Warriors Dusk and Dawn #3 The End of a Hero

Chapter 1 Duskfoot

"Race you through the water!" Grasspelt challenged.

Duskfoot fluffed up his fur.

"I don't want to get my fur wet!" Duskfoot objected. "It's not natural,"

Grasspelt laughed her Amber eyes sparkling with amusement. Duskfoot sat down beside her.

"Cherrypaw's really enthusiastic," Grasspelt meowed. "She's been training for almost six moons now. Alderfang was complaining about her chattering at the Gathering,"

Duskfoot nodded.

"I could see the way Appledawn avoided you," Grasspelt admitted.

Duskfoot's tail drooped. "I-I didn't mean to offend her. She asked me to be her mate. But..." Duskfoot trailed off.

Grasspelt pressed her muzzle to his. "Don't worry about it Duskfoot. Shadowclan would understand if we ever told them,"

"Will we tell them someday?" Duskfoot asked.

"It depends on the reason," Grasspelt answered.

Duskfoot sighed. It's nice being here just me and Grasspelt. My clan doesn't exactly like me right now. At least not Dawnleaf and Appledawn.

"It's a shame that we are in different clans," Duskfoot meowed. "This is against the warrior code,"

"If Starclan disapproved they would send us a sign of say something to us," Grasspelt pointed out. "So they must approve,"

Duskfoot nodded.

"I wish I didn't have such long fur," Grasspelt meowed. "It's really hot,"

"You can swim," Duskfoot pointed out.

"True," Grasspelt agreed. She looked at the sky. "I'm afraid we have to go back,"

Duskfoot sighed licking her between the ears. Grasspelt purred and they walked to the tree bridge together. Duskfoot bounded across followed closely by Grasspelt.

The two went their separate ways, Grasspelt headed towards Riverclan's camp and Duskfoot kept hidden as he headed towards Shadowclan territory. He kept to the shadows sneaking in the warriors den and falling fast asleep.

A paw prodding him in the side woke him. Duskfoot raised his head drowsily and found himself looking up into Smokestripe's Amber eyes. The pretty tortoiseshell flicked her tail.

"Come on," Smokestripe meowed. "I hope you don't mind but our apprentices are going for a joint battle training session,"

Duskfoot stifled a yawn and followed her out. Cherrypaw, Fallenpaw and Berrypaw talked excitedly. Appledawn sat watching them. She refused to meet Duskfoot's gaze.

The six cats headed into the forest finding a small clearing. The three apprentices sat down.

"Okay Cherrypaw, Fallenpaw you practice together," Appledawn meowed.

"Berrypaw you'll practice with me," Duskfoot meowed surprising himself. He couldn't even remember thinking the words.

The black apprentice faced him, the white patch around his eye was trained on Duskfoot. Duskfoot faced him.

Berrypaw leapt suddenly shooting forward. He pushed off with his hind legs and leapt at Duskfoot. Duskfoot ducked bucking like a rabbit. The black apprentice cried out. To Duskfoot's surprise Berrypaw wreck reed quickly. He shot forward aiming at Duskfoot's paws.

Duskfoot crouched ready to spring when Berrypaw suddenly veered behind him jumping onto his back. Duskfoot rolled over. The apprentice jumped up then tried to pin Duskfoot down.

Duskfoot tangled his paws in Berrypaw's something he'd seen Bravestar do. Berrypaw tried to escape but Duskfoot rolled over pinnng him down.

"That was great Berrypaw," Duskfoot told the crestfallen apprentice. "But you need to take your opponents weight into account,"

Berrypaw nodded. "Okay!"

Duskfoot stopped off him and looked over to where Fallenpaw and Cherrypaw were sparring. They were both twisting around each other and striking quickly. Both looked exhausted.

"That's enough," Smokestripe told them. "All three of you have done brilliantly,"

The three apprentices cheered triumphantly.

"Let's go back to camp," Appledawn decided.

So they all headed back to Shadowclan's camp.