sage | a warrior cats fanfiction

chapter twelve

"There's nothing here!"

Cougarstar's voice, angry and sharp, drifted toward Adderheart and Pantherleap.

The leader had ordered that they split off into different sections. Green gaze alight with fury, voice a knife splitting through the soft air of new leaf-fall, the leader had stalked off after leaving Adderheart and Pantherleap alone.

Yet of course, the two toms did not conversate. They almost seemed to know that Cougarstar likely hadn't gone far and was probably listening in on whatever they were saying. Instead, they obediently searched the territory with minimal words exchanged. Why had they split up, Adderheart didn't know, but he was finally glad to get the leader off his back.

Though, it obviously didn't last long. Cougarstar had been practically enraged at the fact that they weren't able to locate any rogues after searching. However, Adderheart noted that, as they were searching, Cougarstar wasn't really leading them to new places.

The leader was fairly well known as a very skilled tracker, so it was likely that his anger seemed to dull his skill to a lower level. It caused him to simply lead the warriors around in large ovals or circles, once or twice walking directly over a place they'd already been to.

But Cougarstar, blinded by his ferocity, hadn't noticed. Simply, the tawny-furred leader had wasted more and more time with every passing moment, allowing his desperation to heighten. It was incredibly clear that he'd wanted to find the rogues at that very moment, as if he expected them to stroll out any moment.

So the leader jumped through the bushes.

"There wasn't anything there," reported the tom in a brisk and tapered tone, tail lashing as he stared down Adderheart and Pantherleap. "Did either of you discover anything?"

Adderheart shook his head, and Pantherleap, clearly in favor of answering with words, offered a few:

"No, we didn't. There were no new scents and if anything, there was simply old prey scent around."

Cougarstar shook his head harshly, leaping past the two toms. Consequently, they'd been somewhat close, and so he caused Adderheart to stumble, nearly tripping upon his paws. Hurriedly, he pulled himself up and turned to where Cougarstar had sprung through the bushes.

Pantherleap turned to him for a half moment, eyes flashing as he mouthed 'Sorry' at the other warrior.

Adderheart's tail whipped instantly, beginning to open his muzzle in a reply, but the tawny-furred tom had already launched himself after the leader. Leaving Adderheart to do the same, most likely, and so he did, but as he landed in the clearing next to it, he simply saw Pantherleap's tail disappearing into the bushes.

Huffing, the pale-furred warrior sprung faster, paws slamming against the ground with small thumps each time as he hurried to catch up. Cougarstar would be even angrier if he were late. Adderheart could almost imagine the tom's expression, tainted and morphed by rage.

So when he spotted the tom ahead, he swallowed a breath of relief. Lapsing his pawsteps and stride to Pantherleap, who now was beside him, he noted that they appeared to be going back. Not to camp, simply the place where they'd all split up.

As the leader seemed to pause ahead, Adderheart noted that Antwhisper, Bearpatch, and Freckletuft had returned, and with quite a bit of prey, too. It appeared to run more freely when it was away from the clutches of SageClan cats.

At Bearpatch's paws lay a small collection of mice. Three, to be exact, two of bigger size and one smaller than the others. Likely a family he'd managed to snag, Adderheart guessed as he approached, stepping through the bushes.