Chapter 40

"Squirrelflight? Lionblaze? My goodness this is a surprise! When Wing told me to hurry back to camp, I never imagined you would be waiting for me. Who's this little one? She has Icestorm's eyes yet she looks a lot like you Lionblaze. Is she yours?" Jaysong watched as Stormfur flicked his tail over Turtlepaw's ears, his voice the same carefree mew Graystripe's was. As Jaysong thought of the news Squirrelflight would have to give to Stormfur, her throat tightened in grief. Lionblaze nodded from Squirrelflight's side, his amber eyes never even glancing at Turtlepaw. Stormfur then turned to Jaysong and exclaimed, "And this one! Why she's a little Brackenfur! You have the same color fur and the same brave, friendship in your eyes. Although you have Sorreltail's small frame. Am I correct? Are they your parents?"

Jaysong looked away, her fur bristling at Stormfur's questions. Every cat in ThunderClan knew how hard it was for Jaysong to talk about Brackenfur and they never said his name around her since his vigil. Jaysong had grown so used to Brackenfur's silent memory that when Stormfur meowed his name, she didn't know what to say. Jaysong felt Stormfur's amber eyes- so much like Graystripe's- swerve to Squirrelflight and the dark ginger warrior explained, "Brackenfur died a couple moons ago. He was killed by a fox trap, along with the ShadowClan deputy, Russetfur." Jaysong gave a silent thanks to StarClan that Squirrelflight didn't mention why Brackenfur and Russetfur were fighting nor why the ShadowClan deputy was doing on ThunderClan lands.

"I'm sorry for that news. It sounds like Brackenfur was a warrior to the very end, the way he would want to join StarClan. I'm just sad that it was so soon. Brackenfur still had many seasons until he would be called to join the elders' in the their den." Stormfur dipped his head in grief and Jaysong wanted to warn the dark gray tom that the worse news wasn't even there yet. Stormfur was grieving for Brackenfur when he didn't even know that Graystripe had gone to hunt with StarClan. Stormfur gave himself a little shake before continuing, "Now, we aren't here to share old pieces of gossip. Why are you all here, Squirrelflight?"

"Stormfur, Graystripe is dead. He died by a deceased piece of prey. Leafpool did everything she could, but I'm afraid Graystripe was already on his way to StarClan. I'm so so sorry, Stormfur." Lionblaze murmured and Jaysong wondered why the golden warrior had given the sad news. Jaysong glanced at Squirrelflight and saw the sadness reflecting deep in her green eyes. It must still hurt to discuss Graystripe, especially with Stormfur. Stormfur froze, his amber eyes blinking rapidly as though trying to find a joking glint in Lionblaze's gaze. When he found none, Stormfur turned to Squirrelflight then Jaysong and then Turtlepaw. Brook padded over and gave Stormfur a gentle lick on the ear, but her mate barely acknowledged her. Getting to his paws, Lionblaze meowed, "Come! Let's leave Stormfur alone."

Brook looked like she wanted to stay by Stormfur's side, but Squirrelflight gently nudged her in the direction of the nursery, where her kits were meowing hungrily. Lionblaze stalked over to where Screech and Splash Where Fish Leaps- another preyhunter- were sharing a squirrel. Turtlepaw padded over to where a young tom- who Jaysong had learned was Cloud Shadow Over Water- a pressed her fur against Cloud's white pelt. Jaysong felt her fur bristle with sadness; Turtlepaw seemed to have made good friends in the Tribe and Jaysong didn't want to think what would happen when they had to return to the Clans.

Then again, Turtlepaw wasn't the only cat who made friends with the Tribe.

"Hey Jaysong, want to go hunting?" Gray called from where he sat next to Wing, Talon, and Crag. Jaysong padded over and sat beside Gray, her fur heating with embarrassment as their pelts brushed lightly against one another's. "From the sound of it, Stormfur's patrol didn't catch that much so the four of us thought we'd go out again. And plus, I get to show you how a Tribe cat hunts! You Clan cats are too soft-footed!" Gray waved his tail around, his green eyes sparkling with mischief as well as a bit of hope. Gray was hoping that Jaysong would agree to go hunting with him and the other cats.

"If that's a challenge, Gray, then I accept. I'll show you we Clan cats aren't as soft-footed as you Tribe flea-brains think we are!" Normally, Jaysong would have used mousebrain to playfully insult her friends, but as she hung out more and more with the Tribe cats, she began picking up their words. Gray purred and Wing led the group out, Talon and Crag flanking her. Gray padded beside Jaysong, his tail resting on her shoulder as she began the steep climb up. When they left the Tribe's camp, Gray lifted his tail and Jaysong's heart sunk. She liked the feeling of Gray's tail on her shoulder.

"Gotcha!" Gray suddenly exclaimed, knocking Jaysong into a pile of mud, splashing the wet dirt onto the cats and the nearby rocks. Jaysong pushed Gray off of her, spitting and snarling with surprise. "What do you think you are doing, flea-brain?! I'm so muddy, I can barely see my fur!" Gray blinked his eyes, his tail gesturing towards Wing, Talon, and Crag, all who were rolling around in the mud. Suddenly Jaysong understood. "The mud helps you blend in with the mountains! It also disguises your scent! I can barely tell if I'm Clan or Tribe with all the mud on my pelt!"

Gray purred before the hunting patrol began padding away. Jaysong kept glancing at Gray, trying to think if Blackstar would've been as playful as the Tribe cat had been moments of before. Somehow Jaysong didn't think he would've. Blackstar probably would've politely told her about the mud and given her the choice of whether or not she wanted to use it. Blackstar wouldn't have cared if they didn't catch that much prey; just as long as Jaysong was happy. Gray wouldn't have given Jaysong the choice, but in a way she liked it. Jaysong could tell by the affectionate glance Gray kept shooting her that he wanted her to be happy just like Blackstar.

"Why don't you three go your own way? That way I can give our Clan friend some lessons in our hunting styles. It's okay, Talon. Jaysong can keep an eye out for hawks and I'll do the same." Talon growled under his breath before stalking away, Wing and Crag hurrying after him. As Jaysong watched Talon more and more, she was reminded of Dustpelt. Both cats seemed to like to argue about every single little thing. Once they disappeared, Gray turned to Jaysong and suggested, "How about we try on that ledge? It's easy for beginners. Now you watch me and try to copy. Don't feel bad if you mess up! It took Stormfur plenty of tries when he first started living with us."

Jaysong nodded and followed Gray up some rocks until they were both sitting on a ledge overlooking another ledge. Gray sat down and Jaysong did the same, having difficulty spotting her friend's gray pelt on the rocks. Gray was right; mud did help disguise themselves. After a couple heartbeats, Jaysong watched as a little mouse came scurrying onto the ledge. Forgetting she was in the mountains, Jaysong braced herself to spring, but Gray whispered, "Wait!" Jaysong waited until a large shape suddenly crashed on the mouse. Recognizing the creature as a hawk, Jaysong was about to spring away when Gray leapt forward into the battle between hawk and mouse. Killing both animals, Gray dragged them towards Jaysong and meowed, "That's how we do it in the Tribe!"

Excited Jaysong waited for her turn, Gray sitting beside her. Once a vole came scurring onto the ledge, Jaysong buried her instinct to spring until a hawk captured the vole. Now leaping forward, Jaysong landed on the hawk and vole, giving both a swift bite on the neck. From above her, Gray called, "Well done! We'll make a Tribe cat out of you!"