Disclaimer: I do NOT own Warriors. Erin Hunter does.

"Come on, you're a cat, aren't you? It's not that hard." Graypaw huffed, blinking down at Silverfang as she tried to haul her body up a tree. The late afternoon sun felt warm on her back and it helped soothe her body after her training earlier with Lionheart. She yawned while putting her head on her paws.

It was a moon after their first two meetings, Graypaw and Silverfang now met up twice a week. They did so at different locations to make sure they wouldn't be found by passing patrols who could figure out a pattern. While Graypaw enjoyed her time off away from the Clan and her hardships within, she couldn't fully relax and kept their time short. She thought Silverfang understood, but there were times she wasn't so sure.

Still, the gray molly was lounging on a branch with her tail swaying on the wind. She rolled her eyes as Silverfang tried and failed again, sliding down the bark in a heap. The silver/black female winced and began licking at her paws.

"You say that, but I think it's much harder than swimming. I'm using muscles I didn't even know I had!" Silverfang grumbled, her tail tip twitching in annoyance. Graypaw sighed while shaking her head.

"You're worst than a young apprentice, you know that?" She replied quietly. She walked down the tree, making Silverfang gasp on awe as Graypaw looked to her to moving as simply as she was on the ground.

Silverfang's whiskers then twitched, hearing the gray cat and reached out to cuff her over the head with a snort. "How would you know? You're still an apprentice yourself!"

Graypaw easily moved over, smirking before sitting down. "Younger cats are always impatient. I know I was."

"That's something all the Clans deal with. We're the same in that regard." Silverfang said with a smile but winced as she licked her paws again, pulling away to wave her paws before trying again.

Graypaw watched before looking at the larger cat and reaching out with her own paws to pull Silverfang's towards her. She could see deep scratches scored hard as well sharp shards of bark sticking deep into her pads.

Without a word, Graypaw started to probe and shift the pieces of bark from the RiverClan warrior's pad with her tongue. She then licked slower for the scratches. Silverfang sighed and sagged with relief.

"There. That should make it feel a little better, but try to be discreet when you ask your healer for something to help." Graypaw said, after finishing each paw.

Silverfang smirked. "That won't be hard, Mudfur knows I'm trying to climb trees."

Graypaw tilted her head, frowning. "You told me the trees are different in RiverClan. Won't he be suspicious?"

"He might scold me, but this isn't a recent thing. I'll tell him I looked for a proper tree, at Fourtrees. That should help."

Graypaw's frown remained a bit while she shifted her gaze to the setting sun. "I've been gone too long. I'm tired and want to take a quick sleep before heading out to hunt more."

"But you haven't gotten to your swimming lessons!" Silverfang pouted, flattening her ears.

Graypaw simply shrugged. "Can't risk staying here more. I'm an apprentice, it's different for me. You remember what it's like! This is nice, not having to worry but I can't let it get in the way of my duties."

"Can't you just say you were training by yourself or hunting?" Silverfang asked, looking hopeful.

Graypaw narrowed her eyes, her fur spiking up. The flecks of red seemed to glow brighter in her left eye as she growled and stared right at Silverfang. The RiverClan molly shuddered as she felt trapped by those eye, and Graypaw didn't turn away quickly.

"I'm already breaking the Warrior Code by seeing you, I'm not going to start lying to my Clan! I have enough to deal with! It's easy for you! You're loved and cared for by everyone in your Clan! You don't have to endure hateful whispers, you don't have to endure your own Clanmates fearing that you will eat them! Every step I take is wrong to them. They don't trust us, we have to sleep outside and eat what we catch right then and there because they try and bar us from the fresh-kill pile! I told you this and still you think I can do as I like!"

Graypaw raised her paws, her claws out before the angry haze lifted and she saw a quivering Silverfang staring back at her, but Graypaw could see she wasn't truly looking at her. She turned away horrified that she was going to attack another cat and waited for Silverfang to come back to her senses, before she started walking away.

"Graypaw..."

"I have to go. Maybe we'll meet later." Graypaw's voice was quiet, her tail dragging in the dirt.

"O-okay. We...we can meet at by the Twoleg stone bridge. Our usual time!" Silverfang's voice raised as Graypaw moved further away.

Graypaw didn't show Silverfang if she heard or not.

XxXx

Graypaw walked into camp, holding three mice by their tails and dumping them on the fresh-kill pile. She found her mother and a few others dozing in the last of the sun and buried her face in Willowpelt's side, shaking.

Shook from her sleep, Willowpelt looked down at her kit, and saw her unhappiness. At first she thought it was Dappletail and her ilk, but something in her told her that that wasn't the case. She licked the top of her little one's head and purred softly, hoping it would help.

Graypaw remained like this for a while, but eventually, her shaking eased and her shoulders sagged as the tension slowly flowed out of her.

Willowpelt said nothing and went on to groom her daughter, purring as she did. All she wanted was to show Graypaw that she was here.

Graypaw eventually moved to have her head resting over Willowpelt's back and the mother smiled slightly. She sighed in relief as Graypaw groomed her in appreciation before both of their attention was called by Firepaw and Sandspirit joining them. Ravenflight came a few minutes later, the younger cats helped settle Graypaw even more.

"Graypaw, it's been a while since we were all together. Would you like to come with us and just...talk?" Sandspirit asked, smiling gently.

The gray apprentice blinked and looked over at Willowpelt who was grinning and inclined her head. "You should be with your friends, it might help more than I could."

Heaving a small sigh and curling her tail in thanks, Graypaw quickly got to her paws. The others soon followed.

XxXx

It was Firepaw who led the way, sniffing the air and picking out a seemingly random path to follow while everyone went into an easy conversation.

"How's life been going for you, Ravenflight? Out of all of us, you have been distant lately." Sandspirit began, causing murmurs of agreement among their group.

The young black tom ducked his head and shrugged, looking a bit surprised. "I suppose...I have been avoiding you all lately but...I haven't meant too. I've...been watching Tigerclaw. I can't tell you right now, but he's been acting odd. Jumpy and constantly seems to be looking over his shoulder. When he's not with Goldenflower, at least."

"The Allmother will bless them soon with tiny hunters in the future, I think." Firepaw said casually, jumped over a rock blocking her path. She was looking over at Sandspirit with a small smile.

"You think they will have kits?" Graypaw asked, relaxing a bit as the group looked together.

"I think so. They seem close. She seems to be the only one who can give him peace lately." Ravenflight muttered, though he didn't look happy with his former mentor. He stopped to rake his claws over a tree, digging in deeper than he normally would.

"He's done something wrong, and I've been watching him to see if he's planning something. So far, he's done nothing."

The quiet scowl on his face caught everyone off guard and Sandspirit took a step forward, sensing something is wrong. "What do you mean?"

Ravenflight looked at his friends, seeing the concerned but resolute expressions on their faces and knew that he could trust them. Still, he took a steadying breath.

"I saw Tigerclaw kill Redtail at the battle for SunningRocks."

His statement was met with shocked silence but it was Sandspirit who spoke first, her voice low and frigid. Ravenflight can see her claws digging hard into the dirt. "Why?"

"I don't know, at least I don't know the reason. I saw them arguing but I couldn't hear what about and I saw Tigerclaw pin Redtail, he bit out his throat. But...he looked horrified afterward. Like he almost didn't mean to do it. He was apologizing and begging him to get up when he noticed me. He told me...that if I told anyone he'd kill me but...even then the threats sounded hollow. He bit me and threw me into the bushes. I've been silent and watching him since I became a warrior. There has to be something he's planning, but I can't begin to guess."

"I'll kill him." Sandspirit snarled quietly, already turning back in the direction of camp. Firepaw followed without a word.

"Wait!" Ravenflight was quick to block the other warrior's path, bowing his head. "I know you want revenge, I know you're hurting but we must think about this. We only have my word. Tigerclaw won't admit to killing Redtail, no matter his reason. We have to figure out a way to get him to confess. Perhaps we could use his apparent guilt against him!"

Sandspirit snarled but had to admit that that sounded like a good plan and looked to Firepaw and Graypaw for support. Both apprentices nodded their heads and looked to Ravenflight.

"Right. Well, first off we have to keep this to ourselves. We can't cause any rumors to spread and possibly tip off Tigerclaw. Until we're ready, I'd like you guys to help me in watching him, he might do something that will help us in confronting him. Until then, please Sandspirit, stay away from him." Ravenflight added, placing his paw on top of hers.

The pale ginger molly bared her fangs and looked away. Firepaw pressed against her side in a show of comfort. "You'll take your revenge on that murdering pile of me'mre on due time. You will show your father how much of great hunter you've become. His ka will be at rest soon enough."

Sandspirit felt herself calm at her dear friend's words and moved to nuzzle against her. Firepaw purred softly as she returned the gesture, twining her tail with Sandspirit's.

Ravenflight and Graypaw looked to each other and nodded but even as she felt united with her friends to stop Tigerclaw, Graypaw began to frown.

The hole in her chest was getting deeper.

XxXx

Graypaw sat staring blankly at the stone bridge the Twolegs built. A small rabbit laid next to her. Blinking, she listlessly rubbed at her face with a paw before her ear flicked at hearing a sound. Silverfang had finally arrived, and she was carrying a fish. Tilting her head, Graypaw looked at the warrior.

"Thought you might like to try fish. It's really good." The big warrior gently placed the fish next to her and sat down beside Graypaw, waiting. However the apprentice didn't move, staring blankly at the fish.

Siverfang nudged her and frowned, tilting her head. "You don't look okay. Would you like to talk about it?" She asked, leaning in to lick the top of Graypaw's head, placing her paw on top of the apprentice's.

"I heard...some terrible news and it's really bothering me. A friend of mine is...really hurting because of it. And I don't know what to do. Lately...it's just one thing after another. I feel like I'm just...drifting." Graypaw admitted at last, thinking that was enough without having to give away too much.

Silverfang nodded, licking the top of her head again. Her gaze, while sympathetic, did not lie. "I can't say I know what you're going through, but if you need a friend, I'm here, Graypaw." She moved to lean against to the apprentice, twining her tail with the slightly smaller cat's. Her gentle purring soon had a calming effect on Graypaw and soon the young molly was lolled into a gentle sleep.

Graypaw woke up with a start, looking around to see the sun had moved position and that Silverfang had remained by her side. The fish was gone and so was the rabbit but there were replacements on her other side, freshly caught by the smell of it.

Graypaw stared at them before turning her head to Silverfang. "Why didn't you wake me? I've been gone too long, my Clan will worry."

Silverfang was calmly licking a paw before flicking her bushy tail to the prey. "You needed the sleep, I could see how tired you were. Eat, I ate the fish and rabbit, you can have those. I caught them not too long ago."

Graypaw shook her head and made to get to her paws but Silverfang got up too, moving to settle on top of the slightly smaller cat, causing Graypaw to blink as the RiverClan cat's warmth seeped into her.

"Please, eat. And stay. Just a little longer. I've been thinking about what you've said, you shouldn't have to go through any of that. And I'm...sorry for not understanding. If you can, I want to help you in any way I can, even if it just giving you a few moments of peace. Please..." Silverfang gently purred, licking the top of Graypaw's head and nuzzling her cheek.

Graypaw felt herself sagging underneath Silverfang and closed her eyes. She did feel that the warrior was sincere and...she was very warm and Graypaw was hungry. Without a word, Silverfang pulled the food closer to Graypaw and she shifted so the slightly younger molly could eat without difficulty but she never truly moved from her position covering Graypaw.

After she had eaten, marveling at the taste of fish and finding it enjoyable, even telling Silverfang this who laughed. "See, not so bad, eh?"

Graypaw nodded softly, adding her own purr to Silverfang as they talked quietly and laughed together. Their early quarrel and Graypaw's listlessness delightfully forgotten. For now.

They talked and laughed and groomed far passed the sun dipping down the horizon and the cool of night coming after.

When the pair finally decided to part, Graypaw for once didn't seem to care about her Clanmates worrying. As she and Silverfang touched noses, murmuring farewell and deciding their next meeting place, Graypaw felt the hole in her chest widening again, making her shiver. Silverfang noticed and lingered but Graypaw urged her to go, despite herself.

As she watched the RiverClan warrior leave, Graypaw felt her heart and soul aching to go with her. She thought fondly on their day spent together, how Siverfang cheered her up and made her worries, if for a little while, float away. Back home, there was a murderer and a Clan full of cats that hated and feared her. But with Silverfang, there was peace and bliss.

Graypaw hung her head and turned towards ThunderClan, every step feeling feeling like Dappletail's claws in her pelt. She was started to feel cold and already was missing the warmth of Silverfang's body over hers.

Even when she came to the camp and Willowpelt all but slammed into her, having been worried and covered her face in licks, Graypaw merely blinked. Staring ahead and looking at nothing, even the warmth of her mother felt hollow as she picked up on whispers about her from the normal cats. Willowpelt curled defensively around her kit, glaring, but Graypaw barely noticed. Willowpelt stared worriedly at her daughter but said nothing, nudging her to the pile of cats and coaxing Graypaw to sleep next to jer.

Graypaw simply followed, already feeling drained. She secretly wished for Silverfang and closed her eyes, ignoring her mother as she fell asleep, dreaming of the RoverClan warrior's laugh. It was the only thing that made Graypaw feel warm. In her dreams, away from everything, there was only sun and Silverfang and her. Walking side by side, fur brushing as their tails twined together.

A/N: Hey guys, here's the chapter. I'm really trying to expand on Graypaw's and Silverfang's relationship, give it more depth and trying to show the care they have for each other as well as the need for Graypaw to have something good going on in her life right now. Ive never written about a character going through a stressful time and I hope I'm going a good enough job. Graystripe and Silverstream's "love" in the book was so rushed and just there, I wanted to try and give it more. I hope that I am at least, Im not the best at these things, but I want to try and hope I'm doing alright.

Please forgive any errors, I wrote this all on my phone, and while I tried to look over and make sure it was ok, there might still be some errors. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.