(A day ago in ThunderClan camp...)
"Where's Frostpaw?" Hailfall asked. "I wanted to talk to her today but she is not in her nest when I checked it out at dawn."
"Appleshade said that Timberclaw brought her out for early training," Silverstar replied.
"Okay," Hailfall mewed.
As he padded to the freshkill pile, he couldn't push away the nagging thought that his only kit could be in trouble somewhere.
"I bet Frostpaw is hiding somewhere and relaxing right now," Lightningpaw claimed. "While the rest of us work our tails off."
"You mean Blazepaw and I work our tails off," Poolpaw sighed.
"She is hardworking," Blazepaw retorted. "Frostpaw wouldn't do that."
"Why are you so defensive of her?" Lightningpaw sneered. "Mates perhaps?"
"We aren't mates!" Blazepaw hissed. "Stop gossiping and see truths for once!"
Hailfall turned his attention away from the fighting littermates and he saw Timberclaw walking into the camp.
"Where is Frostpaw?" he demanded, his worry made him forgot his manners.
Timberclaw shrugged. "How would I know? I sent her hunting until the sun sets."
"Why didn't you follow her?" Hailfall snapped.
"Frostpaw is capable of taking care of herself," Timberclaw mewed irritably. "Why act like a concerned father when you have not been a good one to her?"
"Shut up!" the deputy snarled. "You never know what it is like to lose a mate and your mother!"
"I may not, but I wouldn't let my feelings affect the Clan," Timberclaw replied calmly, padding away.
"Hailfall," a voice called him.
"What?" he growled, turning to face Webfoot.
"Are there any patrols for me to join?" Webfoot asked.
"Join Lilyflower's hunting patrol," Hailfall mewed, most of his anger fading away. "They are just preparing to leave."
"Thanks!" Webfoot called as he rushed to join the patrol.
Hailfall decided to go hunting instead of spilling his worry over every cat. He could look out for Frostpaw while he is at it.
When he was in the forest, he spotted Emberstorm and Honeyfrost talking with each other.
Hailfall pricked up his ears to listen.
"Emberstorm, I am worried for Frostpaw," Honeyfrost mewed. "Although she is not my kit, I feel like she is my kit."
Hailfall bristled slightly at what she said but didn't interrupt.
"Don't worry," Emberstorm mewed, wrapping his tail around his mate, "I know that Frostpaw would be okay. She is a strong, young cat, and perfectly capable to defend herself."
"What do you mean 'you know'?" Honeyfrost mewed in confusion. "You know where Frostpaw is?"
It took all of Hailfall's willpower not to pounce in between them and demand for answers.
"No," her mate replied. "But I know she is somewhere safe."
"Emberstorm, how do you know this?" Hailfall leaped forward and landed in between them, his voice close to a snarl. "What do you have to do with this?"
Emberstorm blinked. "Hailfall," he mewed slowly, "I know you are worried, but... you need to out those feelings away for the sake of the Clan-"
"Sake of the Clan?" Hailfall snarled before Emberstorm could finish speaking. "Do you think I have not been a good deputy? I have worked harder than you have ever been. You ran away from the Clan to see your kittypet kin. You only came back at the end of the battle that killed my littermate! You are just a coward, what right do you have to lecture me?"
Honeyfrost shot Emberstorm a warning look as he mewed calmly, "You ask me what right do I have? I am a warrior, more experienced than you in every way. I took the risk to go to ThunderClan as a kit, although confused and afraid. Yet you let fear and grief to take over your life. You could have been a greater deputy. But you couldn't stand the fact that your closest kin around you disappear from your life. I lost my parents too, I never had any littermates. You have changed."
Hailfall was on the verge of pouncing onto Emberstorm. "I never changed," he growled. "I can force you out of here if I wanted to. Apologise now."
"Why should I apologise?" he mewed icily.
Hailfall's eyes flared with rage and he pounced onto the older warrior.
"Stop!" Honeyfrost yowled. "Stop fighting!"
Suddenly, a huge white shape leaped near the fighting pair and batted Hailfall off Emberstorm.
"Dog!" Hailfall growled.
The dog ignored him and turned to Emberstorm, who have a look of recognition in his face.
They stared at each other for a while and the dog quickly left.
"Hailfall," Emberstorm turned to him. "You are sick." He took a deep breath.
"Very sick."