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Jaypaw traveled through the ThunderClan forest, Willowpaw and Kestrelpaw at his side. It was the first moonless night of leaf-fall and the forest was eerily quiet. The three of them were heading for the abandoned two-leg nest that sat high atop a hill on the edge of ThunderClan territory Their mentors had instructed the three to meet them there for something they were calling Leaf-Dark.
“For the last time, I’m not scared,” Jaypaw said, his wavering voice betraying his nerves “because it’s not real. I asked Cloudtail and he said he’s never heard of Leaf-Dark before. And he’s heard of everything. Its a kits tale.”
Just then, an owl cry rang out and Jaypaw dropped to the forest floor, his paws covering his head.
“Sure, not scared at all,” said Willowpaw, amusement in her voice.
Jaypaw rose to his paws and licked his chest in embarrassment. “I’m not. It just surprised me.”
“Well I’m scared,” said Kestrelpaw. “Barkface said Leaf-Dark is the night when the clan’s connection with StarClan is the weakest. He said that all sorts of bad stuff can happen.” Jaypaw felt him shiver and press in close to his side. “And that as cat’s blessed by StarClan it is our duty as medicine cats to make sure to prevent it.”
“Mothwing said that the two-legs that once lived at that nest ate cats and that’s why there are so many spirits. She said you can hear ghosts wailing from inside the nest,” Willowpaw said and pressed up against his other side.
Jaypaw snorted. “Mothwing doesn’t believe in StarClan and you’re telling me she believes in ghosts?”
“Ghosts aren’t StarClan, mouse-brain,” Kestrelpaw said matter-of-factly, and Jaypaw just knew he was sticking his tongue out at him.
“They basically are,” Jaypaw said, rolling his eyes.
Jaypaw felt the other two stop and stopped as well. “What is it?” he asked. He was unfamiliar with this part of the territory. There wasn’t much of reason to visit an old two-leg nest.
“We’re here,” said Willowpaw, her voice low and quiet.
“It looks creepy. W-what if we just went back?” said Kestrelpaw with a quiver. Jaypaw’s neck fur rose. Truth be told, he also wanted nothing to do with the place. But he knew if he left, Willowpaw would never let him live it down.
“Well, lead on Kestrelpaw,” Jaypaw said, nudging him.
“It’s ThunderClan territory, you lead,” Kestrelpaw said and nudged back.
“Ugh, you’re both kits I swear,” said Willowpaw, taking point. “Follow me.”
Jaypaw pressed up to Willowpaw’s side as she led the way up the hill towards the nest. She was shaking lightly, but Jaypaw said nothing. They were all scared.
As they approached the nest, Jaypaw realized the air smelled… off. It was old and musty, like the medicine cat den smelled when the herbs went bad. It made his hackles rise again.
“I don’t like this,” said Kestrelpaw, “it feels wrong.”
“It. Is. Wrong,” came a booming voice from inside the nest. “You shouldn’t have come here,” a different voice cried.
The three of them froze in panic. Jaypaw tried to turn and run, but his paws felt made of stone. What are we going to do?
“Leave while you still can,” screeched a third, higher pitched voice.
“Too late. You’ll never leave now,” came the menacing voice from behind that broke into a loud, frightening laugh. They were trapped. Oh StarClan, is this it?
Then, more laughter, but this time from the nest. Though, not menacing. It sounded playful. Jaypaw was confused.
Then he caught the familiar scent of his mentor. “Leafpool? Is that you?” Jaypaw asked, tilting his head. Taking a deeper breath he caught the scent of Mothwing, Littlecloud, and Barkface. He flicked his tail in annoyance, how had he not noticed their scents?
“Yes yes, its me,” said Leafpool, and Jaypaw felt her press into his side and lay her tail over his back. “You don’t need to worry, you three aren’t in any real danger.”
“Leafpool? Then that means…,” Willowpaw started.
“Yes I’m here as well. And Littlecloud and Barkface too,” said Mothwing.
“I’m sorry young ones,” said Littlecloud. “They forced our paws, honest,” added Barkface.
“That wasn’t funny! I thought we were done for,” said Kestrelpaw, a bit of laughter in his tone. Jaypaw heard him pounce on his mentor.
“Easy now, I’m old remember?” said Barkface laughing as Kestrelpaw wrested with him.
“I wasn’t scared,” Willowpaw said. “I was just acting so Jaypaw would be.”
“I would expect no less from my star pupil,” Mothwing said warmly. He heard her soft pawsteps approach Willowpaw and then a soft purr as the two greeted each other.
“Right,” Jaypaw replied, then turned to his own mentor. “But… why?” he asked finally. “Why all of... this?”
“It was Leafpool’s idea,” Mothwing said. “Tell them Leafpool.”
“Us medicine cats are different from our clanmates,” Leafpool started and the others quieted down to listen. “Our bonds have to go beyond the borders of our clans.” She was right. The first thing Jaypaw learned as a medicine cat was that his duty wasn’t just to his own clan, but to all the clans.
“But when we meet on the half-moon, we spend most the night sharing with StarClan. We don’t get a chance to build those bonds. So why not have a night just for us? One where we can meet not with StarClan, but with each other?”
That made sense to Jaypaw as well. The half-moon gathering didn’t offer them much time together. Not that he wanted to spend any more time with that bossy Willowpaw or that mouse-brain Kestrelpaw.
“But then, why all the other stuff about Leaf-Dark? Why try and scare us?” asked Kestrelpaw finally.
“I remembered how fun it was when Squirrelflight and I were apprentices and would share scary stories late at night. I thought it could be fun if we spent time with each other tonight and did the same. Make it a tradition every first new moon in leaf-fall. We could even come up with something for every season,” Leafpool said.
“I like that idea!” Willowpaw said. “Me too!” added Kestrelpaw.
Though he couldn’t see it, Jaypaw could feel everyone’s gaze on him, waiting. StarClan was he really going to agree to this? “Fine,” he said with a sigh. “It could be fun.”
Jaypaw braced himself and then felt Willowpaw and Kestrelpaw as they crashed into him, laughing. The tradition of Leaf-Dark was born.