Warriors: A New Beginning #1: The Beginning

Chapter 34

Wavepelt was awake in an instant, panting. What was that dream about, anyway? It was a lot like her dream at the Moonstone— so many questions and so few answers.

She sighed, stumbling out of the warriors den. Ashpaw was already up.

"Can we start training right now?" she asked excitedly.

Wavepelt nodded. "Of course. I'm not sure, but Spottedstripe might hold a training session for the apprentices today."

"Yay!" Ashpaw squealed. Then she added, "I'm really glad you're my mentor again."

"Me too." Wavepelt set her tail on Ashpaw's head. "Are you hungry?" She certainly was.

"A little bit." Ashpaw shrugged.

"I'll eat something, and how about you change Sandypelt and Whiteheart's bedding while you wait?" Wavepelt asked.

"Okay!" Ashpaw meowed happily, and dashed to the medicine den to go get some moss.

Wavepelt smiled. Ashpaw was unfazed by the thought of caring for the elders. She was quite cheerful, probably because Wavepelt was back.

She grabbed a vole from the fresh-kill pile and lay down to eat. I haven't tasted real prey in forever!

When she had finished, she saw Bushtail running up to her, and soon Flamefur appeared as well/

"Do you want to go hunting?" they asked in unison, then shot glances at each other. Clearly one had not been expecting the other.

Wavepelt looked at Flamefur, then at Bushtail.

"Well..." she began. "I was going to assist on the training session with Spottedstripe, but I can hunt later, if that pleases you."

"Okay," Bushtail mewed. Flamefur nodded. The brown tom padded off, but the ginger stayed.

"Wavepelt," he whispered. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," replied Wavepelt.

"Well, I... can I—"

"I'm done!" Ashpaw exclaimed. "I did the elders' ticks too." She smelled of mouse bile.

Wavepelt wrinkled her nose, turning around and dismissing Flamefur with a wave of her tail.

"Good work," she approved. "Now go wash yourself off in the stream to get rid of that mouse bile."

"Okay." Ashpaw dashed off again.

Wavepelt heard Flamefur sigh as he padded off. What was he going to ask me? She shrugged. He can ask me later.

Silverpaw exited the apprentices den, followed by Smokepaw and Whitepaw.

Spottedstripe was also up, and started to organize patrols.

"Waterfall, you can lead a border patrol to the ShadowClan border. Take Speckledfur, Greeneyes, Wheatwing, Treetail, and Splotchpelt."

Waterfall nodded, and began to gather his cats.

"But what about Silverpaw?" Splotchpelt asked. "Shouldn't he come with me?"

Spottedstripe shook his head. "Silverpaw will come with me when I do a training session for the apprentices." Then he continued. "And Curlyfur, can you lead a hunting patrol? Dapplecloud, you can lead one as well."

The two she-cats dipped their heads.

"And finally," meowed Spottedstripe, "Ashpaw, Smokepaw, Whitepaw, and Silverpaw, you will come with me for a training session."