Leaves and twigs littered the ground in an array of many different colors.
Leaf-fall was arriving, and the forest showed it. Not that Jayfeather could see any of it, but the blind medicine cat could sense it in the air around his den.
His den. He no longer had to share it with Leafpool- his mother, he grudgingly corrected himself –as his sister, the late Hollyleaf, forced her to eat deathberries before running off into a the caves only to die herself.
The gray tabby tom sniffed at the stores of herbs in the den, realizing that he would have to fetch more tansy.
Not having an apprentice, he'd have to do it himself. He padded out into the clearing of ThunderClan camp, and out the entrance.
"Jayfeather?" A tom's voice mewed. "Where are you going?"
Jayfeather recognized the scent of Birchfall, seeing the golden tom in his mind.
"We're running low on tansy…" He murmured.
"Do you need someone to go with you?" Birchfall questioned him, setting his tail on Jayfeather's flank.
"No!" Jayfeather mewed, a sharp edge to his voice. "I'm fine." I'm not helpless!, he added to himself.
Birchfall inclined his head. "Call if you need help. Sol's still out there, somewhere."
Jayfeather twitched his ears to show he heard, and padded off into the forest, kicking up leaves as he went.
Scents surrounded the young tabby tom. Scents of fallen leaves, tansy and other herbs, other cats, and prey.
Locating a bundle of the yellow tansy plants, he nipped off a few of their heads, making sure not to take in any of the healing juices.
Tansy… good for curing coughs, but only take in small doses… He added in his head, sniffing the air.
A new but familiar scent was nearby, and he felt fur on his.
"Spottedleaf!" Jayfeather recognized her scent. "It's been so long since I've seen you.."
"Jayfeather. Now you know who your parents' truly are." She mewed in her sweet voice, warily. "I have an urgent message for you."
Jayfeather was quickly at attention. "What is it?" He mewed, whiskers twitching.
"Watch for the friend who helped you find an enemy."
Jayfeather narrowed his eyes, tail lashing at the already fading StarClan medicine cat.
"What is that supposed to mean!?" He yowled, but Spottedleaf did not answer, nor did she return.
"Huh… Watch for the friend who helped me find an enemy..?" He puzzled over the message. "But what enemy..? And what friend?!"
He bent to pick up his dropped tansy to bring back to the den.
He nudged it in with the rest of his herbs and then padded towards Firestar's den.
"Jayfeather?" The mew came from ThunderClan deputy, Brambleclaw. "You're back from gathering herbs, I see. I... I need to talk to you..."
Jayfeather felt the despair coming off of him in waves. Until recently, Brambleclaw had thought he was Jayfeather's, Hollyleaf's, and Lionblaze's father.
But in her rage, Hollyleaf had announced it to everyone that they were the kits of Leafpool and Crowfeather. They were HalfClan and they're mother was a medicine cat.
Jayfeather shook his head.
"I can't talk right now. I have a message for Firestar."
Brambleclaw looked unsure but padded off. "Maybe later, then…"
Jayfeather walked in to Firestar's den, scenting the ThunderClan leader sitting before him.
"Firestar." He mewed, hoping his leader wasn't sleeping. "Firestar, I have a message from StarClan."
"Oh, yes?" The red-furred tom mewed, jaws stretched open in a yawn. "What is it?" He looked at Jayfeather with kindness in his eyes, but Jayfeather felt his hurt coming off of him, too. Too lose both his kits in one blow, Jayfeather thought, Must be hurting him badly.. Maybe I'll give him some poppy seeds tonight.
"Spottedleaf came to me earlier. She said 'Watch for the friend who helped you find an enemy'. Do you know what she meant?"
Firestar shook his head, his tail lashing.
"I don't know, Jayfeather, but.. I have a feeling we'll know soon."