OMG. I watched The Help. I cried so much. D'X Quote from there in here. Easy to spot if you've seen it too.

OMG! 50 REVIEWS! I FEEL LIKE THE HAPPIEST WRITER ON FANFICTION! THANK YOU SO MUCH GUYS! :D *throws all Shatterbreeze and Stoneclaw plushies*

Chapter 28: The Decisions

Silver sighed contently, looking down at Emberpad. He squirmed and wiggled, his kit fluff tickling her belly. She let out a little laugh, purring and bent down to give the tiny tom a lick on the head. She looked toward the entrance of the den, where she heard voices bicker. She constantly worried about Emberpad. She worried what the clan would think when it came time for his presentation and he couldn't even make his way up the Bloodrock.

Suddenly, the ferns parted. Chill looked around before his icy eyes settled on Silver. Her tail instinctively pulled her kit closer, and Emberpad mewled in protest.

"I hear the kit is blind." Chill stated calmly. The fact he was so calm about an abnormality frightened the she even more. She wished he would yell or something more familiar.

"Yes…well, it's just that…um…he-"

"We feel sorry that you lost your other kits, Silver, but-"

"No! You can't just kill a kit!"

"You know how the clan feels, Silver." More like how Darkshard feels. She's been acting off lately, but that gives her no right to hurt my only kit. Silver thought bitterly.

"What if he could still be a good hunter and fighter? Just give him a chance!" The she's fur had fluffed up, and she was crouched protectively over Emberpad. A warning hiss brushed past her gleaming fangs.

Chill's ears had flattened as he narrowed her eyes at her. After what seemed like a whole season, he spoke. "Fine. But I'll be watching. I'll give him till his warrior ceremony. One mouse-brained move, though, and he'll be between my claws." He growled. He stalked out of the den, giving his tail a firm lash before the ferns swallowed his grey body.

Silver gave a soft snort before looking down at her kit. She placed her head on her paws next to her kit. Emberpad snuggled into her cheek fur as she laid her tail on his little body.

"Don't worry, my sweet, sweet Ember. I will let nothing happen to you. You are kind; you are smart, you are important. Remember that, and don't ever forget. You are kind; you are smart, you are important."

Stoneclaw nimbly turned and scratched his attacker, Swiftbreeze. She flinched, shaking the blood droplets that had formed on her muzzle away. She lowered her shoulder and rammed into him. He fell, rolling over onto his stomach, realizing too late he exposed his stomach. She wasted to time, rearing down on his chest. The wind rushed out of him as fast as a Windclan cat as she prepared to run her claws over his stomach. His face twisted with battle rage as he kicked out with his legs, connecting with her stomach and head. She flew a tail length away, slowly standing a moment later.

"Nice. You've gotten better. How about a three-on-three feather-grab?" He nodded, and she padded over to the edge of the Bloodring, grabbing three speckled, brown thrush feathers and three bright-blue magpie feathers. Giving the magpie feathers to him, she stepped back, securing her feather in the fur on her hip. Stoneclaw wove his feather's stem into his hip fur as well. Swiftbreeze nodded, and they started to pick out their partners.

"Ravenbreeze!" the she cried out, calling her battle partner.

Stoneclaw's tongue was as sharp and as fast as an adder. "Blazeclaw!"

"Mistbreeze!" The white she bounded to stand by the raven- colored apprentice as they fixed the feathers in their fur.

"Sunclaw." Stoneclaw called out less enthusiastically. The tom wasn't very strong, and Stoneclaw wished the golden tom wasn't on his team, but he had no other choice.

"Toms verses she-cats. This will be interesting. Prepared to lose, Stoneclaw?"

"Yeah, right. Put your claws where your talk is, Swiftbreeze." Stoneclaw smiled, letting out a battle cry. Swiftbreeze's yowl sounded out, and the two teams collided.

Stoneclaw spotted Ravenbreeze wrestling with Sunclaw, and Swiftbreeze was taking hits from Blazeclaw. Stoneclaw launched himself at Mistbreeze. He landed squarely on her shoulders, trying to get her feather. He clung on while the she spun and thrashed, trying to shake him loose. She rolled, and he let go, springing to his paws easily, as she didn't weight that much and the roll didn't faze him. He ran at her again, but she darted left, tripping him with one paw and holding him down with another. She leapt on top of him and battered his ears relentlessly. He growled and ripped his head free of her paws, turning on his stomach and shooting out from under her paws. He spun around, ready to attack again when he heard a shout of triumph.

Sunclaw had a brown dotted feather in his mouth, with a shocked Ravenbreeze. Her jaw was agape for a moment before she snatched the feather out of his mouth, stalking toward the edge of the ring.

"Sneaky, quick little furball." Ravenpad said jokingly as she passed Stoneclaw. He smiled, giving the golden tom a nod that said well done. The tom's smile got even bigger. Ravenbreeze sat on the side lines and the fight began again.

Soon, the toms won. Blazeclaw and Stoneclaw actually fought with the shes, while Sunclaw zipped around, nabbing the feathers at the perfect time.

The apprentices started to head back. Stoneclaw looked up from the group to see Star. A scowl formed immediately on his face. He nodded to the group, and then trotted over to the black tom. Star waited until the group was gone before speaking. "Nice moves, Stoneclaw, but you're going to have to be faster and smarter to beat me."

"I would have beaten you last time. Who's to say I can't do it again?"

"Right. You were about to beat me. When was this? Before or after you shredded Shatter?"

Stoneclaw let out a snarl. "Her name is Shatterbreeze, and that was an accident. She won't pick you because you ran to her side first."

"Oh, no, Stoneclaw. It's too late for apologies. She'll pick me now, whether you like it or not."

"What did you do to her, you little-"

Star just smiled and flicked Stoneclaw's nose with his tail tip. "Hush, now, little pebble. You'll see in time."

He trotted away, leaving a fuming Stoneclaw behind.