Chapter 48

It had been a moon since the arrival of Boulderkit and the tiny gray kit had been accepted by Squirrelflight, but not by the whole Clan. Firestar and many other members of the Clans had questioned Applefrost on whether he had stolen Boulderkit. Applefrost had been saved from answering by Jaysong, who had said that their medicine cat wouldn't ever think of stealing kits. Leafpool had backed Applefrost up and Jaysong wondered if the medicine cat knew that her apprentice had "fathered" Boulderkit. Jaysong longed to ask Flamecloud if he knew of Boulderkit and if he was happy with Willowshine's decision to give his son to ThunderClan. Would Flamecloud ever know that Boulderkit was his son? Would the ShadowClan medicine cat have to face his ThunderClan son in battle one day?

Now it was time for Stripepool's kits- Brownkit, Heavykit, and Moonkit- to become apprentices. Jaysong thanked StarClan that Firestar had chosen these kits mentors himself, without Jaysong's help. But as Jaysong watched Millie, Lionblaze, and Berrynose lead Featherpaw, Dovepaw, and Ivypaw back into camp, she knew that she had chosen good mentors for the kits. Jaysong was already under Highledge with Leafpool, Stripepool, and her nephews and niece when Firestar came out of his den. Hazeltail, Rosestripe, and Mousewhisker followed him and Jaysong knew that those three warriors had been chosen as mentors for the young kits. For which ones, Jaysong didn't have the slightest idea. Firestar lifted his head back and yowled, "All cats old enough to catch their prey, please report under Highledge for a Clan meeting."

Jaysong watched as Applefrost pushed his way out of the nursery, flanked by the nursing queens. Jaysong knew that Applefrost wanted to make sure that Boulderkit was okay, but the brown tabby was kind of being obvious for his love for his adopted son. Bumblethroat padded out of the nursery, followed by Blossomwhisker and Foxfang. Watching them, Jaysong remembered that Stripepool would be sleeping in the warriors' den for the long time in awhile. Jaysong wondered if Stripepool would bear anymore of Spiderleg's kits. Jaysong watched as Spiderleg- the father of Brownkit, Heavykit, and Moonkit- padded towards his mate and kits with Brackenspot- his eldest daughter- with him. Rosestripe- Spiderleg's kit with Daisy- nodded to his father and his kin, not showing any anger. Rosestripe was a different story. The dark ginger she-cat had shown her resentment to Spiderleg's new family many times.

"Brownkit, Heavykit, and Moonkit have reached their sixth moon and its time for them to become apprentices!" Firestar yowled, his green eyes glowing with happiness. The making of new apprentices into the Clan was one of the most important duties as Clan leader. "Hazeltail, you had Dustpelt as a mentor and even though he watches us from StarClan, I have no doubt that he is proud of you today. I want you to make ThunderClan as proud of Brownpaw as Dustpelt is of you." Nodding at Firestar's kind words, Hazeltail touched her nose to Brownpaw's in the ancient greeting between mentor and apprentice. Jaysong remembered the day that she had been given Brackenspot as a apprentice, that had been one of the happiest days of the golden brown deputy's life.

"Rosestripe, Hazeltail was your mentor and from her you learned kindness and respect of the warrior code. You may be one of our younger warriors, but you have fought battles that our senior warriors have fought. You will be mentor to Heavypaw." Rosestripe nodded to Firestar and touched her nose briefly to Heavypaw before stalking away. Rosestripe didn't even look happy at being made a mentor. Firestar didn't appear to notice because he continued, "Mousewhisker, you were Spiderleg's apprentice and I bet he couldn't wish for a better mentor for his son. Moonpaw is lucky to have you." Spiderleg gave Mousewhisker's ear a gentle lick before the gray-and-white tom padded every to touch noses to Moonpaw. Mousewhisker was quivering with pride as was Moonpaw.

"I'm going hunting," Jaysong meowed to Leafpool and the medicine cat nodded absentmindly, still staring at the circle where their clanmates were congratulating the new mentors and apprentices. Without a look behind her, Jaysong raced out of the camp, her ears listening for the tiniest noise made by prey. Even though it was leafbare, Jaysong vowed that she would not return to camp until she found a good piece of prey for her Clan. Racing through the forest Jaysong scented something odd. It was ShadowClan, WindClan, and RiverClan scents, but it was on ThunderClan territory. Racing towards where the scent was the strongest, Jaysong felt the ground sloping from underneath her and suddenly was tumbling through the air. Landing in a heap, Jaysong scented that she was in some sort of cave near the lake. And she wasn't alone.

"Jaysong, is that you?" A voice mewed. It was Flamecloud. Flanking him were Whitetail of WindClan and Voletooth of RiverClan.

"Flamecloud, but what are you doing here?" Jaysong meowed in shock, wondering what the ShadowClan medicine cat was doing on ThunderClan territory. "What are any of you doing on our territory? Do you think ThunderClan can't protect its borders?!" Jaysong added the last part in a snarl, her fur bristling with rage at the though of the other Clans trying to steal ThunderClan prey.

"Calm down, Jaysong," Voletooth growled, his tail lashing from side to side, "Do you think any of us want to be on ThunderClan territory? I wouldn't be here if I hadn't been chasing Whitetail off my territory. I hadn't even realised I had traveled so far when suddenly I was here, in the middle of ThunderClan territory." Whitetail hissed when Voletooth said that; apparently that wasn't exactly what had happened.

"And then I was searching for borage for Dawnclaw when I came tumbling into a tunnel that dropped me right in the middle of ThunderClan territory. I've been here for five days; Whitetail and Voletooth have only been here for two. We've tried climbing out, but these walls are too steep and we've tried to call for help, but no cat seems to be able to hear us." Jaysong was about to ask something, but Flamecloud answered her before she said anything, "Yes, Jaysong, we are stranded. We don't know what our fates are."