Yay, more chapters. Also, I realized I forgot what Embersoul looks like. ): Ick. That's a bit of a problem.
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Dawnpaw followed her patrol back to camp. She started to relax a bit now that the skirmish between her and Nightpaw was over.
Dawnpaw glanced over at her brother. His face was twisted in a scowl as he moved forward, his paws slamming heavily into the earth with frustration. Concerned for her littermate, Dawnpaw approached him.
"What's the matter?"
Thunderpaw glared back at his sister, his dark amber eyes betraying his emotion.
"I could have taken that cat." He hissed only loud enough for Dawnpaw to hear. Dawnpaw felt her tail bristle.
"You were pinned to the ground! What else was I supposed to do? Let you get mauled so much you couldn't walk back with us? What would I tell Stoneheart and Embersoul?" Dawnpaw mewed back sternly. Thunderpaw's expression changed into that of hatred.
"They wouldn't care. They never cared about me like they did with you." Thunderpaw almost growled at his sister. Dawnpaw flicked her ears with shock. Why would Thunderpaw think his own parents didn't want him? The silvery she cat gave an annoyed hiss.
"They would totally break down if you were hurt like that!"
"No, they'd only be worried if you were hurt. They wouldn't give a fish's tail about me, Dawnpaw. You should know. They always favored you over me. Embersoul always played with you as a kit and Stoneheart only praised you whenever you caught something in a hunting patrol. Face it, Dawnpaw. Our parents only ever cared for you."
Thunderpaw continued to stomp angerly back to camp behind the patrol. Dawnpaw was frozen in her tracks. Did her parents really favor her over Thunderpaw? If so, why would they? They were both equally skilled in hunting and fighting. Did Thunderpaw have a character flaw that Stoneheart and Embersoul didn't like? Dawnpaw couldn't wrap her mind around the thought of her parents disliking their own son.
Noticing she was left behind, the silvery she cat bounded back to catch up with her patrol. Dawnpaw let her paws carry her through the marshy ground of RiverClan's territory, arriving back at camp just in step with the patrol. Dawnpaw breathed a sigh of relief.
I'm not late.
The relief faded instantly when she saw Mossclaw's dappled brown and tan pelt approach.
Uh-oh. Did I do something wrong? Am I in trouble?
The RiverClan deputy padded near Dawnpaw on his way to the Warrior's den, meowing as his passed by.
"Waterstar would like you to make a report about the patrol in her den, please."
Dawnpaw flicked her ears back nervously. Even though Mossclaw's voice sounded calm, she was still worried about addressing the clan leader.
What if Waterstar punishes me for letting Mothspots go?
Dawnpaw walked over to Waterstar's den, tail shaking endlessly to relieve her of the stress that came with addressing her leader. Swallowing her fear, Dawnpaw entered the den made of reeds behind the rock that lay in the center of camp. She ducked her head under some low hanging plants at the roof of the den to fit herself in.
Stepping forward, the silvery apprentice noticed a blue-grey and white tabby shape grooming herself in the far corner.
"Waterstar," Dawnpaw said softly, hoping to stay away from the RiverClan leader's anger, if there was any. Waterstar looked up at Dawnpaw.
"Hello, Dawnpaw. You are going to make a report to me about the patrol earlier." Waterstar meowed without much emotion. Dawnpaw sat down in front of her leader, unsure of what to say next. The grey she cat let a heartbeat of silence pass by before speaking.
"Why me? I'm not a Warrior yet."
Waterstar smirked. Dawnpaw almost made a face. Was Waterstar laughing at her or was she mocking her? Dawnpaw's pelt felt hot with indignation as Waterstar twitched her whiskers at the apprentice.
"Not yet. Not a Warrior yet. But you will be. Count this report to me as part of your training. Warriors report to their leaders after patrols, yes? I want my apprentices to be as prepared as possible when their Warrior ceremony approaches."
Dawnpaw breathed a silent sigh of relief to herself.
I'm not in trouble.
"Now," Waterstar said, getting back on track, "How was the patrol."
As calm and evenly as she could, Dawnpaw spilled the entire story of her patrol to Waterstar. She described Mothspots' accidental border crossing incident and how she had let him leave the territory unharmed and Thunderpaw's fight with Nightpaw. Dawnpaw also told her leader about Whitepool's apology to RiverClan about her own apprentice's foolishness. Dawnpaw sat rigid with a new found anxiety.
What if she thinks I made a bad decision to let Mothspots go or sends a party to WindClan to complain about Nightpaw?
Waterstar smiled at Dawnpaw, much to the silvery she cat's confusion.
"Did I do something wrong?" Dawnpaw asked, hoping she hadn't. Waterstar shook her head.
"No, no. A good Warrior seeks for peaceful solutions first. Thank you for the report Dawnpaw. I'm not mad at you," Waterstar's blue gaze shifted to Dawnpaw's, warmth in the RiverClan leader's eyes, "I'm proud of your progress, you should be too. I'll be sure to tell Timberclaw that. You may go now, Dawnpaw."
Dawnpaw nodded at Waterstar, relief flooding her mind once again. Dawnpaw turned out of Waterstar's den and back into the camp. The sun was still high in the sky; the day wasn't ready to end yet. Dawnpaw gazed up at the clear skies, smiling.
A beautiful leaf fall day.
The orangey clouds around the sun warmed the silvery cat's mood as she sat down outside the apprentice's den, waiting for an assignment from her mentor. The color reminded Dawnpaw of her father's pelt, how it rippled like the clouds floating aimlessly in the sky. Then, it hit her.
Embersoul! I have to go talk to him and Stoneheart.
Dawnpaw poised herself to leap out to the Warrior's den, but a voice in her head stopped her mid leap.
"They wouldn't care. They wouldn't care about me like they did with you."
Thunderpaw's words echoed in her mind. Was it really true? Did both of their parents really favor Dawnpaw over her brother? Why would they? Thunderpaw was their son!
Dawnpaw sat down in her nest, trying to remember the times of her kit-hood, trying to remember the times Thunderpaw was over looked. Memories passed by her eyes as she lay down in her mossy nest in the apprentice's den.
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"Dawnkit, Thunderkit! What do you want me to fetch you from the fresh kill pile?" Stoneheart mewed to her kits tussling on the ground before her. She smiled at the innocent faces staring back up at her. They had their father's eyes for sure. Thunderkit answered first, his little ginger paws pushed around the dirt on the floor of the nursery.
"I want carp!"
His sister Dawnkit got up on her paws with her answer.
"I wanted frog." She squeaked a little louder than her brother. Thunderkit sunk down in his nest. Stoneheart nodded to her daughter.
"Alright, frog it is then."
The silvery grey queen left the nursery and padded to the center of camp near the leader's den. There sat a pile of fresh kill in the open for the clan. Stoneheart picked up a frog and walked back to the nursery and her kits. Dawnkit bounded up to her mother when she reappeared. Thunderkit followed behind her, his gait less than enthusiastic.
Dawnkit munched happily into her dinner. She stopped eating when she noticed Thunderkit wasn't eating with her. Still chewing on a piece of meat, the silvery she kit turned around towards her brother.
"Aren't you hungry, Thunderkit?" She asked with concern. Thunderkit shook his head.
"No, you can have it. I don't like frogs." The ginger and grey tom kit stuck out his tongue to make his point. Dawnkit giggled a bit.
"I'll go get you a carp then." Dawnkit mewed as she got up and trotted to the nursery entrance. A voice from behind her stopped the kit.
"Where are you going, Dawnkit?" Stoneheart's meow caught her by surprise.
"To get a carp." Dawnkit said simply. She continued her journey to the fresh kill pile until Stoneheart blocked her path. The grey queen looked down at the little kit.
"You've had enough to eat today. Go back to your nest, dear." Stoneheart nudged her daughter back to her nest with her muzzle. Dawnkit stumbled forward.
"But Thunderkit-!" Dawnkit squeaked, but her mother cut her off midsentence.
"No 'buts'." Stoneheart said almost sternly. Her green gaze growing harder as her daughter protested.
Dawnkit flopped back down in her nest beside Thunderkit. She could tell he was hungry by the way his eyes and face shone dully.
"Maybe we'll have carp next time," Dawnkit said, hoping to cheer her brother up, "I can go and get you a carp when Stoneheart's asleep." But Thunderkit shook his head.
"No, I can get it myself."
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"Catch it Embersoul!" Dawnkit yowled to her father as she hurled a moss ball over her head. The tom cat bounded off in the direction of the ball, catching it in his teeth while it was in the air.
"Got it!" Embersoul said, his mew muffled by the mossy toy. He trotted up to his daughter and placed the ball down.
"Now your turn," The grey and ginger warrior said, "I'll throw it this time and you go and catch it."
"Ok!" The little grey kit squeaked. Embersoul picked up the moss ball and tossed it across the marshy camp grounds. Dawnkit tried to imitate her father in catching the toy by jumping up to catch it. But instead of catching it in her jaws like her father, it hit her face. With a squeal of surprised, Dawnkit landed on her side on the ground. Embersoul chuckled.
"Are you ok, Dawnkit?" He yowled over to her. The silvery she kit sat back up on her paws and nodded.
"Another round?" Embersoul asked. His daughter's eyes shone with excitement. He picked up the ball again. But a little mew from behind him stopped the warrior from throwing the ball a second time.
"Can I play too?" the little voice asked. Embersoul looked back to see his son, Thunderkit standing there. Embersoul stared back into his son's dark amber eyes.
"I have to go to a patrol right after I throw this to Dawnkit once more." Embersoul said, picking up the moss ball. He tossed it into the air, not stopping to look back at his son again. Thunderkit shrank down into the damp dirt. He was disappointed that his father wouldn't be able to play with him today. It seemed like he never had time to play with his son.
"That's ok, he's a Warrior. He has a busy life." Thunderkit said to himself.
The grey and ginger kit looked back up to see his father leaving for his patrol. Embersoul bid goodbye to Dawnkit, but ignored Thunderkit. What struck Thunderkit as odd was that Embersoul was going out of the camp alone.
"I thought he had a patrol to get too…." Thunderkit mewed quietly. Pushing the little kit out of his thoughts was his sister's muffled voice. When Thunderkit turned to look at Dawnkit, she was carrying the moss ball in her jaws.
"Want to play, Thunderkit?"
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The reeds around RiverClan's camp rustled with each step Dawnpaw took. Her paws scrapped against the plants noisily as she returned to camp carrying a fat catfish. She was discouraged that Thunderpaw took her second fish of the day, but she was proud of the one he didn't take. The silvery she cat ducked her head under some low lying branches of a nearby tree and entered the camp. She placed the fish on the freshkill pile, eyeing it with pride in her gaze.
Dawnpaw sat down outside of the apprentices' den. She flicked her ears at the signal of a presence that sat down next to her. The apprentice turned her head to see Stoneheart settled down next to her. Dawnpaw's mother's green gaze shone with admiration and pride for her daughter.
"Good catch, Dawnpaw," Stoneheart said, "I bet that will feed a few elders with that. Have you shown Timberclaw yet?"
"No, not yet. But I will when I take it over to the Elder's den." Dawnpaw meowed in reply. She smiled at her mother, who in turn, smiled back.
"Wait till your father sees it. He should be here in a few moments."
As if on cue, Embersoul padded his way towards the apprentices' den. He glanced over at the freshkill pile while he was walking past. The ginger and grey tom sat down next to his mate and licked her on the forehead affectionately.
"Hello, dear. Did Dawnpaw catch that catfish?" He asked his mate. Embersoul shifted his gaze down to his daughter, who looked like she would burst if she puffed her chest out anymore.
"I did dad!" Dawnkit mewed proudly. Embersoul nuzzled his daughter.
"Good job! A warrior couldn't have done better."
Dawnpaw smiled at her parents, basking in their praise. Her ears flicked again at another presence that was nearing. Thunderpaw stepped up to his family with a fish in his jaws. The fish he stole from Dawnpaw.
But Dawnpaw didn't mind that he was showing their parents the fish. She was happy enough with the one she was left. Nothing could spoil the mood for Dawnpaw.
"Look mom, dad. I caught my first fish!" Thunderpaw said, excitement heightening his voice. Embersoul looked at the fish. Then Stoneheart did the same. The fish wasn't nearly as large as Dawnpaw's was. Thunderpaw's fish was an average blue gill that swam the lakes in green leaf.
"Nice job, Thunderpaw," Embersoul said finally. His voice lacked the pride and warmth it had when he had praised Dawnpaw. Stoneheart managed to praise her son as well.
"Good catch, Thunderpaw. You'll be a warrior before you know it." Like Embersoul's voice, Stoneheart's mew sounded slightly flat, almost disappointed in her son. "We'd better get going, Embersoul. We promised Splashfrost that we'd join her border patrol."
"Alright. You two be good for your mentors. We'll be back by sundown. Can't let those ShadowClan cats touch RiverClan land, can't we?" Embersoul meowed cheerfully, winking at Dawnpaw. The silvery apprentice giggled. Dawnpaw scampered off to the freshkill pile to retrieve her catch. The grey she cat then bounded off to the Elder's den with it.
Thunderpaw looked down at his fish that he stole from his sister. The fish stared at him with a blank gaze, eyes glazed over as a result of its demise. The ginger and grey apprentice scowled at the fish. He was about ready to yowl in frustration.
"What makes Dawnpaw so much better than me? Why can't our parents compliment me for real just once?" Thunderpaw hissed to the fish, which only answered with silence.