Chapter 14
"Mousedung," Jaysong meowed, a low growl rumbling in her throat. Jaysong limped towards Leafpool's den, holding one forepaw a mouse-length above the ground. It was a day after Jaysong's warrior ceremony and the golden brown warrior had been out on patrol with Mousewhisker, Lionblaze, and Hollyleaf. Jaysong had been sent back to camp because- StarClan knows how- a thorn had decided to make its new home in her paw.
Jaysong heard a cat call her name, but to the golden brown warrior's surprise it wasn't Leafpool or Applepaw, Leafpool's medicine cat apprentice; it was Ashpaw. Jaysong looked at Ashpaw, her gray eyes narrowing in concern as she noticed how the white apprentice still looked ill. Ashpaw's white fur was tangled with burrs as if she hadn't had the strength to care for it. Ashpaw's voice was still a quiet rasp as she meowed, "Jaysong, what are you doing here?"
"I've come to check on you," What Jaysong said was only half true. Jaysong hadn't even thought of Ashpaw as she padded up towards Leafpool's den, but it was good to check on her old denmate. Jaysong bent her head forward to give Ashpaw's ear a swift lick, but pulled back almost instantly as she remembered the apprentice's whitecough. Jaysong dipped her head instead and mewed, "I also got a thorn in my paw while out on patrol. I want Leafpool to take a look at it."
"A thorn?" Leafpool's mew sounded from the entrance a moment later, the brown tabby padded out of the den, her apprentice, Applepaw, behind her. Leafpool's amber eyes were already looking at Jaysong's paw and she disappeared back inside her den, emerging seconds later with a couple herbs in her mouth. Jaysong's brief apprenticeship as a medicine cat told her that the herbs were marigold and thyme. Leafpool dropped the herbs and began chewing them up into juices.
"I think you're ready to return to the apprentices' den," Applepaw meowed, making Jaysong look up at the brown tabby. Applepaw was sniffing Ashpaw's white pelt and then gave a slight nod of satisfaction, "Yes, I think you can return to your training tomorrow. Just tell Sandstorm no hard training yet. When Leafpool is done with Jaysong, I'll tell her to look you over and give you the okay." Ashpaw purred and gave Applepaw a swift lick on the cheek.
"There you go, Jaysong," Leafpool gave Jaysong's paw another rough lick, "You're lucky the thorn wasn't that deep. You should still be able to catch up with your patrol…" Leafpool's voice trailed off as Mousewhisker pushed his way into camp, Lionblaze and Hollyleaf beside him, "Or not. Why don't you go hunting? The Clan always needs more fresh-kill." Leafpool tilted her head to the fresh kill pile where Cinderheart and Poppyfrost were sharing a squirrel.
Jaysong nodded and after dipping her head to Applepaw and Ashpaw, raced out of camp. Suddenly the scent of a fresh prey crossed her path and- after dropping into a hunter's crouch- Jaysong sprang into the ferns when the scent was the strongest. There was a loud alarming call and Jaysong looked into a nearby tree where a blue bird was perching on a branch, staring down at her with clouded blue eyes. Giving another screech, Jaysong lunged at it, only to have it fly a couple pawsteps away.
"StarClan are you testing me!" Jaysong snarled before thundering after the bird, her paws barely skimming the ground. Jaysong's senses told her that she was passing the abandoned twoleg nest, but she didn't realize how far she had ran until a white blur knocked her off her feet. Remembering the rogues, Jaysong immediately lunged at the white cat, clawing onto its back. Preparing to sink her teeth in its neck, another shape- this one tortoiseshell- knocked her off the white cat.
"What are you doing on ShadowClan territory, mousebrain?" The tortoiseshell cat growled and her mew stirred up a memory locked in Jaysong's mind. Jaysong remembered the fire that swept through ShadowClan's camp and the two kits that had been trapped inside. The tortoiseshell she-cat who had Jaysong pinned to the ground was the queen that had alerted Blackstar- as well as Jaysong and her friends- about Snowbird's missing kits.
"Tawnypelt, let go of her," Another familiar voice meowed and Jaysong recognized the white tom padding over to her: Blackstar. In Blackstar's jaws was a small blue bird and Jaysong wondered if it was the piece of prey she had been chasing. "Snowbird, those scratches don't look too bad, but I don't want them to get infected so head back to camp. Tawnypelt, go with her. I'll deal with the ThunderClan cat." Blackstar's yellow eyes flashed to Jaysong, but the golden brown warrior found no anger in their depths.
Jaysong watched Tawnypelt and Snowbird leave before turning to Blackstar, feelings of shame crashing down on her, "I'm so sorry for crossing the border, Blackstar. I was chasing a bird and I didn't realize I had come so far."
"Its fine, Jaypaw," Blackstar meowed and Jaysong felt a jolt as she realized that the ShadowClan leader didn't know about her new rank in the Clan. Jaysong opened her mouth to explain, but Blackstar continued, "You didn't take any prey so I see no reason to hurt you. Plus, I haven't forgotten what you have done for ShadowClan in the past. Many more cats would have died if you had not helped us during the fire, Jaypaw."
"Actually, Blackstar, its Jaysong now," Jaysong finally squeaked out, "I don't know if you know my sister, but she received her warrior name as well. Stripepool and I helped Hollyleaf chase out a couple of rogues. They probably left Clan grounds, but you might want to warn ShadowClan about them." Jaysong finished, her gray eyes scanning the forest as thought preparing to fight one of the brown toms or the larger black-and-white cat.
"We know about the rogues," Blackstar meowed shortly, "But we know how to take care of stray cats. So you're a warrior now? I still remember the first day I saw you; attacking Rowanclaw and sending him home wailing like a little kit. You were no more than a kit yourself that day, right? I think I remember Squirrelflight telling me it was your first day as an apprentice. You would have made a great ShadowClan cat, Jaysong."
"I'm a good ThunderClan cat, too," Jaysong mewed coolly, although her gray eyes still flickered with warmth, "Sometimes, I wonder what it would be like if I was born in ShadowClan." Jaysong paused before whispering, "You probably wouldn't like that though. Then you would have to put up with me every day instead of running into each other on patrols or meeting up at Gatherings." Although her words were teasing, Jaysong's gray eyes flickered with sadness.
"Is that what you think?" Blackstar snarled and Jaysong looked up in alarm as the ShadowClan leader's yellow eyes filled with anger and disbelief. Jaysong had only seen Blackstar this angry one other time and that was when Firestar accused Russetfur of stealing on ThunderClan territory. Blackstar hadn't been angry at Firestar, but instead reprimanded his own deputy infront of all the other Clans, "Don't you know how I feel about you?"
Jaysong stared at Blackstar with wide gray eyes, shock forcing her to remain silent. When Jaysong didn't say anything, Blackstar continued, "I know that we are much older than one another. I was already a warrior of ShadowClan when your grandfather, Whitestorm, was made a warrior of ThunderClan. Age isn't even the worst part! You're a ThunderClan cat! How can I fall in love with a ThunderClan because that's what happened? I'm in love with you Jaysong."
"You can't love me! I'm from ThunderClan!" And I can't love you, Jaysong thought to herself.
"I see the battle in your eyes, Jaysong," Blackstar growled quietly, his yellow eyes staring deep into Jaysong's gray ones, "I know you feel the same way I do."
"I…" Jaysong was saved from answering when a loud yowl sounded in the air. Whipping around, Jaysong saw Cloudtail bound up to her and Blackstar. Brightheart, Spiderleg, and Whitewing followed Cloudtail, their sides heaving with exhaustion.
"Jaysong, what are you doing on ShadowClan territory?" Cloudtail snarled and Jaysong remembered that the white warrior had the sharpest tongue in ThunderClan, "Don't you know the whole Clan is in an uproar looking for you?"
"Blackstar!" Brightheart padded up to stand beside Cloudtail and looked at Blackstar, surprise in her one good eye. Jaysong wondered what the ThunderClan patrol was thinking of and hoped that they hadn't guessed her and Blackstar's secret. "What are you doing here?"
"He didn't hurt you did he!" Spiderleg growled, his amber eyes flashing towards Jaysong. The golden brown warrior wondered why Spiderleg wanted to make sure she was okay and then understanding hit her. Spiderleg and Stripepool were destined to be mates so it seemed likely that the black warrior wanted to make sure his mate's sister was okay.
"No Spiderleg. Please don't claw him Whitewing. He really didn't hurt me," Jaysong meowed, watching as Whitewing sheathed her claws, disbelief flashing in her green eyes. "He was just about to escort me to the border before you all showed up."
"Well now that you're here, Jaysong doesn't need my help so I'm going back to my camp," Blackstar mewed and- with a final look at Jaysong- bounded deeper into ShadowClan territory.
Cloudtail nodded and then swept his patrol together with a wave of his long tail, "We best be going home. Come on Jaysong. I know that Firestar and Brackenfur want to talk to you."
Jaysong nodded and followed Cloudtail and the rest of the ThunderClan patrol out of ShadowClan territory. Whitewing appeared at Jaysong's side and meowed gently, "Don't worry. I remember when Brackenfur was my mentor. He won't be angry for long and Firestar is always fair." Jaysong nodded, but didn't respond. Her thoughts were on Blackstar.
