MoonClan Fiction: Chapter 5

Dawnpaw and Leafpaw were supporting the wake Lionpaw into camp. Once the Rescue patrol got into camp, Featherbell was all over them, making sure that no one had serious wounds. Thunderstreak explained to her that all of the serious wounds were treated by Shadowblaz, the SpiritClan Healer. Featherbell nodded and went on the the shallow injuries.

"Dawnpaw, Leafpaw! come into my den where I can treat you" Featherbell then saw Lionpaw, whom they were lugging around. "Bring your little friend there too." She sped off into her den and Leafpaw & Dawnpaw fiollowed.

"This might sting a little" Featherbell meowed quietly as she applied a tangy smelling herb to Dawnpaws shoulder wound. Dawnpaw flinched as it stung, like Featherbell said.

Leafpaw was waiting at the entrance to the Medicine den and Lionpaw was starting to become cohearant. He had even asked a coupple of times, "Where am I?" Then, finally having the blood cleared from his nose he meowed confidently, "MoonClan" but it wasn't a sneer. Now, Lionpaw was staring at Featherbell and Dawnpaw as her wounds were being treated.

"There, all done. I don't want any of you training for the rest of tonight and tomorrow night." Dawnpaw and Leafpaw nodded and they trotted toward the entrance of the den. Featherbell turned to Lionpaw. "I'm going to keep you with me for a while to stop that bleeding, then Foxstar will deide what to do with you." Dawnpaw saw Lionpaw shrug and then rest his head on his paws as Dawnpaw and Leafpaw left the Medicine den.

Outside, The warriors and apprentices fit ti fight were going on the Sunrise patrol. Foxstar was lying down on the Moon Perch with Thunderstreak and Flamestripe. They were talking urgently to eachother. Dawnpaw saw a flash of grey fur from the corner of her eye and she led Leafpaw with her tail over to Stonepaw. Her brother looked up as she approached. "Hi" he grumbled. Polenpaw padded up to join the apprentices. She sat very close beside Stonepaw, and he brightened slightly.

Dawnpaw leaned into her brother and sniffed a wound he had on his foreleg."Did you get this checked out yet?" she asked, concerned. Stonepaw lifted his paw and licked the wound. "No, I haven't yet." he said between licks. Dawnpaw shook her head in annoyance. "Well you should! what are you doing! We need to be strong to help our Clan!" She stared as her brother looked at her with cold , untroubled eyes. "Okay, chill.. it's no big deal" Then Polenpaw stood up , "She's right you know. Come on, I'll come with you." Stonepaw looked as if he would argue at first, but then he happily padded off with Polenpaw as he heard she would be coming with him.

Dawnpaw shook her head miserably. "He never wants to admit that he'd hurt." Leafpaw twitched his whiskers in amusement and then Dawnpaw and Leafpaw headed toward the apprentices den, to get a good days sleep.

The next night, Dawnpaw woke to Thunderstreaks call. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Moon Perch for a Clan meeting!" Leafpaw stirred beside her, and then the two of them left the apprentices den to go out into the camps main clearing.

Outside the den, Thunderstreak was standing on the Moon Perch. Featherbell, Flamestripe and Wood-down were sitting under the Moon Perch. Dawnpaw saw Foxstar emerge from her den with Lionpaw behind her. Foxstar jumped onto the Moon Perch and Thunderstreak stepped aside.

"As you all know by now," Foxstar began, " Yesterday, we toke place in a Great Battle in SpiritClan camp. We helped SpiritClan fight off MarkedClan and SwiftClan, and in the end, our two Clans won the battle, and thankfully, we have not lost any warriors in the battle" Triumphant crys erupted form the Clan and Foxstar waited for them to die down before continuing her speech. "But just after we left the Camp, Dawnpaw and Leafpaw discovered this MarkedClan apprentice," She gestured toward Lionpaw, "Unconcious in the camp. We decided to take him back with us, and I was to figure out what to do with him later. The time has come now." She watched as the Clan whispered to eachother. Pinefrost looked up at his leader and sneered at Lionpaw , "Surely this MarkedClan cat cannot stay here! He's got evil blood!" Lionpaw merly stared at Pinefrost with cold eyes. PInefrost kept staring at the cat with equally cold eyes. Foxstar stared at the two for a moment, then went on with her speech. "After a talk that I have had with Lionpaw, I have made a decision. Lionpaw," she turned to him and he ripped his eyes from Pinefrosts, "I would like to invite you to join MoonClan. Learning your history, I beleive that you belong here." Dawnpaws eyes stretched wide as she heard what Foxstar said, then she saw the expression on Thunderstreaks face. He's nodding in agreement! I knew that he was hiding something! The Clan erupted in startled mews and hisses. Pinefrost spoke up again. "Are you mouse brained!" he snarled at Foxstar and she looked at him calmly "This is a MarkedClan cat! Whats so special about his heritage than the evil that runs in his Blood!" Dawnpaw saw that some of the cats in the Clearing agreed with him, but some were unsure.

Foxstar looked at Lionpaw, as if asking a question to the apprentice. Lionpaw nodded in understanding. Foxstar yoweled for silence and then went on. "As I told you, Lionpaw and I have had a discussion. He has told me that, for a while, he has been meaning to come to MoonClan, and that he was bound to be kicked out sonner or later." All the cats stared questioningly at eachother and Pinefrost opened his mouth again to speak, but Foxstar went on before any cat could let out a sound, "Lionpaw is Half MoonClan!" she declared to the cats in the clearing, and they all fel silent. After some time, Robinsong looked up to Foxstar questioningly and asked, "How is he Half MoonClan, Foxstar?" and Foxstar opened her mouth to speak again, but Thunderstreak interuppted her. " His Mother is a MarkedClan cat named Seakingheart. And his Father is Spottedshadow." The cats turned to him in astonishment. Thunderstreak then seemed to pucker up alot of courage before speaking again. He turned to Foxstar. "I'm sorry I had to eep this kind of secret, for Lionpaw, my half brotherand for Robinsong and Myself." He hesitated as Robinsong looked at him concerned and questioningly, "We're all half MarkedClan"

That was the final straw for secrets. The Clan went quiet for a few moments, then yowels of questioning broke out. Foxstar looked at her deputy in astonishment, "How so?!" she asked. Thunderstreak replied simply. I am Robinsongs half brother because of our Mother. Her name was Dappleheart. She mated forst with Spottedshadow , my father. Then she mated with Darkpath, Robinsongs father. Thats how we are half brother and sister." He looked at Robinsong for a moment, then turned to Lionpaw. " And then Spottedshadow mated with Seakingheart of MarkedClan, and their son is Lionpaw." He finished what he was saying and then all of the cats turned as Robinsong stepped up to the Moon Perch. "Foxstar, if I may have permission to speak?" Foxstar dipped her head for Robinsong to proceed. robinsong thanked her quietly before standing infront of the whole Clan. Robinsong flashed a quick glance at Dawnpaw and Dawnpaw's eyes stretched wide. Does this have to do with me somehow?

Robinsong then spoke. "I know that what I am about to say is a little off topic, but something inside of me told me to say this now, that we were confessing heritage." She then looked Dawnpaw straight in the face and spoke, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, Dawnpaw, but Whitewhistle and Snaketail aren't your real parents. Stonestream and Fairwing are."

Dawnpaw stood stiff as she heard this. I've grown up with lies! She shouted in her head. She looked at Snaketail. And this new information doesn't make me his daughter, but his half sister! Leafpaw was pushing against her anxiously, "Dawnpaw! It's alright. You're fine. This isn't that big of a deal." No, its not. She told herself, I've just been going around thinking I belonged to something, but now I don't... She looked slowly to Leafpaw and used him for support.

Robinsong jumped off of the Moon Perch and ran toward Dawnpaw. "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I had a dream and Stonestream told me everything." She meowed, but Dawnpaw buried her face in Leafpaws warm fur. Robinsong looked somberly at the ground, then walked away.

Foxstar stood on the Moon perch with wide eyes. She signaled Thunderstreak to sit below the Moon Perch and he dipped his head and went.

"Well, it seems that alot has been cleared up for us today. " She shook her head as if to gather her scattered thoughts "But back to the question I have asked. This time, I would like a straight answer." She turned to Lionpaw again. "Lionpaw, would you like to join MoonClan?"

Loinpaw looked shocked aswell but he nodded and looked at Foxstar in he eyes. "I do." he said. Foxstar nodded and spoke to the Caln. "Then Lionpaw is now a MoonClan cat! everyone must respect him as you would any apprentice and.." She looked at her brother, "Flamestripe, You have not had an apprentice for a while. I would like you to mentor Lionpaw in the ways of MoonClan." Flamestripe nodded and padded up to the Moon Perch with Lionpaw. The two cats touched noses, mentor and apprenice, and Foxstar gestured unwillingly another pair of cats. Silverheart stepped up to the Moonperch, and then a black shape emerged from the Nursury. Shadowkit? He Looked so big already.. but he can't be six moons old yet!

The two stood on the Perch, and Foxstar announced that Shdowkit was to be apprenticed. The clearing of cats arose in anxious mews. Cats called out; "He's too young!" "He could get hurt" And Foxstar looked at them and she almost seemed to have shrugged. "He is strong and his growth is unnaturally fast. He has become to big and rough for the nursary. Nightstreak and Pinefrost have suggested he become an apprentice early as to not cause any more troubble. I have agreed after thought, and he is now an apprentice." She continued with the ceremony, and then Silverheart and Shadowkit also became mentor and apprentice. Then the cats in the clearing broke away, and the meeting ended.

* * *
Dawnpaw struggled in her moss as she tried to get comfy. There were so many things to worry over. I wonder what my real parents were like. She thought sleepily and then she fell asleep beside her denmates.

Dawnpaw opened her eyes to fog. Why was it so foggy? She glances around, squinting at the mist in her eyes. Then she heard screeches of terror. Her eyes popped wide as she saw tousseling cats. Is this the great battle again? then she saw two cats. They were making so much nosise, she thought it had been a whole clearing of cats.

Both cats were grey, but one had black paws. They were battling feircely and all of a suddon, just as the cat with black paws was winning, Two more cats jumped out of the trees and into it. They were covered in mud! The plain grey cat ran away and the two other cats backed away and hissed at the other cat. It was lying wounded on the forest floor.

Dawnpaw creeped slowly from the bushes she hid in, and went up to the cat. It was breathing, and concious, but its eyes were closed as if he was resting. She opened her mouth to taste the air and then she backed up so fast that she toppled, head over tail. SpiritClan! This is a SpiritClan cat!