Black Sky

Chapter 7

**Honeypaw's POV**

Honeypaw blinked open her eyes, hearing the steady breathing of other cats. Only Emberpaw and Sweetpaw were in the den with her now, with Darkpaw being made the warrior Darkfur yesterday, four days after the gathering. Her ceremony had been the day before the gathering, so the day Darkfur became warrior was the fifth day of her apprenticeship, the same day she stole prey from Blackpaw and his mentor...

"Blackpaw," She whispered, wincing at the events.

Why were Clans so hostile to each other? Volestar acted... Well, outright evil. Why did he threaten to rip Blackpaw to shreds? They were the ones in CaveClan territory. Honeypaw had followed the patrol thinking that as long as she didn't meet any cats she knew she'd be okay. Now Volestar hated her. She hoped Blackpaw didn't hate her either.

"This isn't right." Honeypaw whispered aloud. "Even considering the circumstances..."

Honeypaw stared at her belly. When was the last time she'd eaten? She'd eaten the leg of Blackpaw's mentor's lizard. Not enough to fill an apprentice's belly, she noted. She was so hungry. But that wasn't really a change. With the other members of DustClan, she fit right in, and Volestar was the only well-fed cat. No cat liked that he was taking the few pieces of fresh-kill that turned up in the pile, but he was leader, and Batwing didn't object because they were mates. StarClan knows why she loves him.

"I'll change that," Honeypaw meowed. "I'll become warrior, persuade Batwing that Volestar's terrible, and let her become Batstar. Then peace will be resto..."

Honeypaw couldn't stop herself from closing her eyes as she thought about how she could convince the Clan that Volestar shouldn't be leader.

*

Gazing around, Honeypaw found herself in a very different place than the alleyways of DustClan. She stared at the stone walls of the gathering place, then spotted two cats before her. One golden brown, the other black and white. She knew she was dreaming. She had dreams of certain cats in certain areas sometimes, really based on what her mind randomly came up with. They were always soundless, the cats stopped in time, always frozen. Sometimes they looked dramatic, like when she had her dream of DustClan attacking SandClan. Others didn't make sense.

"Why can't you move or speak?" Honeypaw asked the cats, who, of course, didn't reply or move. "Why am I having these dreams? They don't flipping mean anything!"

She spotted movement out of the corner of her eye, and turned to see stars moving. How odd. But beautiful. She hadn't seen it happen before. Th stars surrounded the golden cat, whose fur darkened to red. Wait, what? Why? This didn't happen in any other dream!

"What's going on?!" Honeypaw cried. "This didn't happen before! What's happening? Tell me, please!"

The cats didn't answer. Honeypaw's voice screamed to the walls. And they respnded by falling.

"NO!"

Honeypaw turned to see who said that, but the red cat vanished under the rocks, the screaming black and white tom disappearing too. And, for once, the older cat saw Honeypaw, whose green eyes looked familiar. But before she could think, stones lashed down from above. Honeypaw yowled, and some cat responded.

"Why do you get to go?!"

Honeypaw was confused. Why did that matter in a time like this?!

"I'm going to wake her up."

Honeypaw jolted awake, staring up at Sweetpaw. She smiled.

"Honeypaw, Emberpaw's complaining that I'm on patrol with you." Sweetpaw muttered. "He has to clean the elders' ticks, poor cat."

Emberpaw roared. "I'M NOT A POOR CAT!"

Honeypaw rolled her eyes at the whiney apprentice. Sweetpaw grinned, recieving a glare from Emberpaw as his black tail disappeared out the lid of the silver boulder left here by Twolegs. Honeypaw didn't know what other purpose it had other than to be a den, but it stank.

"C'mon!" Sweetpaw purred in a sing-song voice. "We're on patrol!"

Honeypaw purred, exiting the den. Rosethorn and Sharpear, their mentors, were standing near Batwing, waiting for the patrol to begin.

"Hurry up!" Sharpear hissed at Honeypaw. "Sweetpaw will be a warrior before we start this patrol if take this long!"

Honeypaw looked at the kinder Rosethorn.

"Now, are you excited, Sweetpaw?" Rosethorn purred, smiling.

Sweetpaw lashed her ginger tail, squeaking. "Yes! This is my first patrol!"

Honeypaw sighed. Batwing padded to the exit of the alleyway, then stopped.

"Let's start this patrol."

*

**Blackpaw's POV**

Blackpaw padded into Stonesong's den, looking around for the black and grey medicine cat.

"Stonesong?" He meowed.

Instead, Treepaw came bounding in, excitement clear on his face. He let out a mrrow of triumph.

"What happened, Treepaw?" Blackpaw asked, confused.

Treepaw chuckled. "It's Treeheart, now!"

Blackpaw smiled as Treeheart revealed he had earned his full name as a medicine cat. No wonder the young cat was so happy!

"Congratulations!" Blackpaw purred. "Perfect for you."

Treeheart nodded. "Anyways, what do you need? You called Stonesong."

"I need mousebile for Leafclaw's ticks." Blackpaw resonded, wrinkling his nose. "I heard it smells disgusting."

Treeheart laughed, then went to the herb store to get the mousebile. He returned with some moss covered in something that smelled horrible.

"Here's your request!" Treepaw meowed humorously. "For the ticks of Leafclaw!"

Blackpaw mumbled his thanks and picked up the moss gingerly. Padding out of the den, Blackpaw headed for the den of the only elder in the Clan, Leafclaw.

"Is that an apprentice I hear?" Rasped the old cat. "Coming to get rid of these bugs!"

Blackpaw nodded, parting Leafclaw's fur to find the ticks.

"So, any stories, young 'un?" Leafclaw asked.

Blackpaw nodded, concentrating on removing the ginger tabby's ticks. "I want to know about Fernstar."

"Our leader, eh?" Leafclaw chuckled. "Well, she was a feisty apprentice. I was her mentor, did you know? She was rogue, before, called Fern. She joined the Clan after some time, and earned her warrior name Ferntail. She mentored Whitewhisker as well as Mangoleaf, so you're sure to grow up as well as she did, I'll tell you that. Reedstar was proud of her bravery. Dancepaw, though? Never seen again after she was captured by Twolegs, and she was Fernstar's first apprentice! My, my. She's come a long way, you know."

Blackpaw widened his eyes at the part about Dancepaw. What happened to her?

"Any another cats catching your intrest?" Leafclaw asked.

Blackpaw meowed. "No more ticks, Leafclaw. All done. Although I want to know about Nightflower, too."

"All kits want to know about their parents." Leafclaw chuckled. "I remember Nightpaw. Always anxious and refusing any task she thought was hard! Caring, too, though. She would have made a great medicine cat, were it not for her love for-"

YOWL!

Blackpaw backed out of the den, just in time to see Nettlepaw skid into camp, her fur matted with blood. Followed by the black tabby pelt of Olivepaw, Nettlepaw only just managed to squeak out a warning before she passed out.

"Foxes! Foxes are attacking!"

Heyo my homies!

What's up?
Do you like Honeypaw's POV? I decided to let you guys get a taste of what's going on in DustClan, and also a bit about Fernstar and Nightflower's life and squeezing in a dramatic ending. Tell me how you like it and your predictions!
- DefaultWeirdo