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

Chapter 23

Silverpelt led Icepaw back into camp, his tail swishing. "So what did you learn today?" He asked, peering over at his apprentice. 

"I learned how to pounce and fight and roll!" Icepaw said cheerfully. "Aaaand how to BEAT EVERYONE UP!" She leapt into the air and brought her paws down on a leaf.

Silverpelt purred and turned back to the front, walking into camp. 

"So do you think I'll be able to go to the gathering?" Icepaw asked, bounding up to him.

"The gathering? That's in days." Silverpelt mewed, dismissing it with a flick of his tail.

"That's what you say every time I ask!" Icepaw protested, walking with him past the fresh-kill pile. 

"That's because you ask a bajillion times a day," Silverpelt rolled his eyes. 

"ThAt's BeCaUsE YoU NeVeR SaY YeS." Icepaw mewed, staring up at him with wide eyes.

"Now, saying it over and over won't make someone say yes," Silverpelt sternly. Really, deep inside, he would gladly take Icepaw to the gathering. He just didn't want to spoil the surprise. "You have to be good and impressive."

"I will be good and impressive." Icepaw mewed, puffing out her chest and walking over to Snowpaw, who was batting at leaves by the fresh-kill pile. Silverpelt watched with amusement as she pounced on her brother from behind.

He walked over to Summerfruit and Barkclaw, who were sharing tongues. "Hi," He mewed, sitting down.

"Hi!" Responded Summerfruit. "So, what's it like, having an apprentice?" She asked, eyes wide.

Silverpelt paused. Finally, he said, "I guess it just depends on who you have as an apprentice. In my case, Icepaw is very intelligent and eager to learn, as well as energetic, independent, and funny. She's a pawful at times, but she's worth it."

Barkclaw nodded. "I've heard apprentices tend to be that way. When they--" She broke off as her eyes went wide and she let out a shriek. Silverpelt and Summerfruit both got to their feet and ran over to her. 

"Are you okay?!?" Summerfruit cried, pressing her self into her sister.

"M-maybe--" Barkclaw hissed through gritted teeth. 

"What's happening?" Powersnow called, rushing over to them. 

"I feel like I'm going to split open!" Barkclaw cried. Powersnow dashed to her side and paused for a moment before mewing,

"You're kitting."

"You're kidding!" Silverpelt shouted.

"But-" Barkclaw looked equally as shocked. "But I'm so young--and I don't have a mate--and I wasn't even expecting--" She broke off and let out another cry. 

"It doesn't matter, we need to get you to the medicine den." Powersnow mewed fiercely. She led Barkclaw and Summerfruit away.

Silverpelt stared, dumbstruck, at the place where they'd disappeared. Would Barkclaw be okay? Worry pulsed through him. He sighed and sat down.

. . .

That night Silverpelt slept fitfully, trying to grasp rest but instead staring off into the night. He couldn't think straight, he couldn't do anything. He was constantly worrying about Barkclaw ans whether she was okay or not.

Finally, after a long time of fidgeting, he was able to rest. 

. . .

Silverpelt slowly took steps, trying to navigate where he was going. It was foggy all around him, and a strange scent hung in the air. He struggled forward, but this stupid mist was blocking the way. 

Up ahead, he heard voices. He ran, trying to locate them, and finally, he crouched under a bush, posed to hear.

"It won't be happening for a loooooooooong time!" One voice, a tom, shouted. He sounded angry and frustrated.

"They need to know now," The other voice, also a tom, said urgently. Silverpelt risked a peek out of the bush, and saw that the speaker was a pale ginger tabby with a darker ginger mask. He had deep amber eyes and was staring hard at the other cat, who was a white tom with black ears, tail tip, and chest, with blue eyes and an impatient expression.

"They can't!" The white tom mewed. "We mustn't worry them to hard! They still have the journey to Moth Lake, the discovery of the beyond, and the rise of the moor, streak, and others! You can't just rush them. It hasn't been much time since Stone and Silver!"

That was the wrong thing to say. The ginger tom snapped his jaws shut abruptly, glaring hard at the other cat. "So all you're worrying about is Stone and Silver! You don't care for the future of these cats! We must prepare them for the troubles that they will face ahead! All you care about is the troubles that stand in the paths of these warriors! And also, Silverpelt, you can come out of that bush, we know that you're there."

Surprised, Silverpelt stepped out, standing up in front of the two toms. "What do you need with me?" He asked, eyes wide. "Who are you?"

The ginger tom smiled at him. "I'm Aver, a former deputy, mate to Miststar. And this is Alfis, our friend who thinks ForestClan is the most precious thing that ever existed."

"They have my blood!" Alfis protested. 

"All of the Clans have your blood!" Aver hissed, bringing his foot down hard on the ground. "The point is, somebody needs to know the prophecy,--" He turned to Silverpelt. "And that somebody is you!"

Silverpelt stepped back. "Prophecy?" He echoed.

"Yes," Aver mewed, and then said, "Someone must finish what she started."He turned back to Alfis. "There. It's done."

And with that, Silverpelt woke up.

. . .

He sat up in his nest and quickly got to his feet, heading out of the warrior's den. Outside, moonlight glimmered and shone down on the face of the clearing. Silverpelt felt his pelt hot with the memory of the dream. What was this prophecy about? What did he have to do with it? Should he tell someone? No, it probably was just nonsense. He shook his head to clear his thoughts and headed to the medicine den. 

Inside Barkclaw was curled up, sleeping peacefully. Silverpelt gently nudged her. She lifted her head. "Oh, Silverpelt," She mewed. "I've been meaning to see you,"

"Why?" Silverpelt asked, perplexed.  

"There's something I need to tell you," She mewed. "You're the father of my kit."

Silverpelt stepped back. "But we never became mates!" He mewed.

"I know," Barkclaw mewed. "It's okay. But you and I will protect Rainbowkit, together."

"Yes," Silverpelt turned up to the sky, to his namesake. "Together."