(Ok I was a little lost with whether I should keep this as it is or break it up into two small chapters. Breaking it up was really tempting… XD But I decided not to. So here it is: Leafpool's Fate. Enjoy and review!)

Everyone stayed clear of the tom with the murderous aura around him. When someone tried to talk to him he snapped back and when they touch him he lashed out. Bramblestar had been on the receiving end only twice, and whether it was the tom himself of the dead cats possessing him he didn't know. All he knew was that the cat was angry, either for what happened yesterday or because of Leafpool. Bramblestar himself was worried. 'It's been five days and she hasn't woken up yet!' He fretted in his mind.

Sandstorm, though hidden, was afraid. She didn't know if her daughter would die or not. Squirrelflight was in hysterics, running in the den to check on her an annoying ten times a day. She was lucky to get away with her fur on because Jayfeather threatened to rip it out if she kept coming frequently enough. Bramblestar worried Leafpool would starve to death before she woke up, but Jayfeather assured him by telling him he had been forcing her to eat. Luckily her body still functioned enough to swallow food and water, if only a little bit. Raven had asked if he could see her, but with influence from Jayfeather's dead friends the tom got shooed off. Something about being a Guardian, but Jayfeather didn't understand it so he just shrugged.

~ooo~

On the sixth day Jayfeather was at his wits end. Leafpool still hadn't wakened. Riverclan scents had been scented over the border yesterday and no one smelled Thornclaw's scent. Jayfeather secretly wished those foxes got ahold to him. 'Good riddance,' he sneered in his mind, Flameblood and Killerfang all too happily agreeing.

Jayfeather was now lying beside his mother. It had hit sunhigh a while ago and he had nothing to do. No one needs his attention and apparently no battle had been sparked between Thunderclan and Riverclan, yet. Jayfeather stared down at Leafpool's body, pale ginger fur and small shrunken figure. He was sure if he didn't start force feeding the cat she would've died of starvation.

With a grimace Jayfeather stood and left the den, coming back with a mouse in his mouth. He tore off a piece of mouse and gently pried her mouth open while chewing up the mouse piece a bit before tilting her head back and pawing it into her mouth. Shutting her mouth he began massaging her throat, working the food down. He grabbed a soaked moss ball and opened her mouth again, putting water bit by bit inside so that he didn't drown her. Once he was done repeating the procedure again and again until half of the mouse was gone, then he stopped and finished it off, checked her over again to make sure she hadn't choked before curling up around her. With a sigh he closed his eyes and took a small nap.

~ooo~

It was the beginning of sundown when he opened his eyes. He didn't voluntarily wake up no; rather, he had been kicked. Cracking open a blind eye, his face twisted up in annoyance.

"Whoever is kicking me stop it," he grumbled.

They kicked again, Jayfeather hissed.

"Hey- Leafpool?"

He felt it, her paws knocking against him lightly and her dry whimpers. The medicine cat quickly sat up and leaned over her, curious and panicking. Jayfeather sniffed at her wound. It had closed and healed a bit despite her malnourished body, but he was still fearful of her reopening it. He stay there quietly while she began to flail, wanting to help her, but something held him back and told him to wait.

So that's what he did, he waited.

He was rewarded with a heart stopping rasp. "-feather. Jayfeather..." Leafpool groaned. Jayfeather's heart sped up.

"Leafpool? Come on Leafpool..."

"Bright...too -cough- bright. Feather..."

Feather? What feather? "Call out to her! Keep her away from death!" Killerfang hissed.

Jayfeather's eyes widened in fear. He couldn't let her die. "Leafpool come on, come here." He called out softly.

Leafpool whimpered. "Firestar..."

Jayfeather sat up. Firestar? Firestar was dead, why was she calling for Firestar? Killerfang hissed in his ear. "Firestar is a sign of your Starclan, a sign of death!"

'No!' Jayfeather yowled inwardly. 'Not Firestar!'

He leaned closer again. "Leafpool..."

"Jayfeather, can we talk to you?" Squirrelflight mewed of as she walked in, Lionblaze and Raven behind her. "We was wondering if...Jayfeather?"

"Shh!" He hissed, eyes trained on where Leafpool was.

Lionblaze tensed. "Jayfeather?" He asked and crept up to his brother, Squirrelflight and Raven behind him. Jayfeather ignored him.

"Leafpool, come this way..."

"Nu...'right...t...Fire..."

Lionblaze gasped. "Mother?" It was barely a whisper. Jayfeather swatted him with his tail absently. He leaned down further to where he could feel Leafpool's breath mingle with his own and he knew he was at eye level.

"Leafpool..." He gulped hesitantly. "M-mother. Come this way, come to the feather..."

~ooo~

She landed like a feather in a field of tall lush grass. It was bright and blue outside, like an endless sunhigh. Butterflies teased the grass tips and wind played with her fur ever so softly. The pain was gone, but two new things appeared. She looked around. On one side, her left, she saw a blue feather, the same pulsing one, hanging over a pool. "Jayfeather?" She asked ears perked. She walked towards it, and as she got closer it got brighter. "Too bright." She hissed.

"Leafpool," a voice called out to her. She whipped her head around and almost crowed with joy. Firestar was sitting there, watching her warmly and also sitting on top of a pool. "It seems you finally are here, my kit. Come, dive in and join us." She grinned warmly and began walking over to him, eager to dive in the pool. The feather was too bright and Firestar was her father, the feather didn't matter.

Her name was called out again and again, but she paid it no mind. Her brain was telling her that Firestar was calling her, bringing her to her lost friends and other warriors that had passed on. Besides, in Starclan there was no pain.

She was almost there, just a fox length closer, when she heard it.

"Mother."

Huh?

Leafpool's head turned to the feather. It pulsed. "Come this way, come to the feather."

Her mind was playing tricks in her, because it sounded like her son, the one who hated her so much, was calling out to her, telling her to come to him. She shook her head and turned to Firestar.

The feather called out to her again, "Mother please come back, don't leave us."

She had to stop then, his voice sounded too close to whimpering. She slowly turned to the feather again. "Jayfeather?"

"Yes this way...come this way..."

Leafpool was torn. On one side she wanted to be by her father, but on the other hand she wanted to be with her clan, her family. She turned to Firestar, who was still staring warmly at her with all the love of a proud father. "I'm sorry," she whispered, head hung. Then she ran and dove head first into the pool. Firestar stared at her, his face washed with relief and eyes shining happily.

~ooo~

Jayfeather whimpered. Leafpool had stopped breathing. It was too late. "I'm sorry." Those were her last words.

Jayfeather closed his eyes, feeling tails lay across his back mournfully. "No mother, I'm sorry." The clans heard Raven's mourning wails from the den and bowed their heads.

~ooo~

The blinding light was too much, though as soon as it started it was over. She gasped as she breathed in air, fresh air, living air. Greedily she took large gulps, her ears not catching Raven's mourning wail. Blurry green eyes opened to take in the sight in front of her, the most beautiful and heart wrenching sight she had ever seen. Jayfeather was surrounded by her sister, other son and future mate, all mourning. She watched as Raven coddled her kit who she thought hated her, watched as Lionblaze comforted Squirrelflight and all the while they all comforted each other. It was heartwarming and sad, so sad that it brought tears to her eyes.

Then she realized why they were mourning.

They thought her dead. Didn't they hear her breath? She was sure she was pretty loud while she was taking in air. 'I've got to say something...'

"J-Jayfeather..."

They froze, furs fluffed out in shock and disbelief, eyes wide. It was comical, so funny that she wheezed out a laugh.

"Leafpool?" Squirrelflight whispered.

Leafpool managed a pained grin. "I'm not joining Starclan yet. Who would watch my kits?"

"Leafpool!" Raven nearly yowled and bent down, licking her face excitedly.

Jayfeather just sat there, shocked. She had stopped breathing as well as her heart. How did she live? "Rebirth," Flameblood purred. "She had been reborn, given another chance." Jayfeather closed his eyes and thanks his ancestors. They had given her another chance. As soon as he finished he snapped his eyes open and snarled at Raven.

"Get out! All of you get out!"

Shocked and wanting to argue but deciding against it the three filed out. He jerked his head at Flameblood and Killerfang before leaning down to Leafpool. He was surprised when a dry tongue tapped his nose. "You called me..." She croaked. Jayfeather shushed her.

"You need to drink," he muttered, leaving her side only to return with a soaks ball of moss. "Drink slowly," he warned as he held it near her mouth. She lapped at it, heeding his warning with a relieved sigh. Once Jayfeather deemed her full enough he pulled it away and began checking her over. He checked her heart, her breathing, felt for any strange activity on her insides. Though he knew he didn't have to do this, what he was really concerned for was her wound. He couldn't focus on the wound though, he had to check and see if Leafpool was actually alive.

"You are simply checking to see if she's really alive." Graystripe's voice whispered, calming the hope and anxiety in his heart. Leafpool was alive, really alive. He could here Flameblood and Killerfang cracking up behind him.

"Shut up!" He hissed to them, paw still feeling her over.

Leafpool gave a raspy chuckle herself. "Everything else is fine Jayfeather." A labored pause. "What really ails me is my side."

'Right, the wound.' Jayfeather left again and returned with some herbs and new moss. Sitting down beside her, he took the semi wet moss and carefully wiped away the poultice he had on her side. He could feel the angry welts that were forming scabs under the moss and wince. He knew they were still soft and easy to aggravate, not as easy to open but still possible.

"Don't move too much."

Leafpool only nodded and let Jayfeather redress the wound. She would groan and whimper occasionally and was given poppy seeds to go through it; after it was over she was relaxed. When she made a move to sit up, Jayfeather growled at her.

"I said don't move!"

"If I don't Jayfeather then I'll get fat," she complained. "Plus I need to sit up. Laying down too long makes me feel sick. How long was I out anyway?"

Jayfeather narrowed his eyes at her and chose to answer her question after he helped her sit up. "Six days."

"What?!"

"Yes, six days. I woke up two days before you did."

"Wow," she whispered. "Well, what happened? Who watched us while we were out?"

"Cinderheart did." Jayfeather mewed, and Leafpool could hear the disgust in his voice.

"What happened?"

"Not now Leafpool, you are still recovering."

"Stop coddling me! I'm not a kit!" She hissed.

That amused Jayfeather, because deja-vu he had said that when she was taking care of him. "Well, it a long story and I'm sure you don't have to strength to stay up for so long. The medicine will kick in soon and you will be tired. I can allow you visitors though."

Leafpool huffed and wrinkled her nose. She wanted to know! "Fine, you are the medicine cat."

Jayfeather nodded before heading out the den. All eyes were on him. "Leafpool is fine and recovering." He announced, pushing down that bubble of joy in him. "She is very tired though, she is only allowed a visitor or two. Squirrelflight, Lionblaze..." Beckoned the two over to the fresh kill pile and nudged around for something small. He settled on a small but plump vole.

"Don't tell her about the events happening two days ago, not even a peep." He told them. They shared strange looks but nodded anyway. The trio walked back to the medicine cat den and disappeared behind the entrance.

Leafpool was happy to see her sister and son. "Leafpool!" Squirrelflight squealed and nuzzled her chin gently, Lionblaze her chest. All cats were purring loudly. Jayfeather flicked his tail uncomfortably and left the vole by her paw. He left to the back of his den to sort his herbs and realized he was dangerously low on thyme.

'I'll get that tomorrow,' he told himself.

By some time it was dark. He could hear the dusk patrol returning and decided that it was time for Squirrelflight and Lionblaze to leave. A surprised mewl left him when two bodies tackled him over and started to harass him with purrs and cuddles.

"What in Starclan's name?!"

Lionblaze snickered and batted at his ear. "Oh keep your voice down Jayfeather, Leafpool is sleeping. Besides we just wanted to thank you."

"Thank me? For what?"

"For bringing Leafpool home," Squirrelflight purred warmly. "She told us that you called her and brought her home."

"I didn't-"

"Oh hush you mouse brain! Believe it or not you saved her life, twice! Take the responsibly and the praises that come along with it and be proud." She snapped at him.

Jayfeather frowned at her, his fur feeling positively hot. "Ok," he murmured.

The ginger she cat licked his head. "Can we see her tomorrow?"

"No, Raven will want to see her." Lionblaze growled lightly, Jayfeather blinked. "Guardian?"

"How'd you-"

"Moonclan spirits," Jayfeather interrupted, jerking his head over to Leafpool. "Don't worry, they are protecting her, they mean no harm. Get out, leave! Its night time and I'm tired!"

Lionblaze pouted, but followed Jayfeather's order and left with Squirrelflight, whispering goodnight. He flicked his tail in turn and waited until their paw steps died off before softly padding over to Leafpool. Stretching and yawning, the grey tom gently curled around her, laying his tail across her wounded side lightly and sighing. "Good night mother," he whispered tiredly and went to sleep.