Chapter 20
Silverfire's POV
Silverfire slowly awoke and looked around. She was in the medicine cats den still, as Icewhisker wouldn't let her leave. You'll be back in the warriors den soon. Silverfire thought.
Just then Brackenflight entered the den with a vole in his jaws.
'Good morning.' He mumbled through the prey.
'How was hunting?' The she-cat asked.
'Fine, preys running well.' The Brown tom meowed.
Silverfire nodded. Brackenflight sat down next to Silverfire and the two cats shared the prey.
'You know if you're going to the gathering tonight?' Silverfire asked.
'No, Birchheart hasn't said anything.' Brackenflight meowed.
Just then the Dark Brown deputy appeared at the mouth of the den.
'Brackenflight, Silverfire, Stonestar wants you both at the gathering, tell Icewhisker and Icepaw they are going to.' The deputy meowed and left the den.
'You're first gathering as a warrior.' Brackenflight purred and licked his mates ear.
'My first gathering as a Queen too.' Silverfire meowed.
'True.' Brackenflight meowed.
'Come on let's see if Birchheart will let us hunt.' Silverfire meowed and got up.
'No, you should stay.' Brackenflight meowed.
Silverfire growled. 'I'm not some helpless kit!' She hissed.
Brackenflight stood up next to her.
'But you are a Queen.' Brackenflight meowed calmly. 'A Queen expecting kits.'
'I'm not in the nursery yet Brackenflight.' Silverfire hissed.
'She is right Brackenflight.' A voice meowed. Silverfire turned around to see Icewhisker standing there.
'Besides it will be good exercise for her.' The medicine cat meowed.
Silverfire turned away and walked out of the den, without waiting for the warriors reply. She turned to Birchheart who was talking with Mossheart. She walked over to them.
'What is it Silverfire?' The deputy asked.
'I'm going to go hunting.' She meowed and flicked her tail towards the fresh-kill pile. 'It looks like we need it.'
'Okay.' Birchheart meowed.
'Can you take Flamepaw with you?' Mossheart asked. 'I-I haven't had a chance to take her hunting yet.'
'Sure.' Silverfire meowed.
'Flamepaw!' Mossheart yowled over the clearing to where his apprentice shared tongues with Greypaw. The apprentice looked over at her mentor before getting up and walking over to her mentor.
'What is it Mossheart?' The Orange she-cat asked.
'Silverfire is going to take you hunting.' The Light Grey tom meowed.
'Okay.' Flamepaw meowed and turned to the warrior. 'Are we going now?'
'Yes.' Silverfire meowed. The Silver she-cat ran across the clearing with the apprentice following. Just the Brackenflight came out of the medicine cats den and called Lightpaw over.
'Come on.' Silverfire hissed and ran out of the camp. Silverfire stopped and waited for the apprentice. A few moments later Flamepaw appeared.
'Where are we going to hunt?' The apprentice asked.
'Near the gathering place, but we have to be back before the clans set off for the gathering.' Silverfire meowed. 'Now come on.'
Silverfire lead the she-cat apprentice through the forest and soon stopped near the stream.
'Okay now what do you scent?' The warrior asked.
Flamepaw sniffed and waited a few moments before answering. 'A stale scent of Sunclan, and mouse!' Flamepaw meowed and dropped into a crouch.
She stalked forward a leaped into a bush. A small squeal came from the bush a few moments later walked out.
'Good catch.' Silverfire praised. Flamepaw purred.
'But there will be no more prey here.' Silverfire meowed. 'Come on let's go and see if there is any prey at the Sunclan border.'
Flamepaw followed the silver warrior away from the stream and to the Sunclan border.
Silverfire walked into the clearing with Flamepaw right behind her. They had hunted for most the day and had caught enough prey for the Queens, Elders and some warriors. Silverfire had two voles and a mouse in her jaws and Flamepaw had two sparrows. They placed their prey on the pile.
'You may take something to eat now.' Silverfire told the apprentice and took a vole for herself. 'Just make sure that the Elders are feed first.'
'Okay Silverfire.' The apprentice meowed and took a vole and two mice over to the Elders. The Silver she-cat walked over and sat down outside the warrior den. It was slightly snowing and Blossomheart and Leaffire's kits were playing with a ball of moss. Willowkit batted the ball of moss over Whitekit's head and Spottedkit batted it back. This time the small white she-kit jumped up and caught it in her jaws.
'Good catch!' Silverfire called over to them.
The white she-kit looked at the Queen, her eyes gleaming.
'Or just a bad throw!' Blackkit teased. Whitekit glared at him.
'Blackkit don't say that!' Silverfire meowed and rose to her paws.
Suddenly Leaffire ran out of the nursery and into the medicine cats den. She reappeared with Icewhisker and Icepaw after few moments later. Suddenly a yowl broke from the nursery and Icewhisker ran passed the cats and into the nursery. Leaffire stopped outside and Blossomheart appeared next to her. Silverfire quickly finished her fresh-kill and walked over to the she-cats and their kits.
'What's wrong?' The silver she-cat asked.
'Lakepool is kitting.' Blossomheart meowed.
'Where is Fallenheart?' Silverfire asked.
'He went hunting.' Leaffire meowed. Suddenly Blackkit ran past them.
'What's happening?' He asked.
'Stay out of there!' Silverfire hissed. The kit stopped in his tracks and looked at the Queen.
'Why?' Spottedkit asked.
'Lakepool is kitting.' Blossomheart meowed. Rosekit ran over.
'Wait does that mean, he gets new den mates?!' The she-kit asked.
'Yes.' Leaffire answered. 'In just more than a moon you shall have more den mates.'
'Yay!' Whitekit, Blackkit and Spottedkit meowed and ran around the queens.
It wasn't long before Icepaw and Icewhisker came back out of the den, Fallenheart had come back from his patrol and was sitting with the she-cats.
'You may go in now.' Icewhisker meowed. Leaffire, Blossomheart and their kits were the first to enter the den and Silverfire followed them. Rosekit and Willowkit crouched next to the Silver she-cat that had four kits suckling at the Queens belly.
'How do you feel Lakepool?' Silverfire asked when she got to the she-cat.
'Tired.' The she-cat replied.
'Have you two thought of names?' Leaffire asked.
Fallenheart nodded. 'Silverkit, for the silver and white spotted she-kit, Bluekit, for the other she-kit.' Fallenheart meowed. 'Ravenkit, for the black and tortoishell tom and Robinkit for his brother.'
'They are so cute!' Whitekit squealed and sniffed Ravenkit.
Blackkit jumped up and down for a few moments before he was tackled down by Spottedkit.
'Why are you so happy?' Blossomheart asked him.
'I'm not the only tom in the nursery anymore!' The tom-kit squealed. Fallenheart and Lakepool exchanged an amused glance.
'True.' Silverfire meowed.
'Have you and Brackenflight thought of names yet?' Lakepool asked.
Silverfire shook her head.
'I haven't spoken to him since his morning and I only told him two sunrises ago.' Silverfire meowed. 'Plus we had a fight this morning…'
Leaffire and Blossomheart exchanged a glance.
'What was it about?' Fallenheart asked.
Silverfire hesitated but before she could answer Lakepool spoke.
'She obviously doesn't want to talk about it!' The silver she-cat snapped.
Fallenheart looked like he was taken back. 'Sorry.' He meowed.
'No it's okay.' Silverfire meowed. 'Anyway I asked him if he wanted to go hunting and he said that I shouldn't go just because I'm expecting kits.'
'He was acting as if I might start kitting then are there.' Silverfire hissed.
'Toms.' Leaffire spat. 'Think they know everything!'
Just then Stonestar's yowl reached the nursery.
'I better go.' Silverfire meowed and turned around. 'I'll come and see you after the gathering.' With that the silver she-cat left the den and ran over to Whitestream.
'I heard Lakepool kitted.' The tom meowed. 'How is she?'
'She is fine, she has four healthy kits.' Silverfire reported. 'They already have names.'
'Really?' Whitestream asked. Silverfire nodded.
'Silverkit and Bluekit for the she-kits and Ravenkit and Robinkit for the toms.' Silverfire meowed.
Just then Stonestar took off out of the clearing, his clan following.
After Silverfire finishing crossing the stream, Brackenflight appeared next to her.
'I'm sorry Silverfire.' He meowed. 'I just don't want you to get hurt.'
Silverfire purred. 'It's okay you stupid furball.' The silver warrior meowed. 'But I don't want you to think any different of me okay?'
Brackenflight nodded.
'Good.' Silverfire meowed and touched her mates cheek with her nose.
Just then the gathering place appeared and Stonestar ran down it. Silverfire sniffed and found all the clans were there.
'We are the last clan.' Silverfire meowed.
Once in the clearing Silverfire ran off towards a group of she-cat's talking. She stopped in front of them and she almost instantly recognised Frostflower, one of the queens from Lostclan and Snowfrost.
'So how is Lostclan?' A Light blue and white she-cat asked.
Silverfire meowed and Snowfrost turned to her. 'Silverpaw!' The she-cat meowed. 'Come and join us.'
'Silverfire.' The she-cat corrected.
'You become a warrior congratulations.' Frostflower meowed.
After talking a bit with the other warriors and Queens Mistystar's yowl made the cats turned toward the leader.
'It is time for the gathering to begin!' The she-cat yowled and beckoned Lakestar with her tail. Lakestar stepped forward and started her report.
'Everything is well in my clan, we have a new apprentice, Whitepaw, Greypaw and Lilypaw are being mentored by Blazeheart, Lionflight and Spottedheart.' Lakestar started. 'Also Amberpaw and Smallpaw have become warrior under the names, Amberlight and Smallfur.'
Silverfire stopped the two cat sitting next to each other, their fur puffed out and their eyes gleaming.
'Amberlight! Smallfur! Whitepaw! Greypaw! Lilypaw!' The clans yowled.
With that Lakestar stepped back and Mistystar stepped back forward.
'Sunclan is well and Smallkit has become an apprentice with Stonefall as her mentor.' The leader meowed. 'Cinderfur one of our Elders sadly has passed on to Starclan.'
'Smallpaw!' The Sunclan cats yowled, with a few yowls from others clans.
Finally Stonestar stepped forward. 'Two of our apprentices have become warriors under the names, Silverfire and Whitestream.'
Silverfire puffed out her chest and closed her eyes.
'Silverfire! Whitestream!' Sunclan, Lostclan and Streamclan yowled.
'Also just today a new litter of kits was born into Streamclan, Lakepool and Fallenheart are their mother and father.' Stonestar yowled. 'Sadly our deputy Mistheart is now with Starclan and Birchheart is the new deputy of Streamclan.'
Lakestar stepped forward. 'Mistheart was a wise cat, she shall be greatly missed.' The leader meowed.
'Birchheart! Birchheart!' The clans yowled.
'Lastly Mistystar why do you keep letting your warrior into Streamclan's territory to set new borders?' The Streamclan leader hissed as he turned to her.
The Sunclan leader stepped forward.
'It is Leaf-bare and my clan needs prey!' The she-cat growled.
'All the clans need prey.' Stonestar hissed. 'But we will fight you to keep that border!'
'You lost your deputy isn't that enough?!' The Aqua she-cat hissed.
Silverfire jumped to her paws.
'Mistheart's life was to protect her clan!' The Silver she-cat yowled. 'She died bravely, Starclan will honour her!'
A few Streamclan cats jumped up and yowled in agreement.
'She was weak and she tried to protect that border!' Roseleaf yowled and jumped to her paws. 'She paid for that foolish mistake with her life!'
'Enough!' Stonestar yowled. 'Mistystar if my clan sees one more cat on of territory they shall be sheathed.' With that Stonestar jumped off the branch and into the clearing.
'I had better go.' Silverfire meowed and raced off towards her father.
She met Brackenflight near him.
'Do you think Mistystar would risk it?' Brackenflight asked her.
'I don't know.' Silverfire meowed.
'If I know Mistystar she will.' Stonestar meowed.
Silverfire walked into the nursery to find Lakepool, Blossomheart and Leaffire to be awake.
'How was the gathering?' Lakepool asked after Silverfire had walked in.
'Fine, Stonestar challenged Mistystar about the borders and they almost got into a fight.' Silverfire meowed and settled down in a piece of bedding near Lakepool.
'Oh Dear, what did Mistystar say?' Blossomheart asked.
'She said that her clan had to be fed.' Silverfire meowed. 'Then Stonestar said that we would fight for the land.'
'Would it not be wiser just to give Mistystar the land?' Someone squealed.
Silverfire blinked and saw that Bluekit was awake.
'Bluekit!' Leaffire gasped.
'It's not that simple Bluekit.' Silverfire meowed. 'You see not only would we have less ground to hunt on, Mistystar would think she could just snap and we would obey.'
'Oh.' The blue she-kit meowed.
'Don't worry, you're still young, you will learn more as you get older.' Blossomheart purred.
'Anyway then Roseleaf said that Mistheart was weak and she it was foolish to protect the border and she deserved to die.' Silverfire hissed.
'I hope someone told her off!' Leaffire hissed. 'She was a great and wise warrior.'
'Who is Mistheart?' Bluekit asked.
'Mistheart was the deputy before Birchheart she died a few days ago.' Lakepool meowed. 'Roseleaf the Sunclan deputy killed her.'
'Woah!' Bluekit squealed.
'Yes someone told her off Leaffire in fact it was me, I told her that Mistheart was brave and she died to protect her clan.' Silverfire meowed. 'I also told her that Starclan would honour her.' Blossomheart purred.
'Good!' Leaffire meowed. Silverfire yawned.
'You should get some sleep.' Lakepool meowed and licked the she-cats ears. 'So should you Bluekit.'
Bluekit snugged back into Lakepool's belly and Silverfire wrapped her tail around her nose and closed her eyes.
'Goodnight.' She mumbled and fell into a blissful sleep.