Chapt 26

Jayfeather padded back to his den, exhausted at getting up so early. He worried about his brother going in search of Skyclan. He forgot about it as he layed down and closed his eyes.

He woke up in a dark place. He couldn't hear the scuffling of prey in the bushes. All he could see was dead trees and bushes. He could hear a snarl in the bracken and he whipped around to see two gleaming eyes. The amber eyes reminded him of his leader. A broad shouldered tom padded out of the undergrowth, a snarl in his mouth.
"I thought you were dead," Jayeather mewed to the tabby figure.
The dark warrior let out a snort. "Dead? I'm already dead, where would I go after I get 'killed' in a battle?" The warrior lashed his tail and three more cats padded out of the ferns.
"Ivyshade! How dare you even show your face to me!" Jayfeather hissed at the dead cat.
"Why, because I am willing to join the side that's going to win, to help the greatest cat in all the clans!" She hissed back.
"Your a coward. You couldn't bare seeing yourself killed so you joined this piece of fox-dung!" He spat.
This time the a black tom stepped forward.
"I should have killed you when I had the chance at the moonpool with that other Thunderclan traitor," he spat,"but it's fine, I killed Poppyfrost at the battle."
"Why Breezepelt? Because your were mad at Crowfeather and Leafpool? Lionblaze, Hollyleaf, and I were angry too, but we didn't go and join the Dark Forest!" Jayfeather looked defiantly at the four cats. To his amazement, they started laughing.
"Be careful what you say, you have none of your precious clanmates here to protect you."
"One of my clanmates are worth more than fifty of yours!" Jayfeather retorted.
"Funny, Firestar said that to me once." The dark tabby flicked his ears and Breezepelt launched himself at his half brother. Jayfeather tumbles backwards, lashing his claws at the black tom. Jayfeather cried out in pain as Breesepelt tore open his shoulder and lashed his claws down Jayfeather's side. Jayfeather knew that the seasoned warrior could end the battle any time, but seemed to want it to go on for as long as he could.
"Stop, leave him. We can finish him off in the real battle." The amber eyes of the tabby warrior glowed in anticipation. Breezepelt instantly jumped off the tabby medicine cat and padded back to the group. He hissed at the warriors who padded away into the brambles. They clearly thought he was about to wake up, but instead he stood there. He checked his wound, which had stop bleeding. He gave it a few quick licks before padding after the dark cats. He quietly stepped over a twig, careful not to make a noise. He stopped short when he heard a rustle in the brambles behind him. He turned around, but saw nothing. He padded forward again to realize the cats he had followed had stopped in a clearing. He peaked out through the bushes and heard the surrounding cats in deep conversation.
"...find the other clan." One spoke.
".... and the tribe..." Another added.
"We must stop them." Jayfeather heard heard Ivyshade mew quickly.
"No, we can defeat them, we just need more warriors," Jayfeather recognised the voice but could not place whose it was.
"That Mountainkit is a strong kit. He is bigger than all the kits and some of the apprentices." A dark tabby with a long stripe running down his back murmured thoughtfully.
"Nightcloud of Windclan shows much hatred when she sees Crowfeather and Leafpool, we could use that." Another voice suggested.
"No, she has too much loyalty towards her clan." One pointed out.
"We could use it as loyalty for us."
"The clans have warned the cats about us, the kits would be the easiest to train." Jayfeather gasped and the cats turned around.
"Who's there? We know your there!" A gruff voice called. Jayfeather pelted back the way he came. He tripped over a branch and the dark forest faded away. He woke in the darkness, still dazed by the strange place. He remembered what the strange cats had said about the kits and he quickly ran to the leaders den.
"Bramblestar? Anyone?" He called into the den.
"Come in," A voice answered. Jayfeather pushed through the lichen and padded into the den. He scented the Riverclan leader, Mistystar. "Greetings, Jayfeather," She added, noticing his bristling neck fur," What's wrong?"
He gulped,"I-I woke in the Dark Forest. Tigerstar was there. Then Hawkfrost, Ivyshade, and Breezepelt came out. Breezpelt attacked me." He licked his shoulder wound. "Then they padded away... I followed them. When I found them, there were more cats in a clearing. They were talking about the other clan. I think they meant Skyclan and they also mentioned the tribe. Then they said they need more recruits, they mention Mountainkit and how bug and strong he was. Then they mentions Nightcloud, but someone said she wasn't going to join them, so they would have to stick to kits." The words tumbled out of his mouth. He heard another cat pad into the den. He scented Rowanstar.
"This is very serious. I must address the clans, now."  Mistystar stood up and padded out of the den. Jayfeather turned to Rowanstar.
"What's going on?" He murmured in his ear.
"You'll find out soon enough," Jayfeatherthe den.
"Let all cats old enough to catch prey gather around the highledge for a clan meeting!" Mistystar shouted.
Jayfeather sat below the Highledge, ears pricked.
"Dovepelt, please bring the kits out here." Mistystar called when the queen padded out of hte nursery. Jayfeather heard squeals of excitement as the kits were ushered out into the clearing.
"We're going to be made apprentices!" Mountainkit squealed.
"Hush, Mistystar is talking." Ashfoot mewed sternly.
"Cats of all clans, Jayfeather has walked in the Dark Forest last night," Jayfeather heard a gasp of shock come from his sister, Hollyleaf. "Terrible news has been revealed. Kits are being recruited. Kits, you must know that these cats will not help you. They will only use you. These cats have been sent away for specific reasons. They lie and they will do the same to you. This goes the same for warriors and apprentices. Has anyone had any dreams of these evil cats?" When no cat answered she added, "No one will doubt your loyalty if you choose to tell us now."
"I've been there.. I wasn't called there, but I saw cats being trained." Leafpool was the first to speak up. Jayfeather dove into her memories. He woke in the Dark Forest. He padded through brambles and into a clearing. He gasped when he saw three cats almost identical to each other. They were all broad shoulder dark brown tabby toms, except was sitting on a tree stump above the other two. Jayfeather recognised Tigerstar on the stump and Hawkfrost to the left. He gasped in disbelief when he recognised the third brown tabby, Bramblestar! He looked smaller, probably when he was a young warrior, but it was Bramblestar alright! He shot back into reality, only heartbeats had passed in the clearing.
"Has anyone else been there or has anyone been visited by a Dark Forest warrior?" Mistystar questioned the cats.
"I had a dream last night," A tiny voice mewed.
"What happened, Mountainkit?" Cinderheart asked gently.
"A big tom came to me. He looked like Bramblestar, only he had a big cut in his ear. He said I was the biggest kit in all the clans and I should learn to fight as soon as possible. I can't remember anything else." Mountainkit murmured before rushing to his mother.
"Thank-you Mountainkit. I want to let you know that you have just helped the clans in a greater way than you can even imagine." Mistystar purred, "If anyone else has had any dreams, but doesn't want to say it in front of the clans, you may visit me in the leaders' den. Thank-you." Jayfeather padded to the nursery. He wanted to have a talk with Mountainkit and the other kits as well.
"Jayfeather," Leafpool's outraged mew came from behind him,"I trained you better than this!"
Confused, Jayfeather didn't speak.
"Your shoulder? Come on, let me check it out." She sighed before padding away. Jayfeather padded after her,
"Leafpool? Where are you going?" Crowfeather joined them.
"This mouse-brain here has a huge shoulder injury and he didn't even wrap it in cobwebs! Look there's mud and leaves right on it! I'm going to fix it up myself." She huffed.
Crowfeather snorted and followed the two cats into the medicine den. Leafpool started licking his wound. It stung and he flinched away.
"Your a medicine cat! Stop moving for starclan's sake!" Leafpool hissed. Surprised by her tone, he stood as still as a tree. She stopped when it was clean then padded to grab some herbs. She returned with marigold and spread it over his wound. She inspected the wound before letting him leave.
"Seriously Jayfeather. You should know better. The clans need you now more than ever, and here you go not treating your own wounds!" Leafpool mewed serioulsy. He grunted then padded away. He felt a flick over his shoulder and turned to the cat. His scent told him it was Crowfeather.
"Follow me," His father grunted. Jayfeather reluctantly followed his father, he wanted to check on the kits. They arrived behind the warriors' den.
"Leafpool is carrying my kits." Crowfeather murmured quietly so no other cat could hear it.
"I know," Jayfeather whispered.
"Will the clan accept them? She was a medicine cat." Crowfeather asked, Jayfeather could sense he was desperate.
"Was, she was a medicine cat, and they accepted me and my littermates. But it is their own descision." He mewed simply.
"Thank-you Jayfeather. You have no idea how much this means to me," Crowfeather purred. Jayfeather nodded and left to go talk to the kits.