Chapter 87
"Rushleaf, you have not had your first apprentice yet even though you have proven yourself as a warrior a dozen times. Make Crookedpaw into a cat ThunderClan can be proud of," Jaystar watched as Rushleaf and Crookedpaw touched noses and then turned onto the new apprentice's littermates. Even though Crookedpaw , Cedarkit, and Stripekit were younger then six moons, Jaystar felt that ThunderClan needed to display their strength to the forest once more. Especially since more cats had died with the war between ShadowClan and RiverClan whose ambitious new leader- Volestar- wanted to steal ThunderClan territory. Jaystar still privately mourned for the death of Mistystar who had always shown ThunderClan kindness, but she mourned more for her dead clanmates.
Rustpaw, Ferncloud, and Purdy were three cats who had died in the attack by ShadowClan a moon ago. Jaystar made sure that Rustpaw received her warrior name before heading to StarClan and Tigerpaw had stood by his sister's limp body as they both were given the honor of becoming warriors. Tigerheart was still full of grief for Ruststripe, but Jaystar knew that he would one day realize that his sister had given her life for her Clan. The same way any warrior wanted to go down. While Jaystar missed all three cats terribly, two other deaths had made her forget that she was leader of ThunderClan and not a tiny kit. When Leafpool died due to greencough- the last thing the Clan had needed- Jaystar was devasted, but when Squirrelflight had joined StarClan just two days later because of ShadowClan, Jaystar wanted to die. She had lost two mentors in less then a moon!
"Thornclaw, you a warrior I deeply trust. Make Cedarpaw a warrior the whole Clan can trust," Jaystar watched as the two cats touched noses and immediatly turned to Stripekit, the young cat who looked so much like Stripepool. "Brackenspot, you are young, but you know the warrior code by heart and know everything that comes with being a warrior... the love... the grief..." Jaystar was referring to Brackenspot's mother, Stripepool, who had died because of Rosestripe- the former Clan deputy- turned traitor. "Teach Stripepaw everything that you learned from the warrior code and your own life experiences. Teach her everything I taught you and so much more." Jaystar blinked, surprised that she was giving her former apprentice an apprentice of her own. It was so hard to keep track of time when it disappeared in the blink of an eye.
Once the ceremony was done, Jaystar flicked her tail to Mousewhisker who bounded forward immediatly, a determined look in his green eyes. In a quiet voice, not wanting to disturb the Clan's celebration, Jaystar whispered, "Take Lionblaze, Brambleheart, and Spiderleg to the ShadowClan border and check things out. I want to make sure everything is quiet." Jaystar had chosen those four warriors because they were some of her strongest warriors. Mousewhisker, her deputy; Lionblaze, the best fighter in the Clan; Brambleheart, the young yet wise tabby; and Spiderleg, whose grief for Stripepool made him into a powerful warrior. As Jaystar watched the cats leave- her half-brother, her friend, her daughter's mate, and her sister's mate- she did not even think that she would never see three of those faces again.
*
"It's dusk," Rushleaf whispered where she sat with Jaystar and Icestorm. The setting sun was darkening the sky and Jaystar could just see a few warriors of StarClan appearing in Silverpelt. Turning her head in confusion, Jaystar asked, "So it's dusk?"
"You sent them out a sunhigh and it's dusk!" Icestorm wailed and Jaystar finally understood the white warrior's concern. It had been a long time since Jaystar had sent the patrol out and although she wouldn't express her fears to her clanmates, she was beginning to get worried. Although she didn't appear half as crazy as Icestorm who was worried for her mate, son, and brother. Rushleaf had begun to stalk around in circles, anxious for the return of her mate. Jaystar turned once more to Icestorm and reassured, "They'll be here! They'll be here!"
"We've been waiting all night! They should have been here by now!" Rushleaf yowled along side of Icestorm and Jaystar gave her daughter a comforting lick on the head. In a kind voice, the same voice she had once used when Rushleaf was a kit, Jaystar meowed, "Get some sleep. Both of you. I'll stay up and as soon as them come, I'll come and wake you both up."
Both cats were about to protest when a painful yowl sounded from the entrance. The yowl brought out several members of the Clan. Bumblethroat emerged from the warriors' den, his gray fur bristling while Butterflypaw flew out of the apprentice's den. Foxfang had followed Bumblethroat while Coalpaw ran out of the den after his sister. Lionblaze was stumbling through the entrance of the camp, Mousewhisker leaning heavily on him. Jaystar sprinted towards them while Icestorm practically tackled her mate. It was then that Jaystar got a really good view of Mousewhisker. Her deputy had fallen down once Lionblaze stopped supporting him and Jaystar saw why.
Both of Mousewhisker's ears were torn badly while his eyes were scarred beyond repair. His throat was still losing a lot of blood and before Jaystar could even call for Applefrost, he was there, pressing cobwebs to Mousewhisker's throat. Jaystar glanced hopefully at her medicine cat, but Applefrost shook his head, mewing, "He's lost too much blood. All I can do is make his journey to StarClan easier." There was pain in Applefrost's voice and Jaystar knew it wasn't just because Mousewhisker was dying. This was the first time Applefrost was a true medicine cat and he hadn't been able to save his patient.
Jaystar then glanced to Rushleaf who was at Lionblaze's side, demanding, "Where is Brambleheart?" Rushleaf then seemed to remember that her mate wasn't the only cat missing because she added, "And Spiderleg?"
Lionblaze turned away from Rushleaf and looked Jaystar straight in the eye. "Jaystar, Brambleheart and Spiderleg are dead."
