Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors

.

"I've got too much dirt to come clean, closets full of skeletons you don't want to see."

~Love Me Less, Max Schnieder

.

"Report!" Crowfeather barked from his place at the head of the clan. He stood tall, drawn up to full height, with his black tail whisking behind him impatiently. The leaders of this morning's dawn patrols, Fernstripe and Slightfoot, stood directly before him while their patrols hung back. Oatclaw, Breezepelt, Brindlewing, Leaftail, Smokehaze, and Crouchfoot sat a couple taillengths away, looking bored. For their sake, Crowfeather hoped this report was quick. He had nothing else to do at the moment but he was sure his warriors were eager to retrieve prey from the freshly restocked fresh-kill pile.

"Nothing to report on the RiverClan border but there were some dogs at the horseplace," Slightfoot told him. The tom flicked his ear back at Oatclaw, one of the cats who had been on his patrol. "Oatclaw and Breezepelt talked with Smoky a bit. He said that they came by a few sunrises ago. Stupid things, we shouldn't have anything to worry about."

"Good. I'll tell the next patrols to keep an eye on them," Crowfeather said before looking to Fernstripe. "Anything at the ThunderClan border?"

"We… saw Jayfeather," Fernstripe started slowly. There was hesitance in her voice. Crowfeather frowned. Didn't I always tell her to be bold? This isn't like her.

"That's hardly news. It's his territory, where else would you see him?" Crowfeather scoffed but despite his tone, he was sure that his former apprentice had reason to tell him. "Why is that odd? Did you not see a dawn patrol?"

"We did," Fernstripe said, "but not on the same part of the border. Actually, it smelled like they walked past him. It was like he was just waiting there."

Crowfeather blinked and tilted his head. "Waiting?"

Crouchfoot took a step forward, interrupting. "Quit trying to avoid saying it, Fernstripe."

Fernstripe looked annoyed at the older warrior's growl but Crowfeather didn't care. Intrigue flashed in his eyes and he leaned forward a bit. "What is it?"

"Jayfeather was just sitting at the border, comfortable as a bird. I swear he could see us when he talked to him. He had this weird look in his eyes when we came over," Crouchfoot started.

"He's blind," Crowfeather deadpanned. He withheld a sigh. I thought this was going to be something interesting, not just my warrior gossiping about the ThunderClan medicine cat.

"I know. I've just never been close to him. His eyes…" Crouchfoot shivered. "Anyway, he said he wanted to talk to you."

Crowfeather reeled back, blue eyes widening. What? Jayfeather wants to talk to me?

Breezepelt seemed to pick up on his momentary panic. "Do you want me to come with you?"

"What? No," Crowfeather said with a shake of his head. He cleared his throat and took a few breaths before continuing. "It's just Jayfeather. He probably wants to ask about herbs or something."

"Then why would he ask for you and not Kestrelflight?" Slightfoot spoke up. "You should take some warriors with you."

"He's a medicine cat, not a warrior," Crowfeather responded.

"It could be a trap," Fernstripe suggested. "It wouldn't be a bad idea."

Crowfeather gave a mrrow of amusement. "Right. That'll happen the day hedgehogs fly. ThunderClan wouldn't use Jayfeather of all cats to do something like trap the WindClan deputy. Bramblestar and I have always been on good terms and Jayfeather follows the medicine cat code closely. Think about the cats you're talking about before you suggest such a mouse-brained idea."

Breezepelt padded forward and put his tail tip on his shoulder. Crowfeather suddenly realized that his voice had gone high and he had risen to his paws, resting his weight on his two forepaws. He tucked in his haunches quickly, licking his shoulder fur in embarrassment. Why am I getting so worked up? It's not like I've never spoken to him. This is probably nothing. StarClan, the clan is probably thinking all sorts of things.

Crowfeather cleared his throat and looked to his son. "Tell Harestar I'm out if he asks, will you?"

Breezepelt frowned. "Are you sure you don't want some company?"

"For StarClan's sake, I'm not a frail newborn kit," Crowfeather snorted. There was an ache in his chest, longing for another cat to be at his side when he left to face his son, but he ignored it. I spoke to Jayfeather a few moons ago, just the two of us, when I went to ThunderClan after the battle with the stoats to ask for herbs. Jayfeather made it clear there was no warmth of kin between us. He just wants to talk to me as the WindClan deputy, not his father. Why am I reacting so strongly? This means nothing.

Breezepelt dipped his head and took a step back. "Sorry. Be careful, alright?"

Crowfeather felt a flash of guilt but he cast it away with a shake of his pelt. "Of course. I'll be back by sunhigh."

Standing at the border between WindClan and ThunderClan was always strange for the aging tom. The long, thin river streaming from the lake divided the moor and the woodland but the trees were thinner on the ThunderClan side and the field had a bit of undergrowth and oaks on the WindClan side. It was a perfect, even balance of the two clan's territory. It was exactly as Crowfeather expected anything between the two should look like.

But two of my sons are half clan and they're ThunderClan through and through. It's almost like there's not a speck of WindClan blood in them. I suppose that's for the better but still…

Crowfeather shook out his pelt and turned his attention back to walking. He wrinkled his nose slightly at the scent of wood- being near the forest was always hard on his sense of smell since he spent so much time in the clean, fresh moorland air- and padded further along the border. Is Jayfeather even still here? Maybe he got tired of waiting and left. He doubted it. If Jayfeather inherited anything from his father, it was his grouchiness and stubborn streak. Undoubtedly the younger tom was going to still be waiting and give Crowfeather an earful once he found him.

Jayfeather was sitting closer to the lake than Crowfeather expected, barely three foxlengths away from it. The silver tabby's blind blue eyes were locked on the ground but Crowfeather couldn't make out exactly what he was doing until he got closer.

Jayfeather had a number of short, sturdy sticks on the ground in front of him. He ran his paw over the bark of one with the care of a mother nosing her kit toward her belly for the first time. It surprised Crowfeather for a moment and he stopped walking, pausing to watch. He tilted his head, mystified. Maybe it was because he was his son, because he never had the chance to watch him like this, but Jayfeather's behavior was the most fascinating thing in the world right now.

Jayfeather's claws were sheathed, not coming anywhere close to getting caught on the peeling bark. He closed his eyes, leaning down to rub his whiskers down the stick before sitting back upright and flipping the stick over to do the same thing. This time, his paw only got about halfway down it before he stopped. There was a knot in the wood.

Jayfeather's soft, curious expression suddenly became hard and angry. His eyes narrowed and bit as his ears went back. In a single motion, he flicked his paw and sent the stick flying into the lake where it broke the water's surface with a splash and promptly sank.

Crowfeather took a step back, surprised. A moment ago, the tabby had seemed so calm. What had changed? He's such a strange cat. Will I ever understand him?

Jayfeather's sightless gaze moved to the next stick. Crowfeather wasn't sure how many he had but there were scuff marks in the dirt that implied that Jayfeather had been doing this for some time. How long has he been out here?

Jayfeather resumed the routine once again, running his paws over the surface of the bark. Unlike the last one, this stick curved but Jayfeather didn't seem to mind. Much at least. He frowned as his paws changed path as they slid down the stick but he didn't stop this time. He pawed it a bit before testing it with his teeth.

Is this some kind of medicine cat thing? Crowfeather wondered. He didn't know of oak branches being used as medicine but he was a warrior. What did he know? Surely Jayfeather, one of the best medicine cats Crowfeather had met, would know better.

The bark broke under Jayfeather's sharp, white teeth. The tom's brow furrowed and he picked up the stick, losing his gentle touch, and tossed it into the lake.

Unsurprisingly, Jayfeather started nosing another stick and Crowfeather's paws remained planted, unable to move as he watched his son feel for the stick's flaws with care. Crowfeather felt like he could stay like this forever. There was no way his son would tolerate his presence like this any other way. If he-

The wind suddenly changed direction and Crowfeather knew the moment was over. Jayfeather was now downwind. He'd be able to smell him, Crowfeather knew it. Disappointment crashed over him and he stifled a sigh.

Jayfeather lifted his head, nose twitching. Without looking in the WindClan warrior's direction, he asked, "How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough," Crowfeather responded, stepping to move closer. He was a bit embarrassed but he knew better than to dwell on it. Father and son were still separated by the thinnest part of the stream. Crowfeather jumped over it with ease trusting that Jayfeather wouldn't mind. After all, he had been the one to invite him here. "What are you doing?"

"It doesn't matter," Jayfeather answered. He pushed the sticks away carelessly and turned to face his father. He sat down, looking as elegant as a crane on the river at sunrise, and blinked his faded eyes. "You came."

Questions about the sticks lingered in the back of Crowfeather's throat but he bit his tongue, keeping them from surfacing. "I did. I heard you wanted to speak with me?"

Jayfeather's head tilted away ever so slightly but Crowfeather noticed it. The younger tom and Crowfeather felt a flash of amusement. He's nervous. It looks like this is a father-son talk after all, not a WindClan-ThunderClan talk. The flash of amusement suddenly turned to one of panic. Fox dung! I spent the whole way here convincing myself it wasn't going to be something personal… Now I have to… What am I going to say? Oh StarClan, he's opening his mouth. What is he going to-

"Tell me about Feathertail!" Jayfeather blurted suddenly.

Crowfeather's mind went blank … What?

Jayfeather's eyes widened before he ducked his head, looking embarrassed. He shuffled his paws a bit more, sheathing and unsheathing his claws like a nervous apprentice preparing for training. His fur stood on end, forcing Crowfeather to realize how on guard the medicine cat was. He's even more anxious than that apprentice of his. What's his name? Alderheart?

Jayfeather spoke quickly, as if he wouldn't be able to get all the words out. "I know you and my, um, adopted parents went on a journey together with Stormfur and her. I was pretty close with Stormfur and I know you choose your warrior name after her and my medicine cat name was in honor of you… I was just…"

Crowfeather blinked. That's a weak excuse. It sounds like he planned that out. "Did you have a dream from StarClan? That would explain…"

Crowfeather loosely gestured to the pile of sticks with his tail before remembering Jayfeather couldn't see them. He tucked his tail in and felt his pelt heat up. I'm kind of a mouse-brain but I suppose I should be used to it by now.

Jayfeather started to shake his head before freezing, breaking off into a half-hearted shrug. Crowfeather didn't know what that meant and he didn't care enough to press. He could feel a low, happy rumble rising from his throat.

"Feathertail was the greatest cat I ever knew," Crowfeather said softly. "Her pelt was almost just like yours, silver with tabby stripes, but she didn't have my build like you do. She had her father's fur and her mother's heart. She was so kind. I don't know what she ever saw in me. When we met, she was already such a great warrior and there I was, a scrawny little appetite with a tongue so sharp it could put any thorn to shame. We didn't get along at first but by the time we were in the mountains, I'm certain I was in love. And she felt the same way about me."

Jayfeather's eyes were round and thoughtful. Crowfeather could almost swear he could see sadness and compassion in them as he listened. The grey tom swallowed and let out a long breath through his nose. "What… What was it like to lose her? You saw her die. You weren't… It wasn't time or distance that put you apart. It was a cold, harsh death. How did you find it in you to finish the journey or find love again?"

Crowfeather sighed. These were difficult questions. "I don't know. Seeing Feathertail die… It tore me apart. Like my heart went raw and that stone struck it too. I don't really know how everything with your mother happened but I know she made me feel whole again. Loved. Running away with her was a mistake. I know that it was foolish. I was young and I had so many good emotions after feeling so bad for so long. I was afraid of losing what I had so I tried to… I tried to keep the cat who made me feel happy again close. I think that made it worse when the inevitable happened."

"Do you-?" Jayfeather started but he was cut off by a yowl from behind Jayfeather.

"Hey!" a cat called. Both Crowfeather and Jayfeather looked up at the sound. A ThunderClan patrol was coming over. "What's WindClan doing on our side of the border?"

Crowfeather flattened his ears in annoyance when he saw the cat leading the patrol. Berrynose. Why is it always him?

To his surprise, Jayfeather didn't looked annoyed. He thought for a moment that Jayfeather's eyes shone when he turned but he figured he was imagining it. Blind eyes didn't show emotion well.

"Don't worry, Berrynose," Jayfeather said, waving his tail in assurance. "We were just talking. I asked him to come onto our side. Let him go."

Berrynose looked suspicious but waved his stumpy tail to the patrol to stand down before looking at Jayfeather. "You shouldn't be here."

"And you shouldn't be telling me what to do," Jayfeather retorted. Crowfeather laughed, breaking into a rugged purr. That's that old spirit I'm used to.

Berrynose glared at him. "You should be heading back to your own side of the border."

"Of course," Crowfeather said with a dip of his head, swallowing his laughter. He nodded to Jayfeather. "It was nice talking to you."

"And you," Jayfeather responded with a curt nod of his own.

Knowing the ThunderClan patrol wasn't going to leave until he was back on his side of the border, Crowfeather turned tail and took a few running steps to launch himself over the stream. With one last glance over his shoulder, Crowfeather ran back toward the WindClan camp.