Ughhh, I can't use the material from the original Jayfeather's Conclusion at all. Everything was still so happy and perfect at this point in the story (minus the giant mountain lion eating a couple cats.) This version is about to get dark, and then get a bit darker some more before it starts to lighten up a bit... and then it gets super duper dark again.

Anywho, Typholius doesn't own Warriors, Erin Hunter does... for now...

Cri Sorry, I am a very slow writer. I think the average time between chapters is a little over 3 weeks. But I write much faster with lots of feedback. Thanks for the sad review!

iloveumbreon123 A lot of stuff is about to happen to the half-brothers Jayjay and Cash.

WarriorsAce55 To the contrary, Jayjay joining the Pack isn't like killing him off- it's the opposite since we're about to see his true colors. I think he's about to be brought to life!

Seaman109 Yup, the plot is about to get super twisty. Big changes are coming to everybody's character-arcs.

Boomboombox Jayfeather is indeed very sassy.

Guest Thanks for the review. I am actually working on two personal writing fiction projects but they won't be seen by anyone for a very long time.

The roaring of so much water crashing down on rocks made Jayfeather deaf to all other sounds. But he was okay with that since he didn't want to listen to anything else right then. Not the Tribe's war banter, his growling belly, or even the troubling thoughts that whirred in his head. In a way the thundering waterfall offered some serenity.

It was the morning after he and his traveling companions had arrived at the Tribe's cave. He lay curled up in a shallow divot of earth by the cave's entrance pretending to still be asleep. He had already formally greeted Stoneteller the previous night but he hadn't gotten around to discussing anything of importance. He would have the pleasure of doing that today instead.

The rainstorm had passed but he feared a different kind of storm was about to begin. The Tribe and the Pack were about to go to war and he had only delayed it for a short time. For there to be lasting peace, he would need to think of something fast.

As he lay there in his dirt nest, he recalled yesterday's events in the rain. The Pack, in their desperation, had invaded the Tribe's land and stolen fresh-kill. The Tribe was going to retaliate by either killing or chasing away every single Pack cat from the mountains. It had been wrong to steal, but did they deserve to be wiped out because of it? Every cat was suffering and there was no clear answer to fixing it all.

Jayfeather let out weary sigh, ruffling the dust around his muzzle. What is a cat to do when he can't look to StarClan anymore for all the answers.

"Oh good, you're finally awake," mewed a cheerful voice nearby, making him jump in surprise. "Now that you are awake, you can speak with Stoneteller. We've all been waiting for quite some time. Your companions are already with him."

Jayfeather gritted his teeth, furious for giving himself away, and stood up. "Who are you?" he asked. The young tom's voice sounded vaguely familiar but it had been so long since Jayfeather had last visited the Tribe that he couldn't know for sure.

"My name is Pine that Clings to Rock," came the cheerful response as the smaller Tribe cat padded closer. "I was just a kit when you appointed us our new Stoneteller, but now I'm a to-be! I never did forget those creepy stare-y eyes."

Jayfeather couldn't stop the meow of laughter from slipping out at Pine's comment. Young cats always seemed to be unnerved by his blind gaze. "Where is Stoneteller now?" he asked, reaching his forelegs out in a much-needed stretch.

"He's in the back with everyone else," Pine chirped, but Jayfeather suddenly realized the cheeriness in his voice wasn't entirely genuine. The to-be was doing his best to appear jolly, but beneath the words there was fear, pain, and anger. The Tribe were a proud group of cats and their hatred for the rogue invaders had been festering beneath the skin for moons. Even cats as young as Pine weren't spared from the evils of war.

Once he was done stretching, Jayfeather held his chin up high and padded down the throat of the giant cave. Tribe cats watched him eagerly as he passed, their gazes hopeful. They think I can fix all of this, but can I? Maybe it really is time for the mountain cats to retake their home. Flora could find another place to live.

Briarlight, Cash, and Sol were already there when Pine lead Jayfeather to a nook of rocky ledges near the back of the cave. If his memory was correct, the Cave of Pointed Stone was just a little bit farther along the wall. Jayfeather could feel Briarlight's proud gaze warm his pelt as he stepped closer. Why is she proud of me? I haven't done anything yet.

"Welcome, Jayfeather. I hope you slept well," came Stoneteller's voice from the elevated rocks where he sat.

Jayfeather dipped his head respectfully to the cat above him. The Teller of the Pointed Stones was both the leader and healer for the Tribe of Rushing Water. The cat's name had formerly been Crag Where Eagles Nest but Jayfeather had made him the new Stoneteller after the old Stoneteller had died without selecting a successor. "I slept fine, thank you," Jayfeather meowed, anxious for the formalities to be out of the way so they could deal with the real issue. "Thank you for allowing me to be the speaker between you and the Pack."

Stoneteller uttered a little sound that could have been a growl or a cough. The Tribe cats gathered around them also muttered words of disapproval. "Pack. What a fitting name for a group of savages," Stoneteller meowed coldly. "I will feel much better once that thorn in our side is removed for good." His tone carried no malice. He wasn't proud that the enemy needed to be destroyed, but it was a necessary evil.

Jayfeather bit his lip, wanting to blurt out that there had to be another way to deal with the problem, but he didn't want to seem foolish. The Tribe must have tried every other alternative if their only remaining option was to annihilate the Pack. And after witnessing how weak the Pack was right now, Jayfeather was sure the Tribe could do it. In the past, the Pack had given them trouble, but now would seem like the best chance to rid the mountains of the rogues once and for all.

"I have permitted you a night's rest before speaking with me," Stoneteller went on, his stern gaze prickling Jayfeather's pelt. "Sheer Path Beside Waterfall called off our attack because you and your companions intervened. Now give me a good reason why you think we shouldn't attack again."

Jayfeather knew he was trapped between a rock and a hard place- there was no easy way out of this. His only hope for sparing the Pack would be to convince Flora to stop her raids and respect the borders. "Have you talked with Flora yet?" he ventured. "Just the two of you?"

"A Stoneteller isn't permitted to leave the cave accept for very special occasions," the older cat meowed. "More importantly, we would never permit one of those savages to enter this cave- and they would never accept the invitation even if we offered. So many seasons of hostility don't disappear after a single friendly discussion."

"But you haven't even tried to make peace with them yet?" Jayfeather pressed, trying not to sound impatient. "While I was with the Pack, some of them even suggested they wanted to be more like the Tribe. They just need somebody to help them change."

His words were met with shock and disbelief. He could hear the Tribe cats whispering as his proposition passed among them. Even Stoneteller seemed to be caught off-guard and he mulled the idea over in his mind.

"If I may speak, I'd like to confirm what Jayfeather has said." Briarlight stepped forward to stand beside her mate.

"Go ahead," Stoneteller meowed curtly.

Briarlight let out a little cough to clear her throat. "The Pack are miserable," she announced loud enough for every cat to hear. "They were scared and hostile when we first met them but once they knew we weren't a threat, they let us in to their cave. Only one queen and one kit have survived leaf-bare and before one of my companions brought them a mouse, they hadn't eaten in days. Now is the best time to chase them out in their weakened state, but it is also the best time to convince them that there is another way."

"Another way to do what?" asked one of the Tribe cats.

"Another way of living that is more honorable," Briarlight clarified. "They are cats in need. What does the Tribe do to cats in need? Do you help them, or destroy them?"

Jayfeather focused his attention on Stoneteller as Briarlight stepped back to join Cash and Sol. No cat could question the amount of pain the Tribe and the Pack had inflicted upon one-another, but Jayfeather prayed Stoneteller would relent and agree to peace.

Stoneteller's attention switched back to Jayfeather. "I really can't imagine what you must have seen that is making you so protective of those savages. What could possibly have happened in those retched caves to convince you they are worth fighting for?"

Jayfeather's tail twitched nervously, he had no backup plan. If Stoneteller wouldn't listen, a battle would ensue.

"You have one chance to prove me wrong," the Tribe healer finally growled after a long pause, his claws scratching the stones as he paced back and forth in agitation. "Get Flora to meet me on the old border three days from today and if she agrees to our terms, we'll allow them to stay in the mountains."

"You can't be serious!" cried a tom's voice nearby who Jayfeather recognized as Talon of Swooping Eagle. "We tried to make peace with them before and how did that turn out? We even had the Clan cats helping and it didn't last."

"My decision is made," Stoneteller barked sharply.

"Thank you, Stoneteller for-" Jayfeather began, but the Tribe cat cut him off.

"But if the savages don't want peace, they will get blood. The Tribe will fight them to the death or until every last cat, queen and kit has been chased to the foot of the mountains. I won't allow my kin to be raided anymore on the land their ancestors have walked for generations."

The cats around the cave murmured in agreement. Nobody wanted war, but it was clear they would fiercely defend their home if they had too. Jayfeather respected them for that.

"Is it true that you are not a Clan cat anymore?"

The question came from a young she-cat nearby that Jayfeather didn't recognize. He turned to her. "I abandoned ThunderClan because I felt I didn't have a destiny with them anymore. Some events took place around the lake involving all four Clans and my beliefs were shaken pretty hard. But I'm not going to get into it now."

A collective spark of curiosity flickered into the air but Jayfeather wasn't interested in talking about the Dark Forest attack. That was a story for another time. Instead, he tried to ignore the stares of the gathered cats as he addressed the healer once more. "Can I request a few healing herbs to take back to the Pack with me? They have sick and injured that need attention and I know the Tribe of Endless Hunting has taught you herbs even if the last Stoneteller hasn't."

Stoneteller growled. "You are overstepping your bounds. I can't give you herbs to help my enemies!"

Jayfeather could picture the older cat glaring at him with suspicious eyes, but he didn't let it dissuade him. He was used to bypassing hostilities between different Clans. It was his duty to help cats in need, no matter which side of the fight they were on. "If I'm going to be the speaker between the two of you, I need their trust as well."

Stoneteller let out a sigh of frustration. "Fine! Take whatever you want. There are spare herbs just inside the Cave of Pointed Stone. I only hope you know what you are doing, Jayfeather. Those cats might seem tame now while they're starving, but I've seen them when they're healthy. If you had seen what I have seen you wouldn't be so eager to aid them."

Jayfeather was tempted to say that the Pack cats seemed less tame now than ever, but thought better of it. "Thank you, Stoneteller," he meowed instead. "I'll do my best but if things don't work out, I won't try to stop your cats again from chasing them out. I may not be a Clan cat anymore, but I'm still a friend of the Tribe."

Stoneteller grunted in understanding. "Storm will accompany you as far as the cave. He knows the way and I'm not permitting you to go without an escort."

"Storm?"

"Formerly known as Stormfur of RiverClan," Stoneteller meowed. "He has fully accepted what it means to be part of the Tribe and had his old Clan name replaced. Hasn't he already told you? His full name is Storm Gust that Ruffles Fur."

Jayfeather shook his head, locating Storm among the cats watching. "There hasn't been a good time to talk."

"I'm sure you'll have plenty of time to chat on your journey across the mountain," Stoneteller pointed out.

"Not with a mouthful of herbs, I won't," Jayfeather meowed.

"Just another reason not to take them."

Jayfeather dipped his head one final time to the Tribe leader before padding past the others in the direction of the Cave of Pointed Stones. It had been moons since he had last visited but he could picture it all clearly in his mind. It didn't take him long to find the small piles of herbs lined up along the cave wall and he bundled some of the ones he recognized into a leaf. The mountains grew different plants than the forest but some smelled similar enough that they probably did the same thing.

As he turned to leave the cave, he thought he heard a voice call to him. He stopped, pricking his ears, but he knew there was no cat lurking among the jagged rocks jutting from the ceiling. Maybe one of the Tribe's ancestors, or even Half Moon was there in the room with him, but he couldn't tell. When I'm done dealing with the Pack, I'm going to come back here and try to find some answers. Half Moon said she is took weak to visit me but perhaps I can seek guidance from the Tribe of Endless Hunting.

Jayfeather regretfully left behind his fond memories and wandered back into the main section of the cave where the rest of the cats had already dispersed. It sounded like the prey-hunters were organizing hunting patrols. Jayfeather picked out Storm's scent among them and padded over to him.

"-be back before sundown," the former RiverClan cat was saying to some younger cats as Jayfeather approached. "Splash and Dark, take Cash with you. He looks like he could use some fresh air."

Jayfeather placed his leaf packet down on the ground and waited until Storm was done speaking before getting his attention. "I'm ready to go when you are," he meowed, not trying to sound like he was in a hurry; though ideally he wanted to make it to the Pack's cave before night brought the frosty wind with it.

"We can leave at once," Storm meowed as the other cats raced away. "I've already said farewell to Brook and she wishes you the best of luck with the negotiations."

Jayfeather purred in understanding. Brook was Storm's mate. "I'll need plenty of it." He picked up his herb packet and padded towards the roaring waterfall at the mouth of the cave. He detected Briarlight lurking near the tumbling torrent and she raced over when she noticed him.

"I should come with you!"

"No," he told her quickly, closing his eyes for a moment so she couldn't see the regret glittering in them. This was something he needed to do by himself and if the discussion with the Pack didn't go as peacefully as he hoped, he couldn't let Briarlight share his fate. "Stay and look after Cash. He just lost his closest friend and needs you more than I do. Maybe even convince him to talk with Stoneteller to learn more about the mountain herbs."

"I- I, okay, I'll do that," Briarlight stammered, her words wringing with sadness but also understanding. She wasn't a fool- she knew how dangerous his quest was and also how important it was for one of them to stay with the Tribe. Stoneteller might keep his word, but all it took was one vengeful cave-guard to ruin everything.

"I'll see you again in three days," Jayfeather meowed, pressing his forehead into her fur and breathing in her familiar scent one last time. He wanted to say more, but there wasn't time. He trusted she would take care of herself and Cash while he was gone. He stepped back and blinked his affection at her before padding in the direction of the rocky ledges that lead down to the base of the waterfall.

Storm went first, placing his tail on Jayfeather's shoulder to give him an idea of where the rocks were at his feet.

As he lowered himself down the first slippery step, Jayfeather felt an intense gaze searing his pelt. He stopped in surprise and turned his face around. He expected it to be Briarlight on the rocks looking back at him, but instead it was Sol. The rogue hadn't uttered a word all day but as he hesitated, the rogue's gaze engulfed him with a ferocious intensity. Terror, regret and contempt churned together in his mind as he glared at Jayfeather.

Jayfeather stared back blankly. He knows something is about to happen, but he's chosen not to speak to anybody about it. Whatever terrible thing he was warning me about will be here soon. And it is going to affect us all.

:3