Adderheart dreaded the moment that the group would pad into the camp. He wanted to stay within the soft light of the afternoon forever. He didn't want to see the prying eyes and he didn't want to hear the million questions. He didn't want to see the lack of concern on cats' faces and he didn't want to hear the gossip spread like wildfire across a dry forest. He didn't want to.

But Palewhisker stumbled in first, leaving Shrewclaw to follow. Pantherleap sent a look to Adderheart and he pressed a paw firmly to the ground, swallowing anxiously. He didn't like it. He wanted to just stick right by Pantherleap's side the entire side. Perhaps they could head to the healer's den together and ignore everyone else crowding around.

However, Pantherleap just padded in with a light stagger to his step, and that left Adderheart to head in after.

The camp was mostly empty. To his surprise, Willowdapple was lazing near the nursery, her tail curled protectively over her belly. However, Adderheart couldn't see any bundles of fur at her stomach, and so he assumed that she had just taken a break from caring for them. At seeing the bloodied patrol though, particularly at seeing Adderheart, she quickly shifted back into the den.

Although, Galewind sat near the fresh-kill pile. And of course, at seeing his sister's bloodied form, he sprung to his paws and cried out her name. The warrior whipped and sprinted toward Cougarstar's den. Little did he know that he had alarmed the entire camp of what had occurred, and now the floodgates of cats had been opened.

Finchpaw's head poked out from the apprentice's den and she recoiled, immediately heading back into the den. Birchpaw nearly vomited but he too turned away, whereas their mentors rushed out and immediately began bombarding them with questions. Birdwish, who was previously Palewhisker's apprentice, sprinted out and gasped at the sight.

Marigoldcry also headed out of the warrior's den, and she too gasped, but she spun on her paw and simply whipped back around. The pale-furred warrior stumbled as Cougarstar exited his den. The leader's green gaze was guarded heavily, darting around from cat-to-cat within the clearing, and his tawny tail flickered against the ground.

The clearing was quiet, except for the soft gasps and shocked noises from onlookers.

He looked to Birdwish. "Get the healers," he ordered before turning back to the group. He surveyed them with a critical gaze.

Palewhisker stood tall. The leader and deputy seemed to be at a silent standoff, for the latter's figure was covered in blood and the former's clean and crisp. However, Cougarstar let his head dip lightly to the deputy, who in turn lifted his muzzle as he let the blood-soaked figure of Brindlebreeze slide straight off his back.

"She's not dead."

"Get the healers!"

And suddenly, the noise flooded in.

The cats began to scream and shout at the prospect of losing a warrior to battle. They'd hardly ever lost anyone to battle. Patrols were rather large as they were, but the rogues seemed to be growing in numbers. It'd never happened before and everyone was beginning to panic. It hadn't been bad last battle. But now it was bad again. A few younger warriors darted back into the warrior's den.

"We need bigger patrols!"

"Was this the rogues again?!"

"Yes!"

"StarClan curse them!"

"Is that Brindlebreeze?"

"I can barely recognize her!"

"How did she get so injured?!"

"I thought Pantherleap was a skilled fighter..."

The words sent a chill of fury down his spine and his bloodied fur puffed up, eyes narrowing as he glared absently around the clearing. Pantherleap saved me! He wanted to scream in every single one of their faces. Without him, I'd be totally dead and gone and Brindlebreeze might still be alive! Give him some credit, you fox-hearts!

Of course, the chatter about the skill of the fighters didn't stop at all. They kept on going on and on about the different logistics of the battle, wondering who was on the rogues' side, wondering what could've been done differently, asking who had done the most damage... everything logistical. What about the fact that their Clanmate was practically dying, another couple heavily injured?

He probably wasn't going to say anything, but if he were to have, it wouldn't do anything. Cougarstar's sharp yell rose above the crowd as the healers dashed out of the den.

"Marigoldcry! Birdwish! Freckletuft! Fernfall! Dustshade! Streamfang!" He called out each cat's name and they, in turn, stepped up to stand in front of him. Coalbelly wormed her way through the crowd and the dark-furred healer quickly took Brindlebreeze's figure and headed off to the healer's den.

"What?" Birdwish prompted, and Adderheart couldn't help but detect a note of anxiousness within her voice.

"Patrol, all of you. Fernfall, you lead, Freckletuft, bring up the back, and follow the scent trail..." He paused momentarily, sweeping his green eyes over the patrol before looking decisively at one. "Shrewclaw, you get healed up quick, Twilightcloud! Heal Shrewclaw over here! He's going on another patrol!"

The named she-cat rushed out, instantly plastering the pale brown tom with tons of herbs. Cobwebs, some yellowy flower that barely even looked like a flower, a darker greenish leaf... all of it was chewed or mushed somehow and it was pressed into wounds.

"Don't be too harsh on yourself," Twilightcloud's murmur drifted across the clearing on a cold and swift breeze. The warrior's eyes narrowed at her and she blinked simply back at him. Shrewclaw turned, his figure seeming to creak as he swiftly trotted after the group, who had already headed off into the territory.

Twilightcloud next moved onto Palewhisker as Cougarstar shouted, "Shrewclaw, lead them to where it was, report back when you're done!"

Palewhisker was as equally herbed-up, with his figure now coated in what seemed to be a layer of cobwebs, and underneath were similar herbs to Shrewclaw's. At least fairness is in the healing world.

"Pantherleap, Adderheart!"

That was Coalbelly's voice, echoing from the healer's den.

"What is it?" Twilightcloud called back.

"Get them in here!"

The cats had pressed around tighter as the moments had continued, and Palewhisker had left to rest within his den. Apparently, he found no need to be within the healer's den, despite the fact that it probably would allow him to heal quicker. He simply just pivoted on his paw and headed for his den.

As the crowd seemed to grow louder, Adderheart's ears pinned and he turned, watching as Twilightcloud sprinted forward, her tail waving behind her like a flag. She quickly huddled them up and then began to guide them away.

Adderheart and Pantherleap were ushered off to the healer's den, and the two were given a small offshoot to share. According to Twilightcloud, there was no use in separating the two, as their injuries were essentially the same. She claimed that it would be easier to treat them.

Adderheart wasn't complaining. He'd rather be with some cat than be alone. And, to him, it was just a lovely little addition that the cat happened to be Pantherleap.

The pale tom settled down in a half made nest. A couple of sticks and moss made it up, all tangled together in some form of a nest. Pantherleap's, next to him, appeared similar. Adderheart shifted, feeling a thorn stabbing him in the side. It reignited the fire of his wounds and he laid his head miserably on his paws.

Everything hurts.

"Hey," Pantherleap whispered, prodding him gently. "You can't fall asleep, we've not even been treated yet."

Adderheart lifted his head and glanced to Pantherleap. He looked shining and suave in the near lightless den, his green eyes sparkling as they trained upon his pale fur. Adderheart pushed down a blossoming within him and he shrugged.

"I'm tired."

"Yeah, well, Shrewclaw had to go on another patrol," he commented softly. "I think you're doing rather well."

"What, resting next to you while bleeding out?"

Pantherleap snickered, lifting a paw to prod at him once more. "Just wait. They're probably focusing on Brindlebreeze."

The two waited around for a while before a dark shape swept into the den. Twilightcloud had herbs stuffed into her muzzle as she looked to both cats, and her eyes narrowed momentarily. Adderheart shifted as if to get away from the tawny tom, noting that the two had drifted closer together.

Milkfrost and—

He blinked fiercely, shoving the thought away. He kept thinking of them. The two she-cats who broke the code that Cougarstar had set in place that nobody understood but that nobody had really taken time to consider. His ears flickered and pinned, swallowing anxiously. He wanted to forget them.

Nobody else in the Clan was like them, so how come he kept thinking about them?

A small thread of doubt from the earlier moons rose within his mind once more, multi-colored and brightly shimmering against the gray and white background. He dyed it gray and then shoved it away, tipping his muzzle away from Pantherleap.

He jumped a bit as some sort of cooling herb was spread across his wounds, and Twilightcloud paused, studying him for a bit. He stilled, blinking calmly as she treated his gashes. Finally, she moved onto Pantherleap, and the pale tom glanced away, blinking a few times as he focused on the den's wall.

The den went silent as the healer left. His wounds felt strange, as if someone had poured all sorts of concrete across his figure. He felt stuck in place and his body was like a welded piece of glass. Never to move from its original shape. He shifted once more, noting that Pantherleap inched back to lay closer to him.

Adderheart did the same, fur prickling. The breathing of the tawny tom filled the den, soft and quiet. It was lulling and calming, pleasantly whisking around on top of cold breezes from outside of the den. The leader's brother sighed momentarily and laid his head on his paws.

The silence was broken by a sharp voice of a healer.

"She's horribly injured."

"I know."

"It's not something we can fix."

"...I know."

It was the two healers, of course. Coalbelly had spoken first, voice soft. The she-cat seemed to be somewhat concerned, but not about the injured she-cat, who of course was Brindlebreeze. It was assumed that the older healer had attempted to assist the warrior, and then maybe called in the younger for help.

"How's Brindlebreeze?"

The new tone that entered the den was sharp, creating an awkward tonal shift within the area. The voice seemed to belong to a strong tom, and immediately, Adderheart knew it was Cougarstar. Palewhisker was in his den and Bearpatch just wasn't around. Absently, he wondered where the heir was... if he was out of camp, would he be punished for not being around?

No, of course not. Cougarstar couldn't care less if anyone had even shown up when we returned.

"Not... well," Coalbelly replied. "Her injuries aren't as fix-able as I thought."

"Well, unfortunate. She'll probably be dead then?"

What?

His tone was horrifically blunt. Adderheart wasn't sure if there was a note of rudeness within it, but he did catch its sharpness. He looked to Pantherleap, whose ears were perked tall as if to catch every little bit of the interaction. It went silent within the den for a moment before a reply emerged.

"Well..." Coalbelly started. "I was thinking we'd put her down. You know, give her some deathberries."

"Oh, sure," replied Cougarstar. "Herbs are low, then?"

"Yes," answered Twilightcloud, adding somewhat nervously, "I don't know if we have any deathberries."

There was a shuffling sound that filled the den and in the pause, Adderheart looked to Pantherleap with a shocked the expression. They were going to kill her...? The patrol had brought her back to be helped, not be killed! The poor warrior had fought for her Clan, only to be killed by it... this was almost worse than being killed by the rogues.

"We do," Coalbelly's reply sounded. It held no emotion. "A couple, though there's enough to kill her."

"Put her down," Twilightcloud corrected.

Cougarstar scoffed, "Doesn't matter. Same thing. And besides, she'll die anyway."

"We can try to heal her," Twilightcloud said.

"No. There aren't enough herbs, and Adderheart, Palewhisker, Shrewclaw, and Pantherleap have more value to the Clan than she does. Two are important to the ranks, and the others are overall excellently trained and good warriors," Coalbelly replied. Adderheart's maw dropped open once more and he looked to Pantherleap, who had cast his green eyes away.

"Exactly, so just kill her," Cougarstar voiced his agreement.

His fur prickled uncomfortably and he had no doubt that Pantherleap felt worse. Their worths were being determined just like that... he didn't like it. But he couldn't help but feel a bright spark of relief, and as much as he wanted it to go away, it felt good. And that felt bad. And scary.

He was useful to the Clan. He was excellently trained. He was a good warrior.

And Cougarstar agreed. How? What? It had to be a lie, right? The leader wouldn't ever agree to him being a good warrior... but he did want Brindlebreeze to die. So he's lying to get his way. It was the only way and really, it didn't seem all that far off. The leader did anything to get his way, so obviously he'd just lie alongside Coalbelly.

But would Coalbelly be telling the truth? Did she think he was a good warrior? Probably... but they likely discussed him during the meetings. They had those even more regularly than he'd originally supposed and now that he considered it, there seemed to be a lot of arguing. During every single meeting, shouts and screams seemed to echo from the den.

He shivered. There was no way that was healthy for any of them but they didn't seem to stop. Perhaps it became sort of an addiction in a way. It helped Cougarstar feel in control of what was going on. He always seemed to be grasping for it, anyway, with outstretched paws with claws poking from his tawny features.

"Fine," Twilightcloud muttered. Her voice was nearly completely gone. It was as if some sort of demon had come and taken her voice and her confidence, apparently.

A fierce poke caused Adderheart to look to the side, spotting a distressed Pantherleap. The tawny warrior's fur was puffed up and his green gaze was sharp and nervous. His paw slammed against the ground, a frown twisting its way onto his face.

"We can't allow this to happen!" He hissed furiously.

"I know..." Adderheart whispered, shaking his head. He wanted to help and he wanted to help Pantherleap help, too. "But we can't. We'd be killed after she was."

"That's not fair!" Pantherleap exclaimed. Adderheart whisked his tail sharply against the tom's muzzle and his heart jumped into his throat. His fur prickled and he shoved the emotion down.

"It isn't, but we can't do anything about it."

Pantherleap huffed something irritably and turned away, seeming as though he was preparing to stand.

Adderheart sprung up, wrapping his tail tightly around Pantherleap, and both toms stilled. A chill ran down his spine and Pantherleap murmured something softly. It was pleasant and stirred in Adderheart's mind, but he hadn't caught exactly what the warrior had said, but it didn't matter. The tawny tom pressed against him momentarily and his heart stopped.

He didn't move, and neither did Pantherleap.

Stop! Stop!

A string of expletives filled his mind and his ears pinned to his skull rather swiftly. He untangled himself and pressed himself into the nest, hating the way all sorts of emotions clambered up to swirl inside of him. A wave of an emotion he truly hated was strong as it clamped around his muzzle. Pantherleap looked embarrassed, and Adderheart whispered something to him.

"It's okay."

Pantherleap dipped his head silently, pressing his figure closer to the ground. His ears pinned tightly to his skull and he shifted uncomfortably, fur puffing at his actions. He buried his head in his paws and Adderheart lightly tapped the tom on the shoulder.

"I said it's okay. You're fine," he whispered once more. The tawny warrior turned away.

He was going to say more, but the sound of choking filled the den.

It was from Brindlebreeze. The noise was awful and suffocating the senses of the cats within the den, and no matter how much one wished to ignore it, the sound was just too loud to push away. The she-cat probably had no idea what was going on... simply, she was just suffering silently, trying to speak and scream something out, but all she could do was struggle to breathe.

And then, after a moment or two more, the den went silent. The choking stopped, but it wasn't a slow stop like how it would've been expected. It was a swift and sharp stop, and Adderheart heard a whisking of claws. A horrible chill ran down his spine and he looked away. He didn't want to see Pantherleap and he didn't want to hear the blood flowing from the she-cat's neck.

He pressed his head into his paws and ignored the world.