Warrior Cats: Beyond the Clans

Dawnmist's Heart - Chapter 2

"Luckystar!" Dawnpaw bounded up to her mentor. "I can continue training. Jayfeather cleared me."

"That's great!" Luckystar purred, running her tail along Dawnpaw's back. "We'll work twice as hard to cover up for what you've missed, so you can have your warrior ceremony at the same time as your littermates."

"Thanks!" Dawnpaw purred back.

She followed her mentor to the training area. "We'll start with battle training," Luckystar announced. "I'm going to teach you the leap-and-hold. This is an easy technique that is useful for when you're facing a cat that is larger than you."

"Okay." Dawnpaw nodded.

"You leap onto your opponents back, then hold on with your claws. They'll be injured and will try and roll or shape you off. The way to counter that is to jump off and swipe at them in mid-air." Luckystar ordered. "Fight me."

Dawnpaw leapt at Luckystar, aiming for her exposed belly. Luckystar sidestepped, then raked her sheathed claws down Dawnpaw's side. Dawnpaw winced but quickly saw an opportunity. She dropped to the ground, pretending she had been injured, and as Luckystar stalked towards her, Dawnpaw sprang up and grabbed hold of her mentor's belly fur.

Luckystar winced and attempted the front paw blow but missed. Dawnpaw let go of Luckystar's belly fur as Luckystar had grabbed her scruff and shaken her as hard as she could. Dawnpaw went limp again and alarmed, the golden-brown she-cat paused. Feeling her grip go slack, Dawnpaw wriggled free, and while Luckystar was disorientated, she jumped on her back, falling a bit due to sheathed claws but hanging on, nonetheless.

Luckystar rolled around, trying to squash Dawnpaw. The ginger she-cat leapt off, then swiped at Luckystar's ears in mid-air.

"Stop," Luckystar commanded. "That was good. You easily overpowered me. We can talk about your technique though."

Breathless, Dawnpaw said in between pants, "Got it."

"That's all for today," Luckystar had obviously noticed her exhaustion. "You're still weak from the sickness. Go back to camp and take some prey. You've done well."

Dawnpaw dipped her head respectfully and pushed her tired body back towards the camp. She looked around for Demonpaw, but neither him nor Poppyfrost were in camp. They must've gone out training.

She chose a vole from the prey pile; Dawnpaw had only eaten rabbits lately. Devouring the creature in a few bites, she groomed her fur and waited for Demonpaw. Soon enough, Demonpaw came back into the camp, followed by Poppyfrost. Echopaw and Hollyleaf were also with them. While Echopaw and Hollyleaf were laid back and relaxed, satisfied with their hunt, Poppyfrost carried nothing and was hissing in annoyance.

"Poppyfrost! What happened?" Luckystar bounded down from her den.

"This a-apprentice! This dunghearted apprentice!" Poppyfrost snarled in the most hostile tone Luckystar had ever heard her use.

What happened?

"Chill." Brackenfur came back from the warriors' den where he had been resting. "Explain it." Brackenfur ordered the upset mentor.

Dawnpaw watched Demonpaw with worried eyes. The black tom had always been reckless, but what had happened this time?

Poppyfrost growled. "Firstly, he questions my leadership. Then, when we go hunting, I was stalking the fattest bird ever! But this fox-hearted apprentice pushes me, quite on purpose, and the bird flaps off. That bird could've fed all the elders, and that's rare, this deep in leaf-bare!"

He didn't. Did he? Lately, he's been getting more and more bold and reckless. StarClan, did I do that?

"Demonpaw. Care to explain yourself?" Luckystar mewed coldly.

Demonpaw growled back at his leader. "No! I don't have any need to explain myself." He lashed his tail angrily.

"Demonpaw! You can't take that tone with your leader!" Dawnpaw hissed to Demonpaw.

Demonpaw shook his head angrily, shaking off her advice.

"Demonpaw!" Goldenperch clouted her kit on the head with her tail. "How many times do I have to teach you respect? Even a kit could do better, you stupid furball!"

"This mange-ridden flea-pelt is a horrible apprentice and mouse-hearted cat!" Poppyfrost snapped.

Most of the Clan had come out from their dens or stood up from where they had been resting or eating to view the scene.

"Poppyfrost, I believe you," Luckystar dipped her head to the warrior. "But I cannot punish Demonpaw with only one witness."

Poppyfrost let out a wail of distress and anger and stormed to the warriors' den.

Poor Poppyfrost. She's a nice she-cat. Demonpaw shouldn't have done this.

"Demonpaw. I'll give you one more chance." Luckystar looked at the apprentice sternly.

"Why would I want a chance?" Demonpaw retorted.

"Stop it!" Dawnpaw hissed again, only to be ignored.

"Demonpaw, go get something from the fresh-kill pile and give that to Poppyfrost." Goldenperch urged.

"Yes," Luckystar agreed. "Do that."

"Why should I?" Demonpaw snorted. He swept towards the pile behind Luckystar, banging into her as he passed. Demonpaw also batted Luckystar hardly with a powerful forepaw, although his claws were sheathed.

Luckystar was knocked back into the ground, sprawling. She stood up slowly, spitting out dirt Luckystar let out a low growl.

She's not going to let that go easily. What has happened to my life? Earlier today, it was perfect. And now...Demonpaw, what have you done?

Dawnpaw stood up. She walked over to where Demonpaw was staying, near the apprentice den.

Luckystar emerged from her den, anger still clear in her eyes. "Let all cats old enough to hunt their own prey gather here beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!"

Dawnpaw followed Demonpaw to the Highledge. The black tom still had refused to talk to her.

"I'm sure most of you have heard about Demonpaw. He is trouble-making, greedy and selfish. I have found out that he has been sneaking food." Luckystar talked about how Demonpaw had snuck out catmint and rabbits. Dawnpaw's stomach dropped. This was because of her.

"He must be punished!" she yowled. "I shall blind him."

"No!" Goldenperch wailed.

"No!" Dawnpaw murmured.

"There's better news!" she caught the Clan's attention quickly. "I will select the cats going to the Gathering right now."

Luckystar read off a list of cats before continuing her orders.

"Whitewing, lead a hunting patrol with the cats that are left behind. Brackenfur, organize some border patrols. I want the fresh-kill pile full when we get back." Luckystar ordered. "We'll leave now."

Dawnpaw watched as her leader and her deputy left the Clan and her eyes flicked back to Demonpaw, who was still angry and surly. For the first time ever, she admitted to herself she loved the tom.

What's happened to the tom I love?

NOTE: Like I said last time, Dawnpaw was only just supposed to become an apprentice, but I made a mistake about that ;-;