The New Warrior (OLD ORIGINAL)

Chapter 5

Just then a yowl came from the Huge Rock. "Finally!" Featherwing meowed. "See you later, Silverpaw!"

Goldenpaw sat on one side of Silverpaw and Squirrelpaw was about to sit on the other side when a black tom got there first. "Hi Silverpaw!" He meowed.

Silverpaw looked at him. "Oh! Hi Blackpaw!" She meowed, giving his shoulder a quick lick. Then she looked back to the Huge Rock.

Flamestar stepped up. "I'll speak first," he meowed. "We have five new apprentices, and two of the five are here. Silverpaw and Goldenpaw. We have also scented DuskClan on our territory, enough for a raiding party but did nothing." Yowls of protest rose up from DuskClan and ElectricClan. Flamestar waited for the noise to die down. "Darkstar!" He spat. "Whatever you're planning, ElectricClan will not tolerate it!" Yowls of agreement rose up and Flamestar stepped down. "Swiftstar?" He meowed. "Do you want to go next?"

A black and white tom with a very long tail stood in front of the Clans now. "There's not much to tell," he meowed. "We have a new warrior named Crowwing. That's about it. Out Clan is strong, we have plenty of water and prey. That doesn't mean my camp is unguarded. We have just as many patrols as we always had." Swiftstar stepped down.

"Spottedstar, do you want to go?" Flamestar asked.

Now a golden tabby she-cat with spots stepped up and bowed her head. "Our old medicine cat, Mudstream, died. He was collecting herbs by the river and fell in before we could get to him. He was a brave and noble medicine cat and Mothtail is doing good as our new. She grieved for him the most. We have a new apprentice, Blackpaw, who would have joined Mudstream this moon if it wasn't for an ElectricClan apprentice, Silverpaw. Thank you." She bowed her head.

Silverpaw felt hot and felt as as if every cat turned to look at her. Then Spottedstar backed down and Darkstar took her place. He bowed his head.

"Our medicine cat Runningpelt is retired now. Littlefur was ready and took his place, carrying on as if nothing changed. Other than that, my Clan is strong. Flamestar, I admit my Clan was in your territory, but it had nothing to do with you. We have our reasons for being there and we mean no harm to you or your Clan."

As the Gathering drew to a close and the cats began to separate into their Clans, Silverpaw said goodbye to Blackpaw, giving his shoulders a quick lick and went to find her Clanmates. Once she did, she hurried to join them.

〜〜〜
That night Silverpaw couldn't sleep. When they got back from the Gathering she went to the apprentice's den but sleep never overcame her. So she slid out of the apprentice's den to the far side of the tree stump. Not long after she had been sitting out there she heard a rustle come from the den. Goldenpaw poked her head out and looked out. She trotted over to where Silverpaw was and sat a tiny vigil.

Soon Goldenpaw muttered, "I saw how you looked at him."

Silverpaw finally looked at Goldenpaw. "Him who?"

"Blackpaw!"

"What about him?"

"I saw how you looked at him."

"Okay."

"It's obvious you like him."

Silverpaw shrugged. "You know," Goldenpaw murmured. "Whatever you think of him, I'll keep your secret."

"That's not the thing!" Silverpaw retorted. "I'm in love with him. It goes against the warrior code! My half sister in WaterClan, Featherwing, told me what happened to my father's first mate that was in WaterClan! She died giving birth even though her kits lived!"

Silverpaw got up and ran out of camp just as the first rays of dawn showed.

Silverpaw ran through the woods towards Sunnystones. She sat and waited on a rock looking out over to WaterClan territory and she saw a black head poke out of the reeds on the far side of the river. He slid into the river and came up to Silverpaw's side and touched noses with her.

Silverpaw rested her muzzle on his flank. Then she meowed, "I thought you'd never come." They sat flank to flank, watching the sun rise.

Silverpaw heard a hiss come from the woods and meowed to the black tom, "I'll be right back Blackpaw." She headed to where she heard the hiss into a patch of brambles. When she saw who it was she let out a sharp hiss. "What are you doing here Goldenpaw?! Just stay out of this will you?"

"No. I was going to keep you liking Blackpaw a secret but I don't think I can keep you seeing him a secret! It goes against the code even more!" Goldenpaw retorted.

"You have to!" Silverpaw spat.

Goldenpaw let out a deep, long sigh. "Okay," she meowed. "I'll keep this a secret. But I think we should tell Graypelt this. He'll understand because-"

"WHAT?" Silverpaw interrupted. "He may have gone through this before but he'll have me off before I have time to explain! Do you think he'll let me go for this? What if the same thing happens to me as his first mate? Either way, if he knew or not, he wouldn't want that. He wouldn't forgive himself!"

"Okay then Silverpaw, it seems you know what you're doing wrong and don't like it, so why keep doing it?"

Silverpaw had an annoyed look on her face. "Just stay out of it Goldenpaw! We're both going to keep seeing each other and you can't say anything to change it." Silverpaw backed out of the brambles to where Blackpaw was waiting. She pressed her nose against his flank. "I have to go. Meet me here same time, six days."