Chapter Text
Chapter 24
Jayfeather and Firestar
The three siblings trudged home, no more words passing between them; exhaustion having overtaken them. The sun barely peaked above the horizon as they finally made it back home. Jayfeather looked at Hollyleaf, the warriors den and then at Lionblaze, his eyes soft with worry.
I don’t want to leave her alone. Much less leave her to rest in a den full of judgemental looks.
Lionblaze nodded back at him, appearing to be thinking the same thing. Jayfeather laid his tail across his sister’s flank.
“Come with me, we can all take a rest in the medicine den. Nobody will bother us there.” he mewed. Hollyleaf didn’t protest.
The three then collapsed into Jayfeather’s nest, sleeping next to one another much like they had done as kits. Lionblaze lay on Hollyleaf’s left side while Jayfeather laid on the right, all of their limbs akimbo. Jayfeather covered his eyes with his paws, giving into sleep.
When he came back to consciousness, a soft breeze ruffled his fur. He shuffled in his nest trying to press himself closer to his sister, only to find her missing. His eyes shot open in alarm. He was still in the medicine den, but his siblings were now gone. However, that wasn’t the thing that alarmed him the most.
I can see! I must be dreaming!
He quickly realized. He looked over to the entrance of the medicine den. Outside the bramble thicket he could see the silhouette of a cat sitting outside. Jayfeather opened his mouth, tasting the air. A sweet scent that was a mix of lavender and honeysuckle filled his nose. He flattened an ear as he realized who it was. Anger began to fill his belly, twisting it in knots.
Foxdung! What could Starclan possibly want after everything they’ve let happen!
Jayfeather pushed himself to his paws, stalking out of the den. Outside the dream version of Thunderclan was silent and peaceful. A full moon hung above his head, blocking out the multitude of stars in the clear night sky. He stalked over to the tortoiseshell she-cat, settling next to her.
“Spottedleaf.” he growled.
Spottedleaf who had been intently staring at the moon finally turned her head, looking at him. Her amber eyes glowed ethereally in the moonlight.
“Jayfeather, it’s good to see you after so long,” she mewed gently.
Jayfeather bristled.
“Where have you been? Where has all of Starclan been? Do you have any idea what Hollyleaf has done? Why didn’t you try and stop her? Why did you send me the warning dream and not her? Were all of you too busy sitting on your tails, bathing in the sunlight to do anything?” Jayfeather demanded, hissing, lashing his tail. Spottedleaf drew in a breath, flattening her ears.
“We tried to get in contact with your sister, multiple times.” Spottedleaf mewed wearily. “But the Dark forest stopped us.”
All of the anger in Jayfeather rushed away, only to be replaced with alarm.
“What do you mean the Dark forest stopped you? Hollyleaf has never trained in the Dark forest!” he cried.
“Everytime we tried to walk in your sister’s dreams a Dark forest warrior was there waiting. They chased and attacked multiple Starclan cats including myself. As a last resort we sent you the warning instead.” Spottedleaf explained. Jayfeather’s heart began to race.
“The Dark forest stopping Starclan cats from walking the dreams? How is that possible? Wait, they must have wanted the secret to come out!” Jayfeather gasped, realizing the gravity of the situation.
Spottedleaf nodded, her eyes as wide as the moon above their heads.
“The Dark forest is rising, Jayfeather. They’re becoming stronger every sunrise. Soon they will threaten both the dead and the living. You four must be ready when they rise,” Spottedleaf mewed. Jayfeather blinked in confusion.
“Four? There’s only three of us! There’s another prophecy cat?” He mewed in surprise.
Before he could say another word to Spottedleaf, she dissolved into a flurry of glimmering stars. The stars rose into the sky, beginning to spin around the shape of the moon. Images began appearing inside the moon, Spottedleaf’s voice drifted on the wind.
A jay bird appeared, fluttering its wings as it soared through the sky.
“After the sharp eyed jay,”
The Jay bird twisted, morphing into a flaming lion. The lion charged forward, roaring with the strength of a thousand clan cats.
“The roaring Lion,”
The lion twisted, morphining once more. It became a bundle of holly leaves, twisting in the wind. They snapped off the bush they were attached to, drifting downward.
“And the fallen holly,”
The holly leaves collapsed in on itself becoming a blob. It twisted morphing one final time. It became a dove. The dove drifted gently in the wind. Its gray feathers barely ruffled in the wind.
“Peace will come on a gentle dove’s wing.” Spottedleaf’s voice mewed, before fading away. The stars stopped spinning around the moon as they merged into one. Jayfeather watched as the single star drifted down from the sky. It landed on top of the nursery before fading away.
Jayfeather’s eyes snapped open, as darkness once again enveloped his vision. He could feel the warmth of his sister’s pelt pressing against his, as Lionblaze snored loudly. Jayfeather sprang to his paws, all exhaustion now gone and replaced with alarm and excitement. He jabbed his siblings rapidly with his paws.
“Hollyleaf, Lionblaze wake up! There’s another cat! A fourth cat in the prophecy! I think it’s one of Whitewing’s kits!” he cried breathlessly.
Firestar laid up against his mate, Sandstorm. The two cats lounged on a rock next to his den. Both of them trying to suck in the last of the warmth from the sun before Leaf-bare’s icy claws fully gripped the forest. Firestar flicked his tail in agitation, as his mind swirled with thoughts. Sandstorm sighed, lifting her head up off her paws. She laid her tail over his flank comfortingly.
“I know you didn’t want to punish them, but you can’t keep beating yourself up over it.” she mewed, licking his cheek. “You gave them the gentlest punishment you could.”
“I just wish they would have told us. They should have just told us! We’re their parents! They should come to us with anything! I could have helped them! I feel like such a failure of a father.” Firestar mewed in despair.
“You’re not a failure of a father. You also keep forgetting that you’re not just their father, you’re also the clan leader. They didn’t want to disappoint you, Leafpool especially I’m sure,” Sandstorm reassured him.
“How have things gone so wrong in one night?” Firestar mewed tiredly.
“I don’t know my love, but all we can do now is move forward as best we can. Thunderclan is strong, we will survive.” Sandstorm continued to reassure him. Firestar let a small purr rumble out of his throat as he licked Sandstorm’s cheek.
“You always know what to say.” he mewed, yet he could not feel reassured.
There’s more at stake than you know.
He thought, beginning to think back to the prophecy he had heard from the cat, Skywatcher seasons ago. The prophecy had eaten away at him for seasons, as he was never really sure who the prophecy was meant for. At first he believed it had been for his daughters and for Cloudtail. Yet, nothing happened to imply that they were the ones. He had suspected that Jayfeather, Hollyleaf and Lionblaze were the cats when they were born. For moons he watched them at a distance, trying to see if he was right. His suspicion became more confirmed as he watched as Lionblaze’s talent for battle blossomed. As well as Jayfeather’s talent for medicine. However, doubt continued to linger in his mind as Hollyleaf seemed to not possess the same almost ethereal abilities as her brothers. That was until last night. Now there was no doubt in Firestar’s mind.
Firestar lifted his head, as he heard the scrabbling of paw steps against the camp’s ground. He watched as Jayfeather led his siblings down from the medicine den and towards the nursery.
The three have come and they are more powerful than I ever could have imagined. I have sat on my tail about this for too long! I have allowed destruction to be brought to Thunderclan, because I have not guided them! No more! They need guidance! Starclan, give me strength to help put their paws on the right path!