Dawnstar's Message

Chapter 35

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CHAPTER 35

Dawnstar bolted through the forest with the hunting patrol. He was chasing a rabbit through the trees. He was closing in fast. It tried to dodge an apple tree, but Dawnstar quickly pinned it and gave it the killing bite.

Dawnstar trotted back to the patrol. "Impressive catch!" said Whispershine.

"Yeah!" said Snowypaw around a fat mouse.

It was well into newleaf by now. The sunhigh warmth was beating down on the cats. Dawnstar, Whispershine, Snowypaw, Fawngaze, Sableheart, and Clovermist each came back to camp with a piece of prey.

Dawnstar squeezed himself through the stone crevice into the camp, dropped his prey on the pile, and rushed to the medicine den. It had been half a moon since his last sign from StarClan. Cherryfoot was chewing some leaves into a pulp and applying it on a she-cat's leg.

"There you go, Amberstrike," she said. The ginger she-cat got up and stretched, thanking Cherryfoot. Amberstrike left the den, giving Dawnstar a kind smile.

"Dawnstar!" Cherryfoot came over to him. She rubbed his muzzle. Her belly was bigger, but not too much. Any cat could just assume the prey was running well. "How was hunting?"

"I caught a rabbit." He shrugged.

"That's so great!" she replied enthusiastically. "I just get so bored in here, anything is interesting."

Dawnstar smiled and licked her forehead. "Where's Finchpetal?"

She shrugged. "Probably out in the forest. She went with Poppybreeze to get some borage and catmint and stuff near FieldClan. Mistyfur wanted to see you in the nursery, too. Good luck!" she laughed.

"Thanks." He nuzzled her lovingly one more time before leaving.

Dawnstar padded over to the nursery. Acornkit and Viperkit were playing with Starlingkit and Frostkit outside. He went around them and into the cave. The cave was well lit. Squirrelcloud was sleeping with Firekit, Leafkit, and Stormkit beside her. Rosefang was snoring loudly beside Sundance; they must not have gotten much sleep since Rosefang's kit were born. Mistyfur was awake, to the side of the sleeping queens.

"Dawnstar, I'm so excited for them to become apprentices!" she said happily. Her face grew serious. "Not to say I don't want them with me, but they are so excited to be apprenticed! Who are their mentors?" Mistyfur tilted her head.

"Well, I was thinking that Amberstrike could take Springkit, and Patchkit could be mentored by Lightwing," he answered.

She processed his decision carefully. There was a deep-thinking look in her eyes. "Good choices," she said finally.

"Thank you. I was actually going to do their ceremony tonight. How about it?"

Her eyes widened. "Wow, really? If you think that's fair..." she trailed off.

"Great!" He smiled kindly. "Where are your kits, anyway?"

"Probably exploring somewhere." She didn't seem extremely interested in wherever they were.

"Okay. Well, you have a good day now."

Dawnstar headed over to the apprentice den. The big bush was blooming with little purple flowers. He ducked his head in and saw Springkit and Patchkit flinging the moss around.

"Kits!" he said. Springkit and Patchkit looked up, startled. "Shouldn't you two be in the nursery with your mother?"

"Nuh-uh!" Springkit said. "We're over six moons old now! We deserve to be in the apprentice's den. We were making our new nests!"