Disclaimer: I don't own the Warriors series!

Title: Resilience

Summary: With a harsh Leaf-bare on the horizon, the Clans are in a bad way. Petalkit is growing up under the stern gaze of her father, Ravenfur, when suddenly everything changes. Stuck in RiverClan until WindClan can produce enough catmint- something no Clan has in these temperatures- she does what any kit would do. She adapts.

Chapter Title: Looking for Dawn

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Somerandomperson (May 13th)- I hope this is decently exciting! Volespring is a lesbian and Graystar is bi. They're basically mates, but I've yet to find a good place to have them confirm it.

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The glow of the full moon lit up the uneasy figures in RiverClan, providing an eerie backdrop to what would soon be a very dangerous battle.

Had things been different, I would have been to a Gathering tonight, Petalpaw thought, momentarily distracted from listing off herbs. I would've done a lot of things. Now, I'm not even sure I'll live through the night. "We have some old honey in the back. It's hard as a rock, but you can still lick it. It doesn't do anything for wounds, but- well, it's super sweet, and a good way to comfort someone. If you're out of thyme, give them that. Dandelion leaves are about the same as thyme, but we're completely out of those. Oh, and make sure that no spiders are living in the cobwebs before sticking them on. Some of them can bite, and that's the opposite of helpful."

"Petalpaw!" Sedgepaw snapped, stopping mid-pace to glare at her. "She heard you the first five times."

Rowanpaw's tail wrapped around Petalpaw's side, pulling her close. "No, no, it's okay," the ex-rogue meowed. She had opted to stay and leave room for other warriors to get revenge for Poppykit and Swiftmist. "Keep going, Petalpaw. Tell me about burdock again."

"It's the root," she corrected absentmindedly. Oh, StarClan, why didn't I say goodbye to Beepaw and Stripepaw when I had the chance? What if I don't make it home after all? "You use it for rat bites."

"I got bit by a rat once," Cloudwillow mused. He held his paw up to the moonlight. "Huh. Looks like the scar faded."

Sedgepaw came over and nosed her ear, grimacing. "Sorry. I'm just nervous."

"It's fine."

Lionpaw hobbled back to them with the biggest bird on the pile, plopping it down at their paws. "Come on, guys. Let's share fresh-kill before we go."

In case we don't get to again, went unspoken.

The chatter ceased as the crunch of pawsteps on snow alerted them to Graystar's return. Throughout the Leaf-bare, Petalpaw had seen many sides to the leader. She'd seen business-like professionalism. She'd seen a tired mom. She'd seen the sick cat. But today, for the first time, she saw the warrior. Her long fur seemed to ripple like the water, groomed smooth and sleek. Each step she took had a purpose, her tail billowing behind her as she gathered their attention with it. A bright fire glowed in her eyes.

"I will take one patrol, and Volespring will take another," she proclaimed. "Tallblaze, Fluffywing, Cherryfur, Blackstorm, and Sedgepaw will come with me. Volespring, you take Carpjaw, Dawnbelly, Hawktail, Petalpaw, and Lionpaw. You'll be our second wave."

Rowanpaw leaned over to headbutt Fluffywing's shoulder. "Good luck, mentor."

"Thanks," he grunted, shaking a little with nerves. "I'll need it."

Whitestripe brushed by Petalpaw, giving her a quick lick. "You could stay here," she murmured into her ear. "You don't have to fight."

Petalpaw shook her head. She could smell Featherpaw on the breeze, and knew he would be watching over them. "I'll be careful."

Graystar spoke again. "I don't want any fish-brained stunts tonight. Don't bite off more than you can chew, and trust in your Clanmates, and we'll all come home." She tipped her head back. "RiverClan! RiverClan!"

"RiverClan!" they echoed. Petalpaw didn't hesitate to join in. "RiverClan! RiverClan!"

Carpjaw and Volespring were side-by-side as they slipped through the night, quietly talking strategy. Dawnbelly hovered just behind them, trying to poke his nose in. Hawktail kept his eyes firmly on Lionpaw, who was awkwardly keeping pace with Petalpaw, as he brought up the back. The apprentice was clearly still unused to only having three paws, and more than once they stopped so he could right himself.

StarClan, let us all see the next dawn, she prayed, mostly because she felt like she was supposed to. If not, let the end be swift. We've all had it up to our ears with suffering.

The reek of badger began to flood her mouth and nose. Petalpaw's ears flattened, forcing images of Poppykit out of her mind. She didn't think she'd ever truly be over seeing the kitten die at her feet. In the dark she could just make out Graystar's thick fur fluffing up like the mane of a LionClan warrior, tail curling over her back. She picked up the pace while Volespring hung behind, letting the leader position the groups as she pleased.

Petalpaw hadn't known what a badger's den looked like, but found herself sorely disappointed when Hawktail gestured to it. A small, sunken hole was placed amongst the snow, surrounded by more flat terrain. It reminded her of a rabbit tunnel. The medicine cat had always assumed it to be something much greater- or maybe just more intimidating.

"Hey, Volespring?" Dawnbelly meowed suddenly.

"Not the time," Volespring hissed as she crouched, waving her tail for them to do the same. Her eyes never left the hole.

"I know," he admitted. "I just wanted to say- you're a good deputy. I don't think I've ever told you that before, but it's true, and I wanted you to know. It's what makes competing with you so much fun."

The brown she-cat snorted. "Oh, cow-cat. You say that like you're anywhere near my level." Volespring spared him an amused look. "But compliment accepted anyway."

The momentary reprieve was shattered when Graystar strode forward by her lonesome. Petalpaw's breath caught in her throat as she moved slowly towards the den. The smell is bad enough from over here! They'd all seen what badgers could do, from Featherpaw to Poppykit and Swiftmist. The molly admired the senior warrior's ability to look so calm.

Graystar stamped a paw. "Come out, flea-breath!" she yowled. "Come out and face what you've done!"

A hissing, snorting sound accompanied the badger as it begrudgingly poked its head out. It was easily the ugliest creature Petalpaw had ever seen, with a wedge-like head and tiny ears. The large predator growled at Graystar as a warning, but she did not back away, snarling back at it. For a few, tense seconds, neither of them moved, until finally the badger had had enough and started climbing out.

"RiverClan," Graystar meowed. "Attack!"

The first wave came pelting out of the bushes up the hill. Cherryfur and Blackstorm led the charge, letting out a vicious war cry as they went. The calico leaped onto the badger's back while Blackstorm went for its vulnerable side, slashing with razor sharp claws. Tallblaze and Sedgepaw went together, as they always did, lashing out with quick bites before backing away. Fluffywing joined Cherryfur, sinking tooth and nail into its back. The badger roared, confused and overwhelmed, striking out blindly. Graystar hooked her teeth into its paw.

This is too easy, Petalpaw thought suddenly. Something niggled at the back of her mind, but she couldn't quite decipher what. There's no defensive scarring on the badger. Wouldn't Volespring, trying to save Poppykit and being brutally injured, have left a couple?

It hit her like lightning.

The cub Poppykit had killed.

"Wait!" Petalpaw screeched. "There's a mate-"

In a sick flash of irony, the same hiss-snort echoed behind them as the second badger erupted from the grasses. Volespring yelled for them to scatter, which they followed without delay. Petalpaw didn't think she'd ever run so fast in her life, black fur skittering up her spine in spikes. There was a yelp, a thud, and when she turned Lionpaw was digging his teeth into the badger's shoulder as it prepared to strike, Hawktail bleeding heavily from a head wound.

No!

Petalpaw launched herself into the fray, shoving Lionpaw away like he'd done for the gray and white warrior. All she could think of was the nights she spent with his chin tucked between her shoulder blades; the pure terror on his face as he fell off that cliff. He's saved me more than once- it's time I returned the favor! The coppery taste of blood exploded in her mouth as her teeth sank into the badger's arm. She squeezed her eyes shut and ignored the urge to retch.

She didn't see what happened next. All she knew was agony, exploding through her body like fire. Petalpaw wailed and fell to the grass, which was quickly turning red underneath her. Carpjaw came out of seemingly nowhere to attack the badger, diverting him from sending a killing blow. The senior warrior goaded him away with a flick of his tail, calling insults over his shoulder.

"Petalpaw!" Lionpaw's nose poked her side. It was cold. "You're bleeding!"

"I noticed," she panted. Petalpaw grit her teeth and forced herself to raise her head and check the damages. A gasping slash wound dipped across her belly and onto her chest, just under the bend of her right arm. A wave of sickness rushed over her. "Ooh, that's not good."

"What can I do?"

"Nothing." Petalpaw headbutted his shoulder, trying and failing to look chipper. "Go fight, Lionpaw. I'll be on my paws in a second."

Lionpaw hesitated a moment, looking like he wanted to argue, before finally touching noses with her. "Be safe, Petalpaw," he meowed, and then he was gone.

Spots crowded the black and white molly's vision. She set her head on her paws like she was planning on taking a nap in the middle of the battle. She didn't think the wound itself was lethal, but that didn't mean that it hurt any less. Petalpaw knew she should roll onto it before the bleeding got out of paw, press it into the snow like she'd told Lionpaw to do moons ago. She didn't move.

"Get up," a voice hissed, and then teeth were in her scruff, lifting her off the ground. "It's not your time yet."

Petalpaw moved into an awkward sitting position, opening her eyes. Featherpaw's scent was almost unnoticeable amongst the tang of blood, but she'd know him even without a nose. "I'm shocked you came," she rasped. Her throat felt dry. "I thought badgers scared you."

"They do," he admitted with a shrug. "But I knew you'd need me."

Volespring's voice caught their attention. "Graystar is down! Warriors, protect your leader!"

Petalpaw stood, ears pricked. A lump of gray fur was surrounded by RiverClan warriors, led by the deputy. She forced herself to move, gimping slowly across the snow. Time stood at a standstill in the apprentice's eyes. She felt like a snail amongst leopards as she moved to help, collapsing against Graystar's side. Blood was gushing out of a wound in her chest. The leader's eyes stared straight ahead, glassy. I'm too late. She's losing a life.

Blackstorm screamed, catching her attention, but she wasn't in danger. Rather, she was victorious, sinking her teeth into the badger's stomach. The predator let out an anguished gurgle and slumped to the cold ground, overwhelming by all the wounds that had been inflicted on it. Even from this distance, Petalpaw could see the life leave its form. Cherryfur leapt onto the creature's back and let out a cry of her own, celebrating the justice of her daughter. Blood caked her haunches.

Graystar shifted. Petalpaw backed away as the long-furred molly stood up. The wound was gone, leaving a thick scar down the center of her chest. I sure wish I could get healed like that. Blood was dripping down her leg at this point, pitter-pattering on the snow. It was getting harder to think.

"Attack!" Graystar roared, clearing the warriors with one bound. Petalpaw followed sluggishly, digging her teeth into the surviving badger's knee while Graystar sunk her claws into its' thick scruff, holding it off from attacking. Featherpaw's eyes bored into her, silently pleading that she not die just yet.

A hush fell over them as the badger sunk to the ground with one last growl, accepting its fate. Petalpaw backed away, hating the smell of death almost as much as the smell of badger. She forgot to go easy on her wound, sending new jolts of pain through her as it stretched. There was a nick on her ear that she didn't even remember getting, as well as a cut on her hip.

"We won," Graystar declared, startling her. "Dawnbelly, Cherryfur, make sure the den is empty of cubs."

The medicine cat flopped onto her haunches, a ringing in her ears. She wondered, belatedly, if their battle had been heard in WindClan. It wasn't uncommon for sounds of violence to carry across the Clans. She hoped, if that were the case, they knew that they were victorious.

"Oh, look," Petalpaw slurred, squinting at the sky. "It's dawn."

Her eyes rolled into the back of her head. Petalpaw was unconscious before she hit the ground.

Author's Note: The climatic battle! Sort of! I've never been very good at battle scenes, lol. In a way, the badgers were kind of the Big Bad in this story- by which I mean having them involved gave Petalpaw the drive to fight the boss battle, to move forward, to fight. At the end of the day, they were just trying to survive too.

I had a lot of ideas come and go for this one, actually! One plan involved Beetlestar bringing a patrol to help fight, but I figured all of RiverClan was enough to handle two badgers. Another had Petalpaw going out a lot sooner, and having her spirit peruse the battlefield and heal wounds, Featherpaw by her side, only to disintegrate when they found her, but it didn't seem like anything done in warriors so far, and struck me as just a little odd.

Sorry this took so long! I wanted to re-read Resilience from the very beginning before attempting this. It gave me the idea of Petalpaw listing off herbs in her nervousness.

-Mandaree1