I didn't have a ton of motivation to sit down and write this behemoth of a chapter, but it came out eventually. This is where it starts to get fun... well actually it's the next chapter where I expect to turn the story on its head. :D
Big thanks to everyone who has followed and/or favorited my story. I really appreciate it moving forward.
Mistlion Mhmm.
Espiritduchat I don't have an editor but after I finish a chapter, I leave it alone, then spell-check it the next night, then post it up on the site the morning after that just to try and catch all the mistakes I possibly can. I have MUCH more JayxBriar fluff planned for the near future.
Guest I need to get better at metaphors. It's an aspect of my writing that I am aware I lack in, so thanks for noticing when I put down a zinger. Jayjay a medicine cat? hmm... (insert witty metaphor here)
She couldn't have prayed to StarClan for a better day to have the meeting between the Tribe and the Pack. Briarlight sat contently at the ledge by the waterfall, watching the mountains light up beneath the warm newleaf sun below. Even though the season had come late in the mountains, the flowers were budding along the edges of the river and dark greens were sprouting from the unforgiving earth. Yellows, blues, and pinks stretched as far as she could see. Off in the distance she thought she could see the twinkling of the Clans' lake among the tiny trees. I just hope the other cats can appreciate this gift the day has given us while they are settling their disputes.
She let her mind wander out across the rocks, thinking about her mate nestled somewhere in a cave far away. Was he having any luck with the Pack? Yesterday, Lark had volunteered to travel across the border to check on the Pack and discuss when and where the meeting would take place. According to her, the Pack seemed friendly enough- friendlier than she had expected- and Jayfeather was still with them. Briarlight had felt relieved knowing her mate was still with the Pack. Neither of them had known how Flora would react to the truce but perhaps everything would work out after all.
And once we are together again, we can discuss what to do next. Briarlight thought it would be amazing if the two of them adopted the life of rogues and searched for new lands and cats far away- far from the rules and traditions of the Clans. When she first left ThunderClan, she had been a little worried that she might never see her friends and family again. But now all of her doubts were gone. ThunderClan would be fine without her but she could never have been fine if she had stayed. Her destiny was to be curled up with Jayfeather in a warm nest.
She let out a little sigh, impatient for Stoneteller to lead them all out of the cave to confront the Pack. It was almost sun-high so it would happen soon. Three days was way to long to be apart from Jayfeather.
"You still thinking about him, pretty thing?"
Briarlight turned her head to the voice. Sol was standing a few paces away, his shoulders hunched and his yellow eyes glowing dimly in the shadows. He looked exhausted- like a cat who had been running away all his life. He no longer looked like that evil creature who had come to the lake to destroy the Clans, but instead, like a heartbroken cat tortured by his past. After he had explained to her what had happened- in SkyClan- she couldn't help but feel pity. He had only wanted to be a part of a Clan, to feel like he belonged. But after making a terrible mistake, he had been exiled, betrayed by those he had trusted.
Sol padded over to sit beside her, his long lanky body making the trip in just a few strides. "You are lucky to have another cat in your life who understands you as well as that medicine cat does," he muttered, not attempting to hide the envy in his voice. "There was a time while I was living with SkyClan that I thought... never mind."
Sadness overwhelmed Briarlight as the older tom let out a weary sigh. She didn't know why she felt sorry for a cat who had done so many evil things, but she couldn't help it. The Sol who had waged war against the clans was gone and all that was left was an enormous amount of guilt.
"I know there is nothing I can do to repair the damage I did to the Clans," he meowed, wrapping his tortoiseshell tail around his white paws. "I just hope one day, you and Jayfeather can forgive me for what I have done."
Briarlight rested her tail on the tom's shoulder. "I'm sure he'll understand after you tell him your story," she meowed soothingly. "Or at least he won't be as mad at you. You kind of did try to make the Clans destroy each other."
Sol let out a small halfhearted chuckle. "That I did."
Briarlight expected him to say more, but the rogue remained silent, choosing not to discuss what he would say to Jayfeather when they next met. She shook her head. He would always be a mystery to her no matter how much she knew.
They sat together by the cliff's edge, pondering the day, but it wasn't long before a loud call echoed through the cave. Briarlight's ears pricked eagerly as she recognized Stoneteller's meow. It was happening!
"All prey-hunters, cave-guards, and any guests who wish to join, meet me by the cave entrance!"
Briarlight stood up and turned around as the Tribe cats approached her spot by the cliff's edge. Cats emerged from the shadows, dozens of them, their eyes gleaming as they stepped into the light. She waved her tail in greeting to Lark and Cash who was padding side-by-side. The two younger cats raced over when they spotted her.
"I can't wait to see Jayjay again!" Cash chirped happily. He had been talking about it for two days. He had to be the second most excited cat in the cave to meet the Pack- after Briarlight of course. "Hopefully I'll have time to convince him to join the Tribe this time. If the Tribe and Pack declare war upon each other I don't think I'll be able to fight him."
Briarlight was suddenly reminded again of Hawkfrost and how he had been destroyed by his half-brother Bramblestar in the battle against the Dark Forest. She prayed today wouldn't be anything like that terrible day.
"If a fight did break out, you wouldn't have to fight him," Lark assured him, nudging her muzzle into his shoulder. "You wouldn't have to fight anybody cause you aren't a true Tribe cat. You are just our guest."
"How does one convert to being a Tribe cat?" Cash asked curiously.
Briarlight stared at the young tom with surprise. Even Lark seemed caught off guard and for a moment she was lost for words.
"I- uh, I guess you just tell Stoneteller you want to join," Lark stammered, the surprise quickly changing to joy in her face. "You would make an awesome Tribe cat! You could be a cave guard like me!"
Briarlight stayed quiet, her whiskers twitching. She was happy for them and she didn't want to interrupt their moment- even if it meant Cash wouldn't be joining her and Jayfeather on their journey once they left the mountains. Brook had been right; Lark and Cash would be great together.
Sol stood up, clearly not interested in their conversation. "Good luck, Briarlight," he breathed quietly into her ear, padding past her to stalk somewhere deeper in the cave.
"Aren't you coming with us?" she quickly asked before he disappeared into the darkness. "You could help us make a lasting peace between the Pack and Tribe. You could show everyone that you've changed."
The tortoiseshell tom stopped, his ears pricking, but then he shook his head. "No. It is best if I stay here. But do tread carefully over the next few moons. You really will need all the luck you can get."
Briarlight tipped her head to one side, bewildered. Did Sol know something she didn't? She was tempted to chase after his disappearing tail and demand all the answers, but the Tribe cats were gathering and her view of the tortoiseshell was blocked. She would figure out what he had meant when she got back from the meeting on the border.
"Tribe of Rushing Water and guests!"
She looked around. Stoneteller was standing a few pawsteps away at the cliff's edge. Brook and Storm had found places to sit by either of his sides. Briarlight was reminded that in Tribe tradition, the Stoneteller rarely left the main cave. Only under special circumstances was he permitted to leave. The Tribe would make sure no harm came to him on his escapade.
"As you all know by know, the Pack has agreed to meet the Tribe on the border to discuss our relations." He sneered the word 'Pack' as if he refused to acknowledge Flora's cats as a legitimate group worthy of discussion. "Of course I suspect Flora won't agree to the terms I will propose so be ready for a battle. One way or another, the Pack will not be a threat to our way of life after today. I am prepared to give the order to attack and take no prisoners if Flora chooses not to submit."
Briarlight felt dismay well up in her chest. It didn't sound like Stoneteller had any interest in make a lasting peace but would rather arbitrarily dictate the Pack's fate. And after so many moons of Tribe cats suffering at the paws of the Pack, she sympathized with him. But she also trusted Jayfeather would convince Flora to be agreeable- or at least to try and compromise with whatever the Tribe's decision might be.
"Only Bird, Cloud, and Night and her kits will be remaining here in the cave. The rest of you, stay on your guard." Stoneteller let out a low growl as if he were already imagining a battle with the Pack. "Our enemies are expecting us." He signaled with his tail for his cats to follow and began the careful trek down the cliff's edge.
Briarlight waited for the Tribe cats to go first, watching each one as they passed her spot. She could see the fear, determination, and even fury in some of their eyes as they mentally prepared themselves to face the Pack. No cat spoke a word. It was as if they already knew they would be fighting to the death. She shivered. Our only chance for peace is if Jayfeather has worked miracles on his end, she thought to herself. But it would only takes one angry cat for everything to go up in smoke. So much can go wrong today.
()_()
The mood that hung in the air felt like heavy thunderclouds, dense with lightning ready to fire out at the slightest touch. It was the day of reckoning and every Pack cat was preparing for the meeting with the Tribe. Jayfeather nervously clenched and relaxed his claws where he sat, tracking Flora and the others as they paced through the cave. He wished he could speak with the Pack leader alone, but every time he took a step towards her, Boulder would be there, glaring at him with heated fury.
"He looks mad," observed Jayjay who sat a tail-length away. His gaze was also locked on the bristling Pack cat. "I haven't ever seen that look on Boulder's face before."
Jayfeather nodded in agreement, not shifting his gaze. Jayjay and his friend Asphalt had been keeping him company all morning. Between the three of them they had prepared enough traveling herbs for every cat who would accept them. It was already sun-high and the discussed meeting time with the Tribe had been planned for between sun-high and sun-down. He had ventured out earlier and he had been happy to feel the newleaf breeze ripple through his fur as warmth returned to the mountains. Unfortunately, there wouldn't be much time to celebrate it.
"Boulder would happily give his life for his beliefs," meowed Asphalt quietly so only Jayfeather and Jayjay could hear. "But I personally would rather see the Pack move in a more peaceful direction at this point. The only reason I fight the Tribe is because I'm told to."
With a small sigh, Jayfeather retracted his claws and lowered his head. "Flora is the leader, not Boulder. If he wants to stop me, he'll have to get past Flora first". He narrowed his eyes, keeping them lowered. There wasn't much time left and he needed to know Flora wouldn't try to fight when she met Stoneteller at the border. He took a deep breath and stood up.
Flora hadn't noticed him since she was busy talking with Nettle and some of the other hunters near the front of the cave, but Boulder growled as soon as Jayfeather got to his paws.
Asphalt and Jayjay quickly took positions by either side of the former medicine cat and he was grateful. Their support gave him courage. Jayfeather knew he couldn't give up now- not when he was so close to making peace. He strutted down the center of the cave, chin high and eyes defiant. I'm going to change the Pack's purpose today.
In one swift movement, Boulder was growling a whisker-length away from Jayfeather's face. "Where do you think you are going?"
Jayfeather's confident steps faltered for a moment. Boulder was younger than he was, but he was also much larger. "I need to speak with Flora," Jayfeather growled coldly, refusing to let this oaf intimidate him."You can't stop me."
"But can't I?"
Jayfeather gasped as pain sprang across his face and he reeled backwards. Boulder had delivered a powerful blow across his muzzle with claws unsheathed. On either side of him, Asphalt and Cash gasped in shock.
"How dare you scratch our guest!" Asphalt snarled. "He's done nothing but help us since he got here. Show some appreciation!"
"Only weak cats need help from others," Boulder growled, his attention switching to the she-cat. "The Pack is all about watching out for your own tail and nothing else. That is why we will always be stronger than the Tribe. There's nothing you three can do to change my mind. Especially not some tiny blind forest cat."
Jayfeather felt the blood on his face with his paw, feeling the deep grooves in his muzzle where the flesh was torn. It didn't sound like Flora or the other Pack cats had noticed Boulder's attack but Jayfeather wasn't about to beg for help. Instead of giving up, the pain only filled him with hot rage. He wasn't a soft medicine cat anymore cowering behind his Clanmates. He had fought a fox and a swam of rats since becoming a rogue. Boulder didn't scare him. And if the Pack cat didn't want to listen to reason, Jayfeather would speak to him with claws instead.
With a shriek, Jayfeather lunged towards Boulder who was still looking at Asphalt. The Pack cat was so caught off guard that he didn't have time to dodge or defend himself. Jayfeather dug his claws deep into fur until he could feel the warm flesh beneath. With all his might, he raked his claws down Boulder's sides, feeling blood drip onto his paws.
The Pack cat yelped with surprise and caught Jayfeather with a hard blow to his ear. But the pain only made Jayfeather angrier. In response, he sank his teeth deep into Boulder's forepaw.
Boulder flailed, trying to scratch and kick Jayfeather away, but the blind cat held on, using his own claws to trade scratch for scratch. If he hadn't been so thin and hungry, Boulder probably would have been much stronger, but Jayfeather could feel his every rib and the thrill of the fight compelled him to fight harder. I'm more than just a tiny blind forest cat!
"Enough! What is going on here?"
Jayfeather released his grip and kicked himself away from Boulder at Flora's furious command. He stumbled a bit, his head spinning with exhilaration. He tried to steady his rapid breathing and stood up straight. His pelt burned like fire from where Boulder had scratched him but it wasn't anything too serious.
Flora's shock electrified the air around her as she stepped between Jayfeather and a snarling Boulder who was still glaring at him. The other Pack cats watched on with interest. They stared with a newfound respect at the blind cat who had taken on the toughest cat in the Pack.
There was a moment of tense silence as every cat searched for words to describe what had just unfolded.
"Explain, Jayfeather," Flora ordered, her voice low and calm as her eyes pierced his pelt.
Jayfeather stared in her direction, his pounding heart gentling back to a normal beat. "I was just walking over to talk with you when Boulder attacked me." He lifted his paw and wiped some of the blood from his muzzle where Boulder had cut him. "If you want to know why, you should ask him."
"Is this true, Boulder?" Flora growled, turning her attention onto her Packmate. "Did you strike him first?"
The other Pack cat seethed furiously but he adopted a respectful tone as he addressed his leader. "I did. But he's trying to destroy our cats' way of life. If this meeting at the border turns out to not be a trap, which I think it is, then he and that rat, Stoneteller, will force us to become exactly like the Tribe. I won't let some Clan cat ruin us!"
At his words, a few nearby Pack cats grunted in agreement, clearly not willing to submit to the Tribe. But to Jayfeather's pleasure, plenty of other cats seemed divided, muttering in dissent as if the idea of adopting some Tribe traditions might not be such a bad thing. They were tired of living without protection from the cold and hunger.
Flora took a deep breath and it was obvious to Jayfeather she was trying not to let her frustration slip out. "I want what's best for the Pack, just like you, but I can't keep letting kits and young hunters freeze or starve in front of me. Change needs to happen."
"They were weak," Boulder meowed dismissively. "If they were worthy of being a Pack cat, they would have fought harder to survive."
Flora let out a low growl, but to Jayfeather's surprise, she suddenly turned to him. "You don't need to hear this. Go tend to your wounds. Thank you for everything you have done for us."
Jayfeather opened his mouth to protest, but then suddenly realized what she meant. She wasn't sending him away because she was mad, but because she felt like she needed to handle the Pack's problems herself. "Okay. Boulder, I can like at your scratches too, if you'd like," he offered.
Not to his surprise, the large Pack cat just growled at him. "Not in your lifetime. And the next time you get in my way, I'll rip you apart."
He shrugged. He wasn't afraid. Boulder had tried to bully him into submission, but he had only proven that Jayfeather could look after himself. He flicked his tail at Jayjay who was still staring in awe, and padded towards the back of the cave where his remaining herbs were piled. Asphalt trailed behind them too, her gaze pricking Jayfeather's pelt with admiration.
"That- was- amazing!" Jayjay whispered into Jayfeather's ear as they walked together. The young tom's purr thrummed with excitement as if he had just witnessed the coolest thing to ever happen in his life. "When Boulder clawed you- I mean- I never thought you would attack- it was way cooler than when you fought off that pack of rats."
Jayfeather purred in amusement, feeling the damage to his pelt with each step. It had been mouse-brained to attack Boulder, but at the same time, the satisfaction he felt outweighed the pain. "He's used to getting what he wants and scaring off cats who disagree with him. The only reason I was able to scratch him was because it was the last thing he expected."
"And you scratched him good!" Jayjay cheered. "He's going to feel those injuries for a moon- you shredded him!"
They made it to the back of the cave and Jayfeather reached for a stem of a plant he had scavenged earlier that day. It wasn't goldenrod but it carried a similar scent. He hoped it could also help with his wounds. Most of the bleeding had already stopped but there was still a risk of infection. "I wish I hadn't had to scratch him," he meowed, slicing up the stalk. "But change can be scary. Sometimes you have to be forceful or nothing gets done."
"Well said," meowed Asphalt, her words lathered with firm approval. "I'm so used to being told what to do by Boulder. He may not be the leader of the Pack, but many cats look up to him because he's fierce, proud, and loud. Even Flora sometimes doesn't get in his way because he's so popular and-"
"And what?" Jayjay asked as the she-cat suddenly trailed off.
Jayfeather was chewing the herb up into a paste but his ears were still pricked, listening intently.
The Pack cat suddenly lowered her voice as if worried some other cats might hear. "Because he might try to kill her and make himself the new leader if he doesn't agree with what she's doing."
"Woah, are you serious?"
Jayfeather stopped chewing, shocked by the new information. He had suspected it before, but if what Asphalt said was true, he would need to rethink his plans. What was the point of reforming the Pack if Boulder just led an uprising to ruin all the hard work he and Flora had made. Boulder had to be dealt with immediately before the Pack met with the Tribe on the border. There isn't much time. I need to make a move right now. Without hesitation, he spat out the poultice he had been chewing and headed back in the direction of the cats gathered closer to the front of the cave.
"Jayfeather, what are you doing?" Jayjay asked, hurrying to pad by his side. Asphalt followed too, wearing her confusion on her pelt.
A new plan was already formulating in his mind as he hastily approached the other Pack cats who were preparing to leave. He just needed to show Boulder that the Pack as a whole wanted to change and it wasn't just Flora. Maybe then the Pack would have a chance at peace. "Can I get everyone's attention please!"
All eyes turned to him. Flora had been gathering her cats at the mouth of the cave but she stopped. "What do you want now, Jayfeather? It was your idea after all to meet with the Tribe on the border. That's what we were about to do."
"I know," he meowed, keeping his tone steady. "But I realized it isn't completely fair for me to decide what the Pack does. Your cats need to decide for themselves."
"Jayfeather, what do you think you're doing?" hissed Jayjay urgently standing behind him. "I thought you wanted this!"
But Jayfeather just raised his tail for everyone to listen. "Flora, please trust me when I say this is the best way."
The Pack leader stood frozen in the cave entrance, her suspicious eyes boring into his pelt, but he willed her to go along with him. After a moment of hesitation she finally meowed, "Sure. I trust you aren't going to waste our time for no important reason. Though we're already late for the meeting at the border."
Jayfeather breathed a silent thanks to StarClan as the rest of the Pack cats gathered around him expectantly. "It is an important reason. Believe me."
"Go on then," Flora meowed coolly. "I am eager to hear the newest idea you have concocted."
Jayfeather dipped his head respectful to her and then let his blind gaze flicker between each cat in turn as he spoke. "It has come to my attention that not every cat here is as interested as I am in making peace with the Tribe. And why would you?" he continued, making sure he was loud enough for all to hear. "The Tribe has always been your enemy since the first day you stepped into the mountains. This is why I feel an agreement needs to be made between all of the Pack cats when it comes to your future."
Murmurs rose up around him as the Pack cats processed what he was saying. He could hear some of the senior hunters grumbling in approval while some of the younger cats, like Asphalt and Gravel seemed unsure. But the only cat Jayfeather needed to know was paying attention was Boulder, who grunted in agreement as he stared at him.
Jayfeather found a patch of sand in the floor and with a paw, he dragged a long and deep line through it until it stretched for a couple of fox lengths. "There are plenty of pebbles all over the cave. I want each cat to find one and bring it here. Once you each have a rock of your own, I'll give further instructions."
The Pack cats around him were giving him curious looks but they obeyed, spreading out in search for pebbles along the sides of the cave walls. This wasn't the first time he had tried this since he remembered seeing the ancient mountain cats do a similar thing. It seemed fitting that present-day mountain cats would do the same. The plan is risky and I hope it pays off. Otherwise I will have made things even worse than before.
It wasn't long before the Pack cats were back, each baring a stone of a different size with them. They watched him expectantly, wondering what they could possibly need a pebble for. Even Boulder himself seemed more intrigued than hostile as he rolled his large rock across the cave floor with his paw.
"Now that you each have a pebble, I can explain what is going to happen." Jayfeather took a step back, leaving plenty of space around the line he had carved into the cave floor earlier. It was late in the day so he figured it had to be very dark in the cave by now. "One at a time, you will each bring your pebble forward and place it on one side of this line or the other." He gestured with his paw. "If you place your stone on one side, it means you agree with me and Flora that the Pack needs to compromise with the Tribe and change its ways. If you place your stone on the other side of the line, it means you don't want the Pack to change and you are willing to fight the Tribe on the border instead of talk to them to preserve the way of the Pack."
There was whispering, but it didn't take long for the Pack to figure out what he was trying to do. A few cats let out small gasps of surprise but it was only a matter of moments before Jayfeather heard pawsteps approaching. Boulder stepped forward first, pushing past the others as he rolled his large stone towards the line in the sand. Without hesitation, he shoved the rock onto one side of the line and turned around to glare at the other cats, daring them to place theirs on the opposite side. Then he padded to the edge of the cave wall and found a spot where he could watch in silence.
Flora padded forward next, nudging her pebble towards Jayfeather with her muzzle. Her eyes pricked his pelt for a steely moment before she pushed her stone to the side of the line across from Boulder's. Her tail whisked through the air as she turned and padded proudly to the opposite side of the cave. Even though she didn't speak, Jayfeather could feel every tense muscle in her body as she contemplated what would happen if Boulder's side won.
Jayfeather had a sinking feeling that if things didn't work out like he hoped, he might have inadvertently forced Flora to step down as leader. Boulder would surely feel emboldened if his side won and he might challenge her.
After some nervous hesitation, more cats began to pad forward, bringing their pebbles with them. A couple of older toms Jayfeather didn't know rolled their stones next to Boulder's while Petal, Asphalt, and Gravel placed theirs beside their leader's. Each of the younger cats glared at him as they past, their eyes burning with betrayal. It was clear they wished he hadn't provoked Boulder into thinking he could win over the Pack.
Two she-cats padded forward next. They each glanced in Boulder's direction fearfully before placing their stones beside his before hurrying along. Jayfeather had worried some cats might side with Boulder out of fear, but he still felt most of the Pack were desperate enough to consider his proposition that they could make peace with the Tribe.
Then two more cats added their stones to Boulder's side and Jayfeather's heart plummeted. It was still too early to tell which side would win but he feared the worst.
Nettle was next. The young she-cat rolled her pebble to the line so it rested between the two sides. Then she turned around to face her Packmates. "I haven't always agreed with Flora's decisions," she began, her words calm but loud enough for all to hear. "But I'm not blind to the fact that each snow-season brings more death. I haven't had kits yet but I hope that when I do, they will be looked after by cats who aren't ashamed to eat a little less to ensure my kits get to see flowers bloom after the snow melts. Fighting for the sake of fighting can not be what the Pack strives for if we wish to survive. That is why I side with my mother on this decision."
A couple murmurs of agreement rippled between the Pack cats who hadn't placed their stones yet as Nettle nudged her pebble to Flora's side. To Jayfeather's relieved surprise, most of the next few cats all placed their pebbles among Flora and Nettle's. Even Boulder's threatening hiss of disapproval wasn't enough to change their minds and they confidently found places to stand at the edge of the cave.
Thank Starclan. Jayfeather waited in silence as more cats padded forward with their pebbles. He had a flashback to the vision he had had so many moons ago. He could still remember Half Moon's white fur, standing close by as the cats who would one day become the Tribe of Rushing Water cast their stones. Should they stay by the lake or venture into the mountains in search of a new life? He, Jaypaw at the time, had been the tie-breaking decider and of course, he had voted to leave the lake.
Replicating the casting of the stones made sense now since Boulder would feel like he had a say in the matter, while the rest of the Pack would have courage if he suddenly tried to take over. Every Pack cat would know who they could count on so it would be much more difficult for Boulder to push them around to get what he wanted. It worked perfectly to accomplish what Jayfeather needed to see happen.
"You don't get a vote!" Boulder suddenly growled when Jayjay tried to nudge a pebble forward.
Fury lit in the young tom's throat at being reprimanded but he didn't object as he stalked away to stand beside Asphalt and Gravel. "I hope Jayfeather claws you up again," he growled under his breath. He spoke softly so only his two Pack companions and Jayfeather could hear.
Jayfeather purred, unable to hide his amusement at Jayjay's pluck. He had been keeping a general count of where cats were casting their stones so he was confident he didn't need Jayjay's pebble to swing the decision. Though if Boulder does try to pull any dirty tricks I might just be inclined to claw him again. At this point, I know most of the Pack would back me up.
The last cat to place their pebble was an aged tom who sided with Flora, and once he stepped back to join the others, Jayfeather moved in. Silently, he felt his paw over each stone one at a time. It wasn't even a close decision- after Nettle's short speech, almost every cat had voted in favor of Flora. He raised his head proudly. "The Pack has chosen peace instead of war!"
There was silence at first, but then a hesitant cheer rose up from one of the younger Pack in the back. Then the cheer escalated into a roar as more cats joined in, chanting their leader's name as if it had been a great battle of tooth and claw and she had vanquished her opponent. "Flora! Flora! Flora!"
Jayfeather's heart soared as he felt the atmosphere of the cave change as fear gave way to hope. He knew it wasn't easy for the Pack- they had been a violent group of cats used to pushing their way through problems by sheer force. But if everything went well on the border, they might just become another Tribe living in the mountains. Just imagine it. Two mountain Tribes!
But of course, one cat wasn't happy with the casting of the stones' outcome. Boulder was glaring venom at him, furious but also suspicious as if Jayfeather had done some sort of trick to get the Pack cats to take Flora's side.
"If you don't believe me, you can count for yourself," Jayfeather purred at him, relishing Boulder's hatred as if it were a warm patch of sunlight to curl up in. "After all, my eyesight isn't very good."
Boulder just snarled in frustration but he didn't respond, stalking towards the rear of the cave to be by himself as the other cheering Pack cats settled down into a celebratory rabble.
Jayfeather was proud with what he had accomplished and he joined Flora as she reorganized her cats by the cave entrance. Though things were finally looking up for the Pack, he also knew there would always be more problems to come. Life always brought hardships along with the blessings but he hoped for once there was nothing dark looming in the immediate future.
I'm proud to say this is my largest chapter I've written yet. There were three chapters at 4k words and one chapter, chapter 12, which is 5.3k words. But this chapter is over 6k! It was initially going to be even bigger, maybe 9k words, but I decided to separate the third part into its own chapter.