Chap 22

"Will all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the highledge for a clan meeting!" Bramblestar's voice rang clear in the early morning air. Jayfeather padded into the clearing, not surprised by the meeting. He met with the other leader's the night before with Dovepelt and explained the dream. Jayfeather knew this meeting would explain things to the clans.
"Today we bring you news. Now please know, that before we give you this news, that we are strong, with many warriors and apprentices ready for battle." Mistystar spoke serious, "Dovepelt, would you please step forward and explain what you know." Jayfeather heard shocked mews, and then they died away, Jayfeather suspected Dovepelt was climbing the Highledge,
"About a half moon ago, the night my kits were born, Foxleap came to me in a dream." Dovepelt began," H-he told me great troubles were coming to the clans. He brought me to Yellowfang. She told me the Dark Forest was rising, and we needed to start training, everyone. The kits, the elders, and everywhere in between." She finished.
"Why should Starclan send this sign to you? We have two perfectly good medicine cats!" Nightcloud's harsh tone came from behind Jayfeather. Jayfeather whipped around to say something to the nasty she-cat, but stopped when Crowfeather spat at her.
"Dovepelt was the one who had the dream from Starclan about the beavers blocking the stream when the lake almost dried up!" Jayfeather could feel the venom in his words, he was sure Nightcloud could too.
"That's true, she did tell us about the animals upstream a few seasons ago." Puddlesplash mewed thoughtfully.
"We must take this warning seriously. We will start training today. The kits will be trained by Tawnypelt. They are not apprentices, but they need to be able to protect themselves." Jayfeather heard excited squeals from the nursery, then a quick hush from the queens.
"Bramblestar, we need to check the she-cats before any battle training!" Willowshine reminded the tabby leader.
"Right, all she-cats please report to the Medicine den after the meeting, Oakfur, would you please start sorting the hunting patrols, and Bumblestripe, you can schedule all battle training." Rowanstar commanded. the toms walked toward the two deputies while the she-cats walked towards Jayfeather's den. He padded after them and gave them orders; all queens would help check for pregnant warrior she-cats.
"I don't understand why we need to do this, I should be out helping train the kits!" Tawnypelt's hissed at Jayfeather.
"The clans need all the kits we can get, so if there are pregnant queens, we just want to tell them to take special care." He explained casually. He checked her stomach for any swelling and sniffed her all over for the scent of a pregnant queen. Tawnypelt was clean."You can go," He murmured. the next she-cat up was Nightcloud. He didn't know how his own father could have a mate like this wicked she-cat. He sniffed her and checked her all over, but she too was clean. He shooed her away and Leafpool padded up to him.
"Hello Jayfeather," She mewed happily. Jayfeather checked her belly and found nothing. When he sniffed her, he found something and pulled her aside.
"What is it?" Leafpool mewed calmly.
"Oh come on, Leafpool. You were a medicine cat, you know what I'm about to tell you. You pregnant." He hissed. He felt happiness and guilt flood over her.
"I know, I've known for a couple days." She admitted.
"Your going to have to tell the clan, and Crowfeather." He told her.
"I know, just please don't tell anyone." She pleaded.
"Fine, I won't." He whispered as he heard Willowshine padd up to them.
"Jayfeather, I haven't found anyone." She murmured.
"Me neither," He lied.
"We should check again, maybe in another moon. We'll know more by then," Willowshine suggested.
"Let's ask the queens if they found anyone." Jayfeather padded to the cluster of queens.
"Jayfeather, Leopardkit isn't ready for battle training!" Cinderheart fretted.
"She won't have to yet, what about Mountainkit?" He wondered why she didn't mention the bigger of the kits.
"He woke up this morning, and wrestled with Twigkit, and won." She stated almost as if she couldn't believe it herself. Jayfeather knew the kit was going to be strong, because of his giant size, but he didn't know what to say.
"Did you find any she-cats?" He changed the subject.
"No, all the she-cats were free of kits." Squirrelflight mewed. He nodded and told the queens to go to battle training, but to take it easy. He could smell Bumblestripe approaching them so he perked his ears forward.
"You two have to go to battle training as well," His tone got serious," We can't afford to lose you."
"We'll be right there." Willowshine mewed happily. Jayfeather padded out into the clearing and approached the fresh kill pile. He picked up a tiny mouse and gulped it down ravenously. He caught up with Willowshine as she padded out of the camp. They ran to the training area and heard the scuffling of paws and yowls. Jayfeather had come here when he was training as an apprentice, but that was many seasons ago and he didn't remember that there were tree roots sticking out of the ground. He tripped over several before Willowshine guided him to where he could sit down. He lsitenend to the instructions Lionblaze was giving out, but he didn't really know what to do. He had to ask Willowshine to explain more carefully. Jayfeather then began to let his mind wander before Lionblaze's voice snapped him back to attention.
"I said, Jayfeather, could you please demonstrate how to jump on an opponents back?" Lionblaze sounded annoyed.
"Er, yes." He began thinking back to when he was a warrior apprentice and Brightheart was his mentor. Her words jumped into his thoughts, For you, you need to judge how far away your opponent is. Try and make him make noise, then do the best you can to judge how big he is. That will be the hardest part. If you miss, scratch him down the side of anything else you can do to get a move in.
Jayfeather padded to the middle of the clearing and called out to Lionblaze,"Claws sheathed?"
"For now, yes." Lionblaze's voice was all Jayfeather needed. He snarled as he launched himself across the clearing high up so he could land on his brother's shoulders. Lionblaze hissed in surprise when Jayfeather landed on his back and nipped him in the back and raked his claws down his sides, clearly not ready for his brother. But soon Lionblaze flipped him over and pinned his brother down, and raked his sheathed paws on his brother's stomach.
"That was great, how did you know where I was?" Lionblaze asked quizzically as he jumped off Jayfeather.
"I had to hear your voice, that's why I asked you the question." Jayfeather purred.
"With that, you'll surprise any Dark Forest warrior." Lionblaze mewed happily. The rest of the day was filled with more battle training and Jayfeather was happy with what he'd done that day. He'd shown he wasn't as helpless as everyone thinks and could protect himself in the battle. They padded back to the camp and grabbed another piece fo fresh kill. After he was done, he went to check on the kits battle training.
He heard the kits squeak and queal in excitement as Tawnypelt got their attention. He padded away to his nest, and slept.