Kestrelpaw awoke, startled by a shrieking noise from the clearing. He got to his paws, nudging Treepaw awake and peering outside of the den. Fogpelt was pacing in circles while Echospot tried to comfort her.
"Deerkit is missing!" She screeched, the rest of the clan beginning to emerge from their dens.
"We'll find him." Echospot promised, starting to organize a patrol. "Treepaw, Nettleflame, Squirrelclaw and Ashlight! Go search for Deerkit, it'd be best to split up and cover more ground." He advised. "Mosspelt, Pinenose, Snowfall. Guard the nursery and Foxeye, Sparroweye and Starlingfur guard the camp entrance!" Every cat obeyed, splitting into their positions while the search patrol left the camp, Treepaw swiftly brushing past his brother and joining the other cats.
"What can I do?" Lizardtail called from the front of the medicine cat den.
"Organize herbs, take Kestrelpaw with you and get Yarrowfern to show you what to do." He responded.
"Wait, one more patrol!" Hawkstar yowled from highledge. "Raggedfern, Dapplefoot, Mistlefang and Pinenose, check the border for any scents."
"Yes Hawkstar." Pinenose called out, gathering his patrol. Kestrelpaw moved along the edge of the crowd and joined Lizardtail in the medicine den. Lizardtail was looming over Yarrowfern while she gathered her herbs.
"Give her space, Lizardtail." Kestrelpaw advised. "We shouldn't need the herbs, but just in case..."
"Just a great start to my morning..." Yarrowfern muttered.
"Well, it's MinnowClan what do you expect, relaxation?" Lizardstripe purred. Yarrowfern let out a snort and continued organizing herbs.
"Deerkit should be fine. No cat would ever harm a kitten!" Kestrelpaw meowed.
"Oh, you'd be surprised..." Yarrowfern responded, her eyes darkening.
"What does that mean?" Kestrelpaw pressed.
"It means, I had a brother named Boragekit. Hollowheart killed him, leading him to exile... then he killed my sister..." She mewed, sounding like a helpless kit.
"Oh my..." Kestrelpaw gasped.
"Don't worry, your father avenged her and her brother by killing Hollowheart in a border fight." Lizardstripe told the young apprentice. "They were mates, actually."
"Oh really?" Yarrowfern sounded surprised. "I didn't know that he was the father of Sparroweye and Littlepaw!"
"Well, he is." Lizardstripe explained.
"Interesting..." Yarrowfern murmured, obviously lost in thought.
"Treepaw! No!" Yowls rose from the clearing, Kestrelpaw froze and stared at Yarrowfern.
"Kestrelpaw..." Lizardstripe mewed. "Go and see, I'll be here with Yarrowfern if you need me..."
"I need to see this, what if he's hurt?" Yarrowfern gasped, squirming past the two cats. Kestrelpaw followed, terrified to see what had happened.
"A badger attacked us." Ashlight was explaining. "He... he had Deerkit and he almost took Treepaw's life..." Kestrelpaw froze at those words. Was his brother dead? No! This can't be! No no no! He thought, panicking.
"Deerkit!" Fogpelt wailed. "Treepaw!" Kestrelpaw pushed his way to the front to see his brother, who lay on the ground, panting as blood ran down his side.
"Ashlight, take Deerkit to her mother and get Treepaw to the medicine den!" Snowfall was commanding. Kestrelpaw ran to his brothers side and delicately lifted him in his jaw, dragging him to the medicine cat's den.
"It'll be okay." He whispered, entering the den. Yarrowfern was trailing closely behind them and rushed into her den to grab cobwebs.
"He's still alive, quick, get me marigold to stop any infection!" Yarrowfern ordered, placing the cobwebs over his brothers gashes. Kestrelpaw turned and gazed at the massive pile of herbs. "The yellow one!" She mewed, flicking her tail toward the marigold. He grabbed it from the store and turned back to Treepaw.
"Is he going to be okay?" Kestrelpaw whimpered.
"Yes. He's alive." Yarrowfern sighed, relief washed over him as he watched the medicine cat treat his brother. "Get Deerkit, won't you?" She asked Lizardstripe who sat calmly on the other side of the den.
"Of course." He meowed, leaving the den and reappearing a moment later with a tiny bundle of fur in his jaws. He layed him down carefully next to Treepaw and left the den once again.
"I'd better go to give you space." Kestrelpaw murmured, leaving. Cats flooded around him as he padded to the apprentices den.
"Is he okay?"
"Is he dead?"
"What happened?" Questions came from all sides of him. He flicked his tail and padded into his den, climbing into his nest.