Hello friends. This chapter is incredibly short; it was going to be part of a larger chapter, but I really didn't want to keep you guys waiting with such a major cliffhanger.

Enjoy the temporary update, and I should have a full chapter out by tuesday!

Chapter 11

Butterflysight was pulled out of her empty dreams by the horrifying sound of a cat screaming. She was instantly alert, her fur standing on end as she listened to the wails of horror. It was eerily reminiscent of the wailing that had awoken her as a kit, when Raydawn discovered that Sunnykit had Cold Paw. A chill traveled down her spine, and she raced out of her den.

Tidewhisper was peering out of the nursery with eyes dull from sleep, but her spine bristled. "What's happening? Is it the coyotes?" She asked, blinking towards the sound. Butterflysight held the same fears, though she tried her best to comfort the tiny queen. "I think there'd be a lot more noise if it was," She reassured gently.

Butterflysight warily raced to the clearing, where several other cats were already awake and alert. Hidinglight and Sparrowdawn were standing protectively in front of the entrance to the deeper parts of the cave, Featherpaw was closer to the entrance, her eyes as wide as moons.

Riverpaw stood near the camp entrance, staring upon the camp as if she'd seen a ghost. The eerie wailing was coming from her. Featherpaw was awkwardly trying to talk to the apprentice, but it was as if Riverpaw couldn't hear her.

Wildheart raced over to Butterflysight when he spotted her, his dark grey fur bristling. "Butterflysight, come quick. Something's wrong with her!" He mewed, his voice etched with fear. The medicine cat raced to the apprentice's side. "Riverpaw, I'm here. What's wrong?" She demanded, but the grey-blue she-cats eyes remained glazed over, not seeing her. Dread sunk to Butterflysight's paws.

"Riverpaw, what happened?" Wildheart pleaded. He reached out with his tail to touch the apprentice, and she leapt back, hissing and spitting. Her fur was bushed out to twice her size. Wildheart brushed towards her once more, but recieved a claw to the face in response. The dark grey tom let out a grunt as he stumbled back, blood splattered onto the stone floor.

"Riverpaw!" Butterflysight hissed, leaping protectively in front of her brother. Riverpaw's eyes were wild and unfocused. "Stay back!" She wailed, voice quivering. "You won't get me too!" Her claws were unsheathed, braced against the stone surface. Butterflysight turned to the nearest cat - Applesplash. "I need poppy seeds, now!" She ordered, and the ginger she-cat disappeared without a word.

"Butterflysight!" A panicked mew echoed from the camp entrance, and Redwind raced into the camp, eyes wide and fur bristling. "I think you should come out here!"

Butterflysight scarcely had time to wonder what else could be going wrong when Nettlefire and Tidewhisper went racing past her. She shot a glance of dismay towards Riverpaw, who was still looking around wildly, unrecognizing of her Clanmates around her. As if summoned, Applesplash returned, a leaf full of poppyseeds in her jaws.

Butterflysight stifled a sigh of relief and gratefully grasped a few precious seeds in her paw. "Hold her," The medicine cat instructed, and Applesplash nodded, holding the agitated she-cat down with all of her weight. Riverpaw let out a screech of fear, thrashing against her captor with claws unsheathed. Wildheart, seeming to have recovered from his shock, leapt to Riverpaw's other side, aiding the warrior.

Butterflysight proud her paw to Riverpaw's muzzle, forcing the seeds into her mouth, and then holding the she-cat's jaws shut while she struggled. After several moments, the blue-grey apprentice's movements slowed, and her agitation was replaced by a sleepy confusion, small sparks of recognition lighting her blue eyes as she met Butterflysight's gaze.

"Butterflysight, it's all my fault," Riverpaw moaned, crumpling to the floor. "Wildheart, Featherpaw, everyone, all because of me," She whimpered, sinking into a deep sleep.

"Butterflysight, Hollykit's shaking and not waking up!" Tidewhisper shrieked. The normally calm queen's copper eyes were wide with panic. Butterflysight scarcely had time to wonder why Hollykit would be outside the camp in the first place as she followed the panicked she-cat just outside of the camp entrance.

Hollykit was twitching in a tiny heap, eyes glazed over and foam dripping from her mouth. Scattered petals of large, white flowers that Butterflysight had never seen before lay around the tiny kit.

Next to the kit stood Echokit, her eyes wide and her pelt quivering as she stared at her sister in horror. "I need yarrow!" Butterflysight gasped to whoever would listen, pushing the seizing kit onto her side so as not to choke on her own spit. She pulled Hollykit away from the flowers, shooting a serious look to Echokit. "Echokit, these flowers, what are they?" Butterflysight demanded. "Did Hollykit eat some?"

Echokit stared up at the medicine cat with frightened blue eyes. "Mok ploff cavay etu," She squeaked unintelligibly. Butterflysight blinked, pelt bristling as she whirled towards Nettlefire as Redwind passed her the yarrow she'd requested. "Did you understand her?" She demanded as she began chewing up the yarrow leaves and putting them into Hollykit's mouth, stroking the tiny kit's throat to get her to swallow. Frightened, Nettlefire merely shook his head.

Hollykit's belly violently convulsed, eliciting a gooey green substance tinted with tiny pieces of white petals. Butterflysight gently held the kit on her side, keeping her from breathing in the vomit. Tidewhisper hung close by. "Will she be alright?" She mewed, voice quivering as the tiny kit fell still, having expelled all of the poison.

Butterflysight turned towards the tiny queen to respond, but before she could say a word, she saw Echokit's eyes roll back into her head, and the black-silver kit collapsed. "Echokit? Echokit!" Nettlefire yelled, racing to her side to soften her fall. The medicine cat was already working on chewing a new poultice for the unresponsive kit to swallow. "Hold her still," Butterflysight instructed as she eased the poultice into Echokit's mouth, just as she had done for Hollykit.

Long painful moments went by as half of the group anxiously waited for Echokit to vomit the poison, while the other half remained attentive to Hollykit, trying to make sure she was still breathing. Echokit's belly tensed and the tiny kit started convulsing, vomiting only a little bit of the green liquid. Once she was sure that was all, Butterflysight pressed her ears against the small kit's chest, letting out a sigh of relief at the steady beat of Echokit's heart, and the strong, unwavering breaths.

"I think she'll be alright," Butterflysight announced trying to keep her voice steady. Tidewhisper fixed her with a hopeful copper gaze. "And Hollykit?" The tiny queen mewed, voice barely a whisper.

Butterflysight turned her gaze towards the small black she-kit, her belly barely moving with her shallow breathing. She didn't have to listen to Hollykit's chest to know that her heartbeat was faint. "Her fate is in StarClan's paws now," She whispered.

"What is this flower?" Nettlefire demanded, his pelt bristling with rage and worry. "Did it do this to them? And how did they even get out of camp to get them?!" He whirled on Redwind, eyes burning with rage. "I ordered you to keep watch!" He yowled.

Redwind backed away, ears flat against his head. "I didn't see them," He whispered. "I only saw Riverpaw going out hunting-"

Tidewhisper's eyes widened. "Did she-?" She began, trailing off with the suggestion left unspoken.

Butterflysight eyed the several remaining flowers and petals, strewn haphazardly across the stone. She recalled how Echokit had been sneaking into the main cavern earlier in the day, and spoke with Riverpaw before Nettlefire brought the kit back to the nursery.

"I've never seen these flowers before," Butterflysight interjected. "I doubt Riverpaw would know how dangerous they were. I find it more likely that Echokit and Hollykit wanted to go explore outside the camp, and Riverpaw helped them, for whatever reason." She recalled the apprentice's panicked behavior inside the cavern, appearing confused and disassociated with reality. "I think that's why she was acting weird too," She surmised, "Though I can't imagine that Riverpaw would go around eating strange herbs. Which means that even being close to these flowers was enough to send her mind out of touch with reality."

"We need to locate where these flowers were and warn the Clan!" Nettlefire announced, spine bristling. "Hollykit could die because of this!" Tidewhisper winced at the words, but Butterflysight's mind was spinning. She turned towards the pair, light brown eyes serious. "I will do everything I can to save your kits," Butterflysight vowed. "But I think we've figured out how to deal with the coyotes, too."

Nettlefire's jaw dropped, speechless at the suggestion during such a serious incident. Tidewhisper's brow was furrowed as she gazed at her unconscious kits, curling her body around them as if her scent alone could bring them back.

Butterflysight turned away from the group, gazing at the muddled pile of white flowers and petals, certainty forming in her mind as bright as the sun.

"We'll feed the coyotes the Deathflowers."