Thanks to all who reviewed my previous chapters. This one is back in Dapplepaw's perspective.
I'm going to add some bits of information before the chapters so you can get a better understanding of the characters, plot, etc. If there's anything in particular you'd like me to say, then comment that.
Here is the perspectives you can expect from this story. You can also request who's point of view I should write from next in the comments.
You can expect perspectives from:
Dapplepaw (the main character)
Rainpaw (central character)
Creampaw (supporting character)
Ashpaw (main character)
Foxstep (supporting character)
Rosepaw (supporting character)
Brackenstar's voice rang clear throughout camp. "Dapplekit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Dapplepaw. Your mentor will be Streamskip. I hope Streamskip will pass down all he/she knows on to you."
Dapplepaw's paws tingled with excitement. It was hard to hold herself in place. She looked up at Brackenstar, her eyes gleaming.
Brackenstar continued, "Streamskip, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent training from Grasswhisker, and you have shown yourself to be confident and brave. You will be the mentor of Dapplepaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Dapplepaw."
He bent down and touched her shoulder. Dapplepaw scrambled over to Streamskip, touching her nose as gently as she could. She exchanged a look with Rainpaw, who sat by Hawkfeather, and Creampaw, who sat next to her mentor Silverwhisker.
After the meeting was dismissed, Dapplepaw couldn't contain herself any longer. "What are we doing? Are we going to the Gathering tonight?"
Streamskip also seemed eager. It was her first apprentice. "Actually, I asked Brackenstar. He said if you three perform well today, you can go."
"So what will we be doing?"
"Patrolling the SunClan borders," Streamskip replied. "Rainpaw will be at the DuskClan borders with Creampaw." She glanced around. "Foxstep will be joining us. He's a new warrior, but he still needs experience."
Dapplepaw felt a strange wave of fresh eagerness come over her. She couldn't place why.
The ginger warrior padded over to them. He dipped his head to Streamskip, then nodded to Dapplepaw, who looked away. He was the one who tried to carry her back to camp after the badger attack, when she could clearly handle herself. "Dapplepaw, I'll be happy to work along side you now."
"Let's go," Streamskip meowed. She started for the entrance, Dapplepaw following closely behind.
"Pay attention, you don't want to get lost again," Foxstep meowed, glancing at her.
"I can manage just fine," Dapplepaw snapped, her ears laying flat for a moment. She quickened her pace so she was beside Streamskip instead. "How big is the territory?"
"Big," Streamskip answered. "LeafClan has the largest territory. In a battle moons ago we reclaimed much of stolen land from SunClan." She leapt over a fallen log, one with a very wide diameter. "That is the Fallen Pine," she called, pausing to wait for Dapplepaw.
Dapplepaw noticed it was different than the other trees. The bark was rougher and there a smell, very faint, that was different than the maples that made up their part of the forest.
She tried to leap over it as gracefully as Streamskip did, but she only made it to the top of the log, having to jump from there to get to the other side. Still, Streamskip seemed impressed. "You'll be a very good jumper," she commented.
Dapplekit looked at the colored leaves sprinkled around. It was leaf-fall, after all. Yet, the majority of the leaves were still on the maples. She could only imagine the leaves coating the ground in a thick layer once they had all fallen.
"Are we close to SunClan?" Dapplepaw couldn't help but ask. She was drinking in all the information Streamskip and Foxstep said, but wanted to confront a SunClan patrol. Maybe Ashkit would be there. He certainly had to be Ashpaw by then.
"Here we are," Streamskip said as the maple trees thinned and a few pine trees sprinkled the area. She stopped. "This is our border.
Dapplepaw peered past it, noticing the sparse amounts of trees, all pines of some sort. She could see why it was SunClan. It was open and rocky, good places to lay in the sun. She shuddered, though, at what hid in the rocks.
"DuskClan is the opposite," Foxstep meowed, noticing Dapplepaw examining the area. "It's all shaded and marshy."
"I like our territory best," Dapplepaw meowed. "So, is there a patrol around here?" She wanted to see some foreign cats. And as much as she's hate to admit, maybe even Ashpaw.
Streamskip's ears flew up as pawsteps approached. Dapplepaw listened as the sound neared and a SunClan patrol did come into view. She brightened as she heard a familiar voice.
"Trouble? Are you serious? I think LeafClan is the last thing from trouble. I mean, it's all in the name. LeafClan. Answer me honestly, does that sound threatening to you?"
Ashpaw! Dapplepaw thought, leaning forward.
"Can we help you?" a light grey she-cat asked, her eyes narrowed.
Streamskip dipped her head politely. "We were just patrolling," she answered calmly. "We'll be off."
Dapplepaw glanced at Ashpaw, who met her gaze. His amber eyes flickered warmly for a moment before he turned to stare up at Foxstep and Streamskip.
Dapplepaw turned around as her patrol started to leave. She quickly caught up to them, trying to push Ashpaw from her mind.
"Our first Gathering!" Rainpaw meowed, a skip in her walk.
Dapplepaw nodded, glancing at Creampaw, who also seemed genuinely excited. Her mind drifted to Ashpaw. Would he be there? Stop it! Pretend you never met him. Just act like it was your first Gathering, but be normal!
It was easier than she thought to focus on the gathering of the clans. How many cats would be there? She'd never seen any DuskClan cats before.
"Did you two run into a patrol?" she asked, turning to her sisters.
Creamkit shook her head. "No, but we heard you did!" She quickly padded ahead of them to talk to Foxstep. They had known him as an apprentice as well, so it wasn't strange.
Rainpaw moved closer to her to keep talking, her voice lower. "Was Ashpaw on the patrol?" she whispered.
"Um...actually, yes," Dapplepaw meowed. Just as her mind was clear Rainpaw brought Ashpaw back up.
Rainpaw brightened. "Maybe we'll meet him, don't you think? You two are already friends, right?"
"I don't know if I'd say that. We're from two different clans, Rainpaw. We can't exactly be friends." Dapplepaw denied, choosing to ignore a small pinch of hurt from the cold, hard fact.
Rainpaw shrugged. "Well, whatever, then."
Dapplepaw could see the clearing where the clans met up ahead. She quickened her pace, a thrill of eagerness hitting her. It appeared the other two clans were already there by the number of cats and the crossing scents.
She spotted Smokestar from DuskClan perched on her rock, while Hollowstar from SunClan was beside her. Brackenstar leapt onto the third rock with ease, dipping his head to the two leaders.
Dapplepaw searched the crowd. She spotted a familiar gray tabby pelt and started for it. "Rainpaw, let's talk with other apprentices!" she meowed.
Rainpaw shrunk away from all the cats, nervous. "Okay," she murmured, doubt flickering in her blue eyes.
Dapplepaw padded over to the group of apprentices. She opened her mouth to speak, but realized she didn't know what to say. "Hello," she muttered lamely.
"I saw you at the border today. Now, please, to clear this issue up, where you an attack party?" Ashpaw asked, his amber eyes gleaming.
Dapplepaw shook her head, relaxing. "No, of course not." She dipped her head to the circle of apprentices. "I'm Dapplepaw, and this is my sister, Rainpaw."
Rainpaw dipped her head slightly. "Hello."
Ashpaw nodded his head. "I'm sure you all know by now, I'm Ashpaw." He looked at a fellow SunClan apprentice. "This is Rosepaw." He turned to a DuskClan tom. "And that's Sparrowpaw."
Dapplepaw brightened. Rainpaw squeezed forward, her attention focused on Ashpaw. Her eyes gleamed. She was about to say something when Flowerpaw came over. Dapplepaw was relieved to have some cats from her own clan there as well.
"Hey, Sparrowpaw!" Flowerpaw touched noses with the tom. "Did you know, he saved my life once?" she asked the two new apprentices. "It was a battle, but I almost fell off a ledge until he saved me?"
"See, they're friends. We can be friends with cats from other clans." Rainpaw whispered. "Ashpaw will be my friend."
She scooted closer to him. "How long have you been an apprentice?" she asked as Rosepaw, Flowerpaw, and Sparrowpaw separated to talk.
"Just a quarter moon," Dapplepaw answered. "Correct me if I'm wrong, though."
Ashpaw nodded. "Yep, a quarter moon. But judging by how Dapplepaw here has her kit fur, I'd say you're made apprentices today." He glanced at her, a smirk in his eyes.
"Kit fluff? Are you kidding me?" Dapplepaw gasped, looking at her fur. "It's naturally fluffy!" She lashed her tail, shoving him lightly.
"It looks like kit fluff to me. But hey, I'm not judging. Heros don't judge."
"Heros?" Dapplepaw exclaimed, eyes widening. "You hardly helped in that tree!"
Ashpaw rolled his eyes. "You never asked."
"Should you have to ask a hero?"
Ashpaw stared at her, curious then. "Congratulations. I've never had some cat argue with me for so long."
Rainpaw piped up. "Well, why don't you sit by me, Ashpaw?" she suggested, sorting of stepping toward an open area. "It's about to start. I think." She turned to Dapplepaw. "I think Foxstep mentioned wanting to sit next to you. I'm sure to apologize."
"I don't need his apology," Dapplepaw meowed, her tail flicking. "Fine, well, whatever. I'll sit by Creampaw." She whirled around, her stomach full of butterflies. Why? It was strange, talking to Ashpaw. He generally did that, though the last time she assumed it was because of the badger clawing at the tree.
She spotted Foxstep, padding over to his side and sitting. "I heard from Rainpaw you wanted to sit beside me." She didn't bother to add enthusiasm.
Foxstep nodded, patting the ground next to him. "I want you to have a good view."
Dapplepaw reluctantly sat down, curling her tail over her paws.
A yowl from Smokestar started the Gathering.
"We have a new deputy," she called. "Shallowcreek!" She let cats from SunClan cheer, while some added in from DuskClan and LeafClan. "Also, prey is running good, as we have learned a new source of food from the swamp. The badgers have been absent and we haven't smelled any recently." She bowed her head, stepping back.
Brackenstar took a step forward. "LeafClan has just chased a badger and her two cubs out. No cat was harmed. Prey is thriving and the leaves have started to fall." He paused. "We have three new apprentices. Rainpaw, Dapplepaw, and Creampaw."
Dapplepaw heard her name chanted, and felt all eyes on her. "Stand up," Foxstep whispered beside her. She quietly got to her paws until the cheering died down. F
"Thanks," she whispered back.
Brackenstar nodded to signal he was done. Hollowstar stood, clearing his throat. "We, too, have a new apprentice. Ashpaw."
Dapplepaw found herself calling out his name as he stood up. She turned back to Hollowsstar once the crowd stopped.
"The sun is still warm, though the rocks are getting colder. Prey is still up and about, though there have been traces of dogs in the territory. The Twolegs let them run around. SunClan remains strong. The Gathering is dismissed."
Dapplepaw got to her paws again, shaking out her fur. She felt a nudge and turned to see Ashpaw, walking by her. "The tree?" That was all he said, though Dapplepaw had a fairly good understanding of what he meant.
There was no way she was going to meet him! It was against the code! She felt herself breaking, though.
Fine, I'll go. Just to see what he wants.
"Ready?" Foxstep asked her. He was padding up the slope that led the way back to camp.
"Yep," Dapplepaw replied casually.
Rainpaw caught up with her, though she didn't speak. Creampaw flanked her other side, also silent. What was wrong with them?
Please review your thoughts.
Chapter four summary: Dapplepaw turns up every morning for training tired, and Rainpaw is curious why, while Creampaw is focused on dragging Foxstep's attention away from Dapplepaw.