A New Form || A Warrior Cat Fanfiction Series \\

|+|Chapter 29|+|

                  The hollowed log was located near the border of QuetzalClan territory and a meadow, unoccupied as winds strongly blew over there with no tree in sight. To the Far South-East was MandevillaClan's lush rainforest, large trees grew and vines dangled with the creatures of the rainforest present.                           

"I used to stay here when I needed some time off to myself, say, I got into a bit of trouble too for staying out of camp for too long." Dovelake chuckled to herself, her eyes in an unfocused daze. "It is comfortable here, Dovelake. Can I come here frequently?- Well, if you don't mind." The apprentice whispered, squinting at the nearby frozen moss of their half-buried log.

The young warrior snapped out of her daze, looking at Northpaw. "Why yes, now that I'm no longer an apprentice, you can. You just have to remember the log's location and you can have some quiet time to yourself." Dovelake hummed, "Oh and about that thing, redeem yourself worthy again and the Clan will move on from the rumours." She subconsciously said while staring out at the vast field beyond QuetzalClan territory, where snow has not reached far enough. 

Northpaw's face softened, feeling more comfort in her older friend. She repeated her friend's words in her mind, remembering them solemnly. Northpaw then remembered Whistlepaw, she could count on him, but someday she would repay the favour of both of them somehow. 

Dovelake got up, stretching her limbs as she yawned. Sniffing the air, "It's going to snow lightly soon, might as well stay for a bit." She murmured, before sitting down next to Northpaw, laying down beside her in the form of a pile duo. Northpaw rested her chin on her forepaw, looking up at the white she-cat before she mewed. "Does anyone else in the Clan know this place?"

Dovelake squinted her eyes, "Someone used to, they showed me this place when I was a new apprentice." 
                      "Who?" Northpaw probed, piquing her interest when the rain started drizzling, becoming snowflakes as it reached the snowy ground, making part of the forest cold white. "Someone before me, he was Rosedcrest, always wore a rose on his head and red flower petals on his tail and legs, hence his name." She smiled, "Rosedcrest was my oldest cousin, elegant, very affectionate and not to mention he had quite a big ego." 

It made Northpaw smile a bit, another question popped up in her head as she asked again, "What does he do when his rose dies?" She looked at her, her eyes dwelled in interest. 

"That's kind of hard to say." Dovelake shook her head slightly, "You see he would change his rose frequently, being vibrant red at first, but when it dried out, he changed it with whatever similar rose he would find." She sighed lightly, closing her eyes for a moment as she talked again:
                     "You'd never see him not wearing a rose on his head," Dovelake said amusedly, flicking an ear. "Some cats would even think he was a she-cat at first glance." 

"But what happened to him then?" Northpaw implied, looking at her with wonder. But Dovelake's expressions dropped down, answering in a calm tone. "It's been two cycles since his passing before Lightwhisper gave birth to you and your siblings a moon later." 

She took a hiatus as she glanced at snow lightly falling from the entrance of the hollowed log. "I remember when he caught the Chillfang disease on a harsh leaf-bare... It's a rare illness until now during the harshest leaf-bares we experience in the present." The white she-cat sighed in remembered grief.

Northpaw nuzzled her snout against Dovelake's cheek to comfort her friend as soothing winds blew from tiny cracks in the log, making the inside a cool climate. "I'm sorry." She responded, "No," Dovelake insisted, "You don't have to apologize, it was that disease that took away his life." She meowed.

There was a while of silence between the two, resting beside each other. "... Don't you think the others would come looking for us?" Northpaw whispered when Dovelake shook her head. "Not for a little while." She told her. The comfortable silence continued until both fell asleep.