Dawn's New Path

Chapter 11, Legends of Times Past

Dawn's second memories to return were of the legends of the pride. She remembered the legends of Edgeheart, the four, and of the Tribe of Broken Boulders. She also remembered the true stories. Stories of Murkclan, Gleamclan, and Dawnclan.


   They walked home slowly in the weak sunlight. The morning was very chill and snow lay thick on the ground. The abandoned neighborhood wasn't much better. They walked up to their home when Willow was just coming out.

   "Where were you two!" Willow exclaimed. "I was worried you'd just left us."

   "No Willow, we wouldn't just leave," Dawn said interrupting Dusk. "We just had very important business."

   "Oh, well what about?" Willow inquired.

   "Things concerning our past," Dawn said. "When you get back from hunting I'll tell you more."

   "Well okay, not good to tell a tale on an empty stomach," Willow replied as she rushed off.


   "Dawn why did you interrupt me!" snarled Dusk.

   "Because I'm more diplomatic," said Dawn. "It's just better that would leave that sort of thing to me."

   "Fine I'll excuse it this time," said Dusk.

   "Who died and made you leader?" Dawn asked humorously.

   At that point Dusk missed the joke and became so furious she couldn't utter a full sentence.

   "Hey Dusk cool off." "You can't take a joke can you?" Dawn said calmly.

   "Yeah okay," mumbled Dusk indignantly.


   Dawn went inside to check on Altra. The little tom was laying on a towel in the corner. Dawn caught the smell of sickness as she got closer. Altra coughed quietly then looked up.

   "Oh hello Dawn," Altra said hesitatingly.

   "Hello Altra I hope you've been okay while I was gone," said Dawn quietly.

   Altra coughed before he responded with, "I guess I'm fine."

   "But you aren't really well," Dawn replied. "You've got a cold, don't you?"

   "Well, yes I suppose," Altra admitted.

   "It's okay, just rest for now," Dawn said soothingly.


   Dawn waited until the others had fallen asleep to have her nap. Dawn was awoken later by Willow setting a fish right next to her head. Once everyone was awake and had eaten Dawn decided to fill her promise to Willow.

   "Okay, well I will tell you some of what I learned," Dawn said. "Dusk and I came from a group of cats called The Pride. The Pride was modeled after our original ancestors' group. The pride had kits, soft paws, sharp claws, healers, and the sub-leaders. It also had many sub-ranks I haven't figured out yet. Dusk's full name and mine are Dusky moon and Dawn's light. But that isn't what I really want to say."

   "Oh really, Dawn?" said Dusk. "Then what do you want to say?"

   "I wanted to talk about the legends," Dawn continued as though there had been no interruption. "The first legend is about Edgeheart. Many things were said of her, and few were definite. All I can say is that she had a strange power, and she was the first clan out cast in her line. She supposedly created a clan called Leafclan."

   "The next legend is about the four," Dawn said after a pause. "They were Sunstrike, Oatleaf, Nightclaw, and Snowtail. Oatleaf and Nightclaw grew up in a clan. They both had opposing powers, but they were the closest friends in the whole clan. Eventually they were both exiled for unknown reasons. First they met Sunstrike, another out cast, but her past is fully forgotten or was never known. They met Snowtail last and like the others her  past is unknown. They worked together until Nightclaw lost control of her powers. Both Nightclaw and Oatleaf died. Sunstrike lived on long enough to have a kit. And Snowtail vanished completely."

   "There are too many legends of The Tribe of Broken Boulders, so I will tell them tomorrow," said Dawn. "We should get some sleep now."