Jayfeather felt like he was walking to his death. Being surrounded by two patrols of cats didn't help either, it only made him more agitated. Leafpool was stuck to his side like glue and her presence was the only one he didn't mind.
"Get that vine!" Bramblestar ordered. The cats nodded and scraped off the vine that was attached to a nearby tree. Then Leafpool and Dovewing then worked together to tie it around him securely.
"Be careful and come back," Leafpool told him. She nuzzled him and covered his face with licks. It didn't annoy him as much as he thought it would.
"I'll bring back Sakura." He promised.
Bramblestar copied Leafpool's actions. That annoyed him.
"I'm not your kit, stop smothering me." He growled.
Bramblestar sighed and touched his nose to Jayfeather's head. "You may not be my kit, but I raised you. To me you are still mine." Jayfeather snorted and looked away, because those words should not have affected him like they should. That annoyed the tom even more, they all acted like he was going to die.
"Relax. He's going to bring back Sakura and come back alive. He survived the Battle of the Dark Forest, he can survive this." Lionblaze nudged his shoulder. Jayfeather snorted and flicked his tail. He knew his brother was worried.
The wind blew as Jayfeather walked near the hole. He could feel Whitethunder's strong gaze burning his fur. Cautiously Jayfeather climbed into the hole.
"Hold the vine tightly!" Leafpool fretted.
"Hush!" Jayfeather snapped.
They began to lower him down. When he felt he was low enough he pawed at the vine. The vibrations signalled for them to stop. The medicine cat hung there for a while, turning in a slow circle. The air smelled like blood and death. 'Many animals must have fallen down here,' he thought. He could feel a draft to his right.
"Swing me to the right!"
The vine began to move. Jayfeather closed his eyes. When he came in contact with a wall he clung to it and felt around. There was a hole. Quickly he climbed into it and landed on the floor. It was wet. "Great," he huffed. He cut the vine from around him and walked off.
~ooo~
Dovewing, Briarlight and Cherry pulled the vine up. It was cut. "He's gone," Briarlight told them.
Bramblestar nodded his head. "I want a cat posted here every day and night. One for dawn, sunhigh and sunset."
"I will stay first watch." Briarlight volunteered. Bramblestar nodded to her and they all left. The dark brown she cat sat down and wrapped her tail around her paws. There she waited.
~ooo~
Jayfeather followed his nose and the feel of the semi dry wetness under his paws. He picked up one of them and sniffed it just in case. Blood. Placing it down, he continued walking.
He came to a crossroad. Swinging his head both to the left and right he sniffed the air. The left was stronger. 'This must be a tunnel.' Jayfeather thought. He remembered a battle going on down here between them and Shadowclan. 'Or was that Windclan?' He had thought that all of the tunnel entrances were blocked off.
"This one must be new..."
Jayfeather kept walking, going along the twists and turns of the tunnel until he came to another cross road. He took another left. After some time he came to an opening. His stomach rumbled. The grey tom listened for any signs of prey running around and found none. He heard the trickling of water and followed the sound; a stream was running in front of him. Thirsty, he bent down and took a drink. Something moved, and in a flash he backed away and smacked at the water. His hit something wet and slippery and whatever it was it flopped madly beside him.
"Fish?" He growled and drew his lip up in disgust. The fish stopped flopping now. It was a small fish, and medicine cat wondered how that was supposed to fill him up. Reluctantly Jayfeather started eating the fish and nearly puked. It's was so slimy! 'How can Riverclan eat this stuff?'
After he was finished he drunk more water and continued on.
;/;
"This should be a good spot," he muttered after a while as he sniffed around the area. The grass was dry and covered most of the floor, and it was a dark corner, so that if any animals did come through they wouldn't notice him. The leaves there smelled like pine and fish water, so it would cover his scent nicely.
Jayfeather turned circles in the small patch and lied down. He didn't sleep, he spent his time thinking, wondering. He had been through tunnels before; this time would be no different. Rock wouldn't be with him though, nor would the tribal cats.
He half wondered if Half-Moon would be there, to guide him. 'Silverclaw trained me this way for a reason. I can't rely on outside help all the time.' Besides, this was his test and he had to prove himself. Jayfeather curled up and went to sleep; he knew he would need it.