Silver-ripple's Story

Chapter 9

Silver-ripple shifted in her mossbed, trying to fall asleep, but couldn't do so. She sighed, and lifted herself out of her bed. She padded out of the warriors den, trying to not step on any cat on the way out. She looked up at the sky, the snow still under her feet.

She breathed out a gasp, as a star flew across the sky. Then she jumped as she heard the voice of a cat behind her. "What are you doing up?" Dustclaw meowed. Silver-ripple shook her head. "I can't sleep."

Dustclaw purred. "Me either. I keep thinking of Nightwhisper." Silver-ripple looked at the older tom. His muzzle was turning gray with age, as with her father, Beefall, Deerstripe, Softwillow, and Lilybreeze. She looked over at the elders den, where Raindapple, Mintcloud, and Applesplash were sleeping silently, Goldenfoot off in the stars.

She remembered the elder's last words before he passed. I... am grateful... for my Clan. Silver-ripple purred at the thought of him, when she was a kit. He told stories about his life as a kit, and how he fought off a fox that was going after the fresh-kill pile. She looked at her paws, and yawned.

"Now, I'm getting tired." She purred. Dustclaw nodded, and moved out of the entrance of the warriors den. Silver-ripple brushed past him, settling back down in her mossbed, curling up and falling asleep.

Silver-ripple stretched her paws, Duskstorm licking her ear. She purred, and started licking his cheek. Then, Fernstar yowled, leaping off the Highrock, with a thud. He landed on his back, and every cat ran out of the dens, looking around to see what happened.

Beartail ran out of the medicine den, towards Fernstar. He had some herbs in his mouth, and set them down next to Fernstar's body. He sniffed Fernstar's head, then let out a gasp. "He- he's dead!" Beartail yowled.

A cat started wailing, and soon enough everyone surrounded Fernstar's body. Halfsky leaped on the Highrock. "All cats old enough to hunt, please gather under the Highrock for a Clan meeting!" She yowled. Some cats looked up, but most of them were already at the Highrock. Halfsky sat down, waiting.

Every cat looked up at her, some still shocked. "We've lost our leader, Fernstar. We don't know how this happened, or how this caused him to jump. But, we will miss him dearly. But, as I was his deputy, I will be leading this Clan next. I will be getting my nine lives tonight, while the rest of you can mourn him."

Halfsky padded down the Highrock. "Meeting dismissed." Beartail walked up to her, and murmured some things in her ear, and she nodded. Silver-ripple ran over to her father, Ravenfrost. The old tom had his head lowered, and meowed somethings into Fernstar's fur before turning to Silver-ripple. He licked her head, and walked past her.

Silver-ripple approached the dead leader. "You were great, and I bet many cats approved of your choices. If I became leader next, I would remind every cat here of your memory." She whispered. She felt a tail-tip brush her shoulder and saw Frostbreeze.

Frostbreeze flicked her tail over to the tree in the camp, and they both settled down in the shade. The snow crunched under paws, leaving paw-prints in the smooth, white surface. Then, the clouds overhead brought snowflakes falling. Silver-ripple sighed, tired of all the commotion that had happened in her life.

She looked up, and shook her pelt. "Do you think... that Fernstar will continue to watch over us?" She meowed out loud. Frostbreeze licked her friend's ear. "I do think that. But, you shouldn't worry about him now. He's with his family, his old friends, and StarClan will take care of him."

Silver-ripple sat next to Duskstorm at the Gathering. It was cold, and many cats wanted to be in their mossbeds, asleep. Silver-ripple watched as Halfstar padded forward on the Great Rock. "Fernstar has died yesterday, due to a tragic event. As I was his deputy, I took his place, and am now accepted to StarClan as Halfstar. We have new apprentices, as well. Robinpaw, Stormpaw, Hazelpaw, Dewpaw, and Mistpaw."