Dawnstar's Message

Chapter 37

*ahhh! Cute kits in Chapter 36! Hope you like this one!*

CHAPTER 37

Dawnstar slumped in his nest. It was sunhigh and he was exhausted. He stared at the rock ceiling, depressed.

Skypelt brushed the lichen aside and walked into the cave. "No sign of the medicine cats, Dawnstar."

He sat up. "Then send another patrol. We are not stopping until we find them!" he growled.

Skypelt's eyes were full of sympathy. "We can't afford to send another group of cats out there, Dawnstar. We've looked everywhere. They couldn't be on the territory; we would have found them by then."

"No!" he growled. "They have to be somewhere! Please," he said, slumping back down in the moss. "We can't just give up now!"

He sighed. "Dawnstar, I think you should come on a hunting patrol with me. Really, it would be a good breath of fresh air. Come on." He pulled Dawnstar grudgingly to his paws.

The camp outside was almost empty. It was a pretty newleaf day, but it was hot. Greenleaf was coming soon. Skypelt breathed in the fresh air. Dawnstar coughed.

"Oh, come on!" Skypelt said. "We need to get you out of camp, now. Let's go." He led him down the boulders and out of camp.

The forest was green and full of life, with prey running and flying and bees buzzing around. Skypelt pushed Dawnstar through the trees, trying to get him to run around; kick some leaves; chase some prey. But he just slowly trodded on, head down.

They made it all the way to the edge of the farmlands when Skypelt turned to him. "Dawnstar!" he cried. "Really? Just get off your tail for a few minutes!"

He looked up. "But I can't do anything when our medicine cats are missing. If we get a surprise ambush, we won't have any cats who can heal. Plus, what if she got attacked by another Clan? What if they found out that we don't have any medicine cats available?"

"I'm sure even the FieldClan cats can tell a loner from a medicine cat," he reasoned.

"But what if they got attacked by a badger? Or a fox?"

"Then we might've found their bodies by now." Skypelt shook his head. "Just have a little hope, Dawnstar! They have each other. I bet they're out there right now, maybe at the barn a few miles off. I bet those nice barn cats are taking care of them."

Suddenly, Dawnstar sat up. He looked into the distance.

"What's wrong?" Skypelt asked.

Dawnstar's mind raced. She could be at the barn. I didn't know barn cats lived there. Wait... the barn... that kittypet Abbey... she said Harvey is out there, as well....

She also said that there was a band of vicious rogues that... Oh, StarClan.

Dawnstar looked at his deputy. "Skypelt, I need a small patrol to come with me."

He smiled. "Well, it's great to see you're back in action. What for?"

The leader looked into the farmlands. "We're going to the farm."

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Dawnstar had bounced back with new hope. The farm was half a day's journey away. He just had to know what they were dealing with. If the rogues even existed, Harvey could be there. And Cherryfoot and Finchpetal. But they'd also have a new enemy that had no respect for the code, and that could be dangerous.