Warriors: A New Life ~Series 2 Book 1~

Chapter 10

Silvershy's POV:

Glares bore into Silvershy as she settled in the middle of the clustered cats in an uncomfortable silence. Greystep and Eagleflight stayed close to her side, hissing at any enemy cats that came too close.

Silvershy turned her gaze up at the four leaders sitting at the top of the ledge. Stormstar sat towards the back of the four, his gaze cautious. The black tom seemed intimidated by the other three leaders.

After a tense silence fell upon the cats, Jaggedstar took a step forwards to begin the gathering. The massive tom rumbled, "Ravenclan is doing well. Prey is running nicely and the ice from the frozen stream has thawed completely. Fish are slowly returning to the stream, as are the mice and squirrels of our forest." He took a step back, motioning with his tail for the next cat to step forward.

The white she cat's grey eyes flickered across the Lightclan cats before taking a step forward. "I welcome Lightclan to their new territory, my name is Silentstar of Echoclan." Her voice was so quiet, Silvershy had to strain her ears to hear her correctly. "Echoclan is good as well. The rabbits are slowly returning to the moorland and our caves and tunnels are now plentiful with moles and shrews. One of our apprentices picked up the scent of a badger close to the border between us and Smallclan." She gave a pointed glance at the Smallclan leader.

The she cat dipped her head, "We have already seen the badger in our territory. We chased it out." Then she pricked her ears and turned to Stormstar. "It might be around your territory, so you might want to keep a look out."

Stormstar dipped his head and promised, "We will."

The Echoclan leader finished off her speech, "Echoclan has two new warriors. Please welcome Fishheart and Lilystripe!"

"Fishheart! Lilystripe!" The cats cheered the new warriors' names. Silvershy looked around until she spotted the two warriors, their heads held high. She wondered if Stormstar was going to announce her new name as well.

Next, the Smallclan leader took a step forwards to begin her announcements. Silvershy saw her gaze stuck on Stormstar, her pretty light blue eyes watching the black tom. Stormstar shifted his weight uncomfortably. At last, the light brown and grey she cat tore her gaze away and turned to look down at the gathered cats below her. "I too, welcome Lightclan here tonight." She dipped her head to Stormstar, "My name is Petalstar."

Stormstar dipped his head and meowed, "Thank you."

Petalstar nodded and turned back to begin her clan's announcements. "Smallclan is doing well. Prey has returned to our forest and fish are plentiful in the sea and streams. One of our warriors, Featherfur, has join the elders den and a litter of kits have been born to Snakeice." She took a step back with another dip of her head.

Silvershy waited with narrowed eyes for Stormstar to step forwards.

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Flamefur's POV:

Flamefur wasn't even paying attention to the leaders. Her full attention was on a black and white tom from Ravenclan. The tom glared back at her with a small growl. They didn't say anything, but an invisible fire raged between them.

She was so focused on mentally clawing the tom to bits, she hadn't notice Tigerstripe had brushed against her. Only when his rough voice breathed in her ear did she turn abruptly to face her brother. "What?" She hissed.

"What's wrong?" Tigerstripe asked, eyes narrowed with worry for his sister. He flashed a hostile glare at the black and white tom, who hissed back. "Is he annoying you?"

"No.." Flamefur didn't want to bring much attention to the feud that was going on between her and the Ravenclan tom.

"Yes he is." Tigerstripe hissed. "I'll teach him not to annoy you." He stepped protectively in front of Flamefur, his brown tabby fur bristling. "Aren't you supposed to be listening to the leaders?" He addressed the tom.

The Ravenclan tom twitched his whiskers with a calm smirk, "I could ask you the same thing."

Tigerstripe growled and unsheathed his claws. Flamefur felt her own ginger fur rise up along her shoulders and her tail twitched nervously. Is a fight going to break out?

The Ravenclan tom let out a fierce snarl and rose to his own paws, his muscles rippling under his fur. The tom stood straight, his muzzle level with Tigerstripe's. Tigerstripe bared his teeth and Flamefur prepared herself to leap to her brother's defence but suddenly, Jaggedstar's sharp mew sounded from the ledge. "Blackfang!"

Blackfang's eyes widened slightly and he slowly turned around to face his leader, tail drooping between his hind legs. "Y-Yes Jaggedstar?"

"What are you doing?" Jaggedstar hissed, amber eyes blazing with anger.

"The Lightclan she cat was threatening me." Blackfang meowed, his tail pointing straight at Flamefur. Tigerstripe hissed and swept his thick brown tail over Flamefur protectively. Flamefur growled but said nothing.

Jaggedstar's burning gaze fell upon Flamefur and she fought the urge to look away in shame from the Ravenclan tom. He's not my leader. I don't have to listen to him.

"What is your name, Lightclan cat?" Jaggedstar asked smoothly.

Flamefur glanced quickly at Stormstar to see her leader standing cautiously behind Jaggedstar, a wary look on his face. Their gazes met and Stormstar sent her a silent beg to not cause anymore trouble. Flamefur blinked at him to show she understood and glanced back at Jaggedstar, who waited patiently.

"My name is Flamefur." She meowed, her gaze fixed on Jaggedstar, refusing to back down.

"Flamefur, is it true that you were annoying Blackfang?"

Immediately, Tigerstripe snarled. "Of course not! Blackfang was the one who started it!"

Flamefur winced as Jaggedstar's gaze raked over her and to her brother. She felt Tigerstripe tense from beside her. "And who are you?"

"I am Tigerstripe, Flamefur's brother." The brown tabby replied boldly, tail lashing and ears pinned back against the back of his head.

Tigerstripe was about to open his jaws to speak again but Jaggedstar shook his head, blinking calmly. His front claws curled over the edge of the ledge. "I'm not interested in what else you have to say. Blackfang will be given apprentice duties for the next quarter moon as penalty for interrupting a gathering." He meowed loudly, his voice bouncing against the rocks around the clan cats. He then tilted his to the side to look at Stormstar. "I suggest you choose a suitable punishment for your disruptive warriors as well." Stormstar nodded slowly at Jaggedstar, flashing an angry glare at Flamefur and Tigerstripe.

Flamefur shrunk away, her fur hot with embarrassment.

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