Warrior Cats: Cleardawn's Silence #Wattys2016 [Book ONE]

Chapter 18

I shoved Stormpaw lightly onto the dusty ground, placing a paw gently on his ribs and pretended to rake my claws down his side.

Flamestar nodded approvingly, chanting triumphantly towards my way with pride echoing in his voice.

I smiled brightly at my mentor, thankful for his gratitude. Sandpatch was giving me a harsh glare, but I ignored, telling myself he was just a jealous mouse brain.

Stormpaw got to his paws, shaking the small pebbles and dirt knotted in his fur.

He whispered a swift, positive comment about my technique, and I gave him a thankful expression before shuffling back to Flamestar who gave me a quick nod.

Before me and Stormpaw's tustle, Reedpaw and Featherpaw competed, and after them Dustpaw and Applepaw went against one another.

"It's time we leave." Flamestar decided after a moment of silence. "Sun-down will be arriving soon, and I don't want us blindly tripping over our own tails." The red leader chuckled, and before anyone could speak a word, Flamestar turned and gracefully bounded into the large and crippling ferns.

I was right on his paws, my legs taking long and easy strides while my muscles bulged through my creamy white and ginger fur.

Behind me were loud snapping and crushing noises from the others stepping on twigs and withered leaves, and warm breath heated my tail and the scent of Applepaw lingered around my nose.

The trot back home didn't take too long according to the more speedy way we ran.

Surprisingly, the sun had already fallen below the horizon, and darkness creeped it's way into the sky, stars dotting the night and the moon giving just enough amount of light for us to see our own paws.

We snuck through the protected bramble thicket that lead it's way into camp, greeting Lionclaw who was cautiously guarding, and everyone seemed to have settled into a comfortable state.

Only a few warriors were sharing tongues near the den, and a few apprentices chattering quietly outside theirs, but other than that the usual busy camp was deserted, and gusts of wind was blowing down on the surface, creating small sand and dust flurries escalating into the air.

After a moment, I realized how exhausted I was. My brain was fried, my paws were aching and my legs were wobbling.

I bounded over to the apprentice's den weakly, softly greeting Sunpaw, Deerpaw and Viperpaw who had made the accurate decision to end their conversation and head to their nests.

As I padded inside, I noticed a bundle of gray and white fur huddled together in a soft moss bed, and felt the warm blue gaze of Sparrowpaw staring into the depths of my eyes.

I ignored him, curling myself into a ball and placing my tail over my nose, still feeling the burning sensation of those pretty blue sapphires boring into my back.

Closing my eyes and trying to let my mind wander, I remembered what had happened earlier with my sudden unconsciousness and surprised dream.

My thoughts were directed to every detail I witnessed in the nightmare, but yet I still couldn't make out what it actually meant... What the purpose of showing me it was.

I forgot to go over to Flamestar and report what I had experienced, and I had the urge to go and announce it to him now, but I was too worn out to get up and pad across camp to have a quick chat with my leader, so I decided I would discuss this with him in the morning when I was more energized.

As my mind slowly drifted into to sleep, the last noise I heard of that night was the quiet chirping of crickets, hidden deep within the forest.