Chapter Two:
New-leaf had come early, the warm weather melting away the last of the snow and replacing it with rain. The sun had rose, and the cats in the hollow were stirring. Outside the hollow two cats were fully awake; although, one of them was none too pleased to be out walking this early.
"I still don't see why we have to talk now," complained Jayfeather. "My paws are soaked." Last night's rain had left the grass damp.
Dovewing flicked her tail in annoyance, and slowed to a halt. She swiveled her ears, making sure that no cat was near. Jayfeather stopped a tail-length behind her.
"I wanted to talk about Ivypool," began Dovewing. Here we go again, thought Jayfeather. "There's still something wrong with her. Are you sure that there's no herb that can help her?"
"I told you last time," and the time before that, "that no herb can help her."
"Do you think you could use your powers and—"
"Do what exactly? I told you: she needs to fight this one by herself."
"But after all she did for us!" protested Dovewing.
Jayfeather sighed exasperatedly. Worry and concern flooded out from Dovewing. But what Ivypool needed wasn't a medicine cat, or even a caring sister. What Ivypool needed was to find herself. And Jayfeather knew this because he himself was in the process of finding a new purpose.
The prophecy had taken up so much of their time and energy, and now that it was fulfilled, a sense of emptiness filled the void. Lionblaze filled the void with Cinderheart, and now his unborn kits. He also spent time rekindling his relationship with Leafpool, Squirrelflight, and Bramblestar. Warrior duties also occupied his time, and the efforts to become as normal of a warrior as he could get.
Dovewing also found love to fill the void; love, that is, with Bumblestripe. And Briarlight did have a point – it felt like the whole clan was waiting for Dovewing to announce that she was carrying Bumblestripe's kits.
And as for Jayfeather … well, even though the prophecy had been fulfilled, there were numerous other secrets hidden among the stars. And he was spending his sweet time discovering them – much to Yellowfang's horror.
But as for Ivypool … she had none of those things. Since her early apprenticeship she was focusing on becoming a better warrior than her sister. Then she became a spy in the Dark Forest. Then she fought brilliantly in the Great Battle. But now all of that was over. She gave away so much of herself to things that no longer exist that now she felt like there wasn't much of her left. Jayfeather dithered about whether to tell Dovewing what really was ailing Ivypool: depression.
"I think the best thing you can do for your sister is just be there for her. Don't forget about her, or the things that she's done."
"Like I'd ever forget about Ivypool!" exclaimed Dovewing. Jayfeather gave a slow nod. I'll see what I can do… he though privately.
Back in camp, Squirrelflight was organizing patrols. When Jayfeather and Dovewing came through the tunnel, Squirrelflight beckoned Dovewing with her tail. She mewed a hasty good-bye to Jayfeather and padded over. Jayfeather continued on over to the nursery.
Before he even put one paw in the nursery, the smell of milk and warmness hit him. Taking a deep breath, he padded into the den.
"Hello, Jayfeather," greeted Brightheart. She was trying to give Amberkit a bath while Dewkit and Snowkit played with some moss near her belly. "I'm just about to take these three out in the clearing."
Jayfeather gave a small purr. "They're nearly too big for the nursery." Brightheart nodded.
"They're certainly too big to play that rough with smaller kits around," commented Icecloud, nudging her sleeping kits closer to her belly as Snowkit rolled passed.
Jayfeather looked over to Blossomfall and saw that she and her two kits were still asleep. He briefly thought how she managed to get a wink with all these kits under paw. In the far corner Cinderheart blinked sleepily up at Jayfeather. Just a quarter moon after moving into the nursery and she was already having the effects of pregnancy that Leafpool listed earlier.
"How's Ryekit?" he asked Icecloud, bending down and taking a light sniff.
"He seems better … Leafpool said he'd be alright for now… " trailed off Icecloud.
Well, if Leafpool said he's alright, thought Jayfeather sourly. "I still smell a slight infection, but it's better than yesterday," he announced. Icecloud nodded gratefully. Ryekit, the smallest of Icecloud's litter, had a cold that seemed to perpetually get better and get worse. The kit's cold stumped Jayfeather and Leafpool. It didn't spread to the other kits, so they decided that Ryekit best stay with his mother where he could get the best warmth and care. He bowed his head to the queens and took his leave.
Outside the den he took a sense of where everyone was. There he is. Jayfeather padded up the High Ledge to Bramblestar's den. The new leader was grooming himself for the start of the day. When Jayfeather appeared, Bramblestar looked up.
"Yes? What is it?" he asked.
Jayfeather took a step into the den and sat down.
"Who are you sending on the patrol to explore the new territory?" asked Jayfeather bluntly. Surprise rippled from Bramblestar's pelt.
"Why do you ask?" he mewed.
Jayfeather twitched his ears. "Who are you sending?" he repeated.
Bramblestar sighed. "Sometimes getting information out of you is like getting information from a mouse." He paused. "I'm leading it. And we decided to take warriors who have a variety of skills and can keep a calm attitude during troubling situations. Brackenfur, Lionblaze, Dovewing, and Hazeltail will participate."
"Not Ivypool?"
"Ivypool? Why Ivypool?"
Jayfeather shrugged, aware that Dovewing might be listening in on their conversation. "I think she would be a valuable asset to the patrol."
Bramblestar looked at Jayfeather intensely. "… why are you so keen on Ivypool going?"
Jayfeather tilted his head to one side, thinking of how to get Bramblestar to agree to add Ivypool to the patrol without saying too much.
"I think Ivypool … would benefit the patrol because she might benefit from it," he mewed vaguely. Bramblestar gave him a blank stare. "Medicine cat stuff," Jayfeather added on.
A few moments pause, and then Bramblestar agreed: "Alright. I don't see the harm in it." And Bramblestar didn't press him. Jayfeather bowed his head in thanks. There you go, Dovewing.
While all of that was occurring, Thornclaw was in the Medicine cat's den with Leafpool. His shoulder was wrenched as ever, and it wasn't improving, but that was not why he was there.
"I don't know if I should get involved," mewed Leafpool with remorse.
Thornclaw closed his eyes. "I thought you would understand."
"I do understand, Thornclaw. I do," replied Leafpool. "I just think you need to work out things with Blossomfall yourself. You have a claim to your kits too."
"It's like I no longer exist," he mewed sadly.
Leafpool brushed her tail against his flank.
"It's not your fault."
"If only we hadn't joined the Dark Forest, then … then maybe things would have been different."
Both of them heard paw steps entering the den, and the two cats stopped talking. Jayfeather stood awkwardly at the entrance, clearly aware that he walked in on a private conversation.
"Well," said Leafpool hastily. "I'll send over some herbs for that pain later, alright?"
Thornclaw nodded. "Thank you." And he limped out of the den.
Jayfeather turned his head after the golden brown cat, and he focused his senses on Thornclaw's. There was pain, emotional pain. Worry. Anxiety. A touch of loneliness. And a strong stream of longing … but not for Blossomfall, for –
"Jayfeather?" Leafpool interrupted his thoughts.
Jayfeather sighed inwardly. It was like Leafpool knew what he was trying to do, and purposefully tried to stop him.
"Yes?"
"I checked on Ryekit. He seems on the mend."
"No," contradicted Jayfeather. "He still has an infection. I smelled it."
"Really?" her chest fell. "Then I guess we better give him more herbs. I feel like I'm at my wits end here trying to figure out what's wrong with him."
Jayfeather murmured something incoherent in agreement.
Around mid-day, shortly before the evening patrol would leave, Bramblestar yowled for all the cats to gather for a meeting. Jayfeather, Leafpool, and Briarlight padded out from the Medicine Cat's den; the warriors sat in a disorderly half-circle around the High Ledge; the apprentices, Seedpaw and Lilypaw, sat next to their mentors, Toadstep and Rosepetal; Brightheart immerged from the Nursery with Blossomfall, Icecloud, and Cinderheart next to her; a few kit ears and tails could be seen poking out from the brambles around the nursery; the elders joined the ranks of the warriors; and Squirrelflight sat dignified at the foot of the High Ledge.
"At dawn tomorrow, we will send our first patrol to explore the new territory that lies beyond our borders. I will lead the patrol myself. Squirrelflight will remain in camp. And with me I will take Lionblaze, Brackenfur, Dovewing, Foxleap, and Ivypool."
Murmurs of agreement, and yowls of surprise and disappointment filled the hollow. Bramblestar raised his tail for silence. It took a few moments to quiet down.
"I chose these cats based on experience, talent, and manner. This first exploration … we have no idea what lays ahead. All of the warriors I listed were either part of the Great Journey or have traveled to the Tribe of Rushing Water or have traveled elsewhere on a journey outside of the Clans." He nodded to Dovewing, referring to the time of the drought.
"Why can't we go? Wouldn't it be good experience?" Lilypaw muttered to her sister, Seedpaw.
"We're too young!" hushed Seedpaw.
"He obviously chose Lionblaze and Dovewing just because of their special skills," muttered Spiderleg under his breath. Next to him, Mousewhisker nodded in agreement.
"But don't worry. Every cat will have the opportunity to explore the new territory," mewed Bramblestar. There were nods of agreement, but some cats were clearly disappointed about not going. "We will leave tomorrow at dawn. Jayfeather, make sure to have traveling herbs prepared." Below, Jayfeather nodded his head. Bramblestar waved his tail in dismissal, and the cats dispersed.
Jayfeather began to walk over to Lionblaze, but was rudely cut off by Lilypaw who was bounding over to her father, Brackenfur. Seedpaw trotted after her, murmuring an apology to a hissing Jayfeather as she passed him.
"Brackenfur, I want to go!" pleaded Lilypaw.
Brackenfur gave his daughter a lick of sympathy. "You're too young." At that Lilypaw bristled. A few tail-lengths off, Jayfeather snorted. Ever since Sorreltail died, it seemed the whole clan spoiled Lilypaw and Seedpaw. They seemed to get whatever they wanted just by mewling about it. Seedpaw is alright, Jayfeather supposed, but that Lilypaw is already a burr in my pelt. And she's just going to get worse as she gets older.
He continued padding over to Lionblaze. Cinderheart was now with him, nuzzling her muzzle against his in congratulations. Dovewing, Ivypool, Bumblestripe, and Foxleap were a tail-length away.
"I'm so excited that we can go together this time," mewed Dovewing happily.
"Yeah, me too," replied Ivypool. To his pleasure, Jayfeather sensed a trickle of excitement in the swirl of emptiness inside of Ivypool. Perhaps this might turn Ivypool around. Who knows…
"I can't believe Bramblestar chose me!" said Foxleap in disbelief.
I can't believe he chose you either, thought Jayfeather. The young warrior was impulsive and a bit cocky. But I guess he's loyal and brave…
"You'll be careful, right?" asked Bumblestripe, concern filling his voice.
"Of course, I'll be careful. I'll be fine," said Dovewing, touching noses with Bumblestripe.
Jayfeather stood on the edge of the group, feeling oddly left out. A prickle of uneasiness rippled through him. Paw steps approached behind him, and Leafpool's scent washed over him, her pelt brushing against his.
"Be careful, Lionblaze. And all of you. Don't take an unnecessary risks," Leafpool mewed. All the warriors nodded.
Leafpool drew her tail across Jayfeather's flank, almost as if she was comforting him. It's like she knows what I'm feeling¸ thought Jayfeather angrily. He hated when other cats could sense his emotions. Leafpool turned around and padded back to their den. Jayfeather nodded once to Lionblaze, not saying anything, and followed Leafpool.