we know the way [o]

Sunhigh warmth spread through the camp as Wolfstar rested below the tallbranch, picking at a sparrow. Her thoughts distracted her from enjoying the meal or the nice weather, and the sudden voices from the camp entrance made the leader jump, having been too lost in her thoughts to notice.

"Thymelight!" She was relieved to see the medicine cat after... Stars, she had been missing for a bit too long. Hemlockfox too. Getting to her paws, Wolfstar trotted over, smiling as Honeydew tackled their returning clanmate to the ground.

"Stars, where have you been, Thyme? Of course you were missed!" The scent of heather reached her nose... Windclan? She would wait to here Thymelight's explanation before drawing conclusions, though. "Are you alright? You were gone for a minute, there... Hemlockfox too." A pensive frown broke through the relief of seeing at least one of the medicine cats returned to camp.

How long had it been now? Two days... maybe three? A week? The passage of time in Bubblebeam's conception was already frail; it only got worse when she was consumed with worry, like when Ploverpaw had disappeared. Except now this time... it was both Hemlockfox and Thymelight. Both had gone at different times but vanished around the same day. Neither had talked to her beforehand. Fear thrummed in her veins every moment they did not return. What if something bad had happened to them? It couldn't have been what Hemlockfox talked to her about; he wouldn't have gone without her, and Thymelight wouldn't have gone too if that were the case. That was what she told herself, at least. That was what she had to tell herself so she didn't go insane, so she could keep going on patrols without wearing through the skin of her paw pads by pacing back and forth. They'd come back. They'd come back.

And today, it was half-true. A familiar voice echoed into camp. Bubblebeam's ears perked up, and she whipped her head around to see Thymelight--already being tackled by their mutual friend Honeydew and welcomed back by Wolfstar. She was back. She was okay. She even looked unharmed, not even scratched by any kind of strange predator. Relief flooded her for a moment--but before she could smile and walk over, she realized something. Hemlockfox wasn't with her. Her brother hadn't returned. Did that mean... they hadn't left together? Did that mean... he'd left? Had he left without her? The tight grip of anxiety closed fast around her beating heart. Were all his words for nothing? Had she been abandoned... again?

Her throat closed, her muscles tensed, it was all she could do to walk over to Thymelight. She ought to have been happy that her sister was back--and she was! she was happy--but it paled in comparison to the nauseating swell of dread that spread from the pit of her stomach to the very tip of her tail. She gently nosed the medicine cat's shoulder when she got back up. "Thymelight... thank the stars you're safe." And she was relieved; her pale green eyes showed her honesty, but also betrayed the fear that prickled at her veins. "But... wasn't Hemlockfox with you? Or did he leave on his own? Where's our brother?"