Warriors: A New Beginning #1: The Beginning

Chapter 12

"Silver!" Wavepaw couldn't stop herself from bursting the name out.

Cloverwing whipped around to face Wavepaw. "You know this kittypet?" she asked suspiciously.

"Well, I've stumbled on him a few times..." Wavepaw mewed. "He asked me to tell him about wild cat life, so I told him about the Clans."

"Did you reveal any secrets?" Cloverwing hissed.

Wavepaw shook her head.

"You talked to him?" Splotchpelt meowed angrily. "That's against the warrior code!"

"The warrior code says nothing about talking to a kittypet." Reedstar padded out of his den. "Only that you must reject the life of a kittypet." He turned to Silver, whose eyes were darting around the clearing anxiously. "Now, Silver, why have you come here?"

Silver took a deep breath and looked straight into Reedstar's eyes. "I want to join ThunderClan."

Yowls of astonishement flew in the clearing from the cats watching.

"A kittypet in the forest? It's unthinkable!" Spottedstripe exclaimed.

"Really? How could a kittypet survive in the forest?" Dapplecloud wondered.

"I can't believe it," Sunfur muttered.

Reedstar closed his eyes, obviously deep in thought. Then a minute later, he opened them.

"Okay," he said, "you may join ThunderClan for a few days. When you are ready--and have proved yourself-- you may become an apprentice."

"What?" Cloverwing screeched. "Reedstar, how could you?"

"It's leaf-bare," Reedstar mewed calmly. "ThunderClan needs all the help it can get. I am giving him a few days to see what Clan life is. If he ever wants to, he can leave."

"Thank you, Reedstar." Silver dipped his head. "I am honored by your choice."

***

Wavepaw finished her morsel of vole and yawned. A few days had passed since Silver had joined. Most of the cats had accepted him.

"He's not like a normal kittypet," Bearfur had said. "He's not afraid to take risks...He's got potential for a great warrior someday."

Silver was also popular with the kits. Ashkit, Smokekit, and Whitekit loved to cling onto him for badger rides. Silver didn't seem to mind.

Wavepaw saw the grey kittypet pass by, with his blue collar blowing in the breeze.

"You should do something about that collar," Wavepaw remarked.

"Why?" Silver asked. "I like it."

"That bell will disturb all the prey. And another thing..."

Wavepaw suddenly leaped up, grabbed Silver's collar in her jaws and pulled. She released the collar after a few seconds.

"...that can happen."

Silver's eyes were wide "You're right. I should get rid of it. But how?"

Wavepaw pondered this for a moment. Then she had an idea.

"Hold still," she instructed. She bit down on Silver's collar with her teeth as hard as she could. A rip soon began to form. She yanked on the collar, Silver tensing, and it fell in the snow, torn apart. Silver relaxed.

"There," Wavepaw mewed. "Do whatever you like with it."

"Okay." Silver started digging a hole. He placed the collar in it, then filled the hole up. "There...I'm finished."