The Dawn of Night | A Warriors Fanfiction ✔

Chapter 3

Moonpaw hurried back to the den. Now there were eight nests, one for each of the apprentices. Moonpaw walked over to hers.

"Pretty quick talk," Sunpaw observed, kneading her nest to make it more comfortable. "Too bad we can't sleep in tomorrow."

"One of the things I miss," Redpaw put in. "Being a kit and being able to sleep in as long as you want. But there are plenty of benefits to being an apprentice. We're officially Clan-members, you could say."

"We always have been," remarked Forestpaw. "Just never an important part." She laid down in her nest and her ears twitched. "We've got a long day ahead of us. We've got training to do."

The other apprentices settled down as well. Sunpaw snuggled up in the mossy warmth of the nest that was so different from the ones in the nursery, which was mostly soft moss and bird down. But she was comfortable. She tucked her face into her belly and yawned. Her nest was just left of the entrance to the den, so she saw a part of the now half-full moon as she slowly fell asleep.

* * *

"Sunpaw. Sunpaw. Get up!"

"Go away," Sunpaw muttered.

"Get up, you lazy lump!"

Sunpaw looked up and blinked her eyes. The smirking face of Stormfoot peeked into the den. He was reddish-colored, a bit like Sunpaw, with amber eyes.

"Oh! Of course!" Sunpaw stood up straight, feeling stupid, and quickly groomed some stray hairs into place.

"Better," meowed Stormfoot approvingly. "Now come on. I'll show you the borders of territory today. That's the most important."

"Okay," answered Sunpaw. It wasn't the most exciting thing to learn, but she would finally be able to venture out of camp - and maybe, once she had the basics down, she'd get to patrol with real warriors.

Stormfoot led her out of camp and out into the dense, mossy forest. The sun was rising, casting its usual orangey glow over the ground. Birds twittered in the trees and Sunpaw heard small animals running through the bushes. Too bad I don't know how to hunt yet, she thought.

But then again, maybe Stormfoot would teach her today and she could catch her own prey.

They walked and walked for what seemed like forever until they reached a part of the forest where a different type of tree lined the edge of ThunderClan territory. Stormfoot showed her how to mark her scent by rubbing against the trees. They walked along that border until they came to a thick river.

"This is an important boundary," answered Stormfoot. "We only get a portion of this river, since we hunt primarily on land. The rest, including the land on the other side, belongs to RiverClan. Do not cross that border," he turned to Sunpaw seriously. "I don't want you running into trouble."

"Of course," mewed Sunpaw in a small voice, following him past the main part of the river. There was a group of rather flat boulders there, behind them stretching more forest. Sunpaw sniffed the air, which smelled strange.

"These are the Sunningrocks," Stormfoot told her. "Beyond these is RiverClan territory. You can smell them, can't you? There has been a long quarrel with RiverClan on who owns Sunningrocks. It's ours now, but I wouldn't be surprised if they asked for it again."

Sunpaw was starting to think this was quite a boring vital part of training, but she nodded and kept going. They headed past the river and toward Fourtrees where they reached a breezy moor.

"This is the border to WindClan territory," he meowed. "If you smell, you can tell a patrol passed by recently." He flicked his tail and they headed east again.

They passed the sandy training hollow and soon reached a wide, pitch-black, hard-looking strip of land that stretched horizontally about seven fox-lengths from where they stood.

"This, Sunpaw," Stormfoot began, "Is the Thunderpath. It's highly dangerous and where monsters run. Do not ever try to cross it without a warrior. Beyond it is ShadowClan territory. ShadowClan cats are not very trustworthy, so keep your head if you ever come in contact with one."

Sunpaw gulped. She did not know what he meant until she saw something approaching in the distance - something colorful speeding faster and faster. It had enormous black paws and tore across the Path and at last out of sight.

"They cannot leave the Path," continued Stormfoot. "But several cats have been killed by these monsters." He turned to Sunpaw. "Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir," replied Sunpaw with a gulp.

He then led her past the Thunderpath, past the Snakerocks, finishing their circle, to the edge of the forest where strange squarish structures and bushes towered a bit a way.

"This is the Twolegplace," he explained. "Twolegs are also dangerous, and quite strange as well. Another reason not to cross the boundaries."

"Is that it for the boundaries, then?"

"Yes. As long as you follow what I said, it's fairly easy to stay safe. All apprentices are frightened when they first hear about the Thunderpath and the Twolegs."

"Alright," replied Sunpaw.

"Tomorrow we start hunting. One of the rules of the warrior code is to hunt and bring fresh-kill back for the Clan every day, and you never eat your fresh-kill before the Clan is fed. Remember: the Clan is always fed first - beginning with queens, elders, and kits. Violate this rule and you will not eat. Is that clear?"

"Yea," she nodded. She bet that there were lots of rules here. "Can I try to catch my own fresh-kill tomorrow, then?" she piped up.

Stormfoot smiled, then laughed. "Yes, Sunpaw," he said. "You may. Let's get back to camp."