Chapter One!
Jayfeather ran through the grassy field, lost in the countless stalks of golden wheat. The sky was blue above, with a blazing sun overhead. He could hear crows and ravens calling, but no other bird. Only the birds of omens.
Beyond the field was a black forest, with darkness hidden beneath each branch of the trees. They created shadows all around, unwelcoming the bright sunlight. And yet, Jayfeather thought he could make out the faint outline of a cat along the ridge between sun and shadow. Behind the cat, a larger cat was waiting in the shadows.
Mentally, he found himself pleading for the cat to come with him, ignoring the persistent darkness. But, the cat turned around, and padded into the darkness, next to the larger cat. When the cat crossed the line into the shadow, Jayfeather felt a blow to his stomach.
He recognized the pelt color on both cats. One was Hawkfrost, lurking in the shadows. The other was Ivypaw.
He started to fall into darkness, then lurched upward from his nest, only to look into darkness. He had been dreaming, and was blind once more. Only the steady yet hoarse breathing of Briarlight made him realize he was in the medicine cat den, other than her scent, and the musty smell of herbs, along with the sound of rushing water pooling in the back of the den.
He fell back into his nest, exhausted. The past few days he had been struggling to help the clan cope from the battle with ShadowClan, and it had taken a lot of energy out of him. Firestar had lost two lives, but was actually healing quite well. Even though ShadowClan had lost Russetfur, it was the only death among both clans. Even with such a deadly battle, they remained lucky. And yet, Jayfeather was still exhausted from tending to all the wounds. He had to borrow Ivypaw, who seemed slightly crestfallen at the mention to help her medicine cat. She has helped him, though, and that was the point.
The cat most injured was Dovepaw's father, Birchfall. Ivypaw had spent extra herbs tending to him, and the two siblings visited him daily. He had battled harshly with two warriors, and one of them had shaken him up after fastening teeth to his neck. Birchfall wasn't due back to warriors' duties for a quarter moon, but was good enough to sleep in the warriors' den after a few nights.
But Jayfeather's brain was racking after his dream. He had seen Ivypaw, with darkness and Hawkfrost, and she seemed to have joined them. A longing for his brother started to pain in his chest, needing to tell him about this dream. Jayfeather feared that his nightly visions were more than a dream, but possible a warning.
Rising from his nest, he entered the clearing, feeling the morning sun dancing on his pelt. He could still smell the morning dew that was disintegrating off the leaves, so it told him that it was still early in the morning.
He scented Brambleclaw below the Highrock, organizing patrols. Cloudtail was leasing a hunting patrol with Sandstorm, Toadstep, and Whitewing, while Sorreltail was with Berrynose, Hazeltail, and Ivypaw, checking the ShadowClan border. There was still extreme caution held by the border, and no cat was send there without another two cats with them. The ShadowClan battle was fresh on every cat's mind; no one wanted another violent death like Russetfur, no matter how old she was.
But Lionblaze's scent-the one he searched for-was not in the clearing. Instead, it was replaced by Dovepaw, who had padded up to Jayfeather. "Have you seen Lionblaze?" She asked him, yawning. "He said we'd train with Ivypaw today."
Dovepaw and Ivypaw's relationship had been knitted back together since the battle, but Jayfeather knew it wouldn't last. His trust began to wane inside Ivypaw, and he knew he had a right for it. Dovepaw still insisted on telling her sister about the prophecy, but himself and his brother hushed her.
Jayfeather shook his head. "I haven't seen him. In fact, I haven't seen anything." He hissed through gritted teeth, and felt Dovepaw shrink back. "Haven't you remembered that by now?"
He knew she was frowning but her emotions rolling off her pelt. "Sorry, Jayfeather. But, have you? I really need him." She meowed, sounding slightly more urgent that she was letting on.
He pricked his ears, interested in her urgency. "Oh, really? I haven't seen him, but, you know, I have ears too, if you need to say something. Or have you forgotten that as well?" He chided, annoyed with her, as usual. The young apprentice was still learning, yes-but even Jaypaw was smarter than that at her age!
Her emotions changed from apology to anger. "No, I haven't!" She snapped. "And, if you don't mind, I realize you have ears too, you know! Or have you forgotten that every other cat can see here?" Spite filled her voice at first, but then she immediately regretted it.
Not wanting to forgive her any time soon, he whirled around, back towards his den. As he did so, he murmured to himself, knowing that only she would hear with her acute hearing. "No, Dovepaw, I haven't forgotten." He said bitterly. "I haven't forgotten anything." As he walked away, memories of that one lost warrior echoed in his mind. Dovepaw would never know the truth.
But he was still curious as to where Lionblaze was. He padded up to Brambleclaw, asking him if he sent him on a patrol. But the tabby just blinked, and politely said, "no, Jayfeather, I didn't send him on a patrol. Sorry." The turned around to finish the patrols.
Anger filled him. Whatever connection him and Brambleclaw had during the time they believed their father-son relationship, that was over. And it was all Leafpool and Squirrelflight's fault! Jayfeather still respected the tabby who had known nothing of his mate's lies, but now Brambleclaw just pretended it had never happened.
With newly burned curiosity gnawing inside him, Jayfeather headed towards the camp entrance. He could easily lie and say he was out collecting herbs, but there would really be no one to interrogate him. Slipping up through the carved walls, he entered to forest.
Heading towards the ShadowClan border, he felt confident Lionblaze was near here. His brother hated journeying towards the WindClan border anyways.
He searched for his brother's scent, but picked up nothing. He padded blindly onward, but by now he knew the forest so well that there was no need. But, as he went further, he picked up a different scent, one that he didn't recognize. It didn't smell like any of the clans, but it did have a slight tinge to them in the scent.
He stopped, and decided to follow this scent. It led him along the Lake towards ShadowClan, and Jayfeather stopped near the border. Just as he was about to set paws over the border, a cold mist draped itself around him. The scent he had been following sparked at his nose; fresh; and he stopped dead.
Behind him, a voice whispered, "I wouldn't Jayfeather,"
The fur rose along his spine, and he breathed in the cat's scent. It's voice was high-pitch, a she-cat's. She smelled slightly of fish. He turned, although he didn't expect to see anything, and instead, saw a cat.
The she-cat was large, tortoiseshell and white, with piercing amber eyes. Jayfeather shivered with shock and horror. Her eyes gleamed with malice that had been sparked before, showing ages of moons. Yet they still gleamed of youthful play, play that could result in hurt. Her tail flicked back and forth, her lips pulled back in a malicious smile.
He stepped back. "Who are you?" He asked her.
She pursed her lips. "I am a cat." Baring her teeth at him, she added, "I am not your friend, either, Jayfeather."
Realization swept over him like an icy wave, creeping upon his limbs. "I can see you." He realized. "You're one of the Dark Forest."
She grinned, revealing sharp, white teeth. "Correct, little medicine cat." Jayfeather shivered. "Now, I have no business with petty blind cats." She murmured, and started to move on.
But he stopped her. "Not so fast; I have business with you." He grumbled through gritted teeth. "What's your name? What clan are you from? What do you want?" Interrogated Jayfeather in a demanding mew.
But she just closed her eyes. "Tell me this, Jayfeather." He took a pawstep back, not realizing this cat knew his name. She chuckled. "Oh yes, I know your name, alright. Everyone knows who you are." She leaned towards him, her fishy breath disturbing to Jayfeather. "Tell me this; who was the leader of RiverClan before Leopardstar?" Her voice was icily terrifying, but Jayfeather could not move.
He recoiled, gathering himself. "Why do you care? What do you seek out, and what's your name? You never answered me." Hissing, he tried to look fierce, though on the inside he was shaking.
She just snorted. "I suppose cats these days have no manners. Very well, I will tell you one thing about myself. But in return, you must tell me something. That's fair, is it not? After all, StarClan's all about fairness." She sneered the last word, taunting in her mew.
"I am of RiverClan, in times when there was little contact with other clans, other than battles. The times before kittypets became leaders." She snarled at him, but Jayfeather let out a mew of protest.
"That's unfair! I asked for your name, and what you wanted. I don't care what times you lived in." Jayfeather growled.
But she just smiled, and started padding away. "Use what you have, Jayfeather. And this won't be the last of me, I promise…" and she faded away into the forest, darkness swathed around her.
Angry, Jayfeather stormed off, away from the ShadowClan border, back into ThunderClan territory. That she-cat said she was from RiverClan, and sought out the past leader before Leopardstar…did she perhaps know them? Was she alive during the cat's time? Questions swirled Jayfeather's mind, but he shook them away, trying to remember why he first came into the forest.
Of course! Lionblaze! Tasting the air, Jayfeather searched for his brother's scent in the carrying wind. The breeze led him towards the abandoned Twoleg Nest, where he found Lionblaze stalked a vole.
Concealing himself in the bushes until his brother's hunt was caught, he whispered fiercely, "Lionblaze!"
His brother, shaken by the sudden call, jumped, back arched and fur ruffled. Looking around, he caught sight of his brother's head bobbing in a bush, and exclaimed, "Great StarClan! You nearly scared me out of my fur, Jayfeather!"
Amused, he responded, "yeah, well I hadn't noticed." He padded from his hiding spot underneath the bush, and paused when he sensed his brother in front of him. The vole was buried in the ground beside them. "We seem to have another problem."
Lionblaze frowned. "It's always problems, isn't it?" He noted. "The prophecy?" He guessed.
Jayfeather sprung at what he thought was Lionblaze in front of him. "Shh!" He cried, gripping his brother's muzzle in tight forepaws. Blindness didn't stop him at all. "Do you want all the Clans to hear you?"
He pushed off Jayfeather's paws, and meowed, "then what is it? What's happened?"
Jayfeather sat on the ground, blind eyes staring into nowhere. "I got into a quarrel with Dovepaw this morning. She was looking for you, and asked me if I had seen you." He cringed at the word, chewing it out, as if to spit it on the ground. Lionblaze winced at his apprentice's behavior. "She as to learn to be kind at least, or maybe not so mouse-brained! Can't you teach your apprentice better manners, maybe? She more annoying than burrs. She just doesn't understand."
Lionblaze puffed up, fluffing out his fur. "Jayfeather, relax! We don't want to put too much pressure on her; remember Hollyleaf? I think it's because of the prophecy that weighed her down and-" But he was cut off by Jayfeather.
Seething, Jayfeather hissed, "so you're just going to defend your apprentice for her wrongs? Lionblaze, she must learn. Especially since she's one of the Three. If she doesn't know what to do, how can she even save the clans? And again with Hollyleaf! Lionblaze, our sister is gone, alright? We watched her disappear into the tunnels, and we don't know for sure if she disappeared because of that!" Jayfeather's blind blue eyes created a fire that stirred at his brother, and he whipped around and bolted for camp.
Mixed emotions boiled inside him, all creating his upset and angry mood. As he headed back to camp, he thought about his lost sister. Oh, Hollyleaf. He murmured to himself. If you're in StarClan, why can't you speak to me?
You like? I will give you one spoiler-I'm having Hollyleaf come back. For me, it's quite obvious, but I'll give her a much better role, don't worry. It's also not because I'm a fan of her (which I am) but I REALLY hate Ivy and Dove, Dove more than Ivy. They're just STUPID! Sorry. But please review, thanks!