Skyclan returns

Chapter 4

Jaysight looked at Leafpool, not sure what to do next. Leafpool laid down next to the Moonpool and touched her nose to it; she was instantly asleep. Following her example, Jaysight did the same, along with Moonpaw and Echosong. The stone was cold, even though it was summer, and the water was even colder. As soon as Jaysight touched his nose to the Moonpool, he opened his eyes.

Jaysight was in a forest with tall trees and thick undergrowth. He blinked a few times to get used to being able to see and scented the air, hoping he'd find Spottedleaf's scent. Instead, he found Moonpaw's. Jaysight shook his head and tried again, but still, the only scent he found was SkyClan's medicine cat apprentice.

"No," Jaysight murmured, mostly to himself. "I want to see Spottedleaf." Finally he smelled her scent, but it was faint compared to Moonpaw's. He ran through the forest, following the scent of Spottedleaf and broke out into a clearing where Spottedleaf was sitting with Yellowfang.

"Congratulations Jaysight," Spottedleaf purred.

"You've done well as a medicine cat," Yellowfang agreed.

"Thank you, both of you," Jaysight meowed. "Now there's something I need to ask. Why did you send SkyClan to the lake?"

Spottedleaf and Yellowfang looked at each other uneasily. "Jaysight, SkyClan's territory was about to be destroyed," Spottedleaf mewed softly. "We had to send them somewhere, so we decided to have them join the other four Clans."

"There's no more room at the lake for another Clan," Jaysight interrupted, disbelief written across his face.

"There is room to live by the lake where the other Clans haven't settled," Spottedleaf assured Jaysight.

"Where?" Jaysight asked curiously.

"The end of ShadowClan's and RiverClan's territory is marked by a small Thunderpath," Yellowfang continued for Spottedleaf in a rusty mew. "On the other side of that Thunderpath, the forest continues, though neither RiverClan nor ShadowClan have called a claim to it."

"There's enough forest there for an entire Clan?" Jaysight asked, surprised. "Then why haven't ShadowClan or RiverClan marked it in their territory?"

"There is little undergrowth and the trees are too high for ShadowClan's liking and there is only one small stream that runs through that stretch of the forest, so RiverClan could not easily hunt there," Spottedleaf replied. "SkyClan hunt in trees using their strong back legs to jump very high, so the trees wouldn't pose a problem to them. They don't hunt in the undergrowth unless forced to, so they wouldn't mind there not being any. As for there being only one small stream, SkyClan doesn't hunt in water, but it would be enough to get water."

"Do you think the other Clans will agree to this?" Jaysight asked hesitantly.

Spottedleaf and Yellowfang looked at each other again before Yellowfang spoke. "We cannot force this decision upon any Clan; they must decide for themselves whether or not to allow SkyClan stay by the lake."

"Jaysight, we have to leave you now," Spottedleaf murmured.

"What? Why? I just got here!" Jaysight argued.

"We must speak with Leafpool," Yellowfang told Jaysight.

"Alright," Jaysight muttered. Yellowfang and Spottedleaf turned and walked away into a bramble bush, their scent disappearing with them.

Jaysight scented the air and picked up Moonpaw's scent again. Curious as to which warrior ancestor would be talking to her, Jaysight followed the scent until he could see her talking with a dark gray tom with pale blue eyes. Jaysight stifled a gasp when he saw Moonpaw. Her pelt was as white as snow with dark brown patches and she had clear, light green eyes; Jaysight had never seen a more beautiful cat. He quickly hid behind some bracken, and watched as the two spoke with each other.

"Skywatcher, it's good to see you again," Moonpaw mewed.

"I'm glad that you made the journey here safely," the tom replied.

"Why did we have to come here?" Moonpaw asked quietly.

Skywatcher looked directly at where Jaysight was hiding, and he twitched his ears in his direction. "Perhaps you should ask Jaysight," Skywatcher meowed.

Jaysight froze, knowing he had been caught. Moonpaw looked to where Skywatcher was looking and had to look hard before she made out Jaysight. "Jaysight, what are you doing here?" Moonpaw asked in surprise.

"I wanted to see which StarClan cat would speak to you," Jaysight muttered, stepping out of the bracken and facing up to the two cats. "I'm sorry."

"You know the reason why SkyClan was sent to the lake?" Moonpaw asked, brushing aside the apology.

"Spottedleaf and Yellowfang told me that your old home was about to be destroyed," Jaysight told her, noticing the registered look of confusion on her face. "They were medicine cats before Leafpool in ThunderClan. They told me that there was a spot where you could stay right here by the lake with the other four Clans."

"Will the other Clans agree to that?" Moonpaw wondered aloud.

"I asked Spottedleaf and Yellowfang the same thing, and they said it was the other Clans' decisions on whether or not SkyClan could live by the lake with them," Jaysight replied.

"It's time to go," Skywatcher announced suddenly. "Good luck to you both."

"Jaysight, it's time to leave," Leafpool meowed. Jaysight opened his eyes and saw…nothing; he was awake again.

Jaysight stood up and stretched his stiffened limbs, noticing that Moonpaw watched every now and then. He couldn't get her beautiful image out of his mind and he didn't want to say something embarrassing, so he didn't speak to her.

Leafpool led the way out of the hollow, following the stream, and through the forest all the way to the ThunderClan camp's thorn tunnel. The walk there was silent and thoughtful, and no one spoke a single word the entire way.

By now it was fully night with the moon high above in the sky. Jaysight could scent Hollywing, Lionclaw, and Honeyear sitting in the middle of camp, silent and attentive. Jaysight had completely forgotten about their silent vigil, but he didn't show it. As the medicine cats passed the new warriors, Jaysight slightly nodded his head to them. The rest of the Clan was sleeping in their dens, though a few cats were sleeping outside because there wasn't enough room in all of the dens.

Leafpool headed to Firestar's den, and Jaysight, not knowing if he was invited to come or not, followed. She didn't tell him no, but Echosong told Moonpaw to get some sleep before following Leafpool and Jaysight. Jaysight knew Moonpaw was disappointed by the way her tail dropped to the ground and she crept away to the medicine den.

"It's Leafpool, Jaysight, and Echosong," Leafpool announced quietly at the entrance.

"Come in," Firestar replied immediately. Leafpool, Jaysight, and Echosong filed into the den where Leafstar and Firestar were sitting alone. "Did StarClan tell you anything?"

Jaysight opened his mouth to speak, but Leafpool was faster. "Spottedleaf and Yellowfang visited me, but they wouldn't tell me why they sent SkyClan here," she replied. "They only told me that troubling times were coming before peace fell over the lake again."

"Cloudstar visited me, but he had little to say," Echosong told Leafstar.

"Spottedleaf and Yellowfang told me that SkyClan was sent here because their old home was about to be destroyed," Jaysight quickly mewed before anyone could interrupt him. "They said there was some land behind RiverClan's and ShadowClan's territory where they could stay because neither ShadowClan nor RiverClan wanted it since it wasn't ideal to them."

Leafstar's ears twitched in interest and Firestar flicked his tail, but neither spoke. Jaysight could feel Leafpool's curious stare and also a little irritation that she hadn't been told this. "You're Jaysight now, right?" Leafstar finally asked. Jaysight nodded his head proudly. "Congratulations."

Firestar nodded at him absentmindedly and Jaysight felt a prickle of annoyance. Leafstar was the leader of another Clan and she had congratulated him, so why didn't Firestar? "You may go now," Firestar dismissed them.

Jaysight was the first out of the leader's den and the last to enter the medicine den. He didn't want to be alone with Moonpaw and have to try and explain the meeting in her dream to her. Jaysight walked over to where Hollywing, Lionclaw, and Honeyear were sitting and whispered to them, "I'm Jaysight now."

Hollywing licked Jaysight's ear and Lionclaw brushed his tail along his flank. Jaysight knew they would say congratulations if they weren't on a silent vigil, and he didn't want to get them in trouble, so he padded to the medicine den.

Jaysight could scent Leafpool in her nest already, and Moonpaw and Echosong were settling down into makeshift nests in the back. Jaysight laid down in his nest and closed his eyes, but he couldn't fall asleep, much as he wanted to. He turned over and heard someone leaving the den. He froze and scented the air; it was Leafpool.

Once Leafpool was out of the den, Jaysight quietly got up and followed her. She might just be going to make her dirt. Why didn't she do that before she went into the medicine den? Jaysight argued over and over with himself, all the while following Leafpool. She was heading to Firestar's den, and Jaysight was wondering whether or not to go back since he couldn't possibly climb the rocks without being spotted, when stones started lightly clacking to the ground and Firestar jumped down from the Highledge. Jaysight quickly blended into the shadows and hoped he wouldn't be seen.

"Firestar, why didn't StarClan tell me what they told Jaysight?" Leafpool asked softly.

"I wouldn't worry about it, Leafpool," Firestar replied. "All medicine cats see different things."

"This is something so important, though," Leafpool argued, still speaking softly so no one would hear her.

"Perhaps there is a reason why Jaysight was told instead of you," Firestar suggested. "Listen, it's getting late; you should go back to your den and get some rest."

Leafpool sighed. "Alright, Firestar," she agreed reluctantly. Jaysight stealthily made his way to the dirt tunnel, went through and immediately came back out, making sure that he was seen by Leafpool when he came out.

"Jaysight, what are you doing up?" Leafpool asked.

"Just making my dirt," Jaysight replied nonchalantly. "What are you doing up?"

"Well, you should get back to sleep," Leafpool told him, dismissing his question.

"Alright, Leafpool," Jaysight agreed before running back to the medicine den. Was Leafpool jealous that he found out about SkyClan instead of her? No, it had to be something else; Leafpool didn't get jealous over things like that. Jaysight settled into his nest once more, but he didn't try to go to sleep until he heard Leafpool enter the medicine den shortly after.

Jaysight slipped into a heavy sleep without really trying to or noticing it. He was awoken the next morning by Firestar's call that ShadowClan had crossed the border into ThunderClan territory.