Dawnstar's Legacy
Chapter 8:
I am having some writer's block right now; I have no feelings to write or motivation. Don't be surprised if some of the next chapters (including this one,) are a little lack luster. Also, Nightshade, the precious deputy has retired and Mossclaw replaced him. Sorry for the confusion.
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Dawnpaw gazed her dark eyes up at Skybird, who just finished her story.
"Cloudtail was Firestar's kin, right?" Dawnpaw asked, excitement peppering her voice.
Skybird nodded. "Yes he was. Cloudtail was the son of Firestar's kittypet sister, Princess. You certainly know your clan lore well, Dawnpaw."
Dawnpaw smiled at the compliment. "What happened to Princess then?" She asked, question popping into her head like bubbles in the stream.
Skybird stared down at the silvery apprentice. Her blue gaze sparked with laughter. Skybird chuckled to herself and then answered.
"No cat knows for sure. Some clans say that she joined SkyClan in the gorge a ways out from the twoleg place. Others say that Princess followed Firestar's trail after the clans left the old forest and joined ThunderClan. My mother was always told that she lived the rest of her life like any other kitty pet and stayed home. Now run along now and find you mentor. He's probably looking for you right about now."
Dawnpaw jerked her head behind her in shock. It was already sunhigh! Timberclaw would be expecting her for battle training any minute now. Standing up to lap at her fur a few times, Dawnpaw bounded out of the elder's den and out of the camp.
Follow one of the many shallow streams that lined RiverClan's territory, Dawnpaw padded out to a closed in clearing by the water's edge. There sat Timberclaw, waiting for her as she approached.
"What took so long," Timberclaw asked, whiskers twitching with amusement, "I almost waited half the day."
Dawnpaw smiled into her mentor's gaze. "I was taking care of the elders."
"If you say so," Timberclaw shrugged it off, "Now onto battle training."
Timberclaw swiped; Dawnpaw barely dodged with enough footing, causing her to stumble on the soft grass.
"Hey! I wasn't ready!" Dawnpaw squeaked, preparing her forepaws for a counter attack. The silvery she cat pounced at the tabby tom, landing a hit square on his shoulders. Timberclaw recoiled in surprised and used his strong paws to batter his apprentice to the ground. Dawnpaw's chest slammed into the dirt; her breath knocked out of her lungs. She turned her dark gaze upward, only to find Timberclaw pouncing back onto her!
Thinking fast, Dawnpaw rolled to the side. Timberclaw's paw slashed the grassy ground, missing the target. Then, Dawnpaw held out a forepaw, tripping her mentor. With a yelp, Timberclaw came crashing to the forest floor! Dawnpaw then launched herself onto her mentor's back, batting at his ears. The brown tabby tom wasn't done yet. He stood up and shook his pelt like a dog, sending the little grey apprentice flying towards the river bank. Dawnpaw hadn't recovered fast enough from the blow and found her chest and belly being pummeled with Timberclaw's hind paws. Still dazed, the silvery she cat mindlessly swiped at Timberclaw's side. The tabby tom then sent her skidding across the glade with a careful push.
Dawnpaw stood up and panted. Timberclaw's better than I thought. His hits are heavy, and so his he! But I'm faster. Maybe I could use that….
Dawnpaw swerved to the side as Timberclaw aimed another blow with his forepaws at her. The she cat swiped at his legs, knocking the tabby warrior off balance. Seeing her chance, Dawnpaw slipped under her mentor's belly, pummeling it along the way with her paws. The silvery cat almost yowled in fear as Timberclaw dropped his entire body onto her! Quick as minnow, Dawnpaw rolled out from under her mentor and hit his side with her own. Timberclaw stumbled back, panting. He looked up at her, pride in his green gaze.
"That was excellent." He said between breaths.
Timberclaw's gasps only reminded Dawnpaw of how exhausted she was. It wasn't even that late and she felt like she could curl up in her nest and sleep for a moon! Dawnpaw knew better than to get her hopes up. Odds would have it; she'd have to get some more training or apprentice work in before she got to rest.
Dawnpaw could only nod in acknowledgement of Timberclaw's compliment. They hadn't been battle training for long and she already impressed her mentor! A part of Dawnpaw's mind squealed like a kit with delight.
I'll be a warrior before I know it!
"I think I'll give you the rest of the day off. There isn't anything else I have for you to do, unless you wanted to go and wade in the stream with me." Timberclaw meowed, pushing Dawnpaw out of her thoughts.
"Ok." She meowed back as she followed the brown tabby towards the water. The two cats stepped into the clear waters of the stream. Timberclaw's shoulders rolling powerfully against the current that flowed with the water. Dawnpaw dipped her paws into the river, and then her whole body followed. The water felt cool and refreshing swirling around her fur. Soon Dawnpaw was swimming strongly after Timberclaw.
Suddenly, Dawnpaw yelped as torrent of icy water flung into her face! She jerked her head around to see Timberclaw snickering at her.
"What was that for?!" the silvery she cat almost yowled.
"Ha Ha! Come on, Dawnpaw. Let's have some fun." Her mentor replied with a smile as smooth as a river's stone.
Dawnpaw flicked water at Timberclaw, who dodged the attack with ease.
"You've got to try better than that!"
"I will!"
The two cats stormed after each other, playing and splashing. Soon, they two dragged themselves on the shore, panting.
"Let's get ready to get home." Timberclaw said, sitting down onto a bunch of damp moss.
Dawnpaw almost nodded in agreement, but then she remembered. Thunderpaw would likely be on his break too. She just didn't want to deal with him and his attitude today.
"I want to stay out for a little longer, Timberclaw." Dawnpaw said softly with her own exhaustion. Timberclaw nodded.
"Alright, just don't stay out too long or I'll come looking for you. I'll tell your brother that you got eaten by a fox when I get back." Timberclaw smiled, hopping to cheer his apprentice. Dawnpaw shot him back a rushed smirk.
Thunderpaw would probably like it if a fox got me.
"I'll so you later then."
With that, the pair parted ways. Dawnpaw headed north to the direction of the ShadowClan border. The silver she cat noticed the scenery change from damp soil with deciduous trees to a dryer grounds with pine trees scattered across the territory. Dawnpaw stopped at the border. She wrinkled her nose at the ShadowClan scent.
Ugghhh. It's been moons since I first smelled this and I still can't get over it.
Dawnpaw sat down. Her mind told her to wait, but wait for what? ShadowClan was doing business as normal as far as she knew. A patrol hadn't arrived yet, so she didn't need to hurry home.
I need to wait. But what am I waiting for?
More moments passed with countless heartbeats. Then, the bushes rustled. Dawnpaw turned to see a brown cat stalking out of the plants towards her. Dawnpaw purred at the familiar face.
"Dawnpaw! I'm glad I found you. We need to meet Breezepaw at the ThunderClan border, down by the lake." The brown medicine cat apprentice seemed stressed. Dawnpaw lifted an ear.
ThunderClan's border? I can't trespass on another Clan's land without permission.
"Wouldn't we be trespassing, Applepaw?" Dawnpaw asked, nervousness rising in her head at the thought of breaking the Warrior Code. Applepaw shrugged.
"This is kind of important. Plus, if we stay down by the lake, our scent will be washed away with the water. Breezepaw wouldn't lead us into a trap, we know her."
That was true. Breezepaw was much too trustworthy to set a trap for her friends; Dawnpaw almost saw the trustworthiness as a flaw. Breezepaw was very inclined to make friends, sometimes clouding her judgment of her loyalty to her clan. Plus, if a ThunderClan cat decided to bother a RiverClan cat about a problem then it must be important.
"Is Emberpaw coming?" Dawnpaw asked before setting off after Alphapaw. The brown cat shook her head.
"No, I didn't tell him yet actually. I just got the message when I was down by the ThunderClan border searching for raspberry leaves. Breezepaw was sitting by the border, waiting for a patrol to take her to camp so she could see me," Applepaw explained, "I was lucky to have gotten their before a patrol. My clanmate probably wouldn't have let her stay by the border for very long."
The two cats started off. They skirted the edge of the lake, sticking to the shadows of the undergrowth and trees.
"Then what happened?" Dawnpaw asked, curious about Applepaw's adventure. The brown cat replied to her, but didn't stop to rest.
"Breezepaw told me to meet her by the lake at ThunderClan's border and to bring you. She said it was important and she would explain everything when we got there."