Softpaw was almost back to being an apprentice. She had all the responsibilities of one, but she didn't have a set mentor. She would normally train with whoever she could, and she also slept in the nursery. That part was her decision though, she was trying to get Birdpaw and Cloudpaw to be more dependent and that wouldn't happen if she still slept in the same den as them. She rolled out of her nest and padded out into the still dark camp. It was easy to tell that it was time for leaf-bare to begin. The sun rose later and set earlier, and there was a slight nip to the air. Softpaw sniffed around and noticed that no cat was guarding the camp entrance. Silvertail's scent was fading away; he hadn't been there for a while.
"Ugh, now where's he gone?" She growled to herself. A sharp hooked claw caught her throat and she spun around to see Silvertail with his teeth bared. "What? You don't trust me? I can tell you think I would sell out the clan, but I would never. However, I would sell you out in a heartbeat." The hatred in his voice nearly singed Softpaw's fur.
"Why?" She spat back. "I've never done anything wrong to you."
"Yes you did!" He hissed. "You had my kits and never let me see them. The first time I ever had a conversation with Cloudpaw was when he was apprenticed. You need to pay for what you did to me!"
Softpaw blinked in disbelief. He had only asked to speak with them once, and when she had said no, he dropped it. "The kits will never know that you're their father. They'll have one they can be proud of."
Silvertail chuckled spitefully. "Not for much longer."
"Whitefoot's not our father?" Cloupaw squeaked, crawling out of the shadows. Softpaw shook her head slowly.
"I knew it!" Cloudpaw hissed. "He never looked at us like the other three."
Silvertail crouched down into a battle position and Cloudpaw followed suit.
"I knew he was right about you." The white tome meowed. Softpaw knew she was a great fighter, but she never wanted to battle a clanmate. Silvertail bared his teeth at something behind Softpaw and Birdpaw was suddenly crouched beside her mother.
"What are you doing?" Cloudpaw growled.
"I know what's right and I'm going to fight for it." Birdpaw replied calmly. "He's poisoned your mind. Can't you see that?"
"This isn't over Softpaw." Silvertail whispered as other cats began to leave their dens. "It's only just begun."
Softpaw shivered. Her own son had turned against her.
"Attack! Riverclan are attacking!" Acornpaw yowled as he sped through the bramble barriers leading to the camp. Softpaw gasped as almost all of the Riverclan warriors raced into camp. She ran to the nursery, where her kits were mewling at her. She shoved them into the tiny den and followed quickly. She clawed a Riverclan she-cat's face as she tried to reach them. A brown tabby flash knocked the she-cat over and she ran away yowling with pain as the blood ran down from her throat. Tigerfoot appeared, breathless, but intact nonetheless.
"Need some help?" He meowed. Softpaw nodded and moved over so he could get in. Smallstar stuck his nose into the nursery. "Go get help from Shadowclan."
Softpaw sped out of the den and into camp. Fighting cats surrounded her, some Thunderclan and other Riverclan. She smelled a rabbity scent and recognized Windclan as well. It was one clan against two. She swerved around some battling cats and looked back once to make sure that no cat was following. She saw a blood-caked white bundle of fur and her heart skipped a beat. It was either Cloudpaw or Whitefoot. She was barreled over by a wiry Windclan tom and he scratched her right above her eyes, causing her own blood to blind her. Softpaw spat furiously and clawed at anything in front of her. She clawed him deep in the throat and he fell to the ground, spitting out clots of blood.
Oh dear, she thought. I didn't need to kill him.
"Shadowclan attack!" Came a yowl. Softpaw breathed in relief as Applestar burst through the entrance with Nightclaw, Owlflight, Froghop, Brownfur, Whitestripe, and Creamtail close behind.