As Jayfeather sulked back to his den, Brambleclaw and Ivypool went into a hunter's crouch and began to stalk away, claws unsheathed. As they padded into the brush, tails disappearing, Jayfeather caught the scent of leaves, and dark tunnels carved from an ancient underground river. He stopped immediately. Fallen Leaves! "NOOOO!"
The fur on Jayfeather's spine rose. Fallen Leaves bounded over to the bush where Hollyleaf's still body lay. "Fallen Leaves! Stop, old friend!" Jayfeather flinched back in surprise at the hate, grief, misery and love radiating off of his orange-dappled friend. Fallen whipped his head around with a yowl of misery.
"Our kits!" he screeched. "What will become of our kits? And Holly Leaf! She will never be able to walk the same skies as me!" He threw himself down to crouch over his mate's body. Jayfeather could hear small whimpers coming from his Ancient friend. Fallen Leaves turned slowly to face Jayfeather.
"I loved her, Jay's Wing. Just like how you loved Half Moon…"
Jayfeather's heart skipped a beat, then dropped like a stone in his chest. Half Moon! His heart sang. Why did you leave her?
He shook the thought away as his brain registered what his dappled friend had said. Kits. Kits. KITS! "Kits?" he meowed aloud, his jaw hanging agape. Jayfeather could imagen Fallen Leaves's sad, wide, sapphire eyes glistening with tears. "Yes, old friend. We had kits together. But she is a warrior at heart. But you and I, Jay's Wing, we walk the skies of the Ancients. Or, in your case, you will." Once again, sight was brought suddenly back to him, and Jayfeather realized it was because with Fallen Leaves, he was a different cat. He was Jay's Wing.
Jayfeather followed Fallen Leaves's gaze upward. Ancients descended upon them, making the scent of caves and water falls double and consume him. He tried to recognize all of the cats in sight. Furled Bracken! Dove's Wing! Lion's Roar! Running Horse! Jayfeather stopped. His heart skipped a beat. It can't be! Jayfeather stuttered when he spoke. "Half Moon?"
Yes, my love. I am here. Fallen Leaves gave a joyful yowl. "Broken Shadow!" The black she-cat purred and tears streamed down her face as she weaved around her son. I knew it! She fretted. I knew we shouldn't have left you in the tunnels. I thought you had died...
"No." Fallen Leaves purred. "Not until now, at least." He looked at down his paws, which had begun to shimmer with countless stars. He raised his gaze to his mother. "But what about our kits? They're only about two moons old. Brightkit can protect them, but Swiftkit and Robinkit are weak and small. And for Swiftkit…" He trailed off. "I-I'm not sure she'll live much longer with both Holly's Leaf and I gone."
Half Moon padded over to stand beside Jayfeather, her scent wreathing around him. What poor kits! Oh, Jay's Wing, won't you save them? You are the only one of us still alive. Will you be their adopted father?
I'm sure Fallen Leaves would greatly appreciate it greatly. She nuzzled him, and Jayfeather felt a chill where her face had gone strait though him. Jayfeather nodded. "Fallen Leaves, old friend." He began, "I can find them, if you show me the way. I can raise them in ThunderClan, were they'll be loved by their Clanmates."
Fallen Leaves's eyes brightened and his tail raised. "That would be excellent, Jay's Wing! But would you also help them learn about the Ancients? They must know about their heritage." He was now a full Ancient, extremely transparent and his voice sounding more like the wind.
Jayfeather dipped his head. "Yes. Anything for our Tribe." Fallen Leaves smiled. His mother padded up to him and laid her plumy tail over his shoulder. It is time to join the stars once more. Fallen Leaves nodded slowly. Take-take care of my kits. He dug his muzzle deep into his mate's fur and inhaled the fading scent of rain-swept flowers and sunshine and the forest.
The ginger-and-white tom stood up, and somberly turned his back towards his dead mate. Together, all of the Ancients braced their legs and leapt, soaring into the sky like a flock of beautiful birds. Racing into the sky until the sun blotted out their tiny figures.
Fallen Leaves turned to Jayfeather as the last Ancient still on land. I'm sure you'll find them. Three kits. Either in the tunnel, or right outside. They should be next to the underground river. He took one last regretful glance, then leapt to join his Tribemates.
