sage | a warrior cats fanfiction

chapter forty two

"Where? They can't be around here, I can't... no, they can't," Adderheart couldn't keep the flow of words from his maw as he hurriedly turned around. "They have to be near here... if they're close. If we can scent them then they have..." His words trailed off and he shook his skull sharply.

Pantherleap seemed to straighten his shoulders as he strolled forward, head tipping upward. "Hello? Vixenfeather? Milkfrost?" His words echoed loudly through the area around them and he took a few generous bounds forward. Adderheart could only haphazardly stumble after, huffing as though the very thought of the she-cats was exhausting to him.

"We aren't going to hurt you," the tawny tom clarified loudly, his ears pricking as he continued forward. "We're just questioning why you're here." Silence followed his words. Well, that was until a loud crunching of paws upon snow sounded nearby, and Pantherleap took off into the territory.

"Wait!" Adderheart had nothing more to do than launch himself after his mate, attempting to balance his figure as he awkwardly swerved around a few trees. He tried to ensure he didn't go crashing through the undergrowth, but his head pounded as he tried to follow his mate.

Eventually, he caught up to the warrior. Pantherleap had stopped himself at the border, almost perched upon his paws as though it'd been a swift stop. As though he'd caught himself after nearly passing it. Both of them scented the air around them and found that there was little information within the air. It still smelled like both of the elders. It still smelled like cats and the border in general.

"Hello? Vixenfeather? Milkfrost?" His call rang through the pine trees once more as moments passed, and the world went silent around them. The snow suffocated any other noises. Except for the mild crunching of paws upon crisp snow.

Realization jolted through the warrior, and he turned to his mate in a flash. "They're here... they're here."

"Where? Where?" Pantherleap demanded, though not necessarily rudely. He peered over the border, green eyes squinting as he huffed, pulling himself back. "Where are they?"

"Somewhere around here... I heard— I heard pawsteps. In the snow."

"Are you sure it wasn't a mouse or something?"

"What? No— why would a mouse be above ground...?"

"I don't know. I don't think it's them. They'd make a lot more noise, right, wouldn't they?"

"I don't know!" Adderheart burst out, and regret immediately filled him. "Sorry— sorry," he stammered instantly after, a new wave of anxiety rising within him. "I just— I don't know. I thought... I thought I heard pawsteps in the snow. It didn't sound like a mouse."

Pantherleap looked down at his paws, or perhaps the icy snow right past them. Shifting upon his own paws, Adderheart went silent, not knowing what else to say or do in order to help. If the elders were around, then maybe they were listening in on the conversation. Maybe they knew.

No, it was unlikely. Right? How could they know? Neither of the toms had told anyone within the Clan, and if somehow somebody knew, who was it? And how would the news have reached two elders within a group of rogues? Especially from a Clan that restricted conversation and positive, even neutral interaction, with such cats?

Sola and Salem.

"Do you know Sola?" Adderheart called, and Pantherleap looked to him, startled. "Or Salem?"

A loud crunching of snow sounded, and relief flooded him. I was right. Pantherleap looked back to him and appeared pleased but confused. The tawny warrior took a few steps to the left, scenting the air once more as he lifted his muzzle into the air. Adderheart watched, a chill traveling down his spine.