"Shadefur isn't in his den!" a call echos across camp. Blossomstar leaps down from the rock, scanning the sandy area. Her thoughts now occupied with finding the medicine cat, she tries to recall where she saw him last.

"I think he went out to collect cobwebs!" another unidentifiable cat shouts out. Blossomstar hissed to herself. That could be any where. Blossomstar cleared her throat, about ready to call out orders, when she was rudely interrupted. Amberfall, the deputy, was yelling directions for the warriors. 

"Pinefall, Blackpaw, Sunspot, Snowtail, Pinesap, head towards the ThunderClan border, by the thunderpath," the orange tabby meows. "Thornpelt, Shrewtail, Leafclaw, Turtlepaw, and Rainpaw-- you'll go to the WindClan border. We need to find Shadefur as fast as we can, so move!" 

Blossomstar flattens her ears as cats mill about, exchanging quick words and then squeezing through the camp entrance. Sand was kicked into the air, spreading due to the wind.

As the deputy watched the ShadowClan cats hurry to find the missing medicine cat, Blossomstar stepped next to him. "I did not appreciate that," her words were venom.

Amberfall widened his eyes, gazing in her direction. "Huh? I'm deputy. I am supposed to organize patrols."

Blossomstar kept herself from cuffing him over the ear. She let out a shaky breath. "Just, go with one of the patrols, okay?"

The tomcat opened his mouth to argue, wanting to tell her that it's too late, but the gray leader gave him a dark, cold look. He lowered his head, ears flattened, and ran out the camp.

Blossomstar padded to the nursery. The black she-cat inside was shaking, her tail flicking wildly. Her mouth was open, and she was panting. "Blossomstar...." she coughed weakly.

The leader crouched down, nuzzling the queen. "They're finding the medicine cat right now. You'll be fine," she purrs. A yowl came from outside of the den.

Leafclaw, a tan tabby tom, bursted into the nursery, startling the birthing queen aswell as the gray she-cat next to her.

"Blossomstar," Leafclaw began, gasping for breath. "S-Shadefur... he was hit by a monster."