Warriors: A New Chapter- An Era of Unease

Chapter 3

Word Count- 1371

Dashpaw woke up yet again last of all the apprentices, but luckily he wasn't awoken by the sharp teeth of Nightpaw. Dashpaw stretched his jaws in a massive yawn, after a quick stretch he padded swiftly out of the empty den. He quickly went to the fresh-kill pile and picked up a small mouse and went to the nursery. "Hello, Dashpaw," Hawkeye said cheerfully. "How are you this morning, Hawkeye?" Dashpaw said calmly, trying to suppress his excitement for the days training. "I'm doing just fine, but the kits keep squirming, I swear they'll be as restless as Leafshade," She purred stoking her tongue over her plump belly. "Well, hopefully not like Shadowpaw and I," Dashpaw said, purring at the memories of Shadowpaw and himself trying to sneak out of camp. That's what got me in the creek, and Shadowpaw a scar on her nose. "No kits will ever be as crazy as you two, be lucky you had Nightpaw with you, who knows what would have happened to you if she hadn't told anyone of you and Shadowpaw's disappearances," Dashpaw purred quietly before dipping his head respectfully and leaving the expecting queen to eat.

In the clearing Dashpaw noticed Nightpaw speaking with Skypaw and bounded over to the two she-cats. "Hi, Dashpaw!" Skypaw greeted excitedly, her gray striped tail swishing playfully behind her and her green eyes gleaming. "Great I thought everyone left without me!" Dashpaw cheered, his previous purr rising. "Training is beginning later before sunset," Nightpaw piped up, her blue eye wandering around camp. "Before sunset, why are we training so late?" Dashpaw tilted his head as his eyes flickered with wonder. "As MoonClan cats we thrive in the night, especially full moon nights like tonight," Skypaw explained dramatically. "On full moon nights, the Clan stays up later, apprentices train until sunrise, warriors keep the prey pile filled and spend free time away from patrols sitting under the moon and sharing tongues, everyone else will stay and enjoy the peace our ancestors bless us with." Skypaw finished raising her head high knowing something Nightpaw and Dashpaw did not. "Why weren't we a part of it as kits?" Nightpaw asked settling her hawk-like searching to neatly groom her already smooth dark gray fur. "It's an elders tradition to tell young kits that if they stay up too late they'll be a kit forever," She exclaimed, mimicking the grizzled voice of the elders. "That's pretty lame, and even if they're kits, that doesn't mean they'll believe it anyway," Dashpaw said, his brown eyes wondering to the elders' den. "You, Shadowpaw and Nightpaw believed it." Skypaw murmured glancing at Nightpaw. "I don't remember that," She said quietly. "You didn't even go back to the nursery, you stayed with the elders until Stormheart found you the next morning." Dashpaw lowered his eyes to the soft dirt and droplet covered grass underneath him and his fellow apprentices, feeling hot underneath his pelt. A rather awkward silence fell upon the three before the soft pawsteps behind them brought it to an end.

Dashpaw lifted his head to be met with the brown eyes of his mother Maplestripe, her mottled and striped fur flowing in the Greenleaf breeze. "Dashpaw, may I speak with you?" She mewed politely but Dashpaw knew better, she'd claw his ears off if made an excuse. So he nodded respectfully and stalked beside her right outside of camp, out of earshot of every warrior inside.

"Yes, Maplestripe?" Dashpaw asked wryly, his whiskers twitching in anticipation. "I wanted to ask you if you felt okay these past few days. You normally woke up with Nightpaw and go hear the elders morning complaints," she purred softly, her soft mottled coat shining from the sun above. "But recently you've been waking up last do you feel sick, if you do please tell Willowstripe or Boulderfur, I don't want MoonClan's strongest apprentice getting sick on his first moon of training." She teased batting at his paws with her small white ones. Dashpaw lifted his chin with a purr. "Of course not, I'm just taking advice Stonepaw gave me." He mewed softly. Maplestripe purred, beginning to groom the top of Dashpaw's head. A loud purr rumbled in Dashpaw's throat as he playfully pushed his mother away. "Maplestripe!" The strong voice of Leafshade called somewhere behind Dashpaw. "Yes Leafshade, is something wrong?" Maplestripe kindly asked. "Stormheart has announced us, Cloudpelt, and Ravenpelt are going on the sunhigh patrol," Leafshade said, his green eyes wandering to Dashpaw. "Very well, I'm ready when you all are," Maplestripe said dipping her head padding toward the tom. As Leafshade went back into the camp, Maplestripe turned back to Dashpaw's thin frame her brown eyes hardening. "Since nothing is wrong with you, I expect you to not keep your mentor waiting because you want to sleep like an elder." She said with a threating hiss, before trotting back into camp.

The day continued normally until the sun began to set and made the land orange and gold.  Dashpaw padded at Stonepaw's side, his brown eyes darted at every sound in the darkening forest. Leafshade and Brightsong stepped swiftly ahead Leafshade murmuring to Brightsong about his mate's coming kits. "Hey Dashpaw," Stonepaw piped up his eyes gleaming with mischief. "Whoever can catch the most prey wins, and the winner gets a half a moon without having to clean the elders of ticks." Dashpaw raised his muzzle proudly before the sharp voice of Brightsong called ahead. "Why do you insist on making everything a competition?" She asked her amber eyes glinting in the setting sun. "It's more fun this way." Stonepaw simply said. The group stopped and the two apprentices sat before their mentors. "We will hunt until about moonhigh we'll bury our prey safely here until we go back around moonfall." Leafshade mewed calmly before resting his nose softly on Stonepaw's head before nudging him on. Brightsong copied his actions and whispered softly to Dashpaw. "Be safe even on full moon nights, it's still dangerous for even cats like Stormheart." The thought made Dashpaw shutter, Stormheart was a sturdy tom with powerful legs and sharp claws and teeth. What could be so dangerous that even he would be seriously injured? Dashpaw dipped his head to the two warriors and raced off into the cooling forest.

When Dashpaw went a reasonable distance he slowed and pricked his ears trying to pick up the faintest of sounds. After a while, he heard the soft nibbling of a creature he crept forward his eyes darting from side to side until he found the source. A small squirrel was finishing up an acorn at the center of a few trees. Dashpaw narrowed his eyes and ducked in a crouch, beginning to stalk forward. He made sure his paws didn't hit any old leaves or twigs though his eyes riskily didn't lower his eyes to be sure. The squirrel froze and it's small ears swished back and forth trying to find any threat. Dashpaw held his breath but was relieved when he saw the small creature go back to its meal. He continued forward until he could hear the rapid beating of its heart clearly. He paused, sucked in a breath and sped forward. The squirrel tried to spring up its neighboring tree but before it climbed up halfway Dashpaw flung himself at the gray creature and yanked it by its tail bringing it down to the forest floor. He pushed his paw on its writhing body and sunk his teeth in for the killing blow.

The night was both fun and exciting, Dashpaw even though with his bunch of prey didn't compare to Stonepaw's small pile of mice and voles, he had lost and now had a half a moon of ticks to clean. As they padded back to camp Dashpaw couldn't help but feel like the stare of a cat followed. He turned and looked around but saw nothing. "Is something wrong Dashpaw?" Brightsong asked curiously. Dashpaw shook his head and continued walking beside her. "Just my imagination," He replied, but Dashpaw didn't know for sure if that statement held true. I'm exhausted, there is no way to be sure that my feeling is right.
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Authors Note
Sorry I didn't post all summer turns out in more productive under pressure of other activities. Not my best quality chapter but it won't be long until chapter 4 comes out. At least not 4 months again.