The Quest of Dawn (Warriors, Book 3)

Chapter 31

The journey back to ThunderClan territory was long and hard, but after three or four days, Dawnpaw and Graypaw were walking through their familiar forest. It was in the middle of the day, and hunting patrols were most likely out, but the companions didn't want to find any patrol. They wanted to come to camp themselves.

When the two cats reached the gorse tunnel, Graypaw turned towards Dawnpaw, his eyes bright. "Are you ready?"

"Who do you think I am?" Dawnpaw teased.

Taking a deep breath, bost cats squeezed into the tunnel. The gorse pricked at Dawnpaw's fur, though she felt no pain. Nothing but excitement and the feeling of her homesickness dying away.

Then she and Graypaw emerged into the clearing.

Ziggy turned around first, from where he sat by the elders' den, sharing tongues with Ratfur, who also swiveled around to look at the gorse tunnel. Darkfur, chatting with Christmasleaf and Drypelt, turned his head and gasped, a toothy grin spreading across his face. Treepool emerged from the medicine cat and a look of massive relief spread across her face, and she disappeared back into her den. And then Hauntedstar, at Darkfur's word, also turned around.

"Dawnpaw!" Hauntedstar gasped.

"Dad!" Dawnpaw shrieked.

She and her father raced across the clearing towards each other. Dawnpaw and Hauntedstar nearly knocked each other over as they embraced, with Dawnpaw purring and pressing her muzzle into her father's chest fur, and Hauntedstar nuzzling and licking her fur all over.

"Oh, my kit!" Hauntedstar gasped once the two had finally pulled apart. "You've grown so much. Did you complete your quest?"

Dawnpaw nodded. "Yes. SkyClan is a Clan again."

Hauntedstar smiled and glanced at Graypaw. Mulchpaw, Graypaw's sister, had raced up to her brother and was purring and nuzzling him all over. "Did you two get along?" Hauntedstar asked Dawnpaw, jerking her attention away from her friend and to her father. She nodded, her eyes shining with excitement.

"We bled together," She said. "Literally."

Hauntedstar's eyes widened as he spotted the bruises all over Dawnpaw. "What happened? Did you get hit by a monster?"

Dawnpaw frowned. "Yes."

Hauntedstar parted his jaws to speak, then Dawnpaw's mentor, Drypelt, stepped forward. "I believe Dawnpaw and Graypaw should have their warrior ceremonies," He suggested. "I know that they have not visited moonpool, but they have served their Clan and StarClan well. And Bubbleheart and Ironfur have also agreed that Mulchpaw and Applepaw become warriors, too." He spoke with pride in his voice.

Dawnpaw beamed at Drypelt. She never liked her mentor much- and she never would- but it was good that he was being nice for once.

Her father nodded thoughtfully. "I'll see to it."

Dawnpaw watched with amazement as her father leapt on top of the Highrock and raised his tail. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!"

Racing over to Graypaw, Applepaw, and Mulchpaw, Dawnpaw felt excitement course through her. "Come to Highrock!" She mewed, her heart seeming to burst out of her chest with uncontrollable excitement. "Hauntedstar is going to make us warriors! All of us!" She added, at Applepaw and Mulchpaw's envious looks.

The group of apprentices raced over to the clearing, where the rest of the Clan had gathered. Hauntedstar chuckled with amusement as he spoke.

"All apprentices, step forward."

Dawnpaw felt like one of the most important cats in the forest- maybe in the whole world- as she stepped up with her friends beside her. This was the moment she had been waiting for, after such a perilous and difficult journey.

"I, Hauntedstar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices." Hauntedstar began, his voice noble and filled with endless amounts of pride as he spoke. "They have all trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as a warrior in their turns."

He raked the apprentices with a warm gaze. "Applepaw, Dawnpaw, Mulchpaw, and Graypaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do!" Applepaw squeaked.

"I do," Graypaw breathed.

"I do." Dawnpaw mewed confidently.

"I do!" Mulchpaw breathed.

Hauntedstar began with Mulchpaw. "Mulchpaw, from this moment onward, you will be known as Mulchbreeze. StarClan honors your gentleness and kindness, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." He leapt down from Highrock and rested his muzzle on Mulchbreeze's head. She purred, shaking from excitement, and licked his shoulder in return.

The leader turned towards Graypaw next. "Graypaw, from this moment onward, you will be known as Graytail. StarClan honors your intellegence and patience, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

After doing the same thing to Graytail that Hauntedstar had done to Mulchbreeze, he turned towards Applepaw. "Applepaw, from this moment onward, you will be known as Applefur. StarClan honors your determinition and loyalty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." He rested his muzzle on her head, and she gave his shoulder a respectful lick. "Serve your Clan well.

"Finally, my daughter, Dawnpaw." Hauntedstar murdered. "Dawnpaw, from this moment onward, you shall be known as Dawnclaw. StarClan honors your bravery and courage, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

Dawnclaw beamed with pride as her father leapt down from the Highrock and rested his muzzle on her head. Bursting with happiness, Dawnclaw gave his shoulder a respectful lick.

"I'm so proud of you, my daughter." Hauntedstar murmered.

As he stepped back, the Clan erupted into cheers. "Graytail! Mulchbreeze! Dawnclaw! Applefur!" The yowls seemed to echo around Dawnclaw, pounding in her ears and driving her forward, as if she could run all the way around the forest. She had always imagined being a warrior, but never knew how it would felt... or what her name would be.

Dawnclaw. Her new name echoed in her head.

"I'm so happy you're back!" Mulchpaw- no, Mulchbreeze, let out a purr. "I missed you so much! And you Graypa- er, Graytail!"

Dawnclaw nodded. "He got hit by a monster."

"Hey!" Graytail mewed. "You did too!"

Despite the seriousness of Dawnclaw's words, all cats burst into laughter. Dawnpaw, too, felt a sense of happiness. She was home, with her friends.

The quest was truly over.