A New Horizon: Book 1: Sun Awakening {COMPLETE}

Chapter 6

"We're exploring the territory" Cherryleaf mewed as they walked away from the Clan meeting towards the exit of camp.

"Why not battle training? Or hunting?" Falconpaw complained, he wanted to learn how

to fight! So he could get revenge on that stupid AshClan apprentice for scarring his nose.

"Be grateful I'm not making you collect moss." Cherryleaf said, but her tone wasn't hostile; it was playful. Falconpaw sighed, at least he would be able to see the forest. He had spent the past moon listening to every command and holding his tongue so he could become an apprentice today. Honeypaw had been serious about becoming a medicine cat. He wished she would've became a normal apprentice with him, because until Pikekit, Larkkit and Sorrelkit became apprentices it would just be him with Mudpaw and Earthpaw and he really didn't want to share a den with Mudpaw.

"Pay attention!" Cherryleaf hissed, snapping Falconpaw out of his thoughts. "You need to watch the forest, this is your territory and you need to have every single part of it memorized. If AshClan invades again, you will always have the advantage of fighting in your own territory. Learn the best places to hide, to attack and where to trap your enemies. You also need to know the best and worst places to catch prey."

Falconpaw did understand her point and tried his best to focus on the forest around him. This part of the forest was similar to the part he had explored, but he could smell a million different scents. He wanted to learn them all, he wanted to learn the different scent of each piece of prey. He dug his claws into the soft forest soil, the forest filled him with so much life and energy. This was where he belonged.

"We're nearing the AshClan border, can you smell it?" Cherryleaf questioned. Falconpaw lifted his nose, breathing in the scents around him. He recognized the foul scent from when he fought the AshClan apprentice.

"Yeah, I can." Falconpaw replied. "Where is the border?" Cherryleaf moved forward.

"The border starts at this tree, it's one of the bigger trees in the forest so it's noticeable." Cherryleaf explained. "The border goes all the way until the river, which we will look at next." They turned away from the AshClan border walking deeper into the forest. The trees and thick brush gradually began thinning out until they came to they came to a clearing not far from the river. "This is the river that separates us from the gathering hollow. We cross at the stepping stones up ahead." They walked along the river banks. "This is where SunClan stayed during the fire."

Falconpaw remembered vaguely crossing the river to take shelter from the fire. "Did you hide here with the Clan?" He questioned Cherryleaf.

The tortoiseshell shook her head. "No, I was still in AshClan at this time. I didn't leave AshClan until your mother came to come get me."

Falconpaw stopped. "You used to be in AshClan?"

Cherryleaf nodded. "My father, Thornstar, was the SunClan deputy until he tried to kill the former leader, Flowerstar. When your mother stopped him he was exiled but went to AshClan and killed Lionstar, taking over the Clan. When me, Briarrose and our brother Thrushclaw were all kits he stole us from SunClan and we lived there until your mother came to come get us."

Falconpaw looked forward. He had heard about Thornstar, and knew that they were kin but he never heard that particular story. "I didn't know that." He replied. "What happened to Thrushclaw?"

"Thrushlaw decided to stay with our father after myself and Briarrose decided to leave, but he died during the battle." Cherryleaf's eyes stared straight forward, her eyes didn't seem to be sad, Falconpaw couldn't tell what she was feeling. "But that story doesn't matter now. We're almost to the MoonClan border." Falconpaw accepted her dropping the story and looked ahead. The river branched off into two different directions, Cherryleaf turned into SunClan territory. "MoonClan's border is this river, it's a pretty hard border to miss and you try and cross into MoonClan's territory you'll probably fall in the river."