About

As a warrior, Dawnsong was well-liked by his clanmates. A bit dense in the head but he had a relaxed, care-free attitude that made him fun to be around on patrols and training sessions. He could charm even the most cold-hearted ShadowClan warrior with his earnestness.

Such was not the case when put in a position of power. His open nature was now a weakness to be exploited and his inability to catch on to social cues made for misunderstandings that frustrated his warriors. His old friend, Tigerstep, stood by and supported his deputyship which quelled many of the rumblings. Tigerstep was cold, but she was wicked sharp. If she believed Dawnsong could grow into his deputy position, then so would RiverClan.

That day never arrived. Dawnstar was made leader and his first choice in deputy, TIgerstep, was the only thing protecting him from the wrath of his own Clan. Tigerstep remained loyal to him even when his blunders costed RiverClan and she was forced to do clean up. The two eventually had a kit but the term "mates" was rarely thrown around. The friendship they'd shared as warriors was a distant memory and Dawnstar wallowed in a role he did not want, with a Clan and family who did not want him.

The RiverClan leader found companionship in a scrawny molly across the WindClan border. Timid, shy, and having never excelled in her warrior duties, Mothfur was an outcast in WindClan and Dawnstar felt a kinship to her. Their secret meetings were brief before she bore him a kit and it would be the last he ever saw of her. The WindClan leader, Eaglestar, did not take kindly to code breakers. Mothfur was banished and the half-Clan kit dropped unceremoniously at RiverClan's door. Dawnstar's secret was out and not even Tigerstep could protect him from this mistake.

Dawnstar hid away in the nursery until Brightkit was six moons old. He gave his only daughter to Tigerstep to mentor in a messy attempt to apologize but it only added to the salt on RiverClan's wounds. Dawnstar simply did not have the skill or support to recover from this and the rift he caused in RiverClan would scar the Clan well past his leadership.