Chapter two- Dovewing

Dovewing sat under the Highledge, eating a vole. She looked up and saw Bumblestripe walk into the warriors' den. He had told her he was still grieving Firestar's death. A sudden wave of sadness washed over her. She suddenly missed her former leader. He was her kin, after all. He was her grandfather's uncle and a noble leader. She soon felt the need to talk to some cat.

She finished eating and got rid of her scraps and padded to the warriors' den. Bumblestripe was sitting in his nest, grooming.

"Bumblestripe?" Dovewing mewed. He whipped his pale gray and black head around.

"Oh, hi. You scared me," he muttered. She padded closer and sat beside his nest.

"Sorry. Hey, want to take a walk with me?" Her question seemed to take her clanmate by surprise.

"Um, sure… Where?" Bumblestripe asked.

"The creek?" Dovewing suggested.

"Sure," he meowed. The two cats walked out of the camp and into the forest, along the worn path that led to a nearby creek that fed into the Moonpool.

"Is something wrong?" Bumblestripe meowed. Dovewing swished her tail.

"Yes, actually. I really miss Firestar," she mewed. Bumblestripe nodded.

"Like you said, we all do," he mewed. Dovewing looked up at him.

"He was kin," she mewed.

"He and my father were very close. He was like kin to me and my sisters, too." There was sadness in his voice. The sun had set and the forest was quickly darkening. The creek was very near, within earshot.

"Yeah, I bet Graystripe is devastated," Dovewing mewed. Bumblestripe looked down.

"He is, but doesn't want to show it too much. He has Clan business to deal with," he meowed.

"He could make a good deputy," she mewed.

"Maybe, but it won't be long before he joins the elders' den," Bumblestripe pointed out. The two cats arrived at the creek. Dovewing sat on the bank, followed by Bumblestripe. The sun had given way to a full moon and shining stars that reflected on the creek's glassy surface. Dovewing could see her wavy reflection in the water.

"It's so beautiful here," Bumblestripe muttered. She felt his tail rest behind her, his fur grazing hers. She started at first, but let it stay. After her and Tigerheart had parted ways, her and Bumblestripe's friendship had strengthened a lot. She looked up at him and their eyes met, his warm amber eyes melting into her icy blue eyes. She had never felt this way near him.

Suddenly, a rustle in the bushes behind them broke the gaze.

"What was that?" she mewed.

"Maybe a mouse?" he suggested. Dovewing shook her head.

"The sound was too loud for a mouse..." she trailed off as her senses took over. A large vixen was crouched in the foliage, about to attack.

"Move!" Dovewing leapt and shoved into Bumblestripe, knocking him sideways.

"What?!" he snapped, confused. His question was answered as the fox leapt out of the bush and snarled at them.

"Go, move!" Dovewing shouted. Bumblestripe sprinted forward, along the bank of the creek. The fox was gaining on them. Bumblestripe turned on his heels and lashed out a paw and scratched the fox's eye. The scratch drew blood, and the fox stopped to blink as scarlet drops showered the ground. Soon, she turned back, lashing her tail in anger. Dovewing looked at the gray tabby tom in anger.

"What was that?" she demanded. He looked surprised.

"What was what?" he asked.

"Why did you fight back? You could've been killed," she muttered.

"We can't outrun a fox," he meowed, "and there was a dead end coming up." Dovewing looked forward. The path stopped abruptly at a large boulder.

"Oh, sorry," she murmured.

"Nevermind that. We should go back to camp and let Jayfeather look at that paw," he said. Dovewing looked down at her paw. There was a large gash, probably from a stick or something when they were running. She didn't notice the pain until Bumblestripe had pointed it out.

"Ok, let's go," she muttered.