Jayfeather twitched in his sleep. His dreams were plagued by that night's gathering. He had stood silently with the other medicine cats listening to the Clans sharing what they had to say. Sure enough, Firestar had warned the other Clans that Hollyleaf was back.
A pang in his heart made Jayfeather twitch. He opened his eyes and found more than darkness. He was standing in a grassy part of the ThunderClan territory, and before him was a tunnel. It smelled of earth and the river, he knew it was a tunnel to the Dark River. Instinctively, he padded forward to sniff at the tunnel ; it smelled not only of the normal Dark River scents, but of Hollyleaf.
"Come down here and join me, Jayfeather," a voice sang.
Jayfeather jumped and stepped back. As he did, Hollyleaf emerged from the tunnel. The sun glinted on her thorn-sharp claws. Panic swept through Jayfeather.
"I'll never be like you," he stammered, backing away.
"We have been betrayed, Jayfeather! How can you accept that and keep living on? What keeps you there, ThunderClan wants nothing to do with us!" Hollyleaf spat.
"You're wrong! ThunderClan needs us. I am ThunderClan's only medicine cat, I am needed," Jayfeather straightened up and tried to push strength into his voice.
"You're a fool, Jayfeather. You will always be a fool!" Hollyleaf spat and leaped forward.
Jayfeather's eyes flew wide open to darkness. It had been a dream. He sat up and licked his chest fur to make it lie flat again. Hollyleaf's last words echoed painfully in his head.
"Jayfeather?" a gentle voice called.
"What is it, Sorreltail?" he meowed.
"Brackenfur stepped on a thorn, could you help him?" the tortoiseshell asked.
"Sure," he nodded and went to the medicine stores.
He grabbed a mouthful of herbs and followed Sorreltail to where Brackenfur sat beneath the High Ledge licking a paw fiercely. Jayfeather dropped his bundle of herbs.
"Let me see it," he ordered.
He started to feel around Brackenfur's outstretched paw until he located the thorn. It was small and easy to pull out of Brackenfur's pad. He chewed up some herbs and licked the juice into the tom's pad. He felt Brackenfur twitch but held the paw in place until he'd finished with his task.
"It should be better in a matter of time," Jayfeather promised.
"Thanks, Jayfeather," Brackefur sighed in relief.
Jayfeather picked up the rest of the pile of leaves and carried them back to the den. He sensed Dovepaw leaving camp with Lionblaze. Dustpelt, Berrynose, and Foxleap were with them.
Patrols have been bigger than usual, and that's because no one can go out alone with Hollyleaf roaming. That's going to make it difficult for Lionblaze to work with Dovepaw's power, Jayfeather thought as he entered the medicine den.
He sniffed around at the stocks to see if anything was getting low. As he passed around the store, the smell of borage smelled stale. It was coming on Leaf bare, he'd have to gather more before the plants died.
I'll go out and collect more. I'll see if Brightheart wants to help, he decided.
Pushing out of the den again, he located Brightheart sitting with her mate sharing a vole. He trotted over.
"Brightheart, the supply of borage is low, do you want to help me?" he asked.
"Sure, Jayfeather," Brightheart trilled.
He padded over to wait by the gorse tunnel while Brightheart finished her meal and exchanged a few quick words with Cloudtail. Then she joined him.
"I want to be back fast, Cloudtail wants me to go hunting with him," she meowed
"Alright," he nodded and started off.
He led the way along, avoiding twigs and roots that might trip him to the best of his ability. Brightheart would point out a few things he didn't notice sometimes. Soon, the scent of borage reached his parted jaws. He rushed toward the plant and heard Brightheat charge after him.
"Grab as much as you can carry," he instructed before he started to collect as much as he could carry.
By the time they both had a jaw-full of herbs, they turned back to head for camp. Jayfeather froze when he heard a hiss and a rustle in the undergrowth. He knew immediately it wasn't a snake, it was a cat.
"Hollyleaf?" Brightheart had set down her bundle of herbs.
"Very good, Brightheart. It's good to see you again," Hollyleaf said icily, Jayfeather heard her snake her way out of her little hiding place. He dropped his bundle of herbs.
"It's good to see you again too, Hollyleaf," Brightheart purred as if she was just seeing an old friend again.
Hollyleaf hissed, sounding as if she'd been taken aback by Brightheart's kind words. Jayfeather sensed a wave of confusion from Brightheart.
"Hollyleaf?" Brightheart meowed in confusion.
"I am your enemy!" Hollyleaf hissed.
Brightheart flinched. Jayfeather growled and felt Hollyleaf's blazing eyes turn on him.
"Are you asking for a challenge, Jayfeather?" Hollyleaf spat his name out distastefully.
A loud yowling split the air and Jayfeather recognized Lionblaze and Dovepaw charging forth with the rest of the patrol right behind them. Hollyleaf spun around to meet the patrol, hissing.
Before the patrol had reached them, Hollyleaf dived away and disappeared. The patrol scrambled to a stop, Dovepaw running forward to Jayfeather.
"Are you okay? Did she hurt you?" Dovepaw squeaked.
"I'm fine," Jayfeather lashed his tail.
Lionblaze sniffed angrily. "Need any help with those herbs?" he asked in a dark tone.
"Brightheart and I can take care of them," Jayfeather replied.
"Let's get back to hunting," Dustpelt meowed gruffly.
Dovepaw shot a reluctant look at Jayfeather but turned to follow Dustpelt and the rest of the patrol as they pushed away. Brightheart remained in a heavy silence and picked up her stack again. The two cats traveled together back to the camp. Jayfeather could sense her anxiety, Hollyleaf had treated her very sharply, Jayfeather could sympathize with her. She wanted to be Hollyleaf's friend, but Hollyleaf wanted no friends. She was a rogue.