Warriors: A New Beginning #1: The Beginning

Chapter 23

Wavepelt yawned and sat up. She still was pretty surprised by what Ironstrike had told her last night. She could believe it, though.

"Hello Wavepelt!" Dawnpool greeted as Wavepelt entered the clearing..

"Is it dawn?" Wavepelt asked. Spottedstripe wasn't sending out any patrols.

Dawnpool shook her head. "It's past dawn. Not sunhigh yet, but close."

"What?" Wavepelt was immediately awake. "How come you didn't wake me?"

"We wanted to let you sleep." Dawnpool shrugged. "You looked tired."

Wavepelt nodded. The Gathering had been a long night.

"I think that the kits wanted to show you something," Dawnpool continued.

At that moment Wavepelt noticed Smokekit running up to her.

"Come look!" the dark gray kit squealed. "We decorated the nursery!"

Wavepelt followed Smokekit as he scurried into the nursery. Inside, Ashkit was sitting impatiently, her tail-tip twitching.

"Yay! You're here!" she exclaimed. "We've shown everyone the nursery so far. You're the only one who hasn't seen it!"

Wavepelt looked around the nursery, and smiled.

"You did a great job," she approved.

Shiny things decorated pretty much everything. They decorated the rim of each nest like with Wheatwing's. Ashkit and Smokekit had also somehow woven shiny things into the wall of the nursery.

"So you like it?" Smokekit asked.

Wavepelt nodded. "I do."

She turned toward the exit. "I'm going to go hunt, okay?"

"Can we come with you?" Ashkit asked hopefully.

Wavepelt shook her head. "You'll have to wait until you're apprentices."

"And that's in less than a moon!" Smokekit piped up. "I want you to be my mentor!"

"No, she's going to be my mentor!" Ashkit gave her brother a little shove.

"It seems like you're popular."

Wavepelt turned and saw Featherdapple. The queen was lying on her nest, looking tired.

"I'll be glad when the kits are apprentices," Featherdapple continued. "I can finally rest!" She sighed happily.

Wavepelt grinned. "Bye, Featherdapple."

Featherdapple dipped her head. "Goodbye."

Wavepelt left the nursery and headed toward the fresh-kill pile.

"Tussledstorm!" she called. The ruffled gray she-cat was sitting thoughtfully. "Do you want to come hunting with me?"

Tussledstorm blinked. "Oh...sorry, Wavepelt, but no thanks. I have other things to do."

That wasn't like Tussledstorm at all.

"Uh...okay?" Wavepelt shrugged. "I'll ask someone else."

"I'll come with you, Wavepelt." Flamefur bounded up to her. "I feel like I haven't hunted for moons!"

"Let's go tell Spottedstripe." Wavepelt padded over to where the replacement deputy was sitting.

"Hey, Spottedstripe!" she meowed. "Do you mind if Flamefur and I go hunting?"

Spottedstripe shook his head. "Go. But steer clear of Snakerocks. I got reports of adders...even in leaf-bare. You would be lucky to survive if you got bitten."