Warriors: Omen of the Stars #6: The Last Hope (11 page)

He followed her across the camp, into a tunnel of grass that opened into a small clearing. Jayfeather inhaled the familiar scents of coltsfoot, borage, and watermint. Grass swished and paws scuffed the ground.

“Jayfeather?” Mothwing sounded surprised.

“Is everything okay?” Willowshine’s tail brushed the soft earth.

Mistystar turned beside him, her pelt brushing his as she padded away. “I’ll leave you to talk.”

Willowshine was at his side in a moment. “What’s the matter? Is someone sick?”

“I needed to talk to Mothwing,” Jayfeather explained.

“But you’re not a medicine cat anymore.” Willowshine sounded puzzled. “Dawnpelt accused you of—”

Jayfeather interrupted her. “If ShadowClan told the river to stop flowing, would it?”

Willowshine stiffened. “It’s not just ShadowClan!” she protested. “StarClan has shared dreams with me and they told me that medicine cats must stay away from one another.”

Mothwing snorted. “They’ve said nothing to me, so you can go collect mallow while I talk to Jayfeather.”

Jayfeather felt silence harden between the two medicine cats. Then Willowshine whipped her tail over the ground. “Okay.” She stomped from the den.

Mothwing’s tail twitched. “If StarClan told her to jump in the lake, she would!”

Jayfeather shrugged. “She can swim.”

A growl rumbled in Mothwing’s throat. “Don’t joke. This is serious. It’s you who told me we are facing a terrible battle.”

How will I know if she’s the fourth cat?
He crouched beside her. “The Clans need to unite for the battle that is coming, but that’s impossible while the medicine cats are divided.”

Mothwing’s claws scratched the earth. “It’s so mouse-brained! Ignoring common sense just because some starry old cat tells you to.” Her tail whisked past Jayfeather as she tucked it around her. “I’m sorry,” she apologized. “I know you believe in StarClan and I respect that. Faith has helped to guide the Clans through difficult times before, but right now it seems to be getting in the way.”

Jayfeather understood the frustration in her mew. StarClan was making the threat of the Dark Forest more dangerous by driving the Clans apart. “If only I could talk to Flametail, perhaps I would be able to persuade him to tell Littlecloud the truth.”

“That would be a start.” Mothwing shifted her paws. “The medicine cats are never going to come together while they think you’re a murderer.” She sat up. “I’ll talk to Littlecloud and Kestrelflight. I might be able to persuade them to see that they’re undermining the strength of the medicine-cat code.”

“Would they listen to you over StarClan?”

Mothwing’s claws scraped the earth. “I’m glad I don’t have StarClan buzzing like bees in my brain! How can you think clearly with old cats muttering in your thoughts all the time?”

“Jayfeather?” Mistystar’s mew sounded softly in the entrance tunnel. “You have to leave.”

But I still need proof that Mothwing’s the fourth cat!

“My senior warriors no longer see you as a medicine cat,” Mistystar explained apologetically. “I have to respect their feelings. You can’t stay here any longer.”

Jayfeather could sense hostility prickling in the air outside the medicine den. “They think I’m a trespasser.”

“I’m afraid so.” Mistystar nudged him to his paws. “It would be best if you left now.” He nodded to Mothwing and headed through the tunnel.

Beetlewhisker paced the camp, Hollowflight and Minnowtail flanking him. Reedfeather stepped forward. “We’ll lead you to the border.”

“Thank you.” Jayfeather dipped his head to the RiverClan deputy.
Four warriors to escort me home?
He flattened his ears.
I’ve done nothing wrong!

He felt Mothwing at his heels. “I’ll come and tell you if I manage to persuade the others to see reason,” she whispered.

“I think the Clans have
lost
their reason,” Jayfeather hissed back. He could sense the RiverClan warriors flexing their muscles as though they were about to go into battle.
You’re fighting the wrong enemy!
Forcing his pelt to stay smooth, he followed Reedfeather out of camp. Hollowflight and Beetlewhisker walked on either side, hurrying him up onto the fallen tree, while Minnowtail nudged him from behind.

“Do you want me to fall in?” Jayfeather hissed as his paw slipped off the trunk and dangled in thin air for a moment. The river splashed hungrily below.

“Hold tight, then,” Beetlewhisker growled, nosing him onward.

Jayfeather dug his claws into the rotting bark, his heart lurching as he scrambled along the log. At the other end, he jumped down before Beetlewhisker could give him a shove. He held his tongue while his escorts steered him through the marsh grass. At last, he scented the WindClan border and crossed it without a word.

“If you want to come back, bring a patrol and be prepared to fight!” Hollowflight growled after him.

Lashing his tail, Jayfeather marched away from her. He tasted the air.
Where’s the shore?
He could smell heather above him and hear water lapping below, but it was quiet, meaning he was too far inland. Turning his paws toward the lake, he weaved through the tall grass, the ground boggy beneath his paws.

Suddenly a chill touched his tail-tip and spread over him like a leaf-bare fog. It carried the stench of decaying prey. Jayfeather stopped and jerked around. Shapes swarmed around him like hornets, dark and cruel. His mind flooded with images of bloodstained pelts.

“Who’s there?” Spinning the other way, he lashed out with a paw. Fear shot through him as his claws grazed hard flesh. “Who are you?”

A shoulder buffeted him. Claws scraped down his spine.

Jayfeather ran. Blind, he stumbled over the marshy earth, his paws sliding on the mud and plunging into puddles. Sharp as thorns, claws raked one side, then another. Pelts jostled him and hot, stinking breath scorched his ears. He tripped and fell sprawling into the mud, scrabbling to his paws, fighting the blurry shapes that jabbed from every side.

“Can’t StarClan guide you?” Brokenstar’s sneer made Jayfeather freeze in horror.

Have the Dark Forest cats broken through into the real world?

Hawkfrost pushed him from the other side. “We shall taste victory soon!”

Now Tigerstar blocked his path. Jayfeather lashed out but strong paws blocked his desperate swipes. “All the power of the stars in your paws?” Tigerstar’s growl dripped with scorn. “I don’t think so.”

Jayfeather crouched, his body pulsing as his heart seemed to thump the ground beneath him. “You’ll never win!” Terror exploded into fury. He sprang forward, claws stretched, and slashed at his shadowy attackers. Claws raked his muzzle and teeth sank into his tail.

Yowling with rage, Jayfeather fought harder. “You can kill me!” he screeched. “But that won’t stop me. I’ll find you beyond my death, and I’ll stop you!”

“Jayfeather!” The call of a WindClan warrior made him stop in his tracks. The stench of the Dark Forest warriors faded and the scent of Owlwhisker, Nightcloud, and Gorsetail flowed around him, warm and familiar.

“Are you okay?” Owlwhisker leaned over him. “Did you fall into a thornbush?”

Jayfeather could smell his own blood as it welled in his stinging wounds. “Y-yes.” He struggled to find his paws and felt Gorsetail’s muzzle beneath his shoulder as he helped him up.

“What are you doing?” Jayfeather recognized Crouchpaw’s mew. The WindClan apprentice sounded frightened. “That’s the medicine cat who killed Flametail!”

“Murderer!” Nightcloud growled.

“Be quiet!” Gorsetail silenced them. “This is a Clan cat who needs our help.”

“I—I’m okay.” Jayfeather fought the tremor in his voice.

Owlwhisker brushed past him. “We’ll escort you to the border.” His mew was brisk.

“Can you walk that far?” Gorsetail asked.

Nightcloud growled. “If he can’t, we’ll drag him.”

Owlwhisker ignored his Clanmate and sniffed Jayfeather’s pelt. “It’s just a few scratches.” He headed down to the shore. “Come on.”

Gingerly Jayfeather followed, testing out each paw. He was relieved to feel his scratches didn’t reach too deep and he hadn’t wrenched any muscles. He quickened his pace, using scent to follow Owlwhisker’s pawsteps. Gorsetail padded behind him while Nightcloud and Crouchpaw hung back, distrust sparking from their pelts.

Jayfeather was still trembling from his vision. Surely it was a vision? The Dark Forest cats hadn’t found a way to break through to the lake territories, had they? He pushed the thought away.
No.
Ivypool would have warned them.
Or StarClan…

Despair washed through him. StarClan was useless. No Ancient cat had rushed to protect him from a vision that had been so real, it had left him scratched and battered. Where was Yellowfang, or Rock? Jayfeather’s paws dragged on the pebbles. The Clans were going to face the Dark Forest warriors alone.

The familiar scent of ThunderClan touched his nose. They had reached the border. “I can manage from here.”

“We’d better see you to your camp,” Owlwhisker told him.

“You seem a bit shaken up,” Gorsetail added.

Jayfeather wanted to argue, but how could he reject their help? He’d been wishing the Clans would unite.

Owlwhisker called to Nightcloud and Crouchpaw, who were still trailing along the shore. “Go and hunt! We’ll catch up with you later.”

Jayfeather felt a prickle of relief, silently thanking Owlwhisker. At least he wouldn’t be bringing an entire WindClan patrol onto ThunderClan territory. He led the way through the forest, the trail comfortingly familiar under his feet, until he reached the slope down to the camp.

“I can make it home by myself now,” he told Owlwhisker.

“I know.” Owlwhisker padded past him. “But I want to speak with Firestar.”

Unhappily Jayfeather followed the WindClan warrior into camp, Gorsetail on his heels.

“Purdy!” Mousefur’s alarmed mew sounded from the honeysuckle bush. “Is it an invasion?”

“I doubt it. There’s only two of them,” Purdy reassured the old she-cat.

Firestar jumped down from Highledge to meet them. “What’s happened?” He sounded concerned as he sniffed Jayfeather’s scratched muzzle.

Brambleclaw hurried from the warriors’ den. “Are you okay?”

“He stumbled into a thornbush,” Owlwhisker told the ThunderClan deputy.

“On our territory,” Gorsetail added pointedly.

“You shouldn’t have been there, Jayfeather.” Firestar’s mew was stern. “You are no longer a medicine cat!”

Jayfeather didn’t argue. What else could Firestar say in front of the WindClan cats? “May I go to my nest?” he muttered.

“Yes.” Firestar was simmering with fury. “And don’t wander out of the territory again. I’ve got more important things to worry about.”

Jayfeather padded to the medicine den, leaving Firestar to smooth the WindClan warriors’ ruffled fur. He pushed through the brambles and headed for his nest.

“Are you okay?” Briarlight called from beside the pool. The pungent smell of horsetail filled the air.

“I’m fine.” Jayfeather climbed into his nest. “What are you doing?”

“Cinderheart told me to soak herbs for Mousefur’s tick,” Briarlight explained. “She’s put on a poultice but she wants a fresh one ready for the morning.”

The brambles rustled at the den entrance. Jayfeather tasted the air. “Brightheart?”

For some reason, joy and anxiety were clouding the warrior’s thoughts. Tired to his bones, Jayfeather ignored the buzz of emotions and began washing his stinging muzzle.

Brightheart padded to his nest. “Can I speak to you?”

“Can’t it wait till the morning?” Jayfeather just wanted to sleep.

“It won’t take long.” Brightheart sat down heavily beside his nest. “I’m expecting kits.” Jayfeather heard a note of uncertainty in her voice. “They’ll be okay, won’t they? Even though I’m not as young as I used to be?”

Jayfeather sat up straight. Why would any cat bring kits into the world now? They would just be more lives to give up to the Dark Forest warriors! “What were you thinking?” he snapped. “Leaf-bare’s on the way and we might starve without having extra mouths to feed!”

Brightheart reared back. “B-but—”

He didn’t let her finish. “What a dumb time to have kits! Is everyone here a mouse-brain?”

Brightheart stood up. “How dare you speak to me like that?” Anger sparked from her pelt. “I never thought I’d have kits again, and they won’t be the first to be born in leaf-bare. I thought you’d be pleased!”

“Kits!” Briarlight hauled herself quickly across the den. “That’s great news!”

“Try telling that to Jayfeather,” Brightheart growled.

“Why?” Briarlight sounded baffled.

“StarClan knows!” Brightheart stalked out of the den and Jayfeather sank into his nest.

“Well? What’s up?” Briarlight prompted.

Jayfeather tucked his nose under his paw and ignored her. Weariness washed over him. How could he ever find enough strength to fight the Dark Forest?