CHAPTER 46-It's Woven In My Soul

Shadefrost's POV

Jayfeather was grumbling to himself outside the den with Briarlight trying to comfort him. Bramblestar was sitting silently next to me, his tail curled around his paws. The bustle of activity in the camp prevented me from falling asleep, and I shifted uncomfortably at the continuous throbbing pain of my long gash.

I buried my face in my paws and whimpered softly. Would I ever get my memories back? Would I ever find out who I truly was?

I didn't notice the soft, grey mist floating into the den until I looked up. It was like a puff of pale steam, swirling around the air above my head.

I felt a strange connection to it as I watched it swim around. It almost seemed like it was alive, whatever it was.

Without warning, it hovered above me for one split second before diving into my face. I leaned back sharply as I felt it enter my mouth. It didn't have a distinct taste or smell, and it felt cottony against my tongue.

I coughed when it forced itself into my throat and I accidently swallowed it. Blegh. It left a sour feeling in the roof of my mouth. What was it?

I sank my claws deep into the ground as a fierce, blinding pain exploded in my brain. Clenching my teeth, I forced myself not to yowl and trembled from the strain.

"Shadefrost?!" Bramblestar yelled.

There was a white flash inside my eyes like lightning, as bright and searing as the sun, and then it left as quickly as it came.

"What's wrong? Are you hurt?" In a few minutes, Briarlight was at my side, sniffing me and fussing over me like a mother would.

I panted slightly, my sides gently heaving. "It's fine, Briarlight," I gasped.

As the last remnants of the headache quickly vanished, my eyes grew wide and hopeful when a realization dawned on me.

"I remember," I said quietly, looking up at the cats with a renewed strength.

Bramblestar blinked at me disbelievingly, but his hardened eyes quickly dissolved into a sort of kindness.

Jayfeather closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. "Thank StarClan."

I sat up, but the screaming pain in my side wrestled me back down. "I wonder if Snowstorm and Dewstep are alright," I murmured quietly.

Growing hopeful, I mewed, "Is it okay if I ask Dovewing to see where they are?"

Jayfeather's eyes grew wide in disbelief. "What? How..."

I clamped my jaws shut when I realized what I had said. In the chaos of what had happened earlier, I had forgotten that he didn't know the things that I did.

Meanwhile, Bramblestar and Briarlight were exchanging glances, confused to what I had said and to why Jayfeather looked like he was standing in the headlights of a monster.

Jayfeather shook his head quickly and shooed the two cats out. "I need to check her wounds," he said, ignoring their confused mews. "Medicine cat business. Now leave."

When he made sure that no one was nearby and that it was just the two of us inside the den, I shrank back as I wondered what he was going to say.

He circled me and sniffed me, studying me closely.

He sat down and growled, "How do you know about Dovewing?"

I quickly thought of an excuse. "Uh...I...ah...I accidently eavesdropped on her conversations with you?"

Annoyance flashed in his eyes. "You're not telling the truth."

I ducked my head and shuffled my paws nervously, unsure of what to say.

He sighed wearily and rummaged some herbs around. Finally, he mewed quietly, "You're not exactly a cat, are you?"

I jumped a little in shock.

"How did...how did you know?" I whispered.

"There were enough clues for me to put together: your strange scent, that dream of yours that I saw, and the fact that you just randomly appeared in ThunderClan as if you'd been dropped from the sky. You're a Twoleg."

I looked away and flattened my ears. There were a few minutes of awkward silence, and then I muttered, "So, you know. What are you going to do now?"

He closed his eyes and sighed. "I'm going to do nothing. If StarClan meant for a Twoleg to fit the prophecy, then so be it. I don't have to do anything. The Twolegs never did me any wrong, anyway."

He narrowed his eyes and leaned closely toward me, peering into my eyes.

"But what I haven't figured out is why you know so much about us. You know Dovewing's power. Do you know Lionblaze's and mine as well?"

I stared back into the swirling blue depths of his blind gaze. How much was I willing to tell him?

This was Jayfeather, one of the few cats that I could trust.

"Yes," I replied. "I know that you, Lionblaze, and Dovewing have powers. You can feel people's emotions and walk in their dreams, and Lionblaze has the gift of never getting beaten in battle. And I know a lot more things. I know about how Sol made an enemy with ThunderClan, about the eclipse, and I know the Dark Forest as well, and how the war raged through the Clans. I knew Firestar and Bluestar and even Tigerstar and Brokenstar, and I know all of their secrets."

I curled up and closed my eyes, not wanting to say any more. Jayfeather stood their silently, his ears twitching. A storm seemed to be raging in his sightless blue eyes. Finally, he began to pad out of the den, but before he left, he turned and meowed, "But tell me this. If you already know so much about the past and the present, do you know what will happen in the future?"

I stirred uncertainly. After a while, I opened my eyes and replied, "No."

He only nodded and disappeared out the entrance. I watched him sleepily as he left, my eyes slowly beginning to droop close. The throbbing in my side somehow lulled me into a quiet, dreamless sleep.

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Jayfeather had talked to Dovewing. I saw them murmuring to each other at the far end of the clearing, and I couldn't make out what he was saying.

When he came back, I asked nervously, "Did you tell her that I was a Twoleg?"

He shook his fur and replied, "Of course not. That's your secret. No one needs to know." I was greatly relieved.

He began to sort through the herbs, and I sneezed as dust swirled up from the dried leaves.

The medicine cat continued, "I asked Dovewing about Snowstorm and Dewstep, and she cast out her senses. She saw them, they're alive and they're coming home, but..."

My eyes widened. "But what?"

He hesitated. Then he shrugged and meowed, "Nothing."

Jayfeather was as solid as a rock when he came to making decisions, so I knew that it was impossible for me to persuade him to tell me everything.

I slowly heaved myself to my paws, but suddenly grew dizzy as the world rushed around my head. I collapsed back onto the moss.

"Don't strain yourself," the tom said. "You lost a lot of blood, so you should feel light-headed for the next couple of days. And if that wound opens again, it's going to be a mess."

I curled my tail around my body and buried my nose in it, breathing in my scent.

Jayfeather cleaned the gash and placed new cobwebs on it. He grimaced. "This wound is deep. It's a wonder that you managed to survive. Maybe StarClan is watching over you after all."

That made me remember something. My eyes flew wide open and I jerkily sat up, making the cobwebs fall onto the ground.

The tom hissed in annoyance, "What are you doing?"

StarClan wasn't watching over me. They weren't watching over any of us. The connection between the living and dead was disappearing, and they wouldn't be able to communicate with any of the Clans. They couldn't even see us anymore.

I turned to face Jayfeather, ignoring the ripping pain in my side. "Jayfeather, we have to do something. I had a dream from Yellowfang yesterday night, and she told me that StarClan's territory was collapsing. Some of the Darklings have invaded their territory and are now wreaking havoc among the StarClan cats. If this continues on, they won't be able to see us or talk to us anymore. And they'll die."

Jayfeather's eyes were calm and disbelieving at first, but grew wide with alarm when the words sunk into his brain. "Bramblestar!" he called, racing out of the den.

I sighed and settled back down onto the moss. At least the medicine cat and the leader knew what was going on. They might be able to think of something. I furrowed my brow, trying to think. What could I do to save the Clans from the Darklings? I knew that light and warmth were their weakness. What else did I know?

I hissed in frustration. Come on, think. I was a Twoleg in the middle of a universe of cats. Surely, I could think of something.

My mind traveled back to the prophecy: 'For there to be victory over the evil, secrets must be unraveled, enemies forgotten, and new friends be forged. Through the dreaded time, a conqueror will arrive, a rescuer that was born to quake the ground and shake the frontiers. Water must quench fire, light must filter shadows, and a new storm must be forged and banded together in order for the sun to come out again.' What else did it say?

When the Wolf Moon howls three times in a row, the first wave will begin. When the Grey Wolf swallows the Tiger's tail, the second wave will occur, and then the greatest evil will be unleashed.

Wolf Moon? Grey Wolf and Tiger? What did those words stand for?

The Wolf Moon was probably the moon itself, but I wasn't so sure. And when it howls three times in a row...What would the howl be?

I racked my brain until it was sore, and I still didn't find an answer.

Things were turning hopeless, and I didn't even know if Snowstorm and Dewstep were alright.

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The day eventually gave way to night, and the two warriors still hadn't returned. The camp was noticing their absence.

I was sitting outside the entrance of the gorse tunnel, since Briarlight thought I needed some fresh air to ease my worries.

The cool night air slid over my skin and I closed my eyes to feel it. I breathed in the crisp breeze.

The moon shone above me, casting its feeble light around the clearing. The Darklings would be on a prowl tonight. Yet, somehow, the moonlight didn't affect them. Maybe the light of the moon was weaker than the sun's.

It was a quarter moon. In a week, it would turn into a full moon.

The undergrowth rustled and I saw someone lurking among them. I crouched down and growled menacingly.

To my surprise, a familiar form stepped out of the shadows, a tom with thin, grey fur and glowing amber eyes.

I limped forward to meet him, my relief quickly giving way to horror and shock.

It looked as if a monster had run over Dewstep. His fur was matted and covered in a thick layer of drying blood, and in some places, patches of his pelt had been torn off. Chunks of his ears were missing and deep scratches crisscrossed his body like a spider's web. He left a trail of red pawprints with every step he took. He was carrying the limp body of Snowstorm on his back.

I wailed and surged forward, ignoring the pain in my wound.

His eyes grew dim as his legs trembled. "Shadefrost..." he murmured quietly, before his paws gave way underneath him and he collapsed onto the ground.

I stared at his limp form in surprise. Choking back a wail, I buried my face in his fur and breathed in nothing but the scent of blood.

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Snowstorm slowly cracked open an eye and groaned. He whispered, "Where am I?"

I felt so relieved, just to see his eyes and hear his voice again.

"Just rest," I said. "You're in the medicine cat's den."

I lay down next to him, curling my tail around both of our bodies and sharing each other's warmth. Dewstep was snoring nearby.

"I have all my memories back," I murmured. He closed his eyes and breathed, "I did it then. I killed the Darkling and it released your memories back to you."

I blinked. "It did what?"

"The moment I killed it, a white mist trailed out of its mouth. That mist was your memories, and it floated back to you."

I closed my eyes and breathed in his scent that was seeped in herbs. I remembered the time when I had killed a Darkling. A mist had escaped out of its mouth in its last dying breath, and I realized that it must have been the memories of one of the Ancients it had once killed. I had accidently inhaled it, and it brought me into a flashback where I saw Fallen Leaves being born and the battle in their camp.

I licked his fur and began to groom him, lapping up the blood that was beginning to leak out from under the cobwebs.

"Thank you, Snowstorm. Thanks to Dewstep as well. You saved me."

He sighed in contentment and closed his eyes, his breathing slowing down until I knew that he was asleep.

I stared at his peaceful face. They had risked their lives just for me.

I almost said something right then, those three simple words that was bursting with emotion, but I closed my mouth and rested my head on his chest. I didn't want to say it, not yet.

I closed my eyes and felt the beating of his heart in my ears, gently soothing me to sleep.