Ten Chapter anniversary! WOOHOO! In honor of this tenth chapter, all of my loyal fans get limited-edition DAWNPAW PLUSHIES :D
Not really, but my followers can request for me to add ONE CHARACTER of their own creation to my story. I need some cats for ThunderClan and RiverClan. So, if you review and give me a cat, I'll add him/her to the story.
WizardTeddyBear, XxDreamcatcher64xX DelzandVia, Feathercreek01, alfalfabet,
Moonbeam141, Storm Veradea, Willowdream of ForestClan, Ivyfrost-From-ShadowClan,
TeamLeoOmega and crazycats161616 can review and add a character if they want. I will give you two weeks, and then post the Allegiencies with your cats! Please specify what Clan they're in, out of RiverClan and ThunderClan. Thank you!
A chilled wind blew softly across the moor. Snow fluttered softly across the ground, which was completely cloaked in a white pelt. As the icy flakes thickened into large, cold clumps, the small group of cats completely faded from view.
Dawnpaw struggled forward, the freezing wind violently buffeting her fur as it roared into her face. Her whiskers seemed to freeze to her face, and her paws were numb, barely able to be dragged through the deep drifts. With a grunt, she dragged a paw forward. They would never make it. She felt Thistlepaw's nose butting her shoulder encouragingly. "C'mon, Dawnpaw, you'll make it."
She gritted her teeth, shuddering in response as the sudden blizzard nearly swallowed his words. The cold was almost too much. It had hit the medicine cats suddenly, going from a soft snow to an icy storm in a heartbeat. She would have lost her way if it hadn't been for Thistlepaw, who made sure the young she-cat didn't freeze or vanish into the swirling clouds of whiteness.
"We need to find some sort of shelter!" Yowled Marshclaw, barely heard above the howling winds.
"We'll make it to the Moonpool," Steamcloud, who wasn't visible in the white, called out. "I have done it for seasons, and I will not abandon my ancestors because of a little snow!"
"You're mad!" Otterleap shrieked. "Listen to me. If we keep going, we'll freeze. Then what good will we be to our ancestors? They'd have to replace every medicine cat and every apprentice, and that wouldn't be worth trying to reach the Moonpool."
The cats struggled on in silence for a minute, when Steamcloud cried out in triumph. "Ha! We've made it!" And they had. Dawnpaw stared in wonder at the sloping rock outcrop at the far end of the pool. The moon still shone bravely through the fierce storm, and its pale face was reflected in the pool. She leaped swiftly down, shuddering, not so much from cold, but more from the eerie feeling that struck her to the bone.
She shook violently, sending snow flying. She snorted at Thistlepaw, who had snow crusted all over his pale fur. He shot her a glare, and they settled down to the Moonpool, exhausted with their struggle through the storm outside. Dawnpaw lapped up a bit of the frigid water, and they all slipped silently into their dreams.
A blinding light flashed under Dawnpaw's eyelids, and she started. The trees around her glowed like the moon and stars themselves. She yowled, startled at the glowing forest. As her eyes flicked nervously around, a bright golden cat emerged from the trees. His broad shoulders shone in the light, and his green eyes stood out against the paler trees. He moved silently forward, a soft smile on his lips. "Hello, Dawnpaw," He murmured, a small glimmer of pride in his eyes as they stared into hers. "We have long expected your arrival. Welcome."
She stuttered, searching for words, but they all slipped from her tongue.
"I'm afraid that we have rather depressing news, though." He dropped his eyes to the dew-laced grass, fidgeting nervously. "Viperstar, please."
A large black tom slid out of the forest to stand beside the golden tom. His amber eyes flashed defiantly as he studied her with a somewhat frightened expression. "We need to speak with Marshclaw as well. I will wait for him to explain." He sat down, curling his thin, sleek tail carefully over his white paws and eyeing Dawnpaw warily.
Dawnpaw stared blankly at them both. This was not the StarClan she had expected it to be. Was Breezepelt here?
Marshclaw appeared behind the two cats. "Sunstripe! Viperstar. It is wonderful to see you both!" He began, his grin fading as he saw the serious expressions that shadowed the two cats' faces. His gaze fell upon Dawnpaw.
As Marshclaw padded, confused, over to the apprentice, Viperstar cleared his throat. "Now, to begin, we respect your judgment, Marshclaw. We really do."
Marshclaw flicked his ears, eyes slowly filling with doubt. Dawnpaw looked worriedly at the two glowing cats.
"But Dawnpaw's paws were destined to pad on a different path. I am sorry, but it is the truth." Marshclaw looked shamefully at the ground. "It is not your fault. She is fit for the position, but her destiny leads her a different way."
Dawnpaw looked quizzically from her mentor to the strange cats. What were they saying? Her destiny? What had she done wrong?
Marshclaw looked at his paws. "So, she can't be a medicine cat?" The sorrow in his mew surprised her.
"Yes, I'm afraid so. There is another, though, that IS destined to walk that path. You just need to be patient, my dear friend, for the time WILL come. Just not today.
"So I have failed you?" Marshclaw's voice shook.
"No. It is our fault for not telling you last time you came for Oakleaf."
Oakleaf! Why wasn't she with these cats? She should be here, telling Dawnpaw why her destiny was different. She looked at Marshclaw, anger flaring in her. He's hiding something she thought. The cat she thought she could trust the most was hiding something. She didn't know how she could tell, but something in the way he glanced around expectantly at the trees told her that he was waiting.
Suddenly, she jolted awake. Thistlepaw was nudging her shoulder. "Dawnpaw, Otterleap woke me up. She says the storm stopped."
Dawnpaw growled irritably. "But I was talking to StarClan!"
"You will next half moon. Now let's go."
"No, I won't," She spat. "StarClan won't let me be a medicine cat."
He blinked, surprised. "I'm sorry!" He mewed, flattening his ears.
"You didn't know." She hissed, turning away with a growl. She prodded Marshclaw with a paw. He blinked his eyes open, looking up at her with a confused expression clouding his golden eyes.
They didn't talk as they exited the Moonpool. A silence hung in the air, heavy as the snow was deep. Dawnpaw normally would have frolicked through the white blanket that covered the ground, but her paws were weighed down with grief as she dragged them toward home. She wasn't sure who she was supposed to be any more. She saw the moon on the horizon, its silver face shining an eerie light onto the snow and turning it a shining shade of gray.
The stars twinkled, and she hissed quietly at them. It was all their fault. She should be able to shape her own destiny!
Her thoughts flickered momentarily to DarkClan. She realized that they weren't StarClan, and she sighed. They were their own thing. DreamClan, perhaps. They were her own DreamClan. If she couldn't shape her own destiny, she would shape one for herself in DreamClan.