Warriors: Silverjaw's Sorrow

Chapter Fourteen

Lionpoppy's growing annoyance was betrayed by the rapid flicks of her tail.

"Where is that apprentice?" She hissed, her ears angled towards the den. "You did wake him up, didn't you?" Her eyes darted to Silverpaw, fire dancing in their amber depths.

"Of course I did," Silverpaw snapped.

"It sure doesn't seem like it," Lionpoppy retorted. "What, are you trying to make me look like a fool? Go on and actually fetch him!"

The silver apprentice scoffed, rage boiling under her skin. "Why don't you get him yourself?"

Lionpoppy's lip drew back, and she took a furious step forward. A flash of fear overtook Silverpaw, and her ears fell back as she recalled Lionpoppy's wicked claws in the darkness of a storm-filled night, silhouetted by a flash of lightning. Struggling to tame her emotions, she bared her teeth, praying to StarClan she looked braver than she felt.

"That's enough, Silverpaw," Honeywhisker butted in, fixing her with a stern glare.

Was that... concern in his eyes?

Certainly not, Silverpaw dismissed. He just doesn't want to deal with my mother.

"Listen to Lionpoppy and fetch Pigeonpaw," he finished.

Silverpaw's eyes flashed between the two warriors, tempted to argue, but at last she relented, heaving to her paws and storming back to the apprentice's den. Before she could enter, however, Pigeonpaw bustled out, his tabby fur ruffled and unkempt as if he'd just woken up from a long night's sleep, contrary to the groomed appearance she'd expected. Silverpaw narrowed her eyes as the young tom gave his paws a brisk, clumsy lick as he bumbled towards her.

"Sorry for taking so long!" He chirped, shaking out his pelt. "Finchpaw woke up and distracted me. She had such a cool dream!" His amber eyes shone.

Lionpoppy snorted, and once the apprentice reached her side, she cuffed him lightly over the ear. "You're an apprentice now, you can't let yourself get distracted like that," she chastised, her voice light with a trickle of amusement.

Pigeonpaw shyly ducked his head. "Yes, Lionpoppy."

Lionpoppy smiled and touched her nose gently to his forehead. "Now that we're all here," her eyes sharpened like thorns as they settled upon Silverpaw, "let's get moving."

Whisking her tail, the pale tabby led the patrol out of camp. Pigeonpaw's amber eyes were round as they entered the forest, the excitement in the jerkiness of his movements akin to a cat being outside camp for the first time, even though it had already been a moon since his apprenticeship began.

Once they reached the crossing stones, he nervously peeked into the dark river. Water frothed and lashed angrily against the banks, and a thin layer had even overtaken the pathway.

"Come on," Lionpoppy meowed.

Frightened, Pigeonpaw crept to her side. "It looks dangerous," he reproached.

"Stay by my side as we cross. You'll be just fine." Lionpoppy's motherly tone twisted like a thorn to Silverpaw's heart, but she gritted her teeth in hopes to ignore it.

Pigeonpaw bobbed his head, and with Lionpoppy's tail draped assertively over his shoulders, they crossed to the other side unscathed.

Pigeonpaw released a cheerful purr. "Thanks!"

Next, it was Silverpaw and Honeywhisker's turn to cross. Bitter water sloshed over Silverpaw's paws as she gripped at the slick stones. Her claws dug in as fiercely as she could, but deep down, she knew a single powerful wind could blow her straight into the churning current. Leaping carefully, she safely breached the other side, her paws sinking into mud.