Chapter Two

The next day, clouds began to form above ThunderClan camp. Jaypaw was awaken by the sound of wind overhead, and was thankful that he was sleeping in a cave. He sniffed the air, and Leafpool's scent came to his nose. Her slow and steady breathes told him that she was still sleeping. Arching his back in a long stretch, he then walked out into the main clearing.

He walked over to the fresh kill pile, and picked out a vole for himself. After that, he took a deep breath to smell who was in the clearing: Brook, Stormfur, Squirrelflight, Sandstorm, and Lionpaw. Relieved that his brother was there, Jaypaw made his way over.

"Hi," he meowed. Lionpaw took a bite of the mouse he was eating.

"Hi," he replied back after swallowing.

"S-sorry about yesterday," Jaypaw apologized. He could sense shock rippling off Lionpaw's pelt.

"It's okay," he managed to say. After Lionpaw had finished his statement, Jaypaw felt paw steps padding up to him from behind. His heart beat faster when the familiar scent of Cinderpaw drifted over him.

"Hey," she meowed to both of them.

"Hi," Lionpaw and Jaypaw replied in unison.

"Do you know where Hollypaw is?" Lionpaw continued; Jaypaw kept silent and chewed through a bone.

"Uh, I think she went out with the dawn patrol," Cinderpaw told him.

"Oh," came Lionpaw's disappointed meow. "'Kay, thanks. See you later, Jaypaw." And with that, he left Jaypaw and Cinderpaw alone. Jaypaw's heart pounded in his chest, and he desperately hoped the Cinderpaw wouldn't hear it.

"Hiya, Jaypaw," she purred.

"Hi," he muttered through a mouthful of vole. He took his time chewing so he wouldn't have to answer.

"Is everything alright?" she asked, sitting down. No! he thought. Go away, please.

"Yea, fine," he said back flatly.

"You look upset," she pointed out.

"I'm not," he snapped, making her flinch. I'm sorry.

"Well, if you say so," she mewed quietly, and she padded off to the Apprentice's den. Heavy hearted, Jaypaw made his way back to the medicine cat den. I'm sorry, Cinderpawhe thought. He wanted to call out to her and apologize, but he couldn't; the words sat like a boulder in his throat.

By the sound of it, Leafpool was still sleeping—though she seemed troubled. Fear scent came from her direction, and her breathing was shallow. I wonder what she's dreaming about? Jaypaw walked silently to her side and sat next to her. Closing his eyes, sleep overcame him soon. When he began to dream, a horrible and cold sensation flowed around him, and he felt as if he was swept off his paws and flying. Soon, he was standing near the WindClan border, as he let his eyes adjust; in dreams he could see. But it was dark all around, and he wondered if he wasn't sleeping after all. He looked up to see a sky full of stars. It's nighttime.

He glanced around, wondering why he was here. Then, he smelled Leafpool's scent, mingled with another. He followed it, curious to find out what was happening, and found that it crossed over the border and a little towards the Moonpool. Jaypaw eventually recognized the other scent as a WindClan warrior's. Why? Finally, he saw Leafpool standing with near a dark-colored cat, its blue eyes shining in the moonlight.

Padding closer to hear what they were saying, he hid in a bush, and could then hear perfectly.

"…can't be with you," Leafpool was saying.

"But I love you, Leafpool," the gray tom whispered.

"Crowfeather, you can't," Leafpool told him, her voice full of grief. "I can't." Jaypaw's heart pounded. What does she mean by that?

"We were meant to be together," Crowfeather went on. "I know it."

"I… I wish we were," Leafpool murmured sadly.

"In StarClan we will be together," Crowfeather said. Leafpool's eyes glinted.

"Until then…," she meowed. "Good bye, Crowfeather."

"Good bye, Leafpool," he meowed. He twined his tail with hers and they sat there. "I'll always love you."

"You, too," Leafpool whispered so that Jaypaw had to strain his ears to hear. Leafpool is in love with Corwfeather! But she can't be… she's a medicine cat!

There was a strong gust of wind, and Jaypaw's whole body chilled to the bone. Blackness overwhelmed him, and he knew that he was awake again. The smell of herbs drifted through the den, and beside him, Jaypaw could feel Leafpool stirring. He got to his paws and hurriedly went to his own nest.

"Hello there, Jaypaw," Leafpool meowed. In her voice, there was happiness, but also sadness. He tried to find out what she was thinking, but her thoughts were masked by a strange kind of fog.

"Hi," he meowed, the dream still fresh in his mind. "I have a question." Leafpool stretched and yawned before responding.

"Oh, what is it?"

"What are the names of the warriors in WindClan?" he meowed. Suspicion hung heavy in the air as Leafpool asked:

"Why?"

"I dunno, I'm a little off today," Jaypaw replied. "If you don't want to tell me you don't have to," he added with a bit more aggression to his voice to make it seem like he wasn't up to anything.

"No, I will," she said quickly. "Okay… So currently, there's Tornear, Weaselfur, Owlwhisker, Whitetail and… Nightcloud." The fur on the back of her neck bristled a little as she said Nightcloud's name. Nightcloud is Corwfeather's mate, Jaypaw thought.

"Oh, yea," Jaypaw said, pretending that he had just realized that she was correct. "But… what about Crowfeather? I think you missed him." Heat came from Leafpool's pelt as she pawed at the ground.

"Ah, yes," she meowed. "I must have forgot him." You'd never forget him! Jaypaw felt like saying. At that moment, Hollypaw walked into the medicine cat den, followed by Cinderpaw.

"Hi, Jaypaw," Hollypaw sighed, as if bored.

"Hi," Cinderpaw said softly.

"Could I have some moss for the elders' nests?" Hollypaw continued.

"Sure," he and Leafpool replied at the same time. Leafpool glanced at him, and Jaypaw responded with a cold and sightless stare.

"I'll get it," Leafpool announced quickly, padding over to the opposite side of the den to fetch some moss. "Oh, by the way, remind me to get some more moss later." Jaypaw nodded, and then felt Leafpool's paw steps as she same back to give Hollypaw the moss.

"Here you go," she purred.

"Thanks," Hollypaw meowed.

"Want me to help you carry some?" Cinderpaw asked.

"No," Hollypaw told her. "Remember? I can't get help." She sighed.

"Oh, right," Cinderpaw mewed.

"I'm so glad that Firestar cut my punishment short; tomorrow will be my last day," Hollypaw said, and she walked out of the den. Jaypaw heard her paw steps fade as she went to the elder's den.

"Need any help?" Cinderpaw asked Leafpool.

"Actually," Leafpool answered, "I do. While I sort out some herbs, can you two go out and get some moss? We're running a bit low." Jaypaw's heart thumped in his chest. Alone with Cinderpaw in the forest again?

"Okay," Cinderpaw meowed, as if unsure. Jaypaw just nodded. The two for them went out into the forest and headed to the place where they could find moss. A few times, Cinderpaw went closer to guide him around obstacles, but other than that, she kept her distance.

"Are you mad at me?" Jaypaw suddenly asked, and he felt Cinderpaw jump a little.

"No," she meowed. "I… thought that you were mad at me."

"Why did you think that?" he meowed.

"You didn't seem like you wanted to talk to me earlier," Cinderpaw explained. The two of them stopped walking and stood facing each other.

"No… I…" Jaypaw was lost for words. How could he tell her the real reason why he wouldn't talk to her? Then a thought struck him. They could just be friends, right? If Leafpool could love a cat from another Clan, then why couldn't he love a cat from the same Clan?

"I'm sorry," he meowed, now hating his blindness and wishing that he could look into her eyes. "Can we still be friends?" He heard a purr rumble in Cinderpaw's throat.

"Yea," she said. "I'd like that." She twirled her tail with his for a quick second and then they went back on their hunt for moss, Jaypaw's whole body warming with joy.