Shadowed Dawn - WARRIOR CATS

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Aspenpaw paced the apprentice's den. Her paws made grooves in the soft, cold earth as she walked up and down. All the other young cats were asleep, breath billowing out into the crisp, near-leafbare day.

The ginger tabby had been told to take a rest before the gathering, but her mind was practically spinning. She'd already shredded the moss of her nest without thinking, and had started muttering to herself before Brackenpaw had growled at her to shut up.

Irritated, and glowering at the sleeping brown tabby, Aspenpaw sat down on her paws, and began to sulk. Even though she'd returned with a new, glorious power, she had failed to summon it for the ceremony of StarClan's Light.

"Not all cats get it the first time," Ebonywing had offered sympathy after the ceremony.

Sparrowtalon, on the other paw, was much less sympathetic. "You failed," he'd meowed flatly, before turning away.

Aspenpaw still didn't know why she'd failed. She'd been distracted, sure, but every other DawnClan warrior she'd witnessed perform the ceremony had managed to do it flawlessly. I'm supposed to be the best cat in this clan! What's wrong with me?

Aspenpaw snarled softly under her breath. Sunpaw, who was nearby, jerked slightly, whimpering in their sleep. Sighing, Aspenpaw hauled herself to her paws, and padded towards the exit of the den.

She glanced over her shoulder at the other apprentices in the den. Ridgepaw, her foster brother, was snoring quietly. Nutpaw's tail was lying haphazardly on his littermate, Brackenpaw's nose, but she made no attempt in her sleep to push him away.

With a pang, Aspenpaw realised how distant she'd been growing from the other apprentices, who were less good at fighting or hunting or really anything, than she was. Hadn't she once slept beside Ridgepaw when they were kits?

But it's for DawnClan, for Lightsong, Aspenpaw reminded herself as she surveyed her denmates. Blazestar is proud of me, and his words mean more than any cat's!

Aspenpaw realised with a sudden jolt that, in all her hate, she had neglected to talk to Blazestar about the weird dream that she'd had at the Dawnpool. Determinedly, she jerked her head away from the other apprentices, and padded into camp.

Even though it was past sunhigh, the camp was nearly deserted. Cloverfang had ordered most of the warriors to their dens so that they could rest and go to the gathering at their maximum strength. Aspenpaw glanced around, noting Whitebeam, a scarred she-cat, picking out a piece of the freshkill pile.

"Hello!" she called out to the heavily scarred white warrior.

Whitebeam glanced up at her. The she-cat didn't seem to want to talk to Aspenpaw, but before she could sneak over to the warrior's den, Aspenpaw had cornered her.

"What is it?" Whitebeam said coldly, tilting her head to one side.

Aspenpaw shivered under the she-cat's penetrating stare. Whitebeam had been an apprentice the day ShadowClan had attacked the gathering. Aspenpaw had heard that that was where Whitebeam had received her scars, and that she had never been the same since...

"Well..." Aspenpaw tried to remember why she'd called Whitebeam. "I was just wondering if Blazestar was accepting visitors..."

Whitebeam's eyes flashed at the mention of their clan leader. Aspenpaw knew how divided the clan felt towards Blazestar, and the lies he had been trying to hold. Whitebeam was evidently a cat who believed he'd wronged DawnClan somehow.

"I'm sure he would love to see you," Whitebeam meowed flatly.

Aspenpaw couldn't tell if she was being sarcastic or not. "Alright!" she tried to sound friendly, even though Whitebeam was staring at her balefully. "I'm just gonna go now..."