"Midnightstar?" Greenpaw couldn't help but gasp. "Waterpaw is in love with Midnightstar?"
"Waterwisp," Silverweb corrected, her eyes giving away nothing more than her mew. "Waterwisp has been accepted by RootClan as a warrior – or, more accurately, a queen. She is expecting kits."
Greenpaw felt dazed. A chill ran down her body, making her fur prickle despite the intense morning heat. Even Sunpaw didn't move a muscle.
After a few silent moments of water lapping over the cats' legs, Greenpaw came to her voice again. "Why tell us? Sunpaw and I? Why tell us this, and not Twilightstar? Or Pearlpelt?"
Silverweb began padding back toward them, out of the deeper water. Her belly fur was soaked with salty water. "For starters, no-cat has asked me about Waterwisp, until Sunpaw. Not even Twilightstar."
"But—" Greenpaw began, only to be hushed by Sunpaw and silenced by Silverweb's continuance.
"Our leader, Twilightstar, is not well. Have you noticed her absences? Do you see how she disappears, almost for full days? Twilightstar knew of the dangers that heavy tides bring, yet made the choice to go out for a swim anyway. Twilightstar is not well. Hearing news of Waterwisp will not do well for her morale, or her rationality. She will take this loss personally.
"As for Pearlpelt; your medicine cat must be told in her own time. Waterwisp is her daughter. It is not my right to destroy familial bonds. Pearlpelt must be told in her own time."
Greenpaw's head was swimming with dizziness. This was too much to take in. She had noticed Twilightstar's disappearances – after a few days, she would get detatched from the Clan; very nostaligic, very sad. She would go away for the majority of a day, to the salty beach, but would return with fresh-kill and a jobial mood, ready to lead her Clan. She always seemed to ended up fine…totally fine…
"Are you trying to imply," Greenpaw meowed lowly. "that our leader has a death wish?"
Silverweb met her gaze evenly. "I'm not implying anything. I'm telling you what I know."
"Then why are you here?" Greenpaw demanded. "Are you here to spy? To go back to RootClan and tell them SaltClan is weak? Is that what you think of us?"
Sunpaw's wet tail tip brushed over Greenpaw's tense shoulders, quieting her. Silverweb didn't reply for some moments. "I wasn't the only cat to leave the lands they knew best, in order to follow Midnightstar. I wasn't the only one who made that mistake. The difference is, I recognized it. I knew where I belonged." Silverweb dipped her stupid head again, and added quietly, "Just like you."
Greenpaw didn't know anything else to add. Desperate thoughts raced through her brain as the sea breeze ruffled her fur. Greenpaw felt confused, uncertain, and most of all, at a loss. Was Twilightstar truly that unwell? Was she really so unhappy? If she decided to leave, what would happen to the Clan? Seaheart was a wonderful deputy, but none of the cats that made up SaltClan were Clan born…they needed Twilightstar's guidance for as long as possible. Who else would stitch together the relationship between SaltClan and StarClan? Who else would teach and protect them?
The trio made their way to the SaltMarsh in silence, padding along the beach with their paws in the wet sand, allowing them to be lapped by crashing waves. Sunpaw walked in the middle of Greenpaw and Silverweb, separating them. Greenpaw wished desperately to have Sunpaw in private now. If Greenpaw didn't like the silver she-cat before, she definitely didn't like Silverweb now. Nor did Greenpaw trust her any more.
Was Waterpaw – Waterwisp – was she truly expecting kits? How could that be? All Waterwisp told Pearlpelt was that she was leaving SaltClan…no explanation or anything…so it was possible…
Greenpaw found her mind too cluttered for hunting. She wasn't able to focus on Silverweb's instructions, and had deep struggles separating from the two other she-cats, her surrounding dangerously quiet and her mind dangerously loud.
And so, Greenpaw was unenthusiastic about their shrimping lessons. Shrimp were difficult and boring to catch. She much preferred the birds of the beach, or water voles, or fish in the Saltmarsh. Shrimping on the edge of the Saltmarsh, so close to the Snakeroot-trees that belonged to RootClan (though rightfully belonged to SaltClan), was most disettling.
If any RootClan cat took particular offence to Silverweb's desertion, the shrimping trio were putting themselves in danger –m especially separated onto different isalnds of the Saltmarsh. Normally, Greenpaw would welcome a fight. In fact, sometimes, she even sought them out. But Greenpaw had no inkling of ferocious protection when it came to defending Silverweb.
So Greenpaw sat wearily as Silverweb showed them how to curve an upturned, unsheathed paw under the edge of the seagrass; to dip it under the water, hidden near a shrimp nursery; how to shadow the submerged claw with one in the open above it. The idea was to cage them in between your paws while they swam by unsuspectingly. But shrimp were to blindingly fast, and were difficult to catch after they sensed danger. Shrimping required a skillful amount of balance and patience, all for one stupid shrimp.
The crabs also required a regular amount of mindfulness. Sometimes, small crabs could look like shrimp in murkey water. The last thing a cat wanted to do was accidently capture a crab. Their relentless pinching pincers could hurt even the most calloused paw.
Sunpaw, who was now sitting on a sand island some fox-lengths away, had already caught two shrimp. Silverweb was a little further ahead of them, on the boulder that Greenpaw had caught the water vole only some days ago, with at least four shrimp caught and killed, sitting beside her. Greenpaw was standing on a grassy bank in the shadows of the tall green and brown fronds, with nothing to show for her time. Her belly rumbled irritably, and her sleep deprived mind couldn't focus.
She was getting frustrated. Two shrimp had passed right before her extended claws, too late by the time Greenpaw noticed. But now, she watched a fat shrimp swim idly by, small ripples of salt marsh water flowing behind him. Greenpaw focused her vision onto the shrimp, and as it came between her paws…
Greenpaw clashed her paws together, missing the shrimp completely, and felt herself tipping into the water. "No, no, no, NO!" she yowled on her way down, falling head-first into the water. She came crashing down with a splash, unexpected water filling her mouth and nose, blinding and suffocating her. She jumped from the water onto her paws, coughing and sputtering. "Fox dung!" she cursed as she caught her breath. In a moment, Sunpaw was beside her, dripping in water from a quick swim over.
"Greenpaw!" she chirped, worry creasing her brow. "What happened?"
Greenpaw had to physically stop herself from glaring at her very best friend. "Stupid shrimping happened! Waterwisp happened! Silverweb happened! Twilightstar happened! Curse these StarClan-foresaken shrimp! Curse them all!"
Silverweb swam over idly, six shrimp tails bobbing in her clenched teeth. She climbed out of the water gracefully and set them in the center of the grassy bank, then licked her muzzle. Silverweb seemed to be trying to hide a flicker of amusement in her eyes. She was not doing very well. "Having trouble?"
Greenpaw allowed herself to glare at Silverweb. "Nothing but trouble!" Greenpaw snarled, climbing onto the grassy bank and shaking her fur. Silverweb's whiskers twitched.
"Take a couple of mine. I can't carry them all the way back to camp. Sunpaw, collect your shrimp as well. It's time we made our way back, anyway."
Greenpaw was furious. At Silverweb, for ruining her morning even more than Sunpaw and Waterwisp already did. She was furious with the shrimp and with StarClan for cursing her and SaltClan with so much misfortune. Greenpaw wanted to eat, and she wanted to sleep – maybe even sleep forever. Never mind the drama unfolding. She just wanted to sleep.
Their travel back to camp was even more silent, the only sound being the flapping of beach birds' wings, the gentle clop of shrimp bouncing against one another with a rhymthic step, and the drip of water from their pelts. They travelled back to the camp behind the Dunes coming back, climbing to the top of the Dunes that marked the end of their path and the beginning of camp. The finally squeezed throught he hollow entrance with slightly drier fur.
Seaheart was waiting for them, and quickly assessed their catches with a nod of approval. "Well done. Ye may eat now, the two of ye. Silverweb, lass, I'd like a word."
Silverweb shrugged, dropping the three shrimp she carried at Sunpaw's forepaws, and followed Seaheart to the outside of the warrior's den. The small cavern was empty, with the exception of Reedtail and Stormrush. The two were sharing tongues in the shaded late afternoon sun.
Sunpaw scooped up Silverweb's other shrimp, and the duo carried their prey to the fresh-kill pile near Twilightstar's den. Twilightstar was nowhere to be seen.
Sunpaw kept two shrimp for herself, and looked at Greenpaw expectantly, but Greenpaw shook her head forcefully. "If I never see a shrimp again, I'll be the happier for it." she grumbled, selecting instead a fat dunnard. She preferred dunnards over mice – she didn't know why, but dunnarts always seemed to be jucier.
Sunpaw and Greenpaw padded over to the apprentice's den, laying their meals outside in the sun and settling down beside each other. Riverpaw and Tidepaw were sharing tongues inside, and didn't acknowledge the she-cat's approach. Greenpaw didn't mind.
"My skin is feeling rather dry and itchy," Sunpaw murmured, using her unsheathed paw to scratch at her head. "I wonder if Pearlpelt has any gum plant for it, I know she's been using it a lot lately…"
"How can you be thinking of itchy skin at a time like this?" Greenpaw hissed quietly. "What of Waterwisp? What of your dream?"
"Greenpaw," Sunpaw mewed tiredly, defeatedly. It was an odd tone Greenpaw didn't like coming from Sunpaw. It made her feel uncomfortable. "There's nothing we can do about Waterwisp, or of my dream. If I know anything, it's these forewarnings are fixed, and can't be avoided. Death will come. I just hope Silverweb is wrong, and it isn't Twilightstar's."
"So we're just supposed to sit here, and do nothing? Catch shrimp and stay quiet? Shouldn't we tell Seaheart and Shellstream?" Greenpaw just couldn't consent to Sunpaw's acceptance. They couldn't sit around and do nothing, not with the new knowledge they have.
Well, maybe after their meal and a nice nap, Greenpaw amended privately. Then we can try and fix whatever this is.
"That's exactly what we shouldn't do, Greenpaw. Making big deals out of premonitions just allows them to fester quicker, more intensely. If we give them life, we allow them to manifest in worry and allow them to take over our lives. It gives them power over you. The best we can do is let things sort out on their own."
And with that, Sunpaw began peeling the shell off of one of her shrimp, and took a generous bite. Greenpaw sighed, and bit down into her dunnart. At least one craving would be satisfied.
They finished their meal and shared tongues for a short while in silence, comforting each other in the late afternoon warmth. Greenpaw felt her eyes begin to droop with exhaustion, and wondered what her chances were of catching an afternoon nap. She wondered what punishement Seaheart might come up with for catching her snoozing during the prime of day– maybe this punishment would be learning a series of closed-eye battle techniques. Who knew what the crazy old coot would have her do next?
Greenpaw was fighting sleep when Sunpaw rose from beside her. Greenpaw didn't even open her eyes to see where Sunpaw was making off to. The sun was so warm, and so inviting…she could almost…
And then, some-cat trodded on Greenpaw's outstretched tail. Greenpaw screeched, jumping up and hissing at the one responsible. "You stupid minx-breath!"
"Trying to catch a nap while the rest of us are training, are we?" Sharkpaw sneered, stepping off of her tail. Greenpaw felt her tail whip back angrily, and arched her back with a hiss. "Trying to snooze while I fill the fresh-kill pile?"
"For your information, I –" but Greenpaw stopped herself. In all honesty, she had gone hunting, but had nothing to show of it. The few shrimp she had carried back exhibited Silverweb's skills, not Greenpaw's own. Greenpaw suddenly felt an unwelcome prickle of shame bristle her fur as she straightened her body out of her offensive crouch.
Greenpaw glanced around inside the apprentice's den. Tidepaw mewed nothing, and Riverpaw blinked. Greenpaw gave a hrmph of contempt and stalked away from the den, fuming. She was a few fox-lengths away from the entrance, ready to leave without warning, no matter what of the warrior code, when she heard Twilightstar's voice ruminating from Pearlpelt's den.
"-don't have a choice, Pearlpelt. I need to speak with StarClan before the Gathering. Full moon is only some nights away, and I need to share dreams with them, especially if you haven't heard anything of our ancestors."
"Sometimes, no news is good news," Pearlpelt responded with her raspy mew. It sounded rather gentle, a tone she wasn't use to coming from Pearlpelt. "We may have lost Waterpaw, but we have gained Silverweb. Waterpaw hasn't been here since the Clan came together. Silverweb has been here much longer than Waterpaw ever was."
"You accept her loss so calmly, so blindly?" Twilightstar questioned with irritation in her mew. Greenpaw detected sadness and confusion, as well. "Silverweb may have saved me, but I still do not know whether or not we can fully trust her, and where her loyalities truly lie. Especially now that we know Waterpaw isn't coming back. I must go to the Moonflies."
The Moonflies! Greenpaw thought excitedly, finally brightening up. If there was ever any place to get answers…
Greenpaw couldn't control her legs or thoughts fast enough, and she bounded into Pearlpelt's deep den with no hinderance or forethought. "I want to go to the Moonflies!" Greenpaw gasped, her heart pounding. "Please, Twilightstar, take me with you!"
"I have no mind to take a nosy apprentice who doesn't know how to follow orders," Twilightstar snapped, her fur bristling and whiskers twitching. She must have seen the shock on Greenpaw's face because after she snapped, Twilightstar took a breath and reframed her answer. "I'm travelling alone, Greenpaw." She told her as calmly as she seemed to be able to manage. Greenpaw saw the disorder in her icy blue eyes. "I shall not be taking any cat with me to the Moonflies."
"Do you think that's wise, with everything so fresh, Twilightstar? Cats who do not fully understand the warrior code yet may not let you pass, or may attack you. We don't know how other cats are being trained in the ways of the Code." Pearlpelt spoke with quiet authority, something that Sunpaw seemed to have to. Usually, the tone would be completely and utterly final, even as a suggestion. But the high emotions that Twilightstar and Greenpaw were both feeling seemed to act as immunity to the tone, for neither lowered their stance.
"I'll require travelling herbs, Pearlpelt." Twilightstar mewed stiffly, flicking her tail to dismiss Greenpaw.
Greenpaw stomped out of the den even more furious than before. Could Twilightstar really keep Greenpaw from speaking with StarClan, or the Tribe of Endless Hunting, whoever she may meet from the higher landing that their ancestors resided? Could Twilightstar truly keep them from her?
Yes, she decided. 'The leader's word is Warrior Code.' How frustrating. She wasn't allowed to accompany Twilightstar to the Moonflies.
This, of course, just meant that Greenpaw would have to track her leader to the Moonflies, without her permission.
Greenpaw smelled an adventure ahead.