Chapter 4
Time: Sunhigh
Setting: River clan camp
Willowshine's POV
I busily sort mallow into its proper nook. Mothwing herself is quite busy, flinging herbs left and right to their homes.
We had spent all day yesterday gathering the herbs we were low on. We had left a massive pile of unsorted herbs, now today we tidy them up.
My mind drifts away on the wind as I get lost in my task. I find a picture of Jayfeather in my mind. His mangy grey pelt, his ragged hooked claws, but what about his brilliant blue eyes or his delicate pink nose, the way he holds himself high.
I shake by head clearing my thoughts.
Mothwing looks at me "Are you okay?"
"Yes fine, why?" I ask shuffling my paws.
"You've been staring at that wall for a long time, making odd faces"
Hot embarrassment seeps through my pelt. Heat spreads over my ears. "Err, sorry Mothwing" I stammer.
She nods and continues her work.
Time: Sunhigh
Setting: Thunder clan camp
Jayfeather's POV
I sit in my den, my tail wrapped around my paws. I'm trying hard to focus on my thoughts, but my mind is cluttered.
I feel a pelt brush mine, and I gasp and flinch in surprise.
I hear a chuckle, followed by my brother's scent hitting me. "Don't do that" I hiss my tail puffed out.
"Why so jumpy anyway" he asks genuinely concerned.
"I'm not a kit, you just surprised me" My voice squeaks, I hate lying to my kin.
I feel his amber gaze burn through my pelt. He's my brother, he knows I'm lying. He's just waiting for me to admit it.
I stand firm my jaw clenched. He won't get a confession. What could he do for me anyway? But my insides turn anyways.
"Why are you still here?" I grumble, annoyed.
I hear him stand and trot away, lingering for a moment before he exits the den.
Frustration tears through my pelt. I unsheathe my claws and pull them through the floor. Hot rage bubbles up inside me. I stand and crawl from the den.
Delicate rain drops disappear into my pelt. I trot out of camp and break into a run. My claws dig into the forest floor as I quicken my pace into a full out sprint. I hear the whizzing of trees as I fly past them on wings of rage. I can feel the Wind Clan blood coursing through my veins. It pounds inside me and carries me forward.
Suddenly, I feel my body swing into a tree. The bark rips at my pelt like needle sharp teeth, and I let out a yelp.
Then my legs crumple beneath me. I collapse to the ground. Coldness engulfs me despite the searing heat. Salty tears roll down my cheeks and into the forest floor. I lift my head to the sky. "Star Clan… please, help me" I whisper.
A cold silence follows. Like being plunged under freezing water. Then an anger clap of thunder.
An enormous wall of pain and fear strikes me like lightning.
I let out a scream, the kind that comes from a cat's soul itself. I sink back down to the ground and let my consciousness fade.