Dawnstar's Decision

Chapter 5

The half moon was already high in Silverpelt, bearing a little light on the small group of cats heading to the moon stone. This was Dawnpaw, Seckledpaw, and Willowpaws' first time ever, and they were bouncing with energy as the made the first steps on their long journey.The icy night wind ruffled Dawnpaw's fur as she padded closer to the border that they shared with Mountain Clan.

Featherpool and Lakepaw were in the lead, scenting the air to make sure that no predators were nearby. Featherpool flicked her tail and ordered the anxious cats to move on.

"I am so excited to meet all those Star Clan cats!" Speckledpaw squeaked with excitement.

Willowpaw nodded, "I know! I am a little nervous, though....." she flinched as she stepped on a twig, making a loud noise.

Dawnpaw was lost in thought. She wondered what Star Clan would think about her behavior lately. She had been meeting with Bear once every other night for the past few moons, and constantly was pushing Shadowstripe's words to the back of her mind. What if Star Clan refused to even visit her? She shuddered at the thought.

"You cold?" Speckledpaw asked, tugging her away from her thoughts.

"Umm, yeah I guess..." she lied, not wanting to have to explain what she was thinking. And she definitely didn't want Willowpaw or Speckledpaw to think she was afraid either.

"We will have to walk in Moor Clan's territory some to actually get to the moonstone," Featherpool hastily explained, "so be careful and watch out for any patrols."

Right as she finished talking, they heard a rustle in the undergrowth. Dawnpaw tensed, ready to fight. Willowpaw jumped, hiding behind Speckledpaw. As the cat came out, she saw it was only Ravenwing, the Moor Clan medicine cat, and Pouncepaw. Her shoulders relaxed again.

"Hello Ravenwing!" Featherpool purred as the night-colored she cat took her place in the front.

"I hope I'm not late!" she purred to Featherpool. They conversed about how each of their clans were doing, and what medicines they liked to use and such. Dawnpaw tuned them out as they were getting closer to the dark tunnels where the moon stone was. She worriedly padded along.

Fawnfur and Cloverleaf were waiting for them by the tunnels, making small talk. Fawnfur looked up and welcomed the group. Dawnpaw hoped that the others couldn't hear her pounding heart like she could. It felt as if she were going to explode with anxiety.

Featherpool and the other medicine cats easily stepped in the dark and foreboding tunnels, "Follow our scent if it gets too dark!" Fawnfur told them.

Dawnpaw gulped and nodded as the darkness surrounded her.She blindly felt around with her whiskers, until she and the others reached a room with a large, crystal stone in the middle.

"What do we do now?" Speckledpaw wondered, looking at the towering crystals in awe.

"We wait..." Cloverleaf mewed silently.

A few moments after she spoke, the crystal lit up so brightly that Dawnpaw had to shut her eyes and look away. She could still see brightness and tried to block it with her paws. She barely heard Featherpool's instructions to put her nose on the stone. She padded up to it, her eyes still closed, and pressed her nose to the cold stone. She drifted off into darkness.

She woke up suddenly with a start. She gasped, "Did Star Clan not visit me?" she looked around and then realized that she wasn't in the cave, but in a dense pine forest, almost like her own. "This must be Star Clan's hunting grounds!" she purred in awe of her surroundings.

Suddenly a large, white tom with a brown foot came out of the undergrowth, "Hello Dawnpaw!" he purred in a soft and comforting voice.

"Oakfoot!" she exclaimed happily, running to her father. She was so glad to meet him, "I have always wanted to meet you!"

"Well now you have!" he joked, still in his soft tone, "I have been watching you." he said in a more serious tone.

She looked down at her paws, ashamed, "I am a terrible cat. But I didn't realize it was a dark forest cat! I promise!" she pleaded.

He sighed, "Yes I know, Dawnpaw, but did you think a Star Clan cat would make a promise with you, expecting that you be perfect?!" he scolded.

"I was only a kit..." she said under her breath.

"But that is not what I was talking about," he changed the subject, "I meant I watched you with Bear. You mustn't see that rogue any more, he is dangerous!"

"What are you talking about?!" Dawnpaw let out a hiss, "Bear is my friend, and he wouldn't do anything dangerous to anyone!"

"Well it's your decision Dawnpaw but-" he started.

"Oh! Now you're doing this too?" she spat angrily, "I've had enough of a hard time with Shadowstripe already!"

"I'm just warning you... and remember, I am just looking out for you." he mewed as he started to fade away.

"No! Oakfoot please wait! I didn't mean to-" Dawnpaw didn't get to finish as she woke up suddenly by the moonstone. She stretched and looked around at the sleeping cats. Willowpaw was stirring, and her eyes shot open as well.
Dawnpaw sat by the stone, curling up into a little ball. She felt terrible about the way she talked to her father, but didn't he understand how important Bear was to her? She sighed, I'm being selfish.... she scolded herself. Willowpaw nervously padded over to Dawnpaw, "Are you awake?!" She whispered loudly.
She groaned, "Yes I am now...."
"Ok good, Well i had the coolest dream ever! I got to meet-"
"Don't tell us your dreams!" Snapped Speckledpaw from across the cave. She had just woken up, and it looked like she had scared Willowpaw right out of her fur.
"Oh.. right. S-sorry!" She sputtered, looking at her paws.
Dawnpaw was glad that Speckledpaw had cut in before Willowpaw had time to ask Dawnpaw about her dream. She didn't want to share her conversation with her father.
The other medicine cats slowly woke up, and before they knew it the cats were on their way home. Cloverleaf, Fawnfur, and Ravenwing went their separate ways, leaving the IceClan cats alone. As they walked towards their territory, Dawnpaw could sense something was wrong. There was a scent that reeked of.... fish! The other cats must have smelled it too, because they all started quickening their pace towards the camp.
Even though the camp wasn't in sight, they could hear terrible screeching and yowling. Featherpool gasped and pointed out what they all were dreading, "Sea Clan is attacking!"