Wavering Signs - a warriors story, Book #2 in The Winding Fates

Chapter 3

Most of the cats only had been knocked out for a moment. Others, however, weren't as fortunate. Scorchpelt had several scars from the fight with Lightningstar, and part of Alderfur's tail had been bitten off.

It had been a few days since the first battle, and nothing had happened. Hiddenstorm padded over to Flickerflame. "I'm a bit suspicious..."

Flickerflame shrugged. "Maybe the death of their leader changed them,"

He scoffed. Owlfeather and Sparrowflight were stretching outside the medicine den, Owlfeather's horns accidentally showing. He hid them again before chuckling to Sparrowflight.

"Has the dawn patrol gone out yet?"

"Of course it has, mouse-brain,"

Littlefern trampled in, panting. He caught his breath before stammering out, "SwoopClan's attacked us!"

Hiddenstorm and Alderfur both got up. Boltleap stood up, as well as Scorchpelt and Flarepond. Littlefern looked around. "These with the patrol... this is good!"

The group of cats rushed out the entrance while Owlfeather and Sparrowflight flew up to follow them.

"Where is it?" Sparrowflight called down to his former mentor.

"Nightglow Island!"

The two winged cats nodded and flew ahead. Yowling got louder, and they burst into a clearing full of wrestling, fighting cats.

Hiddenstorm saw Alderfur launch himself towards a black-and-white tom. There was a fox trap dangerously close, but he had no time to think about that as a brown tom leaped towards him.

The black warrior hissed, throwing the SwoopClan warrior off of him and into the river. Owlfeather and Sparrowflight swooped down, picked a cat up, and dumped them into the river. Scorchpelt was grappling with another warrior, Flarepond was helping him, and Boltleap had fled the scene.

Shadows flickered again as they wove their way through the crowd of cats, occasionally knocking a SwoopClan warrior off their paws.

The black-and-white warrior reared up, hissing, before lunging down and grabbing the fox trap. Hiddenstorm froze, wanting to block it.

Every SwoopClan cat had fled except the one grappling with Alderfur. "Alderfur, duck!" Hiddenstorm yowled, his eyes wide.

The brown tom glanced at Hiddenstorm before the warrior plunged the fox trap into him.

He let out a fierce yowl of pain before falling over. The attacker hopped across Nightglow Island, laughing, and pelted down the slope.

Flarepond, Scorchpelt, and Littlefern were standing at the bank of the river, ready to attack anyone. The earlier patrol had fled, and Owlfeather and Sparrowflight had gone ahead to SwoopClan's camp to make sure they weren't getting back up.

A dark pool of blood was forming under Alderfur and his pelt was stained. Flarepond turned around. "Alder!" he rushed over.

Scorchpelt's eyes were wide, and Littlefern was too shocked to move.

Sparrowflight and Owlfeather had come back. "They've retreated- Great StarClan! Alderfur, are you alright?"

His only response was a mumble.

Owlfeather hid his wings, shifted Alderfur onto his back, and opened them again. "Sparrowflight, follow behind me in case he... falls."

The tabby nodded. They started flying away, and Scorchpelt shook his head. "Let's go!"

Hiddenstorm jumped over a boulder and took the lead. Scorchpelt followed close behind, and Flarepond took the rear.

They entered the cave to see Boltleap being scolded by Cliffstar, the cats that were on the patrol being checked by Poolflick, and Owlfeather talking to Oaktail.

Pinewatcher walked in behind them, holding a rabbit. "What's all the commotion? Wasn't Alderfur with you?"

Scorchpelt nodded, whisking his tail towards the medicine den. The tabby dropped the rabbit and ran over to Oaktail. Owlfeather backed away, his ears lowered, and his wings gone. It was odd to see him like that.

The medicine apprentice was already halfway in the tunnel but looked back at Pinewatcher.

Even in the clearing, they could hear Pinewatcher's meow. "Where is my kit?"

The voices faded as they headed deeper into the den.

Hiddenstorm made his way over to Flickerflame, who began checking him for wounds. "I'm fine," he paused. "But Alderfur may not be."

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Sunwish's wailed echoed. The cats flinched as they realized what had happened. Scorchpelt's ears lowered and Owlfeather broke into a small fit of sobs. Sparrowflight wrapped his wings around the grey tom. Hiddenstorm lowered his head. The cats in the clearing stopped talking and lowered their heads as well.

Oaktail emerged from the den and padded over to Cliffstar. The leader sat down and nodded as the brown medicine cat mumbled something into his ear.

He sighed, walking up to his rock. "Cats of MountainClan," he choked down a sob and raised his head. "As you all know, a patrol of our warriors got in a quarrel with a group of SwoopClan warriors. In the haste of the moment, a few of my cats- Owlfeather, Sparrowflight, Flarepond, Scorchpelt, Hiddenstorm, and Alderfur, to name them -went to help. In this... unfortunate, for lack of a better word... event, Alderfur was wounded. I've learned from Oaktail that he died, and that his family wishes to spend some time alone. The vigil will take place later this night."

Hiddenstorm suddenly noticed that Flameear had disappeared, more than likely into the medicine den with Alderfur. Flickerflame nudged him. "He didn't say that Boltleap was there, even though he was."

"Oh, he had a reason to. We weren't even two heartbeats into the fight and Boltleap was already gone,"

**¥¥¥¥**

Near sunset, Oaktail and Poolflick brought Alderfur's body out. Sunwish was sobbing, Flameear was holding back tears, and Pinewatcher looked about ready to faint.

MountainClan slowly gathered around the center of the clearing where Alderfur would be set. Fallenhollow, his old mentor, padded over to Sunwish and set her head on her shoulder. Pinewatcher slumped down next to her, his head hung in sorrow, while Flameear had sat down next to them.

Cliffstar sat below his rock. "We will share tongues one last time with Alderfur,"

More than half of the Clan hung back, letting the cats closest to the brown warrior have time. Owlfeather's wings were still hidden. "Flickerflame, Owlfeather doesn't seem right," Hiddenstorm mumbled quietly to her. She nodded.

Sparrowflight whispered something to him and nodded to Cliffstar, walking towards the entrance. "We're going out, is that alright?"

The leader nodded. The tabby brought Owlfeather with him.

The black tom sighed and sat on the outer ranks of the circle around Alderfur. The warriors of StarClan appeared, and he could've sworn there was a new star in the sky.

((1061 words to make up with my inactivity- I haven't had motivation and school's been taking me over, so- sorry about the slow updates!))