Warrior Cats: Dawnheart's Journey

chapter twelve

As the seven cats began to explored the abandoned camp, all was as peaceful as before . 

The kits scampered around, continuing their game as adult warriors. Once again, Crowkit was Crowstar and Emberkit was his deputy. This time, Ravenkit was Ravenstar of ThunderClan and Spottedkit was his deputy. Dewkit decided to be ThunderClan's medicine cat and was running around with grass in her mouth.

"Get out of ThunderClan, Crowstar!" Ravenkit hissed, closing in on him. "We don't allow traitors in our camp!"

Dovefur gulped as she stared nervously at the kits. Dawnheart laughed in amusement as she watched her children act out an uncoordinated battle.

Just as Emberkit was preparing to attack, Spottedkit pounced from atop the Highrock, giving Ravenkit time to escape. Crowkit growled in annoyance as he bolted after his brother.

This game continued until silverpelt began to show brightly, and the kits' legs could hold them no longer. Dawnheart nudged Dovefur, who had fallen asleep, motioning for her to help move her kits.

"Let's see, I think that den over their is the Warriors Den, that should be the Apprentices Den, the Medicine Den, and the Nursery," Dawnheart guessed, grabbing Spottedkit, who struggled to keep her head up.

"Take us to the Apprentices Den," Crowkit mumbled, unable to walk straight.

The two she-cats laughed as they ambled over to the abandoned den and sat the kits down. They piled next to each other, and in moments they had fallen asleep.

Dawnheart turned to Dovefur, who had walked away with Dewkit in her jaws. She smiled as the two cats snuggled together in the medicine den, leaving Dawnheart alone. As she silently padded towards the Warriors Den, she began to ponder Dewkit's future and if warrior life best suited her. She stared at the world around her, satisfied at how far her family had come and all of the events that led them there.

StarClan, thank you for blessing me with Dovefur and all of her mysterious knowledge. She may hide things from me, but she truly does care for me and my children. Thank you. She prayed out loud as she finally dozed off. 

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

A sweet smell lingered in her nose as she flickered her eyes open. She was no longer in the warriors den, or even in the abandoned camp. Instead, she was standing in front her dear friend again, whos eyes were as soft as a mothers coat.

"Echofeather!" Dawnheart purred, rubbing against her with tears in her eyes.

"I'm glad to see you, Dawnheart,"Echofeather replied. "I'm very impressed with your kits behavior."

"WindClan has no idea whats being brought to them," Dawnheart bragged, licking her own paw.

Echofeather nodded before dulling her eyes.

"But before you finish your venture home, there are a few things that need to be cleared up, my dear." The cat interjected, motioning to something behind Dawnheart.

Dawnheart turned around, and let out a startling gasp as she saw a chubby figure walk towards her.

"Dovefur?" she uttered, fearing the worst. "Dovefur did you die? Are my kits okay? Why are you here?" 

She did not reply, she only returned Echofeather's gaze.

"You need to tell her the truth, Dovefur. Everyday it becomes increasingly more obvious, there is no more time to hide the truth," she ordered, waving her tail slowly.

Dawnheart flattened her ears as confusion tackled her like an enemy warrior. What was going on? How did her two friends know each other? Why was Dovefur here?

"You're right," Dovefur's voice cracked out. 

She sighed as she walked towards her dazed friend. 

She stayed silent for a long moment, before finally starting.

"I was born in a clan called SkyClan. My mother was the well respected deputy and my father was an envious warrior. Mother was always too busy to spend time with me, so she made my father my mentor. He despised me for being the child of someone far greater than him, he told me I was to be a medicine cat, and refused to train me. Everyday he would give me to the medicine den where I had to spend my whole apprenticeship learning what herbs were while the other kits were able to show their strength," she proclaimed, letting her tail fall to the ground.

"So you left your clan because you were neglected?" Dawnheart implored, her head spinning with all the new information she had just be served. 

Dovefur weakly shook her head. 

"The jealousy finally caught up with my father, and he tried to kill my mother in front of my own eyes. She cried out to me, so I let my fear take over me, and I attacked him. StarClan was by my side when it happened, because in one blow he was dead. I was still an apprentice when I first had blood on my paws."

Dawnheart walked closer to her friend, who was now softly droning to herself. 

"Why did you leave, Dovefur?" She asked.

"Because my mother silently exiled me from my own clan," she growled, her eyes showing a familiar hatred. "She told me I was to be a medicine cat and never lay a claw on anyone else, or I would be forced to leave. So I left." 

Dovefur lifted her head and faced Dawnheart, her eyes now a red color.

"I never wanted to be a medicine cat, not until Dewkit came along. I knew from the start the life of a warrior wasn't for her. When she came to me as a mentor, she helped me realize that it doesn't really matter that I wanted to fight, it matters that I help my family in the best way I can, and that way is through medicine. One night Echofeather came to me in a dream, and promised to guide us home if I took the role of the medicine cat in WindClan, I agreed."

Dawnheart went silent as she processed the truth she had finally got out of her peculiar partner. 

"Dawnheart, please forgive me for not telling you. I never wanted to hurt you, I promise," Dovefur pleaded as Echofeather rested her tail on her shoulder.

Dawnheart looked down as she began to fade back into reality, she looked back up and smiled.

"Dovefur, you've made so many sacrifices throughout our journey; you've saved my children's lives and charged at anyone who threatened us, I will always forgive you, its the least I can do."

Dovefur beamed as she turned around and began to walk into the distance, Echofeather by her side.