Dawnstar's Message

Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

Sunlight filtered through the vines overhanging the entrance to Dawnstar's new den. The cave was empty, except for himself. The familiar warmth of his clanmates' pelts against his was gone since he'd moved into the leader's cave, and it felt so lonely. He sat up and stretched, and as he looked away a golden figure slipped into the cave. His amber eyes followed it around the edge of the cave, until it slipped into the light. Dawnstar made out the golden pelt and green eyes of his mate.

"Good morning, Specklegaze." 

"Good morning? It is sunhigh, my brave leader." She nuzzled him affectionately. "You should really see the Clan, especially Whisperpaw! Her tail his healing, and the fur is growing back quickly." She stood straighter at the mention of hers and Dawnstar's youngest daughter, who had fought so bravely in the recent battle. EarthClan had fought FieldClan for the rocky island where the river split into two streams.

"I will, right now. I'm starving!" Dawnstar rose from his nest and eagerly followed his mate out of the den. The world outside was bright and buzzing. A hunting patrol had just arrived with fresh kill; a queen was watching her kits play in the sun; the elders relaxed outside their den as the apprentices checked them for ticks. He felt so grateful to be the leader of his wonderful Clan; Coalstar would be proud. The sunshine glinted off the fragments of rock that peeked out from the long-grown plants that grew on the walls of the rock clearing. The dens rested in caves in the rockface, except for the apprentices' den, which was a large bush with extending leaves.

Dawnstar leaped down the rocks to the sandy ground of the camp, and made a drowsy beeline for the fresh kill pile. He picked a fat mouse from the top of the pile and sat down next to a reddish tabby tom with a sparrow. Another fluffy black tom and calico she-cat were sharing a rabbit. They all looked at him with equal happiness as the new leader stalked over to them.

"What a pleasant surprise!" The calico's eyes shined with joy. "I just wanted to say, your daughter is doing well! Cherryfoot said she'll be healed sooner than she thought."

Dawnstar nodded. "I've heard, Squirrelcloud. And I am happy for you and Stormeyes." He referred to the lump in Squirrelcloud's belly suggesting kits, and nodded at the dark tom. The calico queen had only just moved into the nursery.

Stormeyes' chest swelled with pride as he gazed at his mate. "Thank you, Dawnstar. And may you have luck in your new position in the Clan!" The red tom nodded at Dawnstar, picked up his sparrow and headed toward the nursery. Dawnstar flinched with remembrance, said goodbye to his clanmates, and ran off to the nursery.

As he walked into the den carved from the rock, the scent of milk filled his nose. Mistyfur, a white queen with gray ears and striking blue eyes, nursed 3 kits. She regarded Dawnstar with tired eyes, and closed them again. Ringpool, a black she-cat with gray patches, sat up at Dawnstar's arrival, her belly swelling with kits.

"Well, good morning, Dawnstar! Or should I say, good sunhigh!" Her whiskers quivered in amusement at her joke. "Wavekit, Applekit and Sparrowkit are out playing. Fawngaze is watching them." Dawnstar nodded and bowed at the queen. He

The crevice was empty, of course; the Clan's 3 elders sunned themselves outside. Their aching bones always enjoyed it. A red she-cat, a dark skinny she-cat, and a fluffy cream-colored tom all basked on the warm log, all with gray muzzles.

The dark she-cat looked up as he approached. "Hello, Dawnstar!"

"Good morning, Shadowheart." The old she-cat nodded groggily. "How are you? I know you're under so much pressure. Is the Clan alright?" Her blue eyes were brimming with affection.

"Oh, don't ask him so many questions, dear." The red she-cat grumbled rudely at Shadowheart. She looked back at him. "I'm sorry she's so curious, Dawnstar."

"No, Gingerstep, it's no bother. Have the apprentices finished checking you all for ticks?"

The creamy tom spoke up. "Indeed they did, especially Finchpaw. And of course shespared some herbs for me." The old tom took pride in his daughter's apprentice.

"Good." Dawnstar bowed to the elderly cats, and wandered off to where his deputy stood rounding up patrols.

"Aldergaze, Brindlepaw, you go with Clovermist and Bouncepaw. Thrushfall, mark the FieldClan border with Rosefang, Peachnose and Amberpaw. Spottedclaw, Stormeyes, go get Poppybreeze and Creamflight and hunt by the TreeClan border." The blue tom turned to see his leader watching with pride. "Hello, Dawnstar!"

"Good job with the patrols, Skypelt. Could I borrow Sableheart and Sunpaw? I want to check on her progress."

"Sounds good," he mewed. Skypelt ran off to find his clanmates as the others filed out the clearing's entrance to patrol and hunt. A gray warrior trotted across the clearing to Dawnstar with kits bouncing at his paws.

"Please can we come, Sableheart?" A black kit pawed at his father's leg.

A dappled she-kit piped in. "We're almost 6 moons old, so we're old enough!"

"Not, until you're apprenticed, little kits." He nuzzled the black tom's ear. "Scorchkit, please don't persuade Applekit to go into the medicine den, either. Bramblefire is still recovering."

Scorchkit grunted and his fuzzy tail twitched. "Okay..." His yellow eyes dulled with dissapointment. He beckoned to his sister and they trotted off to the nursery.

"Can we go yet? I'm so excited!"

Dawnstar turned around. Sunpaw stood eagerly behind her leader, her golden pelt glowing ginger in the sunlight. Her green eyes were full of anticipation as she weaved around Dawnstar to stand by her mentor.

"We were just about to go, Sunpaw. Right, Dawnstar?" Sableheart looked at the tawny leader.

Dawnstar nodded. He motioned for the two cats to follow, and they padded off through the crevice and into the bright green forest.