A/N: Well, on time! A little short, and it's a bit late at night, but here it is. The next chapter. It's short because this is all this chapter needs. It is a sad one, too, so be warned. But, still, HOPE YOU ENJOY AND REVIEW!

The next morning, Dustpaw woke late as usual. Redtail was not waiting for him in the clearing this time, however, but was nowhere in sight. He had a feeling that the deputy had taken a patrol out to find the catmint for Spottedleaf. The clearing was mostly deserted except for a few patrols just returning, and Frostfur and Goldenflower lying in the sun by the nursery, watching alongside Willowpelt as Graykit played as usual. When Frostfur caught Dustpaw looking, she waved her tail for him to join her, her eyes bright. Hesitating briefly and shooting a glance to the fresh-kill pile, he shrugged and headed over to her, dodging Graykit as he rolled across the dirt in a solid battle with a leaf. He couldn't help but to purr in slight amusement, remembering he was like that not but two moons ago.

"How was the trip yesterday?" Frostfur wondered, watching as he sat beside her. "I tried asking Redtail, but he wasn't really chatty this morning."

"It was fine. We had trouble convincing the patrol we weren't there for trouble, but once we were in camp, everything went smoothly." Dustpaw answered truthfully.

"Did Yellowfang say where the catmint was?"

"I hope so. I thought that's where Redtail was now-"

"Oh no! Redtail's been in Bluestar's den since dawn," Frostfur meowed seriously, eyes glinting curiously. "I guess you don't know what that's about?" Dustpaw could hardly hold his contempt down. That was why Frostfur wanted to speak with him - not for friendliness, but to see if he had information that she could share throughout the rest of the clan. Of course, he thought bitterly.

"No, sorry." he simply shrugged, then turned and padded away before she could say anything else, heading straight for the fresh-kill pile - stocked full thanks to Whitestorm's patrol which had just reentered camp. Sandpaw was bouncing behind them, looking proud with a vole in her mouth.

"She's becoming quite the hunter," Whitestorm purred, spotting Dustpaw watching his apprentice, a glint of amusement in his eyes. "She may beat me as the best one day!"

"She always said she would be," Dustpaw joked, greeting Sandpaw with a bump to her shoulder. Whitestorm nodded good-bye, and he headed towards Bluestar's den. Dustpaw watched him pause outside the lichen, then enter slowly, in his usual cautious manner, then turned back to Sandpaw. She'd already grabbed a squirrel and was heading back across the clearing towards the apprentices den. He took the vole she'd caught and turned to follow.

As he followed, he caught himself staring as the sun glinted off her fur. Her fur was like a reflector, sending the sun back out in waves, making her glisten. His eyes followed her all the way to the apprentices den, entranced, until he caught Goldenflower and Willowpelt watching him with whiskers twitching by the nursery, and his ears burned. He quickly turned his gaze to the floor and hurried past them, not liking the way they seemed to mock him. As Sandpaw chattered in his ear about her hunting, he didn't really listen, just ate his vole silently and watched her. She was always so excited about her day, no matter what happened. He admired that about her. The way her green eyes shone at the prospect of any sort of adventure - even if it was just border patrol.

"Dustpaw!" he jumped at the growl by his ear and turned. Redtail was standing there, his tail twitching impatiently. "Have you gone deaf?"

"No. Sorry, Redtail. I was thinking about-" he paused, not knowing what to say to excuse him staring at Sandpaw. "Um...Fuzzypelt." at this, Redtail's eyes softened and he nodded.

"That's what I was going to talk to you about," his tone made Dustpaw uneasy, and he scrambled to his paws, eyes worried.

"What happened? Is he alright? He isn't-" he cut off, not able to finish that thought. Redtail shook his head gently, but the look in his eyes suggested that the older tom wasn't far off from meeting StarClan.

"He's worse. Poppydawn joined StarClan this morning. The clan don't know yet," he glanced sternly to Sandpaw, assuring she wouldn't go blab to anyone about this. "They will be told after we eat. Bluestar wanted me to tell you, seeing as Fuzzypelt is your father. She thought you would like to visit him."

"Yes, I would!" Dustpaw said immediately, already turning towards the medicine cat den, but Redtail's tail shot out to stop him. His neck fur bristled, but he didn't say anything to his mentor, glaring and waiting for an explanation.

"He is weak, Dustpaw. And don't blame Spottedleaf. She has done her best, but greencough has no mercy." Redtail warned.

"I know it's not her fault," Dustpaw snapped. "Let me go see my father!"

Redtail paused a moment, then nodded and dropped his tail, sending Dustpaw on his way. The brown apprentice hurried across the clearing, hardly stopping to snatch a mouse from the pile before shoving his way into the medicine cat den, not even bothering for a proper greeting. Instead, he dropped the mouse unceremoniously by Spottedleaf's paws to answer her solemn 'hello' and went to his father's nest. Poppydawn was still in her nest, but her body was eerily still. No more ragged breath coming from her pelt, and it seemed someone had groomed her recently. When Dustpaw leaned over to sniff her curiously, his nose was met with cold, stiff air, and he frowned, pulling back abruptly, not liking the smell of death at all. Fuzzypelt was awake, but he could barely raise his head to greet Dustpaw, and his words were a caution.

"Stay back. You mustn't get too near, you'll catch greencough!" and those words sent him into a fit of coughing that didn't stop for several minutes, not until Spottedleaf brought over moss soaked in water, offering it to Fuzzypelt in soothing tones and gentle words. The black tom eventually was able to swallow some, and his coughing subsided, but he rested his head onto his front paws again, wheezing terribly.

"Fuzzypelt…" Dustpaw meowed helplessly, knowing there was absolutely nothing he could do, but wishing that there was. He turned suddenly to Spottedleaf. "Didn't Yellowfang tell where the catmint was?" he demanded.

"Yes," the medicine cat sighed, looking older than she was. "Dustpaw, come," the younger cat obliged her orders and followed her across the den, until they were out of Fuzzypelt's hearing. Her eyes were heavy, and her shoulders seemed weighed down by a thousand cats. At once, Dustpaw felt bad for being so sharp with her before - she really was doing her absolute best, but sometimes, it can't be helped.

"Dustpaw. There is nothing left I can do for Fuzzypelt. Giving him the catmint now...it'd just be wasteful." her eyes flashed suddenly, and she looked alarmed, but she spoke no further. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault, Spottedleaf," Dustpaw insisted, touching noses with her briefly and then heading back over to Fuzzypelt, though he made sure to keep a safe distance. There was no sense sitting there, just watching as his father died, but what else could the apprentice do? He couldn't leave, knowing that as soon as he left, the older tom might die. No, he had to be here for Fuzzypelt's last moments, he had to be here. Fuzzypelt deserved it - just like Robinwing had, but didn't get. She didn't get to see her kits in the last moments of her life - but Fuzzypelt was going to see one, Dustpaw would be sure of that.

"Dustpaw-" it was late when the tom rasped his first words since warning Dustpaw back, and the tom jumped at the unexpected noise, but was over the shock soon, rushing to his father's side. Spottedleaf had retired to her den, though by the sounds coming from her nest, Dustpaw gathered her sleep was restless. He glanced over to see if she'd heard Fuzzypelt speak, but it appeared she hadn't, and he still heard her sighs from across the den. "-I'm glad you're still here."

"Of course I am!" Dustpaw insisted. "Ravenpaw was in earlier, too. He cleaned your fur and gave you fresh water."

"I thought that was him," Fuzzypelt let out a ragged purr. "I don't blame him for leaving. He's just like me - can't stand to be around death."

"I guess I take after Robinwing," Dustpaw tried for a light tone. "She'd stay with a cat till its last breath."

"That she would have," Fuzzypelt nodded, a longing look in his eyes, that soon changed to joy. "Robinwing! Finally, I can be with you again..."

"Not yet!"

"I've missed you…" his father continued, not seeming to register that Dustpaw was there anymore. "Am I dreaming? You only come in dreams?"

Dustpaw was frantic now. His father was talking nonsense. With a brief hesitation, reluctant to leave Fuzzypelt's side for even a second, he darted to Spottedleaf's nest and shook her awake urgently. It didn't take long, and she was already headed to the sick tom before Dustpaw even explained what was going on. By the time he made it back, Spottedleaf was sitting to the side, her head hanging low, and he knew. He knew before he saw the blankness in his father's eyes. He knew before he even leaned forward to sniff and caught the same stiffness Poppydawn had let out earlier. Her body was no longer there, having been dragged out after Bluestar's announcement at sunset. Now she lie in the clearing, being mourned by her clanmates.

"He's gone." Spottedleaf murmured, turning and trudging back to her nest, tail dragging on the moon-soaked ground. Dustpaw watched her go, not able to form the words to tell her she was forgiven, then looked at his limp father. He left with Robinwing...he left happy. He told himself, shoving his nose into Fuzzypelt's fur and taking a moment to mourn, which helped the grief, but his heart still lay heavy as he exited the medicine cat den. Bluestar was sitting vigil with Poppydawn, and when she saw Dustpaw leave the den, he must have looked distraught, as her blue-grey head hung lower than before, and she began muttering softly to herself. Dustpaw paused briefly at Poppydawn's head and gave her a stiff farewell, though his heart was still in the nest with his father, and then he went to the apprentices den and curled up next to Ravenpaw, who was sleeping just as restlessly as Spottedleaf had been before.