Adderfern saw Stonetail from the corner of her eye coming from the den. He flicked his tail towards the warrior den. "You can go rest. Windheart, you can use my nest and Adderfern is sleeping with Hawktail, of course." He mewed the last part to himself mostly and sat down to groom himself. Adderfern bounded to the Warriors' den with Windheart. They poked their heads inside and looked at the sleeping Warriors. Windheart slipped through the jumble of cats picking up her paws high when a warrior's tail was in her way. She finally made it to the middle and curled up in Stonetail's nest. Adderfern padded over to the edge of the den and settled down with Hawktail.
>*<
Adderfern stretched her long legs, each in turn, before padding into the clearing to meet Stonetail, Hawktail, Silverstripe, and Tawnypaw for a patrol. "Why do we need such a big hunting patrol?" Tawnypaw asked following the cats through the fern tunnel. Adderfern scented the air. Squirrel was fresh. And rabbit. She scented the air again.
"Mouse dung! The scents faded!" She complained. She pricked her ears and tried again. Rabbit, squirrel, fox but stale, badger fresh, vole, Riverclan.... She was thinking why she smelled crowfood. She thought of all the scents she listed. "Rabbit, badger, squirrel-" she was cut off by a yowl from camp.
"BADGER!!!" A horrified cat shrieked. Nightwing! Adderfern whipped around and sprinted back to camp as fast as she could. She pushed into the clearing, flanks heaving with effort. Nightwing was hiding in the nursery with the elders and kits. Her stomach was swelling with kits. Adderfern flung herself at the badger, as did the rest of her patrol. The badger was bleeding a lot but it kept fighting. Almost the whole clan was attacking it now. Adderfern saw her father slipping into his den. Why isn't he defending his own clan? He's only on his third life right? Surely he wouldn't lie to her. The thought made her heart ache.
Stonetail, Sandpelt, Tawnypaw, Blacktail, Windheart, and Adderfern finally drove the black and white Badger out of the camp. Adderfern just had a small bite on her back leg. It wasn't as bad as Hawktail's gash on his shoulder. Featherwhisker and Tawnypaw were helping all the cats that were injured. Adderfern slipped away from the swarm of cats and went to the leader's den. "Ravenstar?" She called.
"Come in." Rasped the old leader. "What is it Adderfern?" He asked sitting up.
"Why weren't you fighting the badger? I thought you had three lives left." The young warrior sat down in front of her father. "Did you lie?" She choked out the words. "Is my father a lier? Why didn't you tell me and Windheart? I bet Merry doesn't even know you're about to die!" She hissed. Ravenstar dipped his head.
"I was only given seven lives because Shadestar left to go to shadowclan when she had two lives left. Starclan wasn't able to give me nine." He laid down and put his head on his paws. "I'm too old for this. I might give my leadership over to Stonetail on my last life. Join the elders maybe." He said aloud. "You mustn't tell him though." The black leader lowered his head. Adderfern stared at her father a few heartbeats more before licking his ear and padding away.
Stonetail walked up to Adderfern, his head was tilted to the side questioningly. She pushed past him and padded out of camp. Her head hurt just by thinking of what was going on. Stonetail was going to become Stonestar, Ravenstar was going to become and elder and probably have his warrior name back, Ravenwing. Adderfern was a warrior as was her sister, they had more duties and responsibilities now. Hawktail was spending less time with her now, too. Was he not liking her anymore? After all they'd been through? What if she had kits? Would their father mean nothing? She laid down on sunning rocks and fell asleep.
