Forgot some characters. So here they are. RiverClan deputy: Mossclaw; Elders: will introduce them gradually; warriors I forgot to mention: Sparrowflight (formerly Sparrowpaw from Ch. 2) and Darkfire (formerly Darkpaw from Ch. 2). More will be added along the way, especially the ones sent in to me.
Characters from Erin Hunter's books do not belong to me. You'll know who they are.
Check my profile for a one shot from this chapter!
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"Frog dung! That would have fed all the elders!"
Dawnpaw dove into the water, hoping to catch a fat cat fish that managed to slip between her paws. It had been 4 moons since Dawnpaw had first been named an apprentice and life was going well.
The silvery she cat had watched her brother be christened to apprenticeship. Thunderpaw's usual coldness to her had extended even to the apprentice's den where they should have been closer than ever.
Should have been.
Dawnpaw focused back to hunting. This time she'd find the biggest fish in the river. All the elders would be impressed by her catch when she returned to them. Dawnpaw waded out into the flowing water and dove under. The best fish were always deep under the little waves of the surface. Down the silver cat dove, kicking strongly against the gentle current, she spotted the cat fish she missed. Closer and closer Dawnpaw swam, closer and closer the fish would be to its inevitable fate.
Then, the fish darted the side. Dawnpaw streaked after it, shooting through the water after the fish.
No way am I missing this one!
With one final kick, Dawnpaw was right on the cat fish. She snapped her jaws around it, killing it. The salty taste of flesh that squished between her jaws tasted better than ever this time. Dawnpaw's head broke the surface with her prey. She swam to the shore and placed her catch on the ground. One more fish and then she'd head back to camp. Patiently, Dawnpaw settled down by the shore, careful not to let her shadow touch the river.
A suddenly shape came into view a few after a few moments of waiting.
Fish!
Skillfully, Dawnpaw slashed her claws through the water, sending the fish flying into the air! Aiming, she readied for the killing blow. Dawnpaw swiped, hitting the fish straight in head, killing it fast. The dead fish landed back into the river, flowing along with the current.
No, that's my prey!
Dawnpaw raced after her stolen catch, bounding through the forest floor. Then, she hopped into the river. Following the ribbon like trails of blood strewn through the waves, the silver apprentice managed to catch up with her prey. She reached out one paw to scoop the dead fish up out of the water, but another paw beat her to it.
Thunderpaw!
"That's my fish; can I have it back please, Thunderpaw?" Dawnpaw asked her brother kindly. Instead of an immediate reply, Dawnpaw received an icy glare.
"Finders keepers, losers weepers. It's mine now." Thunderpaw picked up the fish and stalked off into the reeds. Thunderpaw had just stolen Dawnpaw's fresh kill! This didn't make Dawnpaw mad, but it did hurt. It hurt like rejection, stinging the heart.
It's been moons, moons! Why can't he just let it go? I still love him.
Pushing away her feelings, Dawnpaw backtracked for her cat fish. At least one large fish would be enough. Timberclaw wouldn't be mad at her for missing one fish, especially since the cat fish was a much better catch. Dawnpaw walked back home to camp slightly more elated at the thought.
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Dawnpaw carried her cat fish over to the elder's den. Only two of the elders were there at the moment, all the rest must be out in the camp or taking a walk. Reedwhisker greeted Dawnpaw cheerfully as she approached. Reedwhisker's orange pelt was neatly groomed, and his eyes were bright. He prodded another elder with his paw to wake her up. Skybird, his mate was an elder along with him. She had silvery fur just like Dawnpaw.
"Hello Dawnpaw, what have you got today?" Reedwhisker asked. He turned to Skybird, who was now grooming herself instead of welcoming Dawnpaw. The orange elder meowed at his mate. "Look dear, Dawnpaw brought us some fresh kill."
Skybird lifted her gaze. Her blue eyes reflected age and fatigue.
"I guess that's worth some thanks. Thank you very much dearie. I even managed to remember a story for you too."
Dawnpaw's eyes lit up. She loved to hear about clan lore, especially from other clans. She settled down in front of the two elders with excitement. Her day was already getting better. Skybird began her tale.
Hawkfeather jerked her head up to the air. She savored the sweet winds that traversed WindClan's territory at this time of day. Her light brown tabby coat ruffled in the breeze as she soaked up the afternoon gales. The sun started to set around the moors. Hawkfeather always loved to watch the sunset here. She used to visit every day after her warrior ceremony, now she was making up for lost time with the dying sun.
When the stars started to speckle in the night sky, Hawkfeather ventured back to camp. If she stayed out too much longer her clanmates would worry. Plus she was supposed to take the dawn patrol out the next morning so she needed the rest. She gazed up at the stars once more before taking off to her den.
"StarClan," She prayed, "take care of my clan. Leafbare is coming and we need all our strength. Please don't take my sister this season."
Hawkfeather's sister Stormwing was constantly becoming ill. Every time Hawkfeather visited her beloved sister, Hawkfeather could see her sister's silver and white splotched fur growing ragged and her yellow eyes dulling with sickness. Stormwing practically lived in the medicine cat's den now. Mallowheart, WindClan's medicine cat cared for his clanmate every time she fell ill and was patient with Hawkfeather. But despite Mallowheart's best skill and efforts, Stormwing died in the medicine den one cold leaf bare night from a horrible case of greencough. Hawkfeather was devastated by her sister's death. But instead of blaming Mallowheart for Stormwing's death, she blamed StarClan for calling Stormwing to their ranks too early. The day after Stormwing's death vigil, Hawkfeather rejected her belief in StarClan. When hunting, the brown tabby no longer said a short prayer of thanks to her warrior ancestors, nor did she visit the moonpool for blessing or even for her apprentice's training. Her clanmates never mentioned StarClan in front of Hawkfeather and she didn't attend clan ceremonies anymore. However, Hawkfeather was not the first clan cat to not believe in StarClan, but she was the first to openly denounce the belief. She continued to live a "normal" warrior's life until one day before a battle with ThunderClan over a prey stealing dispute.
"If StarClan even existed, they would have never let ThunderClan think that we stole there stupid forest prey." Hawkfeather said to herself before the battle. After many moons of mourning Stormwing, her rejection of StarClan still remained strong.
WindClan's leader, Ashstar, led her clan out to the border. The WindClan patrol trotted across the moor to a thin stretch of trees that started ThunderClan land. The battle party stopped before crossing the border, waiting for the enemy patrol to arrive. Soon, the undergrowth shook and several broad shouldered ThunderClan warriors stepped out of the bushes. Their leader, Bramblestar was at the head of the patrol with his deputy Squirrelflight at his side. Bramblestar looked intimidating to Hawkfeather with his dark tabby fur and piercing amber eyes. Hawkfeather almost shuddered.
"Admit that you stole our prey, Ashstar." Bramblestar said with eerie calm in his meow.
How could he be so calm? There's a battle about to start! Hawkfeather thought right before Ashstar replied to the ThunderClan leader.
"We didn't steal those birds and you know it Bramblestar! We don't even need your filthy prey to keep us fed." Ashstar snarled as warriors from both side readied themselves for the signal to attack.
"You'll regret this." Bramblestar growled as he launched himself at Ashstar, ripping his claws at her soot grey fur. Ashstar screeched and swiped at Bramblestar's sides. WindClan and ThunderClan warriors leapt into the battle, yowling for blood and clawing at each other's ears. Hawkfeather attacked with her clan, valiantly fighting a golden tabby tom. Hawkfeather recognized this cat from gatherings. She remembered his name as Sunstripe, one of the fiercest warriors in forest! Out of fear, Hawkfeather slashed at his face, hoping to land a crippling blow to the ThunderClan warrior, but he blocked Hawkfeather's claws with a quick swipe of the paw. Hawkfeather yowled in rage and lunged at Sunstripe. The golden tabby warrior sidestepped, anticipating her every move. Hawkfeather was sent spiraling on the ground. Leaves shot up in the air from the force of her fall.
Sunstripe whipped back to his opponent and pushed her onto her back. The ThunderClan tom unsheathed his claws, reading himself for devastating hit to the belly. Sunstripe slashed his paw down. Hawkfeather winced, bracing herself for the pain that was about to explode through her body. But no pain came. The tabby she cat looked up and saw a white furred paw blocking Sunstripe's blow. Reacting quickly, Hawkfeather stood up on her paws again. The white paw vanished from view. Hawkfeather jerked her head around, searching for it.
"Go for his forelegs." A distant voice mewed into Hawkfeather's ears.
Sunstripe rushed at Hawkfeather. His eyes blazed and screamed for her blood. Hawkfeather mindlessly followed the advice. She sliced at Sunstripe's forelegs, causing him to yowl with pain and trip to the forest floor.
"Good job, now jump on his back and bit his shoulders." The voice whispered again. Hawkfeather obeyed and jumped onto the golden tabby warrior's back. She sunk her teeth into Sunstripe's shoulder, tasting the blood that leaked out. Hawkfeather leapt off her opponent, waiting for a counter attack. Just as she thought, Sunstripe rushed at her again, snapping at her tail. Hawkfeather whipped around and clawed the top of his head. Sunstripe let out another yowl and fled back into the undergrowth.
I won! I beat ThunderClan's best warrior! Hawkfeather thought to herself triumphantly. Then, she looked around for the cat that had helped her. She could smell a faint scent of a strange cat, but it was so minute, Hawkfeather doubted it really existed.
"Where are you?" She said out loud, hoping to thank the cat for his help in the battle. Then, like a flash of lighting, a starry warrior appeared right before Hawkfeather's eyes! The warrior was a white tom with green eyes and thick pelt. He smelled of ThunderClan and carried stars in fur that left a shimmering trail behind him.
"I'm here; Hawkfeather of WindClan," The tom said, "My name is Cloudtail. Like you, I didn't believe in StarClan either."
"Why are you here then?" Hawkfeather meowed; shocked that she'd been visit by the very thing she shunned.
"To set you on the right path," Cloudtail replied smoothly, "I was born a kittypet, so I never grew up with your beliefs. StarClan hasn't abandoned you, Hawkfeather. We always watch over our descendants. But sometimes, you're going to have to let go."
Hawkfeather scowled at the white warrior.
"What do you mean?" She asked. Cloudtail gazed into her eyes.
"Sometimes, it is a warrior's time to leave this world. We in StarClan call to them and they answer us. We welcome all out clanmates into our clan. Then it's their clanmate's job to welcome them into their hearts."
Hawkfeather stood speechless. She understood what the white tom was trying to tell her. Stormwing was still there, watching over her and WindClan. Hawkfeather's sister never truly left. Cloudtail smiled at Hawkfeather and beckoned her towards his side.
"There's someone I want you to meet." He meowed as the brush rustled. A silver and white splotched she cat with bright azure eyes stepped out of the bushes.
"Stormwing!" Hawkfeather almost yowled as she bounded to greet her sister. Stormwing just as eagerly greeted Hawkfeather. The two sisters touched noses and purred.
"I missed you so much," Stormwing said softly, "But I know we'll meet again when StarClan calls you."
Sadly, Hawkfeather nodded. She'd wait for an eternity if she had to, knowing that her sister was waiting for her in StarClan.
The images of Cloudtail and Stormwing faded and Hawkfeather ran back into the battle. But by the time she got there, the tabby warrior could hear the signs of ThunderClan's retreat. WindClan had won the battle.
"StarClan has truly been watching over us." Hawkfeather sighed as she bounded back to her clan.