Loyalty

Chapter One

"Silverkit, from this moment on, your name will be Silverpaw," Flowerstar Yowled. "And Eaglekit, you'll be known as Eaglepaw. Your mentors will be Rowanfrost for Silverpaw, and Darkstone for Eaglepaw." "Wow! I get the deputy as my mentor!" Eaglepaw squeaked. Flowerstar just glared at him. "So-ray..." he muttered.

Silverpaw was quite happy about the choice of Rowanfrost as her mentor. He was a strong young tom, and likely to become deputy after old Darkstone died. "Want to see the territory?" Asked Rowanfrost, interrupting Silverpaw's train of thought. "Of course!" She cried, cheerfully. As Silverpaw followed Rowanfrost out of camp, she overheard Darkstone and Eaglepaw. "We'll be patrolling the MountainClan border," mewed Darkstone, his voice hoarse. "Then you'll catch a mouse for Vinetree, and check him for ticks. Next, you'll clean out the nursery, and fetch new bedding. If it's not moonhigh yet, come find me for more." Eaglepaw stared at Darkstone in shock. The long list was running rapidly through his mind. As he padded off after Darkstone, he muttered, "Why couldn't I have gotten Slateslant as my mentor? Or even Vixenthorn!" Darkstone swiveled his ears back at his apprentice, who immediately shut up and followed. Poor Eaglepaw, thought Silverpaw. Has to work from sunup to moonhigh! Well, better him than me, she added bitterly. 

Rowanfrost kept a steady pace throughout the whole trek to the LavaClan border. "This is LavaClan," he said. "The border is pretty easy to see." It was. In fact, it was almost too easy to see. The dusty  moor dirt was replaced by baking red clay rocks. Farther out, they were  replaced by a sturdy-looking black rock. "Strange, isn't it?" Asked Rowanfrost. Silverpaw nodded. "They live in tunnels in that ash, ever since the volcano erupted. They're pretty hard to navigate, giving LavaClan an upper hand at fighting in them." Rowanfrost moved along the border, and the dusty moor dotted with coarse grass turned to hot, red rocks. Silverpaw's pads stung, but she didn't show weakness, at least not in front of her mentor. 

Suddenly, the white-and-red-patched tom disappeared in a rock crack. "Follow me!" He called up to Silverpaw. Warily, the apprentice jumped down after her mentor. The cave was dark, with some herbs in one part and cobwebs in the other. "This is dock," said Rowanfrost. "Rub your paws on it. It'll help." Silverpaw did as she was told, and instantly felt better. Rowanfrost jumped out, and Silverpaw eagerly followed. He turned abruptly from the hot rocks to some lush, green grass. "This is MountainClan," said Rowanfrost. "Be sure to take in their scent. We'll be battling soon enough." Silverpaw opened her jaws, letting the soft scent of forest and cool air seep in. Suddenly, she sat bolt-upright. "MistClan is here!" She said. "Oh, wow, so cool," said a voice. Silverpaw turned around and saw a brown tabby with golden eyes step out. He had a scar across his muzzle, and a nick in his ear. "I've never seen MistClan before!" Shut up, Vixenthron," said Slatestone, emerging behind him. Trembling, Eaglepaw followed.

The warriors started talking ("warrior business," Rowanfrost had told Silverpaw) Silverpaw was left with Eaglepaw. "Where's  Darkstone?" She demanded, confused by her clanmate's absent mentor. "Oh, he had a thorn in his nest. Scratched his nose." "What does that have to do with anything?" Silverpaw snarled. 

"I dunno! Maybe it affects his sense of smell."

"Did it hit his nostril?"

"...no."

"Then he's lying!" The young apprentice spat. "N-" Eaglepaw began, but Silverpaw cut him off. "Eaglepaw, I hate to say it, but your mentor is a crow-food foxheart pile of mouse dung!" "I know," sighed Eaglepaw. "My mentor—" "Silverpaw! We're going!" Called Rowanfrost. "Gotta go!" Silverpaw Yowled and dove after her mentor. 

Silverpaw's ears were drooping, and her tail dragged behind here. "I'm... so... tired!" She gasped. "You'll get used to it," grunted Rowanfrost, but Silverpaw could see that he, too, was tired. The lush green grass and deciduous forests of MountainClan had turned to dark, coarse grass and shadowy pines for DarkClan. "What does DarkClan smell like?" Asked Rowanfrost. Silverpaw let the scent bathe her mouth. "Shadows, pine trees..." she said, "and fresh cat. Wait, that can't be good..." "DarkClan patrol!" Screeched Rowanfrost. Silverpaw and her mentor whirled around to face a patrol of four cats. "Run! Silverpaw, get help!" Rowanfrost screeched. Silverpaw nodded as three cats surrounded Rowanfrost. The other....

was chasing Silverpaw. She immediately ran, turning towards the moor she barely knew, in the direction she thought camp was. The cat, a senior warrior, was hard on her paws, and Silverpaw could barely outrun them. I can't keep this up... She winced as the claws met her flank and tore into her flesh, knocking her down. She cried out, hoping some cat out hear her, as she collapsed in front of the bloodthirsty DarkClan warrior.