2 days later.

When Silentpaw awoke he knew he was alone in the den. The young tom sighed and stretched out, his paw brushing the bedding of his mentor's nest. Cold bedding, stale scent. It wasn't unusual, he guessed Cloudfang was gathering herbs, eating, helping Ferretwing with the kits ect ect ect. He stood up, arching his back into a stretch, releasing the stiffness of sleep from his spine.

Two days had passed since he left his body, two days of knowing what Nighstar was planning. Two days of Gingerpaw avoiding him and refusing to apologise. Two days of watching his back, watching Gingerpaw from a distance and struggling to sleep at night because it could be his last on earth.

He just wanted Gingerpaw to admit she was wrong and say sorry. It wasn't like he could even if it was his fault. "She'll come around eventually" He heard Lilytail say as if half asleep. It was easy for her to say, she could stop seeing through his eyes at will and go off to have a nap. He didn't even know the dead could sleep.

As Silentpaw padded up into the main chamber he noted the side of two brown tabby pelts on either side of the entrance, backs to him. It was his first warning sign that something was wrong but in the moment it only felt slightly unusual. He approached them and Brambledip's head whipped around.

His eyes were cold,scornful. "You can't leave. Nightstar's orders" He was told gruffly, the warrior turning his head away. Silentpaw's fur rose along his spine. Of course. His eyes darted between the two and tried to step forward. His ankle was gently cuffed by hedgefoot. "I'm really sorry Silentpaw but you have to stay where you are" She smiled at him softly but her eyes betrayed her emotions. She looked scared.

He peered between the two. Camp was bustling, but a sort of hushed, panicked bustle. Cats were going in and out the apprentices den, bedding being tracked out onto the sand. His blood turned cold. Nighstar was up to something, she knew something he didn't and she'd trapped him in his den without Cloudfang to get them out.

"Oh stars- oh no-what's happened? Who's dead this time?" Lilytail sounded scared, her voice echoing around his skull amongst his own panic. He angled himself behind Hedgefoot, peering out at camp entrance. The nursery next to it was being guarded by crabfang, the large tom's paws kneading into the sand, glancing as every cat came in, hope in his eyes disappearing after each cat. "What if she's killed her!? What if-" He willed Lilytail to stop, tried to convince her everything was fine, maybe she'd been caught sneaking out to the ashfields again instead?

For every cat entering there was the flash of a grey pelt and one simple question: "Have you found her?!"

Willowheart without fail asked every single cat, her voice fraught with desperation. Silentpaw backed away into the den, not wanting to see anymore as he rubbed his paws over his eyes. His nightmare had come true.

"She's dead"

He dragged his paws down his face,planting them firmly on the sandy floor, trying to get a grip of his breathing and the heavy thump of his pounding heart. He watched as Shadedpaw left the apprentice den as if he was going to burst into tears. He watched as Lizardglare bounded past, his cool composure replaced by urgency.

He was utterly powerless, he didn't even have the voice to expose Nighstar for who she was, she was a megalomaniac, she was devoid of empathy, she was a liar and a murderer. "Silentpaw you have to get out! Do something!" he hissed aloud at Lilytail, ears flattening and gaining a frown from Brambeldip. He heard the pair outside guarding shift in the sand and he looked up and looked death in the face.

She looked calm, her eyes unwavering, posture upright, fur well groomed. He arched his back and stepped back. "Rip her bloody throat out!" Lilytail's enraged roar was earsplitting and caused him to wince, claws unsheating and digging into the sand. Nighstar narrowed her eyes.

"Sorry about all this, can't have complete chaos and no medicine cat in" She said gesturing casually to the guards and the cats running about like ants in a was inferring there was only one medicine cat..

"I have some bad news. Gingerpaw is missing. Cloudfang was as well, but we've found him. He's out cold and his back legs have been broken. Can you help him?" it was blunt and straight to the point, as if his best friend wasn't gone, as if Cloudfang, his mentor for Starclan's sake, had only gone on a walk and got a mere scratch.

The information he was given felt like an overload. So many questions rattled around his skull, Why was Cloudfang out of camp?What happened to him? How was he supposed to fix broken bones? Lilytail was ranting furiously, cursing, spitting and hissing. This was Nighstar's doing. If she had the power to do this and get away with it he could be killed without question. His life was in a deadly balancing act and it was his turn to make a move. His head pounded under the pressure. In order to help anyone he had to look after himself first.

Hesitantly he nodded, glancing back into the den and trying to remember any information he had about fixing a broken bone. "Good good. Gather your things and Lizardglare will take you to him"

He turned away from her and hurried to the sandstone crevice where the reed stems were kept. He needed a splint, but how was he going to keep it attached to the leg? Could he wrap it tight with dune grass? He collected some moss and poppy seed for pain relief. He was blundering, second guessing his every choice.

Nighstar simply watched him struggle.

Reviewer responses!:

Not here forever: She's certainly looking for something, regardless of if its really there or not

Mintflight0245: Thank you!

succulent sofa: Silentpaw must be very talented lol. Also this chapter answers your call about Gingerpaw not being hurt :)

Gosh finally got my head around writers block, I know its a small chapter and probably a bit iffy here and there but hopefully it'll get me into the flow of things again, I have a few more chapters planned ahead. I haven't been writing a lot due to collage and coursework, and generally getting home and being brain fried. I've also been very busy on Fallenclan forum (go check them out). my attention span is pretty bad but I'm really hoping I can get writing more often :)

Question of the chapter: What's going on?