The mouse dropped by Hopepaw's paws and she lay down next to her daughter. "So, how's training?" Hopepaw hesitated for a heart beat before answering. "It's going great." Hopepaw had hesitated for a short time but it was long enough.
"You know you can tell me, right?" Hopepaw sighed hopelessly.
"It's Dewstalk, he's been acting weirdly. Just before in the Training Burrow, he was talking to himself. He's been really distant as well-" she stopped as Dewstalk entered the camp, a scrawny mouse in his jaws. Dawnpaw and Hopepaw exchanged glances and continued to stare at him. "Dewstalk! Let's go hunting together, if that's okay?" Reedstorm asked as his father approached him, Amberspring on his heels. Dawnpaw half expected Dewstalk to flash his friendly smile and accept but to her horror, she saw him glare at his parents instead. "I just went hunting, you think l have the time to do it again?" He snapped before stalking away, his tail high in the air. Dawnpaw starred after Dewstalk in horror. Dewstalk never did that, to anyone. He was always so kind and helpful! She saw Reedstorm and Amberspring exchange astonished gazes before they walked out of camp, murmuring to themselves. "See what l mean?" Hopepaw meowed. "He's not the cat he used to be." Dawnpaw shook her head.
"I can't believe it. That can't be him." Dawnpaw looked baffled.
"Is it my fault?' Hopepaw suddenly asked. Dawnpaw swiveled her head around and gazed at Hopepaw in confusion.
"What do you mean?" Hopepaw looked away guitfully before turning back.
"I resurrected him. What if it gave him brain damage or whatever…" Dawnpaw looked straight into Hopepaw's eye.
"That is not your fault." She meowed, sternly. "You saved him and Skywisp. You spared their families from a ton of grief. I'm proud of you." Dawnpaw finished softly. Hopepaw smiled widely and purred.
"Thanks Dawnpaw, it means a lot." Dawnpaw nodded.
"You mean a lot to me too." Hopepaw rubbed her flank against Dawnpaw's chin, joy bubbling in her chest.
"Hopepaw!" A voice meowed. Hopepaw looked up and saw Dewstalk stalking towards her.
"Dewstalk!" Hopepaw immediately stood up, noticing Dawnpaw looking at Dewstalk with narrowed eyes, as though she was observing the warrior with scrutiny.
"Hopepaw, we're going to train." Dewstalk meowed tartly. Hopepaw glanced at Dawnpaw. See? He's acting so strange!
"Didn't you just go hunting?" Dawnpaw ventured, her gaze friendly now. Dewstalk's blinked, and his eyes gave off a clear gaze.
"I did? Oh I'm so sorry, I must've forgotten." He apologised. "Sorry Hopepaw. Maybe you could take care of the elders ticks later? I'm really tired today." Hopepaw's tail flicked happily as she realised that Dewstalk wasn't acting strange anymore.
"Of course! No problem." Dewstalk dipped his head and walked away. Hopepaw sighed, relieved, and sat back down. "Thank StarClan he's back to normal." Dawnpaw looked at her.
"He was never not normal," she mewed. Hopepaw looked at her mother, bewildered.
"Didn't you just see him turn down Amberspring and Reedstorm's offer to hunt so coldly?" She asked. "And when he snapped at me, and set me lots of tasks to do-"
"Wait a minute." Dawnpaw interrupted. "Mentors are supposed to be like that. Maybe he snapped at you… but strictness once in a while will discipline you into a better warrior. And he was nice just then." She told Hopepaw gently. Hopepaw's eye scrunched up in confusion.
"I'm not sure if that's 'mentor' normal, but l'd better go. Dewstalk's still my mentor, and he told me to take care of the elder's ticks." She opened her eye and smiled. "Thanks Dawnpaw," she meowed. Dawnpaw smiled back.
"Of course, l'm here if you need me." Hopepaw ducked her head and walked away towards the medicine den. Dawnpaw jumped as a grey tom suddenly appeared at her side. "That was good." She turned and saw Duskshade.
"l'm so proud of them." She whispered. A sudden wave of grief washed over her. "If only Wavepaw was here…" Duskshade leaned against Dawnpaw's tabby fur. "I know," he murmured. Dawnpaw closed her eyes and memories of Wavepaw ran through her mind. The time when he stood up for Hopepaw when they were kits. His apprentice ceremony. If only she could see him one last time…
Dawnpaw stretched as she woke to a dimly lit den. She glanced beside her and saw Leafpaw and Hopepaw sleeping next to each other, Prince sleeping further back. She smiled at the sight of her two daughters sleeping peacefully. Dawnpaw walked out and was greeted to Nightpoppy standing in front of the den with warriors surrounding her. She padded closer and heard Nightpoppy assigning a border patrol. "Take Reedstorm, Blazestep, Mistpool, Brookwhisper and Grasscrawl." She was talking to Smokewing. The grey tom nodded and walked away with his patrol. Nightpoppy turned to Finchflutter then noticed Dawnpaw.
"Dawnpaw! I think l saw Creamstar go out earlier, maybe go and see her." She told the apprentice. Dawnpaw blinked then nodded. Why would Creamstar go out alone? Dawnpaw decided not to delay the wait and ran out of camp, trying to focus on Creamstar's scent. It was still fresh. She must have went out of camp recently. She stopped as Creamstar's scent suddenly disappeared. Dawnpaw shook her head. She must have missed something. She sniffed the bushes next to her but to her disappointment, was greeted by a stale mouse scent. "Creamstar?" She meowed, hoping that wherever Creamstar was, she could hear her.
"I'm here," a weak voice came from the right of her. She peered through the undergrowth and saw a deep pit where Creamstar was laying down, her front paw positioned awkwardly underneath the leader. "Creamstar! Are you okay?" Creamstar nodded but lifted her injured paw up slightly. "I'm fine but l think l sprained my paw." Dawnpaw looked around for something to help Creamstar up but there was nothing. "I'll go get help!" Dawnpaw meowed. Before Creamstar could say anything, she whipped around and ran off. "Nightpoppy!" She burst out when she entered the camp. She saw Nightpoppy talking to her mate, Blackmoon, and she immediately ran up to her. "Nightpoppy! Creamstar needs help!" They both turned to Dawnpaw.
"What? Where is she?" The black deputy asked, her eyes brimming with worry.
"She's stuck in a pit, she's sprained her paw as well." Nightpoppy exchanged anxious glances with Blackmoon.
"Blackmoon, get Pebblewing, Grasscrawl, Hopepaw, Dewstalk and Skywisp. Meet me at the Training Burrow." She commanded as Blackmoon rushed off. "Show me where Creamstar is." Nightpoppy nodded as she quickly followed Dawnpaw through the bramble tunnel. They slowed as they approached the edge of the pit. "Creamstar!" Nightpoppy exclaimed as they saw Creamstar sitting on her haunches, her injured paw hovering above the ground, waiting. She looked up and smiled. "Thank StarClan you're here." She called. "Did you bring anyone else?" Nightpoppy nodded.
"I told Blackmoon to meet me at the Training Burrow with the others." Creamstar gave a nod of approval.
"I'm glad l chose you as my deputy." Nightpoppy seemed to radiant pride at her leader's words. Nightpoppy turned to Dawnpaw. "Dawnpaw, go get Blackmoon and the others, explain what's happened." The light ginger apprentice nodded and ran off again, her muscles rippling through her legs, her heartbeat accelerating with every step. She slowed to stop when she saw Blackmoon, Finchflutter and the others, worry and alarm glittering in each of their gazes. "Dawnpaw! Where's Nightpoppy?" She heard Skywisp's voice as they crowded around her. Dawnpaw turned to Blackmoon. "Creamstar's stuck in a pit and we need to help her get out, are there any ideas how?" Dawnpaw saw Blackmoon's eyes scrunch up in deep thought.
"I've got it!" Dawnpaw recognised Hopepaw's voice and she turned her head and looked at Hopepaw, almost forgetting that Hopepaw was in the patrol. "What's your plan?" Grasscrawl asked.
"We find a sturdy branch, then we drop one end down so Creamstar can climb up it!" Dawnpaw saw Skywisp and Pebblewing exchange thoughtful glances. "That could work!" Dewstalk exclaimed, his tail twitching. Dawnpaw felt a glimmer of joy creep up. See? Dewstalk hasn't been acting weirdly. Dawnpaw thought as she shot a glance at Hopepaw. Hopepaw glanced at Dawnpaw then at her mentor. She was clearly unnerved. "Let's go then." Pebblewing meowed, snapping Dawnpaw back. Blackmoon nodded.
"Show is the way Dawnpaw." Soon after Dawnpaw had showed and waited for the rescue patrol to put the plan in action, Dawnpaw saw Blackmoon and Nightpoppy let down an oak's branch as Creamstar waited. Creamstar put her front paw on the branch and it slightly wobbled. "Is it strong enough?" Hopepaw whispered to Dawnpaw as they all watched Creamstar put her three paws down. Dawnpaw shrugged and continued watching, her chest tight with worry. Creamstar's tail flicked as she stepped closer to them, the branch shook at her weight. Dawnpaw couldn't help but step closer. Creamstar stepped closer but to their dismay and surprise, the branch cracked and Creamstar fell at a plummeting speed for only being a few tail lengths high. Dawnpaw lurched forward along with Pebblewing. Creamstar jumped at the last moment the branch tumbled down and she managed to get her paw hanging off the edge. "Creamstar!" Blackmoon's alerted voice echoed off the walls of the pit as Creamstar struggled to stay hanging. "Hang on!" Dawnpaw struggled to not panic as she hauled Creamstar up along with Pebblewing. Creamstar, Dawnpaw and Pebblewing toppled onto the forest floor in a heap of bodies as Creamstar managed to drag her hind legs out. All three instantly scrambled to their paws. Pebblewing stood next to her friend, Mistpool while Dawnpaw helped Creamstar regain balance. "Thank you, all of you. For helping me." Creamstar meowed softly, wincing as she gently placed her sprained paw on the forest floor.
"Let's get you home." Nightpoppy meowed as she went to Creamstar's other side and Creamstar leaned against Nightpoppy, limping as she walked. Dawnpaw, Hopepaw and Dewstalk walked together. Pebblewing and Grasscrawl talking amongst themselves and Blackmoon walking with his daughter, Skywisp. When they entered the camp, they were greeted by Cloudysky who was questioning Creamstar and how bad the pain was. Creamstar smiled."I'm fine, don't worry Cloudysky." Dawnpaw suddenly remembered how Creamstar and Cloudysky were sisters along with Pebblewing. Pebblewing left her friend's side and nudged her sister towards the medicine den. "Let's just get Cloudysky to check you up." Creamstar reluctantly let Pebblewing guide her. Before they vanished from sight, Creamstar turned her head over her shoulder. "Dawnpaw! Come in, I want to talk to you." Dawnpaw exchanged glances with Hopepaw and trotted towards them. She ducked her head as she walked through the ivy screen, small blossoms littered on the tendril, hanging delicately. Dawnpaw waited in front of Creamstar as Cloudysky tended to her paw. Pebblewing dipped her head and padded out of the medicine den leaving Dawnpaw, Cloudysky and Creamstar alone. When Cloudysky was finished dressing Creamstar's paw, she walked over to her herb store and started to sort her herbs out. Creamstar settled down in one of the nest, made to help patients rest. Creamstar beckoned for her to come closer with her tail. As Dawnpaw slowly approached Creamstar, she gave a smile of pride. "I'm proud of you. You informed Nightpoppy because you knew that you couldn't get me out by yourself." She paused and gazed at Dawnpaw warmly. "I think your ready for your warrior assessment."