CHAPT 32

"Hollyleaf," Jayfeather echoed.

"Yes, Hollyleaf, and you can't tell anyone, or she'll hurt Mountainkit, Leopardkit, and Cinderheart," Lionblaze pleaded.

"I have to, we have to get her out of camp. She's telling the Dark Forest about our plans, she must go. And by the way Mountainpaw is an apprentice," Jayfeather whispered to his brother.

"An apprentice! He's only two moons old! How can he be an apprentice," Lionblaze lashed his tail angrily.

"I was going to speak to Starclan about it tonight, but instead I woke up here," Jayfeather replied, looking around the barren place.

"Hush, I think I can here cats talking," Jayfeather peered down into a clearing, and cats were starting to sit down. Hollyleaf was in the middle, with Tigerstar and Hawkfrost sitting next to her.

"Welcome, clanmates. Tonight, we have lost a great battle. One that I thought could be taken care of without me there," She glared at Tigerstar," but no matter, many cats are now dead. We must hone our skills. From now on, medicine cats are fair game." Jayfeather shuddered, "Also, we must find a way to destroy Starclan, get into their world, does anyone know how to get there?" She looked around the clearing.

"You will never get to Starclan," A voice hissed from the back.

"Who is that, Hawkfrost, bring him to me." She demanded. Hawkfrost nodded and padded towards the crowd. The cats parted, all except for one. It was a a cat Jayfeather had seen before in his dreams, but not here. This cat had stars in their fur, and the scent of wind.

"Whitestorm! Are you here to spy?" Hollyleaf's eyes glinted.

"No, I have come to tell you, you shall lose. The warrior code succeeds above all, you should know that Hollyleaf." Whitestorm mewed calmly.

"I know the warrior code succeeds," She hissed," I am protecting it from cats like you who destroy it, allowing kittypets into clans and mating with cats from other clans. It's disgusting." She sniffed her nose as if she could smell the disloyalty.

"Believe what you want, Hollyleaf. In the end, you will always live in the Dark Forest," He turned and padded away. Jayfeather sighed, nudged Lionblaze and told him to follow Whitestorm. They quietly leaped from tree to tree and followed the white warrior. Jayfeather jumped down in front of Whitestorm who hissed and almost attacked them.

"Hollyleaf, I am leaving this forest, if I have to fight you on the- oh its you Jayfeather." The white tom's fur began to smooth.

"What are you doing here, it's dangerous, come let's leave," Whitestorm was worried.

"I could ask you the same thing," Jayfeather whispered. He could here cats, the meeting was over. The three cats ran towards a light, Jayfeather could feel wind and could smell prey. Soon there was a clearing, half was dead, half was flourishing with life even though back in the forest it was Leaf Fall. Whitestorm glanced around to make sure no one was watching and cautiously padded across to the green side. The two other cats followed, and padded after the white tom. Jayfeather realized that Lionblaze had never been here, so he was probably a little scared. Jayfeather was used to it, him being a medicine cat and all, plus he walked here often.

"Whitestorm, why have you brought them here? Where were you?" Firestar burst out of the bushes.

"I was in the Dark Forest, where I found these two," He stated calmly.

"The Dark Forest! Do you know what they would've done if they saw you!" Firestar's fur began to bristle.

"In fact I do, I spoke to Hollyleaf, it seems she is the leader of the Dark Forest, not Tigerstar," Whitestorm explained. So not even Starclan knew who the real leader was until now.

"Why were you to there?" Firestar turned his gaze on the two cats, like they were apprentices who needed to be scolded.

"I wanted to speak to Starclan about Mountainpaw, but instead I woke up in the Dark Forest," Jayfeather mewed indignantly.

"I was in the battle with Skyclan when Hawkfrost and a few other cats fed me poppy seeds. I woke in the Dark Forest, with Hollyleaf. She told me why the Dark Forest was attacking and recruiting. It was about how all the clans were disloyal, so they needed to be destroyed for the sake of the warrior code. She left and I followed her and then I found Jayfeather. We hid in a tree to watch the meeting and you know the reest from Whitestorm," Lionblaze explained. Firestar and Whitestorm looked at each other, then Whitestorm spoke.

"Jayfeather, come with me. Lionblaze follow Firestar, we have much to talk about," Jayfeather nodded and followed the white tom. Several cats passed them, some Jayfeather recognised, some he didn't. Then they stopped, just below a large tree. It had bright red fruit growing on it, which Jayfeather recognised as an apple tree. It had no medicinal value and was hard to eat. They were rare on clan territory.

"Jayfeather, you said you wished to speak about Mountainpaw?" Whitestorm wrapped his tail gently around

his fluffy white paws.

"Yes, I don't think it was write for Bramblestar to make him an apprentice," Jayfeather explained.

"Yes, he is very young. But I and many other cats agree that he has the makings of a fine warrior, even at his age. He is smarter than all the kits, and some of the warriors. He will learn fast, but he is not easily swayed. His destiny, like yours, was chosen long ago. His strength will be valuable on any side," Whitestorm mewed calmly.

"What about Leopardkit? And the other older kits?" Jayfeather rasped.

"Leopardkit was small for a reason, just as Mountainpaw is big. The other kits will soon get over their jealousy. Mountainpaw is a nice apprentice, no one has any reason to doubt that. Leopardkit seems to be the only one to know this, she is Mountainpaw's key to success. Without her, Mountainpaw can never fulfill his destiny," Jayfeather was more confused as ever with Whitestorm's explanation, but he nodded anyways.

"What about the medicine cats. Honeykit is going to be my apprentice, but for Thunderclan. What about the two other clans. No new queen is in the nursery," Jayfeather mewed.

"Ginger Oaks will bring new arrivals, Jayfeather," The white warrior faded away, leaving Jayfeather confused.



Jayfeather woke up in the dark. He was at the moonpool. He made his way back to camp with Willowshine, and he could tell it was past sun high by the sound of the bustling camp. He remembered that there was an evil cat in this camp, somewhere. He searched for Hollyleaf's scent.

"Hello Jayfeather!" Honeykit's escited mew came from in front of him.

"Hi, have you seen Hollyleaf?" He hoped she was out of camp.

"Yeah, she went on a hunting patrol with Thornclaw, Nightcloud, and Whitewing and her apprentice. Why?" Honeykit mewed innocently.

"No reason, are the leaders in camp?"

"Yup, they're helping make the nursery bigger, that's why I'm not there!" Honeykit mewed.

"Thanks, see you later," Jayfeather mewed padding to the nursery. He would tell the leaders, so they could expell the camp of this treacherous cat.

"Bramblestar, Mistystar, Rowanstar, and Onestar. Can I speak to you all in private, now." Jayfeather didn't want to spread panic among the clan so he spoke calmly. The leaders agreed and met him in his den.

"What is this about Jayfeather? What did Starclan say to you?" Mistystar spoke. Jayfeather explained waking up in the Dark Forest, explaining meeting Whitestorm and seeing Hollyleaf. He didn't mention talking to Whitestorm about Mountainpaw, with Bramblestar right next to him.

"Hollyleaf is the leader, not Tigerstar?" Bramblestar whispered.

"Yes, it seems that he was being ruled under her," Jayfeather explained.

"We must banish her!" Onestar hissed.

"We should kill her!" Rowanstar suggested.

"Don't you see! She is dead! If we kill her she will just come back! We must think about this carefully before we react!" Jayfeather spat.

"Jayfeather's right. We can't just punish her, no I have a better idea. We let her stay," Mistystar whispered.

"Stay? Have you lost your mind!" Rowanstar hissed.

"We let her come to all the meetings, about the Dark Forest, with senior warriors. We shall tell her attack plans, strategies, stuff like that!" Mistystar grew excited," But it will all be fake! She'll never know, the only ones that will know will be us five," She murmured.

"It sounds like a good plan," Bramblestar murmured to himself thoughtfully.

"I agree," Onestar mewed.

"Then it's settled, Hollyleaf will stay," Rowanstar spoke quietly. The group of cats dispatched. Jayfeather padded out of his den and went to get fresh kill.

"Hey, Jayfeather! How was the Moonpool?" Hollyleaf's mew made him flinch, knowing this was all an act. He jumped into her feelings. The cloud of smoke he used to feel that covered her true feelings were now full of hate and disgust, masked with fake cheeriness.

"Jayfeather? Are you okay?" Hollyleaf seemed worried. Jayfeather snorted.

"Oh nothing unusual. Nothing that I can't handle," He faked a smile and picked up a vole, though he wasn't really hungry anymore. He padded towards a group of cats.

"So I see this mouse and I swear to Starclan it was as big as a my head!" Frogclaw mewed to Nightcloud, Cedarclaw, and Thornclaw.

"Yeah right, and hedgehogs fly!" Cedarclaw laughed.

"I'm serious! I can prove it, I gave it to Dovepelt. Hey Dovepelt, how big was that mouse I gave you the other day?" He called across the clearing.

"About the size of Leopardkit," She called back.

"See, I told you I wasn't lying!" Frogclaw hissed. The other cats laughed, including Jayfeather.

"Hey Jayfeather, how's it going," Frogclaw asked good naturedly.

"It's good and bad. Leopardkit has white cough, but I think it's going away. Willowshine is watching her right now. Leafpool is moving into the nursery soon," He slipped out her secret by accident, but the other cats didn't seemed surprised, not even Nightcloud.

"Yeah, she told us last night," Frogclaw explained.

"Would Starclan be mad?" Thornclaw asked innocently.

"She's not a medicine cat anymore, and they weren't mad when I talked to them last night," Jayfeather mewed.

"True," Thornclaw murmured. The only cat that hadn't spoken was Nightcloud. Jayfeather jumped into her memories. He was in Windclan's old camp, padding out of the warriors den. Crowfeather padded up to him.

"Hi Nightcloud," Crowfeather mewed. He could feel his heart beat faster and emotion flow over him, but he forced himself to keep cool.

"Hi Crowfeather, how are you today?" He mewed, trying not to stumble over his words.

"Er, not bad. Not everyone is happy that I'm back even though it's been four moons since I've been here, I guess I can't expect them to accept me at all," Crowfeather's tail slunk.

"I accept you," He brushed his pelt against his. Crowfeather was clearly uneasy with Nightcloud.

"Er, thanks. Um, I have to go now, see you around," Crowfeather slipped past him awkwardly.

"Yes, I'll be seeing you," He purred. A few days past and he was with Crowfeather again.

"Umm, Nightcloud could I ask you something," Crowfeather looked around nervously,"Alone?" He nearly burst out of his pelt. Crowfeather was going to talk to him, Nightcloud, alone! He regained himself.

"Anything for you Crowfeather," He batted his eyes. They padded out of the camp. Whitetail padded past them.

"Hi Crowfeather!" Whitetail called cheerfully, Nightcloud shot her a look of hate, then padded up to Crowfeather and wrapped her tail with his, clearly telling any she-cat to back off. Crowfeather untwined his tail and sat beside a clump of heather. They sat there in silence for a few moments, Crowfeather was in deep thought, and Nightcloud was just watching his every movement.

"Crowfeather?" Nightcloud asked hopefully.

"What? Oh yes umm, I had a question to ask you," He looked down at his paws.

"What is it?' Nightcloud was about to explode.

"Er, well I was thinking. And um, I was wondering, if er um," Crowfeather was started to twitch his tail uneasily,"if you wanted to be er my m-mate?"

Nightcloud screamed in excitement. Crowfeather was going to be her mate and no one elses! She ran up to Crowfeather and began licking him all over.

"Is that a y-yes?" Crowfeather murmured awkwardly.

"Of course!" Nightcloud purred.

Jayfeather was back in the clearing, blind again, and trying to regain himself in the conversation.

"Jayfeather? Are you okay?" Nightcloud asked.

"Huh, yeah. I just kinda dozed off for a moment. What were we talking about?" Jayfeather mewed.

"The medicine cats, what are the clans going to do?" Frogclaw reminded him.

"Well, I know who Thunderclan's next medicine cat is going to be," Jayfeather murmured nonchalantly.

"Who? Is it Leopardkit, she seems like she could be like that, not very big like a warrior." Frogclaw asked.

"No, it's Honeykit, I found out a few moons ago," Jayfeather confessed.

"That's great! She'll be good at it too,"