Coughs rang out from Hawkstar's den. The Clan was used to the sound by now, as he had kept them up all night with the noise. Sparkstorm was constantly by his side, and she only left his den to retrieve herbs. Sunpelt had fully recovered, but now Hawkstar had caught the sickness. Coughing and vomiting constantly, barely strong enough to take the tansy and watermint poultice that Sparkstorm had used on the other sick cats. With Hawkstar sick in his den, Blazefire had gained more power in his position as deputy. The ginger tom had been very strict with patrols. Borders were marked multiple times a day and every cats paws ached. Sparrowflight didn't mind the patrolling, as it kept him busy and got him away from Tigerlily and Badgerstep, who were now hanging out constantly. There were rumors floating around the camp that they were mates, but Sparrowflight didn't know if they were true or not. Some cats however, more specifically the younger and senior warriors, did not enjoy the constant patrolling. However, ever since the patrols had been stepped up, the rogues hadn't been scented on their territory.
Sparrowflight's thoughts were interrupted when Blazefire approached him. "Sparrowflight! I want you to lead a patrol out by the thunderpath. Make sure that the rogues are gone. Take whoever you want." Sparrowflight nodded and turned to go gather some cats. He had gotten Lilystem to come with him, but he still needed a couple more. "Sparrowflight!"
He turned his head to see Tigerlily and he smiled "Hey Tigerlily. Are you up for a patrol?" He asked. The ginger she cat nodded "Sure. I'll go get Badgerstep and he can come too." Sparrowflight flattened his ears. Great Starclan no! "Er, I think three cats is enough..." he trailed off as Tigerlily had already left to get him. Why should I care? I'm already seeing Blissnose! Another voice spoke in Sparrowflight's head.. But is she really worth breaking the warrior code? Something you can never do if you want to be leader... Sparrowflight shook his head, trying to get the thoughts out of his head. Tigerlily came back with Badgerstep and Sparrowflight turned his back to them to get out of camp before they started talking.
Once they began walking towards the thunderpath, Sparrowflight and Lilystem took the lead while Tigerlily and Badgerstep walked in the back. Sparrowflight tried his best to not listen to them talking, not because he didn't like them. He felt that the more time Tigerlily spent with Badgerstep, the less she spent with him. He felt that Badgerstep was slowly putting a wedge in their friendship. He flattened his ears in annoyance as the two of them began to talk. "I was visiting Falconkit earlier." Tigerlily told him "He's adorable. I don't think I'd mind having kits of my own one day." She said, glancing at Badgerstep. Sparrowflight blinked in surprise. Were they thinking about kits already? "Uh, we can think about that stuff later." Badgerstep meowed awkwardly, glancing down at the ground. Does Badgerstep not want kits? Then why's he spending so much time with Tigerlily? Lilystem leaned over to whisper to Sparrowflight "I don't like it either." Sparrowflight turned to look at the golden furred she cat. "There's something about that tom. I don't know what it is but I don't trust him." Tigerlily and Badgerstep were too busy talking to hear what Lilystem had said. Sparrowflight nodded in agreement "Me neither."
The patrol padded closer to the thunderpath. "Make sure you set the markers on the side of the thunderpath so our scent doesn't mingle with the monster's scent." Sparrowflight reminded them. "We know Sparrowflight." Tigerlily retorted, shooting him a teasing glance. Sparrowflight playfully rolled his eyes. Sparrowflight was marking a bush when he heard a loud rustling and turned his head. A cat leaped out of the bush Lilystem was marking, making the she cat jump back in surprise, her eyes wide. Instead of chasing him off, Lilystem just stared at the loner. The loner was a long furred, gray tabby with blue eyes. What was Lilystem doing? Why is she just staring? Sparrowflight shook his head and let out a growl, leaping at the loner. He took him down and clawed at his sides "Get out of our territory!" He hissed, digging his claws into him. This is for Gingerpaw! "Sparrowflight stop!" Lilystem cried out, but Sparrowflight didn't listen. Sparrowflight was pushed off the loner by Tigerlily and the loner scurried away. "Sparrowflight what in Starclan's name were you doing?" Tigerlily asked, giving him a concerned look. "I was defending our territory." He replied "He was a trespasser and all any of you did was stare! He could've been one of the rogues who killed Gingerpaw!" Badgerstep took a step forward "I think you did a little more than defend our territory." Sparrowflight turned on the tom "Stay out of this!" He hissed. Tigerlily gave Sparrowflight an angry look "Look, I don't know what's gotten into you, but you have to figure it out before you get someone killed." Sparrowflight's eyes widened at her harsh words. It felt like thorns jabbing his heart. He looked down at his paws to see that they were covered in blood. He nearly killed the cat! Sparrowflight continued to stare at his paws stained red with blood that he caused. What have I done? Sparrowflight shook his head, his anger melting away "I-I'm sorry. Let's just go back to camp." He whispered, turning around with the flick of his tail.
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Once the patrol got back and Sparrowflight had explained what had happened to Blazefire, since Hawkstar was still sick in his den, he was surprised to see the deputy smiling. "You shouldn't feel bad. You defended our borders didn't you?" Sparrowflight nodded slowly "I did but-" "Then why are you upset? You should be proud." Sparrowflight glanced away awkwardly "Uh, right." He meowed, turning to walk away.
Sparrowflight went to grab a rabbit from the prey pile and laid down by himself to eat. Batfeather was out on patrol with Mudpool and Tigerlily was talking with Lilystem. At least it's not Badgerstep. Sparrowflight thought irritably, pricking his ears to their conversation. "You're expecting kits?" Tigerlily asked with a smile "That's great news Lilystem!" Kits! So that's why she didn't attack the loner! Lilystem glanced at her paws "I'm excited, but I'll miss being a warrior." She murmured "Do you know who the father is?" Tigerlily asked "I, uh, I'd rather not say." Lilystem replied, still looking at her paws. Sparrowflight finished eating his rabbit and looked surprised to see Icesplash padding towards him. "Hello Sparrowflight." She greeted. Sparrowflight nodded "Hey Icesplash. How is Falconkit?" He asked. Icesplash smiled "He's getting bigger every day. His apprentice ceremony should be coming up soon. But I wanted to talk with you about Tigerlily." Sparrowflight pricked his ears "What about her?" He asked. Icesplash glanced at her paws "Well, are her and Badgerstep, like, mates?" Sparrowflight flattened his ears, since he honestly didn't know the answer "I...I don't know Icesplash." The white she cat shook her head "I always thought you would be her mate." Sparrowflight's eyes widened "What? Me?" Sparrowflight immediately shook his head "N-no we don't like each other like that." Icesplash smiled "Well you're running out of options now that Lilystem is expecting kits." Icesplash chuckled, shaking her head. "I'll see you around, Sparrowflight." She said, turning and walking back to the nursery. Sparrowflight shook his head. He already had a mate, but she was outside the Clan. Sparrowflight shook his head. How long could he keep breaking the warrior code? Sparrowflight was broken from his thoughts when he saw Sparkstorm poke her head out of Hawkstar's den. "Hawkstar is dead!" She yowled. Silence descended over the Clan. Blazefire was the first to speak "What? Like, dead dead? Was that his last life?" Sparkstorm nodded "He'd still be alive if it wasn't." Blazefire looked down at his paws, breathing heavily "You couldn't save him?" Sparkstorm frowned "I did all I could. He walks with Starclan now." Blazefire shook his head "You couldn't save him. What kind of medicine cat are you?" Sparrowflight was standing close to Blazefire, so he heard what he said, but he was pretty sure Sparkstorm did not. Sparkstorm lifted her head "Blazefire, let's go get you some traveling herbs, then we'll make our way to the moonstone."