Silverwing's Story: The Prophecy Begins

Chapter Nine

Silverpaw followed the patrol toward the Shadowclan border. A messenger had come to the Thunderclan camp earlier that day, a sunrise after Darkstar had come himself, and told Manglestar Shadowclan would attack at dusk.

Almost the entire clan had come to fight, but one-fourth of the cats had stayed behind to guard the camp. All of the apprentices were going to the battle, with the exception of Basilpaw. Although the fight hadn't begun yet, Silverpaw could already taste the blood in the air. Her heart beat out of her chest, and her pelt was bristling.

Her paws began to tremble when Shadowclan scent drifted into her nose. Was that Cinderpaw's scent? Would the hyper apprentice be here? If she was, she would be Silverpaw's enemy now.

Manglestar halted from the front of the patrol, and Silverpaw was barely able to stop herself from bumping into Willowstone. Silverpaw craned her neck to see what had caused the Thunderclan leader to pause. Right there, standing in front of Manglestar, was Darkstar.

"You've crossed the border, Darkstar," Manglestar meowed calmly. Silverpaw couldn't see the Thunderclan leader's expression.

Darkstar stared sinisterly at Manglestar. "There are no borders in a battle."

Manglestar flicked her tail and raised her voice calmly. "Very well, Shadowclan and Thunderclan are at war from now on!"

At the flick of Darkstar's tail, his warriors crept out of the bushes from the Shadowclan side of the border. Silverpaw recognized the gray pelt of Cinderpaw. She hadn't met any other Shadowclan cats, and she didn't know whether or not it was a good or bad thing.

"Shadowclan," Darkstar yowled. "Attack!"

Fighting burst into the clearing. Everything was a blur. Silverpaw couldn't see anything or anyone. There were flashes of tortoiseshell and gray, and for a second Silverpaw thought she could see Sharpaw. But, instead of her bright-eyed littermate, a gray she-cat slammed into Silverpaw's side. Cinderpaw! Silverpaw fell onto her side, unbalanced from Cinderpaw's attack.

Silverpaw quickly got to her paws and swiped at Cinderpaw, but the amber-eyed she-cat dodged her attack. Silverpaw guessed what Cinderpaw would try next. Silverpaw turned to where her opponent stood. The gray she-cat leaped over Silverpaw, but while she was midair, Silverpaw raked her claws along Cinderpaw's stomach.

The gray she-cat screeched in pain. Silverpaw landed on all four paws again, and Cinderpaw tumbled to the ground, blood dripping from the wound on her stomach. Silverpaw glanced down at her claws. They were red with blood. Silverpaw flinched at the sight, and she felt weight press down on her back like a million stones. She twisted her head around to see a brown tabby tom, big enough to be a warrior. She collapsed under the weight of him, and he started clawing at Silverpaw's back. She yowled in pain, and twisted around so her back touched the forest floor. The Thunderclan apprentice sliced open the tom's nose, sending him flinching off of her.

Silverpaw heaved herself to her paws, wincing at the stinging wounds on her back. She didn't dare look back to see the injuries the tom had caused. Silverpaw glanced around at the raging battle around her. Her vision seemed even blurrier than before. She tried her best to make out any familiar pelts. Sharpaw! Silverpaw's brother was pinned down underneath a huge Shadowclan tom. Sharpaw looked like a mouse compared to the dark brute.

Blindly, Silverpaw dashed at the black menace. She headbutted him in the side, using all her strength to push him off. Breath knocked out of her, Silverpaw immediately went to Sharpaw's aid. The dark silver tom was panting on the ground, eyes round in panic.

"Sharpaw, it's okay! I got that Shadowclan foxpelt off of you!" said Silverpaw, trying to calm her brother's shock. But Sharpaw didn't even glance at her, and was staring past her with terrified blue eyes.