Okay, I have a bit of explaining to do. When returning to write the next chapter, I first decided to read through what I had written so far so that I could flow on from there. I was horrified by my writing. Silverkit is a Mary Sue, Jayfeather is OOC, there were typos everywhere and in some cases there wasn't any proper paragraph spacing.
I am so very sorry. Before I continue, I am going to actually fix this story. I'm not even sure what I did the last time I tried editing this because it basically didn't change at all. This time will be different (hopefully). If you see any typos, please do not hesitate to point them out. I am aware that that the whole kind of plot early on is a horrible piece of mousedung and the writing is clichè but I don't have the time to completely re-write the story. I will edit this to the best if my ability, however, and maybe people will find this story half decent.
Jayfeather jerked awake. Bright sunlight filled the medicine cat den. He was surprised by the strong kit-scent coming from his back, where Jayfeather felt four paws digging into his skin. The kit had been prodding him with one tiny paw, but had stopped when Jayfeather woke. He broke into a low growl, suddenly remembering what he had promised to do the previous day. Lionblaze and Cinderheart had insisted on some 'family bonding time', before six-moon-old Silverkit and Flamekit became apprentices. Reluctantly, he had agreed, and it seemed that his niece had not forgotten this.
"Jayfeather, come and play with Flamekit and I!" she mewed excitedly. "We're going to play badger attack." The silver-grey she-kit was practically fizzing with energy.
"Why can't you get Lionblaze or Cinderheart to play with you?" Jayfeather mumbled irritatedly.
"Lionblaze is patrolling and Cinderheart said that you agreed to play with us while she has a rest," Silverkit frowned. "Don't you remember?" Of course I remembered. I just wish that you hadn't.
"Fine," sighed Jayfeather, then sat up after Silverkit had slithered off his back with a soft plop. He followed the kit out of his den and into the main part of camp.
As he stepped into the clearing, Jayfeather scented Briarlight dragging herself towards him from the direction of the elders den. Briarlight had been crippled when a tree fell onto the camp. Now her hind legs were useless, forcing Briarlight to drag herself around with her forepaws. She was still a valued cat of ThunderClan though, and helped in the medicine cat den when she could. By now Briarlight was in front of Jayfeather. The strong scent of herbs came off her pelt in waves, attacking the medicine cat's senses.
"Jayfeather, we're running out of coltsfoot and Purdy's breathing is playing up again," she told him. "Can you go and get some more in case we have to use all that's left?"
Jayfeather perked up slightly. He didn't really want to have to play with the two hyper kits, even if they were his niece and nephew.
"That's fine, but you have to find someone to play with the kits. I was drafted as kit-sitter," Jayfeather drawled.
Just then, Jayfeather heard Silverkit and her brother come scampering up to him. Silverkit suddenly stumbled into Flamekit and they both fell to the ground. Jayfeather winced at the sound of their landing, wondering if they had hurt themselves. Evidently, they hadn't, as the kits didn't stay on the ground for long and picked themselves up almost as soon as they had fallen down.
"Come on, Jayfeather!" urged Flamekit, who was nosing Jayfeather's front left paw. "Let's go play!"
"I can't," the medicine cat repied flatly. "I have some medicine cat stuff to do." Almost in unison, he heard the kits' tiny tails droop onto the ground with a muffled thud.
"But who's going to play with us?" Silverkit wailed.
"I'll go get Dustpelt," Briarlight chirped, dragging herself away. A minute later, she returned with the brown elder in tow. All of a sudden Silverkit and Flamekit were excited again. The kits squealed and leapt onto Dustpelt's back, making the tom stumble.
"Don't worry Jayfeather, I'll keep these two out of trouble," reassured Dustpelt. Jayfeather nodded and turned to pad over to the camp's exit. A hunting patrol had just returned, and laden with prey, from the scent of them. In the small mob Jayfeather scented his brother, Lionblaze. The two littermates greeted each other and went on their way. Within a few moments Jayfeather was through the camp walls and surrounded by the comforting silence of the ThunderClan forest. The forest was cool and shady as Jayfeather headed in the direction of the place where he knew a clump of coltsfoot grew.
Once there the medicine cat lifted his head and parted his jaws to scent the air. Suddenly, within a heartbeat, light flooded into Jayfeather's eyes and he found that he could see. Jayfeather bristled as he looked around at the lush forest, ready to flee if an enemy attacked. The grey tom could normally only see in dreams, so he crouched in anticipation and waited for something to happen.
After a few moments, the green forest dissolved around him and in its place he saw the camp. It was covered in fighting, screeching cats of all different colours and scents. Cats from all four Clans were fighting against ragged, scarred, transparent cats. Panic rose in Jayfeather as he recognised this battle. This was a vision of just part of the biggest battle the Clans had ever fought, against the Dark Forest when they broke through to the Clan world. Brave cats had been lost in that battle from every Clan, even StarClan. A horrible thought struck Jayfeather; are the Dark Forest going to attack again? Without any warning, the Dark Forest cats were on fire. Jayfeather instinctively recoiled. The fire was obviously unnatural, as it was coloured silver. Before Jayfeather's brain could properly process what was happening, darkness swallowed everything and he was blind once more. Something is going to happen to ThunderClan, Jayfeather thought, a sense of foreboding creeping through him, something bad.