When Darkness Whispers

Chapter 2

The groups of cats left camp and walked to the WindClan border. When they got there, Silverpaw saw that a WindClan patrol was already there. Violetpaw, Dustfoot, Harewhisker, and Kestrelcry were marking their side of the border. "What are these fish-faces doing here." Harewhisker growled. Mudpebble stomped forward. "Marking our border flea-brain." Harewhisker hesitated before grunting. Mudpebble rolled his eyes and started to rub up against a fallen tree. "Come on," Kestrelcry ordered after a few moments. "We are done here." The WindClan cats trotted up a hill and Harewhisker cats the RiverClan cats one last wary look before disappearing from sight.

What's his problem? Silverpaw wondered before the RiverClan patrol finished marking the border.

                                                               ***

Silverpaw pounced onto Lightpaw's back and held her down. "Great job. Now Lightpaw," Brightreed said with a flick of her tail. "How would you get out of this situation?" Lightpaw sighed and grunted, trying to shove Silverpaw off of her. Lightpaw relaxed after a few moments and Silverpaw loosened her grip thinking that her sister had given up. But instantly Lightpaw flipped over and managed to stun Silverpaw for a couple of heartbeats. "That was great. You two are great fighters." Silverpaw looked at her littermate in pride and joy. I guess that's good. But no cats have been fighting recently. Silverpaw acknowledged to herself.

Silverpaw and Lightpaw spent most of their time practicing battle moves with their mentors. Around sunhigh Brightreed and Icetail decided that the apprentices should get a break for doing so well.

"I hope we can be warriors soon." Lightpaw remarked to Silverpaw, the two she-cats and their mentors started their way back to camp.

"Yeah I do too. I wonder what my warrior name will be!" Silverpaw responded with a little bounce. Lightpaw took a deep breath of the cold leaf-fall air. "I hope I can be called Lightfrost." She whispered. Silverpaw liked the name her sister had thought up.

"I like Silverheart or Silvershine." She told Lightpaw. Lightpaw smiled and nodded in agreement.

The cats strolled into camp and silverpaw started to the fresh-kill pile, her stomach growling. I'm starving! But before she arrived, she noticed two gray pelts hiding behind the nursery. Whose that? Silverpaw wondered. Keeping an eye on the nursery, she snuck around camp to get a better look.

"What is Stormpaw doing?" She wondered aloud knowing full well that he was getting into trouble. Silverpaw saw that the other cat was Tidepaw. She snuck even closer trying to hear what they were saying.

"Okay make sure no cat is watching and put this in the fresh-kill pile." She heard Stormpaw murmuring. "Okay," Tidepaw uttered. "I won't get caught." Slowly and carefully Tidepaw crept to the fresk-kill pile. Uh oh. Tidepaw had a clicking beetle in her jaws. This isn't going to end well. Silverpaw commented silently. And she was right.

Just as Tidepaw sat the beetle down, it clamped its forceps to her lip. The gray she-cat was yowling in pain and trying to yank the beetle off but it wouldn't let go. Tidepaw ran around camp and, before she could stop herself, skidded on the camp ground right into Smallwake. "Owww!" The elder cried. Silverpaw glanced over at Stormpaw. The hound tom was howling with laughter and he seemed he couldn't take a breath.

Silverpaw scanned camp. Sandfoot and Foglight hurried over to their daughter while Minnowfur stomped over to Stormpaw with a scowl on his face. Silverpaw fixed her gaze on Drizzlestar as he camp out from his den.

"What's happened?" He demanded. The clearing went silent and Smallwake was limping towards the medicine cat den. Stormpaw was quickly quieted from his laughter by Minnowfur. No other cat saw what happened. Silverpaw noticed. Only me. She gulped preparing to speak.

"I saw what happened." Silverpaw called. Drizzlestar and the rest of the Clan looked at her. Silverpaw wanted to crawl inside her pelt and never come out. "I-I heard Stormpaw telling Tidepaw to put the beetle in the fresh-kill pile." Drizzlestar immediately looked at Stormpaw. The gray tom glared at Silverpaw for exposing him.

"Did this happen?" Drizzlestar asked Stormpaw. The apprentice nodded with a glance with narrowed eyes at Silverpaw. Drizzlestar turned to address his Clan. "Go back to whatever you were doing." He ordered. The Clan hesitated before breaking up and leaving. Tidepaw whimpered as Troutfin nudged her into his den to get the beetle of her muzzle. Silverpaw trotted over to the fresh-kill pile to grab a trout before stepping into her den.

Berrypaw was nowhere to be found. Silverpaw hadn't seen her all day. Maybe she went with Runningstone. Silverpaw didn't dare look into the clearing in case she saw Berrypaw's mentor. We all know what that would mean.

***
About half a moon passed and Berrypaw and Stormpaw were heading out for their final assessments. Stormpaw had been punished for the "beetle accident" as every cat called it and was confined to camp for a few days. Drizzlestar had said that he would not go to the gathering if he did anymore tricks. Stormpaw took this punishment seriously and worked extra hard so that he could go to the gathering.

Silverpaw cleaned up her nest in the apprentices den and collected moss for Stormpaw's and Berrypaw's new nests. If they become warriors. Silverpaw told herself.

Silverpaw grumbled inwardly when Mudpebble came to sit by her. "I can't wait till Berrypaw comes back and becomes a warrior." He told Silverpaw. Silverpaw nodded but didn't say anything. "Then we can finally start our life together." Silverpaw glanced up at the young warrior. He had pure love in his eyes and Silverpaw suddenly felt jealous at the fact that some cat liked her friend. But despite this Silverpaw felt happy for Berrypaw. She had a cat to love her and keep her happy for the rest of their lives.

Mudpebble smiled at the camp entrance. He can be sweet sometimes I guess. Silverpaw noticed. Usually the

***

"Did you pass?" Berrypaw bounced happily into camp with Stormpaw racing passed her and straight to Sunpaw. The two cats had grown very close of the past half moon and Silverpaw could see that Sunpaw had feelings for Stormpaw. Berrypaw stood in front of Silverpaw, her green eyes shining. "Of course I did mouse-brain!" She said with a teasing flick of her tail. Instead of waiting for Silverpaw to congratulate her, Berrypaw padded happily over to Mudpebble and the two touched noses. What?! Silverpaw glared at Mudpebble. I never liked him and I never will.

"All cats who can swim in the river gather here by wet rock!" Drizzlestar yowled. Berrypaw grinned at Mudpebble and she caught up to Stormpaw who was already paddin towards wet rock. "I Drizzlestar, leader of RiverClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices." Drizzlestar started once the Clan was seated and quiet. "They have trained hard to understand and know the ways of the warrior code and I commend them to you as warriors in their turns." Silverpaw couldn't help smiling when she saw how excited Berrypaw was.

"Stormpaw, Berrypaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend your Clan even at the cost of your life?" Stormpaw glanced at Berrypaw and answered and "I do" and Berrypaw did the same. "Then from this moment forward, Berrypaw, you will be known as Berrywhisker, and Stormpaw, you will be known as Stormfall." Berrywhisker and Stormfall licked Drizzlestar's shoulder and stepped back.

"Berrywhisker, Stormfall,"
"Berrywhisker, Stormfall,"

The Clan cheered the new warriors' names and Silverpaw tried to catch Berrywhisker's eye. But the black she-cat was to interested in talking to Mudpebble to even look at her. I've been replaced. Sadness swept over Silverpaw and she suddenly felt tired. Silverpaw nodded to Lightpaw a goodnight and went to lay down in her nest.