Hopepaw snuggled closer to Prince, his ginger pelt feeling warm and comforting against hers. Prince yawned as he put a paw around her neck. His breath tickling the fur on her head. She glanced up and saw Prince's eyes fluttering closed as soft snores filled the den. Hopepaw smiled and closed her eyes as well. She was so lucky to have met Prince. He filled her heart with warmth, maybe even love. Hopepaw knew that some cats might think it was childish or even disapprove of them being so close while they were apprentices but Hopepaw didn't care. She liked Prince. A lot. No cat could take that away from them. Except maybe one thing. Patrols. Hopepaw saw half of Dewstalk come in. She heard a rusty purr from her mentor and she was tempted to stay in Prince's grasp but she slid under his forearm and scrambled to her paws. "We have the sun-high patrol. I'll see you outside." He meowed swiftly and ducked out again.
"Huh? Where you going?" Prince asked drowsily. Hopepaw turned and gazed at Prince with her good eye.
"I'm on patrol, l'll be back soon though." She leaned forward and licked him on the flank before walking out. She saw Dewstalk talking to his sister, Brookwhisper. Since Wavepaw was 'absent', Brookwhisper had no apprentice so she had been going on patrols without him. Hopepaw trotted towards them. She dipped her head in greeting to Brookwhisper. She nodded back and excused herself, walking to Mistpool and Smokewing. "So, l see you and Prince are getting along well. Very well." He meowed teasingly. Hopepaw ducked her head and licked her chest embarrassingly. Hopepaw suddenly remembered that Prince had told her a while ago that he had gone to Shadow Ravine along with a. WindClan patrol and he had looked to see if he could find Wavepaw's body so they could at least sit vigil for him but there was sadly nothing. Only rock and mud. Hopepaw's tail drooped. Why Wavepaw? Her brother? She felt a nudge from Dewstalk. She looked up and saw Duskshade padding alongside Emberstrike and Streamshadow. Dewstalk and told her that Smokewing would be leading the patrol so as they followed Smokewing through the forest towards the WindClan border, Hopepaw noticed Duskshade fall back till he was next to his daughter. "So, how's your training?" Hopepaw nodded. "I think l'm doing well." She was tempted to add that Dewstalk was acting weirdly but she couldn't risk of Dewstalk overhearing who was now walking quietly. Duskshade gave a nod of approval. "That's good," he meowed. The silence dragged on before Duskshade cleared his throat.
"Did you know Dawnpaw's passed her warrior assessment this morning? Creamstar's going to give her her warrior name at sunset!" He enthused. Hopepaw's eye widened.
"Really? That's great news!" Hopepaw felt her tail spike up with excitement. "I wonder what her warrior name will be?" Duskshade smiled. "Me too. I think you and Leafpaw will be getting your warrior names soon. You two are doing an excellent job." She hadn't seen Leafpaw in a while. Leafpaw must have been busy. Hopepaw smiled but suddenly thought of Wavepaw again. He would never be getting his warrior name. Duskshade put his tail tip on her shoulder. He must be thinking of the same thing. "We're here." Dewstalk suddenly spoke. Hopepaw looked up and saw half of the WindClan border. She glanced as far as she could towards her blind side and saw the familiar Shadow Ravine. Painful memories piled up in her mind. Duskshade licked Hopepaw's head and padded away, heading towards the far side, preferably to scent the border. Hopepaw followed Dewstalk as they headed towards the middle while Smokewing and Mistpool walked towards Shadow Ravine with Brookwhisper in the middle. She scented the border on a small bush and started marking closer towards Duskshade. When she had finished she sat at the border, lost in her thoughts. Duskshade had to call her three times before she realised and trotted up to the rest of the patrol. Hopepaw started to follow her father when Smokewing slowed and appreared at Duskshade's side. Hopepaw picked up her speed a little until she could hear their conversation. "Mistpool's expecting our kits." His voice was thick with happiness. Hopepaw was surprised and glanced at Mistpool who was up ahead talking with Dewstalk and Brookwhisper. Supposedly telling them the same news. Mistpool didn't look like she was expecting. Hopepaw knew that they had recently become mates but she never expected for them to have kits so soon. "Congrats! I'm so happy for you." She heard Duskshade meow. Suddenly, Smokewing's tail flicked anxiously.
"What if something happens? Like Dawnpaw?" Duskshade shook his head.
"I'm sure nothing will go wrong. Mistpool's strong, and you'll have wonderful, strong and brave kits. And if we're in trouble, we'll always have Cloudysky, Spotspring and Mothpaw." Smokewing nodded.
"Your right, l'm overacting. Mistpool will be fine." He nodded his thanks and stopped talking, his gaze wandering. She suddenly wondered. What if she had kits of her own?
Hopepaw grabbed a squirrel from the fresh-kill pile. She had just returned from another border patrol. This time at the ShadowClan border. She was now waiting for Dawnpaw's warrior ceremony. She saw the bramble tunnel rustle and she expected Dawnpaw to come through with Creamstar as they had done one last hunt together but instead to her surprise, it was Lakepelt. She had not seen the grey warrior in ages. She had read that Lakepelt preferred to hunt alone and she couldn't blame the older cat. Her mate had been a traitor and is even the father of Princess's kits. She wondered if they had been born yet, after all, the due date was a while ago. She wondered what their names were and what they looked like. Would they look like Princess? Even inherit her personality? She didn't' want to think about it. She finally saw Dawnpaw enter the camp with Creamstar at her side, both carrying two pieces of prey. Luckily, prey was still running well even thought it was late green-leaf. Hopepaw wanted to rush towards her mother and congratulate her on passing the assessment but she would wait for after the ceremony. Hopepaw noticed Creamstar slightly limp and was surprised. Her injury had been healed two days ago. Hopepaw saw Creamstar deposits her prey along with Dawnpaw and Creamstar climbed up the birch tree next to her den which Dewstalk had explained as The White Birch. "Let all cats old enough to hunt gather here beneath The White Birch for a clan meeting" Creamstar yowled. The remaining of her clanmates streaming out of their dens. Hopepaw felt a body sit next to her and she smelled Prince. She saw Leafpaw trailing after him. Her eyes carried a hint of grief. It reminded her of the ShadowClan warrior from a quarter-moon ago, Leafshine, her name was. "What's wrong?" She asked her sister but she didn't reply. Hopepaw wanted to keep asking till Leafpaw told her but Creamstar was already starting. "I, Creamstar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as a warrior in their turn. Dawnpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?" Hopepaw gazed at Dawnpaw, Dawnpaw's eyes filled with joy and excitement.
"I do." She meowed confidently." Creamstar gave a small nod of approval.
"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Dawnpaw, from this moment you will be known as Dawn-" Creamstar stopped as a heavy scent weaved its way through the walls and the brambles of the camp. "Badgers!" Nightpoppy yowled as warriors bunched their muscles up and slid their claws out as they waited silently. Hopepaw felt her heart rattling against her chest. It thumped like the paws of a monster. It was so loud she was sure her clanmates could hear. Suddenly, five large badgers lumbered through the camp, their eyes wild and their teeth bared. Their large black and white pelts looked menacing against the tiny bodies of the cats. Nightpoppy suddenly sprang on top of one of them and churned her claws down it's spine. The badgers looked furious along with the clan cats but that didn't stop anything. "Attack!" Creamstar yowled as the badgers lumbered towards the clan cats. Hopepaw swung her head so she could see the cats and the badgers fighting. Hopepaw felt Dewstalk at her side. "Protect the elders! Get Mistpool and Leafpaw." He snarled as he jumped away to help his sisters, Brookwhisper and Snowfern. Hopepaw glanced around the camp, badgers, cats, blood, tufts of fur everywhere. She finally saw Leafpaw and Dawnpaw fighting alongside Mistpool at the side. She sprang towards them, dodging the back legs of a badger as it clawed Reedstorm and Russetfall. She stopped in front of them, her breath heavy.
"Mistpool, Leafpaw. Dewstalk said to get you to protect the elders." All three turned to Hopepaw.
"Let's let's go! Dawnpaw, you can come with us." Dawnpaw nodded and they all ran to the elders den. To her dismay, a badger was already lumbering towards the elders den. "No!" Mistpool cried out and leaped for it's back. Mistpool bit hard into it's back, the badger roared with fury and shook her off. The she-cat landed with a thump on the ground. Dawnpaw was immediately at her side. Leafpaw nudged Hopepaw quickly. "Come on, let's get to the elders den." Hopepaw nodded and they ran towards the elders who were standing in front of the den, their claws out. "Don't worry, we can protect our den." Bumblepool meowed as he stood next to his mate, Leopardwish. Nightsong nodded. "You two can back us up though." He suggested. Hopepaw dipped her head, remembering to be respectful, after all, he was Duskshade's father. Hopepaw and Leafpaw stationed themselves next to the elders and we're ready to claw any badgers. Mistpool limped towards them, Dawnpaw right at her heels. "Look out!" Leafpaw screeched as a badger ran towards them, it's teeth glinting in the pale light from the setting sun. The badger drew it's claws across the cats. They all dodged, but the badger diverted it's position and managed to hit Nightsong. "No!" Dawnpaw cried out as she left Mistoool's side and leaped for it's eyes. Nightsong collapsed, blood spilling out from his wound and pooling around his body. "I shall see Morningfeather and Darkshadow again." He murmured before he let out one last breath and his body went limp. Hopepaw stared in grief and horror. She turned her head and saw Dawnpaw ferociously clawing at the badger, it roaring in pain and fury. When the badger finally shook Dawnpaw off, it turned tail and ran out of the camp. Hopepaw noticed that there were only two badgers left. Both badgers seemed to notice themselves being outnumbered and followed their companions. She gazed around the camp with her one eye and saw Creamstar with a big wound on her side, blood trickling out. Hopepaw rushed towards Creamstar, Dawnpaw and Leafpaw behind her. Dawnpaw reached Creamstar first and immediately went to her side. "Creamstar! You need a medicine cat. Where's Cloudysky or Spotspring?" Creamstar panted before collapsing.
"No, it's too late. This is my last life." She murmured. Hopepaw felt some of her clanmates gather around their fallen leader and her apprentice. Creamstar's head twitched as she tried to look at Dawnpaw. "I didn't get to finish." She meowed softly. "I'm proud to call you an official warrior of ThunderClan, Dawnpetal…" Creamstar whispered as she let out a breath and her eyes glazed over. The newly named warrior licked Creamstar's ruffled fur gently before bowing her head in grief. Hopepaw created closer to her mother and sat next to her. Hopepaw noticed the crowd part to show Nightpoppy, her eyes wide with grief and shock. The crowd dispersed as Leopardwish and Bumblepool walked towards the center, lowering Nightsong's limp body and walking towards Creamstar's so they could get ready for the vigil. Once the pair had finished, Hopepaw sat with her mother, father, sister and Prince near the middle of the gathered cats. Hope paw glanced at the center and saw Creamstar, Nightsong and Streamshadow, all of them limp and had joined StarClan. Nightpoppy stood up first and stepped forward. "Three of our beloved clanmates has joined StarClan tonight. Nightsong, a loved father, elder and most of all, our clanmate," Nightpoppy paused for a heartbeat then continued. "Streamshadow, a loyal son, a trustworthy warrior, a friend. Creamstar, a leader, a kind soul, a worthy leader." Nightpoppy meowed, her whiskers slumped in grief. "We say goodbye today to our friends. May StarClan light their paths. May they have swift running, shelter and they will always stay in our hearts." She finished. Hopepaw bowed her head in grief and felt Leafpaw lean against her. Hopepaw rested her head and Leafpaw' shoulder. When some of the cats had paid their respects, they left. Leaving Duskshade, Dawnpetal, Leafpaw, Nightpoppy, Barkclaw, Blazestep, Spotspring, Leopardwish, Bumblepool, Grasscrawl and Snowfern. Hopepaw's brain rattled as she thought of each cats connection with their dead clanmates. For Creamstar, Nightpoppy, Dawnpetal and Grasscrawl had a reason to stay. Duskshade, Leopardwish, Bumblepool had stayed for Nightsong. Snowfern, Barkclaw, Blazestep, Spotspring and Grasscrawl stayed for Streamshadow. Grasscrawl looked especially grief-stricken. She felt bad for Grasscrawl, she had lost her former mentor and her mate. She had nearly forgotten that Creamstar had mentored Snowfern, Leafpaw's mentor. She nudged Leafpaw gently. "Let's go," She whispered as they both walked towards the apprentice den. Prince was already dozing gently inside. Hopepaw was reminded of Wavepaw's vigil when he had tumbled off the ravine in WindClan territory. She suddenly wondered how the badgers had found their camp and why they had attacked. What if it was another cats doing? Like Princess? No, surely not. By now, Princess' kits will be born and she would have take care of them. Would they be a half-moon old? Hopepaw sighed softly. Today she would go to sleep and worry tomorrow.
Thank you so much for reading. Credit to Echostream136! Also, l will be uploading on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays from now on. I'm really sorry but l don't have enough time. Thank you som much for reading though! P.S. Next chapter is the second last chapter! Yay!