(Finished!) Warriors Fanfiction: The Same Fate

Chapter 12

Alderfall felt someone tapping her on the shoulder. She opened her eyes drowsily, wanting to go back to sleep. But instead, she sat up and stretched. The cat who had woken her up was Smokestripe. Alderfall's drowsiness immediately washed away.

"Is your leg ok?" She asked.

He nodded.

Alderfall realized there was a cat in the nest next to her. It was one of the elders, Windear. Luckily it looked like she had just woken up, so she probably hadn't heard Alderfall's worried mew for Smokestripe.

Windear eyed her suspiciously. Oh, no. Had she heard me?

"So, Alderfall, why are you here?" She asked.

Alderfall tried to think up an excuse, but nothing came to her. Alderfall glanced at Waterleaf, who was sorting herbs in the corner of the room. The medicine cat turned over her shoulder, and mewed simply, "She had a big stomach ache, so she came in here last night."

Windear's suspicion ebbed away. "Do you know what caused it?"

Waterleaf nodded. "I think it was a piece of prey that had become crow-food. I went out and checked the fresh-kill pile for more, and I found one more. I got rid of it though."

Windear nodded, showing that she understood.

Alderfall gave the medicine cat a grateful nod.

Alderfall looked at the medicine cat. "I feel better now, so I'm going to go sort out the patrols."

Waterleaf nodded. "Okay."

Smokestripe stood up slowly. "Can I go out too?"

The medicine cat looked hesitant for a moment. "Fine." She sighed. "But don't run, and no jumping. Basically don't stress your leg out."

Smokestripe nodded, and padded toward the opening that led out of the medicine den. Alderfall followed close behind. Outside of the den, almost all of the cats were out in the camp.

Oh, geez. Alderfall thought. She walked to the spot under the Hardrock, with Redleaf right next to her. She called Scurryclaw to where she was. He came slowly to where she was. Alderfall spoke. "I want you to lead a hunting party. Take Branchtail, Flowerpaw, as well as Ratglow with you."

He nodded, and padded off to tell the cats who Alderfall had named.

Alderfall looked around the camp, and set her eyes on Smokestripe, who was sitting alone at the edge of the camp. A few moments later, Nightshade padded to his side with a vole and a thrush hanging from her jaw. She held the vole by its tail, it swinging back and forth as she walked. The thrush was hanging weirdly, its wings dangling, and its head drooping as Nightshade grasped it at its body. She dropped the vole next to Smokestripe, and he mewed in thanks. She kept the thrush by her side, plucking out the feathers to get to the meat. She threw the feathers next to her, some of them being carried off by the wind. "If you are going to be staying a while, we can use feathers for your nest. There is an open spot next to me in the warriors den. Once we're done with this fresh-kill, I can show you where my nest is."

He nodded in thanks. Alderfall called to Nightshade, not being able to look at how fond they were of each other anymore. Nightshade pushed the featherless thrush to Smokestripe, then padded to Alderfall. "Yes, Alderfall?"

"I want you to lead a border patrol." Alderfall replied.

Nightshade tilted her head. "Really?"

Alderfall remembered that she hadn't had Nightshade as a lead of a patrol or a hunting party since Nightshade had went to twoleg place.