Chapter 16

Whitepaw's POV

Whitepaw awoke and yawned. It had been two moons since the camp had flooded and a lot had happened. Dreamkit, Lightkit and Tinykit had become apprentices; Leaffire had had Spotfur's kits, and Lakepool was in the nursery expecting Fallenheart's kits. The apprentice walked out of the den and saw Fallenheart walking towards him.

'Whitepaw, Mistheart wants me to take you and Silverpaw on Dawn patrol.' He meowed.

'Okay Fallenheart.' Whitepaw meowed and entered the den again.

The white apprentice shook his sister.

'Silverpaw wake up!' He meowed. Silverpaw's eyes slowly opened.

'What Whitepaw?' The she-cat asked.

'Mistheart wants us on Dawn patrol with Fallenheart.' Whitepaw meowed.

'Okay.' Silverpaw meowed and slowly rose. 'I'll be out in a moment.'

'Okay.' Whitepaw meowed and left the den. Fallenheart looked at him.

'She'll be out in a moment.' Whitepaw meowed. A few moments later Silverpaw emerged from the den.

'Let's go.' She meowed.

The three cats left the clearing and trecked through the forest and Fallenheart stopped near the Sunclan border.

'Do you smell that?' He asked, growling. Silverpaw sniffed.

'Sunclan!' Silverpaw exclaimed.

'What are they doing here?!' Whitepaw hissed. The three cats crouched and stalked forward.

'They wouldn't hear if a monster was in their territory!' One hissed.

'If you say so.' Another meowed. Just then Whitepaw saw them.

'It's Roseleaf, Stonefall and Ashfrost.' Whitepaw whispered.

'Let's go!' Fallenheart meowed and jumped out of the bushes.

'You heard him!' Silverpaw meowed and jumped out after Fallenheart. Whitepaw followed his sister and growled at the warriors.

'What are you doing in Streamclan territory?!' Whitepaw growled.

Roseleaf growled.

'Get out of our territory!' Roseleaf hissed, arching her back.

'Your territory?!' Fallenheart exclaimed. 'This is our territory!'

With that the battle began.

Roseleaf and Fallenheart launched at each other and wrestled.

'Let's go!' Whitepaw yowled and launched at Ashfrost.

'Trespasser!' Ashfrost yowled and fell backwards.

'The only trespasser is you!' Whitepaw hissed and bit on the tom's leg.

After a few moments Ashfrost retreated, Whitepaw stood panting with blood dripping down his cheek, he then ran over to help Silverpaw. Suddenly he heard a yowl. Fallenheart looked limp in Roseleaf jaws.

'Fallenheart!' Whitepaw heard Silverpaw yowl as the silver she-cat ran passed him. Whitepaw ran after her and jumped at Roseleaf, claws unsheathed. He knocked her away from Fallenheart and bit her ear. He then ripped it and the jumped back infront of Fallenheart and Silverpaw.

'Is he okay?' Whitepaw asked.

'I-I think so he is still breathing.' Silverpaw meowed and jumped next to her brother. Roseleaf rose and Stonefall joined her and they stalked towards the apprentices.

Roseleaf launched at Whitepaw before Whitepaw jumped up, just before she hit him. He landed on her back and ripped the rest of her ear off. Roseleaf yowled and struggled to get up. Whitepaw jumped off her and Roseleaf ran off, Stonefall following. Whitepaw turned and looked at Fallenheart and Silverpaw.

'Go and remark the borders and I'll start getting Fallenheart back to camp.' Whitepaw meowed.

'Okay.' Silverpaw meowed and ran off into the forest. Whitepaw walked towards Fallenheart and took his scruff in his jaws.

Whitepaw dragged Fallenheart out of the Rock tunnel with Silverpaw at his side. Stonestar ran over to them with Mistheart just behide him.

'What happened?' The Tabby leader asked. Whitepaw and Silverpaw let go of the warrior's scruff and looked at Stonestar.

'We were on our way to the Sunclan border when we heard voices.' Silverpaw started. 'We found Roseleaf, Stonefall and Ashfrost on our territory leaving markers.'

'So we asked them what they were doing and Roseleaf said that it was their territory now.' Whitepaw continued. 'So we fought, Fallenheart was battling Roseleaf and then after I let Ashfrost go I heard Fallenheart's yowl.'

'We turned to see Roseleaf had Fallenheart in her jaws and we ran over to help.' Silverpaw meowed. 'Whitepaw tackled Roseleaf and I checked to see if he was okay, Whitepaw had ripped Roseleaf's ear off and the deputy retreated, Stonefall following.'

'Silverpaw went and re-marked the border and I started to take Fallenheart back to camp.' Whitepaw finished. By this time almost all the clan was outside, Icewhisker and Icepaw were looking at Fallenheart. Suddenly a yowl broke out.

'What happened to Fallenheart!?' The voice was Lakepool's. The Silver She-cat queen pushed her way through the crowd and over to Fallenheart.

'He will survive.' Icepaw meowed.

'Bluedream, Mossheart, Stardream and Heartcloud go and check the border, make sure that Sunclan is gone.' Stonestar meowed. The four chosen warriors ran out of camp and into the forest.

'You two go and get something to eat.' Stonestar meowed. 'Mistheart, Shinyheart, Birchheart, Mistystorm and Stripefrost I want to talk to you.'

Whitepaw felt hunger and tiredness form in his paws and he started to walk over to the apprentices den. A few moments before he got there he felt his paws cave in under him and he started to fall. Suddenly fur appeared at his side and supported him up. The white apprentice looked to see Flamepaw next to him.

'You okay?' She asked.

'I'm just tired and hungry.' He meowed.

Whitepaw sat down at the entrance to the apprentice's den.

'I'll go and get you something.' Flamepaw meowed and ran over to the small fresh-kill pile.

She returned a few moments later with a vole and a mouse in her jaws.

'Flamepaw!' Whitepaw heard Mossheart yowl.

'I'll see you later!' Flamepaw meowed and ran over to her mentor.

Whitepaw ate the prey before rising to his paws and entering the den. Silverpaw was already inside asleep. Whitepaw curled up at the back of the den and slowly drifted off to sleep.

'Whitepaw!' A voice yowled. Whitepaw slowly opened his eyes to see Silverpaw over him.

'Come on Stonestar has called a meeting.' His sister meowed and left the den.

Whitepaw got up, lifted a forepaw, licked it and ran it up his face. He rose to his feet and left the den. Stonestar was on the Highbranch. Whitepaw walked over and sat next to Icepaw and Silverpaw who were at the front of the crowd.

'You all know what happened today at the Sunclan border.' Stonestar began. 'Shinyheart and Stardream tell me that no Sunclan warriors are there but they did scent their scent with Whitepaw's, Silverpaw's and Fallenheart's.'

Mumbling rose from the clan cats. Stonestar quieted them with a flick of his tail.

'Fallenheart is awake and has confirmed what Whitepaw and Silverpaw told me.' He meowed. 'Whitepaw and Silverpaw step forward please.'

Whitepaw and Silverpaw exchanged a confused glace but stepped forward.

'I, Stonestar, Leader of Streamclan call upon my warrior ancestor to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code and I commend them to you as warriors in turn.' Stonestar meowed. 'Whitepaw, Silverpaw do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend the clan even with your life?'

Whitepaw heart began to pound.

'I do!' Whitepaw heard Silverpaw meowed.

'I-I do!' Whitepaw meowed trying to stay calm.

'Then by the powers of Starclan I give you your warrior name.' Stonestar continued. 'Silverpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Silverfire. Starclan honours your courage and Loyalty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of Streamclan.'

Stonestar jumped down from the Highbranch and landed infront of Silverfire. He placed his muzzle on her head and she licked his shoulder.

Stonestar backed up and turned to Whitepaw.

'Whitepaw, from this moment on you will be known as Whitestream. Starclan honours your strength and courage and we welcome you as a full warrior of Streamclan.'

Stonestar stepped forward and placed his muzzle on his sons head. Whitestream could barely lick his leader shoulder. Stonestar backed off and smiled.

'Silverfire! Whitestream! Silverfire! Whitestream!' The clan yowled.

Whitestream turned around and faced his clan, his fur up against Silverfire's.

'You know you have to keep vigil.' Stonestar meowed.

The clan separated and each one came forward and congratulated the warriors. Icepaw, Stripefrost, Brackenflight and Flamepaw being the first.

Brackenflight licked Silverfire's ear and Whitestream's sister purred.

Whitestream and Silverfire sat just a few paw steps away from the Rock tunnel and pushed their fur together.

'It's going to be a cold vigil.' Whitestream heard Blazefur meow as her and Stripefrost walked into the warriors den.

Suddenly small flakes of snow started to fall. The first snow of Leaf-bare!

The two warriors exchanged a worried glance before watching the Rock tunnel. Just then Whitestream heard Spottedkit and Whitekit's voices. He looked over and saw the two she-kits playing outside in the snow.

'Spottedkit, Whitekit get inside before you freeze!' Leaffire meowed and came out of the nursery.

'But Leaffire!' Spottedkit whined.

'Not Buts!' The Queen meowed and picked up her small bundles of fur and ran back into the nursery. Once again Whitestream's eyes turned back to the Rock tunnel. Tomorrow would be the Gathering and Sunclan had some explaining. But for now Whitestream had this to be worried about.