Warriors Dusk and Dawn #3 The End of a Hero

Chapter 2 Dawnleaf

"Ow!" Leaftail hissed. "Are you trying to hurt me on purpose?!"

"You've got the thorn in deep," Dawnleaf answered trying not to snap at him. "It's not easy to pull out. I'll leave it in there if your going to complain,"

Leaftail kept his mouth shut as Dawnleaf pulled the thorn from his paw with her teeth.

"Lick it as much as you can," Dawnleaf ordered spitting out the thorn. "And come back tomorrow to let me check on it,"

Leaftail nodded. "Thanks Dawnleaf. Sorry about getting so cranky,"

"It's fine," Dawnleaf meowed. A spark of amusement flashed in her green eyes. "Warriors are touch in the battle field but are like kits when it comes to this kind of thing,"

Leaftail flattened his ears and walked away. Dawnleaf laughed. Snowflower came over.

"Being a medicine cat isn't all bad," Snowflower meowed.

Dawnleaf sighed. "I know. But it wasn't what I imagined I'd be doing. I wanted to be Dawnstar as a kit,"

"I know," Snowflower meowed. "It's been hard for you,"

"We are going to the Moonpool soon aren't we," Dawnleaf meowed.

Snowflower nodded. "Yes. But always know you've made me proud to be your mentor,"

Dawnleaf nodded.

Dawnleaf sat before the Moonpool with the other medicine cats. She touched her nose to the icy water and must swirled around her.

This time instead of Mousewing and his kits a dark grey Tom appeared his yellow eyes watching her. Dawnleaf looked at him trying to figure out who this was.
I've never seen this cat before.

"Hello Dawnleaf," the strange Tom meowed.

"Hello," Dawnleaf meowed. "I'm sorry but I don't know who you are,"

"Is that so," the strange Tom meowed.

Dawnleaf nodded.

"My name is Rockstar," the dark grey Tom explained. "I was leader before Bravestar. But I am also Stormfire's Father,"

"You're Stormfire's Father?" Dawnleaf asked.

Rockstar nodded.

"Why have you come to me?" Dawnleaf asked.

"I have come to tell you to follow your heart not what you know," Rockstar meowed.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Dawnleaf asked.

"That is for me to know and you to find out," Rockstar answered. He paused. "Usually medicine cats do not share what they have seen. But I want you to tell Stormfire that her kin is still watching over her, is still with her every day,"

Dawnleaf watched as he disappeared. She stood waiting for the other medicine cats to wake up. Then they headed back to their rightful clans.

"I'm going to stay in the forest for a while," Dawnleaf meowed.

Snowflower nodded returning to her den. Dawnleaf headed into the forest. She padded towards the lake wanting some time to think. She saw Stormfire sitting on the pebbly sure watching the lake. Dawnleaf sat beside her.

"At the Moonpool I saw Rockstar," Dawnleaf meowed.

Stormfire didn't react.

"He told me to tell, you that your kin is still watching over you, still beside you even though you can't see it," Dawnleaf meowed.

Stormfire faced her. "Rockstar?"

Dawnleaf nodded. The two cats sat in silence beside the lake.