A/N: Hey guys! Sorry for such a wait! Life has been a bit crazy lately, but we're back on track!

Chapter Twelve

Shadow's POV

The next two days in LeafClan were fairly routine. Shadowpaw settled back into his duties easily, doing his best to make up for lost time. Pinepaw seemed to be adjusting slowly, but Alderleaf's patience has helped the shy apprentice become more confident. To make the timid she-cat more comfortable, Sagepelt suggested that Shadowpaw train alongside her.

Despite his training, Shadowpaw couldn't help but worry about Firepaw. The ginger tabby had not been allowed to leave the medicine cat den. Her injured eyes were covered in different herbs, and she had yet to open them. While she was back to her usual self, no cat was sure if the apprentice would ever see again. As he and Pinepaw returned to camp from a border patrol with their mentors, Shadowpaw quickly made his way over to the medicine cat den.

The inside of the den reeked with different herbs, and sickness. Coughing could be heard from the back of the small den. Shadowpaw frowned, just barely making out Whispersong's matted black and white pelt along the edge. The old medicine cat had been fighting greencough for a few days now, and Sleetwhisker was reluctant on letting any cats near the den. As Shadowpaw stepped further in, he noticed that Firepaw's nest was empty.

"Firepaw?" he called inside, looking around.

Whispersong lifted his head up from his nest. "Sleetwhisker had her go outside," he rasped, before going into a coughing fit.

Shadowpaw rushed over to the medicine cat, putting a paw on his back. "You should be resting," he told the sick cat.

Whispersong laid his head down once his cough stopped. "Rest will do me no good young one," he murmured hoarsely. "There are some things that are beyond simple remedies."

"Don't say things like that!" Shadowpaw gasped, the fur along his spine rising. "You'll get better, you have to!"

Croaking out a tiny laugh, Whispersong just closed his eyes. "Perhaps so," he muttered tiredly.

The old tom laid still then, and dread filled Shadowpaw. Surely the old medicine cat wouldn't just die? Staring at Whispersong, Shadowpaw took a breath of relief when he saw his flanks move in unsteady breaths. Slowly getting up to leave, he met Sleetwhisker halfway in the den.

"Shadowpaw!" he blinked, surprised. Shaking his head, he began to usher the young tom outside. "You shouldn't be in here! Whispersong needs his rest, and we don't need any other cats catching greencough!"

Shadowpaw frowned. "Will he be okay?"

The young medicine cat's eyes darkened. "I don't know," he admitted. "Whispersong has served this Clan for many moons. Only StarClan can decide his fate now."

"But he can't die!" Shadowpaw protested. "There has to be something we can do!"

Sleetwhisker frowned. "I wish there was, Shadowpaw," he mewed sadly. "But I have done everything I possibly could."

Shadowpaw frowned. "But-" he began to argue.

"If Sleetwhisker can't heal him, then no one else can," Firepaw suddenly interrupted, lifting her head up from where she had been laying nearby.

Shadowpaw quickly turned around, suddenly noticing his friend. Firepaw sighed. "Even though I can't see you, I imagine that you're staring at me with that stupid look of yours."

Sleetwhisker gave a little laugh. "That's not very nice."

Firepaw snorted. "As if I care about being nice," she retorted. "Someone needs to keep this furball from constantly worrying over everything."

"I do not worry over everything," Shadowpaw huffed, feeling indignant.

Sleetwhisker purred and leaned down to sniff at Firepaw's wounds. "Well, your eyes are healing pretty nicely," he cut in. "The swelling may go down enough to let you open your eyes again."

Firepaw rested her head on her paws. "That would be nice," she grunted. "I hate having to just lay around, blind and boring."

"You won't be blind," Shadowpaw reassured her, hoping desperately that he was right.

Nearby, the hunting patrol consisting of Amberfur, Rainfall, Softstep, and their apprentices had returned. Brownpaw was proudly carrying a plump thrush in his jaws, while Snowpaw nearly tripped over the tail of the mice he carried. Sandpaw had a vole in her jaws, rushing ahead of her brothers.

"Make sure to give that vole to the elders!" Amberfur called after the pale tabby.

Sandpaw waved her tail to acknowledge she heard, dashing off towards the old hollowed out tree the elder's slept in. Snowpaw laid his mice down, tipping his head towards his mentor.

"Should I give these to the elders too?" he asked.

Softstep dipped her head. "Yes, that would be great."

Brownpaw went over to place his thrush on the fresh-kill pile, while Amberfur and Softstep went off to join the other senior warriors under the Highoak. Rainfall bounded over to them, his tail straight up.

"Firepaw! You're out of the medicine cat den!" he exclaimed.

Firepaw lifted her head towards his voice. "Sleetwhisker wanted me to get some fresh air."

Rainfall gave a his brother a proud beam. "He was always the smart one after all."

Giving a modest look, Sleetwhisker nudged Rainfall. "Knock that off," he scolded good-humorously.

A rasping cough echoed out of the medicine den suddenly, sending Sleetwhisker rushing towards the entrance. Whispersong staggered past him, wheezing painfully. Shadowpaw bristled at the sight of the sick tom, shocked by just how much weight he had lost. The medicine cat's pelt was thick with mats, and his ribs could be seen with each rasping breath.

"Whispersong!" Sleetwhisker mewed in alarm, rushing to his mentor's side. "You shouldn't be up! You need rest!"

Whispersong shook his head stubbornly. "Echostar..." he rasped. "I need….Echostar."

"I'm on it!" Rainfall called over, quickly running off towards the leader's den.

Shadowpaw went over to stand beside Firepaw, who seemed confused as to what was happening. Whispersong fell to his paws, dry heaving painfully. Sleetwhisker went to go get herbs, but Whispersong stopped him with his paw.

"No!" he coughed out, silver eyes blazing. "They will be of no use to me!"

Sleetwhisker flinched, startled by the ferocity in his mentor's voice. Relief flooded through Shadowpaw when he saw Echostar running over to them. Echostar was at Whispersong's side in an instant, her eyes dark.

"Whispersong," she murmured to him. "Please, you must rest."

Whispersong lashed his tail. "There isn't anymore time!"

The urgency in his voice unsettled Shadowpaw. Why is he so anxious? Did he have some sort of vision? Shadowpaw frowned as Echostar gently placed her paw on Whispersong's back.

"What are you talking about?" she prompted. "What is this about not having any time?"

Wheezing with effort, the black-and-white tom stared deeply into the LeafClan leader's eyes. "A vision," he choked out. "We must seek the ones who lurk in the shadows!" His eyes were wide with horror. "If we don't we'll-"

As he tried to spit out the last words, the breath seemed to leave his body entirely. Eyes rolling to the back of his head, the medicine cat fell back. With a little jerk of his legs, the old tom went limp. Echostar stared at her medicine cat in a mix of horror and grief. Sleetwhisker let out a mournful wail, pushing Whispersong's head with his muzzle urgently.

"Sleetwhisker," Echostar managed to snap out of her shock. "I'm sorry, but Whispersong is dead."