"Squirrelflight, Brambleclaw," Leafpool said, stepping out of the medicine den. Judging by how her sister and the deputy looked at her, she knew just how worried they were. Their eyes locked on her, begging to know the condition of their son.

Squirrelflight moved closer to her, one paw lifted off the ground tentatively. "How is he?"

"He… Jaypaw…" Leafpool trailed off. She didn't know how to tell them. She didn't know how she could tell them.

"Is there something wrong?" Brambleclaw asked. A desperate concern bled into his voice. The same desperate concern in his mew radiated from the look in his eyes. He seemed to be emanating the feeling, filling the atmosphere with it.

"Y-yes," Leafpool stuttered. She did not go on.

"Oh Jaypaw!" Squirrelflight tried to rush into the medicine den but Brambleclaw half-heartedly put a paw in front of her. He looked at her with comforting eyes.

"Let's hear what your sister has to say first," Brambleclaw suggested softly. Squirrelflight nodded. She looked at her paws but Leafpool could still see water in her green eyes. She had once seen a twoleg that was overcome with emotion make rain from its face. If cats could do that- the kittypet she was with had called it crying- she was sure that Squirrelflight would be.

"Jaypaw… He…" Leafpool trailed off again. She couldn't find the words and even if she could, she didn't think she'd be able to tell her apprentice's parents what had happened to their son. She knew she had to though. That was her job as medicine cat and Cinderpelt had prepared her well for the job. "He is very weak from his injuries but the worst of it has passed. He should recover but I don't know if he'll be completely back to the way he used to ever."

Some of the tension in the air eased. Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight relaxed a bit but still looked incredibly upset.

"There's more," Leafpool spoke softly, so quiet that the warriors almost didn't hear her. They stiffened again. Leafpool closed her eyes for a moment. When they reopened, she looked to the sky. Above the ThunderClan camp, fluffy white clouds drifted through the sky. The sky wasn't as deep of a blue as it could be but it still provided some solace. Please StarClan. Give me strength.

When she lowered her head to look back at the two cats before her, their gazes bore into her, not forceful but demanding. They had to know what happened to their kit.

"Jaypaw doesn't remember anything," Leafpool said. She could practically see the shock from her words strike her clanmates. Squirrelflight began breathing rapidly while Brambleclaw stopped breathing all together. Leafpool let out a long sigh, releasing all the stress built up in her though she knew there was more to come.

"Wh-what do you mean?" Squirrelflight asked, the first to speak. "What do you mean he doesn't remember anything? Does he not remember what happened to him?"

"Well, yes, but it's more than that," Leafpool told her. She took a deep breath in preparation. "I mean he doesn't remember anything. When he woke, he panicked because he can't see. He forgot he's blind."

"Oh great StarClan," Brambleclaw whispered. He stood completely still. His amber eyes lost what little light they had left. He looked like part of him just died inside. Squirrelflight didn't say anything but her reaction was just as strong. She just sort of fell over onto the sandy ThunderClan camp ground. She fell back on her haunches and crouched forward on her forelegs, her breathing fast.

"He was in pain. I tried giving him poppy seeds but he didn't trust us," Leafpool told them. Hearing the words come from her own mouth made reality all more real. Oh Jaypaw. I wish I hadn't said those things… Then maybe you wouldn't have run off and this never would have happened. She knew that was wishful thinking. She knew she shouldn't blame herself but she couldn't help it. She felt responsible, more responsible than any other cat at least.

"And?" Brambleclaw prompted. He swallowed. It was clear how difficult it was for him to hear this but he had to know.

"He said he didn't have a brother when Lionpaw told him who he was," Leafpool said. "And he clawed Hollypaw when she got too close."

"Is she alright?"

Leafpool nodded. "It wasn't a direct blow and Jaypaw was too weak to do any serious damage. But still…"

"To attack his own sister…" Squirrelflight whispered.

"Jaypaw loves Lionpaw and Hollypaw so much," Brambleclaw said quietly. "They're the only cats he's really close too. I could never imagine attacking my own sister and we live in rival clans… How badly hurt is he?"

"I'm not completely sure," Leafpool admitted. "I can't see inside his mind. When he's strong enough to be left alone, I can make a journey to the Moonpool and see if Spottedleaf knows anything that I don't but in the meantime he just needs to be cared for."

"How is he now?" Squirrelflight asked.

"Sleeping," Leafpool told her. "He took the poppy seeds."

"Can… can we see him?" Brambleclaw asked.

Leafpool nodded. "Of course. He shouldn't wake up for awhile."

Jaypaw followed Dove's Wing, Fish Leap, and Half Moon through a familiar forest. He was definitely on ThunderClan territory. The smells, the way the wind blew, the sound of bird cries through the trees, it was all just like he was at home on a quiet, peaceful day. But I've never met these cats before.

They certainly acted like they knew him. The white she-cat, Half Moon, walked at his side. Jaypaw was sure they were close except, of course, he didn't know who she was. Dove's Wing, the grey she-cat who had called him her brother, let the two have their space but was clearly just as worried as Half Moon, regularly slowing down from her position towards the front of the group to check on the apprentice.

Fish Leap, the brown tabby tom, seemed far less concerned than the other softpaws but was most expressive of his happiness to see him. Jaypaw guessed they were friends. A cat named Fallen Leaves had been mentioned. Jaypaw assumed he was missing, that's why these cats had been so worried. They didn't want to lose another friend.

Jaypaw was practically asleep on his paws, he was exhausted, but he refrained from showing it. He was wary of these cats even though they seemed friendly. He doubted they would turn on him but he wasn't going to take any chances. He was no fighter. He wouldn't be able to defend himself from the three of them.

"Not much further, Jay's Wing," Fish Leap called back from the front of the group. "In no time at all we'll have you asleep in a nest with Rising Moon checking those pads of yours. They can't be doing so good after all that time in the tunnels."

Jaypaw blinked. He realized his pads were pretty sore.

"Remember, the sharpclaws will probably insist that we have the ceremony before Jay's Wing gets a chance to sleep," Dove's Wing pointed out. "You know how they are."

"I'm sure Jay's Wing wants to become a sharpclaw immediately," Half Moon said. She looked at the grey tom. "Right?"

"Y-yeah." Jaypaw nodded rigorously. Sharpclaws? He didn't know what they were talking about but he was sure disagreeing with them would start something.

"Fish Leap! You're back!" a voice said from up ahead. Jaypaw looked up and saw a silver tabby she-cat and a black tom bounded up to the foursome from the forest ahead. The silver she-cat looked over the group. "Hey, you and Dove's Wing got Half Moon to- by the stars. Is that Jay's Wing?"

"Um. Hi," Jaypaw said. Apparently these cats knew him too. Or Jay's Wing. Whoever that was. Why do they all think I'm him?

"We've got to get you back to the tribe," the tom said. His tail waved excitedly behind him. He turned and bounded into the trees, nearly crashing into one immediately. "Come on!"

"Right," Jaypaw said and sped up to follow him. Tribe? Did he say tribe? Did the Tribe of Rushing Water come down from the mountains?

"Slow down, Lapping Wave," Half Moon called. "Jay's Wing's exhausted."

"Oh. Right. Sorry," Lapping Wave responded. "I remember how tired I was after completing my trial. And you were down there for three times as long. You must be dead on your paws!"

"I am," Jaypaw admitted. He really was. He hadn't initially noticed his exhaustion but how it felt like he was carrying a badger on is back or he was swimming in the lake with the water tugging down on his pelt. All he wanted to do was lay down and sink into the realm of sleep.

"Three days?" the silver she-cat murmured. "That can't be right. You shouldn't be alive."

"Why not?" Fish Leap asked. "I know softpaws are only supposed to be down there for a day and all but cats can go a while without food and water, can't they?"

"It's not that," the silver she-cat said. "There's a reason cats don't come out after more than a day. When the trial begins the river-"

"Shush, Whispering Breeze," Lapping Wave said. "They're still softpaws, they can't hear about what happens down there."

"Right," Whispering Breeze said. "I know, I'm just so glad to see Jay's Wing alive that I forgot. Your mother would have been so proud of you, Jay's Wing. Actually, I'm sure she is. We should go visit the Starpool when you're up to it."

"I… I'd like that," Jaypaw answered despite not really knowing what she was talking about. Starpool? Does she mean Moonpool? Does that mean she's a medicine cat? I can go there apparently. Does that mean I'm still a medicine cat? He shook his head, clearing those thoughts. Why wouldn't he be a medicine cat? These cats keep saying I'm a sharpclaw. What in the name of StarClan does that even mean?

"Come on, we're close!" Lapping Wave said, rushing forward again. He narrowly avoided slamming into a tree again. He skipped on his paws clumsily when he swerved to avoid it.

"What did I just tell you, Lapping Wave?" Half Moon questioned.

"Sorry."

"Don't worry about it," Jaypaw said. "The faster we go, the faster I can get into a nest."

"Alright!" Lapping Wave exclaimed joyfully, a playful gleam in his eyes. "Last one there is a mouse!"

"I swear Lapping Wave, you're such a kit!"

When Jay's Wing blinked his eyes open, he was once again greeted by darkness, a pounding head, and agony spreading through his body. The pain radiated most strongly from his head but his back, flank, and belly burned anytime he tried to move and a sharp pain shot up through his legs when he tried to get up.

Eventually, he gave up and flopped back down in his nest, the pain too unbearable to do anything. He allowed himself to let out a long groan.

"Jaypaw! You're awake!" a voice said. Jay's Wing jumped in surprise and gave another sound of pain. He hadn't realized someone was there.

"It's me, Hollypaw," the voice said. "Your sister. Remember?"

"You're not my sister," Jay's Wing stated. He suddenly sensed a feeling of hurt but ignored it. "Dove's Wing is my sister and your not her."

"Come on, Jaypaw," another voice said. Deeper, a tom by the sound of it. Jay's Wing's blind eyes looked around wildly. How many cats were in the den? He really couldn't tell. "Try to remember us. Hollypaw and Lionpaw. Your brother and sister."

"Stop calling me that," Jay's Wing responded. "That's not my name and I'm not your brother so stop trying to convince me I am."

He felt another wave of hurt fill the den.

"Please Jaypaw," Hollypaw begged. "Just try."

Jay's Wing sighed. Deciding to humor them, he closed his eyes and tried to think of what he knew about these two cats. Immediately, he felt a sharp flash of pain spread through him originating from deep within his mind. His jaws parted in a yowl but no sound came. Panic once again took ahold of him. I can't hear anything!

He tried yowling louder as the pain increased. In a moment, he felt paws on his shoulders, trying to pin him down. He began struggling against his unseen attacker. He unsheathed his claws and tried lashing out but being unable to see, he only ended up shredding the moss he was laying on. His thrashing sent it flying around the den.

Jay's Wing felt a panic around him that was clearly not his own. What is this feeling? This was the third time he'd had this vibe since waking. The first two times he'd ignored it, thinking he was imagining it, but this time he knew something was off.

He sensed worry and soon felt paws on his face. He clamped his jaws shut, not wanting whoever this was to open his mouth.

Slowly, sound bled back into his hearing. He heard voices but they were still unclear. Why can't I hear? Am I going to be blind and deaf? What are these cats doing to me?

Jay's Wing felt something being forced into his mouth. In a moment, he recognized it as poppy seeds. They're trying to drug me again! He wouldn't let them. He tried to open his mouth to spit them out but he felt paws wrap around his maw and over his nose. I can't breathe!

The panic that had seized Jay's Wing's body once again increased. These cats were trying to kill him! Jay's Wing continued to struggle but the cat holding him down was too strong and each thrash of his body only sent more waves of pain through his weakened body.

That didn't stop him from resisting. He knew these cats were no good. He knew it! He shouldn't have taken those poppy seeds earlier. They probably weren't even poppy seeds. The things in his mouth probably weren't even poppy seeds! They could be poison for all he knew.

His body naturally began to try to swallow but he wouldn't let it. Jay's Wing forced the poppy seeds under his tongue so he couldn't swallow them. He felt like vomiting but he wouldn't give in. He had just passed his trial, he was a sharpclaw now and sharpclaws didn't submit to any cat.

But, no matter how strong he was, his body was weak and needy. He needed oxygen. His returning hearing began to sound fuzzy as he became lightheaded from the lack of air.

"How is he still awake?" he heard Hollypaw ask.

"I don't know," another cat responded. Jay's Wing recognized the voice as Leafpool's. He heard worry in her mew and sensed the same feeling coming from her. Jay's Wing was suddenly filled with a rage that fueled his thrashing, fueling his resistance. These cats lied to my face! They pretended that they wanted to take care of me and now they're trying to kill me!

Unfortunately for Jay's Wing, it seemed they were going to be successful. His struggling began to weaken and pain consumed his body.

Knowing he had to do something, Jay's Wing fake swallowed in hopes Leafpool would remove her paws from his mouth and nose once the seeds were down. He really hoped this was what this was all about because if not, he'd be crowfood very soon.

Jaypaw purposefully slowed his struggling further and let his blind eyes roll back. He went limp against Lionpaw's grip and lay in his nest, seemingly unconscious.

"I think he swallowed them," Lionpaw said.

"Or he passed out because you were stopping him from breathing!" Hollypaw said indignantly. Leafpool pulled her paws away from Jay's Wing. He took in a big breath of air, careful to make it seem like an involuntary action. He couldn't have them knowing he was still awake. "Why'd you do that? You could have suffocated him!"

"Cinderpelt taught me that was the only way to get a panicking cat to take herbs," Leafpool told her. Her voice was laced with worry. "I've done it many times, it always works. I've never seen a cat resist that long."

"That blow to the head really messed him up…" Lionpaw murmured.

"I'm afraid it may be worse than we thought," Leafpool told him. "What caused him to do that?"

"I- we- we asked him to try to remember us," Hollypaw said softly. "He did and then this happened."

Jay's Wing sensed a flash of sympathy in the den. Leafpool sighed. "We can't force him to do anything."

"Says the cat who just forced him to take poppy seeds."

"Look, I'm not happy about that either," Leafpool said before continuing. "We medicine cats don't know a lot about mental injuries, I myself have never met a cat who suffered from any, but I'm assuming any strain can be harmful to him. Just… just try and be gentle and supportive with him or I won't let you visit."

Hollypaw sighed. Jay's Wing felt tranquility spread over the present cats. Except him of course. He was still as tense as the most tightly woven tendril barrier. "I understand."

"Yeah, me too."

"By the stars is that Jay's Wing?"

"Jay's Wing! You're back!"

"You're alive!"

"How in the name of the cats in the stars did you survive down there that long?"

"Give him some space!" Whispering Breeze hissed at the crowding cats. "Don't overwhelm him."

"I thought you of all cats would be most happy to see him, Whispering Breeze," a thick furred black tom said. "Other than the softpaws of course."

"Of course I am but that doesn't mean I'm going to smother him!" Whispering Breeze responded. She looked back at Jaypaw. "Come on, Jay's Wing. We've got to tell Furled Bracken you're back."

Jaypaw nodded, unable to find words. He looked around what appeared to be a camp. It was a large clearing at the far side of ThunderClan territory except he was sure that he'd never known a clearing to be here. He didn't dwell on it. He was more surprised by all the cats around him and the fact he never met any of them before.

There had to be at least a dozen cats around him, all with different mews, pelt colors, and sizes. They all seemed as excited as Lapping Wave and Whispering Breeze at the sight of him.

The camp wasn't particularly large and Jaypaw didn't see any nests which made him question if this was really the camp. He saw no elders or kits. Not even any apprentice age cats other than himself, his supposed sister, Half Moon, and Fish Leap. Everyone around him was a full grown cat, some older than others but all still relatively young and strong. It didn't look like a clan camp.

Jaypaw looked out into the forest. The trees were much denser than he was used to. Then again, he'd never seen the forest so it could just be his perception of the place.

Whispering Breeze waved her tail to beckon Jaypaw. Jaypaw glanced back at the softpaws before following her.

To his surprise, Whispering Breeze led him out of the clearing and into the forest. Jaypaw inhaled. The forest smelled different too. There was more of an earthy scent in the air. More of a pine scent too though he couldn't see any pine trees.

Jaypaw spotted a fallen tree up ahead. Whispering Breeze walked right up to it and leaped over it and suddenly disappeared behind it. What? Where'd she go?

Jaypaw scampered a bit faster and jumped up on the tree to peer down. The ground dropped down right behind the tree. Jaypaw relaxed a bit. Seeing a cat just disappear like that had startled him.

Jaypaw dropped down after her and was once again surprised. The space under the ledge opened up into a cave. This is definitely ThunderClan territory but this isn't right. There's no way this exists.

Seeing the young tom stop, Whispering Breeze looked over her shoulder in confusion. "Weren't you just talking about how much you want to get into a nest?"

"R-right," Jaypaw said and sped up to follow her. Does that mean all those cats' nests are down here?

The cave was unlike any he'd ever seen. That wasn't saying much, he'd really only been in one cave and that one had been made of pure stone. This one seemed to be a mix of brown earth and grey rock. The earthy smell was even stronger down here but now it was mixed with the cold, damp smell of rock.

The went back pretty far, Jaypaw couldn't see the back of it. The walls on either side of him were filled with deep indents. He presumed that was where the nests were. He heard excited squeals echoing. So this must be the camp if they keep the kits here.

"Furled Bracken!" Whispering Breeze called as they neared the farmost end of the cave. "It's Jay's Wing! He's back!"

There was another indent in the back wall. It was a bit more spacious than the others but not by much. Jaypaw heard pawsteps as a cat walked forward.

"Did you find his bo- body…? Jay's Wing?" Furled Bracken's amber eyes seemed to glow in the shadows like a body-less entity as the light from the entrance trickled into the cave and reflected off them. A dark ginger cat slipped out of the shadows, eyes wide with shock. "Jay's Wing!"

"Um, yep. Me, Jay's Wing," Jaypaw lied. He didn't know why he was still going along with this.

"It is you!" Furled Bracken darted forward and pressed his head against Jaypaw's shoulder. "We were all certain you were dead."

"Why?" Jaypaw asked.

Furled Bracken pulled away to look at him. His eyes bore into Jaypaw. The young tom shifted his paws in discomfort and looked away. Did he say something wrong?

"You were down there for three days," Furled Bracken stated, suddenly serious. He glanced at Whispering Breeze then back at Jaypaw. "Both Whispering Breeze and I were down there late. We know of the horrors that happen after just one night. No cat has ever made it out after one… what you must have gone through…"

Jaypaw swallowed. He felt a memory stirring in the back of his mind but it wouldn't surface. "I can't remember anything," he admitted. Furled Bracken blinked at him in shock.

"You don't remember what happened in the trial?" Furled Bracken questioned. Jaypaw nodded. Furled Bracken let out a long sigh. Whispering Breeze pressed her forehead into Jaypaw's shoulder fur. Jaypaw stiffened under the touch but then relaxed. It was comforting.

"You poor thing," she whispered. "I can't imagine what more than the flooding the ancestors could send into those tunnels during the trial… what power they must have to make you forget."

"Or how terrifying the horrors must be do make this happen to him," Furled Bracken pointed out.

"I'm sorry but I honestly don't know what you're talking about," Jaypaw said.

"Of course," Furled Bracken said, dipping his head. "Is there anything else you can't remember?"

Jaypaw began to nod but stopped himself. He wasn't fast enough to prevent his seniors to see the action. He shuffled his paws and looked down. "Can we not talk about it?"

"If that's what you want." Furled Bracken nodded. "Besides, it is time for your sharpclaw ceremony. Whispering Breeze, gather the tribe. It is time Jay's Wing becomes truly one of us."