The Dawn of Night | A Warriors Fanfiction ✔

Chapter 25

Sunstorm stretched and blinked in the sunny light. Suddenly she remembered that she was a mentor now and she had training to do. She stood up and padded over to the apprentices' den, peering inside where the little bodies of apprentices were slowly rising and falling. Sunstorm caught Irispaw's brown tabby shape in the corner, next to her sister, Tulippaw.

"Irispaw," Sunstorm mewed quietly so she would not disturb the others. "Get up!"

Irispaw jolted awake. "What is it?" she muttered.

"Time for training," Sunstorm replied, turning around and signalling for her to follow.

First they passed the Great Sycamore and headed toward Snakerocks, near the Thunderpath.

"Careful near Snakerocks," she cautioned. "Deadly adders live there."

"O-Okay," meowed Irispaw uneasily. "What's that terrible smell?"

"That's the Thunderpath," Sunstorm explained. "Now listen to me when I say this: do not go near it, and do not touch it. Listen to my words."

Irispaw nodded.

They soon reached the black expanse of gravelly black stuff and Irispaw looked bewildered at first. Soon, however, a monster roared by and Irispaw recoiled instantly, digging her claws into the ground.

"Monsters!" she breathed.

"Exactly. Now you see what I mean." Sunstorm sighed and went on. "You see, on the other side of the Path is ShadowClan territory. They have a way to get to Gatherings, but wherever it is it's not near ThunderClan land."

Irispaw nodded. "I can smell them, too," she added.

The young apprentice followed the red cat through the brambles and past Owl Tree until they neared Fourtrees, its four great oaks towering over the clearing. Irispaw's eyes widened.

"This is where the Gatherings happen!" Irispaw gaped.

"Yeah. It's sort of neutral land, so that's why cats rarely go there unless it's full moon." Sunstorm led her past the stream that ran near Fourtrees until it drained it into the river, glistening in the sunlight, then to Sunningrocks, the massive, flat rocks lining the shore and extending past it.

"I never knew our territory was so beautiful when I was a kit," Irispaw sighed dreamily. "I'd never dream of swimming, though. I wonder how RiverClan does it."

When at last they finished the tour Sunstorm caught a pair of rabbits and they headed back to camp.

"Here," she told Irispaw, handing her one. "Take this to the elders."

Irispaw nodded and bounded off, the rabbit in her jaws. So this is what it's like to be a mentor, Sunstorm thought as she took her rabbit off to the warriors' den. Falconwing had just arrived with Beaverpaw.

"How'd your first day as a mentor go, Sunstorm?" he asked her as Beaverpaw went off to the nursery to drop off his kill.

"Great," Sunstorm replied. "It's just the easy part, though - touring the territory. I don't know how I'll manage hunting and battle practice."

"It's not as hard as it sounds. I can bring Beaverpaw to a battle practice once Irispaw knows the basics," he offered.

"Alright," Sunstorm agreed.

"Come to think of it," he added, "I'm going to go talk to Stormstar about him being made a warrior in a couple moons. He's doing well." Without waiting for her acknowledgement, he stood up and headed toward the Highrock.

Tinyblossom glanced up at Sunstorm with a mischievous glint in her eye. "Have you ever thought about having kits?" she mentioned suddenly.

"K-Kits? Why?" Sunstorm replied confusedly.