Warrior Cats: Dawnheart's Journey

chapter eleven

Night had fallen when Dovefur and Dewkit had returned and patched up the group. Everyone was exhausted from their battle, but refused to welcome the sleep that tired their muscles and weighted their eyes. The kits were sore physically, but Dawnheart paid no mind to her wounds, but instead replayed her encounter with Leo. 

"Alright kits, we need to get on the move, you've fought like great warriors, so I expect no complaining on the rest of our way home," Dovefur laughed weakly. 

She glanced awkwardly to Dawnheart before letting out a kind smile. She slowed down her pace to walk beside her. Dawnheart looked down, not knowing what to say.

"I'm really proud of your kits, they fought with all of StarClan by their side," Dovefur mumbled, touching her friend's shoulder with her crimson stained tail.

Dawnheart softly gazed at her companion, as she felt sprinkles of water hit her pelt. The rain began to pour rapidly, allowing the kits to jump around into the large forming puddles. Both she-cats purred together as their fur started to lie flat with the water. Dawnheart was happy to see her friend by her side again, after all that had happened, this moment truly did make her feel ten times better. 

"Mother! I think I see something up there!" Emberkit called, racing ahead of everyone else. 

The other kits joined her, and were soon out of vision. 

"Children!" Dawnheart hissed, sprinting after them. 

She enjoyed feeling the breeze and the water shoot through her fur as she ran as joyfully as a kit. Dovefur jumped gracefully (but heavily) into the air as she tried to keep up with her friend. Dawnheart laughed and sprinted even faster than before, closing her eyes as she leaped into the air. She looked back at Dovefur, whos expression turned to fear just as she came to a stop. Dawnheart turned back around as she tried to stop, but she was not fast enough, and fell into the ravine. Her vision became blurry as she watched her kits gallop towards her. She closed her eyes as she let out a groan, just before blacking out. 

                                                                          ----------------------------

"Dawnheart you mouse brain!" Dovefur hissed as she dumped  water soaked moss onto her face. 

Dawnheart spat as she slowly got to her paws, she had become so sore that she needed to lean on a rock for support. Dewkit padded up to her mother with a jaw full of comfrey root before lowering it onto the ground. Dovefur purred affectionately as Dawnheart began to chew.

"I couldn't find any Stinging Nettle, Dovefur. I hope this works," The gray kit informed.

She nodded, dismissing her with her tail. Her eyes hardened as she marched towards Dawnheart.

"How many times are you going to almost die?" Dovefur hissed. "We aren't kits anymore, we shouldn't have been running like that."

Dawnheart lowered her head in shame, her body becoming less sore by the second. 

"I just missed running with you, like we used to in the twolegs place," she mumbled, digging at the earth with her paw.

Dovefur looked in pity as she sat down in front of her friend. She turned around and motioned to the kits. "Go explore the area, children. Stay close enough to us and don't split up."

The kits cheered as the pranced away, using their noses to smell all the new scents around them.

"I miss doing that to, Dawnheart. You've really made an impact on my life."  she reassured, lowering her shoulders. "I knew something I was wrong when I left you with those rouges. Something told me that you wouldn't listen to me, so I went to get Leo." 

She sighed as she stood up. 

"I'm so sorry I left you and your kits to fend for yourselves. That really was fox hearted of me to do-"

Dawnheart bolted up and turned to face her chubby confidant. 

"You have no reason to be sorry. We should have left as soon as those rouges opened their mouths." She interrupted. "From now on I will always heed your warnings, you know much more than I ever thought."

The two let out soft purrs as the five kits returned, each carrying small voles in their aching jaws.

"We found a vole nest over there, we all caught one of the babies!" Crowkit declared, throwing the prey into the air and missing the chance to catch it. 

"Good job, kits!" Dawnheart congratulated, giving each of her kits a prideful lick. 

She waited for Dovefur to give them her own praise, but looked in confusion as her friend gazed into the distance. It was silent for a moment until she let out a loud gasp. 

"What is it?" Dawnheart called, trotting towards the place she had fallen.

"Dawnheart, we're close to WindClan," Dovefur whispered. "This is ThunderClan's old camp, all we need to do is go past that mountain and you'll be home"

The kits shrieked in happiness as Dawnheart's eyes lit up. She couldn't believe the words she had just taken in; her journey was almost complete, she was on the way to finally seeing her family again.

"Only a few more sun rises and you'll be home, children. You'll finally be true warriors!" Dovefur cheered as she circled the hysterical children. 

Dawnheart stayed in place, lifting her head to the gray sky above her.

"Is it true, Echofeather?" Dawnheart asked silently. "Is my journey almost complete?"