Laurelleaf's apprentice duties was said to be over by the end of the third sunrise, and now it was already sunset. A short while after Gorsestar freed him from the apprentice duties, Whitewhisker started panicking. "My kits!" She shrieked desperately. "They're gone!"

Laurelleaf have instantly became alert. How come no one see the kits leave? He felt a pang of regret that he didn't spot them when he was stuck in camp the whole time and should've spotted anything that was going on, but how could he forget about the two kits?

The entire Clan was in the state of panic. Usually, When Bearkit disappears, it was considered normal and they could usually find him around camp entrance and carry him back. But when Wingkit's gone, everyone was shocked. The white kit rarely left the nursery, and if both of them are gone, it would sure they were both in trouble. "Is it the foxes?" Petalclaw yowled, panic in her mew.

"The foxes left our border a while ago," Liondrop answered, shaking some soil off his pelt. "And Rainclaw's tunnel patrol just went. They didn't spot anything when they came back!"

"Where are they?" Whitewhisker called. "Bearkit! Wingkit!"

Larkwing and Gorsestar entered the commotion. "I'll send patrols to check where the kits have gone," Gorsestar meowed. He then nodded to Swiftrabbit. "Help me with it."

Berryfur, the kits' mother, was desperately clawing the ground in front of Gorsestar. "Please, Gorsestar!" He gasped. His brown fur rippled in the golden light of sunset. "Send me into a patrol! I need to rescue my kits before they get in danger alone!"

Laurelleaf leaped out of the warriors' den, staring at the panicking cats. Sparktail was trying to calm Whitewhisker down, touching her spine with her tail tip soothingly, but Whitewhisker looked almost crazy, with her eyes full of fear. Tunnelers and moor runners were going together in groups, chatting about the kits' disappearance, and finally Gorsestar raised his head into the sky. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join by the sandy hollow for a Clan meeting!" He announced.

The wind was strong on the cats' pelts, bringing bare leaves onto the camp. The heathers by the camp rustled, and the grass danced in the light.

"We'll immediately send search parties out to find the two kits!" Gorsestar yowled. He beckoned Swiftrabbit as the two cats, brimming with authority, announced the cats who will be going on patrol. "Swiftrabbit, you take the moor runners! Take Berryfur, Leafstripe, and Laurelleaf! I'll take the tunnelers to search all tunnels—Darkwing, Midgepelt, and Liondrop! The rest of you guard the camp! If it was the foxes who invaded and took the kits, you would all need to watch out for those foxes!"

Laurelleaf perked his ears when he heard that he was chosen for Swiftrabbit's patrol. "Prove your obedience and loyalty," Gorsestar whispered to him as the mighty golden-furred leader ran past him. His patrol formed out behind him, and Swiftrabbit led his own patrol outside with a flick of his white-bushed tail. The rest of Laurelleaf's campmates, including Whitewhisker, was watching them from inside the camp. "Please!" Whitewhisker called desperately.

Berryfur turned his head and nodded to his mate, as if he was sure he could help her find their kits alone.

The moor runners lengthened their strides and leaps until they were running like breeze behind their deputy. Laurelleaf could see the muscles contract and relax beneath the pelts of the cats around him, And he stared ahead in preparation. Bearkit, Wingkit, here I come.

Strong wind started blowing in their direction. Layers and layers of clouds covered the setting sun and the incoming moon, and wind smashed strong paws onto Laurelleaf's face. Even though he was used to the free wind brushing his pelt as he ran and the feeling of wind against his face, the wind was extra strong tonight. Most of the StarClan warriors in Silverpelt were covered by the thick clouds, which shone dark orange beneath the darkening black-red sky. A thin ray of light gray moonlight reflected on the grass, and paws thundered over it. "Their scents are getting stronger!" Swiftrabbit announced.

Surely, through the strong wind that was blowing in the patrol's directions, even Laurelleaf could smell the familiar scents the wind carried, of Bearkit and Wingkit. The tunnelers' patrol burst out from one of the tunnels near the land moor runners were running across, and Gorsestar raised his tail. "This way!" He ordered. The tunnelers came up to the moor runners, who slowed down for the tunnelers to catch up. Together, both patrols followed the strong trails of the lost kits, sniffing the air and running at the same time with all the WindClan speed brimming in their thin pelts. Land stretched in front of them, and the front row cats strained their eyes.

Gorsestar let out a low growl. "I smell something else in their trail," he meowed. But the trail of the strange creature seemed to fade among the kits', as if it was a transparent spirit that appeared and disappeared from time to time while carrying the kits. That only filled Laurelleaf with dread—did something catch the two kits and take them away on purpose? What's important now is finding the kits before it gets owls starts roaming late night, he reminded himself.

Before he realized it, the scent of the Thunderpath floated into the trail. "We are heading towards ShadowClan territory!" Laurelleaf yelped, but none of the cats seemed to listen. They all streamed after Gorsestar, whose commanding yowl rose above the panting of both patrols. Six cats spread out all along the Thunderpath, burying their noses into the grounds and searching.

Laurelleaf perked his ears in hope of hearing the pleading yowls of Wingkit and fierce calls of Bearkit. He knew the kits would do that when they are searching for help. He headed behind Midgepelt as the other cats broke away. In six different places among the Thunderpath, surely the kits would be found?

He hoped so. The kits knew better to wander off this far.

But what if it was something who caught them? And this wind isn't much helping. It's blowing one scent into another!

More than one familiar scent seemed to hang in the air as Laurelleaf closed up. The bushes near the path rumbled and shuffled as the cats burst through it. "Wingkit!" Laurelleaf rose his head into a call. "Bearkit!"

He searched for an answering call. He searched for the trace of hope in finding the kits. He could smell them faintly, but mingled with some other scents, he couldn't be sure where he should head. A rumble deep underground came with a red flash as a small monster zoomed past the cats, sending stinking air flying toward them. Laurelleaf sneezed and shook his head. "Come on!" Midgepelt ordered in front of him. "They're not here. Let's search that way." Laurelleaf dipped his head to his father, and the two cats streamed to the bushes Swiftrabbit was searching.

The deputy was pressing his nose to the ground. When the two cats closed up Swiftrabbit stared at them with panic in his eyes. "The ash stench was too strong!" He said. "And the kits' scents seemed to be everywhere at once!"

Swiftrabbit was unfortunately right. In his direction, Laurelleaf could smell the kits' scents, which were stronger than the other places. But they were nowhere to be seen, and as he crunched the grass edging the Thunderpath with his paws, he heard something coming far from the other side of the Thunderpath.

"Midgepelt!" A voice called, and Midgepelt turned around. "Swiftrabbit!"

Laurelleaf didn't recognize it in time, but the voice shouted, "I've found the kits!" A kindle of hope lit up in Laurelleaf's heart, and he turned to the voice. Both Swiftrabbit and Midgepelt rushed toward the voice.

Laurelleaf thought of following, but a powerful scent nearly overwhelmed him as he padded to the nearby bush. A flash of dark red caught his eye, and he turned around. The scent faded and he looked for his father and the deputy again, but they were already gone towards the voice.

The ground rumbled again as another monster roared past. Laurelleaf felt his fur stir and ruffle from the powerful wind the monster stirred up, and he flinched back a step. Wind crashed on him from the behind, and he turned to see a new wave of monsters coming his way. He yowled in alarm and leaped as far away as the Thunderpath as possible, trying his best to smell past the stench the monsters were producing. His senses seemed to nullify as ash covered his pelt, and he shook it as quickly as possible.

"Midgepelt!" He called. "Swiftrabbit! Where are you?"

Suddenly a force pushed at Laurelleaf, and he gasped in pain. The wind swirled in silver as Brightspirit materialized beside him. This way! Come quickly! She ordered urgently. Laurelleaf lurched when he saw the ginger spirit, who have disappeared for quite a while, but he headed towards her. She floated away, looking urgent, and Laurelleaf followed, anticipation burning in the air around him.

The scents of Bearkit and Wingkit were stronger than ever as he followed Brightspirit. His nose twitched but he knew Brightspirit would guide him. He extended his claws as he leaped, stride after stride, catching up with the StarClan she-cat. Laurelleaf could not explain his excitement when he finally heard the mewls and calls of the two kits, but then he realized with horror that they were shrieks of fear.

Oh, no! Did something happen to them?

Another wave of monsters. Unnatural colors gleamed in the Thunderpath. Round paws thundered across the rocky path. Large beasts with glowing eyes that lit up the darkness zoomed past, showering the edge of the stone path with dirty dust. "Bearkit! Wingkit!" Laurelleaf screamed, but the answering calls were filled with terror. Brightspirit raised her tail and yowled into the moonlight, and energy pulled through Laurelleaf immediately. Brightspirit appeared at his side and she mewed, Get ready. She seemed to disappear, but Laurelleaf knew she was by his side as he scrambled to a stop near the two kits. Relief flooded onto him when he realized they were safe. "Get away from the Thunderpath, now!" He yowled and dragged the kits, but they were struggling and staring at the Thunderpath with horror-filled eyes.

Fear scent tinted the air.

Laurelleaf realized what's wrong and demanded, "Midgepelt and Swiftrabbit came here a while ago. Where did they go?"

Wingkit's jaw was still stretched wide and Bearkit was staring at the Thunderpath. Laurelleaf's muscles tensed, and he swerved around. He stared at where the kits were staring, his whiskers stiffening.

As the wave of monsters finally went past, his eyes widened. His heart seemed to stop as he looked at what was spread out in the middle of the black path. The sun dropped deeper in between the distant silhouettes of the looming mountains, and tiny stars dotted the sky. A bead of red liquid rolled towards Laurelleaf's direction, dripping and sucking into the grass he was standing on. His throat felt unusually dry when he took a paw step towards where the kits were staring wide-eyed at.

The unmoving corpses of Midgepelt and Swiftrabbit sprawled silently in the middle of the Thunderpath.