Chapt 20

Jayfeather sighed as he padded through the forest. He felt as if he hadn't gotten a good nights sleep in moons and his paws stumbled over the forest floor. He yawned as a leaf floated down towards his nose. He could hear the leaves crunch beneath his paws, and he could tell that Greenleaf was almost over, followed by Leaffall.
    He listened for scuffling of prey and he could hear a chaffinch pecking at a seed. He dropped into a hunters crouch and headed for the sound of the bird. He smelled the bird about a fox-length away, but he didn't realize there was ferns above his tail. His tail nudged the ferns, which waved shadows over the bird. The chaffinch let out a loud alarm call, before flying away. Jayfeather cursed himself for being blind. He knew if he wasn't blind he could've become a warrior. But he was a medicine cat, and he knew he couldn't go back into the past and change his being blind.
     Jayfeather approached the lake, scenting for Dovepelt. He heard her pad out of the ferns.
     "Hello Jayfeather." Dovepelt purred.
     "What do you need? I could be sleeping right now." Jayfeather spat.
     "Come sit, I have a long story, and you need to listen." Dovepelt mewed, ignoring Jayfeather's comment," About half a moon ago, the night I had my kits, Foxleap came to me."
      "I thought you said Yellowfang was there," Jayfeather interrupted.
      "I'm getting there! So Foxleap came to me and he said 'the prophecy is not over yet,' I didn't know what it meant, then he brought me to Yellowfang. She explained that the Dark Forest was going to strike again. She told me to tell Bramblestar and the other leaders and have all cats in training. She said that we must train quickly and that the Dark Forest cats outnumber the clans, but Starclan will help. Then Foxleap said something strange, something I didn't understand." Dovepelt murmurmed.
        "What, what did she say?' Jayfeather pressed.
        "He said, 'There will be five, who bring the four to one.'" Dovepelt recited the words carefully.
        Jayfeather gasped, Yellowfang had told him the same thing, 2 moons earlier.
        "We must get back to camp, and warn the leaders. For all we know, the Dark Forest could attack now." Without waiting for Dovepelt's reply, Jayfeather sped through the forest. He caught his breath at the great oak then ran through the forest again. His mind whirled, knowing the Dark Forest could strike at any moment. he ran through the gorse tunnel. He smelled Thornclaw and Reedwhisker in the clearing, but he needed to talk to Bramblestar, or one of the others leaders.
        "Where is Bramblestar?" He panted. He could smell his own fear scent and could feel his neck fur bristling.
         "On border patrol, why is something wrong?" Reedwhisker's confused mew asked.
         "I need to speak to one of the leaders, where are they?' Jayfeather didn't answer his question, he was too startled by Dovepelt's news.
          "Mistystar is on the training hollow, Rowanclaw is on hunting patrol in Shadowclan territory, and Onestar is on a hunting patrol somewhere in Windclan." Reedwhisker still sounded confused, but  Jayfeather could hear a twinge of fear in the deputies voice.
           "Then quick, we need all the deputies. Where are they?" Jayfeather was growing desperate.
           "Umm well, Bumblestripe is on patrol with Bramblestar, Oakfur is in the warriors den, and Ashfoot is in the nursery." This time Thornclaw spoke.
            "Then get Cinderheart and the other deputies and meet me in the leader's den, we need to talk now." Jayfeather heard Dovepelt run into the clearing. "Dovepelt, meet us in the leader's den, we have to tell the clan." He ran to the highledge and bounded his way up to the leader's den. He paced inside until he heard the voices of the deputies. He sat down as the cats came in.
            "What do you need, Jayfeather? My kits are going to come any day and you have me climbing on top of the highledge!" Cinderheart's tone was harsh, but Jayfeather knew she secretly wanted to get out and moving again.
             "Dovepelt would you please tell them about the Dark Forest. He secretly pleaded that she wouldn't mention the eerie prophecy of the 5 cats. Dovepelt began and to Jayfeather's relief, she didn't mention what Yellowfang said.
              "I don't think we can do anything until the leaders come back, it's nearly midday, they should be back soon." Oakfur mewed.
               "What we can do is not tell any cat about this, we don't want to spread panic." Ashfoot got to her paws. "Now if you excuse me, I hear my kits calling." Jayfeather could hear several kits' voices, and then he heard Dovepelt murmur a good-bye as she left. Soon all cats left the den and Jayfeather was alone. He suddenly remembered that he had to check the she-cats for kits.He climbed down the rocks and padded towards the warrior's den. he checked inside for any cats and found Heathertail. He called her out and told her to come to his den, so he could check her for something later and ask her some questions. She looked confused, but nodded as she trotted towards the fresh-kill pile.