Warriors: Fear and Hope

Dashfang padded over to the warriors den, and she luckily saw Applefur waiting there for her. She was worried about her little chase in the water a today. She was just making sure. She looked at Browniepaw, and she reminded her too much of Fluttershy. She looked at her paws and she smiled. She decided to go for a quick fly around, but landed soon after taking off. Then she thought of Setclaw killing Purpletail. Dashfang shook her head.

Setclaw ran over to Dashfang. Browniepaw saw and ran over to them. “So, Dashfang, what is the meaning of Applefur’s cold?” she asked, trying to sound kind.

Dashfang tried to answer, but a cat voice behind her answered for her. “It was my fault! I pushed her into very cold snow, and she caught a terrible cold,” an apprentice mewed.

Dashfang saw Browniepaw behind her. “Okay, thank you for your kindness.” She tries to say nicely, but her glare at Dashfang made the statement cold.

Dashfang looked at her apprentice. “Aren’t you a little scared of Setclaw?” she asked looking into his eyes.

“No, why should I?” she asked. “She is a great warrior, and she will become a great leader. I should admire her.” She looked up at Lunarclan.

Why should he? She thought, and then she put her nose to his. “Go get some sleep,” she mewed.

Browniepaw nodded.  “Yes ma’am,” he said happily, and he ran off to the apprentice den.

Dashfang smiled, and she grabbed two pieces of fresh-kill. She ate, and thought of Browniepaw’s admiration of Setclaw. It worried her. There was more than every cat thought in the cat. She could still be planning to kill Sunstar.

A loud sneeze interrupted Dashfang’s thoughts. Applefur pounced over to her friend. “How are you doing?” she asked happily.

Applefur shook her head. “I have a cold,” she mewed, and she sat next to her friend.

Dashfang sniffed her, and she smelled like some of Spitfire’s medicine. “I saved you some mice!” she mewed to her friend, and she shoved it over.

Applefur puffed, and started eating. “Spitfire told me that I need to stay in the camp, and that I have a chill.” She mewed to her friend, still chewing on her vole.

“So what did she give you for medicine?” Dashfang asked happily, trying to lighten up the mood.

Applefur shook her head. “I can’t remember.” She mewed as she took one last bite of food. “That’s enough for me.” She mewed and she pushed the food away from her. She licked her paw.

“Are you sure? There is still some more.” Dashfang mewed, and she grabbed a vole.

Applefur shook her head. She then ran off.

Dashfang thought to herself. She probably has a cold she thought, and she went back to eating. She might not be here thanks to that Lakeclan cat.

.   .    .

Dashfang woke, and she saw Pinkiefur walking towards her. “Setclaw needs you.” She mewed happily.

“Ah, yes.” She mewed to her. She walked to Setclaw, and she did not look happy.

“It’s time Browniepaw and Redpaw had been tested.” She mewed with a scary tone in her voice.

“Already?” she asked.

“Sunstar did say that we need new warriors, didn’t she?” she asked her happily.

“Yes, but,” Dashfang started, but she was cut off by the look in Setclaw’s eyes.

“You will test them tomorrow. You slept all day today. Get some rest, and I will wake you in the morning with Browniepaw and Redpaw. You will be training both of them until Applefur is better.” She mewed, and she sent Dashfang to the warriors den.

She slept, until Browniepaw awaked her. “Time for our test?” he asked eagerly.

Dashfang nodded, and saw Redpaw behind him. “Okay, lets go.” She mewed, and they ran off.

Browniepaw chased after them, and they ran to the training hollow. Dashfang looked at the two, and she mewed happily, “Today, we will be having a test. I will be watching you two and you will come back at moonrise.” She set them off, and she followed Browniepaw, without him noticing.

She looked at him carefully, and she saw his hunting crouch. She looked as he pounced on a mouse. She smiled, but then cracked. She then heard something behind her.

“Hey Dashfang!” yowled behind her.

“Browniepaw,” Dashfang mewed, irritated. “You weren’t supposed to see me.” She mewed angrily.

“Oh, sorry,” Browniepaw mewed, and he went back into the woods. “Goodbye for now!” he yowled back.

Dashfang looked at him until she was out of sight. She watched Redpaw for a while, and then she went to see her sister.

She ran through the forest, and she saw her sister on the fence. “Hello Cloud,” she mewed nicely to her sister.

“Hello Dashfang,” she paused. “Is that correct?” she asked carefully.

“Yes, are your kits ready?” she asked eagerly.

“Not yet, only in two more days, then I will be a proud mother.” She was happy when she stared down at her belly. She looked back at Dashfang. “How have you been?” she asked kindly.

“Good, my apprentice and Applefur’s apprentice are taking a test on hunting abilities,” she answered her sister’s question with great pride.

Cloud smiled, and mewed, “Why are you taking care of Applefur’s apprentice?” Her knowledge on the clans is getting better day by day.

“She is sick right now, she has a chill,” Dashfang sadly mewed. “I will be taking care of Redpaw for a while.” They talked until sunset, they hugged, and Dashfang left.

She came to sandy hollow at moonrise, and she saw Browniepaw and Redpaw padding up to her. She smiled, and saw how much prey they caught. Luckily, she licked herself off before she had come to them. She was happy to see the two apprentices. She knew that she would go back to Cloud tomorrow to see her kits, and her nieces and nephews. She smiled, and walked home with the two apprentices.