Chapter 33
How's it going, bros? So, there's an error with the chapter names. Last chapter should have been 32, but it was labeled 31. Just ignore that. This is 33.
Also... The story is almost halfway over! Or, at least the first part is. Can we get 50 reviews before the halfway mark? Come on, guys! Lets' do this!
JAYPAW
I felt the anger hit my pelt like a wave. Lionblaze stormed out the thorn tunnel. Here it was, a chance to save our Clanmates, and he was just going to walk away? I couldn't believe it. I was so angry, I though I was going to explode. I stormed out after him. The thorns ripped at my pelt, but I didn't care. I followed Lionblaze's trail out to the edges of the lake. He was sitting there, just across the border of WindClan, his back to me. He was staring out onto the moor. Only StarClan would know what was on his mind.
"So that's it, then?" I said, padding over to sit beside my brother. "This is the end?"
Lionblaze looked out a bit longer before he answered me. "You wouldn't understand. You don't have history with WindClan."
I stayed silent, wondering what he could have meant. I reached out into his mind, but only found a dark snag of thorns. I tried to penetrate it.
"Cut it out!" Lionblaze growled. "At least warn me before you do that."
"Sorry," I muttered sarcastically. "I'm just trying to find a way to save my Clanmates. I thought you would be happy."
"I was," Lionblaze muttered blankly. "But... I can't go to WindClan. You just won't understand why."
"Well, who else could go? Hollyleaf? She wouldn't break the warrior code to save her life. I haven't even seen her today. Jaggedscar is sick; he wouldn't make it a fox-length into WindClan without getting spotted. You were my best shot."
"I'm sorry," Lionblaze said again. He got up, and I felt his pelt brush against mine. "I really am."
As he walked away, I faced out to the moor. I knew that if I could see, I would have seen a row of hills. The catmint was just beyond it. I could smell it, just barely. So close, and yet so far.
I figured I would go and see Jaggedscar. Even if he was sick, he might be able to help somehow.
On my way to the Twoleg nest, I heard rustling from a bush. I whipped around sniffing the air around me. I relaxed when I realized who it was.
"Hollyleaf! I've been looking for yoou all over!" I rushed up to my sister, expecting warmth, but I was shocked by the cold hatred in her stomach.
"Oh," was all she replied. Her voice was sharp, like a knife on ice. "Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you.
"What- what's wrong?" I asked. "What happened?"
Hollyleaf looked away. I could feel anger, betrayal, and sadness all bundled together in one cold knot. "I... I'd rather not talk about it."
Her voice cracked on the last word. She whispered an apology and ran off, back into the forest where she came from. I was worried. I had never seen Hollyleaf like that. I had no idea what could possibly be the reason for her behavior, but I pushed it aside. There were more important matters at hand. I pushed on, through the brambles, until I finally found the scent markers that separated the infected from the clean. I sat and waited for the sick cats to come and pick up their fresh-kill.
"Jaypaw? What are you doing here?" I turned as I heard Cloudtail's voice calling from the other side of the clearing.
"I need to see Jaggedscar, unless he's too sick to come," I said. "It's urgent."
Cloudtail must have nodded, because he shot off into the forest. I sat down and groomed myself while I waited. Suddenly I heard crunches against the forest floor. I sat up, ears pricked.
"You wanted to see me?"
JAGGEDSCAR
I was sleeping peacefully when Cloudtail woke me.
"What is it?" I muttered, trying to get the sleep out of my eyes.
"It's Jaypaw," he said. "He wants to see you by the clearing, near the fresh-kill pile. He says it's urgent."
I sat up, and washed myself. "Did he say what it was about?"
"No," Cloudtail replied. He deposited the fresh-kill he had collected on the pile in the middle of the room.
I sighed and stretched. I didn't know what Jaypaw wanted with me, but if it was urgent, I'd have to get there fast. I bounded through the forest, wizzing past trees like a bullet. I almost forgot I was sick.
But then, I felt the itch in my chest. I skidded to a stop and coughed violently. As I did, I saw small specks of blood hit the forest floor.
That can't be good, I thought to myself. But in pushed on. Eventually, I came to the clearing, and saw Jaypaw sitting at one side. I straightened my fur, and padded down to meet him.
"You wanted to see me?" I asked, weaving around the weeds to sit beside Jaypaw.
Jaypaw sat up too. "Yes. I have good news, and bad news."
"What's the good news?" I asked.
"The good news is, I found out where to get catmint," Jaypaw replied. I could hear the tension in his voice, and immediately knew what was bothering him.
"And getting it is the bad news," I muttered. Jaypaw nodded.
"It's in WindClan territory," Jaypaw said. "Not too far, not too deep inside. Just over a few hills."
"And you need someone to get it," I finished.
"Yeah," Jaypaw answered. "I asked Lionblaze, but for some reason he won't go. Hollyleaf-"
I caught an odd note when he said her name. I sensed something was wrong, but before I could answer, Jaypaw finished.
"Hollyleaf wouldn't break the warrior code for anything." I could sense something was still bothering him. No matter how stalwart he thought he was, I could still read Jaypaws' emotions like a book. But I held my tongue.
"I can get it," I said. "Just make sure I'm not missed. I'll be back before you know it."
"How?" Jaypaw asked. "You won't make it in and out without being spotted!"
I winked at him. "I can slow time, remember? I can get through easy."
I still sensed something was wrong. I looked back before I left.
"What's wrong with Hollyleaf?"
Jaypaw didn't seem surprised. "She was acting all... weird. I'm no expert, but... something is very wrong."
I nodded. "I'll try and talk to her when all this boils down. In the meantime, don't go into camp. I want it to look like you found the catmint."
Jaypaw looked flustered. "Me? Why?"
I laughed. "A sick warrior, finding herbs before a medicine cat? What would the Clan say?" However, I hid the real reason. This was how Jaypaw got his full name. He needed to show it to Leafpool.
"Okay," Jaypaw said, but he still sounded unsure. "If you need help, come get me."
"Got it," I said.
I padded out of the clearing, moving swiftly towards the WindClan border. I weaved in and out of trees until a musky scent began to invade my nostrils. I pushed on, until I saw the moor. I stared over the moor, trying to catch a glimpse of the catmint. I couldn't see it anywhere, however, and I realized it must be over the hills. I took a breath and summoned my power. Soon, the landscape darkened to a grayscale, the wind stopped blowing, and everything stood still. I took a step into WindClan territory, and began padding briskly towards the catmint. I could smell it now, and I soon saw the generous clump bursting from the ground. I began gnawing at the stalks, trying to carry as much as I could.
However, things soon took a turn for the worse. The catmint plant began tickling my nose, and I knew I had to put it down before I contaminated the whole plant. I set down the lifesaving plant and sneezed. Suddenly, color flooded back into the world, and the wind began to blow once more. I stared around in horror as I realized what had happened. Time was flowing freely again!
"Who's there?"
I swung around as I heard a WindClan voice. Gruff and angry, it sounded like it was heading my way. I looked around desperately. I decided to make a run for it. I grabbed as much catmint as I could, and raced towards the border. As I did, I heard the WindClan patrol reach the catmint plant. I hoped that the strong wind wou;d mask my scent.
Thankfully, they didn't seem to see me. I crossed the stream and gasped in relief, dropping the catmint plant. I looked back over the border, making sure that no one had followed me across. I sighed as I figured out that I had escaped undetected.
"No way I'm doing that again," I coughed. I looked down at the catmint stalks; there seemed to be quite a few.
"This had better be enough," I sighed. I picked up the stalks and began trekking back to the clearing, where Jaypaw was waiting.
Soon, the plague would be over.