The Dawn of Night | A Warriors Fanfiction ✔

Chapter 10

Moonpaw yawned, lifting her head up from her nest. Her paws ached from the day before; she had been rushing around the medicine den, constantly checking upon her wounded littermates after the fight with the ShadowClan patrol. As she had finally entered her den and sank into her nest, she had found sleeping hard with her rasping breaths. She shook her head to clear her thoughts and nosed her way out of the den. In the clearing she spotted Beepaw picking out a juicy squirrel from the fresh-kill pile and trotted over to him; the two had become good friends after the last several days.

"Hi," she greeted him. He looked up from his squirrel and smiled warmly.

"Hi, Moonpaw," he purred. "Would you like to share this squirrel with me? I'm nearly full."

Moonpaw gazed at the fresh-kill, her stomach rumbling and growling with hunger. "I thought you'd never ask!" she teased and settled down beside him.

"So, what did you think of the battle yesterday?" Beepaw asked. His striking orange pelt almost glowed like the sun on the dazzling sunlight.

Moonpaw shrugged. "Typical ShadowClan." She rolled her eyes. "Always seem to be getting into trouble." Beepaw nodded.

"They must have been really hungry," he observed.

"Yeah," Moonpaw agreed, looking thoughtful. "They must have been crazy, thinking they could beat ThunderClan!" she huffed, puffing out her chest as if she herself had done the fighting.

Beepaw's eyes gleamed as he pawed at a leaf, pretending it to be a ShadowClan warrior. He pounced on it and ripped it apart with his claws, purring with pleasure.

"Take that, ShadowClan!" he yowled. Moonpaw snorted with laughter.

"Yes, and we have the bravest warrior in ThunderClan to get rid of those mange-pelts!" Moonpaw teased, her voice full of playful sarcasm.

He looked at her, his dark yellow eyes blazing. "I'll show those mange-pelts! Crow-food eaters!"

"I'm sure you-"

"Beepaw! Moonpaw!" Swiftclaw padded up to them. "Stop acting like kits! You're apprentices now! And," she glanced at Moonpaw, "I've already told you once, Moonpaw, when you were first apprenticed. And just because now you are further along in your apprenticeship doesn't mean you get to behave like this. More reason to not, frankly."

Moonpaw rose to her paws, sudden anger burning in her like a forest fire. "Can't we have a little fun?" she snapped at her mentor. She winced as the older cat narrowed her eyes, her voice full of hostility.

"Don't you dare speak back to your mentor! Or anyone!" she hissed. A growl rose in her throat.

"Well, Beepaw and I deserve a little fun! We're just sharing a squirrel and having a good time!" Moonpaw retorted. "We aren't training every moment of our lives!"

Swiftclaw bared her teeth at Moonpaw, but the apprentice stood up straighter, unruffled by her mentor's anger.

"Watch your mouth," Swiftclaw growled, stalking away towards Maplestar's den.

Moonpaw sat down, sighing. "I shouldn't have done that," she murmured, looking up at Beepaw. His eyes were wide in disbelief.

"W-Wow! Moonpaw!" he stuttered. "Just... Wow! No one ever talks back to Swiftclaw! She can have the temper of a badger at times!"

"No biggie," Moonpaw muttered. "She's my mentor, though..."

Beepaw nodded. "Yea, and Maplestar probably thinks you deserve punishment," he said, lowering his voice and nodding towards Maplestar, who was bounding up to them, her fur bristling.

"Moonpaw! Get over here!" she demanded. Beepaw gave her a quick lick on the ear in a weak form of encouragement before she started towards her leader. Ears flattened and head down, she faced Maplestar.

"I-"

"My den. Now." Maplestar whisked away to her den, Moonpaw following steadily behind. She didn't hesitate when they reached the cave and pushed through the entrance. Maplestar sat in her nest, her tail curled neatly around her paws. Moonpaw sat in front of her on the dusty floor.

"Swiftclaw told me what happened," she began. "Do you have anything to say for yourself, as to why you would talk back so brutally to your mentor, and especially since she's a senior warrior? If so, speak up, apprentice. You know that senior warriors deserve respect."

Moonpaw gulped. "I think apprentices deserve a little fun," she said, lowering her head in submission. Her voice quivered. When she looked back up she saw that Maplestar's gaze had softened.

"Of course apprentices deserve fun! You work so, so hard!" Maplestar mewed. Then she tilted her head, her tone changing slightly. "Is this really what this is about?"

"I guess..."

"Okay. Moonpaw, for a punishment for speaking back to a warrior you will clean out the elser's bedding for a quarter moon. But I will have to speak with Swiftclaw. She does have a point, though. You must watch when it is time to be an apprentice and when it is time to be a warrior."

"Yes, Maplestar. I'm-" Her leader paid no attention.

"And the time was right," she went on. "You and Beepaw have done no harm." She smiled and beckoned Moonpaw closer. "I can find you a second mentor to assist Swiftclaw, if you want," she whispered.

Moonpaw shook her head. "Swiftclaw is a great mentor," she mewed. "I'm glad you want me happy, but I already am. One mistake won't change her from being a great mentor." She was pleased when Maplestar nodded, and how she heard wisdom in her own words.

"Thank you, Moonpaw. You may go now. And remember your punishment."

Moonpaw nodded and trotted out of the den, dipping her head to Maplestar in respect as she exited.

Beepaw was waiting at the entrance. "How'd it go?" he whispered.

"You shouldn't be here, right in front of Maplestar's den, mouse-brain!" Moonpaw was surprised. "But it went fine. I have to clean out the elder's bedding for a quarter-moon, but it's all good."

"Good. I don't think you deserve punishment at all. But I guess that's not too bad," Beepaw murmured.

"Yea, I guess so. Come on, let's get back to the apprentice den before our mentors come and get us for training."

Beepaw nodded. "Good idea."

As Moonpaw led him into the den, she couldn't help but think about the long quarter-moon that lay ahead. She sighed, sitting down in her nest.

"Hey, Moonpaw," Fogpaw whispered. She jumped at his voice; she hadn't realized he was in the den.

"Oh, hi, Fogpaw."

"How's your morning going?" he asked.

Moonpaw shrugged, remembering her time in her leader's den. "Fine. Nothing exciting happened," she lied.

"When are mornings ever exciting?" Fogpaw chimed in.

"But Moonpaw-" Beepaw chipped in. Moonpaw shot him a warning glance, telling him that she didn't want to talk about it.

"Yea. Nothing exciting," he quickly said. Moonpaw rolled her eyes. Fogpaw just shrugged.

"Is Swiftclaw taking you out?" he asked.

"Yea, I don't know when, though."

"She'll be here."

Moonpaw nodded.

"Moonpaw!" Swiftclaw yowled into the den.

"Speaking of which," Moonpaw sighed. "I'll be needed." The apprentices nodded as she trotted out of the den.