Dawnstar's Decision

chapter 16

"Come on, this way!" Bear called to Dawnsky as he rushed off in the direction towards the camp.

Dawnsky ran as fast as she could, trying to catch up with the excited Bear, "You're running faster than a cat being chased by a badger!" She joked.

As they finally reached the camp, Dawnsky stopped to catch her breath. Bear waited for her, though it was obvious that he was anxious to get up and show her around.

Dawnsky looked at him with a smile, I still don't get what Oakfoot was warning me about..... Bear is amazing! She finally got to her paws and followed Bear through the entrance.

It was almost as if she was walking through IceClan camp, there were so many rogues. It was just like a clan! Kits bounced around while the older cats hung out in groups, sharing fresh kill together. The only thing that wasn't like a clan was the lack of elders. Dawnsky recognized a cat across the clearing that was giving her a hostile glare, "It looks like Cricket is happy to see me...." she muttered in a flat tone.

"Hey look who finally decided to show up!" Mewed a voice behind her, "What did Bear do to get you here? Did he threaten you?"

"Storm, shut up will you?" Bear growled.

"Hi Storm!" Dawnsky chuckled, "And no, I actually came here in my own will... well sort of...."

"I'm glad you're here.... Bear has been moping around and complaining like a depressed and lonely badger. Now somebody can finally cheer him up!" He laughed at his own odd sense of humor.

Bear gritted his teeth, "Storm if you say another word, I'm going to-"

"Fine, fine! I'll go away. I just wanted to welcome you to the family." Storm mewed while walking away.

Dawnsky burst into laughter, "A depressed and lonely badger, huh?"

Bear rolled his eyes and smiled a little, walking towards a large cluster of brambles, "This is where the kits stay." He pointed with his tail.

Just then, a small, orange and white kit burst out of the nursery at full speed. She skidded to a halt to avoid crashing into Dawnsky, "Hey! Watch where you're going!"

"Blossom!" Scolded another cat in the den, "Your manners?"

"Oh.... sorry..... I meant excuse me," Blossom mewed, her head down.

"No, no it's fine!" Dawnsky purred, "Where were you going in such a hurry?" She mewed curiously. The little kit reminded her very much of Speckledpath.

"I am going to be the bestest most fastest cat in the world!" She squeaked enthusiastically, "So I have to train myself early."

"Oooh, well you certainly are very fast." Dawnsky commented. She and Bear exchanged amused glances, and then looked back in Blossom's direction. She was already gone, running somewhere else in the camp.

Bear shook his head and then moved foward towards another set of dens, "This is where all cats 12 moons and up sleep."

Dawnsky peered her head inside and saw several beds of moss and feathers laying next to each other, "Why don't you sleep here?" She asked.

Bear looked away for a second, as if he was reliving a painful memory, "I... choose to be alone, that's all."

"It's okay, you can tell me," she mewed, her blue eyes filled with sympathy, "I was left out too, being the runt and all."

"Yeah... I guess I'm just a little... different than the others. But hey, I get a lot more space and don't have to listen to a whole bunch of snoring cats every night!" He mewed.

"You know, I saw a hollow part of a tree when we were passing by your den. I could stay there, close by your den so you won't feel as lonely!" She suggested.

"Y-you would do that for me?" Bear looked at her.

"Of course. We don't want you to be a lonely badger!" she chuckled.

Bear grumbled something and shook his head, smiling, "Thank you, Dawnsky. Nobody else here would ever do something like that for me."

She smiled and nodded, "Well what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

They hurried past the entrance and went outside the camp, turning towards where Bear's den was. When they reached the hollow tree, Bear wrinkled his nose in disgust. There was a horrible smell coming from it, as if an animal had died there a long time ago.

"Are you sure about this?" Bear coughed.

Dawnsky peered her head in and tried to hide her repulsion for the place. There was cobwebs and vines everywhere, and on the ground was the remains of a dead animal. She quickly turned out of the den, "Yep. I'm positive."

"It looks like the badgers moved out, or didn't...."mewed Storm who had followed them to the tree.

"Well if you're here, then you might as well help us." growled Bear.

"You know, you don't need another den," smiled Storm mischieviously, "you two would make a very cute couple!"

"Storm, shut up!" shouted both Dawnsky and Bear at the same time.

"Okay fine, well if you're going to be like that about it then I guess I'll help you..." he mumbled.

Dawnsky looked around and sighed, "We got a lot of work to do....."

***

The sun was setting when the trio finally finished cleaning it out. Dawnsky had gathered fresh moss and feathers for her nest while Storm cleaned out the cobwebs and vines. Bear had gotten the dirty job of cleaning off the ground.

"Well, it still smells kind of bad but it's clean for the most part!" purred Storm.

"I'm going to go wash myself off in the stream so I won't have a bad taste in my mouth for a moon." meowed Bear.

"It looks great!" Dawnsky said happily, "Thank you both so much."

"No problem!" Storm mewed as he bounded off, leaving Bear and Dawnsky alone.

Bear shifted awkwardly on his paws and looked at her, "Well.... good night, Dawnsky. And thanks again for doing this."

Dawnsky purred, "It was the least I could do since you let me stay in the first place." They looked at each other and then at the ground for a moment or two, before Dawnsky mewed, "Good night, Bear."

Bear nodded and headed towards the stream to wash off. Dawnsky sighed, feeling exhausted, and padded into her den. She had a strange feeling that something, or someone was watching her. She poked her head out of the den but could see no one. She shrugged and slowly brought her head back in, resting it on her paws. She still had the creeping sensation that she was not alone.