'Thanks Lakestar.' Silverpaw meowed and bowed her head.

'You're welcome; I thought you may be hungry.' The she-cat Queen meowed.

The vole was gone within a few gulps and Silverpaw licked her muzzle before licking a forepaw and pushing it up her face.

'Now why did you want to see us?' Icepaw asked.

'Yeah?' Whitepaw asked.

'Well I wanted to tell you something.' The she-cat meowed. 'I'm..' Silverpaw cut her off.

'Sorry Lakestar, but um have you had kits disappear in you clan when we were kits?' The she-cat asked. The leader nodded.

'Who was their mother?' Whitepaw asked hopefully.

'That is what I wanted to talk to you about.' The leader continued. 'When you were young you were raised in my clan, I was deputy, and younger, Lightstar had Greencough, and died soon after and I become leader. '

'The Queen that lost her kits.' She meowed. 'Was frantic, saying someone must of took them, when she knew that her kits were safe.'

'How do you know this?' Icepaw asked looking confused.

Lakestar continued but flicked her ear in meaning she had heard.

'I had to look after my clan.' She meowed. 'I chose my clan over you.'

The three apprentices' eyes widened.

'You're our mother?!' Silverpaw choked. Lakestar looked away.

'If I hadn't chosen to be leader, Hailstone would have and the clan would be no more now.' Lakestar meowed and looked back at her kits. 'I had to choose my clan, I wanted to keep you but I couldn't, your father, Stonestar, agreed to take you.'

'Your brother, Rowenkit died a few nights before we left, the clan was devastated, as was I.' Lakestar meowed.

'We had a brother?' Whitepaw asked.

'Wait was he a bluish tom with white patches?' Icepaw asked.

'Yes.' Lakestar said and stared at her paws.

'I have seen him, in my dreams, he misses you, he is watching over us right now, with Mistycloud and Jayheart.' Icepaw meowed, pointing with her muzzle up to the Silverpelt. Lakestar whispered something and smiled.

Silverpaw saw the shapes of three cats appear, one of which was smiling down at her.

'Rowenkit?' The she-cat whispered.

Suddenly Silverpaw felt fur next to her and she saw her brother sitting there.

'I'm proud of you sister, Good luck with the kits!' Rowenkit meowed and smirked.

'W-What?' Silverpaw whispered.

'Oh don't worry sis, they won't be here until you are a Warrior.' The Bluish tom meowed playfully. 'You and Brackenflight are cute together though.' Silverpaw's glaze softened and she nuzzled his head.

'I wish I had known you longer.' Silverpaw meowed.

'Don't worry we shall meet again in dreams.' He meowed and disappeared.

'Goodbye Rowenkit.' Silverpaw whispered a tear fell from her cheek.

Silverpaw entered the apprentices den and laid down. Stonestar had been happy that the apprentices had caught prey for the clan and had told them to take some with them, but Silverpaw wasn't hungry. Just then fur bunched up against hers and she opened her eyes and saw Rowenkit for a moment.

'Good luck, until next time.' He meowed and then disappeared relieved that Brackenflight had come into the den.

'You looked sad, is everything okay Silverpaw?' He whispered.

'Just fine Brackenflight.' Silverpaw meowed and licked his ear.

Silverpaw and Brackenflight curled up and feel asleep. Rowenkit appeared in her dreams that night as memories had come of her and Rowenkit play-fighting as kits.