Chapter 2
Dawnpaw woke up in the morning and remebered her fight with her clanmates. She secretly checked them and no one was there. Outside the den, was sparkling with sunshine. Oh no! It must be sunhigh! I missed the dawn patrol! She struggled to get up and her legs were shaking. She padded out of the den to see the clan empty. She looked around to the nursery, and Greyfeather was moaning inside. She must be having her kits... She must be having her kits! Wow! She ran to the nursery and there were two bloody scraps of fur out. There was another one popping out from Greyfeather. Greyfeather started licking her kits but she wasn't doing it properly. Dawnpaw helped Greyfeather lick the kits while Breezepool took the fourth kit out. Dawnpaw finished licking all four of them. "Thank you, Dawnpaw." Greyfeather puffed. Breezepool nodded. Dawnpaw could tell the smile in Breezepool's eyes. Her paws were bloody and she padded to the lake to clean it off. " Are you okay?" Dawnpaw asked. Greyfeather nudged her kits. "I am now. I wonder what I'll name them." There was a grey tabby tom, a blue-grey tom, another blue-grey tom but it had a very long tail, and a lovely she cat with streaks on her chest. She was silver and looked special. Dawnpaw knew she was going to be the prettiest she-cat with all toms after her. Dawnpaw licked the kits one last time. " I don't know about the toms but the she-cat is certainly very lovely. You could call her... Sweetkit or something." Greyfeather smiled. "That's a very sweet name. Perfect. She will be Sweetkit."
The kits gathered around her belly and started sucking the milk. Breezepool gave some borage before she left and her milk was coming properly. "The tabby one will be Stripekit, the blue kit will be well, Bluekit and for this one," she pointed at the kit with the long tail. " Longkit. His warrior name will be obvious but who knows maybe Echostar will make a surprise."
Greyfeather and Echostar were sisters and very close, before Echostar became leader. Just then Echostar entered the den. " Greyfeather! You've had your kits! Have you named them?"
Greyfeather purred. "Yes, this is Bluekit, Stripekit, Longkit and finally Sweetkit." She glanced at Dawnpaw. " Dawnpaw actually helped me lick the kits alive and named Sweetkit. Once again thank you. You were the only one in camp."
Dawnpaw blushed. "It was nothing, you have healthy kits, that's all that matters." Echostar nudged Dawnpaw. " I'm proud of you." she whispered. Dawnpaw felt joy in her heart. But then she realized she had her battling assesment today. "Oh, Echostar! I almost forgot," she paused. " Our battling assesment?"
Echostar nodded. "Yes, you woke up just in time. Crowpaw and Flamepaw went on the border patrol. Flowerpaw went on the hunting patrol. After the border patrol Crowpaw was first to be assesed. Then Flamepaw. He's still being assesed, I suppose. You will go after Flowerpaw and right now I was planning some...stuff with Wildfur and Leopardpelt. Breezepool would like for you to gather herbs then. Eat first. You don't look strong." Echostar gazed at Dawnpaw for a second to see Dawnpaw's legs wabbling. Dawnpaw nodded. SHe liked to help Breezepool with collecting herbs. She had learned a lot about it. Tansy, horse tail, yarrow, borage, burdock and many more. She padded out to Breezepool's den. Breezepool was looking for something. She could scent her fear.
"What's wrong, Breezepool? I was sent by Echostar to help you collect herbs. Don't you need a mighty warrior?" she chuckled but all Breezepool did was just looking at her. " First of all, you are not a warrior-yet. Second of all my catnip, watermint and fever are gone! They're missing! I just gathered them two days ago and now they're gone. All there is left is this fever leaf and that won't be enough. My whole moon supplies are gone! I mean, if you get a fever or whitecough." she panted, talking so quickly. Dawnpaw raised her eyebrows. "Do you think a cat stole some?" Breezepool shook her head. Perhaps she was right. She probably has her reasons. "No, because I saw them yesterday and no other cat could've come here and stole them while Mousefeather guarded camp?" Dawnpaw shrugged. "Maybe you just lost them. StarClan knows only. Don't worry, we'll gather some now. And during greenleaf who would get a cough?" Breezepool growled. "I already gathered all of the catmint and watermint from the twoleg yard. Maybe fever leaves but don't ever, ever say that no one would get sick during greenleaf!" Her starry blue eyes flashed with anger and had Dawnpaw almost falling on the ground. Breezepool cleared her throat. "It's possible!" She tried to calm down. "Now, please go get a warrior with you and get all the herbs you can get." She turned around and Dawnpaw obeyed. She padded to the warriors den. It was mostly empty only Mousefeather and Nightfall were in there. Nightfall was grooming himself and Mousefeather was sleeping like a tired, weak kit. "Nightfall!" she whispered loudly. He looked up. "Yeah?" Dawnpaw flicked her tail to the clearing. Nightfall stopped grooming-he was already almost done. He walked out and resumed grooming.
Dawnpaw blinked."Um..." she was disturbed by gazing at Nightfall. " Breezepool wants me to gather herbs. Could you come with me, please?" Nightfall finished and nodded. "Anything for you brushed his pelt on hers and padded to the entrance. Dawnpaw felt her heart beat for a second and followed. They walked slowly to the twolegyard.
Nightfall was the first to speak. " What's up with you and your littermates?" Dawnpaw shrugged. "Just a fight. It was mostly about Lightpaw and Briarpaw. More stupid questions on the assesment. I wish I was already a warrior like you." She nosed his ear. Nightfall stared into her eyes. " You are one in my heart, Dawnpaw."
Dawnpaw felt her ears prick up. Does he love me? She smiled. She really didn't know what to answer. She wanted to tell him the truth. Nightfall looked away. "Dawnpaw, I want to ask you something but, don't be mad." Dawnpaw's heart thumped. What was he going to ask her? How would anything he said make her mad? She nodded. Nightfall hesitated. "I'm not happy here, in the clan. You keep on having problems with your littermates and so, I was thinking we should run away. Together. Just you and me." Dawnpaw stopped walking. " Nightfall, how could I be mad about this? If we do run away, I'd at least want my warrior name first. I know why you're unhappy. But when I become a warrior maybe..." she trailed off. " We could be mates?" Nightfall finished for her. " I do love you, Dawnpaw and I never want to leave you. You're the reason I'm still here anyway. Or else I would've be gone already. We could give it a try. Maybe we could even have kits." he chuckled. Dawnpaw blushed. " I love you, too. Let's give it a try." He licked her cheek. Dawnpaw turned away and pinned Nightfall to the ground. She touched noses with him and let him go. "Come on! Breezepool's gonna kill us!"
They gathered herbs and returned to camp.