Dawn of the Storm

Chapter Six

Dapplestorm walked down the long path with the prey she had caught. The scent of two cats was strong on the path. She recognized one as Jasper's. The other smelled like herbs, and reminded her of the medicine den back in SkyClan.

Dapplepaw winced as Heatherleaf placed herbs on her shoulder. "What's the point in healing if I've lost my family?" She asked. Heatherleaf gently licked Dapplepaw on the head. "They wouldn't want you to give up," the medicine cat said. Dapplepaw grunted. "Well maybe I do want to give up."
     Heatherleaf continued to treat her wound, gently placing cobwebs on the wound. "It will scar," she said. "And you won't be training for a few days based on how deep it is."
Dapplepaw nodded. "I don't want to train anymore. Ravenflight is the closet to family I have. It I get more attached to him and lose him too..."
      "Don't think about it." The medicine cat pushed a couple poppy seeds close to Dapplepaw. "You need rest." She insisted. "So you can attend your mother's vigil tomorrow night."

Dapplestorm knew that was long ago, but the pain of losing her mother still burned inside her. Shaking her head to clear her mind, Dapplestorm tasted the air.
     "Hello, Dapplestorm," meowed a voice. Jasper stepped out from a bush. "What are you doing so far this way?"
"I brought you a gift for being so kind to me yesterday," Dapplestorm explained, dropping her prey at his paws. Jasper tilted his head. "You didn't have to do that," he meowed. "But thank you. I'm sure Shadow would appreciate a shrew." He picked up the prey and motioned for her to follow him into a small opening between two bushes. She followed, realizing it must be the entrance to his home. A black she-cat sat in the camp, but what Dapplestorm was really amazed by was a tree.