(Yaya Another chapter! X3 Hmm, stuff just happens in this chapter and Jayfeather does too much thinking.)

Jayfeather was confused, really confused. It had been a full quarter moon since he had agreed to be Leafpool's son, and he was pretty sure something was changing in him. He was a medicine cat after all, and could remember a behavior change when he sensed it. Like for example, he doesn't scowl at her as much anymore, and half the time he doesn't snap at her for purposely touching him. It was that and the shortening of his nightmares. They came yes, but they lasted no longer than one or two minutes, and Leafpool had only slept with him in his den three times. 'Three regrettably comfortable times,' he noted with a grudge. They kept the nightmares at bay, so he allowed it.

'I need to get her back in the den. The nightmares are starting to get frequent again.' He shivered. He just hated those nightmares and the dead cat that came with it.

"Jayfeather!" The grey tom turned blind eyes towards the cat who called them. He could tell that Berrynose was scowling at him. "What are you doing?!"

"Well, as you can see I'm sorting through my herbs," he replied back smartly, flicking his tail in dismissal as he turned back to doing just that. He need to gather herbs for Purdy, the old cat's joints were supposedly "killing" him. 'All ways over exaggerating things, the old flea bag.'

"Jayfeather," came a very firm mew.

"What?!" He snapped back, stopping what he was doing to toss back a cold glare. Honestly the tom was getting on his nerves.

"What is up with you and Leafpool?! You two have been getting too close lately!"

Jayfeather's mind froze, though he kept his outward appearance as normal and nonchalant as ever. Had it gone to the point of being noticeable? How? "Like a said before, Bramblestar put both of us together to settle our differences."

"And you are getting along with her?" Berrynose hissed with suspiciously narrowed eyes. Jayfeather snorted and turned back to his herbs.

"All she's good for is a serving cat to do as I please. 'And for shooing away nightmares, keeping the safe and warm feeling, giving me helpful advice, a great reminder really...' His mind helpfully listed off other things that nearly made him snarl. He did not want her as a mother, even though she biologically was. "I know what I'm doing Berrynose, and as you know I can be very manipulative.

'Or very manipulated.'

'Shut up!'

His thoughts were running away with him again, and he couldn't figure out for the life of him why. Another thought that assaulted him was the vision Hollyleaf showed him. Two cats were dead, two unidentified cats. 'Why?' he groaned. 'Maybe Starclan has turned against me as well? I don't want these visions!'

"If you say so Jayfeather, just remember your place."

Jayfeather this time visibly froze. Was that a threat? Berrynose left the den, leaving the medicine cat to stew over his thoughts, again. He almost breathed a sigh of relief when Leafpool walked into the den.

"Jayfeather I'm going on patrol. Do you need me to pick up anything?"

"No, I'm stocked full. You can pick me up something to eat though."

"Jayfeather, I said while I'm out on patrol, not now. Get it yourself, you aren't a kit. I'll bring some moss back, can't have too many of those."

Jayfeather was slightly shocked. Leafpool always brought him his prey. 'Maybe she's realized,' his mind mumbled as he gathered the needed herbs and trotted out of his den, heading straight for the elders den. He could hear Purdy complaining before he even entered.

"My bones are gettin' too old. You cats are still young, so you don't understand."

"Purdy," came an exasperated sigh from Dustpelt. "You've told us near a millionth time. Can you please be quiet? I'm sure Jayfeather is on his way right now."

"Jayfeather's here!" Sandstorm piped in relief. Dustpelt wasn't the only one suffering from Purdy's nonsense rambling. That only made Purdy moan louder.

"Hurry it up will ya? The pain!"

Jayfeather made his way over to the old tom with a grumble, quickly making the poultice out of the comfrey root. He wrinkled his nose lightly at the tangy smell and nearly rolled his eyes as Purdy started talking again.

"You know, joint can be like this after ages of running around and fighting and chasing prey. I actually remember this one time when I chased a squirrel through a tree. I was sore for days afterwards! And another time..."

Jayfeather tuned him out, flicking his tail in finality when he was done. He did not want to stick around and hear those stories; he wasn't in the right mood to.

"Jayfeather," Dustpelt murmured. Jayfeather stopped and padded over the tom. "How do you do it? How do you do everything while in the dark all the time?"

Jayfeather felt a bit of pity for him. All his life he was a warrior, and yet he was forced into the elder's den after the fight with the big cats. He could've been like Brightheart had the cat only had one eye blinded. 'Instead he is forced into eternal darkness. At least I was born blind.'

"You learn to deal with it after all; at least that's what I did. I was born blind, so it's natural. I don't know about someone who was made blind. With one sense gone the others sharpen, so instead of trying to see where everything is use your memory and other senses. It will take quite the practice..."

Dustpelt nodded, flicking his ears as if trying to listen to something. "Ok Jayfeather, I'll keep that in mind."

Jayfeather leaves the den, heading for the fresh kill pile. He picks up a mouse then sits and eats. His ears twitched as he heard the sound of small paws running, running the direction of his den. 'My den,' he thought absently, then nearly choked on his food. 'My den!'

"Hey!" He yowled and raced after them. Once he entered he could smell herbs everywhere, and forced himself to keep his fur flat. "Sunkit! Flamekit! Gingerkit!" The kits stopped and looked at him. He trotted over to them with a barely suppressed growl. "What are you doing?"

"I wanted to see the herbs!" Gingerkit mewed excitedly. He then turned sheepish. "I tried to sneak here, but Sunkit and Flamekit followed me."

"You might as well been a badger because we heard you!" Flamekit scolded.

Sunkit let out a snicker. "Yea, Heavykit."

"Hey!" Gingerpaw whined. "Meanies!"

"Get out of the den," Jayfeather hissed. The kits stared at him, but it was Gingerkit who jumped in excitement.

"Tell one thing and I'll leave you alone! I promise!"

Jayfeather narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "One thing?" Gingerkit nodded his head, but when he realized Jayfeather didn't see him he voiced his answer. Jayfeather sighed and sat down, then sorted through the messy herbs. He paws at a hairy leaf. "That is a borage leaf."

Gingerkit stared at it. "Well what does it do?"

"It helps queens produce more milk and brings down fevers." Jayfeather informed. "Now get out."

"Is that what you give Squirrelflight?" Gingerkit asked, eyes lighting up in excitement. Jayfeather nodded his head. "Tell me another one! Please please please?"

"No," the medicine cat growled. "You're too young to learn anything."

"So I have to be an apprentice to learn this?"

Jayfeather stilled. "Yea..."

"Will you make me your apprentice? Please Jayfeather! I promise to work really heard!" Jayfeather was taken aback. Did the kit even know what he was asking for? "Please? I want to help and heal everyone! Then when Sunkit and Flamekit get hurt I can heal them too! Besides, being a medicine cat doesn't seem that hard, so I want to be one." Gingerkit gushed, his tabby body shaking with excitement.

Jayfeather snorted and shook his head lightly. "Wait until you get older. Then we will see if you still think the same way." Gingerkit nodded and off him and his sibling went, squealing along the way. Squirrelflight was yowling at them later on for sneaking away and sentenced them to the nursery for the rest of the day.

Jayfeather sighed and shook his head. "Kits," he murmured, then stilled as he smelled someone coming closer. It was Leafpool, and from the way she walked and the feeling of her eyes on his fur she wasn't leaving anytime soon.