Chapter 30

Jaysong curled up closer to Bumblethroat and Blossomwhisker, the cold air from outside chilling her right to the bone. Two dawns ago it began raining and it still hadn't stopped. According to Berrynose, it had never rained this much since he had still been an apprentice. Berrynose's littermates, Hazeltail and Mousewhisker, had agreed with him. Bumblethroat twitched from beside Jaysong and mumbled, "Jaysong, you're sleeping on my tail!" Jaysong instantly moved, but now the warmth Bumblethroat had given her was gone. Giving up, Jaysong got to her paws and padded out of the warriors' den into the freezing rain.

Outside the Clan was practically deserted. Jaysong could see Leafpool stalking around inside her den before she raced out towards the freshkill pile. Giving the medicine cat a quick nod, Jaysong watched as Leafpool hurried back into her den. Hearing pawsteps, Jaysong saw Rushpaw, Bramblepaw, and Turtlepaw pad into the camp, their pelts streaked with mud. Thornclaw and Brightheart followed them and Jaysong noticed that the mentors' pelts were just as muddy. They must have attempted battle training in this weather. Seeing her mother, Rushpaw quickly padded over to Jaysong, "Mother, I need to talk to you about something."

"Hold on, I want to grab something to eat. Hopefully something that's not covered in mud. Do you want anything?" Jaysong asked, her stomach growling at the thought of a nice warm squirrel. Rushpaw shook her head and it was then that Jaysong noticed her daughter for the first time. There was anxiety in Rushpaw's green eyes and she looked around as though making sure no one was eavesdropping. Jaysong gave Rushpaw a gentle lick in between the ears and meowed, "Okay, do you know the den behind the warriors' den? It's well shelted and no one will hear us there. I'll meet you in a couple seconds."

Rushpaw nodded and padded towards the long forgotten den. Jaysong had once heard Icestorm telling her kits that Graystripe and Millie had stayed in that den when they first returned to the Clans. Jaysong padded towards the freshkill pile and attempted to find a piece of prey that wasn't too muddy. Jaysong had to be satisfied with a damp mouse. Picking it up, Jaysong padded behind the warriors' den and found Rushpaw nestled in the old nests of Graystripe and Mille. Both their scents still clung to it. Flicking her ear at Rushpaw, Jaysong mewed, "Okay, you talk and I'll eat."

Rushpaw nodded and as Jaysong took her first bite of the mouse, her daughter began talking, "Well, it's Rabbitpaw. He's fine, but I can't shake the idea that something is bothering him. He barely talks to me anymore and when I try to talk to him, he gives me one word answers. His eyes are always brooding as though he's thinking about something difficult. I wish he could confide in me, but whenever I try to get him to open up, he always snaps at me and it's not just me who notices these things. Brackenpaw, Bramblepaw, and Turtlepaw do too. We're all worried."

"Maybe it's the stress of training. I remember being an apprentice and how I was always tired from it. When I wasn't training or sleeping, I was thinking about how to impress my mentor. I also stopped talking to some of my friends because of exhaustion. I think that's what's happening with Rabbitpaw. Now I'm due for a patrol so can we stop acting mousebrain." Rushpaw looked like she wanted to say more, but instead nodded and padded away slowly, her tail in between her legs. Jaysong felt bad, but shook away her feelings, padding away from the abandoned den.

As she rounded the corner, Jaysong saw Rabbitpaw stalk towards the apprentices' den, without even acknowledging his mother. Jaysong almost followed him when a white shape caught her attention. Turning her head sharply, Jaysong saw Cloudtail pad towards her, his blue eyes narrowed with frustration. Cloudtail's paws were heavy with mud and I wandered if he had been out hunting with Rabbitpaw. Maybe that was why the black-and-white apprentice had been in such a bad mood. Dipping her head to Cloudtail, Jaysong meowed, trying to make her voice calm, "What's up, Cloudtail?"

Cloudtail nodded to Jaysong before growling, "It's Rabbitpaw. Today we were out hunting with Brambleclaw and Brackenpaw and I had never seen the cat hunt worse! I had told him that if he did well Brambleclaw would tell Firestar, but still he didn't seem to care! This isn't the first time either. He once had the makings of a fine warrior, but it seems like he has lost interest in training and I don't know where his mind is going! I talk to him and he gives me one word answers and then returns to his thoughts! I thought that you should know because maybe you can talk some sense into him! I don't want Bramblepaw and Turtlepaw becoming warriors before him!"

Jaysong blinked in shock. She was wrong! Training wasn't bothering Rabbitpaw, but something was. Jaysong felt guilty that she had dismissed Rabbitpaw's problems with a flick of the tail! First Rushpaw and now Cloudtail had both hinted that she should talk to Rabbitpaw and that's what she was planning on doing. Giving Cloudtail a nod, Jaysong meowed, "Thank you for this news, Cloudtail. From what you are saying it sounds like your patrol didn't catch much freshkill. Why don't you see if Brackenpaw wants to go out or any of the other apprentices? It would also give me some space to talk to Rabbitpaw."

Cloudtail returned the nod and padded away to the apprentices' den. Disappearing for a moment, Cloudtail returned with Brackenpaw, Rushpaw, Bramblepaw, and Turtlepaw following him. Taking a deep breath, Jaysong crossed the clearing so that she was right outside the apprentices' den. Pausing before entering, Jaysong called, "Rabbitpaw?" When no answer came, Jaysong padded into the den and saw Rabbitpaw curled up in his nest. Her son was twitching as though suffering from a nightmare and Jaysong gave Rabbitpaw a gentle lick on the shoulder before padding out of the den. Rabbitpaw wasn't going anywhere.

Jaysong had barely taken two steps when she heard Birchfall call, "Hey Jaysong! Hollyleaf and I are going on patrol, want to come?" Deciding she needed to get out of camp, Jaysong agreed.