***********Patchfur's POV***********

"WHERE ARE MY KITS?!" A shrill voice shouts in terror, breaking the HunterClan cats out of the reverie of the ceremony.

Patchfur turned his gaze from where he had narrowed it upon the new deputy (he got bad vibes from Vultureclaw though he wasn't entirely sure why) and looked to where the source of the noise had come from. The panicked voice turned out to be Dapplefur, her calico fur fluffed up to its fullest height, green eyes wide in terror.

Cries of concern rose from the crowd, along with many confused shouts in reply. Leaving the other cats to ponder the situation out, Patchfur darted over to where the distressed queen was. He didn't have to look to know that Arrowpaw was moving alongside him.

Upon arriving at the queens side Patchfur noticed two things: 1) that kits were indeed not in the Nursery fast asleep and 2) that there was an abnormal hole inside the back of the den. Caught on the briars that had patched that part of the wall was some kit fluff alongside dark tabby fur. He also picked out silver white fur sticking among the clumps too.

Arrowpaw looked at the damaged Nursery, his blue eyes wide with worry before turning to Patchfur. The black and ginger tom didn't need to read the apprentice's mind to know what he was thinking and just who he thought the perpetrators might be.

Mudwhisker and Marshfang had alluded all too much to what their true purpose had been in attacking HunterClan the other day. Worry for the kits roiled in his gut at the thought of what brutes like them might do to young kits.

Blossomstar, Vultureclaw and Dawnpaw also hurried over. Since no one else joined them he figured the clan leader must have dismissed the crowd for the night. However, Patchfur was surprised that Lilyspots was no where to be found among the new cats joining them.

"Dapplefur, what happened?" He asked in a gentle voice. He'd prefer not to traumatize the already stressed out queen, but they needed answers fast. The tortoiseshell she-cat sunk her claws into the earth to steady herself, forcing her fur to lay flat before answering.

"I thought I heard Lilyspots voice coming from the Nursery, Stripekit had a bellyache earlier and she said she would check on it again this evening. When I came over to check, Lilyspots wasn't here and the kits were gone." She shuddered in fear.

Patchfur felt a wave of sympathy for the she-cat. While he had never had kits of his own he understood how terrifying it was when you thought you lost them. He faintly reminded himself of a time not that long ago (at least by his standards) of a frightened kit with gray fur with brown speckles along his back, brown eyes wide with loneliness and loss. He sighed at the memory, that cat was not a lost child in need of guidance anymore but he would always consider him his son.

Patchfur and the others took in her words with careful comprehension. A puzzle was starting to spot into piece in his mind but he still needed more information. Wordlessly, Blossomstar gestured for Arrowpaw, Patchfur and Vultureclaw to follow her as she carefully picked her way between the new opening in the Nursery walls leaving Dawnpaw behind to comfort Dapplefur who seemed to shaken to move.

Patchfur was a bit surprised to see Arrowpaw sticking closely to his side as the four cats followed a scent trial that led out of camp. The black tom seemed to be sticking to his side for comfort just as much as he was to stay away from Vultureclaw who padded along behind him.

I wonder why he's so on edge...it must have to do with Vultureclaw. I guess I'll just have to ask him later. Resigned to later questioning the unusually flighty apprentice, Patchfur continue to follow behind Blossomstar who was leading the group of four.

The group came to a halt right near the border with FangClan, the Thunderpath just a few tail lengths away. Patchfur cringed at what they found. There lay Lilyspots body, covered in bloody wounds originating in the gashes along her throat and back legs. In one of her claws, dark tabby fur was splayed, moving gently with the wind. Judging by the scent trail that went towards the Thunderpath, it was clear now what had happened. Lilyspots had fought to save the kits...and lost her life as a result.

******Arrowpaw's POV/Time Skip*****

Unsurprisingly, every cat was shocked to hear the news of Lilyspots's death. No one more so then Featherflight, who had been the healer's mentor many seasons ago. The anguished expression he bore on his face said it all.

Medicine cats have never been allowed to mate (to his knowledge) and so the same ran true for the tabby tom. Lilyspots hadn't just been Featherflight's apprentice, no. The she-cat had also been the closest thing to a daughter he had ever had too.

The only cats who might've come close to that sorrow the old tom bore were Blossomstar and Dawnpaw. Both were understandable. Blossomstar and Lilyspots had been close friends for a very long time, the pair working together swimmingly to ensure HunterClan's happiness. As for Dawnpaw, the pale she-cat had found a great teacher in the white and silver she-cat as well as someone who would've been a life long friend. Now she had lost both. Arrowpaw wished he could ease their pain.

Reasonably, Blossomstar had Lilyspots's body brought back to camp as soon as they had found it lying in the dirt near the Thunderpath. She'd been concerned that if they left it beside the black path for a patrol to retrieve, the Twolegs might do something to it. That made sense to him, to this day he was pretty certain he'd never understand the almost furless animals, or 'people' as Clary kept calling them.

What hadn't been so reasonable was Blossomstar's insistence on carrying the body back by herself. Patchfur, Arrowpaw and even Vultureclaw had said they'd help her. Their leader had refused however, her response being that this was something she needed to do for her friend. He guessed he couldn't argue with that.

StarClan forbid, but if anything ever happened to his siblings...I'd want to do the same for them. He supposed The only real concerns he had pertaining to the situation were his leader's injuries. Blossomstar had lost a life in the battle with the rats not that long ago so he was unsure if now was the best time for her to be proving her strength, regardless of the reasoning. He'd relented though when he saw the fiery determination in his mentor's amber eyes.

Patchfur and Arrowpaw had followed the stubborn she-cat as she bore the dead weight of her friend alone. Vultureclaw had took the lead to assure that there were no FangClan warriors nearby. Now that the news had been announced, the clan was angrily murmuring amongst themselves. Arrrowpaw could hear many murmurs about wanting to strike against FangClan, a huge part of himself sympathizing with them.

The vampires had been responsible for so many bad events recently: Dustcloud and Lilyspots deaths and now the missing kits. As the old saying went however mercy is better then revenge. Plus, in this instance the apprentice knew there had to be more to the story. Sure, several FangClan warriors had seemed happy to attack their neighbors, but not all of them had been so willing to fight.

Also, only Venomstar seemed to have such a bloodlust to kill a cat, he shuddered at the thought of Dustcloud's prone body. In the moonlight, Arrowpaw could see his brother and some other cats clustered around the fluffy tom's body for tonight's vigil. Lilyspots body, having been prepared by the elders (all except for Featherflight, who had been to depressed to want any part of it) laid a few tail lengths away from the dead deputy.

A few white flowers were woven through her silver white fur, a crown of white flowers adorning her head. It gave the she-cat an ethereal sort of look, like she was from a different world entirely. Dustcloud had similar white flowers interwoven into his fur, a slightly bigger crown of flowers on his head then the one of the Medicine cat, proportionate to their size. Arrowpaw was saddened to see the age old Shadowhunter tradition having the be put into use.

In HunterClan, cats who died would be cleaned before having white flowers woven into their fur. Then there would be a vigil, during which the cats who were close to the deceased would sit with the body or bodies of the dead that night. The next day there would be a burial, the remains of the bodies to be overseen by the sacred order of Silent Brothers and Iron Sisters.

These cats were a special order, they were disconnected from the Shadowhunters but would always show up when someone had died. It was thanks to them that HunterClan cats were able to have weapons when fighting their enemies, as well as a safe place to retreat to when disaster struck among other things.

Their homes were the Silent Forest and Adamant Plains respectively, places that very few were allowed to ever see except for on certain occasions (such as Parabatai ceremonies). In HunterClan, only the oldest of cats were allowed to interact with them. As the Silent Brothers and Iron Sisters were immortal, it took a special type of temperament to be able to interact with them properly.

Seeing Goldenpaw now beside his mentor and Dawnpaw beside hers, Arrowpaw was reminded that he needed to join them along with the rest of his family in vigil. Badgerstripe, Silvermoon and Nightpaw were already curled around Dustcloud. He was thankful that his sister was kind enough to leave a spot next to Goldenpaw to lay down at. He was about to head over when he heard a voice calling out his name. Turning, he saw Blossomstar beckoning him toward her from the entrance of her den. Reluctant to leave his family, he cast one last glance back at them before following Blossomstar into her den.

The leader's den looked the same as it did the last time the apprentice had been in there. Her nest was still neatly made at the highest point of the den, a few quail feathers poking out, a new addition he believed. The small pool of water reflected the stars gathering out in the night sky, casting a glittery sort of light on the walls. Oddly enough, the many many runes on the walls seemed to faintly glow.

I wonder if that's normal at night? Or maybe it's just because a storm is on the way. The clouds had been darkening in the sky before he came into the den, the air growing moist to promise incoming rain. He decided to ask about the glowing runes some other time.

He sat down across from his mentor as she sat herself on top of a small stone slab in the den, a stepping stone of sorts to her nest that was on the highest slab. Arrowpaw reflected that this was likely a solution to the height difference the two cats now had. Over the past few moons, he had been shooting up quite a bit in height. He was now at least half a head taller then the light brown tabby. Judging by the occasional twinges in his paws, he was still growing.

At first he wondered if the clan leader would be annoyed that her apprentice was now taller then her. Blossomstar took the news in stride though. Instead of seeing it as an annoyance, she saw it as a challenge, finding new ways to be eye level with him again. Such was the case now, the tabby she-cat's amber eyes were able to meet his without having to look up. When the pair were situated, the leader began slowly as if to ease into whatever she needed to say.

"I'm sure you're wondering why I asked you here." Her tabby tail swished behind her, an anxious habit of hers. Arrowpaw inclined his head before bowing it respectfully, not wanting to seem rude.

"The thought did cross my mind, what with the vigils and all. Since it's you, I'm sure it's really important." It was so easy to confess to such beliefs when you wholeheartedly believed in them.

Blossomstar gave a hint of a smile, as if amused by her apprentice in general before her expression dropped. Seriousness returned rather quickly, the remnants of the smile being chased away. Arrowpaw felt dread running rampant through him now, whatever news his mentor had to share, it could not be good.

"You have assumed correctly. As you know, Dapplefur's kits have been stolen. FangClan is no doubt the perpetrator, but the kits are not the only things that have gone missing."

Arrowpaw's concern skyrocketed. Is another cat missing? I didn't notice anyone gone, but then again I wasn't exactly paying attention.

The only cat he could recall not seeing recently was Starkpelt, but he was sure that was only because the tom was upset. Lilyspots had been his sister, Dustcloud his brother, losing them must've been tragic. Arrowpaw knew that if he lost either of his litter mates he would feel an insurmountable loss. He prayed to StarClan that he wouldn't lose either of his reckless siblings any time soon.

Arrowpaw was about to voice his concerns when Blossomstar stopped him with a paw to his muzzle. He knew from experience that it was a personal gesture on her part for him to remain silent. He gave a small nod to show he understood, gesturing for her to continue.

"It must've happened after we left camp in search of Dapplefur's kits. When I came back to my den, the Mortal Moss was missing." His eyes widened in shock at that. The Mortal Moss is missing?! After all we went through in order to retrieve it. Who would do such a thing??

Anger flooded through him. The Mortal Moss was a well-known, sacred Shadowhunter object. It would be near impossible for whoever took it to not know the meaning. Also, judging from Blossomstar's description, it was likely a cat in camp who stole it.

His claws unsheathed, a growl threatening to take over his body. Blossomstar didn't seem undeterred his reaction. Instead, she remained impassive as she continued.

"Unlike the missing kits, I'm not sure who the culprit is as of yet. However, there is one possible suspect so far."

Arrowpaw's eyes narrowed at that. He wondered which cat was under suspicion. At his silence, Blossomstar continued.

"Vultureclaw reported seeing Patchfur leave camp soon after we returned with Lilyspots's body. Apparently he looked like he was trying to avoid attention from how he slunk out of here through the Dirt Place tunnel." The she-cat spoke with an almost clinical tone now.

He supposed that was the only way Blossomstar knew how to deal with mentioning her dead friend without being torn apart. He wished he could offer his mentor some comfort, but he had no idea how. Despite the recent deaths, Arrowpaw still hadn't felt the depth of true loss like Blossomstar undoubtedly had. It also didn't help that he was floored by his mentor's words. No way, it just can't be him! Patchfur would never...

As much as he'd like to finish that sentence, he understood with a sinking feeling that he couldn't. For as much as Arrowpaw liked Patchfur, he didn't know the tom all that well as of yet. It certainly didn't help that the older tom seemed to have some parts of his past he'd rather not discuss early in their relationship/friendship (Arrowpaw wasn't 100% certain what to label them).

He didn't mind waiting until Patchfur was ready to talk about the darker parts of his history, but he realized that if his leader's suspicions were correct he might not get the chance to. Please StarClan, let Patchfur be innocent. He didn't know what he'd do if he found out Patchfur was indeed responsible. His gut told him it wasn't true though, and he knew that he trusted his gut.

"Are you sure Patchfur is the only suspect? What reason would he have for taking such a precious object?" He couldn't help but ask.

Another reason to doubt became clear to him. Vultureclaw made the report, and I don't trust him. He's proven that he's a terrible cat already.

He decided not to mention this to Blossomstar though. There was a time and place to reveal the new deputy's treachery, but it was not now. He needed proof before he went to his leader with the news. Besides, he wasn't sure how she'd react in the wake of two of her friends' deaths. Blossomstar sighed at his response, it seemed like she expected this response from him.

"As far as I know, Patchfur is the only cat that left camp. As for why he might have done it, well, Patchfur is a warlock. The Shadowhunters were not successful in protecting the Mortal Instruments once before, he likely just wants to protect them. If the instruments fall into the wrong paws, it could mean extreme danger, especially for the Downworlders."

Arrowpaw nodded at that, understanding why his clan leader believed the former MagicClan cat might be responsible. Another thought occurred to him. Why is she telling me this? I'm just an apprentice after all. He looked self consciously down at his paws, scuffing them in the darkened sand before meeting his leader's amber gaze.

"Why...why are you telling me this though? Surely telling a senior warrior or even one of the younger warriors would be more useful." He didn't like admitting it, but he knew it was true. Blossomstar titled her head thoughtfully.

"I suppose it's because I trust you. Lots of cats will not react kindly to the suspicions of Patchfur taking the Mortal Moss. You however, have reacted calmly to the situation, doing your best to not allow emotions to cloud your judgement." She seemed pleased about that. He felt his fur warm at his mentor's praise.

"It's because of all that, along with your relationship with Patchfur that I am giving you a secret mission. Many cats will want to search for those who are missing, but with the incoming storm, I will hold search parties off until it subsides. Meanwhile, I want you and a small party of cats, only those you trust to go search for Patchfur. Find him, and if you can, bring him home. StarClan knows what might happen if the search parties get to him first." She told him firmly.

At a loss for words, all Arrowpaw could do was nod in agreement, fierce determination alighting his blue eyes. He would find Patchfur, before it was too late, of that he was certain. I'm coming Patchfur! After a few more words were exchanged, mostly about where Patchfur might go, Arrowpaw was headed out of the Leader's den, off to find his so totally secret crush.

********************

A/N: Hey guys! So lots of stuff happened this chapter. Poor Lilyspots! And more is to come. We're headed towards the climax of the book, so stay tuned. Also I'm pretty certain Iron Sisters aren't immortal in the books, but for this they are for reasons that will be explained later. For the plans I have for them, it made more sense for them to be immortal too. This makes them the only cats that are technically immortal....save for a few exceptions that might happen later on. Let me know what y'all think in the comments.