The New Warrior (OLD ORIGINAL)

Chapter 9

  When Silverwind woke up it was nearly sunhigh. She pushed her way out of the warriors den and decided to stick around camp.

By the time sunhigh came Flamestar came out of his den, Graypelt and Sandtail behind him, both with proud expressions on their faces. Flamestar leaped on the Bigstone. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Bigstone for a Clan meeting." He yowled. Cats came from their dens and gathered. Silverwind searched for Squirrelfur and spotted him next to Goldenpaw. When he spotted her he gazed at her then sharply looked away.

Silverwind padded over to sit next to Thornheart. She saw two kits sitting next to Fernclaw, their coats neatly groomed.

"We are here today to give two Clan kits their apprentice names," Flamestar glanced at Fernclaw. "Silverwind, your apprentice will be Grasskit who will take on the apprentice name of Grasspaw. NightClan honors your honesty and confidence and I hope you'll pass down all you know to Grasspaw." Grasspaw came up to Silverwind and she bent down to touch noses with the apprentice.

"Squirrelfur," Flamestar continued. "Your apprentice will be Birchpaw. NightClan honors your courage and trustworthiness and I hope you'll pass down all you know to Birchpaw." Squirrelfur touched noses with Birchpaw. Flamestar jumped down from the Bigstone and padded over to Silverwind. "I want you to go on hunting patrol with Squirrelfur and Thornheart." He meowed and walked away.

  • • •  

Silverwind watched as Squirrelfur got closer to a rabbit. The rabbits ears pricked and hopped into the undergrowth. Silverwind instinctively ran after it, disappearing through the undergrowth. She saw the rabbit in an instant and leaped on it, sinking her claws into its neck. She picked it up in her jaws and walked back to where Squirrelfur was. When she got there they all walked back to camp, but on the way they each had to pick up their own pile of prey.

When they got back to camp she put her pile in the fresh-kill pile and took a magpie for herself. She padded over to the clump of nettles and sat next to Thornheart. "Congrats on getting your first apprentice," Brackenclaw meowed.

 "Thank you," Silverwind replied.

 "Knowing Brackenclaw was your mentor, you'll probably do great with Grasspaw," Cloudfur meowed.

 "Really?" Silverwind asked. Cloudfur nodded.

Once she finished her magpie she went to the warriors den to her nest, curled up and went to sleep.

  • • •  

Silverwind pushed through the warriors den. She saw Grasspaw waiting for her at the gorse tunnel. "It's been a while, Silverwind," she meowed. Silverwind nodded in agreement. Just as they were leaving she heard her name.

 "Silverwind?" She turned to see Squirrelfur padding to her, Birchpaw behind him. "I wanted to know if you wanted to show them ElectricClan boundaries together?" He meowed. Silverwind shrugged. "Okay."

They padded out of the gorse tunnel into the forest. As they bounded through the forest Squirrelfur stopped. "This is the dusty hollow," he meowed. "We train, teach, and practice fighting moves here," Silverwind meowed.

They walked a little farther and soon came upon Sunnystones. "This is Sunnystones; the boundary of us and WaterClan," Silverwind meowed, wincing. She swerved around quickly and headed to the stream heading to Ancestors Oaks. She let Birchpaw and Grasspaw go before she went, Squirrelfur bringing up the rear, making sure no one slipped off of the fallen tree.

Once everyone got safely on the other side Squirrelfur meowed, "This is the Night Watchers Tree, it marks the edge of our territory. We'll take you to Ancestors Oaks too," Squirrelfur took the lead, Silverwind hard on his paws.

"Every full moon this is where we gather to share news with the other Clans," Squirrelfur meowed. Just then a cold breeze came from the moor. "Smell that? It's AirClan," he continued. "Let's get going, we still have to go to the Adder Clearing."

He took the lead over the tree, Silverwind bringing up the rear. They ran through the forest to the Adder Clearing and soon Silverwind saw it and veered toward the Roaringpath. Squirrelfur meowed as he came up. "I almost forgot to mention the Roaringpath. You don't want to get near a monster. This also marks the boundary with DuskClan, can you smell them?" 

Birchpaw and Grasspaw tested the air. "Yes. It reeks and so does the Roaringpath. "Grasspaw meowed.

Silverwind led them back to camp and stopped to catch a vole. She crept forward and pounced on it with a swift bite to the neck. She picked it up in her jaws and padded through the gorse tunnel and dropped it in the fresh-kill pile, taking a mouse for herself. She sat at the nettle clump and tore at it hungrily. "How was your first day?" Thornheart asked. 

"Great!" Silverwind replied.

She finished it in a few measly gulps and noticed how they weren't as well-fed as usual. Leaf-bare was on its way. She got up from where she was and padded to the gorse tunnel and heard a name calling. "Silverwind!" It was Squirrelfur. "Where are you going?" He asked.

 "No where." Silverwind meowed.

 Squirrelfur's eyes darkened. "Don't do that Silverwind. Tell me the truth," he meowed. 

"I'm going to see if I can find Blackstream." She sighed.

Squirrelfur let out a low hiss then sighed. "Can I go?" He asked. 

"Fine. Just don't let Blackstream see you."

She ran through the forest, flying by the scuttling prey. She stopped as she neared Sunnystones and signaled to some bracken with her tail for Squirrelfur to hide in. She padded onto Sunnystones and waited. Soon a black head peered from a clump of reeds and padded over to Silverwind. She purred, brushing her muzzle on his flank. She neatly wrapped her tail on her paws as Blackstream spoke. 

"Look, Silverwind, I have something to ask," he meowed.

"Yes?" Silverwind purred.

"I know this isn't my place to ask, but I'm dying to know, when will you be ready to have kits? I know we've only been together for a moon, but that's all it took for Silverfrost." He replied. Yes. And she died bearing my fathers kits! Silverwind thought. Just then she heard hiss from where Squirrelfur was. "What was that?" Blackstream asked.

 "What was what?" Silverwind meowed, pretending she didn't know. 

"Never mind. It was just me."

Silverwind's gaze softened. "You're right; that wasn't your place to ask. I'm so sorry to tell you this, but something is telling me that I don't want to be with you." She meowed.

"What?" Blackstream hissed. "I don't know what I ever saw in you!"

 Anger blazed up in Silverwind. "Me either!" She retorted. Good. Silverwind heard a voice next to her and guessed it was Moonstar. You broke free and can be loyal to the warrior code and your Clanmates. You're not blinded anymore, Silverwind.

Blackstream turned around in anger and stalk away to the stream, leaving Silverwind to look at the sunset.

---The End---

Thank you everyone so much for reading and making it this far! I know I haven't been the fastest. I'm always so busy! Keep your eye out for number 2: A Fresh Start, or you could just follow me. ;) Then you'd get a notification. Also I'm working on a story right now that I don't have a title for yet but may post a teaser for a limited time. Again, thanks for reading and I hope for continued support!