Wild Shadows (Book Two; Series One)

Chapter 10

 Silvermoon stared into the hopeless night, her soft gray fur staring blankly into it. She felt the warm night comfort her. She sighed, wrapping a tail around her paws. Her ears pricked as she heard paw steps, Silvermoon turned around, meeting eyes with Cloudtuft. "Silvermoon.." He murmured. She turned around, lashing her tail. "I'm sorry." He murmured. "Why do you do this?" Silvermoon whimpered.

 "Do what?" He asked. "Protect me." Silvermoon sighed, meeting his blue eyes once more. "I want to protect you. I want to be your hero." Cloudtuft explained, sitting close to her. "That night, when we were together at the river.. that was.. really nice. That moment we shared as apprentices, when we locked eyes, when we both thought, we would die..  I understood you." He meowed sweetly. "I love you Silvermoon. I love your eyes, your warmth, your cute little birthmark.. I love you." Silvermoon blinked, confused and shocked. "Cloudtuft, I find you very sweet and flattering.. But I don't think I'm ready for a mate right now.." Silvermoon rejected sadly. "I don't think you are either. You need to learn.. I don't need a hero. I can be my own hero." She explain sincerely. At first, Cloudtuft looked extremely sorrow-filled and sad, but he nodded. "You need time." He meowed. "And I will give you that time, forever." 

 Cloudtuft had decided to stay and help Silvermoon guard the camp. The two goofed around chuckled, until they heard twigs snap and muffled voices. "They'll hear us now bird-brain!" A voice growled. Silvermoon rippled her tail, sending Cloudtuft a sign. He nodded, moving forward carefully. The two both stalked the sound, seeing AcornClan warriors.. Quailwing, Hawkeye, and Petalwish! "Cloudtuft! Go get Multistar and Redsnow!" Silvermoon commanded, leaping at Hawkeye. "But there's three of them and one of you!" Cloudtuft gasped. "There won't be if you hurry!" She growled, raking her claws down Hawkeye's back. Cloudtuft ran into camp, yelling. "Let's get out of here!" Quailwing hissed, scampering off. Hawkeye snapped his jaws at Silvermoon, raking his claws down her chest. Hawkeye than ran off, Petalwish behind him. They couldn't get away! Silvermoon got to her paws, running after them. She saw two of them cross over the thunder-path, but one was stuck. Petalwish! Silvermoon grabbed her tail with her jaws, yanking the she-cat back onto AlderClan territory. "You're crazy!" The calico hissed, using her back paws to kick Silvermoon in the eyes. The gray she-cat fell back, pain in her eyes, and Petalwish crossed over. Silvermoon could barely see, but a huge black figure scared off Petalwish and gazed at Silvermoon with huge amber eyes. Recognition filled them, and Silvermoon widened her eyes. 

 The black figure cross the road, and Silvermoon tried running away, but her sight prevented her. "Help!" She cried out in fear, hoping it's volume reached the camp. "Silverpaw!" He purred, playfully laying on her. Silvermoon kicked him off. "Don't 'Silverpaw!' me!" She hissed, her pelt spiking in fury and fear. "Silvermoon! Is everything okay? I heard you scream!" Cloudtuft asked, before looking at black. "Blackfeather!" He growled lowly, standing protectivley in front of Silvermoon, before moving to her side instead. "Oh, you two got your warrior names.. cool." Blackfeather meowed. Across his face was three long scars that were covering his eye. Pineheart, Hollyeyes, and Tumbleweed soon came beside Cloudtuft and Silvermoon, equally surprised. "B-Blackfeather..?" Pineheart asked in a whimper. Tumbleweed just starred at him, with widened eyes. Hollyeyes hissed, raking her claws across his muzzle. "You hurt my daughter you selfish fox!" She growled. Blackfeather flinched and whimpered. This wasn't the Blackfeather she remembered. The Blackfeather in her dreams. "What are you doing here Blackfeather? It better be good, or I'll pull your eyes out myself." Silvermoon growled.

 "I had just been taken by the river and a nice Two-leg found me. I was still knocked out, but when I woke up, I had no memory. Only the time me and Silverpaw spent the night together." Blackfeather explained. Silvermoon didn't believe it, but Pineheart did of course. "Do you remember me my son?" She asked with a whisper. "Of course mother!" Blackfeather purred. "This is so obviously fake. He had to of been fighting! Look at his face!" Cloudtuft growled. "A couple rouges with pointy collars fought me. I didn't fight back, I have no memory of learning to fight." Blackfeather mewed. "Come on brother, let's get you back to camp." Tumbleweed murmured. Silvermoon growled, blocking the two. "No! Don't you remember what he did to me? To Spidercatcher? To Oakpaw?? To your brothers??" She reminded angrily, her tail lashing. "You have no proof he did that Silvermoon." Tumbleweed grumbled. "The three scars on my face Tumbleweed! How stupid are you?" Silvermoon hissed, her whole pelt spiked and poofy. "Yeah.. I agree with Silvermoon, he hurt my daughter and I can't forgive that." Hollyeyes meowed. "You guys are so judgmental, he's changed.." Tumbleweed declared, and Pineheart nodded, following the two of her sons. Silvermoon just sadly followed, her tail drooping.

 Her mother licked her ear and cheek. "Look, Multistar won't let him back into the Clan. Multistar knows evil when he sees it!" Cloudtuft declared with a goofy smile. Silvermoon wearily smiled at him and her mother. "Thanks you two.." She purred. "I doubt he'll even want to come back after what you did to him mom." Silvermoon chirped. Hollyeyes smiled. "No one hurts any of my sweet kitties." She purred. 

 As Silvermoon walked into camp, everyone was out, and stared at Silvermoon. "Now that we have Silvermoon here, we can start the trial and voting." Silvermoon blinked. Trials were rarely done. But, she sat down, staring at the crowd. "Who is allowed to vote?" Redsnow asked. "Anyone who wants too, except apprentices and kits. As they're two young to make thoughtful decisions." Multistar meowed. "Those who want Blackfeather to join the Clan again, please place your stone by Blackfeather." The leader mewed. "Redsnow, you can go first." Multistar meowed. Redsnow took his rock, placing it by Blackfeather. Silvermoon angrily stared at Redsnow. Pineheart and Tumbleweed put some stones by him, so did Whitestripe! Her heart hurt when Shinefire placed one in, along with Fireshine. What was wrong with her clan-mates? They're betraying her! Six more dropped stones by him, and than it was her turn. Afterwards it was even, and Silvermoon wrapped her tail around her body. 

 "It's a tie!" Webbedfoot gasped. "Well, I guess we'll just see how it goes. Blackfeather can stay, but only in the medicine cat den! He'll need a new mentor to reteach him his skills." Multistar murmured. "Whitestripe and Goosewing, you'll do it together." He announced. The two just angrily looked at each other and than Blackfeather. Silvermoon dug her claws into the soil. What was wrong with her clan-mates??