Chapter 21
Jaysong padded through the forest., Amberkit's limp body dangling from her jaws. The wind seemed to murmur apologetically through the greenleaf trees and while Jaysong couldn't scent Jayfeather, she knew he was there. Soon the trees began to thin and the faded scent of a ShadowClan patrol told Jaysong that she had reached the border. Her gray eyes scanning the trees, Jaysong found what she was looking for.
The tree looked like any other, but Jaysong could smell her and Blackstar's scents mingling with the bark. This was the tree where Jaysong had hidden and watched for Blackstar. This was the tree where they had shared tongues for the first time and now this tree would be Amberkit's grave. The thought sent Jaysong's heart sinking.
With delicate paws, Jaysong scooped a small hole into the ground, just around Amberkit's size. Being as gentle as possible, Jaysong placed Amberkit into his grave at the border of ThunderClan and ShadowClan. In a voice hoarse with grief, Jaysong whispered, "May StarClan recieve you with open paws, my son."
"Jaysong?" The golden brown queen had been expecting a response, but this was not the voice she thought she would hear. Blackstar gazed at Jaysong, concern in his yellow eyes. His gold gaze trailing over his mate, Blackstar noticed something else about Jaysong, "You kitted!" Blackstar meowed happily, but then caught the sadness in Jaysong's eyes, "What happened?"
"We had three kits: Rabbitkit, Rushkit, and Amberkit." Jaysong's voice trembled as she mentioned Amberkit, but she continued none the less, "Amberkit didn't have enough strength. I've buried im here." Jaysong flicked her tail to Amberkit's grave. "I don't think I've ever had a worse day, Blackstar."
"And the day is still young," A voice hissed from the shadows and a cat appeared. Jaysong's pelt bristled as she remembered the rogues she had fought before, but then her fur laid down as she recognized the cat. The she-cat had dark ginger fur and blazing orange eyes. Jaysong couldn't speak, but Blackstar gasped, "Russetfur!"
"Good thing I was here or else you would have been ambushed!" Russetfur snarled and suddenly ThunderClan scent flooded Jaysong's nose, marking the arrival of a new cat. Jaysong watched as the new cat padded through the ferns and tried to remember how to breath. This cat shouldn't be out in the forest right now!
Russetfur's arrival had been shocking, but nothing could be compared to the new cat. The tom had golden brown fur that seemed to glow as the sun blazed over head. His dark blue eyes- normally calm- blazed with anger as he stared at Jaysong. The new cat who had joined the gathered cats was Brackenfur.
"Brackenfur, what are you doing here?" Jaysong meowed in alarm, quickly glancing at the ShadowClan cats as though willing them to disappear. This was the first time ever Jaysong didn't want to be with Blackstar. Underneath Brackenfur's fierce glare, Blackstar was the last cat Jaysong wanted to be near.
"I could ask you the same thing, Jaysong. What in StarClan's name do you think you are doing? Meeting here with these ShadowClan cats? Giving birth to Blackstar's kits?" Jaysong started. How had Brackenfur known? As if reading his daughter's mind, Brackenfur hissed, "I'm not blind, Jaysong."
"They're mates?" Russetfur's voice left it's normal hiss and instead became a gasp. Clearly, Russetfur hadn't known which made her as mouse-brain as a piece of prey. "Why would Blackstar want to father your daughter's kits? The kits would be pieces of foxdung with a ThunderClan mother." Jaysong and Blackstar growled, but it was drowned out by Brackenfur's snarling. Brackenfur launched himself at Russetfur, knocking the ShadowClan deputy off her paws.
Russetfur reacted instantly, clawing Brackenfur's ears. Brackenfur then swiped at Russetfur's face and Jaysong thought he had missed until scarlet droplets fell on the earth. Russetfur pinned Brackenfur on his back and sank her teeth into his shoulder. Brackenfur yowled and kicked Russetfur into a group of ferns, lunging after her. Suddenly there was a loud snap. Jaysong and Blackstar raced forward and saw a silver fox trap glistening around their necks. Both cats were dead.
Jaysong didn't remember helping Blackstar dig up the fox trap spike. Jaysong didn't remember saying goodbye to Blackstar. Jaysong felt like someone else was controlling her movements. Jaysong however did remember padding into ThunderClan camp, dragging Brackenfur's limp body by his scruff.
Spiderleg was the first cat to approach Jaysong because he meowed happily, "Jaysong! Stripepool kitted! I have a daughter!" Spiderleg's pride glance dropped to Brackenfur's body and the black warrior gasped, happiness gone from his voice, "That's Brackenfur! Jaysong, what happend to him?"
Soon the rest of the Clan acknowledged Jaysong's prescience and the golden brown queen heard them all exchange startled gasps. Jaysong ignored them and instead padded into the center of the camp, laying Brackenfur's body for his vigil. Several cats had followed her and Jaysong glanced around the wide eyes of her clanmates. Spiderleg, Brambleclaw, Leafpool, and Applepaw were among the closest while Bumblethroat, Blossomwhisker, and Squirrelflight stood farther away. More cats were gathering around and there was scrambling coming from Highledge. Firestar had appeared.
"Jaysong," Firestar meowed calmly although Jaysong could see a small disturbance in her leader's green eyes, "What happened?" Firestar sat down, wrapping his tail neatly around his paws. Several other cats leaned forward, their whiskers twitching. Jaysong saw a couple cats turn away from her and pad over to sit beside Brackenfur. Sorreltail and her daughters, Graystripe, Whitewing, and Hollyleaf were among them.
"Brackenfur was fighting with Russetfur and both of them fell on a fox trap. Blacksstar helped me get them free," Jaysong meowed and the golden brown queen could feel everyone's questioning eyes on her. Jaysong paused and then gave away her secret, "Blackstar helped me because he's the father of Rabbitkit and Rushkit, my kits."
Everyone gasped.
