The First Light [Warrior Cat Fan-Fiction]

Chapter 2

Back in the cave, Graypaw headed straight for the fresh kill pile. Spiderpaw had already retreated to his nest to sleep, and Buzzardpaw was still finishing up with his apprentice duties, cleaning out the old bedding in the elders' alcove. Fawnpaw, on the other paw, had just trotted back into camp, a large shrew clamped between her jaws, her eyes glowing with pride.

Graypaw stared at her in awe. "You caught that?" she mewed in disbelief.

A small white tom with ginger patches followed up behind the apprentice. After placing his own prey on the pile, the warrior nodded.

"Yes, although, she nearly broke her neck doing it, foolish apprentice," he growled. "Watch where you put your paws next time." Fawnpaw's tail dropped, and Graypaw frowned after the warrior.

"You know Patchfoot just means the best for you," Graypaw attempted to reassure her friend. "He is your mentor after all."

Fawnpaw sighed. "Yeah," she mumbled, before tossing her shrew on the pile. Graypaw, determined to cheer up her denmate, grabbed a mouse from the fresh kill.

"Want to share?" the gray she-cat offered. Fawnpaw's eyes lightened slightly, and she nodded, a reluctant smile appearing on her features. The pair trotted a little ways away and settled down to share their meal.

Across the clearing, three kits emerged through the moss screen protecting the nursery, scampering across the packed dirt.

"Last one there's a rotten mouse!" the kitten in the lead yowled. The golden-furred kitten just behind let out a yelp as she stumbled over her paws. The third kitten, who hadn't been interested in the race, waited for his sister to regain her paws before the pair trotted over to their sister.

"I guess you're both rotten mice!" the first kitten boasted, fluffing her orange tabby fur importantly.

The ginger and white tabby tom rolled his eyes. "Hi Graypaw!" he chirped. "How is being an apprentice?"

"Well, I miss you furballs," the gray apprentice teased, causing the tom to wrinkle his nose. "Actually I'm really tired, but I did have a fun day."

The orange tabby she-kit pranced over, her eyes as wide as full moons. "Really? What did you do?" she mewed eagerly.

"Well, Spiderpaw and I were patrolling the RainClan border-"

"Did you see any RainClan cats?" the she-kit interrupted.

"Hush, Sunkit! Let her finish!" the other she-kit, a pale orange tabby with white markings hissed as she trotted over.

"Thanks, Goldenkit," Graypaw purred, then continued her story. "Yes, we did. There were four of them, and they were really mean. One of them was Ivystream."

Sunkit's eyes went wide. "The deputy?"

Graypaw nodded, remembering the cold look in the RainClan deputy's eyes. "She wasn't very nice thought."

"Did they say anything?" the tom mewed.

Graypaw shook her head. "They just stood there and glared." Then the gray she-cat shrugged. "Apparently that's normal."

The tomkit sighed. "I want to be an apprentice," he mumbled dejectedly.

Fawnpaw chuckled. "You'll be a 'paw soon, Brackenkit, don't wish your kithood away so fast," the cream she-cat mewed.

Icyfoot, a large gray and white tom and the Clan deputy, padded over to the small huddle of cats from the leader's den. "Come on kits," he meowed to the three kittens. "Let's leave Graypaw and Fawnpaw to finish their mouse in peace." His three kits scampered away, and he shook his head with a chuckle before turning back to Graypaw. "Sootstar would like to see you in his den as soon as you've finished your meal," the deputy informed her.