Warriors: A New Beginning #1: The Beginning

Chapter 15

"Me? With Dapplecloud?" Waterfall shook his head. "No. I hardly know Dapplecloud! Are you sure that's what the dream meant?"

Wavepelt nodded. "I'm sure."

"But what about Wheatpaw?" Waterfall sighed. "I feel like she's drifting away from me...toward Silverpaw."

"I know..." Wavepelt looked down at the snow. "Maybe StarClan wants you to mate with Dapplecloud, not Wheatpaw."

"But I can't!" Waterfall protested. "I want to mate with Wheatpaw!"

Wavepelt heard a rustling behind them. She turned and saw two golden ears peeking out of a bush.

"Wheatpaw?" she wondered. How much did she hear?

Wheatpaw's head rose up. She glanced at Waterfall, then at Wavepelt. "What are you two talking about? Something about Waterfall and Dapplecloud...What was it?" She coughed.

"Shouldn't you be in the medicine cat den?" Waterfall asked. "You still have greencough, don't you?"

Wheatpaw opened her mouth to reply, but Curlyfur pushed through two bushes, panting.

"Wheatpaw!" the tabby exclaimed. "Why aren't you in the medicine cat den? Mintleaf's been looking for you!"

"Why do I have to stay in the medicine cat den?" Wheatpaw protested. "I feel perfectly fine!"

"But you're not." Curlyfur beckoned her. "You have greencough. Do you want to contaminate your Clanmates? Come on, we'll go back to the medicine cat den."

"Fine." Wheatpaw sighed, and she reluctantly followed Curlyfur.

"It's not fair," Wavepelt murmured.

"What's not fair?" Waterfall asked.

Wavepelt jumped, startled. She had forgotten about the grey and black tom.

"It's not fair that Wheatpaw has greencough," she said. "She was just about to become a warrior. "She only had her final assessment left."

"It's not fair that I can't mate with Wheatpaw!" Waterfall retorted. "Why can't I?" He gazed angrily at Wavepelt.

"I...I don't know," Wavepelt mewed. "Ask StarClan, not me."

"I can't visit StarClan in dreams like you can!" Waterfall exclaimed. "Not very many warriors can! Maybe you should ask StarClan instead." Then he padded off without waiting for a reply.

Wavepelt sighed. She had made Waterfall angry.

"Ask StarClan?" she murmured. "No...I have a better idea." But she wouldn't do it just yet.

She entered camp and Cloverwing went up to her.

"Wavepelt," the deputy meowed, "can you lead a hunting patrol? Take whoever you want, I don't care."

Me leading a hunting patrol? Wavepelt shivered with excitement.

"Okay," she said, and raced to the fresh-kill pile. Tussledstorm was there, chewing on a small squirrel.

"Tussledstorm!" Wavepelt called. "Do you want to come on my hunting patrol?"

"Sure!" Tussledstorm quickly finished her squirrel and jumped to her paws. "Where are we hunting?"

"I haven't decided yet," Wavepelt said. "Do you know where Flamefur is?"

"He might be in the warriors den," Tussledstorm replied.

"Okay." Wavepelt nodded, and sprinted to the warriors den.

"Flamefur!" She poked her head in the den. "Are you in here?"