Silver-ripple's Story

Chapter 3

Silverpaw heard voices outside of the apprentice's den. What's going on? Couldn't they talk somewhere else? She stretched and sneaked outside. It was a cold night, and the moon was visible under the clouds that threatened to bring snow.

She walked onto the cold grass, and as she neared the corner, she could make out two shapes. "Are you sure you want to join?" She could hear Foxtail's voice. What? "Yes, Foxtail." Silverpaw could smell ShadowClan. What's a ShadowClan cat doing here?

Quietly, she padded towards Fernstar's den. As she entered, she could see his small body, rising and falling. She prodded him with her paw. "Fernstar?" She mewed. He woke up, and yawned. "Hmm? Oh, Silverpaw, it's you. Do you need something?" She nodded.

"Yes, actually. I woke you up because I smelled ShadowClan scent. I don't know why." Fernstar immediately got up, and yowled. "ShadowClan!" All of the warriors ran out of the den. "Protect the elders, queens, and kits!" Foxtail ran into the clearing.

"Wait, it's not what you think! It's a cat wanting to join ThunderClan." She meowed. The hisses and yowls came to a stop. Fernstar padded up to her. "And how do you know this?" Foxtail stared at him, her eyes not moving as she beckoned a cat to come forward with her tail.

"Whitebee is tired of ShadowClan. He thinks he no longer has loyalty to them anymore. I ask of you, for the sake of StarClan, please, let him join." She meowed. Silverpaw looked at her mentor, then back at the tabby cat.

"How do you know if he isn't here to spy on us for ShadowClan?!" Silverpaw heard Dustclaw hiss. Murmurs of agreement followed his reply. Fernstar raised his tail. "Silence!" Whitebee stepped forward. "I've not been sent to spy on ThunderClan. ShadowClan has enough warriors, and I feel like I'm no longer needed there."

Foxtail brushed her tail against his spine. Fernstar stared at Whitebee's green eyes. "Very well. You may stay for a couple of moons, until I think you are ready to become a warrior of ThunderClan. If not, you must go back to ShadowClan." He meowed finally.

"As for the rest of you, I do not expect you to be harsh to our new member." He gave everyone a cold stare, looking at Dustclaw for the longest. Silverpaw padded into the apprentices den, and slept away.

A couple of moons had passed, and Silverpaw saw Whitebee chatting among Dustclaw and Halfsky. He seems to enjoy ThunderClan. Foxtail padded up to her. "It's time for your assessment." She meowed. Silverpaw nodded. "Start at Sunningrocks, and bring back at least three prey. Once you've done that, you'll battle me." Silverpaw padded towards the camp entrance.

She scented the air on her way to Sunningrocks. Robin. She crouched down, and slowly padded towards the bird. She stopped as it looked up from pecking it's food. Then, she continued. Once she got close enough, she pounced and quickly bit it's neck.

She dug a hole and placed the robin there, later for collecting. She padded her way to Sunningrocks, and found a vole. She caught it, and continued her assessment. As she caught her final piece of prey, she headed back to camp, and dropped the pieces into the prey pile.

Foxtail looked at what Silverpaw had caught. "Good job! Now, follow me. We're going to be fighting, but don't use your claws. Understood?" Silverpaw nodded and followed her mentor to the sandy area where they taught most apprentices on how to battle. Once they got there, Silverpaw practiced some of her moves, before getting ready to face Foxtail.

Silverpaw panted, and looking up, saw that Foxtail was going to pounce on her. She dodged, and slid under Foxtail, raking her belly. Foxtail grabbed Silverpaw by her scruff and shook her. Silverpaw pretended to play dead, and as Foxtail loosened her grip a little, Silverpaw leaped onto Foxtail's back with a yowl, and pinned her down.

Foxtail signaled with her tail that the battle training had stopped. Silverpaw got off of her mentor. Foxtail stood up and shook her pelt. "You did well." She meowed. Silverpaw flicked her tail tip. "Thanks." She mewed. Foxtail nodded, and headed towards the camp, Silverpaw bounding behind her.

As they neared, Silverpaw perked her ears up as she heard yowls of agony. They ran into camp, and saw a fox. Frostpaw was slicing it's muzzle. Silverpaw could hear a yowl in the nursery. Roselight! Silverpaw looked at the fox's jaws, and saw a small bundle of fur.

It ran towards the entrance of the camp, Frostpaw following. The Clan stopped and stared in shock, only to be surprised that Frostpaw had returned with the kit in her jaws. Everyone cheered her name, and Halfsky sent out a patrol to make sure the fox was gone for good. Birchstorm padded towards Frostpaw and whispered in her ear.

She nodded, and rubbed her cheek against his. Silverpaw looked around and saw Lightstep glaring at the apprentice. Fernstar walked towards Frostpaw and dipped his head, before padding up the Highrock. "I believe we have a strong and brave apprentice. I believe she has earned her name." He announced.

As he padded down, Frostpaw sat in front of him. He looked into her eyes. "I, Fernstar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as a warrior in their turn."

He placed his head on top of Frostpaw's, and continued to speak the ancient words. "Frostpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?" Frostpaw closed her eyes. "I do." Fernstar nodded and continued. "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Frostpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Frostbreeze. StarClan honors your bravery and strength, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

Frostbreeze licked his shoulder and padded towards Birchstorm, purring. "Clan meeting dismissed." Fernstar meowed. The Clan cheered her name, and Halfsky padded up to her. Silverpaw walked up to Frostbreeze, after Halfsky walked away. "Hey, congrats! I wish we got our names, too."

Frostbreeze looked at her friend, and then at her brother, who was talking to Breezefoot, their father. She nodded, and gently placed her tail on her spine. "Yeah, that way we could all be warriors together." Cedarpaw bounded up to them. "Frostbreeze! That's such a cool name!"

He winked, making Frostbreeze give a mrrow of laughter. She flicked her tail tip and licked his ear. As she padded away with Birchstorm, Silverpaw turned around to find Lightstep padding towards Birchstorm.

She followed her, hiding behind a bush. When Frostbreeze went to the front of the camp entrance, Lightstep stepped in front of Birchstorm. "I thought you loved me, and me only! Not that mangy, fox-hearted cat! Please, tell me you still want to be my mate." She meowed. Birchstorm looked at her, his eyes filled with confusion. "Excuse me? We were never mates to begin with, and I never said I loved you. I can choose who I love and who I don't."

He padded off. "And I chose Frostbreeze." He meowed. Lightstep drooped her tail, then growled. "I'll kill her. Nobody takes Birchstorm away from me. I knew Frostbreeze was no good, from the day she was born. Birchstorm... is... mine!" She hissed under her breath.

Silverpaw ran away from her and into the apprentices den. She shook her pelt and curled up into her nest. She felt a warm presence near her fur. "It's just me Silverpaw." She heard Duskpaw's voice. She curled up next to him, wanting to sleep with him forever.