One moment he was lying there frozen in fear awaiting his inevitable demise and the next he was floating in a deep darkness quite unlike his usual blindness. Jaypaw blinked several times in confusion. He had no pain. Did I dream all that? He was sure that rock would crush every bone in his body but somehow, here he was perfectly fine.

Disoriented, the blind medicine cat got to his paws and felt around. His paws didn't touch moss or stone. He wasn't in his nest or even in his den. He was still in the tunnels beneath the territory.

Jaypaw shook his head, trying to clear this strange feeling he had. He could feel something was different but he couldn't identify what it was.

Deciding now was not the time to worry about it, Jaypaw began padding through the tunnels. He didn't know how long he had been laying there. He had to get back home or Leafpool would have a fit.

As he ventured further through the tunnels the impossible happened.

I can see.

Light filtered into the tunnels from up ahead. Jaypaw broke into a run towards it, hardly believing this was reality. All around him, he could see the brown dirt that made up the passage. He felt his heart speed up in joy. I can see!

Jaypaw couldn't restrain himself from letting out a joyful yowl as he broke to the surface. The sudden exposure to sunlight momentarily blinded him but for once he was blinded with the light instead of the darkness. He almost dared not to blink, wanting to savor every moment of vision in the waking world.

"Jay's Wing!" a voice cried.

Jaypaw looked around. Two she-cats and a tom were thundering towards him at speeds that could rival a WindClan cat. He tilted his head, not recognizing them.

"Jay's Wing, Jay's Wing!" a white she-cat was the first of the three to reach him. Her green eyes shone in the morning light, reflecting pure joy. She pressed her face into Jaypaw's shoulder fur. "I was so worried."

She's beautiful, Jaypaw thought than snapped himself out of it. He couldn't think like that. He was a medicine cat and he didn't know this cat. He didn't recognize her voice.

"She really was," the tom said. Jaypaw turned to stare at him. He had a brown tabby pelt and piercing amber eyes that looked at him with a genuine happiness that Jaypaw had never witnessed before but the tom seemed to be trying to play himself off like he didn't care about the arrival of the apprentice. "You should've seen her when you didn't surface. She's been waiting here for two sunrises. She wouldn't even leave to hunt. Dove's Wing and I had to bring her prey."

"You didn't have to do that," Jaypaw said, still confused. Why had this cat waited for him? Who was she? She clearly cared for him but he didn't know who she was.

"You were two days late, Jay," the second she-cat said. Her blue eyes bore into him with seriousness but also portrayed her concern. She too looked happy to see him. Jaypaw assumed this was Dove's Wing. "It's unheard of for a softpaw to spend that long in the Rite of Passage."

"What?" Jaypaw said. A softpaw? The Rite Of Passage? Where am I?

"You're a sharpclaw now!" the tom exclaimed. "You finally-"

"It doesn't matter if your a sharpclaw or a softpaw," the white she-cat said, pulling away to look into Jaypaw's eyes. He was stunned by their depth. "You were down there for three days. We were so worried. After what happened to Fallen Leaves…"

"I'm sorry," Jaypaw said. He was surprised at the genuinity in his own voice despite not really understanding what he was apologizing for. He tried again. "I really am. I don't know what happened. I was down there and-"

"You know sharpclaws aren't supposed to tell softpaws what happen in the trial," Dove's Wing interrupted.

"But-"

"Don't worry, brother," Dove's Wing said. "I'll be entering the trial soon. If there's anything that you really need to talk about, you can tell me then."

Brother? Jay's Wing stared at her, stunned. This she-cat was not his sister. He'd never met her before in his life!

"Come on, Jay's Wing," the tom said. He turned and took a few steps away, leading him somewhere. "We should get back to the group to let everyone know you're alive."

Did the clan think I was dead? Wait, these aren't ThunderClan cats. And who is this Jay's Wing?

"And for your sharpclaw ceremony," the white she-cat added. She blinked away her emotions. "I'm sorry. This is such a big day for you. I don't want to ruin it for you. You're finally going to be a sharpclaw!"

"Falling Rain and Falcon Swoop would be so proud of you, Jay's Wing," Dove's Wing told him. "Fallen Leaves too. You completed the trial for both of you, just like you promised."

"Y-yeah," Jaypaw nodded. He swallowed. He didn't know what they were talking about nor did he know why he was pretending he did. Part of his mind was yowling at him to run away or tell them he wasn't this Jay's Wing that they seemed to think he was but another part of his mind kept his mouth shut and his paws planted right there.

"Are you alright?" the white she-cat asked, her eyes brimming with worry. Jaypaw stared into them again. I gotta stop doing that. But however hard he tried, he couldn't tear his gaze away. He was drawn to them like moths to a flame. They were so bright and showed such strong feelings. He felt like he could get lost in them and never find his way out.

"Leave him alone, Half Moon," the tom said. "He's got to be exhausted. He's been down there for three days."

"I'm aware of that, Fish Leap," Half Moon glared. She turned back to him. "Let's get going. You still have your sharpclaw ceremony before you can rest."

"R-right," Jaypaw stuttered and padded after these three strange cats who seemed to know him.

Hollypaw pawed the ground anxiously as she gazed at the medicine den from across the camp lost in thought. More than anything, she wanted to run into the medicine den and see Jaypaw awake and healthy sorting herbs like he often was and ask how she was doing or ask her to take some borage to the elders. She'd even be happy to hear him snap some sharp retort at her.

But that wasn't going to happen anytime soon and she feared it Jaypaw would never be back to his old self. It had been a few days since Hollypaw had gone out on that patrol with Lionpaw and their mentors and found Jaypaw unconscious and bleeding. She had done everything she could to help him but she still wished that she had kept running that day. Maybe if she had, she could have reached Jaypaw before whatever did that to him had.

Beside her was her other brother, Lionpaw, who looked just as worried as she did. Leafpool hadn't permitted them to go into her den and check on their brother and it was hard on both siblings.

After Lionpaw reported to Firestar about the incident, the leader had excused them from their duties. ThunderClan had more than enough apprentices at the moment so they could afford to and there was no way Lionpaw and Hollypaw would be able to focus on their training in this state of frantic worry.

But Hollypaw wished that she had at least something to keep her paws busy. She wouldn't even mind searching Mousefur for ticks and hearing the elder complain about how apprentices weren't like they used to be. Anything to distract her from what was going on in the medicine den.

"Relax Hollypaw," Lionpaw told her gently. Hollypaw realized that she had unsheathed her claws and was grinding them into the sandy ground. "You'll tear a claw."

"I don't even care right now," Hollypaw admitted in a barely audible whisper. "I just want Jaypaw to be okay, I don't care what happens to me."

Lionpaw didn't look surprised. He probably felt the same way. "Well, if you tore a claw, that'd just be more work for Leafpool and she's already working so hard."

Hollypaw sheathed her claws and looked down at her paw, feeling a bit guilty. Right now she felt useless and she hated it. She couldn't do anything to help her brother. If not for Lionpaw, she didn't know what she'd do.

Hollypaw put her paw down and looked at her golden brother. "When did you get so wise? I'm usually the calm one."

Lionpaw shrugged half-heartedly, not at all affected by Hollypaw's efforts to strike up a conversation. He let out a long sigh but didn't say anything.

"Lionpaw. Hollypaw."

Hollypaw looked up to see her mother and father standing before their eldest kits. Brambleclaw's amber eyes and Squirrelflight's green ones shone in the sunhigh light with concern.

"How are you two holding up?" Brambleclaw asked.

"Not well," Hollypaw admitted honestly. "I'm really worried about Jaypaw. I wish I could be doing something."

"Leafpool is doing her best," Squirrelflight told her.

"Has she let you visit him?" Lionpaw asked. Both warriors shook their heads.

"She told me that he's doing better," Squirrelflight said, hoping to offer some solace. "The bleeding stopped a while ago. I think she's just waiting for him to wake up."

Hollypaw relaxed a bit. That was good to hear.

Movement across camp caught her eye. Without waiting for her parents or brother, she shot across camp and skidded to a halt in front of the medicine den. Leafpool, who had been walked out, blinked and leaned back a bit in surprise.

"Is everything alright? How is he?" Lionpaw demanded, appearing behind Hollypaw.

"I was just going to get you," Leafpool said. "Jaypaw is starting to wake up."

Hollypaw's heart skipped a beat. If Leafpool had no been blocking the medicine den's entrance, she would be at Jaypaw's side in an instant but she forced herself to wait.

"He's still going to be very weak, too many visitors may overwhelm him but his family should be there for him in case he panics," Leafpool explained. She frowned and looked over the family. Each one of them had every right to be there but as she said, not all of them could.

"We'll wait outside," Brambleclaw said. Hollypaw looked up at her father in shock. She could tell it was hard for him from his pained expression. "Hollypaw and Lionpaw can go in."

"Are you sure?" Hollypaw asked. If it was her kit in there, she couldn't imagine...

Brambleclaw nodded.

"Give him our love," Squirrelflight told her sister.

"Of course," Leafpool said. She looked to the two apprentices and beckoned them into her den with her tail. "He's not awake yet and he's very weak. Try not to move too quickly or be too loud."

Hollypaw nodded and followed the medicine cat into the den alongside her brother.

She stifled a gasp when her eyes fell upon Jaypaw. Leafpool wasn't lying when she said Jaypaw was weak. He looked so vulnerable, so fragile, lying there in his nest. His wounds weren't exposed anymore, Hollypaw was thankful for that. Out in the forest, she had dressed some of his wounds. The sight of them had made her sick and seeing them on her brother made it even harder.

There were heavy dressings on his head, back, and flank but there was some form of dressing or herbs smeared in his fur everywhere on his body. Jaypaw had been seriously injured. Badly by the looks of it. Worse than Hollypaw had initially thought.

"How… how bad is it?" Lionpaw asked.

"I'm not completely sure," Leafpool told him. "Some of his bones fractured, not broken. It will be hard for them to heal. He has a deep wound on his back and a nasty cut on his belly and flank. His worst injury is on his head and I can't tell the extent of it until he wakes up."

Lionpaw nodded but Hollypaw's gaze did not falter from its hold on her younger brother. Jaypaw's leg twitched and she allowed herself to hope for a moment.

"He's stirring," Hollypaw whispered.

Leafpool moved towards him and nosed him as gently as possible. "Hey, Jaypaw. It's time to wake up."

Jaypaw's blind blue eyes opened groggily. He immediately let out a groan.

"Jaypaw…" Hollypaw murmured.

Jaypaw's eyes suddenly snapped open. Panic suddenly radiated from him, his fur standing up in sheer terror. He jerked hard and let out a soft yowl of pain.

"Lionpaw, hold him," Leafpool ordered. "Hollypaw, thyme."

Hollypaw tore her gaze from her brother who was now struggling against Lionpaw and in pain. She turned and looked through the herb stores. Her mind was scrambled as she tried to remember medicine cat training. I should have paid more attention.

Her eyes fell on a green herb and she snapped it up in her jaws and brought it over.

"Let's not use it yet," Leafpool said. "See if you can calm him down."

"Jaypaw, Jaypaw," Lionpaw said as he moved his paws to Jaypaw's shoulders. The grey tom was still trying to move. Some of his dressings were teared and blood began to seep, staining his fur.

"Jaypaw, what's wrong?" Hollypaw asked. She got an answer she didn't expect.

"I- I can't see… And everything hurts," Jaypaw choked out and tried to lay back in his nest but his body was still tense and he was shivering with shock and stress. "Why can't I see?"

Lionpaw, Hollypaw, and Leafpool exchanged a concerned glance.

"Um, Jaypaw?" Lionpaw was the first to speak. "You're… y'know, blind."

"What?"

"You've been blind since we were born," Hollypaw reminded. "Come on, Jaypaw, this isn't funny. How are you feeling?"

"Who's Jaypaw?" Jaypaw asked. Hollypaw felt her heart drop to her stomach. "And who are you?"

That did it. Shock hit her body like a monster roaring down a thunderpath and a steady numbness flooded her body.

"Jaypaw…"

"Who is that?" Jaypaw repeated, looking perplex. He put his head down and began breathing labored breaths that seemed to hitched in his chest. "I'm so confused and everything hurts so much…"

"I'll get some poppy seeds," Leafpool said.

"No!" Jaypaw tried to get up again but his legs wouldn't let him, giving out the moment he tried putting weight on them. He gave another yowl of pain.

"Jaypaw, calm down," Hollypaw begged.

"Let Leafpool take care of you," Lionpaw said.

"Who's Leafpool?" Jaypaw asked.

"I'm your moth- mentor. I'm your mentor," Leafpool told him before adding, "I'm your mother's sister."

"Whispering Breeze?" Jaypaw questioned.

"What?" Leafpool tilted her head, confused. "Jaypaw, let me give you some poppy seeds. You need to rest."

"I know what poppy seeds do, I'm no mouse brain," Jaypaw growled. "I'm not going to let some strange cats drug me."

Hollypaw tried to pull herself together but her mind still whirled. Jaypaw didn't remember them. At all. He was refusing to trust his own kin.

"Jaypaw, we're not strange cats," Lionpaw told him gently. "It's me, Lionpaw. Your brother."

"And Hollypaw. Your sister."

Jaypaw put his head back down and relaxed a bit but he still looked bewildered. "I don't have a brother," he said. "And my sister's name is not Hollypaw. It's Dove's Wing. Where is she? What have you done with her?"

"W-what?" Hollypaw and Lionpaw exchanged a glance. Hollypaw took a step forward. "Jaypaw, it's me. Hollypaw. I'm your sister."

"Get away from me," Jaypaw hissed. He lashed out with one paw and raked his claws over Hollypaw's foreleg in a lightning fast motion. The action made Jaypaw cry out in pain again and Hollypaw stumble back, her shock increased. She could hardly feel the pain, it wasn't a very well aimed or powerful blow but it left its mark. She could hardly feel anything other than that she was overwhelmed.

"Hollypaw!" Leafpool moved between the Jaypaw and his siblings protectively. "Jaypaw, please, calm down. We're your kin. Just let me help you."

Jaypaw still looked doubtful and untrusting but he flinched in pain and relaxed a bit. "Alright."

Leafpool blinked in relief and put the poppy seeds in his open mouth. Jaypaw held them in his mouth for a moment, deciding whether or not to swallow them. Eventually he gave into the pain and they went down in a single gulp.

Jaypaw put his head down one final time, still eyeing his kin with blind suspicion. It didn't take long for his eyelids to droop or his breaths to grow drowsy. Within a few heartbeats, he was asleep.

Hollypaw released the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Lionpaw looked at her with worry while Leafpool moved to check over Jaypaw's sleeping form. Hollypaw sat back on the medicine den's floor and leaned forward to steady herself. So much had just happened.

"Is- is… What's wrong with him?" Hollypaw asked. He didn't remember me…

"Let me get something for that scratch," Leafpool said, avoiding the question. Hollypaw looked down at her foreleg. A steady trickle of blood was running down her black fur. She had almost forgotten about it even though it had only been moments ago when Jaypaw clawed her.

She lifted her leg to let Leafpool spit chewed up herbs on the cut and dress it. Leafpool looked so focused. It was as if she wanted to forget the cat lying behind her.

"Why… why doesn't he know who we are?" Lionpaw asked once Leafpool had put the herbs away. His voice revealed the pain he felt. At least Jaypaw remembered he had a sister. He completely denied having a brother. That must be so hard on Lionpaw.

Leafpool frowned. "I don't know. I didn't think his head injury was that bad… He may have some injuries that we can't see."

"You mean he might have lost his memory?" Hollypaw questioned. Please don't say he has brain damage.

"Maybe," Leafpool said. "But we don't know what happened to him either. He could be more emotionally damaged than physically. I've heard of cats' minds being warped after experiencing something traumatic."

"Jaypaw…" Lionpaw buried his face into an unbloodied patch of grey fur on his brother's shoulder. Hollypaw pressed herself against his flank comfortingly. Oh Jaypaw.