The Legend of Silverflame (Completed) {Warrior Cats Fanfic}

Chapter 32

At the sight of light, Silverflame knew her vigil was over, and she stood up, stretching. Suddenly, she heard a pained yowl from the medicine den. Silverflame jumped, and ran into the den, where Goldenrock lay on some moss, but her wounds were bleeding again, and the deputy panted with exhaustion.

Mooncloud crouched next to her, panicked, staring in terror at Goldenrock. "Do something!" Silverflame yowled.

"I can't." Mooncloud gasped. "There's nothing more to do for her. Herbs won't change a thing. It's up to Starclan now. Starclan, Thunderclan needs her as deputy at times like this!"

"You can still ease her pain!" Silverflame exclaimed. "You can't let a loyal clanmate die like this!"

Mooncloud looked into her eyes. "If I give her poppy seeds, she will go to sleep, and she might never wake up."

"Thunderclan," Goldenrock muttered through clenched teeth, "Deputy!" She stared intently at Silverflame.

"Goldenrock?" Silverflame stuttered. "What do you need?"

"The deputyship!" Goldenrock exclaimed. "I need to tell you..." She broke off to a vicious cough that brought up some blood to her mouth.

"Goldenrock?" Silverflame asked. "Goldenrock!"

Goldenrock kept coughing, but was getting fainter. The deputy tried to speak again, but once more broke off into another fit off coughing.

Goldenrock looked to Silverflame with pleading eyes, and Silverflame looked on helplessly. "Silverflame..." She gasped, and her breath died away.

"Who is the next deputy?" Silverflame asked desperately. "Whoever becomes the next deputy will likely end up being the next leader." Mooncloud said. "Oakstar has few lives left."

"He only has one!" Silverflame spat. "Nearly all of them were wasted in a pointless battle!"

Goldenrock twitched, and then lay still. "Goldenrock!" Silverflame yowled. "No, this can't be happening!"

Mooncloud tenderly put his paw to Goldenrock's chest. He drew his paw away solemnly and slowly. "She's dead." He announced.

Silverflame sat down, defeated. Mooncloud dashed out of the medicine den and toward Oakstar's den. Silverflame slowly padded out into the clearing, where most of the clan was waiting. They were stunned, and stared at one other in shock.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Thunderrock for a clan meeting!" Oakstar yowled.

The clan was already by the Thunderrock, and it was not more than a moment more than Oakstar began to speak.

"Just now, a few moments ago," Oakstar said slowly, "Goldenrock moved on to Starclan."

Everyone gasped. Oakstar continued. "I wish to have as much time as possible to choose the next deputy of Thunderclan, and will announce my decision at sunset. Until then, do the patrols you did yesterday, because otherwise we have no cat to organize it." Oakstar spoke at his own pace, and in this case, a slow one, and let all his words sink in.

The cats simply glanced around, and then slowly nodded to Oakstar. The leader flicked his tail to dismiss the meeting, and went straight to his den, where Mooncloud had followed him in, undoubtedly with ideas on who should and shouldn't be the next deputy.

Unfortunately, Silverflame wasn't a warrior yesterday, so she went to fill in on the dawn patrol, where she remembered Goldenrock being the day before. Redfur, Duststorm, and Flowerfur were ready to go. Silverflame was surprised to see the queen on patrol.

"How are the kits?" Silverflame asked her.

"Very well, and getting strong." Flowerfur said. "They are about six moons old. I hope they have their naming ceremony soon."

Silverflame thought of how exciting it would be to have an apprentice. She couldn't help but wish she could get one, but she was just made a warrior the day before, and she knew that the experienced warriors like Redfur and Grayfoot would more likely be given the kits to mentor.

"I think Bristlekit will be the most enthusiastic. And Lionkit is very ambitious." Flowerfur commented. "But Featherkit is likely the best behaved."

"Has Oakstar told you who their mentors will be yet?" Silverpaw asked curiously.

"I haven't a clue." Flowerfur said. "Most of the senior warriors have already mentored, and will probably get another apprentice."

"Are there any warriors who haven't mentored yet?" Silverflame asked.

"Well, for starters, you." Flowerfur noted.

Silverflame laughed. "I guess that was kind of a silly question." She admitted.

"Those who don't mentor these kits will have a long wait." Flowerfur commented. "There are no other kits in the nursery, no pregnant queens, not even any clan couples." She sighed. "You and Stormpaw are the closest thing we've got."

"Hey!" Silverflame exclaimed.

"All right, all right." Flowerfur said, relaxing. "But you're not denying it."

"Oh, cut it out!" Silverflame exclaimed. "Stormpaw and I are just friends."

"For now." Flowerfur said. "And he seems to look at you dearly." Silverflame blushed. "Planning on having kits of your own?"

"Stop that!" Silverflame said again.

"Okay, I'll stop now." Flowerfur said. "But you're not denying it."

Silverflame didn't say anything this time, she just rolled her eyes. She then got distracted by the fact they had reached the border, and Silverflame had never even seen the Riverclan border.

The border was silent, so the four cats left their scent markers and left. Nobody said much on the rest of the patrol, not even Flowerfur, and Silverflame assumed that they were all thinking about Goldenrock, and wondering who would be the next deputy.

As soon as they arrived back at camp, Silverflame noticed the fresh-kill pile was nearly empty, so she went out to hunt. It was beautiful in the beginning of leaf-fall, and a few of the leaves crunched under her paws.

She watched one red leaf flutter down from the trees, and pounced on it. But she immediately stood back up and continued walking, afraid to be seen playing like a kit, especially because she had only been made a warrior yesterday.

She could hear a mouse rustling under the leaves at the base of a tree, and dropped to a crouch. As she swiftly caught the mouse, then two more along with a rabbit, she couldn't help but wonder who the next deputy would be.