Warriors: Rising Secrets (Book 1)

Chapter Eighteen; Friends Again!

“Rippletail hurry up with that dressing. We have to get going.” Dawnfire shouted. It was past sunhigh now and most of the fog had cleared. Rippletail had gone with Gorsepaw to clean his wounds and then add a poultice mixture. Rippletail still hadn’t returned. Dawnfire thought this was the best time to reason with Frosstflower.

She padded over to where Frostflower was crouched looking into the river.

“Hi Frostflower.” Dawnfire mewed.

“Hi.” She replied glumly.

“What’s wrong?”

“Oh, um ... nothing.”

Dawnfire knew she was lying. She could tell. “Come on. Tell the truth.”

Frostflower sighed. “I’m just a bit worried that’s all. About the whole bear thing. I mean. What if you or me, Foxclaw or even Greynose die?”

“Me and Greynose already had this discussion.” She mewed. “Don’t worry, but that’s not what I’m here for.”

“Well what are you here for?”

“I’m sorry I got mad at you. I really didn’t mean too. I guess it was withal the stress about leading cats into unknown territory and-“

“I understand Dawnfire. But I know that isn’t all what’s up.”

As usual, Frostflower had read her mind. They were so close it was unbelievable.

“It was the fight with the wolves. If you had been following us, then you saw it, you saw Bluepaw lose a life. And you didn’t do a thing.” Dawnfire felt sad as she recalled what had happened.

“Yes, we saw it.” Frostflower whispered.

“Why didn’t you help us?”

“I’m really, really sorry Dawnfire. I really am. I wanted to help but Silverkit stopped us. She said we couldn’t go out and help. But I had already lost my extra life and Foxclaw wanted to go out and help because of his sister and- and....”

Frostflower trailed off. Then her blue eyes lit up with fear. “You didn’t here that did you?”

“About you losing your extra life and Foxclaws’ sister.”

“Yeah... I lost my life getting hit b a monster.”

“What? You were hit by a monster?”

“Yes, but StarClan healed me and gave me another life.”

“Well, at least your OK! Now, about Foxclaw and his sister."

"Oh right. His sister is Bluepaw. His father is Rainstar the ShadowClan leader."

"Really?" Dawnfire loked at Foxclaw who was talking to Greynose. First there was Frostflower who was a half-Clan between RiverClan and ThunderClan, and Foxclaw was a half-Clan between ShadowClan and ThunderClan. So many half-Clan cats. Frostflower, Foxclaw, Silverpebble and Bluepaw. Goldenleafs' kits Brightkit, Stormkit and Dapplekit. Who else? Dawnfire thought.

They sat in silence for a while. Silverpebble broke the silence by crashing into the river.

“Sorry guys. I didn’t mean to interrupt. Rippletail has returned with Gorsepaw.”

“Thank you Silverpebble.” Dawnfire mewed as the waterlogged she-cat came out of the river. Silverpebble stood beside Frostflower. They looked so identical. Same blue eyes, same everything. It reminded her again that they were sisters. An idea popped into Dawnfires’ head. Frostflower said she wished to meet her sister and get to know her better, why not introduce them now.

“Silverpebble, this is Frostflower. My best friend, your sister.”

Silverpebble looked at Frostflower.

“What?”

“She’s your sister.”

“That’s not true. I know I’m half ThunderClan but...”

Frostflower looked into Dawnfires’ eyes. The look she gave her was stern but it melted away and was replaced by thankfulness.

“I’m your sister Silverpebble. We also have a brother and sister but their in StarClan.”

It took Silverpebble a moment to take it all in.

“It all makes sense now. Mother had said I had kin somewhere else. I thought she was referring to Lionblaze, but now I guess she meant you.”

“Come on, we have to get going.” Dawnfire mewed.

The three she cats padded back to the group and they set off.

They carried on until it was almost dusk.

“We shall stop here for the night and carry on tomorrow.” Dawnfire mewed to the group. “We shall leave at dawn. No delays.”

The cats settled down for the night. Dawnfire sat next to Greynose and Frostflower. It felt more like home, more like ThunderClan, surrounded by her best friends. She put her head on her paws and sleep came crashing over her like a black wave.

Dawnfires’ eyes opened. She was in an unfamiliar forest. But then she began to recognise the twisting roots and the dark leaves of the trees. She was back in the Dark Forest.