Moonkit's Blessing

Chapter 4

Moonpaw awoke the next morning and padded out of the apprentices den. Fawnpelt, Silverstar, and Moonpaw where the only cats awake, which was unusual.

"Moonpaw, I would like to speak with you in my den. Come, this way." Silverstar's voice was calm and Moonpaw followed her leader to the den.

"If this is about the battle, I-I dident mean to kill him..!" Moonpaw's voice was not angry, but afraid.

"Moonpaw, this is of the battle, but I am more proud of you." Silverstar's eyes softened and Moonpaw's eyes glowed.

"Proud of me?" Moonpaw sounded confused.

"You stopped the battle, and also saved lives by doing so. Although you are just a kit, you did what no warrior had the chance to do." After a long pause Silverstar spoke again.

"She spoke to you, didn't she. Ah, Bluestar. You have chosen wisely." Moonpaw thought for a moment and remembered the message she had given her. You are destine to do great things, as I was. But Moonpaw did not reply.

"You may go now, young Moonpaw." Moonpaw dipped her head and backed out of the den. Fawnpelt greeted her with a purr. The other warriors were awake now.

"How would you like to go hunting?" Fawnpelt mewed to Moonpaw.

"Would I!" Moonpaw mewed back. The two cats padded out of the clearing, tails held high.

"Watch me, and do the same things I do." Fawnpelt dropped into a fish hunting position at the Great Stream. She spotted a salmon swimming down the river. She grasped it in her jaws and killed it with one swift bite. She dropped it in front of Moonpaw, then began to speak.

"Now you try." Fawnpelt mewed softly. Moonpaw dropped into a fish hunting crouch. A little fish jumped out of the stream and Moonpaw reached out, but it slipped out of her reach.

"Opps.. Sorry, Fawnpelt.." Moonpaw shuffled her paws awkwardly.

"Nothing to be sorry about, let's try again, hmm?" Fawnpelt was gentle with Moonpaw as they hunted.

"This time, extend your claws before you see a fish, it might help beginners." Murmured Fawnpelt. Moonpaw did as she said, and at moonrise, they came back with a bass and two salmon.

"Well done Moonpaw." Murmured Stonetail who passed by them on their way to the fresh-kill pile. Moonpaw purred after she dropped her catch in the pile. It was plentiful after a long day of hunting and fishing. All the cats gathered by the fresh-kill pile for a feast. Moonpaw chose a mouse that Stonetail stumbled across on his way to Great Stream. Then, Patchtail begin to tell one of his "Back in the Day" stories.

"Losteye had me pinned to the ground, but I would not back down. I spat in her one good eye and scratched her ear, she yowled in pain before retreating." He rasped as the kits purred, their eyes wide. Moonpaw and Dovepaw just rolled their eyes. Moonpaw finished the mouse she was eating and padded over to the apprentices den. She saw a black cat sitting in the middle of the den. She could tell it was a tom, but he smelled of no clan, or twoleg pet.

"Hello?" Moonpaw murmured. The black tom spun around and backed away.

"I-I mean no harm! I came for s-shelter.." He stuttered.

"Where are you from..?" Moonpaw asked, looking the black tom from head to tail.

"Well, n-no where really, I guess you could say I'm a rouge.." The tom looked hesitant. Rouge? Moonpaw thought. She had never heard of rouges before.

"D-don't hurt me, let me leave in peace.. Please.." And before Moonpaw could reply, the tom brushed past her and disappeared through the bushes. Moonpaw curled up in her nest, trying to forget what had just happened. She also tried to cover his sent, as if he was never there. Her eyelids grew heavy as she floated into sleep.