Warriors: Empire's End ~Book 5 Series 3~

Chapter 9

Silvershy's POV:

In the late evening, Ebony approached her mother with Speck following behind her. Silvershy was resting in her nest, her kits napping in the curve of her belly. The LightClan she cat looked up at her daughter as she stopped before their nest of twoleg pelts. Ebony seemed annoyed and Speck was as quiet as always, merely a shadow behind the midnight furred she cat.

"Java wants you to join our hunt." Was all Ebony muttered, her thin black tail giving a single lash against the hard, grey thunderpath-ground. "That's an order by the way. Leave your kits with the healer, they'll be fine."

She huffed at the rogue's dismissal to her kits, but she understood that she was simply doing as Java told her to. Silvershy would have to have a word with her son soon, it wasn't fair that he felt he was able to bark orders at his sister, let alone his own mother.

However, the silver she cat didn't put up a fight in front of Ebony and Speck. She needed to get out anyway, it had been almost an entire moon since she had set foot outside the rogue camp. She wanted to stretch her legs a little. And show these twolegplace cats what a real warrior looks like when they hunt! She desperately wanted to prove to the rogues that the Clans were a strong force to be reckoned with, and worthy allies to have.

"Java wants you to start feeding yourself now, it's been long enough." Ebony meowed as Silvershy rose to her paws, leaving her kits to the mercy of the cold breeze that ruffled their whiskers. They started reaching for her missing warmth, squeaking and crying.

"Fine." The silver she cat dipped her head to nuzzle her kits farewell before murmuring. "Where is Wind?"

"Over there." Ebony flicked a paw in the direction of the food pile, where the old healer was sitting alone, chewing on some bare bones. Silvershy frowned at the scrawny tom; his health was deteriorating, and the cold weather was doing him no good. She wondered how they replaced healers in the Nest. Did they have apprentices like in the Clans?

Realising he was being watched, Wind turned to glimpse at Silvershy with a warm smile of assurance. He would watch over her kits while she was away. The silver tabby warrior smiled back at the healer, trusting him.

"Let's go." Ebony growled, already launching herself into a fast trot towards the camp exit. Silvershy and Speck had to hare after the lithe she cat in order to keep up.

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As they made their way into the deep forest, Ebony slowed the pace enough for Silvershy to catch her breath. Behind the two she cats, Speck was as quiet as always. Being one of the newest members of the group meant he had to stay in respectful silence almost constantly. What a life to live. The silver warrior sighed softly to herself. Why Java didn't give new members friendly introductions into the group was beyond her.

As Ebony stalked ahead, Silvershy slowed her step further so that she walked beside Speck. "How are you doing?" She asked in a friendly tone.

The grey speckled tom glanced at her before turning his gaze back to the bushes around them. "Huh?"

"You haven't said anything to Ebony yet." Silvershy got straight to the point, and forced down a laugh as Speck nearly tripped himself up in surprise.

"W-What do you mean?" The grey tabby muttered in a hushed voice, his yellow gaze hovering over the bushes that Ebony had disappeared into. "We sh-should be focusing on the hunt, don't you know anything about this? We can't waste time talking."

Silvershy's smile widened. "Hunting in the forest is my specialty, I'm sure there's a thing or two I can teach you."

"Prove it then." The young tom dared, nodding to the thick brush around them. "Go catch something."