So sorry to leave you confused! That was the worst cliffie I've ever made.

Onward with the story!

Chapter Whatever- The Impossible

"What?" Lionclaw sputtered. It seemed so impossible, so completely disturbing that he had to look away from his brother's grim face.

"She had no soul." Jayfeather repeated, his voice weak, breaking off.

"I don't…understand…" Lionclaw said, partly to himself, still not able to meet his brother's gaze.

Jayfeather took a deep, shallow breath. "I have a guess, although it isn't my place." Jayfeather muttered in an edgy tone.

Lionclaw looked up sharply. "I still don't understand." He shook his head, as if to clear it. "This…is beyond anything I've ever heard."

Jayfeather's face turned grim again. "Didn't you listen? To Mousetail when we were kits?"

Lionclaw leaned back. Nursery tails seemed so insignificant to his recent discovery. "Yes. I remember." He said bluntly.

"And do you remember the story, of the cat that went to the Place of No Stars? Tigerstar?" Jayfeather prompted.

"Yes." Lionclaw snorted. "I can't believe we're related to that fox-dung."

"Well…I'm not sure, but Tigerstar might have…I don't know…stolen her soul or something." Jayfeather said, uneasy.

Lionclaw stared through his brother, almost worried. Was his brother insane? Or was he insane, for believing him? "How?" he asked, in a small voice.
Jayfeather looked uncomfortable. "There was this old story that Squirrelflight told us. I don't think you were listening. You and Hollywhisker never paid attention."

Lionclaw shot a dirty look at his brother.

Jayfeather tried to rephrase it. "Okay, you did, but not like me." he said quickly, a note of impatience in his voice. "In that story, Squirrelflight said that in StarClan, before kits were born, they would…take a part of them and place it in the kit…just as they were born."

Lionclaw shook his head again. "I still don't get it." He said earnestly. "And I'm starting to think you're losing it." Jayfeather snorted and looked away. "Listen for once, why don't you?"

They stared at each other from across the den, both glaring. And then his brother spoke again.

"They took a part of them, wisdom, eagerness, patience, and even ignorance was placed in the kits." Jayfeather continued as if there hadn't been an interruption. "I think…but I'm not entirely sure, that the soul that StarClan made for Cinderit wasn't put in because of the interruptions. Because there wasn't room left."

Lionclaw tilted his head to the side and waited for his brother to continue.

"Tigerstar had been putting together a soul too. And if I'm not mistaken, I'm sure that Hawkfrost or Darkstripe helped him. I think he was putting the 'bad' soul in Cinderkit when Cinderpelt's soul was accidently placed in there as well, and it got crowded…there wasn't any room for StarClan to put their soul."

Lionclaw hung onto every word, more and more convinced that his brother might be getting sick. "But you said, 'She had no soul.' But if Tigerstar and Cinderpelt's soul was in it, technically there was a soul in it."

"I don't think you understand. It wasn't a genuine soul. Just a recycled one and an evil one. Cinderkit didn't have her own soul." Jayfeather said, his last words leaving a dangerous resounding echo.

"So…" Lionclaw said tentatively. "That doesn't mean she's evil. Cindercoat is perfectly nice. More than nice actually."

Jayfeather nodded. "I think that's because Cinderpelt was fighting for this kit to be good. I think that Tigerstar's part hadn't acted…until now. I think that finally Cinderpelt's grip is loosening, her strength breaking. She can't hold on forever."

Lionclaw looked devastated. "That's why StarClan wants me to kill her. Because Tigerclaw's soul is acting through her." He closed his eyes. "Jayfeather what do I do? I'm not cold-blooded."
Jayfeather licked him on the shoulder. "I'm sorry." He replied sadly. "I don't think that you have a choice. Lion will save the clan…"

Lionclaw's head snapped up, surprised. "You heard the prophecy too?"
"No. But I believe that you will. Even if it hurts, remember that you will be doing the right thing." Jayfeather reassured him quietly.

Lionclaw shook his head. His words came out choked, and they even surprised himself. "But I love her."

Jayfeather leaned back, his eyes filling with something unknown. "I'm sorry, Lionclaw. I can't help you. This is your problem now."

Lionclaw didn't understand. His brother had sounded angry at the mention of love. A forbidden love that could never occur. Because he had to kill her.

"I'm not going to do it." Lionclaw said more strongly, his head throbbing. "I can't, Jayfeather! I'm not a killer!"

"I already told you that I can't help you!" Jayfeather shouted in return. "I don't want to be apart of this."
"Coward." Lionclaw hissed.

Jayfeather launched suddenly at him, knocking him into the dirt. For a medicine cat, he was surprisingly strong.

"I'm not a coward!" Jayfeather yowled.

"You are for not wanting to do anything with a murder! Well, you can't change back time. You've already helped me."

Jayfeather's eyes glazed over. "You aren't really going to do it, are you?"

Lionclaw had trouble breathing. Jayfeather still had his claws on his chest, and the deed he had to do hung over his head. "I have to." He said, his voice pitiful. "I don't have a choice.