A/N- So sorry about the loooooong wait. I had SATs three weeks ago, so they couldn't give us homework, but then the next week they loaded us with it. Then last week they loaded us up because 6th, 7th, and 8th grade are all going away next week on different trips. It's a long story. Anyway, on to the fic.

Disclaimer- Don't own it.

Chapter 18- Trust

"It's greencough. A late bout was going around camp for a while."

"Have we lost any others?" Swiftpaw asked, gently nuzzling the still pup.

Beechclaw hesitated again, let out a deep sigh, and murmured, "Spiritstar lost a life, but she's the only one so far."

Swiftpaw closed her eyes for a moment, digesting the information, before she nodded curtly. They sat in silence until Beechclaw stood awkwardly and mumbled something about telling Burningpelt she was awake before hurrying off. Alone at last, Swiftpaw finally let the barrier around her heart fall. Letting out a painful breath, she crawled into the nest and curled her body protectively around its occupant.

Pressing her nose into the soft fur, she murmured, "Please don't die. Don't leave me. I'll do anything." She vowed, her voice breaking, "Hazelpup."

OOOoooOOO

"Swiftpaw…" a weak voice jolted her from her sleep.

"What is it Hazelpup?"

Hazelpup's dull hazel eyes were barely cracked open, and liquid was pouring freely from them and her nose.

"Will I-"

She was interrupted by a fit of coughing that shook her skeletal frame. Her ribs showed painfully under patchy brindle fur.

When the coughing finally subsided, she finished in a voice barely above a whisper, "Will I still get to be an apprentice?"

Swiftpaw hesitated. Hazelpup's apprentice ceremony should be in less than a moon, but it was unsure if she would even survive that long, much less if she would be strong enough to be named along with her sister.

Swiftpaw gazed sadly at the broken, defeated pup in front of her. She couldn't bring herself to give her any more bad news, so instead she merely forced a small smile and said, "Of course Hazelpup. Just get your rest for now."

Hazelpup seemed to brighten for a moment, and a small glimmer returned to her eyes. She then sighed contently and murmured, "Okay Swiftpaw," she yawned and closed her eyes, "Anything you say."

Swiftpaw waited a moment before she carefully stood and padded out of the den with a heavy heart.

As she crossed the clearing, she vaguely heard Spiritstar calling a meeting, but she ignored her and continued towards the apprentice den.

Leafpaw, however, stopped her just before she reached it and said, "Swiftpaw, where are you going? You can't miss the ceremony!"

"What?" Swiftpaw said rather stupidly before she remembered that it was Hawkpup and Dapplepup's apprentice ceremony today. It was just another thing to remind her of Hazelpup.

She shook herself mentally before muttering, "No, really. I'm pretty tired. I'm just gonna go."

"Oh come on Swiftpaw, please? It won't take that long! I don't want to sit alone!" Leafpaw begged, her green eyes round and pleading.

Swiftpaw sighed, cursing herself for being too soft with her sister, and heaved herself to her paws and followed Leafpaw through the crowd.

Dreamsong emerged from the nursery with Hawkpup and Dapplepup at her side. They walked slowly up to where Spiritstar was waiting for them at the base of the Highrock. Dreamsong slipped away and settled herself next to Braveheart as their pups stood before their leader.

Hawkpup's entire body quivered and his amber eyes were alight with excitement. Dapplepup, meanwhile, had an unusual air of calm. Her softly dappled coat shone in the sun, and her hazel eyes stared calmly into her leader's. The only thing that gave away her excitement was the flicker of her cream colored tail.

Spiritstar turned to Dapplepup first and began, "Dapplepup, from this day forward, until you have earned your warrior name, you will be known as Dapplepaw." She turned to the proud shepherd sitting behind Dapplepaw and continued," Fallenoak, you will mentor Dapplepaw. Please pass on all your loyalty and pride to this apprentice."

Fallenoak and Dapplepaw touched noses and moved to the side as Spiritstar turned to Hawkpup, who gave a tiny squeak and lashed his light brown tail in anticipation.

Spiritstar's eyes sparkled with mirth, and she couldn't keep the laughter out of her voice as she said, "Hawkpup, from this day forward, until you have earned your warrior name, you will be known as Hawkpaw."

Someone's tail trailed up Swiftpaw's back, and she turned to see Beechclaw standing next to her. He had a knowing glint in his eyes, and she vaguely wondered why before she heard Spiritstar announce, "Beechclaw, you will mentor Hawkpaw. Please pass on all your skills to this apprentice."

Beechclaw padded up to touch noses with his apprentice, and Swiftpaw cheered along with her clanmates.

Then she raced up to him and demanded, "Why didn't you tell me?!"

"I wanted it to be a surprise." He shrugged, "Besides you were with Hazelpup the entire time. I didn't get a chance to talk to you."

"Oh please," she retorted, shoving him with her shoulder, "You still could have told me! Hazelpup would've liked to know too."

Beechclaw nudged her back, his eyes alight with laughter before they darkened and he asked seriously, "How is she?"

Swiftpaw adverted her eyes quickly and murmured, "She's still here. That's about all that's certain."

Beechclaw opened his mouth to say something, but Swiftpaw cut him off, "I've got to go."

And she left him to watch sadly as she blindly sped away. Letting her paws guide her, Swiftpaw looked up, slightly surprised, as she entered the elders' den. Ravenwing looked up from a sparrow and smiled slightly as she came in.

"What do you need Swiftpaw?" Ravenwing asked.

Swiftpaw glanced nervously at Fleetwhisker as he growled softly in his sleep. Ravenwing caught the action and seemed to understand.

She glanced at the sky and said airily, "I feel like stretching my legs before bed. Care to join me?"

Swiftpaw nodded gratefully and padded out through the camp with Ravenwing at her side. They walked a little way away from camp and settled in a small clearing. Swiftpaw stalled, not really wanting to actually say what she'd come to say.

After what felt like an eternity, Ravenwing spoke slowly, "Its Hazelpup isn't it?"

Swiftpaw nodded miserably and confessed, "I'm scared Ravenwing. She trusts me so completely, but I can't bring myself to tell her the truth!" her voice rose slightly in pitch and finally broke, "She asked me-she asked me if she'd still have her ceremony, and I said yes! And she believed me! What if she doesn't survive Ravenwing? What if she dies and I lied to her?"

Swiftpaw was pacing frantically, and she turned, hanging her head, "What then?"

It was silent for a moment before Ravenwing rumbled, "We all die eventually, if you think about it."

Swiftpaw's head snapped up, and she looked, actually looked, at Ravenwing for the first time in a long time. Ravenwing's head was inclined towards Silverpelt and her eye held a glint of star shine in it. She was bathed in moonlight, which enhanced the many streaks of gray on her face and muzzle, causing her coat to appear an eerie silver.

She continued, "Whether it's in battle, or from sickness, or something else, we all die. Some are just sooner than others. They're lucky. They never have to feel the pain of losing the ones they love."

She dipped her head, eye closed, and they sat in stunned silence.

Finally, Ravenwing opened her eye and said, "It's getting late. They'll be worried about us back at camp."

Swiftpaw jumped and agreed quickly. They were nearing the ravine when Ravenwing suddenly broke down in a harsh fit of coughing.

"Ravenwing," Swiftpaw yelped, alarmed, "Not you too!"

When she recovered, Ravenwing soother, her voice raspy, "Shh, I'm fine. It's just a cough. Now get some sleep, you're worrying far too much."

Unable to argue, Swiftpaw hesitantly made her way to the apprentices' den. As she curled up in her nest, however, she couldn't help picturing Hazelpup, young and weak, and Ravenwing, much older but still just as vulnerable.

A/N- Anyway, I didn't realize just how evil I was being until about two days ago when I realized I still hadn't told you who was sick. Sorry about that. Also sorry for any grammar/spelling/mistakes in general. I'm leaving for Washington, D.C. at 5 a.m. tomorrow, and I wanted to get this up first, so I wouldn't leave you hanging for yet another week. I'll try to get another chapter written and updated next weekend, but we have this giant scrapbook assignment that might take all weekend to do. Scratch that, it probably will take all weekend. Anyway, I realize that I deserve any yelling you want to do, but please R&R nonetheless.