Clans of the Forest:1: Stone and Silver (COMPLETE)

Chapter 19

Silverpelt entered the camp, a rabbit dangling from his jaws. He turned and watched as Rivereye padded up to him.

"Wow, what a catch!" The silver tom commented. "How did you manage to catch it?"

"I guess I'm just fast," Silverpelt mewed, dropping the rabbit. He picked it up again and carried it over to the fresh-kill pile. The sun was shining down into the clearing with the late afternoon. It was a beautiful day, but Silverpelt missed his cousin badly. 

He headed over to the nursery, where Firefly watched over Icekit, Snowkit, and Flashkit. He stepped inside and saw that no one was there. He was about to leave when Flashkit poked her head out from under the bracken. 

"Hello there," Silverpelt mewed gently, sitting down beside her. "Where is everyone else?"

Flashkit shrugged and cuddled up with him. Her bright amber eyes blazed into Silverpelt's head. He met her gaze. "What do you want to do?"

"Play with me," Flashkit mewed softly. "You're one of the only family I have left."

This melted Silverpelt's heart. "Don't worry," He told her. "Stonevoice and Moonbeam will be home soon."

He gently passed her a moss ball. She grabbed it eagerly and batted it back at him. They passed it back and forth until a voice called Silverpelt from outside.

"Silverpelt!" Rivereye called. "I want you on a patrol with me, Barkclaw, and Summerfruit."

"Okay!" Silverpelt called back. He turned to Flashkit. "I'll be back soon."

He got up and slipped out of the nursery, padding over to Rivereye. "Where are we patrolling?" he asked, walking over to Barkclaw. 

"MysteryClan border," Rivereye mewed. "Come with me."

He lead the patrol out into the woods. Golden sunlight dappled the leaves, the grass shone pleasantly. Silverpelt inhaled the fresh forest air. He was a ForestClan cat, this was were he was destined to live.

Rivereye lead them far out until they reached their border with nothing. He leaned down and sniffed. "Rogue scent," He mewed. "Probably long gone."

"Oh really?"

The entire patrol turned. A lean tortoiseshell she-cat was standing on the other side of the border, tail lashing. She had a sleek, dappled coat and deep blue eyes. She stood in an elegant way Silverpelt was told that you rarely see on a rogue.

"No one passes into my father's land,"She said smoothly. Silverpelt noticed that she was young, around his age. 

"We weren't planning to," Rivereye replied just as smoothly.

"But I need to keep you out," The tortoiseshell mewed and leapt at Silverpelt. 

He backed away in surprise, but the she-cat still crashed into him, he fell backawrds and tumbled down. His attacker was well muscled and strong, she easily pinned him and he struggled. 

Silverpelt unsheathed his claws and lashed out, scraping the she-cat's nose. She stood her ground and didn't flinch. She is really tough!  He thought. He tucked himself into a ball and ducked under her, and then came up and bowled her over. And I thought all rogues were flea-bitten and scrawny! The rogue kicked out, sending him flying into a tree. He hit his head and and heard a sickening crack before the world faded to black. 

. . .

Silverpelt slowly, hazily opened his eyes. The world was a blur, and his head hurt badly, as well as one of his front paws. He didn't move, and he couldn't anyway. The grass felt soft beneath him. He tried to twitch his tail, instead a ripple of pain shot through him. He winced and pain shot through him again. He closed his eyes and tried to relax. You're going to be just fine. You still have to be a great warrior. 

He shifted his position and stretched his legs, making him shriek with pain. A rustling sound came from behind him and he turned, wincing with the effort. "Who-who's t-there?" He croaked, surprised with how weak he sounded. The leaves rustled again and Powersnow came through the bushes, flicking her tail gently. She leaned down to him him.

"How are you feeling?" She asked softly, her blue eyes sympathetic. 

"Terrible," Silverpelt responded. "What happened?"

"You hit your head hard on the tree," Powersnow mewed. "You were knocked out. Rivereye chased the rogue off while Barkclaw and Summerfruit brought you back. You've been out cold since then."

"How long ago was that?" Silverpelt asked, struggling to remember.

"A day," Powersnow told him. "You should rest."

"Where am I?" Silverpelt asked suddenly. "This isn't the medicine den."

He was right. Instead of the sturdy cave walls and the quiet serenity of the pool of water, and the aroma of herbs filling the air, he was out in the forest, with grass beneath him and sunlight filtering through the leaves overhead. He was beside a small creek, with bushes surrounding him on all of the other sides. Birds flew through the canopy and clouds drifted lazily in the pale blue sky.

"You're right," Powersnow repeated his thought. "We're out in the woods. I couldn't put you in there because Bluestar is there, and we don't want you to get sick, but there was no where on our territory to put you, so we got special permission from MysteryClan to use some of their land."

"We're on MysteryClan territory?" Silverpelt gasped. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"You never asked," Powersnow mewed, amused. 

"I didn't think to ask! I thought we were on ForestClan land!"

Powersnow sighed and got up. "How does your head feel?"

"A little better," Silverpelt mewed, realizing that it was true.

"Then you should be fine on your own for now. Oh, also, you're cleared for all duties until you've recovered."

Silverpelt didn't argue. He wanted more then anything right now just to rest his eyes and get some sleep. He lowered his onto his paws, shut his eyes, and drifted into sleep.

. . .

Silverpelt opened his eyes. Gray, silver, and white light swirled around him. He didn't feel any pain. He gazed around. Cats were sitting all around him, nine in fact, with frost in their eyes and stars in their fur. He looked down and gasped. Powersnow and Bluestar were stnding below the cats, looking alive and normal. Silverpelt gasped. This must be Bluestar's nine lives ceremony!

He watched as one cat, a golden ginger tom with creamy-looking amber eyes, stepped forward. "With this life I give you joy, protect your kits, serve your Clan, honor the forest, and be happy. A sad and depressed leader will get ForestClan nowhere."

He touched his nose to Blue-Eye's and then stepped back. Then, the dark gray tom Silverpelt had seen in his dream came foward.

"With this life I give you-"

Silverpelt froze as a spasm rippled through the gray cat, his eyes glazed over, and he went stiff and rigid. When he spoke, his voice was misty. 

"The light will shine upon stone and silver, and all will be well." 

Silverpelt froze even harder. A ripple of foreboding passed through him. He had a horrible feeling that he knew what it ment.