sage | a warrior cats fanfiction

chapter thirty two

Despite the warmth and comfort that Pantherleap's pelt brought, it didn't make the world go away.

When he opened his eyes again, the world was still around him. The world that held the coldness of leaf-bare and the chill of the snow all around, and the world that cradled its love for the snow like a newborn kit. The world that allowed the sun to slip in and out from behind the dark and angry clouds, only shining its light every few moments, so the snow could stick around.

The world in which Willowdapple loved him and thought he'd saved her kits or something dumb like that; the world in which he was harboring many secrets, a main one being the relationship with the tom next to him; the world in which SageClan had a leader that didn't seem to care about anyone, save for himself; the world in which everything he said was carefully chosen to ensure all was well.

For if he messed up, it was easy to banish him or make him suffer because of what he did. Depending on what it was, he could easily be exiled. Though, if he was careful, it was easy to pass it off. However, none of that even needed to happen, at least he hoped so. As long as he was precise with his words, then he'd be fine.

With a swift movement, he rose to his paws and cast his dark gray gaze to the warrior beside him. Pantherleap appeared startled, jumping momentarily as the pale tom inched away from him. Pantherleap also rose to his paws, tail flickering against the ground as he looked to his mate, his head lightly tipping to the side.

"Can we go back to camp now?" Adderheart asked softly. His voice seemed to be a carefully twirled spider web, one that was easily destroyed by simply a passing wind, and the chilly leaf-bare wind swooped by and stole his voice.

Pantherleap let his figure inch closer to Adderheart's before he nodded. "Of course we can."

"Do you really think Finchpaw's ceremony will be today?" He asked. Earlier he said it probably wasn't. But what if it is, and I'm just wasting my time? He thought, ears twitching as he cast his dark gray gaze around at the snowy area.

"I don't think so, but I don't know," he answered, ears twitching. With that, Pantherleap headed forward, realizing a moment too late that the snow would be in the way. Adderheart shook his head and with a swift movement, he leaped cleanly over the large section of snow blocking the way.

His tail drooped perfectly so that it swept off the top layer of the snow, and he landed on the other side on an equally tall portion of snow. No matter how much sun it got, it always seemed to be there. At least, now it did. The snow grumbled and hissed at anyone trying to get rid of it, poking at their paws with a cold needle that would never go away.

After waiting for a few moments longer, Pantherleap came crashing through the wall of snow, his figure bashing against the cold substance. He shook his pelt out and snow went flying, and Adderheart narrowly dodged him and the particles of snow that flew up into the air.

Pantherleap gave him an apologetic look, though from there, the two headed off.

The journey back wasn't exactly a great one. It was improved by Pantherleap, of course, but besides that, it wasn't too pleasant. Every pawstep meant snow, and that meant being cold. And obviously, that wasn't great for anyone. By the time they'd gone halfway, both of them were shivering and had fluffed out their pelts, instinctively shifting closer to each other.

Then Pantherleap started to pick up some scents of nearby cats and he quickly pulled away, to Adderheart's dismay. But he knew it was for the best and so he made no comment, and he simply let it happen, as there was nothing he could do anyway.

Eventually, the two made it to camp, and Pantherleap insisted Adderheart go in first, so he did.

It was essentially the same as it had been. Lightly colored shadows danced in the corners of the camp, dashing around underneath where they could live, throwing elaborate parties for sundown's arrival, though the sun that laid delicately in the sky watched with a careful eye, as if to say that it was not yet time for sundown.