Sorry for the long pause between the updates, but I was very busy over the weekend! Also, I'm thinking of writing a real book (meaning non-fan fiction) so my updates may vary from being every week to every two weeks or something. :)

-Leaf

Chapter 13

Thrushpaw felt as though his paws had just dropped off his pelt. A shiver ran through his spine, and he could almost hear StarClan whispering in his ears, telling him that he'd messed up and that it was all his fault.

He looked down hesitantly at Silverpaw's figure and saw that it was still unmoving on the ground. Thrushpaw leaped down hesitantly from the branches of the trees and was about to leap down from the last one to touch the bottom of the forest floor when he heard a shrieking voice stop him.

"Don't you dare move!"

Thrushpaw turned to see Snowpaw staring at him angrily, her eyes glistened with hatred and rage. She didn't bother paying attention to see if Thrushpaw listened; instead, she hurried over to her friend and pressed her nose into Silverpaw's fur.

Whiteheart and Spottedpath appeared a moment later. Spottedpath shoved Snowpaw out of the way and quickly pressed her nose into Silverpaw's fur, a wail erupting from the back of her throat.

"Don't die!" she cried. "No, Silverpaw!"

Whiteheart was quickly by her friend's side, before gently nosing her over. Whiteheart took her place beside Silverpaw, and Thrushpaw slunk back into the branches of the tree hoping that no cat would notice him.

"What happened?" Spottedpath rounded on Thrushpaw, clearly not forgetting that he was there.

"I-" Thrushpaw was about to come up with a response, but Whiteheaert quickly came to his rescue.

"Hush, Spottedpath! Thrushpaw, go back to camp and get Berrywhisker. It's best that we don't move Silverpaw until we know what's wrong with her."

Thrushpaw hesitated, his paws aching. He didn't want to go back to camp and have to tell them what happened. He could already imagine the look on Ravenflight's face when she found out what happened to her kits.

"Go!" snapped Whiteheart, her voice annoyed.

Thrushpaw nodded, barely paying attention before leaping out of the tree and racing away. He dared not look at Silverpaw's body, scared of what he might see. Instead, he raced back to camp, feeling the blood pounding in his ears. His heart began to race, and Thrushpaw felt his cheeks flush as he raced into camp.

"Berrywhisker!" Thrushpaw raced towards the medicine cat's den. When he poked his head inside, he saw Swankit helping out Berrywhisker inside of his den. "Berrywhisker!" Thrushpaw slammed to a halt. "Silverpaw! She fell out of a tree! She needs your help!"

Berrywhisker immediately dropped the herbs he was holding and leaped to his paws. "Where?" he demanded.

"Near the East Clearing," Thrushpaw mewed, croaking. His paws were shaking, and Berrywhisker evidently noticed.

"Stay here," he ordered. "I'll be able to find it. Bring me some herbs once you've calmed down. I've been showing Swankit what to use. She should know."

Swankit looked up, her eyes wide. "I don't know, Berrywhisker!" she mewed.

Berrywhisker ignored her. "Hurry!" he ordered before taking off.

Thrushpaw turned to Swankit, the she-kit bent down over a stack of herbs she'd been sorting out. "Thi-this is marigold!" she mewed. "Do you know if there's any bleeding?"

Thrushpaw shook his head. "I don't think so."

"Well bring this just in case," Swankit mewed passing Thurshpaw a clump of marigold. "And here's some cobwebs as well for the bleeding. Is she conscious?"

Thrushpaw admired the young she-kit's knack for herbs and barely noticed himself shaking his head.

Swankit shuddered. "That should be fine for now then. I'll go tell Brightstar what's happened if Poppyfeather lets me!"

"Thanks, Swankit," Thrushpaw mewed, picking up the herbs that Swankit had set aside for him before running out of the den and out into the forest. He'd managed to calm down, but he was scared of what he might find when he arrived at the scene.

He found Berrywhisker bent over Silverpaw. Snowpaw was shaking over to the side, pressed into Whiteheart's fur while Spottedpath looked on worriedly. She cast Thrushpaw a hostile look, and he looked down, feeling guilty.

"She has a broken leg," Berrywhisker murmured, his voice slow. "And she may have a cracked spine. We'll have to carry her back carefully." He examined the conditions of the cats around him as he took the herbs from Thrushpaw. "Thrushpaw, you can help me carry Silverpaw back."

"No!" Spottedpath growled, leaping forward. "You can't trust him! He did this to her!"

Thrushpaw didn't even bother protesting, but Berrywhisker carried on as though he hadn't heard Spottedpath.

"Spottedpath, you can carry the rest of the herbs." Berrywhisker passed Spottdpath the herbs he hadn't used. "Here Thrushpaw, grab Silverpaw right there near the flank and I'll grab her by the scruff."

Thrushpaw nodded, ignoring Spottedpath's cold gaze as he did so.

"We need to be careful," Berrywhisker mewed through Silverpaw's scruff as they slowly made their way back to camp. "We don't want to injure her more."

Thrushpaw nodded and the two cats slowly carried Silverpaw back into camp. Ravenflight was the first one to race over to them when they entered into camp.

"Stop!" Berrywhisker halted Ravenflight holding up his tail, laying down Silverpaw in the center of the clearing. "She's not dead. But I don't know the severity of her condition yet without a proper examination."

Ravenflight's eyes stretched wide. "She's not going to live, is she?"

"You don't know that!" Berrywhisker argued before picking up Silverpaw lightly again, and flicking his tail towards Thrushpaw so that he'd help.

Thrushpaw helped carry Silverpaw into the medicine cat's den, laying her down lightly. "How is she?" Thrushpaw asked, making sure no one else was around.

Berrywhisker shrugged. "Thrushpaw, I honestly don't know, and I need to examine her. Leave me alone and keep Ravenflight out of here for as long as you can."

Thrushpaw nodded, trekking out of the den, the guilt resting upon his shoulders. He looked around for Leafpaw, but instead spotted Snowpaw filling in Sagepaw who broke into a fit of screeches the next moment before racing for the medicine cat's den. Thrushpaw stood in her way, and Sagepaw glared at Thrushpaw.

"Is this your fault?" she snapped.

"No," Thrushpaw mewed lightly.

Sagepaw let out a growl, pushing past him anyway. Thrushpaw sighed, his tail drooping before turning to see Brightstar watching. Thrushpaw padded over to Brightstar unhappily and saw the she-cat watching him sympathetically.

"It's my fault!" Thrushpaw wailed.

"No, it's not," Brightstar mewed gently.

"But they all blame me!" Thrushpaw objected.

Brightstar wrapped her tail around Thrushpaw, drawing him close. "Listen, Thrushpaw. It was an accident, and I can't save her, but there's something I can do that may make the rest of the Clan feel better once we've learned about her condition."

"What is it?" Thrushpaw demanded needing to know.

"Always curious," purred Brightstar.

Thrushpaw sighed. How could Brightstar still seem so happy during a time like this?

"Don't worry," Brightstar mewed gently, nudging Thrushpaw to his paws and spotting Leafpaw across camp. "I'm sure there's someone who will still want to talk to you."

Thrushpaw knew Brightstar was right. Leafpaw was always there for him, and he was certain she'd be willing to listen to him. She always made him feel better.

"Thanks, Brightstar," Thrushpaw mewed. He pulled his feet up, trudging away, unhappy at the prospect of being rejected once again, and being back to square one: only Leafpaw. "You always know the right thing to do."

Brightstar waved him off, and Thrushpaw just headed over to Leafpaw, where her blue gaze was filled with concern.

Thrushpaw sighed. Yes, of course, Leafpaw definitely would be willing to listen.

That was not my best chapter... oh well. It was just supposed to be a follow-up. A lot happens in the next chapter so get prepared! It's a big one! It'll be updated as soon as possible! And if you want a spoiler alert for what Brightstar's going to do, think about her name's pre-fix and Erin Hunter's A Dangerous Path. It's really nothing big, but it kind of gives a new perspective to the story in what she does. Anyway, Ciao for now!

-Leaf