Don't Let Go

Chapter 2

Cause I'm only a crack in this castle of glass,  hardly anything there for you to see, for you to see...

Silverlily woke up feeling refreshed. She stretched, and lumbered outside. Lionsong greeted her with a black bird.

"Your favorite," he purred, his voice muffled by the feathers.

Silverlily purred and crouched down with him to eat it.

Dreamstalker padded over to her.

"Let's go for a walk, I want to check on the kits," he said. Silverlily dipped her head, still wary of him from the night before.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Great Rock to hear what I have to say!" Nightstar called. Nightstar was Dreamstalker's brother.

"I have great news!" he called. "Today, my mate, Swanlight, has informed me that she is expecting another litter!"

Silverlily was surpirsed, and overjoyed. Her mother was going to be in the nursery right along with her, and she would be one of the first ones to meet her new grandchildren!

Swanlight, looked happy and a bit tired, and for a moment, Silverlily thought she saw fear and horror in her eyes, but then she blinked, and it was gone.

"Also, there is more news! Snailpaw, Willowpaw, and Branchpaw, are ready to become warriors!" Nightstar bowed his head. "Their parents, Mapleleaf and Aspenclaw, died bravely in battle to defend them, and now their kits are proudly following in their footsteps," he said, turning his nose up to the stars, then dipping his head respectfully. "Skyreach, Soaringheart, Snowstorm, do you think your apprentices are ready to become warriors?" he asked.

Soaringheart dipped his head.

"Yes," called Skyreach, dipping her head to her apprentice, Snailpaw.

Snowstorm just smiled. The she-cat wasn't much of a talker, so an apprentice for her really opened her up.

"Snailpaw, Willowpaw, Branchpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code even at the cost of your life?"

Snailpaw nodded.

"I do!" Willowpaw called out enthusiastically.

"I do," Branchpaw said more ceremoniously.

"Then by the powers invested in me by Starclan, I proclaim you warrios of Stormclan. Snailpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Snailpounce, for your generosity and excellent hunting skills. Willowpaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Willowsong for your upbeat personality and curiosity. Branchpaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Branchstride for your confidence, and your skill in battle, and we welcome you as full warriors of Stormclan," Nighstar proclaimed.

"Snailpounce! Willowsong! Branchstride!"

"Snailpounce! Willowsong! Branchstride!"

Silverlily raised her voice loudly to join the others'. She was happy for the apprentices. They were merely acquaintances, but they were still clanmates, and deserved to be celebrated.

As the cats started to disperse, Dreamstalker motioned for her to follow out of the camp.

Lionpelt sent her a questioning glance, and Silverlily shrugged, and gave him an, 'I'm sorry' look.

"So, what do you think of new siblings?" he asked.

"I think it'll be great for her, and for the clan. I won't mind siblings!" Silverlily said.

Dreamstalker seemed to take a mental note of this before turning to her.

"I'll be right back," he said, then whisked away into the undergrowth.

Wrapping her tail around her paws, she relished the leaf-fall colors of the trees, the sun hitting them in just the right way, sending different shades of reds, oranges, yellows, yellow-greens, and browns all across the forest floor. Leaf-fall was her favorite season besides new-leaf.

BOOM! a sound startled her from her daydreaming. That's when she smelled the smell of burning forestry. Silverlily saw fire to her left.

"Fire!" she screeched. She was worn out from the treck out into the woods. "Dreamstalker! Lionsong!"

She knew calling out to her mate was useless, and he probably wouldn't hear her, but she called out anyways.

FWOOM! More fire to her right!

She started running away, but more fire exploded in front of her. She screamed, and spun around, but more fire had encased her in a circleish shape.

"Help!" she screeched. The wind was blowing all around her, blowing the fire towards her. The smoke was choking her, and she found it hard to breathe.

"Silverlily?" came a voice from the other side of the wall of fire. It was Lionsong!

"Lionsong! I'm stuck!" she yelled, her voice hoarse, and catching in her throat.

"I'll get help!" he said, and she heard his pawsteps race away.

The fire was enclosing in on her, and there wasn't much time.

"Lionsong!" she screeched again, desperate to get out.

You're going to have to jump! A tiny voice inside her shouted, and it was growing louder. 

Bunching up her haunches, she leaped as high as she could over the flames. She howled and flopped to the ground in pain. Her left leg was on fire! Waving it frantically, she tried to put out the flames, but they kept growing. She ran to where she hoped was there was a nearby water source. However, unknown to her, she was leaving a trail of fire from her leg. Suddenly, a wave of fire came at her from her left, and came crashing down, and she cried out.

"Help me! Please!" Her consciousness was fading fast and the last thing she saw was Lionsong racing towards her, and a cackle of laughter in the background.