Dawnstar's Decision

Chapter 12

Dawnsky warily looked around her den. At least I'm not in that terrible place anymore, she shuddered, thinking of Shadowstripe. She got up and stretched her long legs.

She could see the first rays of sunlight touch the horizon, and the sky was turned a beautiful shade of pink. I am not going to let Shadowstripe, or anyone for that manner, ruin this day! She promised herself.

She could see the warriors starting to wake up and decided that she would start her chores early. She walked outside the camp and gathered some fresh moss, making sure there were no twigs or thorns to be found. She grabbed it all and headed back to camp.

Smallface was snoring loudly, but he was the only elder that was still sleeping. Tawnyfoot saw Dawnsky, "Well someone's getting an early start." She mewed grumpily.

"S-sorry Tawnyfoot," Dawnsky replied, not wanting to get on her bad side.

"Well there's no need to be afraid of me!" She laughed, feeling the moss, "This is a lot better than what the apprentices come up with, maybe you should cross the SeaClan border more often!"

Dawnsky chuckled and smiled lightly. She could see that the calico she cat was getting a big kick out of this. She purred, well at least she's not mad at me!

Smallface woke up suddenly, letting out a big snort, "Huh? What? Who's there?" He looked around, confused.

"It's just me," Dawnsky sighed, watching him reluctantly get up from his nest so she could change it. She could hear and smell Speckledpath walking in with mouse bile for their ticks. Willowfur was right behind her carrying two squirrels. She was glad that she was already finished with her job.

She could see Nightpelt, Firefur, Pebblefur, and Longfang walking out of their dens and coming with Whitefang for the dawn patrol. Speckledpath ran up to Nightpelt, rubbing against him and saying something that she couldn't hear. She's probably asking to join the patrol to spend more time with Nightpelt, she growled to herself.

She could see Nightpelt glancing in her direction, so she immediately turned away. She could still feel his amber eyes burning into her pelt. She growled a little louder than she meant to and walked away.

As she grumpily walked away, kits burst out of the nursery, Mosskit in the lead. He bounded out as quick as his little legs could carry him, not looking where he was going. He ran into Dawnsky with a big, "Oomph!"

"Where in Star Clan are you going?" She chuckled to the kit.

"We're going on an adventure!" Declared Brackenkit.

"Hey, I was going to say that!" Mosskit argued.

"No need to fight!" She let out a mrrow of laughter, "So, what is this adventure?"

"Well, we are exploring places in the camp before our apprentice ceremony, which is today!" Mosskit squeaked with joy.

"Wow, that's awesome!" Dawnsky purred.

"Well, see ya later!" Mewed Firekit, who was obviously ready to go.

Dawnsky watched them leave, amusement in her ice blue eyes. She wondered who Moonstar would choose to be their mentor. She shrugged, padding out into the forest to hunt.

***

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here at the highrock!" Meowed Moonstar.

Dawnsky quickly dropped her mouthful of prey in the fresh kill pile and took her place next to Speckledpath, who was bouncing with excitement.

"Dawnsky, I have to tell you something!" She squealed.

"Shhh!" Hushed Silvermoon. She had just finished grooming her kits. Their fur gleamed in the sunlight. Silvermoon looked a little sad that she was lettint her last litter of kits go. Grassblade sat by her, licking her cheek.

Dawnsky watched as the first three recieved their names and mentors. Firepaw was assigned to Pebblefur, Dragonpaw was assigned to Stormfur, and Brackenpaw was assigned to Darkclaw. It was Mosskit's turn. She watched as he proudly stepped up onto the highrock.

"Mosskit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Mosspaw. Your mentor will be Dawnsky. I hope Dawnsky will pass down all she knows on to you." He mewed, beckoning for Dawnsky to come fowards.

Dawnsky couldn't believe it! She was surprised that Moonstar had picked her out of all cats. She shakily stepped fowards, "Dawnsky, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent training from Longfang, and you have shown yourself to be loyal and brav. You will be the mentor of Mosspaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to him."

"I will teach him to the best of my ability!" She promised as Mosspaw touched noses with his leader, and then bounced up to Dawnsky.

"So what are we going to learn today? Battle moves? Hunting? Please don't make me clean out the elders den!"

Dawnsky laughed, "Don't worry. That's my job for a little bit. How about we go see the territory?"

"Okay!" He squeaked.

She could see that was what Pebblefur, Darkclaw, and Stormfur had in mind as well. She walked out of camp, waiting for Mosspaw to join her and set out into the forest.

As they neared the SeaClan border, Mosspaw wrinkled his nose, "What's that smell?" He gasped.

"Smells kinda fishy, huh?" She chuckled, "That's the border with SeaClan."

"Woah, cool!" He mewed.

She pointed with her tail, "That's greenleaf twolegplace. Twolegs stay there a lot and are really loud. We have one in our territory, but it's near MountainClan territory." She said with a hint of pain in her voice, "Never go over there to either twolegplace."

Mosspaw nodded, "I promise I won't!"

Dawnsky purred, "Thank you."

They kept on walking until they reached the border with MountainClan.

"This is MountainClan, right?" Mosspaw asked.

"Yep." She confirmed. She looked across the border, suddenly thinking about Bear. I wonder where he is right now.... she thought.

"Dawnsky? You there?"

"What? Oh... yeah...." She mewed.

"Are you okay?" Mosspaw asked, "Do you see something over there?"

"No.. sorry, it's nothing! Come on, let's head back to camp." She said.

Mosspaw nodded, still looking concerned. They padded slowly back to camp, while Dawnsky pointed out all the landmarks and the best hunting places. As she walked into camp, she saw Speckledpath and Nightpelt sitting together, sharing a piece of fresh kill.

Speckledpath immediately got up when she saw Dawnsky and walked to her, "Congratulations on getting an apprentice, Dawnsky! Hello Mosspaw!"

"Hi," he mewed looking up shyly at Speckledpath.

"Why don't you go and rest? You don't have to do anymore work today." She told him.

He greatfully padded off, stopping by the fresh kill pile to grab a small mouse. After he left, Speckledpath looked at Dawnsky with excitement, "Dawnsky, I've been meaning to tell you something all day."

"What is it?" She mewed.

"Nightpelt and I are mates!"

((Hey guys! Sorry the last few chapters have been kinda slow, it's about to get interesting in the next few chapters!!!! XD))