Great Sycamore

"Yes, you can, Bramblepaw." She then heard Adder's voice. "Yes, Adder, StarClan," the firey wolf said. Looking at the medicine wolf, Firespell murmured, "Can you show me the burial spot?"

Adder gets up. She smiled. She padded up the the tree, her collar tags making a tingly sound. She frowned and quickly took them off. She had a sad life, and did not like her collar, but she did not know how to take it off.

Feathersoul's eyes widened in surprise as she over heard Bramblepaw's question. Swollen with excitement, the fae glanced over at Firespell. "Of course," she said, starting to turn away to lead the fiery deputy to the burial ground. She stopped in front of the odd fixture of roots (description on page 7), waiting for Firespell.

Adder follows Feathersoul and Firespell. "I'll help digging. It's winter, and the groung will be hard though." She began digging, the cold snow and dirt cooling her sharp claws.

Nodding her thanks, Feathersoul ducked under the arched root into the soft patch of earth exposed where Phoenixstar would be buried. She sank her needle-sharp claws into the ground, churning up the cooling soil and scraping it aside. After a little digging, and a few claw clensings, they had a nice, wide hole, big enough for the fiery leader to rest. "Just a bit more to deepen it and we'll be done," the black fae grunted, flinging out clumps of earth from the hole.

Adder nodded. She was rather large, and now even she could fit in the hole. She dug until it was deeper. "Is this good?" She asked with a smile.

Feathersoul looked up. They were a good three tail-lengths down. "Yes, this is good. It needs to be deep so no scavenger like a fox or coy will dig up his body," she said, scrambling out of the soon-to-be-tomb and over to Phoenixstar's body.

Adder walks out of the soon-to-be tomb and to the body. She looks at it curiously, not knowing what to do with it. She carefully grasps a leg in her teeth, being careful not to rupture the skin. She looks at Feathersoul, wondering if she could try and do it on her own.

Feathersoul bent down, carefully grabbing the leader's scruff between her jaws and heaving upward. She felt his weight shift, falling onto her. Struggling to lift the fiery leader, the small black fae glanced over at Adder. She flicked her tail, signalling to the tomb as she began to slowly shuffle her paws.

Runningpaw ran into the great sycamore area. He slowed as he saw Feathersoul dragging Pheonixstar's body. He slowly walked up to where Pheonixstar was. "I wish I had gotten to know him better." Runningpaw murmured. He had not known the leader very long before his death. But he still looked at at the leader sadly. He walked up to Pheonixstar and bent down his head. "Rest well, Pheonixstar." He whispered. "Thunderclan will always honor you." He then sighed and backed away.

The firey fae saw her apprentice come into the clearing and say his goodbye to Phoenixstar. She smiled. Seeing Feathersoul take hold of the firey male, Firespell decided to help her. Lifting the wolf's head onto her shoulders, the firey wolf took a few steps forward. It was wonderful to see Adder helping.

Adder nodded and began dragging Phoenixstar carefully into the tomb. She did not yet notice Runningpaw until she was finished. "Hello." She takes a step closer.

Nodding to Adder and Feathersoul, Firespell arranged the herbs in exactly the same order as before. "Goodbye Phoenixstar," she said, filling the hole in. "The Clan honours you. Run well in StarClan." The firey wolf sighed and then turned around to face the wolves and husky.

Adder frowned. She never knew who that wolf was, but he must of been special. "Are you going to the---" she paused, "Moonstone is it?" Her head tilted, as she was full of wonders.

Feathersoul watched as Firespell covered the hole, sealing away the dead leader's body forever. "Goodbye, Phoenixstar," she whispered. Turning away, her black eyes rested on Runningpaw, whom she just now realized was here. "Hey Runningpaw!" the black fae called, swallowing the last of her sorrow as she spoke. She padded over to Firespell's side, nudging her flank lightly. "We need to get going," she whispered quietly.

"Well if your gonna go, I'll just stay here, alone." She did not like being alone but she knew that they would be awhile. She smiled faintly. She sat down and looked at the sky.

Runningpaw looked at Feathersoul and then at Firespell. "I can't wait until you get back Firespell." Runningpaw said. "Then we can start our training." The gray wolf wanted to become a warrior so bad. He saw Feathersoul greet him. "Hello Feathersoul." He said.

The Siberian Husky looked at Runningpaw. Adder wondered if she would start out as an apprentice. She wouldn't really mind though, but it would give her time to bond with her mentor. Her head tilted.

"Yes Adder, I'm going now." Firespell smiled and turned around. Padding out of the clearing with the sycamore to her back, the firey wolf called back to the other wolves and husky. "Runningpaw and Bramblepaw, could you return to camp, please? I'll talk to you both when I get back. Adder, you can stay here until I'm back. Feathersoul and Mosseypaw, come with me." The firey wolf ran and disappeared into the wood.

-Highstones-

"Coming!" Feathersoul called after the fiery fae. Whipping her head around, the black female locked her gaze with Adder. "Stay here, please, and watch out for any danger. And make sure the apprentices got the message," she told her, giving the husky a friendly smile. She paused for a moment. "Actually, Branblepaw, come with me," she said, turning around and padding off to Highstones.

~Highstones~

Adder's ears drooped. She would be alone, she hated being alone. Maybe, one of them will stay with me? I don't know who they are, though. "Bye," She huffed. "Now I have to be alone," she said, and lied down in the roots on the Sycamore.

The mottled apprentice nodded and ran off with Feathersoul and Firespell. He was surprised that the Medicine Wolf had called him out, it was an honor to go to the Moonstone when a leader was receiving their nine lives from StarClan.

~Highstones

"Alright Firespell." Runningpaw replied. The apprentice took one more look at Pheonixstar's grave before turning around. He turned to the woods and headed towards camp.

~Thunderclan Camp~

Adder sighed. She was alone. She jumped up in the tree. She remembered a song her mother taught her. She began to sing it loudly,

Wind arrived and soon smelt the husky. Hr gave a soft woof. and padded towards a tree. Getting onto a rock, he leapt into the tree and landed lightly beside her. "Are you Adder
?" he studdied the husky silently, his gaze strong and intense. "Will you come with me? Firestar wants to talk to you." he paused, then encase she didn't want to come, he added, "I'm her mate. Name's Wind." he touched noses with her in friendship then leaped down and waited.