What?? How is this book already at 300+ views?? And 9 Lives of Terror is at 9.1k, that's insane! Hopefully we can reach 10k, that's my next goal! 

The next few days with Bloodfang were hard. Silentpaw got up at the crack of dawn, sometimes even when it was still dark, to train with her mentor. As much as she hated to admit it, though, the grueling lessons were helpful. She was able to train with Ravenpaw and Galepaw again- sure, she didn't beat them, but she was able to hold her own against them much better. Maybe defensive moves aren't so mouse-brained after all.

However, despite Bloodfang's wishes, Silentpaw hadn't stayed away from Froststar. She spent her free time following him around camp, admiring the way he gave orders that went unquestioned. He's so strong. I'm going to be just like him. After all, he was Clan leader. Who wouldn't want to be like Froststar?

Silentpaw yawned, rising from her nest. I wonder what Bloodfang will make me do today. Careful to not step on any tails, Silentpaw slipped out of the apprentice's den and trotted over to where she saw her mentor standing with a group of other cats. When she got closer, Silentpaw recognized them all: they were all the cats from the Inner Circle.

Silentpaw had still been a kit when the Inner Circle had been established, but she remembered what happened. Even though Froststar had his entire Clan, he originally had a group of cats who were the most loyal to him. They had been his supporters when he was first climbing to power. Froststar had decided on ten cats to be part of the Inner Circle, which meant his supporters had to fight it out to decide which of them would become part of the Inner Circle. Nobody died, but it had been bloody, and some cats were lamed.

Silentpaw scanned the group of cats. Yes, they were all there. Cedarfur, the eldest of the group, a maple-brown tom with russet stripes and cedar-leaf green eyes. Then Thrushfeather, a mottled gray tom with leaf-green eyes. Silentpaw noticed the large scar that traveled from his hindquarters to his right leg. She didn't see it, but she knew from the stories that Thrushfeather had got that from fighting his brother, Larktalon.

In return, Thrushfeather had bitten off half his left ear, and partially blinded him in his left eye. Obviously, Thrushfeather had won the fight and was now part of the Inner Circle. Apparently the two brothers used to be very close before that happened. Standing next to Thrushfeather was Fernclaw, a gray tabby tom with brown eyes. His right ear was ripped down the middle, and even though she couldn't see it from where she was standing, a few large scars were on his shoulders. Silentpaw shivered.

I know if I want to be a part of the Inner Circle, I'll have to beat one of these cats. I might win, or lose. Either way, will I suffer wounds like these cats did? Standing in between Fernclaw and her mentor Bloodfang was Lilysplash. Lilysplash was a small cream-and-white she-cat. Silentpaw had learned that she was originally from RiverClan, a Clan that existed before Froststar's rule. Despite her size, Silentpaw knew the she-cat was not to be messed with. That was obvious from the large scar on her muzzle, where a few of her whiskers were missing. The white and cream she-cat was sitting down, slowing licking a paw. Unconcerned, uncaring.

Standing next to her and staring intently at Cedarfur who was speaking to the group was Marshfrog. Marshfrog was Bloodfang's brother, and both had been born in ShadowClan. Marshfrog was a dark brown tom with green eyes and a white chest and paws.

Next to him with a scowl on her face was Fiercefire, a golden brown she-cat with a white chin, a flash of white on her chest and ice-blue eyes. Apparently, she lived up to every aspect of her name. The last three cats were Tigerfang, Darkstone, and Dawnshadow. They were the lucky three, kits of Froststar and Mistfeather. The other kit, Spruceheart, was ThunderClan's medicine cat.

The firstborn was Tigerfang, an orange tabby she-cat with black stripes and yellow-green eyes. She was a big muscled she-cat. Apparently she trained every day, despite being a warrior. Silentpaw knew that her mentor, Bloodfang, didn't like Tigerfang. Both of them were constantly competing to be the dominant she-cat in the Clan.

After Tigerfang was Darkstone, a dark gray tom with a few patches of white and lighter gray on his stomach. Finally, Dawnshadow, a light gray she-cat with white paws and dark stripes. Dawnshadow always seemed uninterested in what was going on, but Silentpaw knew it could also just be an act. I'll know, someday. I'll be part of the Inner Circle, and I'll know everything about these cats, not just what Bloodfang tells me and the stories I've heard about them.

Silentpaw realized she was standing there staring just as Cedarfur caught her eye. He stopped whispering to the cats of the Inner Circle, and called out to her. "Silentpaw? What are you doing up?" he asked. Immediately, the others whipped their heads around to stare at Silentpaw.

"Uh-" Silentpaw was suddenly at a loss for words. Their stares were making her pelt heat up. She wished the ground would just open up and swallow her.

"There's no training today, Silentpaw," said her mentor, saving her. "I'm going out with the Inner Circle today, and we don't know how long this will take." Silentpaw wanted to ask where they were going, but the intimidating stares from the other warriors made her keep her mouth shut.

"Okay, Bloodfang," Silentpaw replied, dipping her head and quickly retreating back into the apprentice's den. This time she did step on a cat's tail.

"Hey!" grunted Swallowpaw, a cream tom with a white undercoat, as she squashed his tail with her paw.

"Sorry," Silentpaw muttered, curling up in her moss nest. Now that she wasn't training, she might as well go back to sleep.

*****

"Over here! Over here!" Heatherpaw yowled. Silentpaw hooked the ball of moss up in her claws, then chucked it at Heatherpaw. Birchpaw yowled in frustration, throwing himself at the ball. He wasn't fast enough, and Heatherpaw snatched it back up in her paws. Birchpaw flopped on the dirt, sending up a cloud of dust.

Silentpaw and Heatherpaw both yowled in laughter as Birchpaw stood up, sneezing.

"Hey!" Silentpaw whirled around to see Swallowpaw stalking up to her, two of his siblings, Shimmerpaw, a tall, white she-cat with brown dapple and green eyes, and Graypaw, a light gray tom with dark gray tabby markings with a zig-zag like splash of white on his chest and a bit on his muzzle following behind him. "Since you don't seem to be doing anything important, how about you help us clear out the nursery?" he suggested with a growl.

"No way. I'm not doing anything you say, Swallowpaw," Silentpaw scoffed.

"Really? I'm older than you. Besides, you stepped on my tail this morning. You certainly owe me one," he meowed.

"Stop telling her what to do, Swallowpaw, you're not her mom," Heatherpaw fired at him, then widened her eyes as she realized her mistake. Silentpaw felt her body go cold as a sneer spread across Swallowpaw's face.

"That's right, I'm not. Poor little Silentpaw doesn't have a mommy." Anger flared up inside Silentpaw.

"You take that back," she growled, unsheathing her claws.

"I don't think I will," Swallowpaw replied, unsheathing his claws as well. By now, they had a bit of a crowd. Galepaw and Ravenpaw had just returned from a hunting patrol, and after placing their prey on the pile, they trotted over to them.

Galepaw was grinning, his claws unsheathed. If there was a fight, he wanted to be part of it. Ravenpaw just looked thoughtful, like usual, as he watched.

"What is going on here?" came a deep growl, before either cat could spring. Oh no. Silentpaw looked away from Swallowpaw to see Froststar standing over them. "This looks like something that needs to be fought out. In the sandy hollow." Silentpaw gulped, and the sneer was wiped off Swallowpaw's face.

"Sandy hollow?" Silentpaw echoed. Froststar nodded.

"Both of you have been wronged by each other, so you will fight it out there. Shimmerpaw," he began. The green-eyed she-cat pricked her ears. "Go run ahead to the sandy hollow. Hazelpaw and Littlepaw should be training there, tell them about what's going on." Warriors were creeping forward, intrested.

"Larktalon and Pebbleleap, you will escort these two. The rest of you carry on, apprentices please follow me. All of you," Froststar said, then with a swish of his tail, turned around and padded towards the thorn barrier.

All of the apprentices trudged on in a tense silence. The only one who seemed at ease was Froststar, striding ahead of them. Up ahead of Silentpaw was Larktalon walking by his apprentice Swallowpaw. Walking a few paces ahead of Silentpaw was Pebbleleap, a blonde she-cat with faded ginger stripes and green eyes. If she looked closely, Silentpaw could see a few bare patches of fur where some scars sat. Most of them, Silentpaw could tell, were definitely inflicted by other cats. So much fighting. And cats like her fought about real things. They fought battles. And here I am, settling a score with Swallowpaw.

Silentpaw gazed ahead warily. Swallowpaw is older than me. He's nine moons, I'm only halfway through my seventh moon. Silentpaw shook out her pelt. I'll be fine. Besides, Froststar is watching. I have to beat Swallowpaw. I need to show him I'm strong. I need to show everyone I'm strong. They reached the sandy hollow all too soon, where Hazelpaw, her mentor Firelily, an orange tabby she-cat with amber eyes, and Littlepaw, a small, sleek, and lithe short legged blue she-cat with pale gray eyes and tiny bob tail were waiting.

Firelily stepped forward, then slowly padded around Silentpaw. She stood still, and caught a glimpse of a big patch of fur missing from her shoulders, where a large scar was. I forgot Firelily had been a Froststar supporter back in the day. Larktalon is her mate, I remember now. When Silentpaw was a kit in the nursery, she used to pretend to be asleep, but really be listening to the queens gossip. According to them, Firelily used to be a sweet she-cat, but the death of her kit Ambershine turned her bitter and mean. Firelily did the same to Swallowpaw, slipping around the tom, inspecting both of them. "So these are the kits interrupting my lessons. Let's make this quick, shall we?" she asked, question aimed at Froststar as she waited for his approval. The ThunderClan leader nodded.

"Step in the ring, the rest of you back up. You may use your claws, but stay away from the neck. We aren't trying to kill each other. I will decide who wins, unless one of you surrenders," Froststar announced. Silentpaw gazed fiercely at Swallowpaw, as they faced each other in the ring. I'll never surrender!

"Ready," Froststar began. Silentpaw tightened her haunches. "Set." Silentpaw flattened her ears, peeling back her lips to hiss at Swallowpaw. "Fight!" Swallowpaw flung himself at Silentpaw, his heavy weight knocking her off her paws. She hit the ground with a thud, but quickly twisted out of Swallowpaw's grasp before he could pin her.

He whipped around, lashing a paw out at her feet, probably intending to sweep her off her paws again, pin her, and end the fight. But Silentpaw was faster. She leaped over his paws, remembering a move that was ideal for smaller cats and apprentices. Silentpaw launched herself on top of Swallowpaw, landing on his back with a thump. The tom thumped to the ground, but quickly pushed up, trying to dislodge Silentpaw. She held on, and began to rake her back paws along his back.

Swallowpaw yowled in pain, and rolled over, crushing Silentpaw beneath him. The gray she-cat struggled to breath, as Swallowpaw crushed her with his weight. He's not that much bigger than me! Silentpaw opened her mouth, blindly biting down until she found a patch of flesh. She bit, and Swallowpaw yowled again, leaping to his paws. This time Silentpaw couldn't get up fast enough, and Swallowpaw slashed her muzzle open with his claws, blood spraying on the ground. The wound burned fiercely, making Silentpaw's vision blur momentarily. Swallowpaw lunged at her again. Silentpaw was tempted to rear up and meet him, but remembered her lessons with Bloodfang. Instead she dived under his belly, slashing her claws against his back leg in the process.

However, Silentpaw had misjudged Swallowpaw's move. The tom hadn't jumped that far. He landed on her lower back, slamming her down again. She landed heavily on her chest, and it knocked the air from her lungs. Swallowpaw twisted around, digging his teeth into her scruff, and pressing her face into the earth. He continued to press, crushing her against the earth until she couldn't breath. "Surrender Silentpaw," Swallowpaw growled through her fur. Silentpaw didn't have the breath to answer.

I'll never surrender! Swallowpaw pressed harder, and her vision began to blur. Never.... surrender.....

"Stop," Froststar commanded, and the weight on Silentpaw disappeared. She flipped over on her back, belly to the sky, gasping for breath. The tree leaves rustled above her, a cool leaf-fall sun ray shining through. It was the end of green-leaf, and the air was beginning to chill. I have to get up.

Silentpaw rolled to her paws, just in time to see Froststar speaking to Swallowpaw. He nodded to whatever the ThunderClan leader had said, and padded away, Larktalon in the lead. Froststar then turned to Firelily. She dipped her head to Froststar, then spoke sharply to the group of apprentices that had been watching. One by one, they followed her out of the sandy hollow. Heatherpaw turned to give Silentpaw a sympathetic look, but Silentpaw turned away from her adopted sister. I don't want your pity.

Silentpaw looked at her paws as Froststar approached. I lost. I failed Froststar. As much as she wanted to be strong, she couldn't bring herself to look at him. It felt like a whole season passed, as Silentpaw stood there staring at her paws, Froststar waiting silently. "You fought well," he finally said. Silentpaw snapped her head up, surprised.

"B-but I lost," she choked out. Froststar shrugged his shoulders.

"I know that. But you put up a good fight. You wouldn't have surrendered, I could tell that." Silentpaw hung her head again. But I lost. I know Froststar never lost a fight. "You know," Froststar continued. "Swallowpaw doesn't have parents either." Silentpaw's head snapped up again. What?

"Him, Graypaw, Shimmerpaw, and Hazelpaw are all from RiverClan. That's why their pelts are so shiny. Their parents ate lots of fish," he meowed. "The difference between you and him, is you let it get to you. Swallowpaw doesn't mind not having parents. And neither should you." Well, Swallowpaw also has real littermates, I don't. "Swallowpaw is focused on becoming the best warrior he can be, for ThunderClan."

"I'm going to be the best warrior I can be, too," Silentpaw blurted out. Froststar purred, startling her. She'd never heard the big tom purr before.

"You'll make a great warrior, Silentpaw, but you have a lot to learn. Are you willing to put this thing about not having parents behind you? To master your anger and keep it from getting the best of you?" he questioned. Silentpaw nodded vigorously.

"Good," Froststar said. "Now follow me."