Warriors- Dawn of An Era: The Journey Begins {Book 1} (COMPLETED)

Chapter Twenty-Six

Scarredbelly watched as a snowflake fell onto his nose, melting as his body heat engulfed the white flake. He let out a small sigh, seeing his breath turn into a white cloud before disppearing. Leafbare is finally here. The tom scanned the camp and saw Thrushpool's kits trying to catch the flakes on their tiny pink tongues.

"Wow," breathed Applefrost as she joined him outside the warrior's den. Her eyes were wide with awe as the cold powder continued to fall. "It's amazing."

There was a frustrated growl behind them as Birchfur pushed his way out of the den. "It's snowed for generations," he grumbled, looking at the light gray sky. "And all it does is make the prey run and hide and makes us go hungry."

Scarredbelly's ear twitched. "Did you sleep on a thorn, Birchfur?" He commented, whiskers twitching.

The senior warrior glared at him, his tail flicking. "Whether or not this leafbare is easy on us, there's still plenty of work to be done." He paused, looking from Applefrost to the nursery then to Scarredbelly. "Especially when giving the Clan new kits."

Scarredbelly's ears heated and he glanced away in embarrassment. "I think I hear Beetlescar calling for me on patrol," he meowed quickly. As he hurried away, he heard the senior warrior chuckling before speaking with Applefrost.

"Ah, Scarredbelly, just the warrior I wanted to see." Purred the deputy as he regarded the tom with friendly, yet glazed, eyes.

Scarredbelly's whiskers twitched in amusement. "Are you sure you aren't looking for another brown tabby?" He joked.

Beetlescar let out a hearty laugh and shook his head, grinning. "Nope. Could you take Sorrelpaw hunting?"

"Of course," Scarredbelly meowed. "Where do you want us to go?"

Beetlescar looked thoughtful for a moment before responding. "I'd say go toward the lake and see if there are any voles or squirrels." He meowed. "Make sure you're back before sunhigh."

Scarredbelly stared at the deputy in confusion. "Why?" He asked, then quickly added. "We'd catch more prey if we stayed out longer."

Beetlescar let out a small purr and looked over his shoulder at the nursery. Dovekit was watching her denmates play in the falling snow with a hollow look in her eyes. "It's her apprentice ceremony today."

"Really?" Scarredbelly looked at the kit, realizing how much she'd grown since her brother's death last moon. He looked back to the deputy, worry creeping into his voice. "Are you sure she's ready to be an apprentice?"

The deputy narrowed his eyes slightly at the warrior, a small cough coming from him. "Of course she's ready," he meowed. "Why wouldn't she be ready?" His voice held a hint of a challenge. "Do you think she is unfit to be a warrior?"

Scarredbelly quickly shook his head, mouth open. "Of course not!" He protested. "I just think that she won't be able to focus on her training when she's grieving for her brother. That's all."

Beetlescar waved his tail dismissively. "Her and Sweetpool cling onto their kin for far too long," he meowed and Scarredbelly bristled in indignation. "Cats die all the time in a Clan, it's a fact. We need to move on quickly to focus on the welfare of the Clan."

Anger spiked his pelt and Scarredbelly quickly shot back. "Would you still be torn up if your kit died?" He lashed his tail as the deputy stiffened in surprise and anger.

"I don't have kits and I don't have the desire to have any," he spat back ungraciously. Anger lined his mew and Scarredbelly's mind ordered him to stand down. "Unlike you or every other cat in this Clan."