Chapter 5

"So, Jayfeather with a mate…" Cinderheart said, whispering to Lionblaze. "…who would have known?" Adding a happy purr to her comment, she looked at the two tangled cats and found the entire situation cute.

Throughout the time she knew Jayfeather, she had always seen him as nothing but a grumpy medicine cat, who focused on nothing but work. It was rare to see the gray tabby in a happy mood and now, to see him in complete love, was certainly a strange yet satisfying sight.

"I know right…" Lionblaze replied, as he too stared at Jayfeather and his supposed mate. Although he had recovered from the initial shock, he still found the entire situation as something that he never imagined seeing. "…and to think, he never bothered telling me about this before."

"Well yeah…but you got to view it from his perspective." Cinderheart said. "How can a medicine cat just go around saying that his has a mate without getting criticized?"

Sighing, Lionblaze nodded, knowing that she was right. "I guess you're right… But I'm his brother. Doesn't he trust me enough?" Despite understanding full well about his brother's situation, he still felt somewhat bitter at the thought that Jayfeather never shared this to him before.

"He trusts you." Cinderheart said, rubbing her head against him in a comforting manner. "But there are thing that we're afraid to tell our love ones, even the ones we keep close to our heart." Glancing towards Jayfeather once more, she couldn't help but stifle another purr at the sight of the happy medicine cat. "You remember what he said; the two were forced to separate because of the prophecy. I think that he's way of coping with that separation was trying to forget about her. And not telling you was just a part of his way of coping."

Lionblaze stayed silent for a moment, staring at the two reunited lovers, before nodding. "Well, at least he wouldn't try to suppress his memories of her anymore." Grinning, he shook his head as a smug look formed on his face. "Just look at him, I've never seen him that happy before. Not even when we were kits!"

Cinderheart giggled at this, as she nodded happily. "Now just imagine how the surprised the clan will be once we get back to camp."

"Surprised at what?" Lionblaze said with a playful look. "Surprised at the fact that their grump emotionless medicine cat had, not only found love, but also had a mate this entire time or at the fact that Jayfeather is actually happy?"

"Oh you…" Cinderheart said, batting her paw at him. "Of course they'll be shock at the first one. Although, once they calmed down, I think they'll be even more shocked at the second one."

"But first let's hope they'll calm down." Lionblaze reminded. "You know how some of the cats there can be really strict to following the warrior's code. Do you really think the clan would accept the idea of Jayfeather having a mate as easily as we did?"

"Well, I'm not sure about that…" Cinderheart said gloomily. "But they should! Jayfeather, along with you and Dovewing, has done a lot for the clans and I think a little bit of happiness is a just reward for the things you three have done. Jayfeather sacrificed his relationship with her to save the clans, so I think the clans owe him this much. Besides, if someone says that StarClan won't approve of this, let us just reminds them that StarClan themselves allowed this to happen."

"They did?" Lionblaze asked, surprised.

"Well, I'm not really sure, but I think they did." Cinderheart said sheepishly. "Jayfeather said that this cat named Rock managed to transport him to the past. I can only assume that Rock is a StarClan cat, because who else would have the power to do such things but a cat from StarClan?"

"And do you really think the clan would believe that?" Lionblaze inquired.

Cinderheart just shrugged and gave him an unsure look. "Maybe... But we aren't going to know unless we go figure it out."

"I guess you're right." Lionblaze said, nodding before turning his glance towards Jayfeather and Half Moon, who were still comfortably enjoying each other's company.

"This clan, ThunderClan, this is your home, correct?" Half Moon asked, as she walked next to Jayfeather.

Walking through the forest, the group finally decided that they had already spent enough time in the small clearing and that they should start heading back to camp. With Jayfeather leading the group, flanked by Half Moon, Lion's Roar, and Dove's Wing, and with Lionblaze and Cinderheart trailed from behind, keeping an eye on them, the six made their way and headed back to camp.

"Yeah." Jayfeather said, as he led them on. He had taken this path so many times before and knew which way to turn without getting lost.

"And this is where you originally came from, right?" She asked, continuing her bombardment of questions. Ever since they left the clearing, she, along with Dove's Wing and Lion's Roar, had been sending him a torrent of questions about the clans and what they do. At first, Jayfeather felt that he owed them an explanation for his sudden disappearance before and explaining the clans to them would probably help, but know, as their questioning continued, he began to feel tired and overwhelmed. Doing his best, he tried not to show it to them.

Normally, his grumpy and closed in self would not entertain anyone with so many questions as them, but to them, he wasn't Jayfeather. No, he was Jay's Wing to them. And although Jay's Wing and Jayfeather were technically the same, their personalities and responsibilities were different. So right now, he didn't act as if he were Jayfeather, but instead acted like Jay's Wing, the sharpclaw they all looked up too. Besides, deep inside, he preferred being Jay's Wing than Jayfether.

"Yeah, this was my original home." He said, solemnly. "This was where I was born and this is where I live now."

"I see." He heard Half Moon, understanding in her voice. Looking around, she couldn't help but fill a sense of familiarity all around her. "Well, this place surely has changed since the time we left it for the mountains, yet it still feels the same somehow."

"You bet it does." Dove's Wing remarked with clear joy in her voice. From the sound of her voice, Jayfeather could tell that she was really excited being back in such a forested area. "Now don't get me wrong, the mountains were nice and all, but I missed this place so much. No more rocky caves and gigantic boulder here. Just tall trees, leaves, and grass!"

Taking a whiff of the air, she took in the familiar smells around her before letting out a long purr. Suddenly, her whole body went out on double excitement as she suddenly stopped, forcing everyone, but Jayfeather, to look at her.

"What is it, Dove's Wing?" Lion's Roar asked curiously.

"That smell…" The pale gray she-cat muttered. "…oh…I remember that smell all too well… Its mouse!"

Then, grinning widely, she dashed off and away from the group, leaving the remaining five cats stunned as she disappeared within the forest of leaves and brambles.

"I think we better go after her before she gets lost." Jayfeather said, cursing Dove's Wing for such a stupid action. "Only StarClan knows what kind of trouble she might get in. These territories have changed since you two were last here and she isn't familiar with these changes."

"You're right." Half Moon agreed, before preparing to give chase before Dove's Wing got too far. Looking towards direction where she ran off too, she was about to move forward when she suddenly noticed that Jayfeather still standing still, as if not planning to go anywhere.

"Well?" She asked, staring at him with confusion. "Aren't you coming?"

"Oh, uh, yeah, yeah, right behind you." Jayfeather said, suddenly embarrassed. Then, taking a gentle step, he slowly walked forward, keeping a steady, yet slow pace.

Noticing this, Half Moon looked at him with concern. She had already noticed this before, when she realized that he was going in a slightly slower pace than the rest of them, but didn't think much of it then. But now, she worried about him as she quickly studying him, watching his slow movement.

"Are you alright, Jay's Wing?" She asked, as she tried to look for any sign of severe injury on him. "I've noticed that you've been going a little slow….have you been injured on the leg or something?"

"No, no, I'm fine." Jayfeather said, dismissing it, not wanting to admit the cause of his slow pace. "Now, let's stop worrying about me. What we're supposed to be worrying about is Dove's Wing. So let's go."

With that, he began padding forward once more. Following Dove's Wing scent, he took careful steps as the rest followed behind him.