Chapt 11

Jayfeather scented 4 cats from another clan as he walked through the gorse tunnel. He reconized Willowshine instantly. He had walked with her and the other medicine cats every half moon. He also reconized Reedwhisker, the Riverclan deputy. One tom moved slowly, as if his joints were hurting. He must be an elder! Jayfeather thought. The fourth cat was a she-cat. She smelled of fish, like any Riverclan cat, but also milk. A kit! A kit, and elder, a medicine cat, and the deputy is all that survived of Riverclan? Then Jayfeather remembered Mistystar was in his den, still healing from her injuries. She only had a few bites and scratches, but she had sat on the moorland for three days without treatment and infection had set in.
"Cinderheart what's going on here?" Bramblestar padded over to his deputy.
"Reedwhisker explained that he went to the moonpool to recieve his nine lives few days ago, but Starclan told him to bring his clan here." Cinderpelt explained.
"His clan. They must think Mistystar is dead. Jayfeather please go and get Mistystar if she can come this far." Bramblestar trotted off to greet the Riverclan. Jayfeather padded to his den and called to Mistystar. He heard scuffling of paws then smelled her scent next to him.
"Mistystar, some of your clanmates are here. Starckan told them to come." Jayfeather explained.
"How many are still alive?" Mistystar asked, but without waiting for an answer she dashed past him and raced towards her clanmates. Jayfeather followed her, more casually. He was not used to the quiet of the camp. Kits used to get under his paws. Apprentices would scuffle in the clearing and elders would tell stories under the highledge. Now it was as if time stood still.
"May we stay in your clan, Bramblestar? If what Reedwhisker says is true, then it is the will of Starclan that we stay here." Jayfeather's voice flicked forward to hear Mistystar's words.
"Yes. Windclan is also coming to our camp tomorrow, Onestar said it was also the will of Starclan. That must mean Shadowclan should come here too. I will send Lionblaze and Jayfeather to Shadowclan to find any of Shadowclan members," He padded toward Jayfeather,"Will you take some herbs with you? We don't know what to expect to find when you get there."
"Yes, Bramblestar." Jayfeather nodded.
"Leave tomorrow at sunhigh, you need to sleep before this."

It was past moonhigh when Bramblestar padded on top of the highledge.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the highledge for a clan meeting!" His words rang out against the stone walls.
"Can't a cat get a good nights sleep for once!" Jayfeather whispered to himself as he padded out of his den.
"As you can all see, Riverclan cats are staying in our camp for the time being. I think it is safest for all the clans if we stay together. We all know the war isn't over, and we don't know if the Dark forest will try and wipe us out one by one. There is safety in numbers. Also tomorrow, Windclan is joining us, they will arrive around sunhigh," Bramblestar paused to think," Jayfeather and Lionblaze are going to Shadowclan to look for any more survivors." Jayfeather could sense fear flowing off of Bramblestar. Jayfeather knew he was fearing for his sister, Tawnypelt. She left Thunderclan as an apprentice, many moons ago.
"Mistystar, you are welcome to share my den or the warriors den. Heavystep may sleep in the elders den and Whitewing and Dovepelt will look after the kit. Is she old enough to eat meat?" Bramblestar asked the Riverclan leader.
"Yes,Cedarkit is almost 6 moons." Mistystar answered smoothly.
"Then she may stay in the nusery until she is able to become an apprentice. Whitewing, do you know how old the kits you found are?"
"Cherrykit is old enough to be apprenticed. She's over 6 moons now. Snakekit looks to be 6 moons too. Leafkit and Twigkit are 3 moons and Maplekit is 2 moons old." Whitewing mewed warmly.
"Then I shall have Cherrykit's apprentice ceremony now. Cherrykit step forward." Jayfeather sensed shock coming from the tiny kit. Her mother Ferncloud would look down at her tiny kit happily from Starclan.
"Bumblestripe, you are now ready to take an apprentice. You will mentor Cherrypaw. Bumblestripe you have shown great courage in the battle and patience while Briarlight was still with us," Jayfeather remembered Bumblestripe's good natured sister. She had broken her back trying to save an elder while a tree fell in the clearing. She died the next leaf bare after she caught greencough.
"And now I ask you to pass down all you know to this apprentice."
Jayfeather knew enough that Cherrypaw would touch Bumblestipe's nose to hers.
"Cherrypaw! Cherrypaw! Cherrypaw!" A chorus of cheers broke out among the cats.
"Bramblestar, I would like to perform an apprentice ceremony for Cedarkit."Mistystar spoke after the cheers had stopped.
"Of course," Bramblestar stepped aside as Mistystar jumped onto the Highledge.
"Cedarkit, step forward. I am free of an apprentice since the loss of Fishpaw. I will mentor you and pass down all that I know until you become a warrior." Jayfeather was surprised she hadn't chose Reedwhisker as Cedarpaw's apprentice.
"Cedarpaw! Cedarpaw! Cedarpaw!" When the cheers stopped and cats had stopped walking up to greet the two new apprentices, Jayfeather slunk back to his den and slept.