The Dawn of Night | A Warriors Fanfiction ✔

Chapter 26

Moonwhisper sighed as she scraped soiled bedding out of the elders' den. Buttonweasel was asleep, muttering as he snored. She shrugged and padded out of the den to dump out the bedding. When she was finished, she headed for Stormstar's den.

"Stormstar?" she called softly.

"Moonwhisper?"

"Yes. It's me."

There was a brief silence before Stormstar's rumbling meow sounded again. "Alright. Come in." Moonwhisper pushed through the vines at the entrance of the den without hesitation. She had been here quite recently, often coming for permission to leave the camp. Then with a happy sigh she realized her punishment was almost over.

"Do you need my permission to leave the camp again, Moonwhisper?" Stormstar asked. Moonwhisper nodded.

"If I may. I need to fetch fresh moss for the elders' den."

"Alright. Take a warrior with you, as always. After what happened to cause this punishment, you understand the importance of being watched. We don't want you going to meet some WindClan tom again."

Moonwhisper stifled a growl as she dipped her head in respect. She knew very well why she always needed another warrior with her when she strayed out of camp. But she hated when her leader constantly reminded her of her... mistake. She had made a promise to Beecloud to never meet or speak with Ravenfrost again. And somehow she intended to keep it.

"Anyone willing to... escort me out of camp?" she called nervously into the warriors' den. She hated when she had to ask for a warrior herself, how the entire Clan knew of her punishment, and the cause of it. Even Buttonweasel constantly ranted and openly expressed how disgusted he was how a noble ThunderClan cat could ever love a "stinky, flea-bitten WindClan tom". Moonwhisper had almost growled at the elderly cat. He said himself he used to be their deputy in one of his kit nursery-tales. But then Moonwhisper had to remind herself she listened to them as an apprentice.

"Fine," someone's growl snapped Moonwhisper back to the present. "What do you need this time, Moonwhisper? Do you need to be escorted back to your precious WindClan tom?" As the cat emerged, Moonwhisper growled under her breath until he flicked his orange tabby tail lightly over her ear.

"Alright, alright. Beecloud, cut it out," Moonwhisper muttered, cuffing him softly over the muzzle. Beecloud's eyes danced with laughter.

"Hey, keep your fur on. I was only joking. Well, half joking." His eyes twinkled mischievously as he trotted out of camp. Their fight several nights before had been almost forgotten. Beecloud still half-ranted and half-joked about how she used to meet Ravenfrost, but Moonwhisper knew that he of course still had plenty reason to be upset. She had hurt him more than she ever thought was possible, and she hoped she was starting to make it up with her friendliness and talking more towards him.

"Hey, wait up! I-" She stopped mid-sentence, racing to catch up with Beecloud who had stopped. He turned towards her.

"You can't avoid it, Moonwhisper. Just say it. Or I will for you. There's no changing the past."

"Fine. I was going to say I'm still recovering from kitting," she mewed in a small voice. "So take it easy."

Beecloud stared at her for a few awkward seconds before he headed farther into the forest. "What did you need again?" he asked, not looking back.

"Moss," Moonwhisper replied. She slowly caught up to him, nodding to a moss-covered tree trunk. She padded up to it, reaching up and scraping it off with her claws. When she had collected a good sized pile, she dropped to all four paws and clamped as much moss as she could in her jaws. Beecloud wordlessly did the same and they headed back towards camp. When they reached the entrance Moonwhisper nodded to the elders' den, and Beecloud hurried over with her. She spat out the moss at the entrance to the den.