Chapter 1:
The life in the old ThunderClan camp was far less busy than Jaypaw had expected, but he supposed that it made sense when you had a dozen less cats and their injuries to care for. Spottedleaf really didn't need an apprentice, he discovered soon after moving into her den. She was a skilled and capable medicine cat, who had no issue collecting herbs by herself and looking after her Clanmates. Because of this, Jaypaw had a lot of free time.
It was during that free time that Jaypaw explored. He was living in a territory that he had always heard stories about, but never have been able to visit. The moment he became an apprentice and was trusted enough to go out on his own, he began to wander the territory. He went from border to border and explored everything in between. Sometimes RiverClan patrols would shout at him and tease him for being blind, to which he would often fire back an insult of his own.
The exploration was freeing. Back in the camp, surrounded by all of the cats that he knew to be dead in his previous life, was suffocating. It felt wrong talking to Sandpaw and Dustpaw, and awkward when Bluestar addressed him. None of these cats were who he remembered them to be. He couldn't talk to them as easily as he once had in the past. And because of that, he spent most of his time shut away in the medicine cat den if not fulfilling duties or out exploring. But the time spent in his den was no better, for then he was alone and his mind was left to obsess about the future and the events that had led up to now.
Firestar had been struck down by Tigerstar and StarClan had enough power for one last desperate move. Jaypaw could still remember the moment where he had, without warning, collapsed to the ground and was lifted to StarClan. There were screams for him, Lionblaze, and Dovewing as they collapsed too, and then a dizzying ascent to the stars. It was rushed and sudden. Firestar and Bluestar were there to greet him, Bluestar having retrieved Firestar's last life hastily from his body before lifting the others.
"We have to go now. Quickly! This is the only way to save the Clans!" Bluestar had shouted at them all before turning and bounding along a path of dead grass and browning ferns. StarClan was falling into ruin around them, more quickly than ever before.
"Where are we going?" Dovewing had called in terror as she bounded along after the leader. Jayfeather's muscles screamed in protest as he had tried desperately to keep up.
Bluestar had brought them to a star-laden pond, which she then urged them to enter. Very quickly, she told them that they would be sent into the past. There was no prophecy, and no real explanation as to what was about to happen. She had touched her nose to each of their foreheads and stripped them from the ties of their mortal bodies. She was just about to do the same to Firestar when cats from the Dark Forest arrived. They attacked instantly and Bluestar held them off as the four of them plunged into the bone-chilling water.
Since then, Jaypaw had been forced to live a new life. He was the son of Speckletail and Smallear now, the littermate of Lionpaw and Dovepaw, and the medicine cat apprentice under Spottedleaf's guidance. It was confusing and it took him a long time to come to terms with the failure that they had faced. He still wasn't sure that he had. The disappearance of Firestar scared him. Firestar was there when they had plunged into the pool, but Bluestar hadn't had the chance to separate him fully from the future.
Many nights, in his dreams, he traveled to StarClan and tried to find Firestar there. He'd be greeted by various cats, past leaders and medicine cats, who would each tell him that Firestar was safe but that they could not meet. Their voices were always full of warranted concern and awe as they spoke about the great leader. After all, the prophecy of fire had only just begun and here Firestar himself appeared.
But Jaypaw knew that he had to put aside these thoughts. They were here to fix the future, and that is what he was determined to do. But it was difficult to forget his first life, and somehow the events caught up to him before he was ready. It came one day while he was in camp sorting some newly collected borage with Spottedleaf. Firestar had arrived.
Jaypaw felt the atmosphere shift before he had even scented the newcomer. All around him, the camp fell silent and cats grew tense. He turned his head away from the herbs and opened his mouth to better taste the air. The scent of a young kittypet reached him and he knew at once who it was.
"It looks like Bluestar's new recruit has arrived," Spottedleaf commented in a carefully neutral tone though it was impossible to ignore the interest hidden underneath. She was gazing across the clearing at the young kittypet, who was talking quietly now with Lionheart and Whitestorm. Bluestar left her den to greet them near the gorse entrance.
Very quickly, Bluestar climbed the Highrock and called together a Clan meeting. Jaypaw stayed where he was with Spottedleaf. His paws worked more quickly with the herbs now. He wanted to finish his task so that he could better listen to the meeting. He had to find out if this was Firestar, or just Firepaw. If he could get close enough then he could surely find out…
"Careful now," Spottedleaf warned him gently. Her nose brushed his paw as she bent to sniff at a flower that he had accidentally crushed. "We just got these herbs. I don't want to go out and collect more again."
Jaypaw didn't respond. There were angry shouts coming from the clearing now. Longtail's voice in particular caught his interest. The young warrior was nothing like the cool, respected elder that Jaypaw remembered him being. He was hot-headed and irritable, always padding after Tigerclaw and Darkstripe.
"Look at his collar! He's a kittypet!" Longtail was calling furiously, "Once a kittypet, always a kittypet. This Clan needs wildborn warriors to defend it, not another soft mouth to feed."
"Let's put these herbs away, and then you can watch the rest of the meeting."
Jaypaw curled his lip in frustration but didn't protest. He swooped his head and gathered the herbs before padding after Spottedleaf and into the den. He had hardly put one paw inside the fern tunnel when there was a caterwaul from behind him. He whirled around and listened as Firestar, currently named Rusty, attacked Longtail.
"Jaypaw! What are you doing?" Spottedleaf beckoned him.
"They're fighting out there. That kittypet is going to get himself hurt," Jaypaw informed her.
"Well you better come in and help me get some healing herbs ready then," Spottedleaf said.
They missed the rest of the meeting as Jaypaw and Spottedleaf unpacked herbs for the undoubted injuries, but they could both hear Bluestar's voice echoing through the silent camp as she dubbed Firepaw by his new ThunderClan name.
Longtail soon entered the den, bitter after his lost fight with a kittypet. But of course, the events didn't stop there. There was a cry of warning from Smallear and Jaypaw left the den to see what was going on. At the camp entrance, a dawn patrol that had been sent to the Sunningrocks was returning to the camp. The scent of three cats reached him, along with the scent of blood.
"Redtail! What has happened?" Bluestar's sharp voice carried across the camp. She had leaped down from the Highrock to meet them halfway.
"RiverClan has attacked us not far from the Sunningrocks, Bluestar," Redtail reported at once. He sounded tense with anger and pain. "Oakheart was leading the patrol. I told him to keep his hunting parties off of our land, but he wouldn't back down. He said that his Clan must be fed, no matter what we threatened." He lifted his gaze and met Bluestar's eyes regretfully. "Oakheart died in the battle. There was a rockfall and he was crushed."
There was a pause as Bluestar processed this. Then she murmured tiredly, "Well I'm glad that none of you were hurt. Go and get your wounds checked, all three of you. We'll discuss what to do about RiverClan later."
Jaypaw waited beside the entrance as Redtail, Tigerclaw, and Lionpaw trudged across the camp. Then he turned and led them into the den, where Spottedleaf was still tending to Longtail on her own.
"What happened?" She asked as they entered. Jaypaw squeezed past the warriors and reached for the herbs and cobwebs.
"Oakheart and his warriors attacked us near the Sunningrocks. We drove them off, but not without getting some scratches." Tigerclaw rumbled. His claws scraped at the floor of the den.
Spottedleaf nodded and hurriedly patched up Longtail before using her tail to send him out of the den. "Off you go, Longtail. Your ear will have a permanent nic, but it'll be fine otherwise. Jaypaw, would you start looking over Lionpaw for wounds? I'll tend to Tigerclaw and Redtail myself."
Jaypaw dipped his head and led his brother over to a less crowded area of the clearing. He knew that Lionpaw would have no wounds, but he thoroughly checked his brother over anyways. Other than some ruffled fur and enemies' blood, he found nothing out of the ordinary. He took his searching as a chance to talk with Lionpaw.
"Firepaw is here," Jaypaw kept his voice low and his ears alert in case another cat wanted to eavesdrop. Thankfully, the two warriors were too busy being looked over and questioned by Spottedleaf to care about the two apprentices.
"I saw that," Lionpaw murmured back. Even lower, he breathed, "I kept Redtail alive."
Jaypaw clenched his jaw to prevent from speaking. He didn't know how he felt about Redtail still being alive. It was a good thing for Redtail, of course, but it made Tigerclaw unpredictable for when he might strike next. And who knows what impact Redtail would have on the future? Jaypaw hadn't had much of a chance to speak with Lionpaw and Dovepaw about what they were going to change, and Lionpaw had gone ahead and made a big decision on his own. A spark of frustration flared in him.
"We didn't talk about what we'd do with Redtail," Jaypaw hissed under his breath as he worked.
Lionpaw felt hot under his pelt as he grew defensive. "Well, I had to do something! Tigerclaw isn't going to wait around for us to decide-"
"Jaypaw? How is Lionpaw looking?" Spottedleaf's voice cut in as she glanced over at the pair.
"He's fine. The blood in his fur belongs to a RiverClan cat," Jaypaw reported.
"Good, then he may leave the den. Come and help me tend to Tigerclaw."
Jaypaw lashed his tail and told Lionpaw, "We'll discuss this later." Then he padded over to others, where he got to work treating Tigerclaw's scarce wounds. The warrior was a skilled fighter, so the scratches he got were few and far between. Jaypaw could sense the tense atmosphere surrounding Tigerclaw despite Redtail and Spottedleaf's more leisurely conversation.
He stayed quiet while he worked, observing everything until the two warriors could be sent out of the den. Thankfully no one today had gotten too hurt. Only Redtail's wounds would need to be treated again the next day. He stayed behind to help Spottedleaf clean up the den, then excused himself for some fresh air.
The camp was busy in the clearing. There were groups of cats standing about, talking about the most recent border skirmish and gossiping about the newest addition to ThunderClan. Jaypaw picked his way through the groups until he found where Firepaw was. He was being introduced by Graypaw to the rest of the apprentices. Jaypaw wandered over to join them. His heart quickened as he drew closer.
"He smells like a kittypet! Don't tell me I'm going to have to share my nest with that revolting stench!" Jaypaw could hear Sandpaw sniff rudely in Firepaw's direction.
Firepaw was alarmed by her tone, and Graypaw was quick to apologize for the she-cat's words. "You'll have to excuse Sandpaw. I think she must have a furball stuck somewhere. She's not usually this bad-tempered." His tone shifted as he spotted Jaypaw. "This is Jaypaw. He's Spottedleaf's apprentice." In a lowered voice, he whispered, "And he's blind."
"Graypaw!" Ravenpaw hissed sharply in warning. Embarrassment for his friend flooded off of him.
"I could hear that, Graypaw." Jaypaw said flatly, though he paid little attention to what the gray apprentice had to say. He narrowed his eyes sightlessly at Firepaw and tried to get a read on him. He knew almost at once that this cat was simply an overexcited kittypet, not the great leader that Jaypaw had been hoping for. Excitement poured from Firepaw, but there was no relief or anxiety that he would have expected had he been Firestar. There was no wiseness to him, only curiosity and obliviousness.
"Sorry," Graypaw said at once, before continuing like normal. "Jaypaw is the littermate of Dovepaw and Lionpaw, and they are the oldest of all the apprentices."
Firepaw was impressed by this. "So you three must be getting your warrior names soon."
"If we pass our assessments. But those aren't for another couple of moons." Dovepaw meowed and arched her back in a stretch. She was standing nearby Dustpaw, who was once again angry from something that Lionpaw had said earlier.
"Are the assessments hard?" Firepaw asked.
"Not usually," Lionpaw meowed, tilting his head in consideration. "Just hope that you aren't hunting during leaf-bare!"
"How would you know?" Dustpaw scoffed. "Stop acting like you're already a warrior. You're hardly older than Sandpaw and I."
Lionpaw and Dustpaw began to argue loudly now. Sandpaw and Dovepaw ducked into the apprentice's den to escape the noise, and Jaypaw followed their lead by walking in the opposite direction. He had done what he had sent out to do and now he just felt tired. It was close to nightfall now, so he chose to retire to his den early. Nothing more exciting was to happen that day. He shared a few short words with Spottedleaf, then curled up in his nest for the night. With his breathing growing steady, he willed himself into the land of StarClan.
He opened his eyes to find himself standing in what was now the familiar Fourtrees. The four powerful oaks towered overhead and on the Great Rock stood Firestar. At first, Jaypaw only stared, thinking that this had to be a normal dream. But then Firestar leaped down from the boulder and joined him in the sun-dappled clearing.
Firestar's voice was regretful as he dipped his head and meowed, "Greets, Jayfeather. I apologize for the long absence that I've caused."
Jaypaw's senses rushed back to him again and he blurted, "Where have you been? StarClan told me that you had arrived with us, but we couldn't find you anywhere."
"That's because I've been stuck here, among their ranks," Firestar revealed sadly. He gestured with his tail to the lush forest around them. "Bluestar wasn't able to finish separating me from the future, as she had done to you, Lionblaze, and Dovewing. So now I am stuck here, without a body for myself."
"That doesn't explain why you didn't talk with me sooner. I've been met by every StarClan cat in the sky! None of them would answer my questions,"
Firestar stared at him with gentle understanding. "I know, and I almost didn't greet you tonight either. You see, Jayfeather, what we are doing now is a dangerous thing. In this world now, my spirit has never had a physical body. I am lost among the StarClan ranks. But I am Firepaw, and he is me, and because of that we have a connection. Linking to the physical world through dreams comes with a risk. Every time we meet, the connection between me and Firepaw will grow.
"And the more that it grows, the more likely that it is to interfere with young Firepaw's memories. If this connection were to continue, we'd experience something very similar to Cinderpelt and Cinderheart. I'm sure you understand what I mean by this?"
Jaypaw nodded slowly as he took in this new information. He remembered very well the struggle that Cinderheart went through, both before and after the separation of Cinderpelt's spirit from her body. She had felt lost and confused by the false memories in her head and the knowledge that she had never truly learned. Two spirits were not meant to share a body. Lionblaze, Dovewing, and himself had all been lucky enough to be gifted bodies of their own. He had no idea what Firepaw might go through if he merged with Firestar now.
"If it's so dangerous, then why are you meeting with me now?"
"I have an important message to give you tonight. I also saw what Lionblaze has done… It is a good thing that Lionpaw decided to save Redtail. He still has many moons of serving ThunderClan, if we can make it so."
"But what effect does that have on the future?" Jaypaw asked. "Who knows what sort of change Redtail will bring?"
"Only time will tell," Firestar sighed and curled his tail over his paws. "I do think that Lionblaze made the right choice though. When ThunderClan is attacked, then you will have another warrior on your side. Hopefully it will prevent even more deaths."
"Or will it create more? There's no telling what Tigerclaw will do next."
Firestar gazed at him evenly. "That is up to you, Lionblaze, and Dovewing to figure out. You three still have your powers, after all. It's been nearly eight moons, Jayfeather. You need to talk to them and discuss what you're going to do."
Jaypaw bit back a growl. Did Firestar think that he was just going to pretend like everything was okay? Of course he was going to talk with the other two! Lionpaw had made a huge decision without considering any of the consequences! But the longer he thought it over, the more he realized that Firestar was right.
Jaypaw should have spoken with Lionpaw and Dovepaw before they had ever gotten this far. But he just didn't know how to start. He never asked to be ripped from his previous life and planted here, surrounded by new Clanmates in unfamiliar territory. It was reincarnation all over again, but this time keeping his memories and purpose. He was angry and miserable and grieving for the life that he had lost, desperately trying to fill his downtime with anything that will occupy his mind.
Lionpaw and Dovepaw seemed so well put together, despite what they were facing. Dovepaw especially. Though Lionpaw had trouble sleeping now, he had taken on the challenge of having TIgerclaw as a mentor bravely. And Dovepaw hardly seemed swayed by the recent events! Meanwhile, he was still trying to process what had happened and what will happen. It was hard for him to think about, let alone talk about. But Firestar was right, they need to talk or else nothing good will be accomplished. The first six moons might have not meant much, since they had been kits and unallowed outside of the camp, but they weren't kits anymore. They had to start figuring this out.
Firestar was waiting patiently for him to speak. He had lowered himself into a crouch and was watching Jaypaw without expectation or judgment. He understood the difficult situation that they faced, and he knew that these things took time to come into terms with. Firestar, himself, had taken time to come to terms with the failure he had caused and the isolation that he now faced. He had become quite an anomaly amongst the StarClan ranks. None of the cats here had memories of him, and he didn't have memories of the majority of them either. He was quite lonely here, if he was honest.
Begrudgingly, Jaypaw spoke. "We'll figure something out."
"Good," Firestar's tone was pleased but serious still. His eyes narrowed as he urged, "Whatever you three decide, you must ensure that my younger self stays alive. Young Firepaw has no idea what the future has in store for him, but StarClan knows that he is necessary for the survival of the Clans. You, Jayfeather, you know of the prophecies."
Jaypaw recited the first prophecy easily, "'Fire alone can save our Clan,'"
"Yes, but it goes beyond that. The most recent one, the one that told you to find me as the fourth cat, proves that Firepaw's survival is necessary for every Clan of the forest. Until the Dark Forest is defeated, Firepaw cannot fall. But listen, Jayfeather. There have been whispers in StarClan. They speak of new arrivals in the Place of No Stars, cats who do not belong here in this time."
"What do you mean?" Jaypaw demanded, a jolt of alarm shooting through him. "Have Dark Forest cats followed us here?"
"It seems so," Firestar mused with a displeased tone. "If these cats really are among the Place of No Stars, then the threat we face is greater than we have ever imagined. They have had moons by now to walk in cat's dreams and convert them into evil. It is on you three to discover who these cats are, and what they are planning."
"But how? We don't have Ivypool this time."
"Ivypool would never have been trusted again after what she has done to them," Firestar shook his head solemnly. "What you three face will be difficult. There is no doubt about that. But you understand what needs to be done. Unfortunately, there isn't time to continue this conversation tonight. Good luck, Jayfeather. I will be watching over you three,"
