Warriors: The Chosen Warrior: Rising Sun (BOOK 1)

Chapter 11

The sky had begun to grow from a dark indigo to deep blue by the time the ThunderClan cats returned to the camp. Even though it was not quite yet dawn, heads poked out of the dens at the sounds of shuffling pawsteps and noisy yawns that rose in the hollow. The cats who had not partaken in the Gathering slipped out of their dens to greet their Clanmates, asking about the news that was told. While Leafpaw's Chosen Warrior announcement was relayed, most revealed the threat of Twolegs in RiverClan and ShadowClan territory.

"Let's just pray to StarClan that they don't reach this far into the forest," Leafpaw heard Spidernose mutter as he sat with Smokefeather and Starlingeyes.

Weaving between their Clanmates, Leafpaw took her littermates' lead and followed them into the apprentices' den. Bumblepaw already crouched in his nest and sleepily told Sharppaw about the transpiring events; the silver-furred tom looked like he was still asleep with his chin on his paws, but Leafpaw detected a little glint that revealed his eyes through narrow slits, no doubt following Finchpaw in a hateful glare.

As Bumblepaw's report faded away as he drifted off to sleep and her littermates' breathing slowed, Leafpaw remained awake as she lay in her nest. Her body was exhausted from the late night, but her mind struggled to stop whirling with thoughts concerning her role as the Chosen Warrior. Eventually, however, she must have been lulled to sleep for she dreamed in her eyelids the outline of a star-crusted cat walking across the black wall, leaving a trail of dust in its wake.

She gradually came back to consciousness then, feeling she had slept well past dawn, yet she was still so very tired. Determined to go back to sleep, Leafpaw shuffled in her nest to get more comfortable, realizing sometime later that her nest felt like it was made more of grass than of moss and bracken. Either way, she disregarded it; she just wanted to sleep.

A pleasant breeze ruffled her fur, making Leafpaw stretch out in her nest, exposing her belly. She grew aware of the scents of the forest fresh after a rainfall and tinged with heavy prey-scent.

The thought hit her as if a rock had just fallen on her head: I'm not in the apprentices' den.

The brown-and-white she-cat jolted awake, scrambling into a crouched position as she saw with her own eyes that she was, indeed, not in any den. In fact, as she took in the various trees and undergrowth around her, she wasn't even in ThunderClan's forest. Although countless stars shone down from the dark sky above, the forest was still illuminated brightly, and after looking closer, Leafpaw realized that the vegetation was lined with stars, causing every leaf, every piece of bark, and every stem to glow in a familiar way.

"I'm in StarClan's territory," she breathed aloud in astonishment. Panic quickly rose within her; did this mean that she was -

Movement in the corner of her eye forced Leafpaw to turn her attention that way, and she watched as a cat appeared from behind - or perhaps from within? - a glistening birch tree. Her mouth gaped dumbfoundedly as Rainshine's spirit stood not a fox-length from her.

"Do not be afraid." The dappled she-cat's voice rang out clearly and caused a warm shiver to run up Leafpaw's back. "It is not yet your time to join us, Leafpaw; I have simply summoned you here in your dreams because I believe it is finally time I speak to you directly."

Leafpaw could only stare at the spiritual Chosen Warrior, taking in every crystalized tuft of fur. She was dreaming? If she was, it was different than any other dream she had had, aside from the fact that she was currently standing in the home of her ancestors. Her mind was fully cognizant here; she was aware of everything happening instead of it being a distant, dragging picture. The she-cat looked down at her lifted paw, flexing her claws in and out; she had full control of her body. She wondered, if she tried hard enough, if she would even be able to fly among the stars that stretched endlessly above.