Chapter One: The newest litter

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DustHare and her only alive kit pridefully roamed around the camp,DustHares litter had all passed to Starclan except for Dustkit-.. DustKit is a white tom with a light ginger back and face with darker ginger speckles,white bobbed tail and oval shaped green eyes. He is a very handsome and respectful cat for a month old,all the clan praised him and his mother for such good manners. SandStar quickly ran towards DustHare and DustKit as the two sat in the camp clearing tumbling around with one another,
"Yes,SandStar?" DustHare asked as SandStar came to a excited haunt in front of the two. "I see DustKit is becoming quite a fine kit!" SandStar mewed as excited as a hungry badger,DustHare smiled and nodded. "Indeed,just like his father.." DustHare mewed gloomily and her voice trailed off into her thoughts,SandStar sighed sympathetically. "He died an honorable death my dear. Every cat in the forest will remember his sacrifices." SandStar muttered and placed her fluffy paw onto DustHares broad shoulders,DustKit rapped his tail around as he watched the two cats talk of a tom he heard of a lot but never met. SandStar looked to DustKit and back to DuskHare,"Have you told him..?" DustKit noticed SandStar gesturing to him. "No,not yet. It's far to early for me to speak of it or for him to hear of it." DustHare replied,SandStar dipped her head in agreement. "Have a nice day my dear." SandStar dipped her head respectfully,DustHare nodded and watched as SandStar walked off towards BreezeCall-..The deputy of their clan,WindClan. DustHare gave a trembling sigh that gave DustKit a bit of pain,he never could think of anything that hurt DustHare other than speaking of his deceased father. Suddenly StormKit and PeddleKit ran towards DustKit,purring and rubbing against him with tails swishing. "Where's StormingLeap!?" DustHare hissed,softly pushing PeddleKit and StormKit farther from DustKit. PeddleKit and StormKit rushed behind DustHare as StormingLeap stalked out the nursery from across the clearing,her tail thrashing and eyes narrowed more then ever. DustKit sank down into a scared crouch as StormingLeap stood in front of DustHare,"I can't ever nap! Those two always will rush away as soon as my eyes get off their pelts!" StormingLeap hissed which made DustKit tremble. DustHare sneered and leaped out from in front of the kits and picked DustKit up,the two sat a fox length away from StormingLeap and her kits. DustKit trembled as he heard StormingLeap yowling at her kits,a very scary queen she was. "I wouldn't ever want to meet her in a fight!" SandProwl whom is SandStars eldest son,a massive and muscular ginger Tom with bright green eyes and battle scared ears trotted towards DustHare and DustKit. DustHare chuckled,"She has quite the attitude." SandProwl nodded his agreement and laid down near DustKit,"How are y'all today?" SandProwl smiled warmly. DustKit smiled and met his green gaze,"Oh you know the usual. Roaming around camp,introducing DustKit to other cats and showing him new things around camp." DustHare mewed. DustKit noticed when SandProwl was around DustHare,his mother was always happier then usual. SandProwl was like a father to DustKit though DuskKit himself knew he was no were related to SandProwl. SandProwl smiled at DustHares answer and looked at DustKit for his answer,"Oh-..I've been having fun around camp with mom!" DustKit mewed excitedly. SandProwl gave a amused purr at the happy kit,DustKit ran off to grab some moss for the medicine den while DustHare and SandProwl shared gossip.
The next few moons DustKit spent messing around with PeddleKit and StormKit,the three kits always were getting into trouble and now they were old enough to become apprentices! At sun high DustHare and StormingLeap groomed their kits and let the three kits share gossip they had heard from the youngest warriors from last months gathering. SandStar yowled for her cats to gather around for a clan meeting,the three young cats raced out the nursery and settled themselves down at the front of the clan meeting assembly. "As you all know our newest members DustKit,PeddleKit and StormKit are now able to become apprentices. Could DustKit,PeddleKit and StormKit please step forward?" SandStar announced,the three young cats rushed forward with bright eyes of excitement. "All three of you are extremely smart,skilled and stealthy young cats. You all will make great warriors in the future but until then you all will become apprentices." SandStar announced with a prideful smile,the clan gave yowls of pride. "PeddlePaw,do you promise to protect your clan until the day your spirit passes to paws of Starclan?" SandStar asked the young molly with challenging eyes,PeddleKit gave a loud yowl of agreement and made SandStar chuckle. "Very well,until the day your warrior ceremony you will be PeddlePaw. If your mentor,BreezeCall swears to pass down all he's learned then you will begin your path towards a warrior." SandStar mewed,narrowing her eyes to challenge her deputy. "Of course,I'll try as well as I can." BreezeCall dipped his head and straightened up,touching noses with PeddlePaw. Lucky! DustKit thought,PeddlePaw might as well become a warrior now if BreezeCall is her mentor! "Now,StormKit. Do you promise to give all your loyalty towards WindClan?" SandStar announced and narrowed her eyes in challenge as she gazed at StormKit,"Of course! I'll grow so strong I can defeat ShadowClan,RiverClan and ThunderClan in one swipe!" StormKit puffed his chest out with a prideful yowl,"Very well then,from now until your warrior ceremony you will be known as StormPaw. I will be your mentor and I will swear to Starclan over all my lives that I will train you as well as possible." SandStar smiled,DustKit narrowed his eyes in envy. StormPaw let out a joyful yowl and joined StormingLeap within the group of cats. "Now,DustKit. Do you promise to serve your clan as well as Starclan as destined you?" SandStar asked challengingly,DustKit smiled and nodded. "Of course!" DustKit yowled. "Very well,from now on until your warrior ceremony you will be DustPaw. If your mentor..SandProwl,promises to pass all he knows then your apprentice training may begin." SandStar announced,SandProwl sat straight and yowled an agreement. SandStar gestured toward SandProwl,DustPaw rushed towards SandProwl and touched noses. After all the yowls of the new apprentices names died down SandStar continued with her announcements."Now,I will call the cats to go for the gathering. SandProwl,DustPaw,PeddlePaw,JuniperPaw,FallenWish and WindyLeap will be going." SandStar announced loud and clear,PeddlePaw and DustPaw gasped with surprise. StormPaw shot the two apprentices a glare of envy,"Clan dismissed. The cats I've called upon go eat and I will gather you all for the gathering." SandStar yowled then leaped off highrock. "Your so lucky!" StormPaw grumbled as he joined PeddlePaw and DustPaw,the three cats giggled and picked out prey. "Your lucky your mentor is SandStar!" DustPaw mewed as he chewed a small hare,"True. I'll get picked next month." StormPaw smiled through a mouthful of vole. PeddlePaw giggled as she listened to the two toms rambling on."Hurry up you two!"WindyLeap,the medicine cat yowled from across the clearing as the other cats waited to go to the gathering gathered near the camp exit,the two apprentices quickly finished up and bounded across the clearing and haunted to a stop. "Zippy ain't ya!" JuniperPaw giggled,DustPaw felt an odd feeling deep in his stomach as he walked side by side with the medicine apprentice. SandStar and BreezeCall were at the front leading,FallenWish and WindyLeap were falling close behind the leader and deputy,DustPaw and JuniperPaw paced side by side while PeddlePaw and SandProwl  were at the back. Quickly the group of cats crouched down in the thick ferns and brambles,after a few moments SandStar gave a signal with her tail to enter Four Trees clearing. "Woah.." DustPaw gasped as he saw other cats of ThunderClan,RiverClan and ShadowClan gathered in the clearing. DustPaw sat down near PeddlePaw,the molly attempted to intertwine her tail with his but he had his attention on JuniperPaw. "You know she's a medicine apprentice,you can't have her." PeddlePaw hissed in his ear,DustPaw grumbled and looked up at the leaders rock. SandStars ginger pelt glowed like fire in the moon light,she sat near PoppyStar,StreamStar and HoneyStar. PoppyStar pridefully walked towards the edge of the rock,"The gathering will begin." PoppyStar announced loudly. "May I speak first?" HoneyStar asked,it caught DustPaw off guard to her HoneyStars high pitched voice and innocent eyes. "Go ahead my dear." PoppyStar mumbled,her eyes narrowed as she stared at HoneyStar. PoppyStar took her place with the other two leaders while HoneyStar announced newly named apprentices,new warriors,a new litter of kits and how two apprentices fought off a badger without getting a wound. DustPaw grumbled as PoppyStar pushed StreamStar out the way and spoke,she spoke of new apprentices and how plentiful their prey was. "PoppyStar is such a snake." PeddlePaw muttered to DustPaw as PoppyStar almost pushed HoneyStar off the rock while she walked by,DustPaw mumbled his agreement. StreamStar announced how two legs were putting poisons within their river but they still had plenty of good fish and that her clan had just gotten four new litters. DustPaws eyes widened when SandStar got up and walked past PoppyStar,PoppyStar snarled and kicked SandStars back legs-..SandStar gave a yowl of anger as she tumbled over but she quickly got up and shook dirt off her ginger pelt,the clearing fell silent as SandStar stared wide eyed at PoppyStar. StreamStar and HoneyStar stared at PoppyStar who sat in the middle,"Did she just do that?" JuniperPaw muttered to DustPaw with a trembling voice. "What in starclans name was that,PoppyStar!?" SandProwl stood up and yowled,suddenly the once peaceful clearing broke out in angry screeches;some from ShadowClan and some from WindClan. PoppyStar gave a smile that made DustPaw want to claw her face clean off but he stayed put,"Control your leader!" SandProwl yowled loudly to ShadowClans cats. "Maybe your leader shouldn't be so cocky and walk so close to PoppyStar!" The deputy of Shadowclan,StalkingShade yowled back. "Maybe you should make sure your leader doesn't kill her own apprentices!" SandProwl screeched,suddenly the clearing went dead silent with wide stares. "Dont ever say that,PoppyStar would never!" StalkingShade hissed and throw himself on SandProwl,the two toms tumbled on the ground with loud screeches and fur flying. "Get your rat off my cat!" SandStar yowled at PoppyStar who kept smiling,the clearing broke out in screeches. DustPaws eyes widened,PeddlePaw and JuniperPaw huddled close to him. DustPaw gave each molly a lick then sprinted towards were StalkingShade and SandProwl were ripping each other piece by piece,DustPaw gave a loud battle yowl and attached his claws deep into StalkingShades back. StalkingShade let a cry out and let go of SandProwl,quickly SandProwl pinned StalkingShade down while DustPaw bit into StalkingShades stomach. PoppyStar let a cry out,"Get your cats off!! They're going to kill him!"  SandStar let a yowl out and gathered her cats up. SandProwl and DustPaw let go of StalkingShade,quickly the two windclan cats rushed out the clearing of Four Trees. DustPaw gave one last quick glance to StalkingShade as he bounded out,the pity ShadowClan tom laid on the ground with his stomach bursting of red and pieces of his pelt ripped clean off. The whole way back the group of cats flinched at every noise,crouching down in the tall grasses as they finally reached their camp. SandStar jumped upon high rock and yowled for her cats to gather around though it was the dead of night and the moon was covered by twirling clouds,"We have returned from the gathering but it didn't not go so well." SandStar started her announcement quickly when all the cats of her clan slowly trudging onto the clearing. Quickly the tired cats found energy and pricked their ears forward,"At the gathering PoppyStar tripped me and I fell fall way down the rock,of course our cats and ShadowClan cats raged. DustPaw,SandProwl got into a fight with ShadowClans deputy-..StalkingShade." SandStar explained to her tired cats. "Did StalkingShade die? Is DustPaw and SandProwl in trouble?" A molly whom looked of a leopard,LeopardYowl piped up. Her eyes glowed of cold curiosity. "StalkingShade did not die but he has life threatening wounds..I don't know how to handle SandProwl and DustPaw..BreezeCall? What's your opinion?" SandStar replied then looked at her deputy,he thought for a moment and gave a unsteady sigh. "Those wounds were not acceptable as they could kill StalkingShade but PoppyStar and StalkingShade had no right to do such rogue like thing..DustPaw should have to care for the elders for the day after his training Tommorrow and SandProwl must lead all patrols." BreezeCall finally declared,SandStar looked back to her clan. "Do you two,DustPaw and SandProwl think that is an acceptable punishment?" SandStar asked,the two cats sighed and gave a half hearted nod.

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