Warriors: A Dark Sun

Chapter 10

          Lilypaw leaped at the mouse that was searching the snow for seeds. She caught it and killed it before it knew what was going on. She had been an apprentice for 4 moons. She wasn't the best fisher, but she was a brilliant land hunter. Lilypaw picked up her mouse and started to walk into camp. The snow crunched when she walked and the frost on the trees sparkled in the sunlight making the forest more beautiful than she'd ever seen.
"Lilypaw! You're back!" Pixiekit squealed as she entered the camp. Lilypaw had sort of become the white kit's big sister. She played with the kit, told her stories about her patrols and the other clans and she taught Pixiekit how to swim. Pixiekit adored Lilypaw and Lilypaw adored Pixiekit. Adderkit was jealous of the attention Pixiekit was getting from their mother. Skykit understood that Pixiekit needed extra attention because she was smaller and it seemed Pixiekit was not growing properly.
"Can you tell me how you caught that mouse?" Pixiekit begged with huge brown eyes gazing up at her. "Please." Lilypaw chuckled and sat down to tell her all about the mouse and how beautiful the forest was. Pixiekit stared up at her in awe of the beauty and excitement of her story.
"You are really good at story telling Lilypaw." Pixiekit breathed. The little kit looked behind Lilypaw and her eyes lit up. Lilypaw turned around and saw Jasperheart padding over to Pixiekit and Lilypaw.
"Hey Lilypaw, Icestar wants you to go to the gathering tonight." The brown tom mewed. Lilypaw had gone to 2 gatherings already and both were rather boring. She nodded to the brown warrior.
"Who else is going?" She asked Jasperheart.
"Echomist, Silverdust, Grayheart, Duskflower, Appleglow, Sunpaw and Lionpaw." He paused. "Oh! Myself, Swanshine, Rainwhisker and Berrysplash." She thanked Jasperheart and turned in the direction of the elders den.
  The elders den had seemed empty since Rowantail has died. It was green cough that killed him. Not even Echomist could help him. Mintfur had been devastated, as the tom was her mate. Grassheart and Echomist were still grieving for their father. She stepped into the den and only Littlefoot raised her head.
"Hello?" Lilypaw mewed. Mintfur still didn't look up.
"She's asleep. Don't wake her up." Littlefoot quietly warned. She dipped her head to the elder and sat down.
"Are you going to the gathering?" She whispered to the elder. Littlefoot shook her head. "I'm staying behind to look after Mintfur." Lilypaw was worried about Mintfur because she had never seen her grandmother so sad. Not even Pixiekit could make her smile. All Mintfur did was sit outside with her head on her paws and sleep.
"I know you are worried about her, but she is just grieving. She'll be better by next moon, you'll see." Littlefoot comforted the apprentice. Lilypaw stood up and said goodbye to Littlefoot before joining the cats going to the gathering. She walked beside Sunpaw and Lionpaw. They didn't say a word to her. The group started to walk to the gathering island. The other clans hated water so they used the tree trunk bridge. Riverclan swam across to get to the island. Once they got to the gathering the Riverclan cats spread out leaving Lilypaw alone. Before she knew it she was sitting between two warriors, Raggedmoon of Shadowclan and Mouserise of Thunderclan. Raggedmoon was nice, but Mouserise didn't seem to like talking. She remembered that she was talking with the Shadowclan deputy and quickly dipped her head. As Raggedmoon was about to reply, Lizardstar, the Shadowclan leader yowled signaling the gathering had started.
"Prey is running well in Shadowclan and we have a new warrior. Ravenleap!" The clans started cheering for the new warrior. Lizardstar stepped back and Brackenstar stepped forward.
"We have a new apprentice in Thunderclan, Badgerpaw! The prey has been hard to find this leafbare, but we will survive." Brackenstar finished then Dawnstar stepped up.
"We are still grieving about Runningstar, but the clan must go on. Rabbits have been running well despite the snow." The new leader nodded to Icestar, signaling she could start.
" I'm very sad to report that we have lost one of our elders, Rowantail." Icestar paused to let the other Clans' elders grieve. "We have taken in a lost kit whose name is Pixiekit. She is being cared for by Sparrowleaf." Icestar stepped back and Lizardstar yowled that the gathering was over. All the Riverclan cats started walking home. Halfway there they met a panicking Littlefoot.
"Littlefoot what are you doing this far from camp?" Icestar asked the elder.
"It's Mintfur! I can't find her anywhere!"