Clans Reunite

Chapter 4

On the patrol, it was silent all the way back to camp. Silverpaw could feel the tension rising at the sight of this newcomer; the scrawny cat looked totally unsuited to the snowy territory. Silverpaw could tell by the lean frame and rippling muscles that this cat was probably used to large, open space; hunting creatures that Silverpaw's thick pelt and heavy build would never let her.

Silverpaw found herself feeling sorry for this cat, despite the fact that she knew her clan would be rather hostile. And the fact that this cat was saying that where she came from, there were warriors and apprentices, kits and queens? She said she was about to be apprenticed... Did this strange cat come from another clan? A clan like the one she was born in, trained in, sworn to protect... But it clearly wasn't a snow clan.

When she was small, her mother told her a nursery tale about a clan many, many, moons ago. She said that once, there was one big clan who lived in a forest together, but they had a fight, so they split in half and and went to find new territories; each half wanting to travel as far as possible from the other. They never saw one another again.

Silverpaw always thought this was just a rumour. A tale for kits. But now, she wasn't so sure. Silverpaw made up her mind to ask the elders when she got back to camp.

"We're almost at camp now; then Dewdrop, Cloudsky and I will go to and see Froststar about this newcomer." Batwing broke the silence.

Silverpaw wanted to learn more about this cat. Maybe she should offer to get her freshkill and make her a nest next to her own.

"I can help this cat make a nest and get some freshkill, if you like." Silverpaw offered.

"Thats a good idea. I was going to ask you to do that anyway." Replied Batwing.

The patrol came into camp, and the warriors went off to talk to Froststar. Silverpaw lead the strange cat to the freshkill storage pile.

"So... umm... I'm Silverpaw, What's your name?" Silverpaw tried to get some more information out of the trembling you cat.

"My names S-Sandkit, but I was going to be sandpaw w-when..." she trailed off.

"Well, hello Sandkit. Ahh, here's a rabbit for you to eat." Silverpaw pushed a small rabbit over to sandkit.

"Th-thank you," The young cat bent down to take a bite, but hesitated. "I'm very c-cold... is there anywhere warmer w-we can eat?" Sandkit was shivering a lot, and she didn't have thick woolly fur to keep her warm.

"Here; come to this side of the cave. It's a bit warmer. When you've finished your freshkill, we can make you a nest so you can get some rest.

"O-ok thanks." The cats moved to the other side of the cave and settled down to eat.

"So," Silverpaw wanted to start a conversation, "Where do you come from, and how did you get here?"

"I'm from Waveclan," Sandkit spoke between mouthfuls, she seemed to be much better now that she had some freshkill and was a bit warmer, "I was brought here on the day me and my sister were going to be apprenticed. We wanted to get out of camp for a bit, so we snuck out the back, and went to play with some colourful leaves in a little rocky hollow. We decided it was time to go back; but as we started to leave, a huge hawk came and, and took me away..." Sandkit looked horrified as she remembered the moment, "It's huge talons clamped around me, it flew me so high and so far it felt like moons! We went over part of the mountains, then she slowed down to a pine tree and tried to feed me to her chicks!" Sandkit finished her rabbit, "I managed to escape the nest, I scrambled down the branches and fell onto the fluffy white ice that spreads all over the ground. The mother hawk dove at me, but I managed to run away into a little hollow tunnel. I thought it was a rabbit hole! I fell asleep, and woke up to find you and your patrol..."

Sandkit burst into tears. "I miss my family, I miss my clan, I miss my home!"

Silverpaw felt sorry for the lost kit. Her big day had been destroyed, and she was so far from home.

"Don't worry, you can stay with us and we will organise a return patrol to get you home." Silverpaw wanted to cheer the little cat up, but she knew she would never fully cheer her up until she got her back home safe.

"Lets go make a nest for you and then you can get some rest." The two cats headed for the apprentices den and made Sandkit a cosy nest to curl up in. Sandkit almost instantly fell asleep.

Silverpaw was going to go and tell the others that the cat was doing fine and was asleep, but first, she had to go ask the elders about Waveclan. She padded over to the elders den and peeped inside,

"Hello, who's there?" The voice came from Pinefrost, one of the elders.

"Hi, it's Silverpaw."

"Oh good, have you come to clean the ticks of my pet?" Pinefrost croaked with age.

"Ummm no, but I can afterwards. I have come to ask you a question." Silverpaw felt awkward.

"Oooh a question! come in, come in."

Silverpaw stepped inside the den and settled down beside Pinefrost.

Carefully she asked, "Do you know anything about Waveclan?"

"Waveclan?! How do you know about Waveclan?" The elder sounded surprised. "I'm not sure you should know about Waveclan. A long time ago our clan swore that name would be locked away. Waveclan swore the same about Peakclan. Oh dear Starclan. I've said too much already!"

"But you know what it is?" Silverpaw prompted.

"Yes, yes. Us elders all know." Pinefrost sighed.