Lionblaze has a Shadow: Part 8. The Arrest

this is such a stupid place

drawings written on my face

different socks and lovely stains

sickness running down the drains

last night was crazy

blurred and hazy

how did I end up here

Hollyleaf dialled Lionblazes phone for the seventh time. It was 2 in the afternoon, and she still had no idea where he was. Jayfeather was easy to find, he was at home sleeping in his bed. Hollyleaf pretended to believe his story that no one came home with him last night. Hollyleaf had woken up at Ravenpaws apartment that he shared with Honeyfern and Berrynose. She was relieved the only thing out of the ordinary was that someone had painted her nails when she was sleeping. So far, everything was fine.

But where is Lionblaze?

Hollyleaf had called Firestar but he was about as helpful as a broken foot.

I don't know where he is, check your house, was Firestars half asleep answer before he hung up. Hollyleaf decided to go wake up Jayfeather again. He woke up, annoyed and but not tired anymore after 11 hours of sleep.

"Lionblaze is fine," He mumbled. "He's probably at Brambleclaws or something."

"Well he's not, I already called there," Hollyleaf sighed. "This is serious, Jayfeather. What if something happened to him?" Hollyleaf choked. Jayfeather tried to look uncaring but his worry showed through it.

"I don't know where he is," Jayfeather said. "But I know he left with Firestar last night."

"I know that, you idiot. I called him but he had no idea what I was talking about."

"I know but-" Jayfeathers voice cut short when he heard the phone ring. Hollyleaf charged over and picked it up.

"Its... the police," she said, dumbfounded.

"Well answer it!" Jayfeather snapped.

"Hello?" Hollyleaf said. She sat listening for a few minutes, then hung up.

"Well? What did they want?" Jayfeather demanded. Hollyleaf gulped.

"They want 50,000$," she said at last. "Lionblaze was arrested."

Jayfeather felt tears welling into his eyes. He was at the city's jail, looking at his brother through a huge wall of glass. Lionblaze was wearing an orange jumpsuit, and he looked defeated. Jayfeather picked up the phone to talk to him and held it up to his ear. Lionblaze did the same.

"What the hell did you do," was the first thing Jayfeather said.

"They caught me with drugs," Lionblaze said quietly.

"Why? Don't you know how stupid it was to take them in the first place?"

"I didn't!" Lionblaze cried. "They were Brambleclaws, and somehow winded up in my pocket."

"So why didn't you tell the police that?" Jayfeather asked.

"I did, but they didn't believe me," Lionblaze said. "And now its gonna take 50,000 freaking dollars to get me out of here!" Lionblaze banged his fist on the glass in frustration. "You have to help me, Jayfeather.. please. I've been in here for one night and its already driving me up the wall. I cant stay in here for another 7 years!" Lionblaze wailed. Jayfeather sat quietly for a moment.

"I'll get you out of there," he said. "I promise." Jayfeather said goodbye and hung up the phone. When he got back to the car, he was expecting a zillion questions from Hollyleaf, but she didn't say anything.

"So.. what do we do," He said at last. "We do what any other person would do," Hollyleaf said at last. "We pay his bail."

"We're selling this," Hollyleaf pointed to Jayfeathers TV.

"What? No way, we can part with yours," Jayfeather said. Hollyleaf and Jayfeather were trying to find stuff to sell, to help Lionblaze. They had been at it for hours, but only had a few things that wasn't even worth a thousand dollars altogether.

"What if we sold the apartment," Hollyleaf said suddenly.

"What a great idea. Ive always wanted to live on the street," Jayfeather said sarcastically.

"Im serious, Jayfeather."

"Really? So am I."

Hollyleaf sighed. "We could just stay with friends for a bit. Unless your unwilling to help your brother." Jayfeather took his time answering.

"I guess that would work," He mumbled.

"Good. I'll call Ravenpaw and ask if we could bunk with him for a while, Hollyleaf exclaimed.

"Um... i think it would be best if we dont... live together," Jayfeather said painfully.

Hollyleafs face fell. "You dont want to?" she asked.

"Well, i dont know. I just think it would be best if we spent some time apart, you know. For Lionblazes sake."

"Well, fine." Hollyleaf snapped. "If you dont want to live together anymore, thats your own effing choice," Hollyleaf stormed out of the room.

Jayfeather groaned inwardly. Hollyleaf always had to take things in the wrong way, it felt like. Couldnt she see that it was unfair to Lionblaze? He was living without them, wasnt he?

"Hello?"

"Hey Cloudtail, Its Jayfeather," Jayfeather said, holding the phone to his ear.

"Oh hi! What's up?"

"I was wondering if I could... live with you for a while," before Cloudtail could reply, Jayfeather continued. "Lionblaze got arrested last night, and we're selling the apartment to help pay for his bail." There was a long pause.

"Oh. I thought for a second you wanted to live with me because you like to spend time with me. Haha," Cloudtail sounded hurt.

"Don't be like that," Jayfeather sighed.

"Be like what, Jayfeather? You're the one who keeps sending me mixed signals," Cloudtail snapped.

"Well, sorry. Maybe you just shouldn't take things so personally," Jayfeather didn't mean to sound harsh and failed.

"Sometimes, you know," Cloudtails voice wavered. "Sometimes I wish you could listen to yourself and how you talk to people. Your not a very nice person," Cloudtail hung up. Jayfeather was surprised how much it hurt. It was funny, but Cloudtail was right. He always did that, shove away emotion when he needed it most. He felt numb for a few more seconds, and then he started to cry. And he couldnt stop, even when Hollyleaf walked into the room again.

"What the hell is going on?" she asked. "if your that upset about what I said, I'm sorry. but seriously-"

"Im not crying about that!" Jayfeather sniffed and wiped his face on his sleeve, which made no difference whatsoever.

"Then what's your problem?"

"My problem is that I really screwed things up and I don't know how to fix them!" Jayfeather bawled. "Cloudtail is always nice and I'm always a jerk and I try to figure out why that is, but I don't know! There's something wrong with me, and its hurting people I care about," Jayfeather finished. Hollyleaf sat in silence for a second.

"I don't think anything's wrong with you," she said.

"Well, your wrong."

"No, I'm not," Hollyleaf snapped. "Now stop whining and go apologize to Cloudtail." Hollyleaf knew for a fact that Jayfeather had never apologized for anything in his life.

"I cant."

"YES you CAN!" Hollyleaf yelled. "If Cloudtails really that important to you, I know you can do it."

Jayfeather stopped crying. "I know how much Cloudtail means to me," he said at last. "But he'll never understand. And no amount of apologies is ever going to fix that."

I was stupid from the start

played the strings inside your heart

and made you think the way you do

and I truly believed it too

no one told me how it hurts

I don't know how it all works

I love you, why cant you see

cloudtail can you please forgive me