Dawnstar's Decision

Chapter 27

The next day, Tawnyfoot began to carry Smallface's body to be buried outside. Grassblade and Longfang rushed to help the only living elder. Dawnsky stiffly got to her paws and stretched out her paws. She wished that she could've sat vigil with her sister when she had passed, but she knew it was too late for that. That was moons ago, when she was with Bear. She and Willowfur sat by Featherpool's lifeless body, staring sadly into the distance. What if Bear does this again? Who will be killed next? She let her thoughts wonder, what if he kills Willowfur? Or Lilysong? She shuddered at the mere thought of losing her adopted mother and her only sister.

Willowfur was staring out in the distance, her eyes filled with what looked like worry and stress. Dawnsky wondered what she was thinking, but she could never really tell with her. Suddenly she turned her head towards Dawnsky, looking gravely serious, "You were there when it happened right?" she said with slight urgency in her voice.

"Umm, yes?" she mewed, feeling a little startled by the seriousness in her tone.

"Tell me," Willowfur pleaded, "did you see the cat that killed Featherpool? What did he look like?"

She stepped back, "Well... ummm..." she felt uncomfortable even thinking about what she had seen yesterday, "I guess I caught a glimpse of him..." she didn't tell the whole truth.

"Well, what did he look like?" Willowfur urged her to go on, her voice strained with impatience and anxiety.

"Willowfur, are you okay?" Dawnsky questioned.

"Just tell me!" she snapped, and then looked down at her paws shyly, "Please."

Dawnsky had never seen her sister so stressed, "He was really big....and brown..." she gulped, her words catching in her throat.

Willowfur immediately looked relieved, "So he was brown? You're sure?"

She nodded, "I'm positive." she wondered why her sister needed to know his pelt color so badly, but she just shrugged. She probably won't tell me anything useful if I ask.

"Thank you, Dawnsky." she purred, walking off.

"You're...welcome?" she mewed, watching suspiciously as she padded outside the camp. I wonder where she's going this early in the morning....

She glanced at the dwindling fresh kill pile and wondered if her sister was going hunting, "The prey will all be sleeping, or hiding now." she mumbled, "Surely Willowfur knows that?" Maybe I should follow her...

She had almost made it out of camp when suddenly she heard Stormfur's cheery voice, "Hey Dawnsky!" he greeted, "Where are you going this early?"

She stiffened, forcing her ears to stay up, "I-"

"Yeah, where are you going?" came Nightpelt's much less friendly voice as he walked out of his den.

Dawnsky rolled her eyes at Nightpelt's immediate suspicion, "I'm going... hunting.." she said stiffly.

Nightpelt was staring intensely at her, lifting his head in authority, "Hunting, eh? And why so early, if you don't mind my asking?" he growled.

"Actually I do mind..." she muttered under her breath as she tried to think of an excuse, "Well you never know, some prey might be out!"

Stormfur looked at the two and could tell that they were both tense with anger. He backed away slowly, "I think I have to umm check the elders for ticks!" he awkwardly raced towards the elders den in a desperate attempt to get out of their argument.

Nightpelt didn't take his eyes off of Dawnsky as the new warrior quickly padded away. Dawnsky held his amber gaze, not daring to flinch. Even though he was much larger than her- as was pretty much every cat- he was still younger than her, and she didn't feel at all intimidated by his attempt of having authority over her. "So are you going hunting alone, or with someone else?" he interrogated.