Dawnflower's Sorrow

Chapter 17

Three moons have passed and Dawnflower's kits are now five moons old. Nightclaw continues to leave her kits, but now days at a time. She practically raised the poor kits and she doesn't know what will happen when she leaves the nursery. She noticed many changed about them as well; Otterkit has been spending more time in the medicine cat den with Flamepelt and her four other kits have been spending more time with Nightclaw's kits. Blackpaw should be a warrior any day as well, so Dawnflower is happy about that. And in a moon, her own kits will be apprentices.

Dawnflower was currently eating a mouse. Prey is starting to become scarce once more as the cold weather picks up. Leafstar called to the queen and Dawnflower noticed how frail her leader has really become in these last moons. When she was an apprentice, her leader seemed strong but now, she's just gotten old and weak as the moons go by. Dawnflower followed her leader in her den and sat down in front of her. "I've noticed that you've been caring for Nightclaw's kits. I noticed this in the beginning and I'd hoped it would get better but I only see now that it's gotten worse. I should've done something earlier." Her dappled leader said and Dawnflower nodded.

"You won't have to stay in the nursery for another moon, I'll have another she cat look after them. You've done enough, Dawnflower. You are a strong she cat who will do great things one day." Leafstar said and the orange and white queen noticed something in her leader's eyes that she couldn't place. Dawnflower nodded in thanks and smiled. "If I may be honest, and I wouldn't tell anyone else this, Dawnflower. I only trust you. I don't even trust Whitestorm and he's my own deputy." Leafstar exclaimed.

Dawnflower flet pride surge through her veins at her leader's words and a smile spread across her lips. "But I doubt Nightclaw's loyalty to this clan." Leafstar admitted and her gaze turned serious. Dawnflower nodded in agreement. "As do I, Leafstar. She leaves days on end and if it weren't for me, her kits wouldn't have made it past their first moon!" She exclaimed in disbelief and Leafstar nodded. "I know. It's a shame." She said with a frown. "But I have manners to discuss with you, Dawnflower." She said and Dawnflower nodded for her to go on.

"I would like you to train Darkkit. I fear she may turn into her mother and I would like a strong, loyal cat like you to bring her on the right path." Leafstar said. It felt rude to discriminate against Darkkit only because of her pelt. The other three are just as likely to turn out like their mother but Dawnflower accepted anway. Leafstar smiled and nodded. "I also have a request." Dawnflower stated and Leafstar willed her on.

"Otterkit seems interested in being a medicine cat, as I observe, and if she wants to be a medicine cat, I was hoping she could train under the guidance of Flamepelt." Dawnflower hoped. She knew the rule about kin but she just had to try. Leafstar let out a breath and thought for a moment. "Well, kin aren't supposed to train kin but who else will do it? Shadowclan's threat is still hanging in the air and if, StarClan forbid, Flamepelt happens to be attacked, she won't have an apprentice to take over. The other kits don't seem interested and who knows when another she cat will have kits? This once, I will let Flamepelt train her kin." Leafstar said with a smile and Dawnflower smiled wide.

"Thank you." She said with a purr and Leafstar nodded with a smile. "And also, I would like if Blackpaw could train one of my kits." She said and Leafstar nodded and Dawnflower smiled once more. She said thank you and then padded out of the den and into the medicine cat den. Flamepelt was explaining what juniper berries were to Otterkit and she could see a spark in her daughter's eyes that wasn't there before with her siblings and fighting. She smiled and purred. "Oh, hey Dawnflower." Flamepelt said after hearing her sister purr.

She smiled and padded in more. "I need to speak with you." She said and Flamepelt nodded and padded out of the den with her sister. "I just spoke with Leafstar and she said that Otterkit could train under the guidance of you, if both of you would like." She said and a wide smile spread across Flamepelt's face. She nodded eagerly and Dawnflower giggled a bit and padded back into the den. "Otterkit, come here." She said and Otterkit obeyed.