If Silverstream lived... A Graystripe and Silverstream Fanfic

Chapter 6 - Silverstream's confession

        The RiverClan cats gasped. They all started whispering among themselves, discussing if Leopardfur was telling the truth.

        Silverstream shrank. She wanted to dig a hole and hide. Then, she felt the touch of a tail-tip. The silver she-cat turned her head around and saw Mistyfoot gazing sympathetically at her. "Don't worry I'm here for you," Mistyfoot mouthed. Silverstream looked at her best friend gratefully.

        The cats of RiverClan were still whispering, confused. Suddenly, a cat spoke up. it was Crookedstar. He was right beside Leopardfur. "Silverstream wouldn't do something like that. She's loyal," he meowed.

        After hearing their leader, the cats began to agree with him. Soon, the cats started yowling, "Silverstream is loyal! Silverstream is loyal! Leopardfur is a liar!" Silverstream wanted to hide even more.

        Fur bristling, Leopardfur snarled, "I am not a liar! If you minnow-brains don't believe me, why don't you ask Silverstream if she's loyal or not?"

        The cats all turned their heads toward the silver queen. Silverstream shrank even more. "Are you really mating with a cat from ThunderClan, Silverstream?" a voice asked.

        "Yes," she whispered sadly. Greenflower gasped from the very back of the nursery. Then, all the cats gasped, shocked. Leopardfur curled her lip. "TRAITOR!" the deputy yowled.

        Leopardfur's yowl caused several cats to start yowling as well. They were all in shock, disbelief, and confusion. Half of the cats were yowling, furious, but half of them were sitting there quietly, confused. "STOP!" Crookedstar demanded. Soon, the noise died down, all the cats staring at their leader.

        Crookedstar sighed. "Silverstream has made a mistake," he said. "Everybody makes mistakes." The leader continued. "She's done something wrong, so we must punish her." The cats started yowling again.

        "She should be exiled!"

        "Make her leave!"

        "She is a betrayer!"

        Silverstream hid her head under her paws. The cats continued to yowl, until Crookedstar waved his tail for them to stop. They stopped, and he said, "Silverstream will be punished, but not exiled. After her kits become apprentices, Silverstream will take on the apprentice duties instead of going back to being a warrior, for three moons."

        "What?!" Leopardfur exclaimed in outrage. "She's broken the warrior code in one of the worst ways! You're going too soft on her!" Crookedstar growled. "Are you questioning my choice?" he demanded.

        Leopardfur soon stopped talking. "Sorry I didn't mean too," she muttered, and stalked sulkily all the way into the warriors den.

        The cats, more calm now, started to chatter, eat prey, and share tongues. Silverstream saw as many cats tried to sneak a look at her, but would quickly look away, when they saw that Silverstream was watching.

        Soon, it was nightfall, and the cats all went into their dens to sleep. Greenflower and Mistyfoot were already asleep, their kits as well. She could see that her own kits were drifting off to sleep, so Silverstream decided it would be best to try to fall asleep herself.

***

"Wake up, sleepyhead!" Silverstream woke up with a start. She looked up to see who was yelling at her. It was Mistyfoot. "Ugh, can't you let a cat have some sleep?" Silverstream asked, frustrated. Mistyfoot rolled her eyes. "You've been sleeping for moons! And I'm waking you up because Featherkit and Stormkit were complaining that you wouldn't wake up!" The blue-gray queen said.

Silverstream looked down at her kits and saw that they were mewling very loudly. "Mama! Mama!" They said. Then, Featherkit started slowly opening her eyes. Silverstream purred. My kits finally get to see what the world is like! She thought happily. When Featherkit's eyes were fully open, she let out a squeak of surprise. "Wow, you're pretty," she meowed staring at her mother in wonder. Silverstream laughed. "Thank you Featherkit," she said, amused.

Featherkit looked around. "Woah," she squeaked. "This place is big," Then, she looked at her brother, who's eyes weren't open yet. "How come Stormkit's eyes aren't open yet?" She meowed, confused. Silverstream pulled them in closer to her belly. "Your brother needs time," she murmured. "His eyes will be open before you know it,"

Stormkit fidgeted. Then his eyes flew open, big and wide. "Mama!" He squeaked, excited. "My eyes are open too!" Featherkit rolled her eyes. "Took you long enough." She meowed. "I opened my eyes ages ago." She said smugly.

"Who cares. Let's go outside." Stormkit said. Featherkit nodded, and they stumbled out of the nursery. They took a ball of moss, and started batting it towards each other. Soon, they were throwing it so far, they had to run as fast as their little legs would carry them, to get it each time the other threw it.

"Oof!" Featherkit said, as she bumped into someone. She had bumped into Heavypaw, a thickset tabby tom apprentice. Featherkit looked up. "Oops, sorry." She squeaked. Heavypaw glared at her. "Watch where you're going," he growled.

"Well, I didn't mean too!" The tiny kit protested. "And I said sorry!" Heavypaw sneered, "A kit like you doesn't belong here anyway," and he walked away. Featherkit stalked back to Stormkit grumpily. "Let's go inside," she said. When they were in the nursery, Featherkit plopped herself down into Silverstream's nest. Silverstream licked her head sympathetically. "I saw what happened. Don't worry, I'm sure apprentices are always hard on kits," she assured, thought she was doubtful.

"Why does Heavypaw have to be so mean?" She complained. Silverstream curled her tail around both Featherkit and Stormkit. "It's okay," she murmured. Featherkit sat up to look at her mother. "But that's not all. He said something I don't understand." She squeaked. "What did he say?" Silverstream asked.

"He said, 'a kit like you doesn't belong here anyway,'"