Silverpaw swallowed as Thistlestar entered his den. Aspencloud and Minnowtail were sitting on both sides of her, their orange pelts pressed against her silver one. He's huge! Thought Silverpaw. StarClan help me if he attacks. The huge grey and white tom's paw steps radiated hostility. He growled as he padded towards the she-cats, and Silverpaw marveled how although Aspencloud and Minnowtail were stiff as trees, they didn't flinch from the leader's menacing presence

    "Why are you here?" he asked, each word a slow and menacing growl. Minnowtail raised her chin and looked the ShadowClan leader in the eye. 

    "Emberstar sent us to reason with you," she meowed. "He wants to know why ShadowClan has declared war on RiverClan. Why your clanmates are attacking mine so brutally."

    Thistlestar sneered, revealing long fangs stained yellow. His fur bristled. "Does your miserable excuse for a leader really think that I would tell you what this war is really about?"

    "Don't insult Emberstar," hissed Silverpaw, narrowing her eyes. The leader looked at her, momentarily surprised. A split second later, hatred spread across his features when he realized that an apprentice had disrespected him. Silverpaw bunched her muscles, ready to defend herself if Thistlestar attempted to attack her. Although, I'd probably be torn to pieces if he did, Silverpaw admitted. 

    "Get out," hissed Thistlestar, narrowing his eyes. He stood, standing rigidly on all four paws. "Go back to your territory and tell your oh-so-precious Emberstar that this war is not over." 

The RiverClan cats rose to their paws and followed the grey and white cat to the entrance of his den, head held high. Outside of it, all of the available warriors stood, claws unsheathed. Silverpaw looked around the camp, and at all of the warriors radiating hatred. Will we be attacked? She wondered.

    "Lighteye, Grasspaw, Thorntalon! Escort the RiverClan cats to their border," Thistlestar snarled. 

When called, the three cats leapt to their paws and circled the other cats, hissing. Silverpaw felt like the sheep that the elders had told her and Dawnpaw about. Grasspaw fell beside Silverpaw and circled her, acting like she was the one to be afraid of, not Minnowtail, the trained warrior. 

    As the mixed patrols traveled through ShadowClan territory, Silverpaw marveled at how different it was from her own. The pines dropped fragile twigs and needles, making hunting difficult. It is so much easier to sit and catch a fish, Silverpaw observed, looking at the squirrels that sat in the branches chattering loudly. All you need is a river, patience, and quick reactions. 

    Soon, the pine trees thinned out and the stench of Twolegs came into Silverpaw's nostrils. She wrinkled her nose. Grasspaw marched alongside the RiverClan apprentice as they traveled across the small, deserted thunderpath. As soon as they had passed the half-bridge, Silverpaw started smelling RiverClan scent again. 

    "Don't come back to our camp again, fish-cats," Grasspaw snarled. "Or we'll tear you limb from limb."

The RiverClan cats stepped across their border and stared at the ShadowClan cats who were doing the same. Finally, Lighteye gathered her patrol and turned around without any words. 

    Great StarClan, that was an experience, Silverpaw thought. All sense of cooperation between Clans left her as she reared up onto her hind legs and yowled after the retreating ShadowClan cats. 

    "Hey, Grasspaw!" she yowled. The apprentice pricked her ears put didn't turn around. "Thank you so much for that kind escort. Maybe next time, save the snarling and nastiness for someone who actually cares, and someone that you could beat in battle. You'd have a reason then!" 

Grasspaw turned around, growling so that Silverpaw could hear it from her side of the border.

   "What it StarClan are you doing, Silverpaw?" Hissed Aspencloud, cuffing her ears. "What would we do if they attacked?" Silverpaw bent her head. 

    "Sorry," she mumbled. "They just make me so angry!" Minnowtail smiled slightly and started trotting back to camp. 

Aspencloud leaned closer to the apprentice and murmured,"Store up that energy, because one day, you will need the hate that grows inside of your heart. We do not need any more violence today."