The Last Hope

“You look as if you’re in trouble.” A voice sounded from the reeds. Jayfeather jerked his head around and saw an orange face peering at him through the stalks.

“Flametail!” The ShadowClan cat was watching him coldly. “Help me! I’m drowning!”

Flametail took a step forward, then stopped, his eyes burning. “I know how you feel.”

“Can you reach me?” Jayfeather strained to see the ground behind him. Perhaps it was solid enough there to take Flametail’s weight.

“Why should I?” Flametail’s mew was icy. “You didn’t save me.”

“I tried!” Jayfeather felt his whiskers brush the surface of the mud. He tipped his head back, feeling the peat suck at his chin. “But I couldn’t! It wasn’t my time to die. I had to survive!”

Flametail hissed. “And I didn’t?”

Jayfeather searched desperately for something to say to convince the ShadowClan cat that his death wasn’t Jayfeather’s fault, but bitter-tasting water was bubbling into the corners of his mouth.

“It wasn’t fair,” Flametail snarled. “It was such a stupid way to die!”

“But you still have a destiny to fulfill!” Jayfeather shook his head and spat out a mouthful of black water. “You are the only one who can save ShadowClan now! A darkness is coming that will wipe out all your Clanmates if you let it! I need you to unite the Clans. It’s the only way we’ll survive!” He coughed again as a lump of mud hit the back of his throat. “You have to tell Littlecloud I didn’t drown you!”

“Why should I believe you?” Flametail spat. “ThunderClan is full of murderers! Even if you didn’t drown me, your Clanmate tried to kill me as soon as I arrived here.”

“Here?” Jayfeather struggled to speak. “Who?”

“Ivypool!” Flametail thrust his muzzle through the reeds. “I was looking for the path to StarClan and she tried to claw my throat out! She would have succeeded if Tigerheart hadn’t stopped her! Now I’m going to let you die instead!”

Water flooded Jayfeather’s mouth. He slammed his jaws shut, drawing air desperately through his nose as the mud seeped up around his cheeks.

“Flametail!” Spottedleaf’s yowl cut through the air. “Stop making threats like a warrior! You’re a medicine cat!” Flametail’s gaze shot toward the tortoiseshell she-cat. She glared at him, a twisted branch at her paws. “You have more power than you ever dreamed of,” she snarled. “You only need to tell the truth.”

Flametail flattened his ears as if he didn’t want to hear.

“Help the medicine cats work together again.” Spottedleaf was begging now. “If our code is broken, the Clans will fall. We are the heartbeat of the Clans, not the warrior code. Think of the promises you made.”

Water bubbling at his nose, Jayfeather watched Flametail shift his paws. Mud slid over his spine and he could no longer feel his legs. A strange peace had washed over him, as if he knew there was no point fighting anymore.

“Is it really in my power?” Flametail murmured.

Jayfeather tried to nod. Yes! You have the power of the stars in your paws! But his muscles wouldn’t work and he closed his eyes, suddenly feeling more tired than he had ever felt in his life. He was dimly aware of a blur of movement in front of him, but it seemed a long way off.

Suddenly he felt something jabbing against his forepaws. Spottedleaf had pushed the branch deep into the mud and was prodding him with it. “Wake up, Jayfeather! Come on!” she hissed. “I will not let you die like this!”

There was a crackle of reeds and the sound of splashing as Flametail forced his way through the reeds to join her. He crouched down and held the end of the stick in his teeth, steadying it while Spottedleaf steered the other end closer to Jayfeather.

“Come on!” Spottedleaf yowled.

Jayfeather blinked. He couldn’t give up. He had found Flametail! There was still hope! Fighting through the mud, he flailed his paws until he hooked a claw around the tip of the branch. Dragging it closer, he wrapped both front legs around it. Sodden peat splashed into his face, forcing his eyes to close and making him retch, but he didn’t let go.

“Pull!” Spottedleaf gave the order and the two medicine cats began to heave on the branch.

Jayfeather felt himself being hauled forward and upward. He gasped as his mouth surfaced, gulping in air. Spottedleaf and Flametail grunted with effort as they slowly dragged him from the mud. Kicking out with his hind legs, Jayfeather managed to scrabble out of the bog. He collapsed, panting among the reeds, and felt Spottedleaf’s paws massaging his chest.

“I’m okay,” he gasped. “I only swallowed a bit.” A hacking cough cut him off and he spewed up muddy water.

“We should go.” Spottedleaf turned away. “There isn’t much time.”

Flametail nudged Jayfeather to his paws. “Time for what?”

“To speak to the medicine cats!” Spottedleaf called over her shoulder as she bounded up the slope. Flametail shot after her.