Jayfeather padded through the forest, lit by the half-moon, on his way to the Moonpool. After his brief nap in his nest, Jayfeather felt refreshed energy in his paws as he confidently strode through the forest to the Moonpool.
While Jayfeather was on his way, Littlecloud, the ShadowClan medicine cat, caught up with him, hastily mewing a greeting. Jayfeather returned the hasty greeting, padding in companionable silence.
As the medicine cats reached the WindClan border, Jayfeather scented Kestrelflight's scent on the breeze, along with the RiverClan medicine cats', Mothwing and Willowshine, scent coming closer to them on the shore of the lake.
"Kestrelflight's early," Jayfeather remarked as he scented the fresh air on the moor.
"Especially since he's usually late," Littlecloud joked and purred with amusement as they reached the stream.
"Come on." Kestrelflight rose up from the springy moor heather as the others reached them. "We're wasting moonlight."
"He sounds just like Barkface," Littlecloud whispered as they followed the stream to the Moonpool.
"So when do you think you're getting another apprentice?" Mothflight asked when they neared the hollow.
"I don't know yet," Littlecloud admitted hesitantly. "Maybe one of Snowbird's or Dawnpelt's kits have the potential. I sure hope to get another one soon because I'm getting old," he added.
Jayfeather said nothing as the other medicine cats murmured their agreement. He thought of Flametail, Littlecloud's first apprentice who fell into the ice while playing on the ice. Jayfeather had tried to save him but Rock told him to let go. It was already bad enough losing Flametail without having the other clans blame him for drowning Flametail when Jayfeather tried to save him.
As they reached the hollow with the Moonpool, the cats settled themselves around it, dipping their noses into the water. Jayfeather settled himself in his usual spot, away from the others, and touched his nose to the water that shimmered with reflected stars, rippling as the cats disturbed the still water.
Darkness slammed down on his blindness as Jayfeather thrashed about, paws flailing for the light as he felt the numb-cold water of the Moonpool touch his nose. It wasn't his usually blindness, but this darkness was full of fear and terror. Jayfeather let out a yowl of fear and anguish but the words were flung back into his face, echoing into the darkness. Having no other choice, he lifted his eyelids to see StarClan's hunting grounds with moonlight streaming through the shadows of the trees, illuminated against the light.
The starlight cast dapples on the ground down from the sky and the moonlight streamed into the clearing, shining through the trees so they looked like they were made of silver. Jayfeather's pelt was heated from the sun rays lighting up his tabby gray pelt. His muscles relaxed and Jayfeather stretched luxuriously under the soothing moonlight. All the memories of the darkness washed from his mind as he enjoyed the night.
"Welcome, Jayfeather," a kind voice mewed near him. It was Bluestar, the old leader who led ThunderClan before he was kitted. Her voice was friendly and gentle but her blue knowing eyes were shadowed and wary. Suddenly, the memories of the darkness and fear flooded back into his mind.
"Hello, Bluestar," Jayfeather greeted her but kept his voice wary and his blue jay wing eyes focused on Bluestar's shimmering silver-gray pelt, her muzzle streaked with gray hairs.
"You may talk freely here." Bluestar's voice lowered down to a murmur as her wary blue eyes flashed anxiously about, expecting for someone to intrude on their conversation.
"I saw darkness." Jayfeather's eyes glazed over as he remember the terrifying darkness. "It was a darkness full of fear and terror," he shuddered as he remembered the terror in it. "Was it a sign?" Jayfeather lifted his head towards Bluestar, tilted inquiringly with a sparkle of hope in his jay blue eyes.
Bluestar shook her gray haired muzzle gravely. "It was not a sign. A warning, maybe," she tilted her head to look at the bright sky overhead thoughtfully.
"Is it the darkness that Firestar foretold?" Jayfeather whispered, his voice barely audible over the wind blowing over the trees above.
Bluestar's head snapped up and stared at Jayfeather, fear in her wise old eyes. "What darkness?"
"The one Firestar foretold when our powers were restored to us," Jayfeather responded.
"Your powers were restored to you?" Bluestar echoed, puzzled.
"Didn't Firestar tell you?" Jayfeather demanded, worry in his eyes now and getting agitated and impatient. He unsheathed and sheathed his claws in the soft soil and began to pace around Bluestar.
"No," Bluestar mewed slowly.
"Why?" Jayfeather stopped pacing and sat down. "Why didn't he tell you?"
"I don't know." Bluestar shrugged. "What did he say though?"
Jayfeather narrowed his eyes. "He said that we struggled without our powers so they are restored to us. But then he warned us to be careful with them and said that a darkness will come that many overcome them, if we weren't careful."
"Oh," Bluestar mewed, thinking over the warning. "Well, I'll think over it and send you a sign once I get to talk to Firestar. You better get going," she added, looking over at Jayfeather's paws which were fading like Silverpelt as moonhigh passed and dawn approached.
Jayfeather mewed a hasty farewell to Bluestar, his mind still reeling over the darkness and Firestar not telling Bluestar about it. After all, she was his former leader!
His usual blindness slammed down on his vision and he woke up last from the Moonpool. All the other medicine cats were waiting patiently for him to get up. As he stood on his paws, a burst of pain shot through one of his hind legs. His legs buckled underneath him and other other cats turned to stare at him curiously.
"Are you okay?" Mothwing asked, worry shadowed in her eyes. "Do you need help?"
"No," Jayfeather snapped through gritted teeth. "I'm fine. You can go without me, I'll just stay for a bit."
"Okay," Willowshine mewed cheerfully. "C'mon Mothwing."
As the rest of the cats left, he could scent Yellowfang's breath and her matted pelt next to him.
"Finally!" she muttered, checking to see if any cats were in earshot. "Now we can talk alone."
Jayfeather groaned inwardly. "What do you want?" he hissed as he got up.
"Is that any way to greet your elder?" Yellowfang snapped.
Jayfeather rolled his eyes. "Why are you here?" he asked instead.
Yellowfang sighed exasperatedly. "To talk to you?"
"Fine," Jayfeather sighed and gave up arguing with her. "What?"
"You told Bluestar about the darkness, right?" Yellowfang asked.
"That's right," Jayfeather answered cautiously, wondering how much to tell her. "What about it?"
Jayfeather felt Yellowfang's hot rancid breath billow clouds around his face. "You shouldn't have told her," she hissed.
"Why not?" Jayfeather bristled, his fur raising along his spine. "She needed to know!"
"She doesn't need to know," Yellowfang growled lowly.
"How do you even know?" Jayfeather glared at her. "Were you eavesdropping on us?"
"How dare you accuse me of spying!" Yellowfang bristled and looked ready for a fight.
"I dare because I am one of the Three and you are just a spiteful old flea-bag in StarClan!" Jayfeather retorted hotly, getting angrier by each passing heartbeat and felt that she was the same.
But instead of springing at Jayfeather and tearing him apart with her claws, Yellowfang's pelt smoother down a little. "You're right, I did eavesdrop on you and Bluestar. But I had a good reason for it!"
"What's that?" Jayfeather asked warily, wondering how this old fleabag could possibly come up with a good enough reason for eavesdropping.
"Well," Yellowfang began, a sly glint in her old eyes, "after Firestar got back from Skywatcher and delivering the message, he's been watching you Three very closely so I decided to find out what he told you and I intended to ask you about it but you were talking to Bluestar so I waited, and eventually found out."
Jayfeather was outraged. "That is not a good reason for eavesdropping!" he snapped crossly.
"So?" Yellowfang challenged and Jayfeather felt that she was growing angrier and more frustrated than ever. "It's good enough for me and I did have a good intention!"
"Whatever." Jayfeather gave up arguing with her, since she usually won. "I'm going back to camp."
"Fine." Yellowfang began to fade away.
Jayfeather sighed. He got up and padded back to camp. Thornclaw dipped his head to Jayfeather as he emerged from the entrance. Jayfeather did a quick check on Squirrelflight and her three kits. They were snugly sleeping in their mother's belly, a soft fluffy bunch of furballs in a mossy nest with bracken. No doubt they would get into trouble once they get older.
Jayfeather sighed unexpectedly and went to his den. Briarlight was sleeping soundly when he came in and Jayfeather smelled that the herbs were stacked neatly in piles in the store. He laid down in his nest and tucked his tail over his nose. Yawning, he drifted into a peaceful sleep after everything that day.