A/N: Sorry! Sorry! Sorry! I got Writer's Block at the end of this, and I also wanted to catch Sees a Dream up. Anyway, thank you for the loverly suggestons for our quintet's warrior names, Spiritpelt.
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Even though Dawnpaw felt on top of the world, she was brought down to earth with a bump by Suntail reminding her that there was work to be done. The rouges had left several holes in the walls of the camp, the largest near the queen's tunnel where they went to make dirt. "Can I at least grab a mouse first?" moaned Dawnpaw, and was rewarded by a nod from Suntail.
Over at the fresh-kill pile, Dawnpaw grabbed a plump squirrel and brought it over to where Snowpaw and Sootpaw were eating. "Mind if I join you?" she purred, dropping the squirrel and lying down next to them. "I'm so excited!" mewed Snowpaw. "Now we get to go exploring outside of camp, and learn how to hunt, and-!"
"Repair dens?" an unfriendly voice cut in. Dawnpaw flattened her ears and glared over to where Darkpaw, the apprentice who had lost an eye in the fight, sat in front of the medicine cat's den. "Nobody asked you! And anyway, you should stop treating us like we're still kits!" "Yeah!" agreed Sootpaw. "We may be young, but we're apprentices just like you!"
Darkpaw sunk his claws into the ground in front of him, kneading the dirt. "You're not apprentices. You're sniveling, coddled little whelps who don't know the meaning of the-!"
"Excuse me?" Blossompelt asked coldly, walking out of the medicine cat's den to stand in front of him. "If you're taking that attitude, I think you had better come inside and help me with these herbs." Darkpaw spat crossly and followed Blossompelt inside the medicine cat's den.
A moment later, Blossompelt slipped out and walked over to where Dawnpaw was finishing up her squirrel. "I'm sorry about that." Lowering her voice, she whispered, "Between you and me, I'm not sure he'll ever get over not being able to be a warrior. He's taking it hard." Dawnpaw nodded, her rage dissipating and turning to sympathy for the older apprentice. She could not imagine not being able to fight for her Clan, and the very thought made her shudder.
Again in a hushed voice, Blossompelt continued. "I'm hoping that if I get him to help me enough, he might decide to be a medicine cat\. Otherwise, he'll just have to join the elders, and at such a young age. Barely older then you three."
A tad uncomfortable- Blossompelt didn't normally gossip like this- Dawmpaw took the last bite of squirrel and got to her paws. "Right…..I think Suntail want's me to help her with patching up the wall behind the nursery. Blossompelt nodded affably, and walked back into her den.
"Well, I had beeter go help Suntail." said Dawnpaw, standing up tp duiguise the boiling rage she felt under her pelt. What Blossompelt had said did not sate it one whit. He's lucky Grasspaw didn't hear him, or he would have ended up with a clawed ear.