The Last Hope

A familiar scent surprised him. RiverClan. As he slid out into the clearing, he tasted the air. Poppyfrost and Brackenfur were padding from the thorn tunnel. The two warriors smelled fresh from the forest. And there was a third cat behind them, walking into the clearing with hesitant steps. Mothwing?

Poppyfrost called to him. “Mothwing wants to speak with you.”

“It’s a RiverClan cat!” Squeaking excitedly, Lilykit dashed from behind the warriors’ den.

“Why’s she here?” Seedkit bounced after her sister.

Jayfeather waved them away with his tail and hurried to greet the RiverClan medicine cat. Nodding to Poppyfrost and Brackenfur, he steered Mothwing to the edge of the clearing.

Behind them, Spiderleg grumbled, “Why is she allowed to tramp across our territory when our medicine cat isn’t even allowed at the Gathering?”

Jayfeather ignored him. “What is it?”

“You have to come with me,” Mothwing told him.

Stones clattered as Firestar bounded down from his den. He skidded to a halt beside Mothwing. “Is anything wrong?”

“No,” Mothwing meowed evenly. “There’s just something I need to show Jayfeather.”

Firestar shifted his paws. “Jayfeather can’t leave ThunderClan territory.”

Mothwing’s pelt brushed Jayfeather’s. “He can for this.”

“What is it?” Firestar thrust his muzzle closer.

“Something only Jayfeather will understand.” Mothwing headed away. “Are you coming?” she called to Jayfeather.

“I’d better go with her,” Jayfeather meowed apologetically to Firestar. He ran after Mothwing as she vanished into the thorns. What was so important that she’d overrule a Clan leader?

Excitement sparked from Mothwing’s pelt as she headed onto the narrow beach and followed the edge of the lake, crossing the WindClan border without even pausing to taste the air. Jayfeather followed, his pads pricking with curiosity. He hardly noticed the rain battering his face. Had Mothwing discovered proof she was the fourth cat? Hope flared in his chest.

A shout from the hillside made him jump. Crowfeather. The WindClan warrior was pelting toward them, yowling.

“He’s leading a patrol,” Mothwing warned. She shoved Jayfeather behind her and waited as the WindClan cats swished through the heather.

“What are you doing here?”

Jayfeather flinched as Crowfeather slowed to a halt in front of them. He tasted the scents of Whitetail and Owlwhisker as they joined their Clanmate.

“He’s not allowed to cross Clan territory,” Crowfeather growled.

Mothwing didn’t move. “This is not your territory. We’re within a tail-length of the water.”

“It’s not a full moon!” Crowfeather snarled. “There’s no truce.”

Jayfeather dug his claws into the pebbles. He couldn’t believe this bad-tempered warrior was his father.

“We’re medicine cats,” Mothwing meowed calmly.

Crowfeather padded closer. “He’s not.”

Owlwhisker growled, “Let’s escort him back to his border.”

Whitetail shifted her paws. “He’s not doing any harm,” she meowed.

“He’s a murderer!” Owlwhisker hissed.

“Do you believe everything ShadowClan says?” Whitetail snapped at her Clanmate.

Stones rattled beneath Mothwing’s feet as she stepped closer to the WindClan patrol. “Let us pass,” she insisted.

Crowfeather’s tail lashed the air. “Jayfeather is trespassing.”

“Do you want to fight me?” Mothwing challenged. “Because you’ll have to if you lay a claw on him.” There was a growl in her mew. “Would StarClan approve of you harming a medicine cat?”

Jayfeather felt frustration flare from Crowfeather’s pelt. “You can pass.” He leaned closer to Jayfeather. “But this is the second time we’ve caught you trespassing on our territory.” His breath smelled of rabbit. “Make it the last.”

Mothwing’s tail flicked past Jayfeather’s nose. “He’ll have to travel back,” she pointed out. “Will I need to escort him? Does WindClan take pride in attacking blind cats?”

Jayfeather swallowed a hiss. He hated his blindness being used as an excuse, but this was no time to let pride get in the way.

“Very well.” Crowfeather backed away, his Clanmates retreating with him.

Shaking raindrops from her whiskers, Mothwing headed along the shore. Jayfeather trotted after her, impressed by her courage. “You should have been a warrior,” he meowed as the WindClan patrol faded from earshot.

“Maybe, but I am a medicine cat,” Mothwing replied in a tone that didn’t invite further questions. She led him across the RiverClan border and into the reed beds. The ground grew boggy underpaw and marsh grass brushed Jayfeather’s pelt as he followed the medicine cat along a twisting path.

“What’s that?” Jayfeather stiffened as the faint smell of smoke touched his nose.

“That’s what we’re going to see.” Mothwing kept going and Jayfeather hurried after her. “Duck,” she warned as the marsh grass thickened.

Dripping fronds trailed over Jayfeather’s nose, filling his muzzle with wet seeds that made him sneeze. Spluttering, he padded after Mothwing until suddenly she halted, and Jayfeather lost his footing in the mud as he tried to avoid crashing into her.

“Here,” Mothwing announced.