The Dawn of Night | A Warriors Fanfiction ✔

Chapter 8

"Emberfur? Bluepaw?"

Both she-cats raised their heads from what had been little mounds of fur moments before.

"Do you need something, Moonpaw?" Emberfur inquired with a mew as she stood up.

"Well, sort of," Moonpaw sighed. "I was trying to hunt just moments ago, and I nearly caught a shrew... But before I could pounce, I sort of ran out of breath." She looked up at the tortoiseshell she-cat pleadingly. "Beepaw thinks I might have a disorder. Do you know why?"

Emberfur looked at her knowingly. "I have a theory," she mewed softly. "You must have heard about Sparrowkit?"

Moonpaw nodded.

"Yes," meowed Emberfur. "I believe you have the same disorder. You must be careful, Moonpaw. Though this may not be fatal, it may be harmful."

Bluepaw stood up, blinking at them both. She trotted over to the storage-shelves and got out a handful of herbs that looked like a bit like a dandelion.

"Here, take it," she chimed in a motherly way. "It's coltsfoot. It should help you breathe better."

Moonpaw took it. "Thanks, Bluepaw," she meowed, and she trotted off to the apprentices' den.

"Leaf-bare is on its way," remarked Creekstar, the leader of RiverClan, from the Great Rock in the Fourtrees. "My Clan would wants to know how you are coping."

"Our prey is getting thinner," reported Maplestar, "But we are not having any problems yet." Her tail flicked. "How about you, Dewstar?"

Dewstar looked at the assembly of cats. "WindClan has been starting to run out of prey," she mewed, "But nothing serious yet. But I am concerned - the cold has come early this season. It is sure to get far worse." Her words echoed over everyone.

The leaders went on talking. Sunpaw didn't find much of it interesting. Out of the corner of her eye, some ShadowClan apprentices were chatting animatedly together.

When the leaders stopped talking, the Gathering ended. Sunpaw was tired; only parts of the Gathering had been interesting. Fogpaw padded up to her.

"Wonder why she didn't choose Moonpaw to come," he wondered aloud, shrugging. "I know Bluepaw had to stay, but..." he stopped, not knowing what to say.

"Maybe it's for the best," Sunpaw said, gathering with her Clan near their corner of the Fourtrees.

Soon, sunup came. It was quite a chilly morning. Sunpaw trotted out with Stormfoot to the training hollow.

"You've come a long way, Sunpaw," nodded Stormfoot. "I reckon you'll be able to be a warrior in a few moons."

Sunpaw's eyes lit up. "You really think so?" she said. "I'm really excited."

"Of course," agreed Stormfoot proudly. "Now let's work on battle moves."

"Great," mewed his apprentice. Stormfoot crouched near the edge of the hollow, ready to pounce. Sunpaw did the same on the other side. Stormfoot jumped and ran after her, pouncing on her. Sunpaw unsheathed her claws and dodged him, then tried to bowl him over to get at his belly. As she tried, her claw slipped and scratched his face.

She gasped. "Oh! Stormfoot! I'm so sorry!"

But he was laughing. He held a paw over his scratch. "Nothing to worry about," he reassured her. "You've done well. But claws sheathed from now on."

"Alright," Sunpaw agreed, shoulders sagging in shame. They left the training hollow together.

"I'll talk to Maplestar about your warrior ceremony," he added as they padded back to camp. "You're definitely improving. A few more moons, and you'll be ready!"