Chapter 49

"What in StarClan's name, do you mean we are 'stranded?'" Jaysong demanded her, her gray eyes searching Whitetail and Voletooth's faces in order to see if they could contradict Flamecloud. Even though Jaysong knew that Flamecloud was telling the truth, she couldn't bear to think that her clanmates thought they abandoned her as their deputy. Jaysong could see Bumblethroat's face as his deputy didn't return from her hunting expedition. Jaysong suddenly thought of something. Only Leafpool knew that she was out hunting and when Jaysong had told her the medicine cat had been occupied with watching the naming ceremony. What if Jaysong's clanmates never found her? Or what if they found her dead? Jaysong couldn't think about such grim topics, but as she stared at the other cats' fur and saw their ribs poking through, she knew her fears may become real.

"I mean we are in this hollow with absolutely no ways of getting out," Flamecloud meowed patiently and Jaysong wondered if the ShadowClan medicine cat had used these same words to convince himself. "No cat can here us from down here and some of the hollows..." Flamecloud flicked his tail to a couple. "Are closed in and the others are too small for a cat to get through. There's one that seems to lead to WindClan territory, but I don't want to get lost. At least here theres plently of water." Jaysong listened, calming down a little bit. Jaysong even calmed down to remember something; something that had happened beforre she was deputy of ThunderClan.

"If Hollyleaf had survived the collapse of that tunnel she went through, she would have ended up here like you did." Jaysong acknowledged Jayfeather's whisper with a flick of her ear, not wanting the other cats to think she was talking to herself. "Many season ago, before the Clans came to the lake, a group of cats lived her. The cats had to make it out of the tunnels to become sharpclaws. They were like our warriors. Then the cats had to leave and they were destined to become the Tribe of Rushing Water. Rock was a cat from the ancient tribe." Jaysong's fur bristled in surprise. Jaysong had known that Jayfeather would come to her, but she didn't know he would tell her stuff like that.

"Can you send a message to Leafpool? Before we all die?" Jaysong breathed quietly, knowing that the Clan cats wouldn't here her. Jayfeather took a long pause before answering, "I'm sorry Jaysong, but something must happen before you return home. You won't die though, but blood will be shed between blood. No cat will be called to join StarClan though, but some cats might be hurt. In more ways than by being bit or clawed." Jaysong longed to ask more, but felt Jayfeather slip away from her. Scared now about the future, Jaysong turned to look at the cats who she was with in the present. Would it be one of these cats who got hurt by Jayfeather's prophecy?

Whitetail was sleeping in one of the tunnels that had collapsed, her ear twitching as she slept. Jaysong wondered if the WindClan warrior- who had lived all her life on the moor- was feeling uncomfortable under the earth. Voletooth was sleeping near the small river of water, his fur wet. Jaysong wondered if the RiverClan warrior was missing the river that drifted beside his camp. Flamecloud was still awake, his green eyes unfocused. When Jaysong padded over to him, Flamecloud looked up and meowed suddenly, "Jaysong, I need to tell you something. I have to tell some cat and we are friends right?" Jaysong nodded, "Well, a couple moons ago, I became mates with Willowshine. It was a mistake, but StarClan has been showing me visions of a small gray cat. I think Willowshine is pregnant with my kits!" Flamecloud bowed his head in shame, not even realizing Jaysong already knew.

"Flamecloud, Willowshine did give birth to your kits. You have a son named Boulderkit. Willowshine gave him to ThunderClan so we could take care of your half ShadowClan and half RiverClan kit. Firestar has already accepted Boulderkit into the Clan and Squirrelflight offered to suckle him." Jaysong explained, wondering if she should of told him. Jaysong decided that she had the right too. Flamecloud was Boulderkit's father even if the gray kit would never know. Flamecloud was staring at Jaysong as though she sprouted wings, his green eyes wide. In a quiet voice, Flamecloud breathed, "I guess that is the right thing to do. I would never had made much of a father for Boulderkit."

Jaysong gave Flamecloud's ear a gentle lick, glad that the ShadowClan medicine cat understood what had happened. Jaysong then padded over to a corner of the hollow and curled up into a tight ball. Jaysong was surprised when Flamecloud followed her, brushing his pelt against hers. Jaysong was glad for the warmth though; it made her feel more comfortable as though she was sleeping beside her fellow warriors. Soon Jaysong fell immediatly asleep.

*

"Jaysong! Jaysong, wake up! Jaysong!" A voice growled in Jaysong's ear and the golden brown deputy blinked her gray eyes open. Jaysong was surprised to see that she was staring into the amber eyes of Lionblaze. Behind Lionblaze were Icestorm and Brambleheart. Icestorm was standing over Flamecloud and Whitetail while Brambleheart was trying convince Voletooth to get to his paws. Scrambling to her paws, Jaysong meowed, "Lionblaze, how in StarClan's name did you get here? All the tunnels are sealed off! You didn't fall down too did you?!" Jaysong mewed desperately, hoping that they might be rescued.

"No, we..." Lionblaze began, but another voice cut him off. This voice was soft and although Jaysong had never spoken to the cat who the meow belonged too, she knew that cat. "Lionblaze?" The cat was Heathertail and beside her was her mate, Breezepelt.