I'm updating. A bit late. Heh. However, this one is...the second longest chapter I've written so far, so I think that makes it up.

Too lazy to reply to all the wonderful reviews you sent me. I can't believe how many reviews I got! Thank you! :3 Over the 100 mark and toward the 200 I go! With your help, of course. :P

Chapter 13: Silence

As expected, it's announced that Graypaw, Cloudpaw, and I will not be going to the Gathering—which is in three days—for 'sneaking out of camp and worrying our parents half to death.' Branchstar makes the announcement while I am resting in my nest, for I don't feel like dragging myself out to listen for five minutes to something I already predicted would come true, then have to hobble back in. The pain is not worth it.

Tigerpaw is acting…strange. He wasn't here when I woke up this morning—but that wasn't a big surprise; in fact, I was expecting that, but the realization still makes me feel sad, for some reason. Briefly, the reason of why he might be acting so weird flashes again into my mind, but I shake it away. No. I will not consider it.

The next couple days pass in silence. Only two cats come to visit—my grandmother, Mousetail, who admonishes me sternly while still managing to have a twinkle in her eyes—and surprisingly, Doveflight. Even more surprising is the reason why she comes.

When she first steps into the dark den, I figure she's got a thorn in her paw or something, and has come to have it treated; that must be why she's walking in such a weird way, so hesitant and halting. Or, she's bringing Whispersong some fresh-kill, judging from the mouse dangling from her jaws. So I am taken back when she comes to a stop in front of my nest, and begins to speak.

"Amberpaw," she says, looking down on me, "Thank you for helping rescue my daughter."

It takes me a few moments to take control of my voice, which seems to be stuck in my throat, and even then, what comes out is not the best sentence I could have said in a more comfortable situation. "Um…Graypaw was the one who led the rescue," I say.

Doveflight shakes her head. "No," she says. "Graypaw says that you're the one who did almost everything."

"Well, I suppose that I did help," I concede reluctantly, completely ignoring what she said Graypaw had said. If taking credit for Cloudpaw's rescue will make her leave, then I will. I wish that she would leave soon, though, for this is becoming very awkward.

Doveflight nods. "Again, thank you." She drops the brown rodent at my feet. "Here, I thought you might be hungry."

I wonder what is up with all the cats bringing me mice when I'm injured. Though, I am getting pretty hungry. I hook the mouse with my claws and drag it closer. "Thank you."

Doveflight nods for the second time and then turns around and pads out of the den, leaving me to chew on the mouse in thoughtfulness. Doveflight has just shown that yes, you can get over a grudge. I wonder if Cloudpaw will be able to be as grateful. I pause to ponder that.

Probably not, I think after a moment, laughing to myself. Cloudpaw will be Cloudpaw.

The next morning, I wake up with a sense of nervous apprehension. I can't figure it out until I remember that this is the day of the Gathering, the one that I am not allowed to go to, and frown, feeling a tinge of sadness at missing my first Gathering. Oh well. I shall just have to wait until next moon.

The sun starts to set, and Branchstar calls the Clan to a meeting, no doubt to announce who's going to the Gathering. Even though I already know I won't be going, I am bored of lying in my nest, so I get up and hobble toward the Hightree. Out of the herbs hollow, Whispersong appears and helps guide me to a good sitting position near the bottom of the Hightree. I nod my thanks to her, and she sits by the roots with her apprentice.

Graypaw soon appears out of the apprentice den—today, the other apprentices are all cooped up in their nests, what with all the snow—and silently seats himself beside me. Cloudpaw reluctantly follows, sitting on his other side. She shoots him a look that clearly shows her disapproval, but he spares neither her nor me a glance.

Ashpaw bounds excitedly out of the apprentice den, pausing when he sees our little huddle in front of the Hightree. Ashpaw will surely go to the Gathering; he's doing well in his training, and Pounceclaw has been praising him repeatedly for the last few days, especially when Branchstar is in earshot. Either Branchstar is going to let Ashpaw go out of pure irritation, or, he'll keep both Ashpaw and Pounceclaw from the Gathering out of pure irritation. Or, quite possibly, he might just let Ashpaw go because he's been an extremely good apprentice.

He takes a hesitant step, then joins us. Remembering my resolution to be closer to my littermates, I give him a quick lick on the ear once he settles down. His eyes flick toward mine, surprised, then a purr rises up from his throat and he gives me a lick in return. I am not prepared for the warmth that comes from his touch. Is this, I wonder, the bond that Graypaw and Cloudpaw feel?

Lilacpaw, Darkpaw, and Petalpaw come out of the apprentice den next. Petalpaw's eager steps also falter when she sees Graypaw, Cloudpaw, and me in front of the Hightree, and Darkpaw tilts his head just the tiniest bit, probably in surprise that we showed up anyway. Only my sister completes a non-hesitating walk out of the den and seats herself behind me, shoving her muzzle in the space between Ashpaw's and my shoulders. I lick her cheek in greeting, and she waves her tail, pleased. "I hope you get better soon," she whispers, and I am filled with unexpected happiness.

But the one I am waiting to see the most is Tigerpaw. I prick my ears, listening for the sound of a certain tom's pawsteps, and discreetly but carefully scan the entrance into the apprentice den. I think I can see a dark shape moving inside, but it has yet to come out. Several heartbeats pass before a dark brown paw finally emerges, and a yawning Tigerpaw steps out, blinking at a snowflake that chooses to land right on his nose. Shaking it off, he scans the clearing for a place to sit. His head stops when he sees the little gathering of apprentices, and then he slowly makes his way toward us. Toward me.

There's no place left to sit beside me, but I hope he will sit on Lilacpaw's right side, directly behind me. Maybe then I can ask him why he's been acting so strange these past days. He hesitates as he gets closer, paws lifting from and hitting the earth more slowly. Come on! I cry in my head. If you don't move faster, then Branchstar will start speaking, and there won't be any time to talk to you! His green-blue eyes dart from side to side as he looks for an opening to sit, considering. For StarClan's sake, there's a spot right next to Lilacpaw! I wish that I could be telepathic, or that yelling at him across the clearing wouldn't send strange looks toward my way.

I am pleased when his paws turn toward me, and I twist around slightly so that I can meet his eyes when he sits down. But then he shifts his gaze toward Cloudpaw, and seats himself next to her! The white she-cat says something that I can't hear, but the purr that comes from Tigerpaw in return is definitely audible, and makes me grit my teeth. I am opening my mouth to shout, "Hey! Tigerpaw! Get over here!" or something that will make his attention turn to me, not her, but at this exact moment, Branchstar leaps up into the Hightree and clears his throat.

Fox-dung.

"Cats of LeafClan," he pronounces, his breath swirling into a cloud of silvery air. "I have chosen the cats who will go to the Gathering tonight. Ravenwing, Breezetail, Twigclaw, Brightsky, and Birchstep will be my warriors. As for the apprentices, Ashpaw, Darkpaw, Lilacpaw, and Petalpaw will be coming."

My head snaps up from where I've been glaring at my paws. Tigerpaw isn't coming? Daring to glance at him, I can see his tail flick in irritation. He hasn't gotten in trouble. Surely falling down a cliff doesn't count against him? Even in my surprise, I note with a small laugh that Ashpaw is coming to the Gathering, while Pounceclaw is not.

Branchstar leaps down from the tree, and the named cats begin to form a group, ready to follow after Branchstar. Falconflight and Whispersong tuck themselves into the front. As she passes me, the medicine cat whispers, "I'm sorry I can't be here to watch over you—it's protocol for the medicine cat and the deputy to attend the Gathering—but if you need anything, just ask Swallowpaw." I push back a rumble of mixed displeasure and amusement and nod. Is this how the elders feel every time an apprentice looks at them with sympathy?

After the named cats have gathered themselves behind him, Branchstar nods to Pounceclaw. "You are in charge of the camp while I'm gone." The brown-and-white tom nods in return, but doesn't speak, so I don't know if he's proud of being in charge of the cats left, or angry at not being included in the cats going. I would be both, I think.

A cat to watch over his Clan secured, Branchstar kinks his tail over his back, and begins padding out of the camp. The selected warriors and apprentices follow him. But before Ashpaw disappears through the bramble entrance, he looks back into the camp, at me, and mouths, I'll tell you everything. I wave my tail at him and smile, showing I've heard. He smiles back, then vanishes through the leaves after Twigclaw.

The remaining cats disperse into their dens, save for Pounceclaw and Cedarheart, who settle down beside the entrance to guard it. Graypaw has somehow found a moss ball, and Cloudpaw's crouching down to play with it in the middle of the clearing. I turn from them and scan the camp for Tigerpaw, seeing the tip of a tail disappear from view into the apprentice den. Perfect. Graypaw and Cloudpaw will be the only ones who would need to use the apprentice den, and they're currently playing a game of moss-ball. So if I go in there right now, I can get him on his own, and then I can—

"Hey! Amberpaw!"

I turn at the sound of Graypaw's voice. "Yeah?"

"Want to play moss-ball with us?"

I blink, surprised. It sounds fun, but this is the closest chance I've had to talk to Tigerpaw since getting back from the Twoleg nests. I can always corner him if we have to do apprentice training, I suppose. And Graypaw looks so excited.

He takes my hesitation as a no, and his tail falls in disappointment. "No?"

Cloudpaw smirks. "I told you," she says. "'She probably doesn't want to play,' I said. But did you listen? Nope, you didn't—" I know that I should be rethinking this, but what she says cements my decision.

The words fly out of my mouth before I can stop them. "Sure."

His tail goes up again. "Really?"

"Really," I say in amusement.

He grins, then kicks the ball to me.

"Hey!" I yowl. "I wasn't ready!"

Cloudpaw sneers at me, looking for any sign that I'm ready to give up this game. "Are you backing out, then?"

Shifting the center of my weight to my back legs, and being careful to use my left paw, I spin the ball fast and hard toward her, making her jump in surprise. "Nope."

Her fur briefly rises, and then she narrows her blue eyes. "Alright then." She kicks it violently in my direction, but anger has made her paws clumsy and weak, and to stop it I only need to place my paw on it gently.

"Try again," I say lightly, and send it back toward her.

"I will." Kick.

I catch the ball with one claw before it can bounce past me. "That one wasn't so bad," I allow, hiding a smirk as her fur rises again in irritation. "Why don't you see if the next one's better." I spin it toward her, and it sails between her legs.

"Why don't you see if you can get this one!" she snarls, turning around to grab the ball from where it lies in the snow a few tail-lengths away. She sends it toward me with a forceful blow.

A couple mouse-lengths from my paws, it falls to pieces.

Cloudpaw gapes at me, and though I am just as surprised, I start laughing. All the pent up indignant anger inside of me comes pouring out in a wave of laughter. Poor moss-ball. No one should have to put up with a furious Cloudpaw kicking them. Graypaw joins in, his shoulders shaking.

"Nice…job…," he manages between chuckles. Refusing to see the hilarity of this, Cloudpaw glares at us, her blue eyes pinning both of us to where we stand. I can feel her angry gaze on my pelt, but don't care amidst all the laughing.

When we don't stop, Cloudpaw growls and stomps her paw, quite immaturely, in fact. This sends us into another fit of giggles. Graypaw even falls onto the ground. Realizing her mistake, the white apprentice huffs and stands motionless, waiting for us to stop laughing.

Eventually, the amusement fades, and our laughs peter out. Graypaw is already mashing the moss ball back together, ready for another game. We take up our positions, Cloudpaw's shoulders set in determination. Graypaw presses the ball together one more time, then stands up. "This time, be sure to pass to me," he admonishes before kicking it to Cloudpaw.

I settle into a crouching position that Falconflight taught me, the one you use to prepare to leap for your prey, albeit a modified one where the brunt of my weight is located in my back legs, to bear my injured one. Cloudpaw sends it back to her brother with a gentle flick of the paw, her tail still lashing furiously. Graypaw kicks it back to her, his eyes mischievous.

I am tense, ready for when my turn will come, when I suddenly catch a movement out of the corner of my eye. It's only moving for one second more when I turn to it, but I'm sure of what I see—a dark brown tabby tail, just peeking out of the den entrance. More squinting, and I can make out two ears. Tigerpaw.

"Hey! Amberpaw!" Graypaw yowls just as the balls bounces off my legs.

Cloudpaw snickers. "You didn't get it."

"Like you didn't lose the game last time," I snarl, a sudden wave of anger rising up within me. I punt it to her, but this time—the first time—she manages to catch it.

Suddenly bored of this game—or perhaps it's because of the haughty smirk that Cloudpaw sends me way—I excuse myself and pad off, leaving the two littermates to their game. Graypaw opens his mouth as I leave, maybe to say a goodbye, but Cloudpaw shoots the ball at him, and in his distraction, I take the chance to dart into the apprentice den.

"Tigerpaw?" I call into the darkness. I know he can't be asleep—no cat can fall asleep in that short of a time. No answer.

"Tigerpaw?" I step deeper into the den, my eyes beginning to adjust to the dim moonlight coming in. I pick my way to the back of the den, unfamiliar with the shape and the nests, as I never got a chance to sleep in here. "I know you're awake." Again, nothing. Is he really going to pretend that he's deaf or asleep? "And I know you're not deaf either." I widen my eyes to see which nest he's sleeping in. He's the only apprentice in here; it should be easy to pick him out.

At last I spot him. A huddled, motionless lump in the very back of the den. His dark coat has helped him hide from me so far, but now I've found him. And for StarClan's sake, I'm finally going to get some answers out of him. I take a step toward him, but then a voice asks, "What are you doing?"

It's Cloudpaw, staring at me accusatorily, and Graypaw is silhouetted just behind her, his gray coat turned to silver in the moonlight. "Amberpaw?" he asks.

"Erm…" I try to think up a fake reason. No doubt Cloudpaw would flash a mocking, derogatory smile if she knew the true reason, and I'm not in the mood to put up with that. "It's just…I've never been in here, and I wanted to see it."

Graypaw nods immediately, understanding shining in his eyes, and I feel guilty. "Alright. The Gathering's ending soon though, just to let you know, and you should get back to the medicine cat den."

"Right." I nod back, and take my leave. Graypaw and Amberpaw pad to their nests, Graypaw calling out, "Good night!"

"Good night," I say without any feeling, and slowly make my way back to my nest. I can take hints. He doesn't want to talk to me, for sure. But why? You can't avoid me forever, I think, just a bit angry, as I settle down into my nest. I'll find out why.

Sooner or later.

So if you don't get it, Tigerpaw is mad at Amberpaw for some reason, and Amberpaw is not completely clueless about why, though she avoids thinking about 'that particular reason.' So now she's trying to confront him, but Cloudpaw and Graypaw keep getting in the way. But Tigerpaw can't avoid her forever... *cue evil laugh*

Anyway, review? *w*

~Ponyiowa