Warrior Cats: Dawnheart's Journey

chapter nine

The sun warmed Dawnheart's face as she began to arise from her slumber.

The snow had begun to transform into a watery slush, showing signs of their departure soon. She grunted as a shadow lingered over her, causing her face to grow cold quicker than it had warmed. 

"You remember our deal, correct? Stealth murmured, leaning over the she-cat.

Dawnheart nodded and switched to a comfortable position. The lanky tom sat at her paws as she began to groom him. At first, it was awkward, she hadn't shared tongues since she was an apprentice. A relief flooded over Dawnheart as Stealth began to speak.

"Where is that fat friend of yours?" He asked, moving his tail slightly. 

"She left to look for her own shelter," Dawnheart lied, her ears falling to her head.

"Why?" Stalker questioned with offense in his tone. "I said you could stay with us as long as you needed."

Dawnheart chuckled, continuing to groom his fur.

"We have to get back to my clan soon, my kits need to become warriors," she explained, gazing softly at her still children.

"Can you not train them yourselves? I'd be happy to help," he offered.

Dawnheart purred, she did enjoy being in the company of this tom. But she knew not to let her emotions get in her way again, and she stopped grooming him.

"There you go, your fur is beautiful," she chimed, getting up.

"Not as beautiful as you," he purred, sliding his tail under her chin.

Just then, the kits began to groan.

Thank StarClan, she said to herself, padding over to them.

"Stealth, I heard you say that you would help us train," Crowkit confronted, jumping out of the nest. "How could a small cat like you help train fierce warriors like ourselves?"

Stealth hissed in a challenging response, causing Crowkit's fur to stand. 

"What is that supposed to mean?" He scoffed.

Crowkit crept closer to the challenger, waving his tail in a hypnotic rhythm.    

"It means, I don't appreciate you ordering my mother around and trying to charm her with you false fierceness," he spat back. 

Stealth threw himself at the black kit, grabbing him by the scruff and throwing him onto the cold bare ground. 

Dawnheart let out a shriek of terror as she clung to the hind legs of her child's attacker. He sprang around quickly before bating down at her eyes. Crowkit once again threw himself at his paws, yelling for his siblings to help. Soon, the white tom was surrounded by large kits, hissing and clawing at his legs.

He glared around him, his fur rising while his eyes darted in confusion.

"Enough!" He roared before letting out a call.

Soon charged his brothers, eyes full of rage as they leaped at the figures. They quickly grabbed the kits and sat them down roughly in a twolegs box. Fang pushed twolegs rubbish in front of it, trapping the kits inside.

"What are you doing?" Dawnheart cried, struggling to get up.

"You need to control your bastardy children!" Stealth boomed. "I'm going to take that box and throw it into the river if they don't show me the proper respect!"

The kits let out cries of terror as Fang blocked their sight. Claw stalked over to the exit and blocked it, letting out a low laugh.

Dawnheart looked around desperately in fear. She let out a whimper before sitting down next to Stealth. Her heart began to race, she was trapped with a gang of rouges with her kits on the edge of death.

She lowered her head as the three brother's began to speak amongst themselves. Dovefur had been right.