the art above is by the amazing  the_toastkat !! they inspired me to put this scene in the story!!

Finchkit and Deerkit were punished with a long scolding from Bumblestar, Rowanstep, and Sparrowclaw after the search patrol had left. It was now almost sun-down. The shadows became longer and started to cover most of the camp. Finchkit and Deerkit waited near the fresh-kill pile, hoping that the search patrol would return through the camp entrance with Otterkit. Coalbush, the ThunderClan medicine cat, had stopped by the Nursery earlier to assess Finchkit and Deerkit's injuries. Thankfully, neither of them were badly injured. He prescribed rest and lots of food and water. Finchkit didn't care, all he wanted was for Otterkit to return.

Hours passed and Finchkit sat there with Deerkit in the middle of camp. The sun had finally set, fading the sky into a deep, black color with twinkling stars. Finchkit bowed his head, hoping that one of those stars wasn't Otterkit. Deerkit stared straight ahead, not even blinking. Finchkit could tell that she felt responsible for Otterkit's kitnapping. Finchkit rested his tail on Deerkit's back, offering comfort. His sister leaned into him, breathing softly.

"They'll find her." Finchkit said.

All of Finchkit's memories with Otterkit began to overwhelm his mind, sending him into a spiral of grief and mourning. He couldn't already think that Otterkit was dead. He tried to suppress the feeling, but it slowly overcame him. Finchkit's favorite memory with Otterkit appeared in his mind, he could see it as though it were real and it was all happening all over again:

It was mid-day. Finchkit, Otterkit, and Deerkit had been told by Rowanstep to go spend some time with the elders, Yarrowpool and Sedgepelt. Otterkit had begged Sedgepelt for a story. He agreed. According to the old tom, he had beat ten ShadowClan warriors in battle all by himself. Yarrowpool said it was a heap of fox-dung, but Sedgepelt begged to differ. The old cat sat up and shook out his fur, sending pieces of moss to shower on top of Finchkit. The tom cleared his throat and began his story...

"Now kits, listen close... This tale is so amazing, you might just join StarClan from hearing it."

Finchkit laid down next to Otterkit, feeling her soft fur brush against him. He looked over and saw Deerkit yawning. He remembered that Deerkit thought that any story told by an elder was totally false. Finchkit didn't mind. Otterkit though, she was especially intrigued. As Sedgepelt began his story, Otterkit perked her ears and leaned forward, listening intently to the elder.

"Back in my day, ThunderClan was very low on warriors. It was a tough leaf-bare and many cats died of greencough." Sedgepelt began, a small gleam of excitement shining in his eyes. "I had to go on a dawn patrol-"

Otterkit had cut him off, "Oh! Let me guess... you had to go all by yourself!" She squealed happily. Finchkit burst out laughing, of course she knew what Sedgepelt was going to say. Finchkit believed that to some extent, Otterkit knew everything.

Sedgepelt looked a little flustered that Otterkit had guessed what he was going to say, but he continued anyway. "Precisely Otterkit." Sedgepelt said. "I was going near the ShadowClan border. The clan leader at the time, Lilystar, had warned me of ShadowClan warriors trying to move the borders. Little did I know-"

Otterkit interrupted the elder again. "Oh! Let me guess... ShadowClan didn't lose very many cats from greencough, so they sent a patrol of ten warriors to the ThunderClan border and they ambushed you!"

Finchkit laughed again, harder this time. "Goodness, Otterkit. Let Sedgepelt tell his own story!" Otterkit giggled and Sedgepelt gave Finchkit a look of gratitude. Finchkit had now realized that Deerkit was fast asleep. She was snoring softly on the other side of Otterkit, not paying attention to anything happening around her.

"Thank you, Finchkit." Sedgepelt said with a bitter glance towards Otterkit. "Anyways, yes, you are correct, Otterkit. Ten ShadowClan warriors had surrounded me. Now I'm not the greatest warrior to ever live, but I'm pretty close!" Sedgepelt exclaimed, his fur spiking in excitement of reliving his supposed memory. "Next thing I knew it, I was battling all of them at-"

Otterkit had interrupted the tom yet again, her brilliant blue eyes sparking in defiance, "Oh! Let me guess..."

Finchkit was shaken awake from his dream by Deerkit who had sat up and was now intently watching the camp entrance. His throat welled with grief and he pushed the lump down, not wanting to upset Deerkit. Finchkit followed her gaze and looked towards the gorse tunnel and heard rustling. He unsheathed his claws, but the smell of his own clanmates reassured Finchkit that there was no threat. Only one thought entered his mind at that very moment. Please let Otterkit be with them.

The search patrol started filing out of the tunnel, Brindleclaw first. No Otterkit. Dismay flooded Finchkit's mind. Then followed Crowtail, Whitefeather, and Echofly. Still no Otterkit. Finchkit's hopes were lowered as Larknose, Sorrelsong, and Bramblefall walked into camp. No Otterkit. Finchkit almost passed out. He felt Deerkit gasp, her breathing started to get uneven and shuttery as the patrol walked up to meet Bumblestar who was speaking with Coalbush.

"Come on." Finchkit whispered softly to Deerkit who was now sobbing in grief for her lost sister. "Let's go hear their report."

Deerkit nodded, sucking in her breath and padding over to where the warriors stood with their leader and medicine cat. As the two approached, they could hear Brindleclaw reporting what they had found.

"We had followed Otterkit and Indigo's scent trail all the way to Twolegplace. From there we lost them, but we asked the local rogues if they knew any cat named Indigo. All of them had shook their heads except a tom named Lamp. He said he saw Indigo carry Otterkit along the Thunderpath. We tried picking up their scent again and we found and tracked it for a while, but sadly, it had disappeared in the Thunderpath. We turned back because it was nearing night-fall and we couldn't pick up their scent trail again." Brindleclaw reported to Bumblestar.

The golden tabby shook his head. "We will send another patrol in the morning. We will also alert the other three clans of a missing kit, though I doubt they would know where Otterkit is."

Rowanstep had emerged from the Nursery with Sparrowclaw at her side, resting his tail

over her back to try and comfort her. They sat next to Finchkit and Deerkit, each pulling a kit in tight. Finchkit grumbled a little, but he snuggled into Sparrowclaw's soft belly fur instead of complaining. Finchkit watched Rowanstep raise her head with hopeful eyes. She looked at Bumblestar but he shook his head in dismay. Rowanstep let out a howl of grief and squeezed Deerkit even harder, never wanting to let her kit go again.

"I'm so sorry." Brindleclaw said to Rowanstep and Sparrowclaw. "We followed their scent as far as we could, but eventually there was no hope left and we had to head back."