Let the search begin

[xradx]

((From: warriorsxnsd.proboards105.com/index.cgi?board=camp&action=display&thread=155&page=1))

Ashpaw bounded into the forest, not bothreing to make sure Flowerpelt and Silverstripe where still following. She lifted her nose to see if she could catch the scent of her denmate, Skitterpaw, but instead all she could smell was a vole. She resisted the tamptation to leap and kill it right then an there. No, she told herself, This isn't a hunting patrol, we have to find Skitterpaw. She turned back to Silverstripe and Flowerpelt, "I don't smell Skitterpaw!" She pushed back the small sense of dread, Skitterpaw had to be out here somewhere, right?

[☆§wìftflame☆]

A warm breeze snaked through the forest, gently ruffling Swiftflame's fiery gold pelt. She lifted her muzzle, breathing in the fresh newleaf air. A feeling of bliss crept over her as the one cloud in the endlessly blue sky drifted far from the sun, leaving Swiftflame in a patch of clear, warm air. The feeling was short-lived however, interrupted by a rustle of paws up ahead and a faint fear-scent. What could be wrong Then, Ashpaw burst into the clearing, looking troubled.

"Ashpaw, what's wrong? Is there anything I can do to help?"

[xradx]

As Ashpaw continued to see what she could smell she heard Swiftflame's concerned query. She turned her bright blue eyes of Swiftflame, "Oh, nothing's wrong, or at least I don't think so. Silverstripe was looking for Skitterpaw but she wasn't in camp so we thought maybe she'd gone for an early hunt by herself." She once more lifted her nose to the air, she smelled cats, but she didn't recognise their scents, only that they were from Ivoryclan. Guiltily she realized that she probably wouldn't recognise Skitterpaw's scent even if it was right under her nose. "Do you smell her?"

[☆§wìftflame☆]

Do you smell her?

Confusion flashed across Swiftflame's face as she wondered why the apprentice could not scent her denmate herself, but obligingly lifted her nose to the air. She had expected to find Skitterpaw's scent floating from camp or nearby in the forest but, to her surprise, not the faintest trace of Skitterpaw's scent could be found.

She must have left camp hours ago... Swiftflame voiced aloud.

At once Swiftflame understood Ashpaw's evident concern. The apprentice had truly vanished without a trace.

"When was the last time you saw her? Did she have a reason to be out of camp?"

[xradx]

Ashpaw's concerned doubled, if not tripled, when she saw that Swiftflame was also worried. She quickly racked her brain, trying to think of the last time she had seen Skitterpaw. "Ummm... I think it was two days ago in camp, no, it was three days. Oh, but I saw her out hunting too sometime..." She hung her head slowly as she realized she had no clue when she had last seen Skitterpaw, "I don't know," she admitted.

Ashpaw couldn't help feeling guilty. What if Skitterpaw had been missing for days and she hadn't noticed? What if she had searched Skitterpaw out so she could've had some idea of where she could have gone? Ashpaw shook her head. It was too late for that, besides, for all she knew Skitterpaw was just out somewhere for an early morning stroll. Relax, she told herself, Relax.

[☆§wìftflame☆]

Swiftflame watched with dismay as the apprentice tried visibly to calm herself down. She was too young to know how seriously this situation should be taken. A bird fluttered if a tree nearby, but Swiftflame took no notice. If Skitterpaw had been injured, or something worse, she had to be rescued as soon as possible, with no distractions. Skittepaw could die if they did not. First, they had to alert Patchstar and Moonwhisker of their discovery, and see if anyone else knew where she could possibly be.

"Okay, we have to bring the news of this back to the clan immediately. Does anyone else know that she's missing? We should send out a search party."

Dread sped up Swiftflame's words, and she could barely conceal her fear scent. She knew she may be jumping to conclusions, but the idea of an apprentice dying because of their ignorance accelerated her decisions even further. Swiftflame's first priority would always be to keep the clan safe, and her instincts were screaming that one of its inhabitants might not be.

[Flower]

Silverstripe and Flowerpelt both strained for the smallest hint of Skitterpaw's scent. There was none. They walked up to Swiftflame and Ashpaw. Silverstripe shrugged. "Nothing. I'll go tell the camp." He turned and walked away, neither waiting for or expecting a reply.
Flowerpelt glanced back at him. Having known him for quite awhile, she had become experienced in reading his inscrutable emotions. "He's more concerned than you might think. Where do you think we should look next?"

[xradx]

Ashpaw tilted her head, trying to figure out where Skitterpaw might have gone. "Maybe she went out to the sands?" she suggested hesitantly. She slowly continued, speaking as she thought, "Yeah, then we wouldn't smell her in the forest. She could be just wondering around there somewhere, perfectly safe." Her eyes sparked as she spoke, there was hope that Skitterpaw was fine. She looked up at the warriors to see what they thought of her idea.

[☆§wìftflame☆]

Swiftflame lifted her ears hesitantly. She wanted so much to believe Ashpaw, and think that Skitterpaw was safe.

"That's a good thought. Let's head down there and see if we can pick up her scent."

Swiftflame lifted her ears, happier at the thought that the apprentice might just have wandered off for a while and fallen asleep in a patch of warm sunlight. Looking at Ashpaw, Swiftflame realized with a touch of admiration how quickly and cleverly Ashpaw had acted with the situation, looking at it from all angles.

"By the way, Ashpaw, looking in the Sands was a very good idea. Your quick thinking may have saved us a lot of pointless searching."

Swiftflame gave the apprentice one last warm look, signaled with her tail for the others to follow, and headed off towards the sands.

[OOC: Whomever replies to this might want to move it to the Sands]

[xradx]

Ashpaw flicked her ears, feeling the smallest bit of hope. She acknowledged Swiftflames praise with a small nod. For a moment she paused to let the sounds and smells of the forest around her, but she quickly brought herself back to reality. This doesn't mean Skitterpaw is safe, just that she could be somewhere else, she reminded herself. Without another hesitation she padded steadily after Swiftflame in the direction of the sands, her hopes raised a little too high.

[OOC:// I think I'll just start a new thread in the sands, unless you prefer to do it youself?]