Wild Shadows (Book Two; Series One)

Chapter 20

 Silvermoon was to guard camp Multistar and a couple other left for an emergency Gathering that Tawnystar and Toadstar called. Apparently, it was extremely serious. But, the inconvenience was there was no medicine cat, and poor Bearpaw had a thorn in his paw. "Okay, let me try getting it out!" Silvermoon heard a tiny voice squeak. Lilackit was trying to pull out the thorn from Bearpaw's paw. "Ow! Ow! Oww!!" Bearpaw cried, before pulling his paw away. Alan ran out, leaves of goldenrod and horsetail falling out of his mouth. "Branchie chews this and than puts it on wounds! I heard its nasty." The large black kit purred. Silvermoon smiled slightly. She was glad the kits got along.

 The rancid smell of.. almost the Monsters and kitty-pets mixed together filled Silvermoon's nose. She wrinkled it in disgust. "Do you smell that Rosefoot?" She asked. Rosefoot was the only one out in the clearing along with most of the apprentices, watching her kits. She was grooming Whitekit, while Lilackit and Sweetkit got badger-back rides from Alan and Rowanpaw. "Yes, it smells putrid!" The queen also wrinkled her nose. Silvermoon could even get a scent of blood in the mix of the smells, but it smelled old and infected. She needed to investigate this. She padded into the warrior's den. Only a couple cats were left, Blazefur who was snoring, Fireshine and Shinefire gossiping, Hollyeyes was napping quietly, and Snow-whisker was cleaning Thornbush. "Hey, are some of you willing to go on a patrol, while the rest watches camp?" Silvermoon asked. Hollyeyes pricked her ears, her jaws splitting in a yawn. "Of course Silvie, give me a minute." Than her nose wrinkled. "Ew.." Shinefire grumbled. Silvermoon saw Fireshine trying to make eye contact with Silvermoon, but she didn't look at the she-cat. Fireshine betrayed her. Snow-whisker and Thornbush got to their paws. "Come on Silvermoon, you too Hollyeyes." Thornbush meowed grumpily. Snow-whisker pressed his nose to Thornbush's tail tip. "Sorry, he's cranky." He purred. "Am not!"

 Silvermoon left Fireshine and Blazefur to guard the camp. Earlier, after Multistar and the others left, Silvermoon sent Tumbleweed and Blackfeather hunting and patrolling. And she had been glad to see the anger burning in Blackfeather's eyes. Hollyeyes pressed close to Silvermoon. "I heard you and Cloudtuft are together!" She purred. Silvermoon flattened her ears. "Don't be embarrassed, you're young." Thornbush meowed. Silvermoon smiled slightly, before nodding. "Wait.." Snow-whisker, who was leading stopped, his tail erect. The cats froze, listening to the sounds of the forest. Silvermoon sniffed the air.. "..get it? No one's even at camp besides a couple cats.. the queens and elders can't fight, and neither can the kits! Do you think you can handle it?" A voice whispered, it was deep and commanding, but hushed. "Hurry.. Hurry back to camp!" Thornbush hissed quietly.

 The cats burst through the camp, panting heavily. Silvermoon saw Blackfeather and Tumbleweed also panting, like they'd just got here. "I need every warrior on guard!" Silvermoon commanded, lashing her tail. "Why?" Fireshine asked. She whipped her head around and arced her back. "Cats are coming!" Just as she said that, cats from two Clans burst through the camp, and even rouges! Silvermoon smelt StoneClan and AcornClan.. and two cats had spiked collars. She unsheathed her claws, leaping at a sandy one. The she-cat under her screeched, and bit heard into Silvermoon's shoulder. Anger filled Silvermoon, and she opened her jaws bite the she-cats neck. Silvermoon found a patch of the collar she had on that wasn't covered in blood and teeth, trying to tear it off. But the cat kicked back, digging her claws into Silvermoon's throat. The cat spit in her face, before turning and leaving for the apprentice den. Cats split apart, and Silvermoon knew there would be no hope without the others. Her throat ached, but Silvermoon needed to save her family, apprentice, and friends.

 She threw her weight at the cats, knocking two of them over. They fell with a growl, and Silvermoon knew she had hurt some part of them. Tigerpaw had leaped at a StoneClan she-cat, covering her eyes with his belly. He knocked her over, ripping her ear. Bramblepaw snuck up on an AcornClan apprentice, a golden tom. Silvermoon smiled, nodding her head as Smallpaw tricked another with the move she had taught him. Rowanpaw, Mosspaw, Bearpaw and Hoppaw had cornered some of them. These cats were safe. 

 Silvermoon climbed upon Highrock to get a better advantage. While Petalwish was stalking around the rock, Silvermoon fell atop her, pinning her to the ground. "Why are you here?" She growled. Petalwish tried to escape, but Silvermoon had her pinned. "Why would I tell you, you mangy Tree-crawler!" Silvermoon wrapped her jaws around her neck, trying to see if anyone would care. "Hawkeye!" Petalwish cried. A brown tabby dropped Alan, that's who they were after! Silvermoon let go of the calico, aiming for Hawkeye next. "Wait!" A cry split the air. AlderClan had returned! Along with Lionstar, Toadstar, Tawnystar, the medicine cats were here! Bramblestorm, Leafstorm, Marshfeather and Branchstalk looked at each other. "We've received a message from StarClan."