The camp reigned under silence in the early morning. The sun lingered just beneath the horizon, only interpreted by the barest glimmers of light against the starry sky. The singing of crickets at last fell into silence at the first sign of morning, intercepted by an eerie quiet, patiently waiting for the first bird to greet the day.

    The trees surrounding the camp were mostly bare of their leaves, their branches stretching outwards like spindly fingers. Leaf-bare was unofficially upon them. While a few weeks of leaf-fall still technically remained, the cold season was coming quicker than ever—according to Silverpaw's elder Clanmates, at least. She had no room to judge.

    She was already awake and sitting in the clearing. She embraced the pre-dawn silence with a soft breath, the cool air nipping at her lungs. It had been a few weeks since the riverside incident, and a few days since the fox attack. In that time, Silverpaw had found herself cleaning dens, tending to the nursery—where Pigeonkit and Finchkit tried relentlessly to distract her with their antics—and spending every evening with Sandytail. Amid the mixed feelings from her Clan, the gruff tom was slowly beginning to warm to her.

    Today, however, things would be different. Sorrelmouse had at last admitted that it was time for Silverpaw to return to her normal training. It was an exciting thought, but anxiety overpowered anything she could be looking forward to.

    Silverpaw fidgeted as the sun, now peeking above the horizon, glittered down into the clearing. Birds whistled their sing-song tune, and the warrior's den rustled. Salmonskip, with his teeth bared in a gaping yawn, tiredly emerged. His gray fur was unkempt with sleep, and if he was surprised by Silverpaw's early presence, he didn't let it show as he paused to briefly groom himself.

    The den continued to rustle as more warriors emerged and dispersed about the clearing. Light chatter began to fill the air as the cats waited to be assigned to the next patrol. Silverpaw's ears pricked as three freshly awoken warriors, Crowspots, Wolfpounce, and Swimleap, settled down nearby. Swimleap dragged a meaty squirrel over by the tail.

    Swimleap nosed the prey with a paw, her brow furrowed as she searched past the fur. Finally, she took a dainty nibble from the flesh, wrinkling her nose distastefully, but continuing to divulge herself regardless. "I don't understand how the other Clans can stand all this fur," she grumbled. "Do any of you want to share? I doubt I can finish this entire thing on my own."

    Wolfpounce gingerly joined her, while Crowspots remained where she was. She eyed the squirrel with repugnance. "No thanks," the old warrior rasped.

    "Your loss," Swimleap chuffed, flicking her tail dismissively to her former mentor.

    The trio of cats grew quieter as they continued to absently discuss warrior matters. Silverpaw was about ready to head off in search of Sorrelmouse, when at last something caught her attention. She strained her ears to hear what they were saying.

    "Did anybody tell you what Heatfur and I found on the border yesterday?" Swimleap asked quietly, swallowing a mouthful of meat.

    "No," Wolfpounce responded.

    Crowspots shook her head curiously.

    Swimleap's eyes darted around. Flicking her silver tail, she hunched her shoulders. "Crowfood," she hissed. "All along the border. It looked like it was there overnight, collecting flies and this horrific odor. Pinestar, Salmonskip, and Wishfern went out shortly after we reported it. I think they were investigating, maybe even cleaning it up." She leaned back, her whiskers quivering. "You think it had something to do with those rogues? Y'know, the one Lionpoppy's kit says attacked her?"

    Silverpaw's thoughts whirled. Crowfood along the border... was Lionpoppy right? Were the foxes really lured here? Her stomach churned at the thought, and she held back a shudder.

    "It very well could be," Wolfpounce grunted. "You don't think she did it, do you?"

    Swimleap shrugged. "I don't know enough to say, but Lionpoppy sure thinks so."

    "That apprentice is too weak to have taken down her brother," Crowspots snorted. "It's definitely a couple of bloodthirsty rogues. If anything else, it could even be ShadowClan sniffing around. I think Pinestar is taking this whole ordeal too passively—we should strike them down while we have the chance!"

    "Hush, Crowspots," Wolfpounce hissed. "We don't—"

    "Good morning, Silverpaw."

    Silverpaw lurched around, forgetting the conversation in an instant as she found herself face-to-face with Toadpaw. "What are you doing here?" She exclaimed.

    Toadpaw shrugged. "Waiting for Crowspots to take me fishing." He angled his ears to the elderly warrior.

    Silverpaw followed his gaze, embarrassment pricking at her paws. "Of course," she muttered.

    "Were you eavesdropping?"

    Silverpaw scowled at the tom's mischievous grin. "No."

    "Are you sure about that? It looked like you were eavesdropping, Silverpaw." He shouldered her heartily.

    Her ears burned, and she shoved him back, flicking her tail irritably. "I wasn't!" She retorted indignantly.

    Toadpaw barked a laugh. "Look at you, all flustered," he teased. "Don't be embarrassed, I do it all the time myself." He winked. "It's interesting to hear what the warrior's have to say."

    "But I wasn't," Silverpaw insisted.

    Toadpaw lifted a brow. "If you say so. Whatever in the world is up with you and Mistpaw, anyways? I haven't seen you go this long without speaking since we were kits."

    Silverpaw looked away, remembering the guilty shine in her friend's eyes. "It was nothing."

    "Whatever this nothing was, you'd better make up with her soon. I can tell it's affecting the both of you," he commented, his voice oddly serious. Then, with a brisk shake of his pelt, he brightened. "Say, are you hungry? It looks like the early patrol just came back."

    Silverpaw whirled around. Aspentail and Heatfur were leaving the now-stocked fresh-kill pile. "I'm not that hungry," she said.

    "Sure you are. Wait right here, I'll go get us something to share," Toadpaw dismissed her. Before she could protest, he was already bounding across the clearing.

    She watched him, snorting softly in disbelief as he nosed his way through the stack of fish. He trotted back to her side with a young perch dangling from his mouth. He dropped it to the floor and pushed it over to her. She blinked down at the fresh-kill. Her stomach churned, but the eager look in Toadpaw's eyes prompted her. She took a small bite.

    Smiling, Toadpaw joined her, and the two ate in an easy silence, though Silverpaw occasionally caught her friend's bright green eyes studying her.

    Once satisfied, Silverpaw leaned back and drew a paw neatly across her whiskers. "Thanks," she mewed as she cleaned her face.

    "It's no problem. I've missed hanging out with you, you know," Toadpaw commented, quietly analyzing her expression. She shifted awkwardly, but didn't offer a response.

    They sat together for a short while longer until Sorrelmouse trotted over, her red tail high over her spine. "Are you ready for a border patrol, Silverpaw?" She asked brightly.

    Silverpaw rose to her paws and gave her pelt a brisk shake. "As ready as I'll ever be, I guess." She glanced back at her friend. "Bye, Toadpaw."

    "Goodbye." He waved his tail in farewell.

    Sorrelmouse brushed her tail along Silverpaw's flank, guiding her to the camp entrance where Nosefleck, Paledusk, and Dappledfang sat in wait. Dappledfang perked up at the sight of his mate, trotting happily over to greet her. The pale tom butted his head against hers, murmuring so softly that Silverpaw couldn't pick up his words.

    Purring in amusement, Sorrelmouse pried herself away from the tom and turned to look at the gathered cats. "We'll be heading to the ShadowClan boundary today," she declared, steering the group out of camp. "They've been testing our borders lately, so make sure you mark it extra well."

    "I swear I found some rabbit remains the other day, too," Paledusk added gruffly.

    "And that's exactly why we'll let them know that we don't tolerate trespassing," Sorrelmouse acknowledged. She cast a glance down to Silverpaw, smiling encouragingly. Then, she swiftly darted across the crossing stones.

    Silverpaw waited for the rest of the warriors to pass, and once they all reached the other side, they moved in silence through the trees, growing closer to the lake until she could see the large expanse of water just beyond the treeline. There was a gentle breeze in the air, carrying to her the refreshing taste of water.

    The forest slowly changed as they grew closer to ShadowClan's hunting grounds. Evergreen trees began to speckle the barren woodlands, until their bright green needles completely overwhelmed the sky, and the sickly stink of pine sap encroached the air.

    They hadn't even reached the scentline when Silverpaw was overwhelmed by the potent smell of ShadowClan. Her brow knitted into a frown. This can't be right, she thought, parting her jaw to drink in the scents. We're not even at the border yet. It smells almost as if...

    "They're invading our territory!" Nosefleck hissed, finishing Silverpaw's thoughts. The gray warrior bristled in rage, and Silverpaw dropped to a crouch, adrenaline pumping through her paws.

    "Quiet." Sorrelmouse raised her tail, her golden eyes flitting among the trees. "The scent is strong; they're still nearby." Her tail fell back down in a great wave. At this signal, the patrol split off into different directions, creeping stealthily into the undergrowth.

    Silverpaw could hear her own breathing amid the forest's eerie quiet. She slipped through the barren foliage, forcing her paws a delicate placement. Her fur snagged on prickly brambles and branches, but she pressed forth, silently bracing against pinpricks of pain as strands of hair broke free from her pelt.

    She breathed in the sickly smell of the other Clan. Her heart thundered in her ears. She was growing closer.

    With carefully placed steps, Silverpaw glided across the needle-strewn floor. Her ears strained for sound, and at last, the barest whisper of words touched the tufts of her ears. She froze, tilting her head. Their voices were vaguely familiar, but not familiar enough. ShadowClan.

    Placing their direction, she brushed some twigs aside, narrowing her eyes as her assumption was confirmed. Just beyond the thicket, a group of five ShadowClan cats nestled within the foliage of RiverClan's territory. Among them was Mossrunner—ShadowClan's young deputy.

    Silverpaw held her breath as she watched the enemy patrol speak amongst themselves.

    "Didn't Trance say—"

    Mossrunner whipped around with a snarl, "Cloudstar doesn't give a rat's tail what Trance says!" His eyes softened as he stared at the reddish she-cat, and he leaned forward, brushing his cheek against hers. "Our queens need more prey. You know this more than anyone."

    The warrior hesitated. "All right. But if he..."

    "Hush about him already," Mossrunner urged. "He's just a rogue. It's not like he can do anything."

    Silverpaw's heart skipped a beat.

    The she-cat huffed a soft laugh, though she looked unconvinced. "Yeah. You're right. When do we start, then?" She indicated to the depths of RiverClan land with a toss of her head.

    "Whenever you decide to stop asking questions," a black she-cat retorted.

    "That's enough, Beetlemask," Mossrunner grunted. "We wait for just a while longer, then we strike."

    Her thoughts slowly spinning, Silverpaw began to back off. Why did they mention rogues? Is he talking about the same rogues I know of? She shivered, pushing the thought away. That wasn't the topic of concern; clearly, these cats were planning an attack, and soon.

    She needed to find Sorrelmouse and report the news back to her.

    As she took a careful step backwards, her fur snagged on a twig. The bush rustled noisily.

    Silverpaw froze.

    Her eyes darted back to the ShadowClan patrol, hidden behind a tangle of branches. All had gone silent. Her mouth suddenly felt parched, and her pelt prickled uneasily.

    "Did you hear that?" One of the ShadowClan warriors hissed, his voice sending shivers clawing down Silverpaw's spine.

    She peeked through the branches. The sleek, russet warrior was testing the air just within her line of sight. The red she-cat's fur was slick, and her body much slimmer than her Clanmates. Silverpaw took a self-conscious step back. The branches responded with a noisy shudder, and the ShadowClan warrior's amber eyes flashed towards her.

    "I smell a RiverClan apprentice," she mewed coolly, her sharp eyes examining the foliage where Silverpaw was hidden. By some miracle, her eyes flickered straight past the silver she-cat. "I think she's alone."

    Mossrunner snarled hastily, "Then find her! We can't let this be ruined by some nosy apprentice."

    The warrior nodded curtly, and in an instant, the group of cats all rose to their paws. They fell into a terrifying, synchronized crouch, their steps so silent it was as though they were merely shadows. ShadowClan's stealth was infinitely unmatched—and these warriors were headed straight towards Silverpaw.

    She jolted and scrambled to get away. Her fur caught and tangled in the branches, and in her desperate fight to break free, the bush clamored in her presence. The enemy warriors honed in on her, rapidly closing in. With her heart pulsing in her throat, Silverpaw finally wrenched herself free and bolted.

    Paws thundered against the earth only a rabbit-length away. She could feel hot breath from the enemy cats on her heels, and her ears picked up the sharp crack of snapping teeth. Her legs were shorter than a fully grown warrior, and despair blurred her mind as the ShadowClan cats quickly gained ground.

    Teeth nipped the tip of her tail, and Silverpaw yelped, tucking it between her haunches. She darted abruptly to the left, diving under a bush and sliding across the soil. She burst to the other side, gasping for breath, not daring to break her stride.

    As she fled, fear swallowing every inch of her body, a familiar voice split the air, "RiverClan, attack!"

    Sorrelmouse leaped from the underbrush right before the apprentice. She cast a sideways grin towards Silverpaw, not pausing for even a moment as she found herself in a vicious tussle with Mossrunner. Behind her emerged the rest of the RiverClan patrol—each with glittering eyes, yearning for battle.

    The sight was thrilling, but only for an instant. As the scene dawned on her, Silverpaw could feel brambles creeping beneath her skin, winding painfully around her bones. Her breath caught in her chest. She couldn't even move a muscle.

    The warriors fought with fervor, their teeth bared and claws unsheathed. Blood scattered across the sky, the crimson liquid bringing her heart to a stuttering halt, flashing her mind back to that terrible, terrible night.

    Mossrunner's claws ripped through the air with a trail of scarlet droplets, and in his place, she could nearly see the scarred rogue tom, grinning in the cruel thrill.

    "Silverpaw, what are you doing?" Sorrelmouse shouted.

    The warrior lunged, latching her teeth around Mossrunner's scruff. She tossed him to the side like he was merely a piece of prey. The tom crashed to the ground with a grunt, and he clambered swiftly back to his paws. He launched at Sorrelmouse, raking at her side. Sorrelmouse whirled after him with a glancing swipe to his shoulder, her golden eyes drowning in unquenchably fury.

    "Get your tail out here and fight!" Sorrelmouse shouted through gritted teeth, barely dodging another blow. "Use your training, Silverpaw!"

    Silverpaw shook herself out of her frozen state. Though her heart scampered against her chest, she pushed her nightmares down into the deepest crevices of her mind and flung herself into the thick of battle.

    Bodies writhed around her. All members of her patrol were already engaged with an enemy. Her eyes darted everywhere. What do I do? What can I do? Her throat was thick with emotion; she was only an apprentice!

    Then, she spotted a large ginger tabby, leisurely creeping towards Paledusk. The pale warrior was savagely battering a brown patched she-cat, oblivious to the eyes on his back. Fueled by adrenaline, Silverpaw gathered her courage and leaped to intercept the ShadowClan tom.

    Silverpaw grappled onto his back, and the tom bellowed in rage, whirling around so quickly that she fell to the ground. She gasped, winded, and barely managed to find her feet in time to dodge his crushing paws.

    Quick as a snake, she slashed her claws across his face, leaving four bloody furrows across his muzzle. The tom snarled in pain, his lip curling back to reveal four wickedly long fangs. Gingerfang. She recognized him from a past Gathering.

    The ShadowClan warrior lunged at the smaller RiverClan she-cat, and Silverpaw yelped as he tackled her to the ground, sinking his long teeth painfully into her shoulder. She cried out, kicking at his belly and legs. She squirmed away, her heart thundering with fear.

    The two faced each other again. Silverpaw darted forward, latching her foreclaws into his side, using her momentum to whip her hindlegs around. She grappled her hind claws into his pelt, digging all four sets of claws into his flesh, clinging to him like a squirrel on a tree.

    She twisted her head, burying her teeth deep into the back of Gingerfang's neck.

    The large warrior snarled ferociously, bucking and swaying in a futile attempt to dislodge the she-cat. Her claws dug more fiercely, more out of fear of falling than of earnest, her chest rattling in a continuous hiss.

    Suddenly, Gingerfang rammed Silverpaw into a tree. She wheezed as the breath fled her body, her grip crumpling. She fell to the ground, and before her mind could stop spinning, Gingerfang had his claws skillfully pressed against her skull. She was pinned.

    "Those are some nasty scars for a kit," the warrior hissed gravely, digging his claws deeper into her head. "How big was the fish? Long as my claws, you think?"

    Silverpaw barely registered the offending words as she squirmed. Panic shrouded her mind, shadows dancing across her vision. Trickles of blood whittled into her eye, but she couldn't even see it.

    The only thing she could see were the horrors of Owlpaw's death.

    She was trapped. Helpless. As useless as a spoiled kittypet.

    As blades of dry grass and needles tickled her nose, a soft, familiar fragrance greeted her. It was astoundingly fresh, the smell that haunted her every memory and dream. Owlpaw? She mouthed his name, confusion blurring the lines of reality. His scent wreathed around her, whispering comfort instead of upset into her heart.

    As quickly as it had come, it was gone.

    Calmness stilled Silverapw's erratic breathing, and she lay motionless on the ground. Whether his scent was a figment of her imagination, she wasn't sure, but it had been there. Maybe I was useless in the past... but this could be my chance to prove myself. Her breathing hitched. Gathering her muscles beneath her, she burst upwards in a sudden explosion of courage. She staggered Gingerfang's iron grip just enough to free herself.

    The apprentice bounded a tail-length away, pain thundering in her skull. She ignored it and spun back around to face the tom yet again, her spine arched and hackles raised. Blood trickled down her face in a steady stream, lacing her bared teeth. Though she knew she would never be capable of beating Gingerfang, she knew she had to at least try. If not for herself, but for Owlpaw. To prove that his death was not in vain.

    "This is RiverClan land!" She shrieked, flinging herself at the tom.

    She flicked out her claws and slashed them across his ears. A savage shriiip split the air as flesh tore free, a chunk of his ear flying to the forest floor. Silverpaw skittered backwards with a lash of her tail, her eyes narrowed precariously as she studied the now-murderous enemy warrior's looming figure.

    Gingerfang charged. Silverpaw dodged nimbly to the side, but a yelp snagged in her throat as the tom's massive teeth gripped her tail. She scrabbled at the ground as he dragged her back, agony jolting up her spine. He swung her to the side. She slammed against the ground with a shout, her muscles trembling. She forced herself to her paws, hardly moving quickly enough to dodge a catastrophic blow. The ground shook at the force of his paws.

    Panting, Silverpaw faced him again. Though her body trembled in agony, she prepared for another attack.

    Before she could, however, an anguished wail erupted through the sky. Silverpaw spun around.

    "Evefrost!"

    Sorrelmouse stood a tail-length away from the russet ShadowClan warrior. Both were bloodied and injured from the skirmish, but Sorrelmouse's expression trembled with grief. A sad smile twisted her face, and she took a hesitant step forward.

    Evefrost pounced.

    Claws gleamed wickedly in the air as the ShadowClan warrior, a cat Silverpaw now recognized as Sorrelmouse's long lost daughter, latched her claws around Sorrelmouse's neck. As the two fell to the ground in a tangle of red fur, her teeth closed around Sorrelmouse's throat, stretching and tearing in an unnatural, gruesome display as she yanked her head back.

    Sorrelmouse's eyes widened, a tear rolling down her cheek. As her daughter skipped away, she staggered to her paws, but she couldn't carry her own weight.

    Forgetting the large warrior behind her, a broken scream ripped from Silverpaw's lungs.

    She sprinted forward as fast as she could, the world growing dizzyingly slow. She slipped beneath Sorrelmouse's collapsing body to break her fall, guiding her gently to the needle-strewn floor. Her throat felt unbearably tight as fear constricted her body.

    "Sorrelmouse," she gasped, nuzzling her mentor's fur. Tears sprang into her eyes, choking her ability to form words as she stared at Sorrelmouse's rapidly weakening body.

    Blood scattered her pelt and oozed from her throat. StarClan, there was so much blood.

    Silverpaw's breathing accelerated in a panic. What could she do? What was happening? Her legs crumpled and she pressed her nose desperately against Sorrelmouse's pelt. Her mind flashed back to Owlpaw's death. That was bloody, too... wasn't it? She felt bile rise in her throat. It choked her like the claws of a rogue. Slashing, slashing, and slashing.

    Sorrelmouse shakily craned her neck to look Silverpaw in the eye. Her eyes glowed with warmth and love, despite the rapidly gathering fogginess that choked their golden depths.

    "You fought so well today," she whispered hoarsely. With every breath she took, blood frothed at her lips. She leaned forward and gave Silverpaw a shaky lick on the cheek. "You have no idea just how proud I am."

    "You can be proud later," Silverpaw gasped, brushing her nose against Sorrelmouse's muzzle.

    The red warrior shivered, and the apprentice responded by lapping at her pelt in a futile attempt to offer comfort. After a few heartbeats of no result, helpless anger ensnared her body, and she stumbled to her feet. This can't be in vain. The thought bounced around her head, numbingly loud.

    Sorrelmouse's glazed eyes followed her. She murmured a soft protest, but her voice faded into the background as Silverpaw turned to face Evefrost.

    Red blurred her vision. Silverpaw flew at the russet warrior, her claws outstretched.

    A body slammed into her side, knocking the breath out of her and sending her rolling across the earth. Her eyes flashed to the cat who had her pinned, rage feuling her body as she kicked at their belly, her claws extended to their fullest.

    "Silverpaw, stop!" Nosefleck snarled, twisting her body out of the apprentice's reach. "Get a hold of yourself, for StarClan's sake! The battle is lost."

    "Let me go!"

    "Only if you do nothing rash," Nosefleck hissed scathingly, relinquishing her hold on the apprentice.

    She blocked Silverpaw's path to the ShadowClan warriors, and the silver apprentice snarled, her eyes hot with tears as she peered past her.

    Dappledfang stood, his lips curled in a snarl as he faced his daughter. "What have you done?" He hissed.

    Evefrost lifted her head and met Dappledfang's matching amber eyes. Her expression wavered, but she quickly set her face and stood tall. "I've proven my loyalty to my Clan," she stated firmly. "This is ShadowClan territory now."

    "But RiverClan is your home," Dappledfang protested feebly.

    "Not anymore. Not when ShadowClan cared for me when you could not," Evefrost growled. "Leave before you face more casualties. This is our land."

    The two faced each other. For a heartbeat, Silverpaw thought Dappledfang would rip his daughter's pelt off, but with one last hiss, he spun around and raced back to Sorrelmouse's side. The tom sank to his haunches, showering his mate in affectionate licks.

    "It's going to be okay," he mewed urgently, lapping between her ears. "You'll be okay, my love. Just keep your eyes open."

    "Oh, Dappledfang..." Sorrelmouse's voice was so weak, Silverpaw could hardly hear it. "Of course I'll be fine. I could never leave you alone."

    Silverpaw trembled as she saw the tiny smile cresting her mentor's mouth, even with so much blood frothing around it. Dappledfang let out a low, distressed moan, sinking his muzzle deeper into Sorrelmouse's fur. "You'd better not," he sobbed.

    "Silverpaw." Silverpaw turned to see Paledusk watching her, his expression dark. "Go back to camp and fetch Wishfern."

    "W-Wishfern?" She could hardly process his words.

    Dappledfang lifted his tear-stained eyes. "Yes!" He shouted, his voice so shrill that Silverpaw crouched away in fright. "Get her now, please!"

    Silverpaw's paws turned to mush as she stared at Sorrelmouse and Dappledfang. She couldn't move. How could they expect her to run again?

    Dappledfang lurched to his paws, viciously cuffing her around the ears. "Go now, you useless apprentice!" He shrieked. "She's dying!"

    Feeling sprang back to her paws, and she gave herself a violent shake, stumbling backwards. She glanced at her mentor one final time, horror seizing her body.

    "Okay," she gasped. "Okay!"

    Her paws fumbled against the ground. She spun around, pelting back to camp as fast as her paws could carry her, Dappledfang's final words ringing in her ears to the beat of her heart.

    "She's dying!"