Dawnstar's Legacy chapter 5

More people read and liked History Rewritten: Brokenstar so for a time I thought this story sucked compared to it.

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3 moons passed since Dawnkit witnessed Timberclaw and Icepelt's warrior ceremonies. In that time, Wolflight's kits Bluekit and Mistkit became apprentices and were named Bluepaw and Mistpaw. Mooneye's kits were born and were named Hawkkit and Shinekit. Reedtail, Amberblaze and Milkpelt's daughter, moved to the nursery expecting the kits of the warrior Shellfang, who had light blue stripes on his face and a white body. Darkpaw and Sparrowpaw became warriors, taking the names Darkfire and Sparrowfeather.

Dawnkit sat outside the entrance of the nursery. The sun lazily floated across the clear, blue sky. Dawnkit sighed. Her apprentice ceremony would be any day now, but she just couldn't wait. Timberclaw and Icepelt stopped by the nursery every day and taught her battle moves. One day Timberclaw took her to the river and taught her how to swim. But today the two warriors were nowhere to be found. Dawnkit assumed they were on a patrol. She was jealous of their freedom. They got to do something important and fun while she sat on her haunches in the camp, bored out of her mind. When will Waterstar make me an apprentice? I've been alive for more than six moons, for StarClan's sake! Why is she taking so long?

Dawnkit stoop up and headed for the stream. She found herself padding towards the bank of the river by the Medicine cat's den. The damp sand felt gritty and cool under Dawnkit's paws. It was a refreshing welcome to the warm, Greenleaf weather that graced the earth this time of year. Then, a shadow materialized and leaned over Dawnkit's head.

"A bit bored are we?"

Dawnkit spun around, facing her was Leafstep. His white and ginger fur dulled from the low light of the trees. Dawnkit nodded to the tom. She was so bored it felt like she'd explode.

"I'm glad I found you. I want to tell you something," Leafstep said, no emotion showing on his face that Dawnkit could see, "It's about Blackwing. I've seen her watch you. It seems like she's purposely trying to protect you." Leafstep's amber gaze lit up with sympathy for his apprentice. Dawnkit kept listening. "You don't know this, but Blackwing is my kin. She's my niece. Silverstorm is her mother and Redfur is her father. Redfur is my brother."

Dawnkit stared at the medicine cat in amazement. She had no idea he had family ties left alive.

"Anyways, Dawnkit," Leafstep mewed on, "You know how Darkfang died. Blackwing is like a kit to me, so I noticed when she was feeling down after the death vigil." Leafstep's tail twitched. "She was never quite the same, afterwards. You know her now as an energetic and affectionate she cat, but she wasn't always like that. At first she was a bit shy and rebellious…" Leafstep sighed wistfully, and then continued. "Anyway, here's what I came to tell. You're a lot like Darkfang." Leafstep stared into Dawnkit's eyes. She could feel his gaze burning into her with an intensity of a thousand stars. Dawnkit almost shivered in fear. Leafstep spoke up again.

"Could you be a sister to Blackwing?"

The request took Dawnkit off guard a little. She already had a sibling, Dawnkit never made much of him. I won't be a good sister to her; I barely know how to take care of Thunderkit.

"I guess." Dawnkit answered quietly.

"Please, help out a clanmate." With those last words, Leafstep was gone. Dawnkit watched the medicine cat pad away to his den with a sorrowful gate.

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The sun had moved positions, casting awkward shadows in the reeds. Dawnkit went back to the nursery to spend time with Thunderkit. She thought about what Leafstep said on the way back. Maybe she should be a sister to Blackwing. After all, Blackwing visited all the time. Dawnkit's thoughts were crushed when a lithe, muscular grey kit barreled into her.

"Oofff!" Dawnkit squeaked, hitting the mossy floor of the nursery with a soft thud.

"Ha! I got you. Look Stoneheart! I caught Dawnkit!" The grey kit hopped off of Dawnkit. She got up to her paws with a little hiss. Thunderkit was annoying her again, just like he had for the past three moons. Thunderkit bounced around in circles. His little ginger paws flinging sand in the air. Dawnkit gagged a little.

"Stop it Thunderkit." Dawnkit growled. Thunderkit didn't listen. He kicked some moss into his sister's face, laughing as Dawnkit mewed in protest. "I said STOP IT!" Dawnkit snarled and launched herself at Thunderkit. She unsheathed her claws and sliced at his chest.

Thunderkit squealed, getting the attention of their mother.

"What in StarClan's name are you doing?!" Stoneheart hissed as she pulled her two kits apart from each other. Dawnkit's vision glazed red as she gazed at Thunderkit and then to her mother. Fury twisted on her face. "Apologize. Do it right now, Dawnkit." Stoneheart's voice came out as a growl, but Dawnkit was too angry at her brother to notice. She looked on at the little grey and ginger tom with satisfaction. Her claws had sliced the skin on his chest, leaving a patch furless and bleeding. Thunderkit huddled against Stoneheart; his eyes wild with fear.

"I'm sorry, Thunderkit." Dawnkit said. Her meow somewhat flat.

"Like you mean it, Dawnkit." Stoneheart growled once more.

"I'm sorry, Thunderkit." This time Dawnkit sounded genuine. Stoneheart picked up Thunderkit by the scruff and carried him off towards Leafstep's den still fuming with anger over her daughter. Dawnkit flopped down on her mossy nest. It's not my fault Thunderkit is stupid. Not to mention useless and annoying.

Evening approached without warning and the sun soon began to set, leaving a milky orange and pink fire in the sky. No kit invited Dawnkit to play the entire day when they heard about what she did to her brother. Shinekit, a good friend of Dawnkit, found every excuse known to the clan to avoid her. This made Dawnkit feel left out. Sighing, the silvery kit stood up and padded slowly out of the nursery. She walked towards the freshkill pile. Normally she would be hungry, but her belly felt sour with guilt. Thunderkit is a curse to the earth! Why should I even care about what I did? Dawnkit lazily walked back to the nursery and tried to close her eyes. Why couldn't she forget about what happened earlier? Suddenly, a black shadow covered Dawnkit. She blinked open her eyes to see what it was. Blue eyes shimmered and danced, blazing into Dawnkit's own eyes. It was Blackwing. She was probably visiting as usual for the day.

"Hi Dawnkit, are you doing ok?" Blackwing asked, obviously showing her concern for her clanmate.

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's just- well, I feel weird." Dawnkit replied, slowly averting her gaze. Blackwing softened.

"It's from earlier, isn't it?"

Dawnkit almost gasped out loud.

"How did you know?"

"I did the same thing when I was an apprentice." Blackwing blinked slowly and opened her eyes again. She sighed. But it wasn't a happy sigh. Dawnkit thought it sounded depressed and regretful. "When I was an apprentice, I was the strongest even though I was a medicine cat. I would have made an excellent warrior, but medicine cat skills were my true passion," Dawnkit listened intently. "One day, I got in a fight with Darkfang, Darkpaw back then. We quarreled, first with fierce mews and hisses. Then it escalated and I brought out my claws." Blackwing tensed as if she were right there about to fight her brother again. "I didn't think and I lunged at him. I slashed at his face and ears. When I finally realized what I had done, Darkpaw was lying on the ground bleeding. But after he was healed, he forgave me and I forgave him."

Blackwing held back tears in her eyes as she finished her story. "Now do you understand? Siblings aren't replaceable; they guide us through life; they're a gift. Maybe you aren't seeing everything in your brother." Blackwing hung her head low and stalked off back to her den. Dawnkit thought about what she said.

How can I be a sister to Blackwing if I treat Thunderkit like dirt?