Chapter 3

Echostar padded to the two young cats returning with herbs. " Dawnpaw, you're late. Gathering herbs don't take this long!" Dawnpaw was embarassed to be scolded infront of Nightfall. They dropped their herbs with Breezepool and nNightfall had returned to his den. Dawnpaw was tired already and she had a battling assesment. "You missed the hunting patrol and you'll have to go on the border patrol tonight and the dawn hunting patrol tomorrow morning. And, then the ceremony." Echostar flicked her tail telling Dawnpaw to follow. Flowerpaw, Flamepaw and Crowpaw were looking at Dawnpaw awkwardly as they passed by with prey in their ignored their stare and continued following Echostar. They reached the training hollow and Echostar stiffened. Dawnpaw got into the first position. Echostar smiled. "Good, now we will fight of course. You have to try to beat me to pass. Or I will tell you when you're done. Claws sheathed, you know the rules, and GO!" Echostar leaped in the air so high, but didn't block the sun. The sun was in Dawnpaw's eyes but she moved to let Echostar land. Dawnpaw knew she wouldn't just make her land. As Echostar landed she looked for Dawnpaw and to her surprise Dawnpaw pounced on Echostar's back leaving Echostar unbalanced and made her fall. Dawnpaw smoothly pinned her to the ground and hissed. " That was easy-for me." Echostar chuckled. " Get off me." Dawnpaw let her go. " How was it?" Echostar coughed. "It was really good. I am very, very impressed. If you can beat your father, then you're invincible." She laughed. " FireClan is blessed to have you.

It was getting late, it was sunfall and soon she would be on the border patrol. Echostar and Dawnpaw padded to camp. Briarpaw and Lightpaw came from the elder's den with mouse bile on their paws. "Eww! I hate mouse bile!" Lightpaw complained. Briarpaw didn't reply. " I also hate Dawnpaw" he muttered. Lightpaw turned around. "What was that?" Lightpaw had great ears, so she heard him. " You may hate Dawnpaw, but I kinda understand her. What we did was wrong, and now I know that. I'm going to apologize when I see her. You should too." Lightpaw held her head high. She acted mature, much mature than the 'senior' apprentinces.

"Bring the elder's some fresh-kill. They're probably hungry after the ticks." Echosong meowed. Dawnpaw nodded and rushed to the fresh-kill pile. She picked up a squirrel and a rabbit. She knew Lilynose loved squirrels. As she past Briarpaw and Lightpaw, their ears pricked up and Lightpaw ran infront of Dawnpaw.

"I'm sorry, Dawnpaw. I didn't mean to make you mad. Briarpaw's sorry too. Right?" Lightpaw stared at Briarpaw. Briarpaw nodded slowly. Dawnpaw was surprised. Honestly, she wouldn't expect the same reaction from her littermates. Especially Flowerpaw.

"Thanks..." Dawnpaw mewed. She resumed her walking to the elder's den. She dropped the squirrel infront of LIlynose, and the rabbit infront of Brokenclaw. Brokenclaw hissed. " This rabbit is too small!" Dawnpaw raised her eyebrow. The rabbit was big, actually. Dawnpaw turned to Lilynose wondering what was wrong. Lilynose sighed. "He has poor eye-sight. His vision is blurry, from what I learned from our former medicine cat, Daisyshower." Dawnpaw nodded. "Brokenclaw, this rabbit is big. Umm... Velvetblaze caught it. She's the best hunter you know." Brokenclaw looked at Dawnpaw suspiciously. "How do you know she caught it?" Dawnpaw didn't expect him to question her. "She told me." Brokenclaw was going to open his mouth but Lilynose hushed him with her tail. "You have a rabbit, so eat it Brokenclaw." she rasped. Brokenclaw puffed and turned around to eat it privately. Lilynose rolled her eyes. "Thank you, Dawnpaw. How thoughtful of you." Dawnpaw dipped her head and padded out.

Flamepaw was waiting for Dawnpaw outside the elder's den. "Dawnpaw, I'm sorry about last night. We didn't mean it, or at least I didn't." Dawnpaw shook her head. "It's okay. Maybe I went too far anyway." Flamepaw shrugged and nosed her ear. "Sorry." he ran to the fresh-kill pile taking a big thrush. "Do you want to share?" Dawnpaw felt her belly rumble. She didn't eat anything since this morning. She nodded and sat beside Flamepaw. She took a bite and chewed it slowly. Flamepaw didn't take bite yet. " Flowerpaw, Crowpaw and I... we saw you ...uh and...Nightfall this morning. We didn't want to disturb, so." Dawnpaw flattened her ears. How did they see her and Nightfall? Did they watch them? Dawnpaw swallowed her food and looked at Flamepaw. " What? How? Did you...watch us?" Flamepaw shook his head. " We were hunting, all three of us. Hunting near the twoleg place. Flowerpaw caught the scent of you and Nightfall. We just saw you pin him to the ground. Do you like him?" Dawnpaw looked at the thrush. "Don't tell anyone, but I love him. I always have. Since we became close friends. He loves me too."

Flamepaw shook his slowly. "Flowerpaw, she's so angry with you. I'm afraid she might tell the whole clan." He took his first bite. Dawnpaw's eyes widened. She got up. "No! She better not!" she yelled. Every cat stared at her. Dawnpaw was so embarrassed. She crouched down again and took another bite. Flamepaw shrugged. "Maybe she won't, but she threatened to." Dawnpaw closed her eyes. "I'm going to be a warrior tomorrow. Until then, she won't spill it out. I hope."

Nightfall padded out of his den stretching. Dreamblaze and Specklestripe were surrounded by Nightfall. "So, Nightfall. What's up with you and Dawnpaw? She's only an apprentince. You need a warrior." Specklestripe purred. Nightfall shifted his paws. "I don't know what you're talking about." Dreamblaze rolled her eyes. "Oh, Nightfall. Come on. The whole clan knows about you and Dawnpaw. Flowerpaw told me. She knows everything about her sister." Nightfall ignore Dreamblaze but he couldn't. He was confused. "Flowerpaw?"

Specklestripe nodded. "Oh, yeah." she licked her paw. " She said she saw you and Dawnpaw, touching noses."
Nightfall shook his head and ran to the apprentinces den. "Flowerpaw!" he yelled. Flower looked up, her ears flattened. "Um, yes?" Nightfall growled. " How dare you tell the WHOLE clan a rumor about me and Dawnpaw?" Flowerpaw growled back. " I didn't tell the whole clan, and the rumor, is true." She fluffed up her tail. " You shall be punished!" he hissed. Flowerpaw rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah! You can't punish me!" Nightfall laughed. "Oh, really? I am a warrior. Even though... I can't. Deputy, leader... Wildfur can."

Flowerpaw's eyes widened. "You wouldn't!" Nightfall nodded. "Oh, I would." He lashed his tail and skipped away to Dawnpaw and Flamepaw.

"Apparently, your sister told everyone in the clan about us." Nightfall meowed. "You know it perhaps?" Flamepaw nodded. "Nobody has a problem with it. It's just an excuse for gossip." Dawnpaw shook her head."So, she actually did it? I cannot believe it! I will never forgive her! She has to be punished!" Nightfall relaxed. "I took care of that. And, now that everyone knows, we don't have to keep it a secret."

"I know you think of me as a warrior, but I'm still an apprentince. Tomorrow, a warrior." Dawnpaw took her last bite. She stood up, and looked up at the sky. The moon was almost high, and she was ready for a border patrol. Wildfur padded out of the warrior's den and began choosing warriors. " There will be two border patrols. One patrol will do the EarthClan patrol, one will do the WaterClan patrol and Twolegplace." he hesitated. "I will lead the border patrol for EarthClan- Mousefeather, Leopardpelt, Dreamblaze and Nightfall. The other, Echostar, Dawnpaw, Sharpclaw and Amberface. Let's get going."
The two patrols led the way out. Dawnpaw was sad that Nightfall had been chosen to go on the other patrol. Her father probably didn't trust Nightfall, to be with Dawnpaw. Amberface was coming with them and she didn't like her. All she ever talked about was stupid gossip.
But Amberface was Nightfall's adoptive mother. Nightfall's mother, Larkwater died giving birth. He was the only survivor of the litter. He then was with Amberface.

Amberface snickered. "So, you and Nightfall, huh? You better take good care of him. He may be my adoptive son, but I still love him."
Dawnpaw nodded shyly. "I promise." Amberface padded in front of Echostar who fell beside Dawnpaw. "I know your private life isn't my concern, but have you...mated with Nightfall-yet?" Dawnpaw was furious. How dare anyone asked her this question? This was her life, no matter what. Dawnpaw shook her head. "Yes, it isn't your concern. But you're my leader so, I have to reply. No, I haven't-yet."

Echosong flattened her ears. She understood what Dawnpaw was going through. "You know, Dawnpaw. You remind me of myself. You may be angry with me right now, but I was in love with an apprentice too. He was almost a warrior. My Dustfang. Every night we met up secretly. Then, I got pregnant when I was almost your age. Thank StarClan. If I was a queen during my apprenticeship. I'd have never forgive myself." She cleared her throat. " I had my kits, only two. They were alive but weak. First my lovely Thrushkit was gone of whitecough. And then my dear little Meadowkit. I had it too, but survived. Dustfang drowned in the lake. I lost my family." She had tears in her eyes. "I...I don't w-want that f-for you too. Velvetblaze and Greyfeather were the only ones who understood me. Oh, and Lilynose. She would." she sighed.
Dawnpaw's ears drooped. "I'm sorry, Echostar. I take it back. What, I said earlier. I'm just frustrated that everyone keeps on asking me about Nightfall. Tomorrow, it'll end hopefully. Thank you, Echostar." They had reached the border and began patrolling it. A WaterClan patrol also was patrolling. Echostar padded her way through her patrol.

"Greetings, Riverwhisker." Echosong meowed. Riverwhisker dipped his head. " You too, Echostar."

They patrolled the twolegplace and returned to camp. The other patrol already arrived and Wildfur was already picking out a warrior to guard the camp."Nightfall. Guard the camp." Nightfall nodded and padded to the middle of camp. He gazed at Dawnpaw padding to her den. Dawnpaw cuddled into her nest. She fell asleep quickly.

There will be two, who will you choose? It may seem easy but you will be confused.

Hey! So...how's Chapter 3? Huh? I am very active, so I will update my stories, quick unlike some stories I really like but I have to wait FOREVER for the other chapter to come! There might be some mistakes, but I am busy and so I can't check them. My friend/editor was supposed to send me the editted version and thanks daywalker133 (she isn't on fanfiction, i think). You ruined my story!

JK! She is one of best friends so! She helped me out on others though! So anyway, I'll give you two more chapters TODAY and I hope you enjoy Dawnstream! Check out my profile :)!