CHAPTER TEN

"I suggest we keep on going," Lakeheart mewed when dawn approached. All eight cats had been traveling for half a moon now.

"Yes, but we can't exactly see the North Star in broad daylight, now can we?" Ice mewed, dropping Streamkit onto the forest floor.

"Yes but the North Star hasn't really changed direction since we started following it. I say we keep on going," Lakeheart explained.

"I agree. Feather would be close to kitting soon and we can barely travel with eight kits, let alone more," Dawnfeather dropped Soaringkit. "We really, really need to get to the new Clans, and soon."

"Then let's keep on going, then," Feather dropped Silverkit and mewed tiredly.

The eight cats walked some time before they all agreed that it was too tiring.

"I'll keep watch with Bracken and Ice, the rest of you should all rest," Stormfrost volunteered. Dawnfeather curled around her kits and fell asleep almost immediately.

It was Dawnfeather's third time in StarClan since she had left RiverClan. Greeting her now was not Whitewind or Soaringdawn, but Dawnfeather's father, Darkpelt.

"Darkpelt! How did you..." Dawnfeather couldn't bring herself to say the word.

"Die? I was killed in a battle with ThunderClan," Darkpelt told his daughter.

"There was...a battle?" Dawnfeather's eyes widened. "Why?"

"ShadowClan was suffering because of lack of prey. ThunderClan and WindClan had prey so we, like RiverClan, asked them for some prey. ThunderClan objected completely so we had no choice but to fight for our prey," Darkpelt mewed. "But now, at least I'm with Whitewind."

"Is Soaringdawn still here? With Shadowstorm?" Dawnfeather asked.

"Yes, but her spirit is now in your kit," Darkpelt explained.

"Can...Can I see her?" Dawnfeather asked.

"No, I'm afraid, not now," Darkpelt told his daughter. "In total, there are nine cats you must meet in StarClan, each will give you a clue to how you are doing on your journey. I'm your third."

"So...How am I doing? Are we close?" Dawnfeather asked, hoping for a good answer.

"Quite close, actually. But you'll face danger ahead, so be careful, Dawnfeather," Darkpelt mewed. Dawnfeather's heart sank. Danger? How will they be able to get through that?

"Okay, thanks, father," Dawnfeather mewed, before curling up to sleep again.

Dawnfeather woke up again, wondering what the danger ahead could possibly be. Stormfrost stood completely alert but his eyes were drooping. He had missed the flash of red that streaked past him.

"Foxes!" Ginger shrieked, jumping up and in front of her kits. Dawnfeather followed her and so did Feather. Ice had leapt onto the first one but it shook him off easily.

"Feather, Ginger, take the kits and go! Stay away from us until we let you near!" Dawnfeather yowled before sinking her teeth into a fox. She felt something tear her away from the fox. She kicked in the fox's mouth, kicking out teeth. Whimpering, the fox dropped her and sprinted away, blood pouring out of it's mouth.

Dawnfeather felt something crash into her.

"Dawnfeather, go and guard the kits!" Stormfrost kept his mate from fighting any other foxes. "Dawnfeather, go!"

"No!" Dawnfeather argued and yanked a mouthful of fur away from a fox. Dawnfeather growled in frustration as she spat the fur out, there was no way to get around the swift former WindClan warrior. "Fine!" Dawnfeather sprinted towards the kits and Feather and Ginger.

"Stormfrost wouldn't let you fight?" Feather asked, straining to keep all kits together.

"Yes, I guess he's too worried about the kits, come on, we need to keep on moving, we can't let the foxes get to us," Dawnfeather mewed, watching with a sinking heart as the foxes attacked the five cats.

After a long agonizing wait, the foxes seemed to have retreated. The eight cats got back together again.

"Oh, Stormfrost..." Dawnfeather sighed as her mate flopped onto the ground, obviously tired from fighting. "Lakeheart, do we have some marigold?"

"A bit, here," Lakeheart handed the herb to Dawnfeather and she began to treat Stormfrost.

"Ow!" Stormfrost let out a hiss when the herb stung his wounds.

"It'll be over in a moment," Dawnfeather mewed, dabbing the herb on her own wounds too.

"You really shouldn't have fought. I mean, you just kitted half a moon ago!" Stormfrost mewed, laying down and wincing.

"You are so overprotective, Stormfrost. I fight because I want to protect everyone," Dawnfeather mewed and gave Stormfrost a lick on his head.

"You were brave!" Silverkit squeaked, batting at her father's tail as Stormfrost purred in amusement.

"Your father is brave but sometimes he's a mousebrain," Dawnfeather purred. Stormfrost mock-glared at her. "You need some rest, I'll go and get you some poppy seeds."

"But...It's almost nighttime, we need to get going!" Stormfrost protested as Dawnfeather returned.

"Not until you rest, now eat," Dawnfeather dropped the poppy seeds onto Stormfrost's paw. He sighed before taking them and falling asleep. Dawnfeather laid down beside Stormfrost as their five kits played with Ginger's kits. It was hard to believe that she had been carrying five kits for moons.

"Come here, Frostkit, Silverkit, Soaringkit, Streamkit, Stormkit," Dawnfeather mewed. It was hard to remember the names of all five kits. "You need to rest too."

"Why?" Soaringkit asked, her blue eyes filled with curiosity. She's an exact copy of Soaringdawn, Dawnfeather thought.

"You need to rest, we'll be leaving soon and this time you won't be carried. You need lots of energy," Dawnfeather mewed, using her tail to sweep her kits closer. All five kits didn't want to sleep, but eventually they did.

END OF CHAPTER TEN

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SwiftslashxLeafstorm: I'll update whenever I can :) *Throws you a cookie* Thanks for reading! :D

~Silverfrost of IceClan