Warrior cats [Major Update: read desc]

Chapter 7

Dawnpaw looked around in the dark, not knowing where she was or how they got there. The gold apprentice slowly patted over to a single tree that grew tall and strong. The tree was thick and had large roots that stuck out of the ground. Dawnpaw sat in front of the tree and looked at the leaves. The leaves were green, however, they were very dull and almost seemed colorless. One leaf fell next to Dawnpaw and quickly turned brown on its way to the ground. The wind blew softly, which made the leaf scuttle away. Dawnpaw felt a presence behind her, so she turned around with unsheathed claws. There was a short warrior that seemed to shine holding a mouse in her jaws. She set the mouse down and fluffed out her long, thick fur. “Hello Dawnpaw. I am Dusttuft.” Dawnpaw couldn’t believe her eyes. The she-cat was beautiful, and had stars around her flank. Dusttuft gestured to the mouse for Dawnpaw to take it. She moved slowly and sheathed their claws as they picked up the mouse. “Do not eat it, but take it as a gift.” Dawnpaw tilted their head in confusion. “This mouse will become your power. You will be a skilled, silent Shadowclan hunter.” She dropped the mouse. “Is this some kind of prophecy?” The brown she-cat sighed. “Not quite. As I said, It is a gift.” Dawnpaw’s eyes shot open as she sat up to catch their breath from the dream. Squirrelpaw glanced over to his friend and crouched next to them. “Are you ok? I noticed you were breathing heavily last night but I didn’t think too much about it. Duckpaw did, he came over here to wake you up but you were out.” Dawnpaw saw no reason to ignore the tom so they sighed and smiled in response. “I’m fine. I just had a weird dream, that’s all.” Squirrelpaw smiled back. “Hey, I got a word out of you.” His sharp teeth showed as he smiled. “Well I think I need to go to Frogfang. See you later Dawnpaw.” He patted out of the den and Dawnpaw shortly followed. The air was cold and the sun was barely up. It was dark and cold but that didn’t mean Leopardwhisker wouldn’t want to train. The mentor was walking to the apprentice den to wake Dawnpaw. He saw that the gilded apprentice was ready to train. The two made their way to an open part of the territory. The clearing was moist and had many ferns growing from every direction. Dawnpaw saw the trail their mentor made in the damp dirt, and followed them exactly. He then turned and faced the apprentice. “I believe you know how to fight?” “I- I know a good set of moves.” “Show me what you know. Then I can see what I will be working with.” He got into a fight-like stance with sheathed claws, so he did not harm the apprentice. Dawnpaw did the same as she lunged onto Leopardwhisker. He easily pushed them off, still in the fighting stance. ‘I didn’t even move him.’ Dawnpaw thought. They prepared to attack again, but this time, she thought a bit longer on their next move. Dawnpaw zig-zagged toward Leopardwhisker. They faked right and leaped to his left as he went to cover his right. Dawnpaw took their paw as they were to slice the warrior, however, no damage came to the tom. He stared at Dawnpaw, impressed. “Wonderful.” Dawnpaw let the praise seep into their skin. “Finally.” Pride filled she-cat as she strutted back to their original position. “Now,” Leopardwhisker continued, “Let me show you what I will teach you.” The tom crouched and Dawnpaw prepared for impact. The mentor leaped over the small cat and held his paw up as if he was going to slice their leg. Dawnpaw reacted by jumping and turning in the air, facing their mentor and his paw met with their ear. Fortunately, Leopardwhisker did not cut the ear. “You turned, which you were lucky I only hit your ear, but I might have given you a scar on your face. You need to choose if your leg or your face is more important. Protecting your belly and eyes are the key to fighting because they are the most vulnerable parts of your body. Again.” The two trained seemingly endlessly until it was past sunhigh. Dawnpaw huffed. “Let's go back to camp.” Leopardwhisker smiled and turned. Dawnpaw could tell he was very proud of her progress. The apprentice made their way back into camp as she was greeted by a Duckpaw with a vole between his jaws. He dropped the vole in front of Dawnpaw. “It’s for you, all the queens have eaten and you look starved.” Dawnpaw pressed her head on Duckpaw’s, showing gratitude. “Thanks.” She gobbled the vole down, making sure to not choke at the least. “I was so hungry. Thanks again Duckpaw.” “No problem.” He sat with his paws tucked in, Dawnpaw did the same. “So how was training with deadtail?” Dawnpaw mewed. “Oh well she says that I am doing better than when I was first apprenticed, She tells me I need to work a little harder. How’s Leopardwhisker?” “I think he thinks I’m improving.” “You think he thinks?” The yellowish cat laughed. “Well… I just know he believes in me.” “But he’s said that? Right?” “Well, no but- It’s a feeling, you know?” Duckpaw tilted his head. “Believe whatever you want.” For the next few days, nothing happened in camp and Dawnpaw remained determined to win their mentor’s approval by attacking him and hunting with him. “Will all cats old enough to lurk in the shadows gather around the shade rock for a clan meeting.” Dawnpaw turned to see Otterpool and her kits leaving the nursery. Bluekit looked huge, obviously ready to be apprenticed. He was followed by his siblings but Bluekit was hard to miss. “Otterpools kits are now six moons old, they will become apprentices today,” Flamestar began again, “Bluekit, you shall be known as Bluepaw.” The clan cheered his name. “Bluepaw Bluepaw Bluepaw.” Otterpool’s voice was the loudest. “Next, Poppykit, you shall be known as Poppypaw and Fernkit will be known as Fernpaw.” “Poppypaw Poppypaw Poppypaw. Fernpaw Fernpaw Fernpaw.” The clan shouted. “And finally, Fishkit, you shall be known as Fishpaw.” The clan cheered once more then fell into a temporary silence. “Freckleflank will mentor Bluepaw and I will personally mentor Fishpaw.” Otterpool quietly huffed. “What about Fernpaw and Poppypaw?” “We do not have enough warriors at the time.” Responded Flamestar. Otterpool sighed but smiled at her kits. “I’m so proud of you.” She whispered. Dawnpaw thought back to their ceremony and how they felt. “Clan dismissed.” Bluepaw made his way over to Dawnpaw and puffed out his chest. “Guess who’s little now.” He was just a bit bigger than Dawnpaw. He passed by her as he flicked his tail in Dawnpaw’s face. As the day went on, Bluepaw would come over to Dawnpaw and brag about his strength and size. When Moonrise came, Leopardwhisker approached Dawnpaw with a serious look. “There's been a Kittypet sighted in our territory, I want you to prove you are strong enough.” “I’ll do it.”