-Chapter 12-

The cats waited by highledge. News of Shadowclan's attack spread quickly.
Jayfeather sat right beside Snowpaw in the crowd. For some reason he
was drawn to her. Not romantically but some force was telling him that
something was weird or wrong with her. There was more going on than a
Shadowclan attack and he needed to find out.

He closed his eyes and slowed his breathing to hers. Trying hard to
connect to her soul, he waited. Suddenly, he was in a strange forest. The
trees looked happy and lively but his senses told him something evil was
happening. Slowly and quietly, he approached the bracken and peered
through. A battle cry sounded and a cat that looked like Snowpaw, fully
grown, attacked a tortoiseshell tom. The snow-white cat ran into his
side and sent him flying to the ground. "How dare you come on Winterclan
territory, Hawkclaw."

Hawkclaw slowly got to his paws, coughing. "What's wrong with you,
Snowfang? We are friends, remember?" Hawkclaw bright green eyes looked
in her light blue eyes. "I have no friends." She growled at him.
Hawkclaw grew fearful. Winterclan was known for no mercy
killings. Taking a deep breath, he ran for it.

Jayfeather didn't know whether to stay or follow Hawkclaw. Sundenly, a
gray she-cat walked passed him, through the brambles, and sat right next to
Snowfang.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath
highledge." To Firestar's surprise, everyone was already there.

No! No! Jayfeather had been kicked out of Snowpaw's mind when she moved
to sit next to her mentor.

"It seems that Shadowclan attacked us without giving us a reason or an
opportunity to talk."

"They attacked us in the middle of our training session." yelled
Squrrellflight.

The clan yowled their disapproval. "We must attack them now!" yowled
Cloudtail. All the cats either nodded their head or mewed 'attack
Shadowclan'.

"Normally, I would let a scuffle like this slid and wait for the
gathering but I agree with you all. This time Shadowclan has gone too
far." Firestar took a deep breath and looked around. "Lionblaze,
Graystripe, Brightheart, Snowpaw, Mousewhisker, Sandstorm, Dustpelt, and
I will go right away. Brambleclaw, make preparations just incase."
Firestar leaped down and wait at the entrance for those he had called. As
soon as everyone gathered, they departed.

While warriors and apprentice were running past Jayfeather, all he could
do was stare at the entrance. She mustn't go. She is evil. She is going
to kill, just because she can.
Jayfeather had finally understood
Snowpaw. She was no ordinary kittypet joining clan life. But a killer,
joining clan life, to prey on innocent cats.

Jayfeather slowly walked to the medicine cat den and sat outside. So
he'd be ready to help, but had some quiet time to think. This was a past
flash, not a future flash. Maybe she isn't the cat she was before.
Maybe...maybe. Arg. Why do I even care? Is it that Starclan wants me to
care? Why? What happened in her past life should be no concern to me.

Ravenpaw came running up to Jayfeather. "We hear some yowling in the
distance. The battle has begun." Jayfeather twitched his tail, telling
Ravenpaw that he had heard. Ravenpaw ran back to the entrance and
waited.

"The war has begun." Jayfeather mumbled to himself. "May Starclan be
with you, Firestar and Blackstar.