"Breaking the Code" by 1230james
[Chapter 5]
6 moons have passed since Jayfeather had that talk with Halfpaw.
Branchpaw and Bitterpaw walked into camp after some battle training. The two padded towards the fresh-kill pile, but then they stopped and saw Jayfeather and Halfpaw working to check all of the herbs in the medicine cat den.
Branchpaw nudged Bitterpaw, "Hey, look." He pointed towards the medicine cat den with his tail, "Don't you think the two look great together?"
Bitterpaw shifted her paws, "Maybe," she looked up, "but isn't it against the warrior code for medicine cats to have mates?"
Branchpaw shrugged, "I guess, but if that restriction wasn't there, the two would look great together." I feel bad for Halfpaw. Too bad she can't have a mate now that she's Jayfeather's apprentice. Speaking of which, who would my mate be?
Branchpaw looked at Bitterpaw, who was gazing at him. She could tell what Branchpaw was thinking about. Branchpaw felt his fur grow hot, "Uh... hi there?"
Bitterpaw smirked, "Oh, I know what you're thinking. You're thinking about your future mate, aren't you?"
Branchpaw turned away, his fur growing hotter, "N-no..."
Bitterpaw batted Branchpaw's right ear, "Aww, come on. Admit it. You have a crush on somebody here."
"Never!" Ugh... if she continues to question me, I'll-
Suddenly, Bramblestar yowled, "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!"
Cats began to gather under the Highledge to hear what Bramblestar had to say. Bramblestar began to speak.
"Cats of ThunderClan, today we have 3 apprentices to become warriors!" Everyone began cheer and look at Branchpaw, Bitterpaw and Mistpaw.
"Branchpaw, Bitterpaw, Mistpaw. Please come forward."
The three apprentices stepped forward.
Bramblestar said, "I, Bramblestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as a warrior in their turn."
"Branchpaw, Bitterpaw and Mistpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your lives?"
The three apprentices replied, "I do."
"Then by the powers of StarClan, I name you-"
All of a sudden, there was a loud CRASH! Everyone turned to look, and saw 3 badgers stumble into the camp. Everyone began to panic frantically.
Bramblestar began to give orders, "Everyone, get the badgers out of here!"
Branchpaw leapt down from the Highledge and raked his claws on a badger. It became enraged, and it turned around and tried to rake its claws on Branchpaw. He ran, but got trapped in a corner. The badger snarled, and was about to kill Branchpaw, when he suddenly heard Bitterpaw yell, "NO!"
Bitterpaw tackled the badger, and raked her claws along the badger's stomach. It became enraged and it ran off. "Think twice before you mess with my best friend!"
Wait, what? Branchpaw thought, Bitterpaw is usually quiet. What was that all about?
Bitterpaw turned around to face Branchpaw, and realized what she just did something abnormal. She gave herself some embarrased licks, "Uh... hi?"
Branchpaw tilted his head in curiosity, "Bitterpaw, are you o-?"
"Fine, just fine! Yeah, I'm fine. Mmhm!" Bitterpaw interrupted.
Okaaaaay then... awkward? Branchpaw looked around, "Alright, let's go help the others!" He and Bitterpaw ran towards medicine cat den.
Jayfeather and Halfpaw were treating Dovewing's wounds in the medicine cat den. "Halfpaw, get me some chervil leaves!" Jayfeather shouted.
"Right away!" Halfpaw ran to the herb store to fetch him the herbs.
Just then, a badger crashed into the medicine cat den and slashed its claws on Jayfeather's pelt. He fell unconscious.
"Jayfeather, no!" Halfpaw wailed. She faced the badger and drove it out of the medicine cat den with Branchpaw and Bitterpaw.
Once the badger was gone, Halfpaw turned to face Jayfeather's unconscious body, and began to gather more herbs. But no matter what she tried, Jayfeather wouldn't get up. Branchpaw faced Halfpaw with sad eyes, "I... I think he's dead."
"NEVER!" Halfpaw snapped, "He CAN'T die! I didn't finish my medicine cat training yet!" Halfpaw looked at Jayfeather's body, "Besides... I... I like him..."
Branchpaw shrugged, "Yeah, I know. We all like him. He's a great cat. He's just grouchy all the time."
"No, no, I... LIKE him..." Halfpaw looked away.
Branchpaw's eyes widened, "Wait, what?! B-but that's against the warrior code!"
Halfpaw snapped, "You think I don't know that?!" Then her eyes widened and she looked away. "S-sorry, I just..." She stared at the two apprentices, "I love him, okay? Don't tell anybody... especially Jayfeather!"
Branchpaw and Bitterpaw exchanged glances, then faced Halfpaw, "Alright, we won't tell anyone."
Halfpaw gave Branchpaw a friendly nudge towards Bitterpaw, "Thanks, and good luck."
Branchpaw titled his head in curiosity, "G-good luck? With what?"
Halfpaw smirked and looked at Bitterpaw, "Oh, nothing."
Branchpaw stared at Halfpaw, "W-what?" He looked at Bitterpaw, then his eyes widened, "Oh, no no no no no no no. S-she's just a friend!"
Bitterpaw looked away. Halfpaw snickered, "Oh sure, JUST a friend!" Halfpaw turned to face Jayfeather, "...But what about him?"
She checked for a heartbeat. She didn't detect one, so she concluded that he was dead. She stepped back, "H-he's dead..." Branchpaw's and Bitterpaw's jaws dropped. Halfpaw wailed. Then, Bramblestar walked into the den.
"Hey, you three," Bramblestar said, "the badgers are gone. What are you doing in he-?" He saw Halfpaw wailing next to Jayfeather's corpse. "Is he-?"
"Dead? Yes." Halfpaw said between sobs. Bramblestar fell quiet, "Oh... uh, I guess we'll have the elders go bury him tomorrow."
Bramblestar backed out of the medicine cat den, and the others said nothing.
"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Branchpaw, Bitterpaw, Mistpaw, from this moment you will be known as Branchpelt, Bitterfrost and Mistfur. StarClan honors your courage and determination, and we welcome you as full warriors of ThunderClan," Bramblestar boomed.
"Branchpelt! Bitterfrost! Mistfur!" Everyone chanted. The three warriors beamed. They leaped down from the Highledge. Bramblestar raised his tail for silence, then began to speak;
"I also have very unfortunate news. Our medicine cat, Jayfeather, has been killed by a badger." Everyone gasped. "Tomorrow morning, the elders will bury Jayfeather."
"But wait!" Purdy called out, "I'm the only elder here, I'm going to need some help, don't 'cha know?"
Bramblestar looked at Purdy, "Alright then. Branchpelt, Bitterfrost, Halfpaw, you can help Purdy tomorrow. This meeting is now adjourned!" And with that, Bramblestar leapt down from the Highledge.
The next morning, Halfpaw, Branchpelt, Bitterfrost and Purdy dragged Jayfeather's body out of the camp. They laid him next to a small pit.
Branchpelt spoke first, "Jayfeather, you were the best medicine cat ThunderClan could ever have. Even if all you did was ignore us and roll a moss ball back to me and Bitterfrost, you still were a good cat."
Bitterfrost, being the shy cat she was, said nothing.
Halfpaw could barely speak, "Jayfeather, you were the best mentor any cat could have. I just wish I could have learned more from you. I wish you could stay with us."
Purdy spoke last, "I really don't have much to say. All I could tell was that you were the little blind young'un who managed to go to the mountains and back without killing yer'self somehow." He began to push Jayfeather into the pit, and Halfpaw began to wail.
Moments later, his body was buried beneath the soil, and that was that. Branchpelt, Bitterfrost and Purdy headed back to the camp.
Man, I feel sorry for Halfpaw, losing Jayfeather after confessing her love and all that... Branchpelt thought to himself, as the three cats padded back to the camp.
[Author's Notes]
*GASP* Jayfeather is DEAD! -Dun dun DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!-
Come on people, I want more reviews. I literally am getting 1 review per day, and that makes me VERY BORED.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed! And review!
And before you say "Aw man, the story is close to finishing already?" Let me tell you that this is just the beginning! (...of the half-way point?)