Chapter 7
Jayfeather's P.O.V.:
"Here," I meowed, pushing a few leaves of tansy towards Brackenfur. "This should help your cough. If your throat gets any worse, come back and I'll fetch you some honey."
"You should save these for other cats-" His protest was interrupted by a fit of coughs. "-for cats who need them," he finished with a pant.
I rolled my eyes. "Brackenfur, you need them," I retorted. "The last thing I need is for this to turn into green cough. I don't think I'd have enough catnip if it started spreading around the camp." Brackenfur gave another choking cough before I heard his tongue lap against the herbs obediently. I paused for a moment, then went on, "And no warrior duties for you today, either. The best way to heal is to rest."
"But-"
"No," I interrupted firmly. "You're lucky I'm not keeping you in my den for the night." Brackenfur sighed. I could feel the guilt bubbling inside him. I went on more gently, "Every cat wants to help their Clan, but the only way you can help for today is to rest. If this gets worse, it could spread, and you wouldn't want your Clan mates getting sick, would you?"
"You're right, Jayfeather," he meowed. I felt his mind relax a little.
"If it gets any worse, come talk to me," I told him.
"I will," he promised, his voice floating back towards me as he padded out of the medicine cat den.
I began to tidy the floor, sweeping away dust with my tail. My mind began to drift back to the previous night at the Gathering. ShadowClan was still frosty with us, and leaf bare was making the Clan cats hungry and irritable, but that was not what was bothering me. Dovewing was hiding something. I had felt the fear and anxiety that was boiling inside her. She had been so defensive about it, too. I could tell that something was bothering her, something she obviously didn't want me to know about. But what was it?
"Jayfeather," came a voice. I turned my blind eyes towards the sound. "There's something you should know." I blinked in surprise as Dovewing's scent floated towards me. Fear was coming off her in trembling waves. "Is there somewhere private we can talk?"
"Briarlight is visiting with Mousefur," I replied. "Here's as good a place as any."
Dovewing's padded over to me. "The other night at the Gathering," she began in a whisper, "you were right. I was hiding something." She took a deep breath. I waited patiently for her to continue. "You're part of the prophecy, too. We're in this war together. You have a right o know this. You can look," she said at last, "but please, don't be too angry. I know what I did was wrong, but please don't judge me too harshly." I felt as the mental barrier she had placed in her mind began to fall. I gave a nod, and pushed around through her thoughts.
Immediately I was swept away in a world of memory. The moon was shining, and a slightly younger Dovewing was sitting alone in an abandoned Twoleg shelter. Another cat padded in. "There you are," Dovepaw purred. Tigerheart stepped into view.
The setting changed. Dovepaw was sitting in camp, her eyes on her paws. Ivypaw's name was being whispered throughout the Clan. "..can't believe they would do this!" came Ferncloud's furious whisper. "Who would keep an apprentice captive over a few leaves?" Guilt was pulsing from Dovepaw. This is all my fault, Dovepaw was thinking. If I hadn't been with Tigerheart, none of this would have happened.
Again, everything changed. Ivypool and Dovewing were sitting alone in the heart of the territory. The sky was black, and stars dotted the sky. "I'm having kits," came Dovewing's shaking voice.
"Are they…are they his?" came Ivypool's voice.
"Yes, they're Tigerheart's," Dovewing answered. I could feel her terror.
I was suddenly back in the present. I staggered a little from the sudden change of time. "I left him after what happened to Ivypool," she murmured quietly. "But just the other day, I realized something wasn't right. Something was happening inside me." Her voice began to tremble, "I'm so sorry."
I waited for the anger to pulse through me, but it didn't. Instead, hauntingly familiar green eyes flashed through my mind. How could I be mad, when I myself had felt the same way? I had felt the urge to leave the Clans behind, to stay with Half Moon forever and never turn back. I knew how Dovewing was feeling in a way. Her heart had been broken, and she had to leave someone she loved behind. So had I.
I licked her ear sympathetically. A jolt of surprise shook Dovewing. "It's alright," I murmured in an uncharacteristically gentle voice. "Lionblaze and I will help you. You're not alone."
Though I didn't notice at the time, somewhere out in the distance, a cat began to cough.