Siiigh. I feel bad neglecting this story. Oh, well, at least I'm done with such a busy month! Thanks for your patience!

Chapter Nine: Jaypaw

Leafpool awoke early from her nap, pawing away dried-up berries that needed to be discarded. She so longed for a chance to go outside of the camp, but it was the middle of leaf-bare and Whitewing already had a mild case of greencough.

"Jaypaw?" Leafpool called out softly, prodding her apprentice awake with a gentle paw. With a snort, Jaypaw sat up immediately. The bright light of sun-high shone into his eyes.

"Yes?"

With a quick glance at the pile of herbs nearby, she meowed, "I need you to fetch me some more catmint. I'm afraid we're down to the last few leaves, and Whitewing is barely recovered."

Shaking himself, he nodded. "This means I'll have to go through WindClan territory?"

Leafpool paused and stopped to think. She supposed there would be more catmint over there than the abandoned Twolegplace on their territory. "I suppose so, Jaypaw," she sighed. "Can you manage?"

Jaypaw held his head high. "Of course!" Immediately he sprinted outside the medicine den and out the camp entrance.

"May StarClan go with you!" Leafpool yelled out after him.

---o-o-o---

Crowfeather sat a few tail-lengths away from the ThunderClan border.

"It's the middle of leaf-bare," he murmured to himself. "Leafpool must need catmint or something."

In a sense, he was correct, and instantly a fresh ThunderClan scent reached his nose. The scent smelled of herbs, and a little hope glimmered inside of him that it was the ThunderClan medicine cat.

But Jaypaw appeared, Leafpool's apprentice, and it looked like he smelled Crowfeather too.

"What are you doing here?" he asked curiously.

Crowfeather ducked his head. "Just hunting," he lied. Jaypaw looked as though he believed him, but then he shook his head.

"You're waiting for Leafpool, aren't you?" Jaypaw meowed suspiciously. Crowfeather was taken aback.

"Uhmm…no," he lied again.

Jaypaw sighed. "Don't lie. I know it when I see it." He paused. "I mean, when I sense it. You still love Leafpool, don't you?"

Without waiting for an answer, Jaypaw carefully crossed the borderline and stood before Crowfeather. "Walk with me," Jaypaw commanded him. "I need catmint."

Crowfeather obliged, still silently amazed that an apprentice could sense that he was lying.

"You know," Jaypaw continued, "I've also seen this happen with my brother."

"Lionpaw?"

"Yes. He likes your apprentice, you know."

"Heatherpaw?"

"Of course."

This time, it was Crowfeather who sighed. "Yes, I know. After that battle with the dogs… it was tough to separate them, because I know what it feels like."

Jaypaw nodded. "And you don't what Heatherpaw to feel the same way," he finished wisely. The two cats had been talking so earnestly and walking so quickly that now they had reached WindClan's border.

Suddenly a strong scent tinged both of the tom's noses. "Catmint!" yowled Jaypaw delightedly, digging furiously, still leaving some root so the plant can grow again.

Jaws crammed with the stuff, he flicked his tail to signal that he was ready to go back. Crowfeather padded up with a mouse in his jaws. "Eat some with me," he meowed invitingly.

Eyes bright with gratitude, Jaypaw instantly dropped the bundle he was carrying and crouched down beside the WindClan warrior. "Thanks," he breathed, before taking a large bite out of the mouse. Before they knew it, the mouse was gone.

Crowfeather picked up some of the catmint and flicked his ears, and Jaypaw followed him with the rest of the catmint in his jaws. They had made good time; it was barely the beginning of sundown. Because of the catmint crammed into their mouths, the return journey was spent in silence. Two good things, though, had come out of their journey: Plenty of catmint for ThunderClan, and a bond between the two cats. Sooner or later,they would overcome their obstacles. To Crowfeather, it was his love for Leafpool. To Jaypaw, it was his brother's love for a non-ThunderClan she-cat.

In the musky sunlight, they could see that up ahead lay the WindClan border with ThunderClan…

---o-o-o---

End of Chapter 9

---o-o-o---

:) I finished it! Finally, a new chapter!

Hmm… will Crowfeather go back to the ThunderClan camp and meet face-to-face with Leafpool?

I've got LOADS of time on my hands now, so expect a new chapter sometime soon! Yay!