Not many things scared Jayfeather. And he would never admit to being scared of the things that did. But he could not suppress the shiver that crept it's way down his spine as he heard the den collapse.

"Briarpaw!!", Millie's wail pierced his ears. Even at a distance he felt the she-cats terror.

He didn't need to read her thoughts to know they were thinking the same thing. There's no way that they're alive.

He heard the shuffling of paws as Brambleclaw and Lionblaze carefully made their way into the hollow. The rest of the clan started to follow, an air of hopelessness hanging over them as they gazed at their once-beautiful camp now in ruins.

"Stop!" Firestar yowled at his clanmates.

The sound of their shuffling feet stopped. They began to murmur worriedly amongst themselves.

"Where's the camp?"Jayfeather heard Cherrykit mewl quietly.

There was a rustle as Daisy bent down to comfort the terrified kit. "It's gone", She breathed.

"It's still there", came Firestar's anxiety-filled, slightly frustrated growl. "We just need to stay calm.

Fat chance with this group.

"Where's Longtail?", came Purdy's rasp, fearful and filled with shock.

Jayfeather shook his head. There was no use in pretending that by some miracle the blind elder was still alive.

"Briarpaw?"Millie's mew cracked.

For once, Jayfeather was glad he could not see. He didn't think he could handle the look of absolute heartbreak on the queen's face. He was not particularly close with the queen, or anyone for that matter besides Lionblaze and Hollyleaf but he felt a stab of pity for the devastated queen. And Briarpaw, though she could be too rambunctious at times for Jayfeather's taste she was still a bright, energetic, talented young cat who could have been a warrior that made Thunderclan proud. She had always been kind to him when asking for mouse bile for the elders, and had even helped him collect herbs occasionally. He had to admit. He would miss the young apprentice.

"I'm going to find them!" Jayfeather snapped back to reality at the sound of his brother's determined meow.

He heard the breaking and snapping of many branches and twigs as Lionblaze struggled to force his way through the wreckage

Mousebrain!

Jayfeather inwardly groaned thinking of all the scratches he was going to have to treat later because his brother, as always, had to be a hero.

"Brambleclaw I want a patrol to clear a way to the elder's den and I want the rest of the clan outside the hollow taken care of."

Firestar's voice cut through the crowd of cats and the sound of Lionblaze struggling ceased.

Of course, Firestar always knows what to do. Where would the clan be without him? He thought, feeling a stab of pride for his kin.

All of a sudden he heard a noise that should have been impossible. There was a faint mew coming from the collapsed den.

"There's definitely a cat alive in there," Lionblaze reported seriously.

Yeah, no kidding Deputy Obvious.

"There's not a moment to lose. Get everyone else back to the gully. Jayfeather, do what you can to treat any cat with shock. Daisy, I'm putting you in charge of the elders, queens, and kits. Keep them calm." Firestar's orders rang out over the huddled clan and cats hurried to carry out their orders or comfort their clanmates.

The overwhelming fear stench of his clanmates burned his nose. He cursed his amplified sense of smell, a side effect of his blindness. He padded up to where Blossompaw and Bumblepaw were crouching a bit away from the rest of the cats. The gray striped apprentice's eyes were wide and filled with shock. Blossompaw was trembling but still trying to comfort her distressed brother.

"I should have stopped her," Bumblepaw's meow came out as a groan, his voice filled with misery, "Or I should have gone instead of freezing like a mouse."

Blossompaw licked her brother's ear gently. "It's Briarpaw, even Starclan couldn't stop her if they tried."

Jayfeather noted with pity that she was still talking about Briarpaw as if she were alive. Foxdung, I didn't bring enough for other cats. He cursed his own stupidity. He expected the stupidity of others , he was only surprised or disappointed when it was himself. He gently set the few leaves of thyme in front of the terrified tom and told Blossompaw to coax her brother to eat them.

I remember when me and Hollyleaf were just like that

As a kit and young apprentice Hollyleaf was the only one who could ever convince Jayfeather to do things in which he stubbornly refused to try. She was the one who ended up convincing him to try a mouse for the first time. He was so stubborn about wanting to continue drinking milk, it took her till sunset to convince him to try a nibble. The first time he came down with a cough, it was her that coaxed him into eating the herbs that cured it. He missed his sister so much it hurt sometimes.

All of a sudden Rosepetal came dashing up to him.

"Jayfeather!" She rasped, out of breath, "They need you!".

Dustpelt's patrol must have been successful!

"I need to get to the medicine den, I need supplies to treat them if they're still alive." He said urgently.

Without waiting for an answer, he turned and raced into camp, barely avoiding the numerous fallen branches.

Mousedung!

He hissed as he stepped on a sharp stick and felt his paw flare up with pain. He skidded to a halt outside his den, and to his dismay it was blocked by branches. He screwed up his eyes against the twigs that threatened to poke him, and thrust his head into the tangle of branches. Using his whiskers and paws he desperately attempted to feel for a gap where he could squeeze through.

"Jayfeather! The den is blocked!", came Rosepetal's meow as she caught up with him.

"I know", he replied, "We need cats to clear the blockage."

"Ok. I'm not that strong and probably won't be much help so I will help my mother with the kits. Good luck!." Rosepetal replied, disappointment evident in her meow.

He quickly padded over to where the cats were working on the elders' den. Lionblaze was peering down into a gap in the wreckage looking dismayed. He turned and his worried gaze met Jayfeather's.

"I need to get to my den. Poppyfrost's in shock and Mousefur is beside herself with worry. And if you get Longtail and Briarpaw out alive I'll need to treat them."

Lionblaze looked at him puzzled. "Can't you gather fresh herbs?"

Mousebrain! Starclan knows how we could be littermates!

Losing his patience, Jayfeather snapped, " It's leaf-fall there are no fresh herbs!"

Firestar turned towards where Jayfeather was scowling at his brother. "Fetch Rosepetal! She's skinny like her father," he ordered.

Jayfeather turned and hurried to where Rosepetal was now helping Daisy tend to the kits.

"Rosepetal! Firestar wants you to try to get in between some of the gaps in the medicine den!" He meowed quickly.

She turned in surprise but nodded, determination filling her gaze and raced back to the den, Jayfeather not far behind. Graystripe and Millie were now huddled by the wreckage, and as Jayfeather passed them he was drowned in their overpowering grief, so powerful that it caused him to flinch as he was hit by their wave of emotions. Even though the path of a medicine cat was lonely at times, he was thankful that he would never have to experience the pain and worry of having kits. Besides I would probably be a terrible father, he admitted.

He heard the crunching of leaves and the snapping of twigs and held his breath as Rosepetal made her assessment.

"I can get through!" There were more sounds of crunching as she squeezed into the den. "What do you want me to get," She called to him, voice slightly muffled.

Thank Starclan

With a sigh of relief, he began listing off descriptions of the herbs he needed.