Silverwing's Story: The Prophecy Begins

Chapter Fourteen

Silverpaw blinked her eyes opened against the blinding sunlight. It had been a moon since the first battle with Shadowclan. Luckily, there hadn't been anymore clashes with Darkstar or his clan.

The silver cat padded out of the apprentices den. The clan was as lively as ever. Juniperleaf shared tongues with Sunwhisker. The dawn patrol already left, and a hunting patrol was beginning to leave. Sparrowsong, Skipfoot, Mossynose, Opalpaw, and Willowstone were in the patrol. Silverpaw padded up to them.

"Do you mind if I join?" she asked. Skipfoot, who was leading the patrol, smiled.

"Of course you can come," he answered.

Silverpaw exited the camp behind Sparrowsong. The warm sunlight dappled their pelts, and the leaves on the trees had grown back. The apprentice never knew how warm it could be, being born in leaf-bare made her think it was always cold. The prey was as rich as ever, scuffling could be heard from every bramble.

The patrol padded through the forest. Mossynose, Opalpaw's mentor, suddenly dropped into a crouch. Silverpaw tasted the air and scented a mouse. The tiny creature was nibbling on a seed at the base of a tree trunk. Mossynose approached the mouse silently, her paws stepping lightly on the ground. Soon the tortoiseshell she-cat was no more than a tail-length from her prey. Silverpaw watched the senior warrior and her delicate steps. Mossynose's gaze never wavered from the mouse, and her tail was as still as a rock. Suddenly, she pounced on the small animal. The mouse squirmed under Mossynose's paw, but she quickly nipped it in the neck, and the prey fell limp.

"Nice catch!" Willowstone meowed as Mossynose returned to the patrol. The brown-eyed warrior smiled at Willowstone. Mossynose quickly scuffed at the ground and buried her prey.

"Let's keep going," Sparrowsong suggested. Skipfoot nodded and continued to lead the patrol through the forest. Silverpaw caught a whiff of pines, hinting they were heading toward the Shadowclan border. The silver apprentice narrowed her eyes as the scent became stronger.

"Why are we heading toward Shadowclan?" Opalpaw asked. Silverpaw silently thanked her friend for questioning the patrol's actions.

Skipfoot glanced at Opalpaw. "We haven't had any trouble with Darkstar for a while, so we might as well hunt there. You can't hide from Shadowclan forever." He answered the black and white apprentices question. Opalpaw narrowed her eyes at the tom, but quickly looked away and turned to Silverpaw.

"Sometimes I wish that furball would stop teasing me," Opalpaw whispered into Silverpaw's ear.

The tabby eyed Skipfoot. "At least you'll be a warrior in a few sunrises. Then he'll give you the respect you deserve," Silverpaw promised Opalpaw.

Her fellow apprentice smirked. "If he doesn't I'll teach him how to," she whispered in a small mrrow of laughter.

"What are you doing here?" Silverpaw's attention was snapped back to the patrol at Skipfoot's question. He was looking at a gray she-cat. Cinderpaw.

The Shadowclan apprentice gulped, obviously uncomfortable. "Darkstar has demanded another battle in two sunrises."

Skipfoot lashed his light-ginger tail. "Your leader should know better than to send an apprentice into Thunderclan territory alone," he growled, scanning Cinderpaw.

"I'm only a messenger. Whether you want a battle or not, Darkstar is going to start one," Cinderpaw growled, changing the subject back to the war. "And Manglestar should know better than to send apprentices who aren't even a moon into training to enemy territory."

Silverpaw felt her fur begin to bristle. She wanted to claw Cinderpaw's ears off more than anything in the world.

"Get off our territory before we decide to rip your pelt off," threatened Skipfoot, who unsheathed his claws. Cinderpaw turned back toward the Shadowclan border, but before running off, she looked over her shoulder and reminded them one last time.

"Don't forget about the war," then she sprang off into the pine forest.

Skipfoot turned back to his patrol. "Silverpaw, go back to camp and tell Manglestar about Darkstar's request. We'll come back soon."

Silverpaw was disappointed she wouldn't be able to finish the patrol, but nodded and sprang back toward the camp. She twisted and turned through the undergrowth, leaping over tree roots and swerving around the trunks. Cinderpaw had been Silverpaw's friend at her first Gathering, but since her first battle with Shadowclan, the two apprentices avoided each other. Silverpaw's claws tingled at the memory of pinning Cinderpaw to the ground.

The silver apprentice stopped in her tracks. "What has gotten into me?" she asked herself, shaking her head. She'd never felt so bloodthirsty before, and it didn't feel right. Her rage was taking control of her, and she would have to isolate herself from it before it got out of paw.

"Come on, no more blood. I just have to deliver this message to Manglestar," Silverpaw told herself, and the tingle in her claws soon faded away. Once it did, the apprentice continued her way toward the Thunderclan camp. The familiar scents of her clanmates drifted to her nose, and the thorn barrier appeared in front of Silverpaw.

The dark-blue eyed cat raced through the barrier and into the camp. A few cats turned their heads in Silverpaw's direction. Juniperleaf ran up to her.

"Is everything alright?" the gray she-cat asked.

Silverpaw shook her head. "I need to see Manglestar."

Hornetflight walked up to them. "She's on dawn patrol."

"What about Clayear?" Silverpaw asked.

"I'm here," the ginger and gray tom said, padding up to the group. "What do you need?"

"Darkstar wants another battle in two sunrises," Silverpaw explained, her fluffy tail lashing. Clayear narrowed his reddish-amber eyes.

"Someone head out to get Manglestar," the deputy ordered. Hornetflight immediately ran out of the camp.

More cats gathered around. They crowded around the cats by the camp entrance. Silverpaw felt claustrophobic and pushed her way through the mass.

Kelly was muttering under her breath nearby. Silverpaw padded over to the gray tabby, thankful to be out of the curious horde. Kelly didn't notice the apprentice approach, and kept murmuring to herself.

"These clan cats... Pushing these apprentices too hard. Hardly big enough to fend for themselves..."

"Uh, Kelly?" The elder snapped her attention to Silverpaw.

"Oh, well hello young'un! What have you been up to?" Kelly asked, smiling.

Silverpaw frowned. "What were you whispering about a heartbeat ago?"

Kelly kept smiling. "Nevermind about that, just a crazy ole' elder speaking her thoughts aloud."

Silverpaw knew Kelly used to be a kittypet, and she joined the clan a long time ago. But was she just complaining about clan life? She pushed the thought aside and said goodbye to Kelly, then she turned around just as Manglestar entered the camp, Hornetflight trailing in behind.