Warriors: Rising Secrets (Book 1)

Chapter Five; The Dream and a WindClan Tresspasser

Dawnfire dreamed that night. She was in a lush forest, filled with the mouthwatering scents of prey. As she stopped to hunt she noticed that even though she could scent the prey, she couldn't find any. Mouse-dung! She thoguht. What kind of place is this where you can smell fresh-kill but can't find any?

She walked along even farther hoping to find some prey.

"You hunting young one?" a voice sounded behind her. 

She whirled around to see a beautiful tortoiseshell she cat with magnificent amber eyes. Dawnfire looked her up and down. She looked fimiliar to her in a way but Dawnfire coudn't quite put her paw on it.

"Who are you? Where am I?" she asked.

"Dearest Dawnfire. You are in StarClans hunting grounds. I am your mother." Her eyes had a look of sorrow but it was gone within heartbeats. 

"Your ... your my mother?" she asked with sadness welling up inside her. She'd never really remembered her mother because she died of sever blackcough when Dawnfire and Goldenleaf were only a two moons old. 

"Yes Dawnfire. I have been watching you an your sister grow up. I'm so proud you Dawnfire. Your the kit I dreamed of."

"What about my sister?" she asked wondering why she hadn't mentioned Goldenleaf yet.

"I was proud of your sister. Until she started meeting that ShadowClan warrior. I saw her meeting up with him every night. It finally stopped and I thought they were no longer seeing him. Then she moved into the nursery and I realised she was going to have kits. At first I was happy, but it occurred to me that she hadn't been close to any other cat apart from Stormpelt for the past few moons. I was so upset. I never thought that my own daughter would do that."

"I was happy for her too. But then I found out who their father was." Dawnfire mutttered.

"I know. But we must live with it. Anyway, I brought you someone you might want to meet." She flickered her tail and a small kit came out of the bracken. His eyes were a bright emerald green and his white coat with a few small patches of amber and black glistened with starlight. "This is Smallkit. He is your brother. He died after I did. I was there to bring him into StarClan." Her mothers voice was filled with sadness.

Dawnfire was surprised. Redstar always talked about her and her sister but never mentioned anything about her brother. Dawnfire bent down to touch noses with him.

"Your my sister!" he squeaked. "I see you every day! Mother promised me that she would let me meet you." He said with joy.

"Yes, but it doesn't stay night time forever my loves. Smallkit let us be off. Dawnfire needs to wake up." she mewed to the kit.

"Good bye Dawnfire." Smallkit mewed.

Dawnfire woke feeling somewhat happy. She had met her dead mother and brother. I cant wait to tell Goldenleaf. She thought. But another thought struck her, if their mother was unhappy at her, Goldenleaf would feel so ashamed. Dawnfire thoguht it was best not to tell her sister. Stormpelt had a message for her anyway.

As Dawnfire bounded across the clearing, she saw Greynose looking at her. She flickered her tail in greeting and carried on towards the nursery.

"Hey Dawnfire. I was wondering if you would want to come hunting with me?" He asked her.

"Um ... OK. Can you wait a minute though? I'm going to see Goldenleaf." She replied back to him.

He nodded his head as she stepped into the nursery. As usual the scent of milk greeted her and reminded her of Smallkit. "Hi Goldenleaf," she whispered. "How are your kits?"

Goldenleaf looked up from her kits, her eyes sparkling with happiness. "Their going to open their eyes today," she said. As she said it Stormkit mewed and his eyes opened. His eyes were a brilliant blue like the sky.

"Who are you?" he asked Dawnfire in a squeaky voice. 

"I'm Dawnfire." she replied.

He stood up on wobbly legs, "Your not my mother, her voice dossn't sound like that. You smell like her though."

"No I'm not. Im your mothers' sister Dawnfire. Your mother is behind you."

Stormkit turned around to see his mother. "Mother!" he exclaimed as he rushed over to her, burrowing his nose into her fur.

"Goldenleaf, Stormpelt has a message for you." she whispered.

Goldenleafs' ears pricked at the sound of her mate. "Go on."

"He said that he is happy for you. He hopes to see you soon." she mewed. "He also said that after the half-moon he'll be waiting every night for you." She added hesitantly.

"Oh, thank you Dawnfire." she replied looking happier than ever before.

Dawnfire was about to add that seeing him now would be a bad idea since she had her kits but realised that Greynose was waiting for her. "I'll see you later and I'll bring you a piece of fresh-kill."

"OK, thank you." she replied as Dawnfire walked out the nursery.

Greynose was waiting by the thorn tunnel for her.They were making their way towards the ShadowClan border when Greynose hissed "Dawnfire, I smell WindClan."

"What?" she stared at Greynose with disbelief. "There can't be, we are on the wrong side of the territory." But as she sniffed the air she noticed that Greynose was right.

"See? I told you so." He scoffed playfully.

Dawnfire cuffed him over the ear with a paw. "Yes you stupid furball. You were right." The scent came stronger and she guessed that if WindClan was on their territory they were moving closer.

"Quick! Up a tree." Greynose hissed already clawing his way up. Dawnfire followed him being careful not to make a noise.

Just as she reached the branch that Greynose was sitting she spotted a small brown figure eating a vole. Harepaw! she thought.

"What is he doing here" Greynose asked through clenched teeth.

"This has gone on long enough." She hissed jumping out of the tree her paws landing softly on the grass. She flickered her tail for Greynose to follow but frankly, she didn't care whether he did or not.

"Harepaw." she snarled at him. "What in StarClans name are you doing on my territory?"

Harepaw looked up with fear in his eyes. "I'm sorry. WindClan is starving and there is no prey." he replied his voice shaking.

Greynose walked up to him. "And so soon after the gathering. Hasn't Cloudstar given you in trouble?" 

"He has" he said apologetically.

"Right, We are taking you to Redstar," Dawnfire mewed.

"Please no." Harepaw begged.

"No Harepaw. You were caught hunting in another Clans' territory the day after a gathering where you promised not to hunt on our territory." she growled at him. "Greynose take what reains of the vole and we will show Redstar."

The two cats let the WindClan apprentice throught the forest and back to camp. 

Redstar was talking to Runningshadow and when he caught sight of Dawnfire with Harepaw his eyes darkened.

He padded over to them and loomed over Harepaw. "Well, what have we got here?"