Sorry for not uploading lately, I wasn't feeling too well in the past few days but Im better now! Im working on Chapter 8 which will be hopefully posted this week, enjoy!
Shadowblaze woke up a bit after Sun rise by the sound of cries. She shook out the moss on her fur and padded out only to see the dead body of Dampwing. Beside Dampwing's dead body, lays Fluffypelt, Dewsplash and a few of his closest friends, Stonefeather, Rockyflame and Sunnystripe. "Is he…" Flamestar mewed as he padded to Dampwing's dead body. "He is dead." Chocked Fluffypelt sobbing with her kits nearby. "When will daddy wake up?" mewed Skykit. "He…" Fluffypelt chocked as she burst into another wave of tears. Dewsplash padded to the kits, "He… he's in a better place now…" Dewsplash mewed as tears dripped from his eyes as he turned around and muttered "Why couldn't it be me instead… You lost so much…"
"How did this happen?" Flamestar demanded. "The dawn patrol found him dead with no clues…Like Foxfire…" She mewed with her ears down. She had a crush on Foxfire since they were apprentices and she was about to tell him but he died. "Do you think its the same cat?" mewed Leafheart. "Possible." mewed Flamestar as he glanced at Dampwing's unmoving body. The Clan gathered around Dampwing's dead body. Petalwing's kits hopped out and Lilykit mewed. "Why is Dampwing sleeping in the middle of camp?" Petalwing brushed her tail on Lilykit. "Hush now, lets go back to the nursery now." "How about the other kits?" Lilykit mewed|. "They will be with Fluffypelt, they will be in the nursery with us later. Now lets go." She mewed as she brought them to the nursery.
"Let all cats remember the spirit of Dampwing and what he did to serve the clan." Flamestar mewed on the Large Maple with the clan. "He fought many battles with us, including the unforgettable one." he mewed and he hesitated. "The killer of these cats will not be appreciated. And hopefully this cat, will leave us alone. If you have an idea of the murder of our cats, please speak up." Flamestar mewed.
Duckpaw wanted to speak but she remembered the last time she accused Icepaw, she was humiliated infront of Midnight. "Well?" Flamestar asked. Nettlefur stood up, "It might've been Dawnsky!" She mewed hissing. "What?" Mewed Dawnsky astonished. "Well, you see when Dampwing gets to pick cats for the dawn patrol, he would always chose you. And every cat hates the dawn patrol. So if you killed him, he wont pick you for the dawn patrol anymore." explained Nettlefur with a flick of her tail as she held her chin high.
"If you didn't know," Dawnsky started as she stood up. "My name is Dawnsky." She mewed but when she opened her mouth to say more, Nettlefur cut her off. "We know your name is Dawnsky." She hissed as she lashed her tail. Dawnsky rolled her eyes. "I was born near dawn, so I wake up at dawn almost every morning and I'm fine with that!" she mewed. "And after the dawn patrol I rest for a while then I'm like a normal cat!" Nettlefur looked uncertain of what to say now. "Well…Ugh… You could've killed Dampwing because… You're an evil rouge that wants to destroy MapleClan!" she yowled. Dawnsky flattened her ears. She was a rouge that join MapleClan at the age of 6 moons. "Um, if I wanted to destroy MapleClan, killing Flamestar would be most efficient. No offence Flamestar." Dawnsky mewed glancing at Flamestar at the last bit.
"Enough!" yowled Flamestar. "Dawnsky has proved herself innocent. This investigation will still be open for any cat to be accused of murder. But we dont know for a fact that the killer is in MapleClan." He mewed finishing off hoping off the Large Maple. Nettlefur growled under her breath. Snowyflight few up and waved her tail for attention. "Even though Dampwing's death has shocked us all, patrols still need to happen. Dewsplash? Are you still up for patrol?" She asked as she glanced at the grey tom sobbing beside his brother. Dewsplash looked up. "Let some other cat lead the patrol…" he mewed turning back to Dampwing's unmoving body. "Ok." Snowyflight mewed with a dip of her head. " Sandywing, please lead a border patrol around the border with DarkClan." mewed Snowyflight. "Who shall I bring?" She asked. "Umm, bring Duskpaw, Shimmerflight,Duckpaw and Foxpelt." Snowyflight replied. "Faithheart, please take, Midnight, Dawnsky, Bouncepaw and Jaystreak to check the SwiftClan borders, and hunt there if you can." Faithheart nodded as she collected the cats. "Shimmerflight, take Duckpaw, Shadowblaze, Rustlepaw, Rowanleap and Bramblepaw to hunt near the Red Maple. Wolfhowl, take Hawkscar, Icepaw, Nettlefur, Neonleaf and Frostpaw to…"
Snowyflight's voice trailed away as the border patrol to the SwiftClan border left. "Do you think that SwiftClan would be as hostile as they were before?" Asked Dawnsky. For the past few days, SwiftClan was always hostile and very hissy when MapleClan goes near their borders, even for patrols. Faithheart shrugged. When the patrol arrived at the border, there was a SwiftClan patrol there too.
"Stay at your side of the border!" hissed a brown tabby who was leading the patrol. "We are!" mewed Faithheart. "We never crossed your border." mewed Faithheart flicking her tail irritatedly. "We shall see about that…" mewed the cat leading the patrol, Hawkwind. Behind Hawkwind there was 5 more cats with hin for the patrol. "We will be watching you when your close to our border." Mewed Robinflight growling a bit. "Why are you even so hostile! We're just patrol our border not attacking your territory!" mewed Dawnsky who was fed up. Robinflight hissed then flicked her tail. "Ok Dawnsky stop it, we renewed our border now lets go!" mewed Faithheart flicking her tail to Dawnsky's shoulder to stop the moment where Dawnsky and Robinflight hissing at each other. "Fine." Dawnsky mewed standing up straight as she ruffled her fur. Jaystreak who was at the back of the patrol glance at Robinflight once more before turning around and following the patrol.
"Ok, we renewed the border, now lets hunt, prey will be coming back now since it's the beginning of New-leaf. We want to get back to camp before Sun-high." mewed Faithheart. the patrol nodded. "Ok, it would be better if we hunted in pairs or alone. Dawnsky you go with Bouncepaw so you can help him if he needs help. Jaystreak hunt with Midnight, we meet here before Sun-high." The patrol spilt up.
"Ok Bouncepaw, have you hunted before?" Dawnsky asked. Bouncepaw shook his head. "Ok, you will by the end of this patrol. There is the most basic move, the hunter's crouch." Dawnsky mewed as she preformed the hunter's crouch. "Now you try." Dawnsky mewed standing up as Bouncepaw tried to copy Dawnsky but his belly was on the ground and he put a lot of weight mostly on his right paw. "Spread the force on all paws not just your right paw." Dawnsky mewed flicking her tail. Bouncepaw tried to adjust but his left paw was still not holding much weight. After a while he managed to become stable. "Thats right you did it! Just one more thing, dont swish your tail or your prey will hear you." Dawnsky mewed proud of her apprentice. "Ok!" mewed Bounce enthusiasctly as he stopped swishing his tail. "Perfect! Now lets try it with real prey. Do you scent anything?" Dawnsky asked the apprentice. Bouncepaw lifted his nose in the air and starts sniffing. "I can smell a black bird nearby…And a squirrel right…?" He asked looking at his mentor. "Yes, and what else?" Dawnsky asked. "Umm…A rabbit that is quite far away…And a mouse…" He mewed. "Thats right. Theres also a thrush quite far away. Now watch me catch that mouse." Dawnsky mewed as she flicked her tail towards the plump mouse.
Dawnsky dropped into the hunter's crouch as she stepped lightly towards the mouse nibbling a nut. But she accidentally stepped on a twig alerting the mouse. The mouse dropped the nut and tried to dash away but Dawnsky was quicker, with a flap of her wings she unsheathed her claws and caught the mouse just in time. "For catching mice, you must step lightly, they can feel your footsteps."explained Dawnsky. "And try not to step on anything while your hunting…" Mewed the beautiful white tortoiseshell glancing at the twig she stepped on. "Now you try." Mewed Dawnsky to the eager apprentice.
Bouncepaw spotted the rabbit and crept towards it. The apprentice carefully stalked the prey until he was less than a fox length away. He glanced at his mentor who motioned him to pounce. So he bundled up his haunches like what Dawnsky did, then he pounced. But he pounced a whisker length away from the rabbit who noticed him already. He flapped his wings until he cat reach the rabbit with his outstretched claws. He managed to claw the rabbit slowing it down, then bit into it's neck killing it. "Good work Bouncepaw! First catch on your first day!" Bouncepaw blushed a bit. "You taught me…" He mewed. Dawnsky smiled. "Ok, now lets get some more prey. But first bury your catch." Dawnsky mewed.
"Lets hunt here." mewed Jaystreak. Midnight nodded. "Do you see that plum squirrel?" mewed Jaystreak in a quiet voice? Midnight nodded. "You go over there behind the squirrel then scare it. Since the tree is beside the squirrel, it will have no choice but to run into my claws." Midnight nodded meaningfully as he padded into position. Jaystreak crouched behind a bush where he can see Midnight who was also crouched in position. Jaystreak flicked his tail as a signal for him to pounce. Midnight pounced as he growled towards the squirrel. As Jaystreak predicted, the squirrel ran right into the bush where Jaystreak was waiting. And the squirrel ran right into Jaystreak's claws. Before it can yelp, the grey tom bit into it's neck killing it. "Thats a great way of hunting!" mewed Midnight. Jaystreak smiled. "Lets continue hunting."
Faithheart glanced around to see if any cat was following her. She crept through the bushes and trees until she was back at the SwiftClan border, where a SwiftClan warrior, Stormwind was waiting. "Faithheart!" He mewed happily. "Stormwind!" she mewed back. "Do you know why your Clan is so hostile?" She asked as she sat beside the SwiftClan warrior with their tails twined together. "Well, its because one of our warriors, Moleclaw died mysteriously with a MapleClan scent on him. Our clan accuses MapleClan for his death." Explained Stormwind. "I see. When did he die?" Asked Faithheart. "2 days ago, we found his dead body as the dawn patrol left." Explained Stormwind. "Oh…" replied Faithheart. "So…Hows your apprentice?" asked the grey tom. "Oh you mean Midnight? Well, he learns fast. A great fighter I'd say." Faithheart mewed. "Will Breezestar give you another apprentice?" She mewed. "Well, I heard that Featherblossom is having Flamewind's kits. I hope I get to mentor one of them." Mewed Stormwind. "Same. I also heard that Breezestar is on his 8th life am I not wrong?" Faithheart mewed. Stormstar nodded. "Fawnleap will make a great leader." He mewed. "How about Flamestar? He's quite a new leader right?" Faithheart nodded. "He's on his fourth life." Stormwind nodded then he looked into Faithheart's golden amber eyes. "Umm Faithheart?" He asked as Faithheart's golden amber eyes looks into his storm blue eyes. "I wanna tell you something that I should've a while ago…" He mewed. "What is it?" Faithheart mewed. "Well… I…I love you Faithheart." He blurted out. Faithheart gasped. "I…I understand if you don't want to meet me by the rose bush anymore…" Stormwind looked at his paws as Faithheart mewed. "No.. I'll still meet you there. I actually…love you too…" Faithheart mewed as Stormwind lifted his head. "Really…?" He mewed Faithheart nodded and smiled. Stormwind sighed. "I wish it wasn't this way…" He muttered. Faithheart nodded and brushed her muzzle on Stormwind's.
"St-St-Storm-Stormwind?" chocked Fernpaw who was in front of Stormwind and Faithheart. "Fernpaw!" He exclaimed as the untwined his tail from Faithhearts and jumped away. Faithheart did the same. "What are you doing here?" He gasped. "Breezestar called everyone to camp." Fernpaw mewed. "H-How long have you been here?" He stuttered nervously. "I came not too long ago but decided to hear a few things you said." Stormwind's eyes stretched wide. "No! Please don't tell Breezestar!" he yowled. Fernpaw sighed. "I wont. Now lets get back to camp." Stormwind's shoulder relaxed. "Ok, bye Stormwind. Will we still meet tonight?" Faithheart asked as they were leaving. Stormwind nodded. To Faithheart's surprise Fernpaw didn't object.
"Do you scent anything else?" Asked Dawnsky after they caught quite a lot of prey. "It's almost Sun-high we will have to meet with the others soon but we can catch another mouse or so by then." "Well…" Bouncepaw mewed. "I think I can scent SwiftClan…Quite a lot of them I think." "Hmmm Swiftclan? I can scent it too…" Dawnsky got cut off my an ear-splitting screech.
"SwiftClan, attack!"
Cliffie :D I just love cliff hangers! They make it so much more interesting!
QOTD (question of the day)- Why do you think Fernpaw won't tell Breezestar about Stormwind and Faithheart's relationship?
And one more thing, please review it makes my day and I will update sooner if I know you're reading it!
