Clans of the Forest:1: Stone and Silver (COMPLETE)

Chapter 5

Silverpaw lay under an alder tree, tense and waiting. Wishpaw could be coming any moment . . .

It had been a half moon since the incident with dog, and Silverpaw was fully recovered, from that and Pinebreeze's attack. Now the apprentices were working on fighting practice, learning more advanced moves and techniques. 

There was a rustle in the undergrowth. Ha! I'll get him before he gets me, if he's making that much noise. Silverpaw slowly crept towards the bushes and crouched . . .

He pounced. But instead of Wishpaw, on the other side was a very plump rabbit. It may be fighting practice, but I can't miss a good piece of prey in the middle of leaf-bare! He ran at the rabbit, easily pinning it and biting its neck. 

Triumphantly, he padded back to the training rocks. Stonepaw ran up to him. "Did you catch that?" she asked, awed.

"Of course! Who else could have?" he flicked his tail. "I'm going to bring this back to camp, okay?"

Moonbeam, who was currently mentoring both apprentices while Firefly was in the nursery, nodded her approval. Silverpaw strode back to the camp. He pushed his way through the bushes into the ravine. 

Icekit bounded up to him. "Wow! That rabbit is huge!" Silverpaw nodded and placed his prize on the top of the fresh-kill pile. He proudly padded to the apprentice den. Barkpaw was in there, eating a vole. She dipped her head to him as he entered with a thrush in his jaws. 

Settling down, his took his first bite out of the thrush. It tasted warm and sweet, almost like milk. Silverpaw could still remember the beautiful taste, and smiled knowing Flashkit was getting all she wanted of it now. Icekit and Snowkit were probably not drinking milk anymore, though.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath the Highstone for a clan meeting!"

Silverpaw padded out of the den and sat beside Icekit and Stonepaw. He knew what was happening. Another gathering was here. 

This time, Bluestar selected Moonbeam, Firefly, Waterfall, Summerpaw, Silverpaw, Stonepaw, and Rivereye to go. Excited, Silverpaw walked beside Stonepaw and Moonbeam as they headed on their way. 

The full moon shone overhead as they walked to The Meeting Place. The forest was damp and chilly, and crickets chirped in the nighttime air. They crossed Prey Stream with a fallen tree that Silverpaw hadn't seen before. After a little more walking, they came to a clearing. In the center was a large stone with six smaller stones around them. He watched as Bluestar clambered onto a stone engraved with an evergreen tree. Beside her was a ginger tabby she-cat on a stone engraved with a storm cloud, and a brown she-cat on a stone engraved with a question mark.

Evergreen tree for ForestClan, storm cloud for BlizzardClan, and question mark for MysteryClan. That makes sense. 

The ginger tabby shifted on her stone. "Why is Trashcan so late today? She's almost always the first one here."

"I'm here," a light brown she-cat leaped onto one of the last rocks, engraved with a recycling can. She flicked her tail. "Let all cats join here beneath StarClan for the gathering."

The chattering died down and the attention turned to the leaders. The dark brown she-cat stepped up. "May I go first?"

"Of course, Questionstar." mewed Bluestar. She stepped back.

"MysterClan is doing well. At least as well as a clan can do in leaf-bare." she turned to the ginger tabby. "I spotted some foxes lurking in your territory, Wonderstar." she mewed, "Keep an eye out."

"I will." promised Wonderstar. She waved her tail. "I will go next. BlizzardClan is thriving, and we are proud to announce that we have made a new warrior." she gestured with her tail at a yellow tom. "Youngtooth."

The cats chanted his name, and Silverpaw was sure he could see him blushing. 

Trashcan stepped up. "I'm sad to say that we lost one of our elders, Drumroll." she dipped her head. "But other than that, RecycleClan and GarbageCan remain strong."

Bluestar went last. "ForestClan is fine," she mewed. "But I need to inform you of something, Wonderstar."

"What?" Wonderstar's eyes flashed with worry. 

"Your warrior Pinebreeze attacked two of my apprentices."

"WHAT????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Wonderstar's pelt bristled with rage. "It's a good thing she isn't here. I'm going to claw her fur out when we get home."