Chapter 7

Jayfeather snorted. What did Lionblaze know anyways? He was just being nice to Sarah, thats all. What was he supposed to do, be a jerk to her? She was a participating member of the clans, just because she was a rogue didn't mean that she shouldn't be treated fairly. No, it was Lionblaze who was acting strange.
He padded out of the medicine den, pushing the ferns back behind him he sulked out of his den. Who cared what he did, he was a medicine cat, his tail had more respect from the other clans than Lionblaze did. He could do what he wanted, even if that was giving lessons to a rogue about herbs. She could learn with Honeypaw anyways.
"Hey Jayfeather," Bumblestripe padded up next to him,"I was just wondering how Cinderheart was," Jayfeather remembered her sent her out of camp to pick herbs with Leafpool.
"Fine." He mewed flatly.
"Oh," Bumblestripe mewed,"I was asking because I was wondering when she was going to take over as deputy again, because, um, I kind of wanted to go back to being a regular warrior, and since the clans will probably be separating soon, we need all the warriors we can get,"
"Well it's not going to happen anytime soon" Jayfeather hissed.
"Oh," Bumblestripe dipped his head as Leaftail padded out of the warriors' den to greet her.
"What are we doing today Jayfeather?" Honeypaw padded up to him, her voice loud and cheerful.
"Where were you this morning, its past sunhigh," Jayfeather grunted.
"Bramblestar said I should come to the training hollow and learn some simple battle moves," Honeypaw mewed,"Since, your blind and all,"
"Thanks, I hadn't noticed," Jayfeather plucked at the ground with his claws impatiently. "Now that your here, go and check on Junipertail'sjoints then report back to me, I'll show you show to apply the right herbs and where you can find them,"
"Sounds good to me!" Honeypaw mewed, flicking her tail around his neck. Jayfeather hissed, why did she have to be all cheery, all the time? It would take a while for him to get used to her vibrant spirit.
Jayfeather padded onward, toward the nursery. He pushed his way in.
"Jayfeather," Gingerstep rolled over, he could senses she was round with kits,"Are there any herbs I need to take?"
"Not today, I'm just here to check on your growth," He murmured pushing his ear next to her round stomach. Deep inside, he could hear tiny, little heartbeats rumbling off her stomach walls.
"How many are in there?" Gingerstep murmured.
"I don't know, only Starclan does, but hopefully not as much as Dovepelt's litter, thats all we need, six more rascals driving the clans insane."
"It would be good for Shadowclan thought," Gingerstep remarked, "Six more warriors to defend our borders,"
Jayfeather paused, it seemed some of the clan cats thought that the clans were going to separate sooner or later.
"Thats true," Jayfeather murmured,"Tell me if you start to feel anything, they should be coming any day now,"  He ducked his head and padded out of the nursery.
"There you are," Leafpool padded up to Jayfeather,"You should come see this,"
Jayfeather hissed, "I can't see anything,"
Leafpool rolled her eyes,"Get over yourself already, and come and find out what I'm talking about," Jayfeather was stunned, Leafpool was never blunt with everybody. Was everyone in the clans changing?
"Over here, its Cinderheart," Leafpool murmured. Jayfeather angled his ears to the apprentices' den.
"We're going to have to clean out the apprentices' den, as a surprise for Mountainpaw," Cinderheart's cheery mew was talking to Leopardkit.
"Sounds good to me," Leopardkit squeaked.
"I thought she was Cinderpelt today?" Jayfeather whispered.
"Thats what I thought," Leafpool paused,"But when we got down to the lake, she started to swim and acted like Cinderheart,"
"Then we need to get her back to my den," Jayfeather tensed.
"Why? Isn't this better?" Leafpool murmured.
Jayfeather shook his head,"No this means she could change at anytime. We risk her changing right now and hurting someone," Jayfeather stepped forward, ready to fetch Cinderheart and take her back to the medicine den.
"Wait," Leafpool rasped,"Let her play with Leopardkit awhile, she hasn't been with her kits in moons," Jayfeather's pelt burned in envy, at least Leafpool had Lakekit and Crowfeather. Jayfeather had no one. He didn't get along with Lionblaze anymore and Dovepelt had her own family to worry about. Even Cinderheart was better off then him, she had Leopardkit and Mountainpaw that loved her. And who did he have? He had no one. At least Sarah liked to be with him and learn from him.
"Come on," Jayfeather growled to Leafpool, it was time for Cinderheart to come back.
"Cinderheart," Leafpool murmured in Cinderheart's ear,"We have to go back to the medicine den now,"
"Oh," Cinderheart mewed sadly,"Leopardkit, I have to go now,"
"Why do you live in the medicine den?" Leopardkit whined,"I want to play!"
"We can play later, by I have to," She mewed in mock cheer," Go get better,"
"Come on," Jayfeather nudged her away.
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"Whats wrong with me Jayfeather?" Cinderheart whispered in the den. Jayfeather shuffled his paws nervously. He reached back into his herb stores and began to sort the herbs.
"Jayfeather," CInderheart whined," Why won't you tell me?"
"Cinderheart, come to the Moonpool with me next half moon, I can explain everything there," Jayfeather murmured.
"Who is she?" Cinderheart whispered, her voice edged with fear.
"Who?" Jayefather whipped around.
"She's there, in my head! Get her out! She's hurting me! She's the one who is doing this to me!" Cinderheart yowled.
"Cinderheart! Calm-" Jayfeather raised his voice.
Cinderheart interrupted,"Its you who's doing this! Get out of here!" Cinderheart leaped onto Jayfeather, bowling him over. She scratched her claws down his sides. Jayfeather yowled in misery.
"Stop it! Get out!" Cinderheart sobbed wildly.
"Cinderheart, its me! Jayfeather!" Jayfeather yowled fiercely.
"Get out of my head! This is my life!" Cinderheart sobbed, ripping out chunks of his fur. Jayfeather shrieked in agony. She nipped at his ears, yowling in fear and anger. She raked her claws down his sides again and yowled in fury when Jayfeather tried to throw her off. "Stop it! Stop hurting me!" She lashed a claw near his neck, barely grazing the skin. Jayfeather could feel her mind hurting, pulsing with anger, shock, and disbelief as to what was happening.
"I just want to be alone!" She screamed. Jayfeather daftly tried to reach into her mind, and when he did, he felt intense heartbreak and fear ripping him apart as two cats tried to gain control. His mind felt like exploding with emotion and he barely had the sense to stay awake through the pain.
"Jayfeather?" A frightened voice whispered across the room.
"Honeypaw! Get someone, quick!" Jayfeather yowled as Cinderheart bit into his fore paw. Cinderheart suddenly let go of Jayfeather and backed away slowly.
"No...no...no..." Cinderheart whispered,"What have I done,"
"Cinderheart..." Jayfeather limped forward.
"I'm so sorry Jayfeather, honest, I never meant to hurt you," Cinderheart started to sob,"I-I thought you were her and I got so scared... I'm sorry,"
"Its alright," Jayfeather assured.
"Jayfeather? What happened?" Bramblestar poked his head in. Jayfeather could smell Squirrelflight, Crowfeather, and Leafpool at his side.
"She got scared, thats all," Jayfeather murmured.
"Let me get you something," Leafpool murmured, scurrying away to the herbs.
"Cinderheart?" Bramblestar mewed gruffly,"Cinderheart, look at me,"
Cinderheart quietly looked up, her body racked with emotion and her fur soaked with Jayfeather's blood.
"Bramblestar, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt him," Cinderheart sobbed.
"I'm going to have to post a guard here at all times," Bramblestar murmured, shaking his head.
"Here you go Jayfeather," Leafpool placed the herbs next to him and started to chew them.
"Did Lionblaze speak to you yet?" Bramblestar murmured.
Jayfeather nodded,"I agreed and told Cinderheart she is going to the moonpool with me and Willowshine next halfmoon." He winced as Leafpool put on the first of the ointment.
"Maybe Starclan will tell you about medicine cats," Crowfeather added.
So other cats do think that the clans are separating, if not, then why would we need more medicine cats? Jayfeather thought as Leafpool applied more herbs.
"Where's Honeypaw?" Jayfeather mewed.
Bramblestar answered,"I told her to stay out until you tell her to come back," Jayfeather nodded.
"I'll tell her now," Jayfeather added,"I've already explained to her about Cinderheart, but I'm going to check her for shock," He limped out of the den. He found Honeypaw talking with her littermates by the bramble patch.
"I swear Honeypaw," Duskpaw bragged,"The mouse I caught was as big as Hedgepaw's head!"
"Hey!" Hedgepaw mewed indignantly,"At least I didn't jump into a thorn bush trying to catch a vole!"
"You shouldn't be talking," Snowpaw chuckled,"I heard that Sandpaw saw you trip right into a puddle yesterday while training with Snakerock,"
"What did you do today Honeypaw?" Foxpaw prompted. Jayfeather was lost in their innocent chatter.
"Nothing," She mumbled quietly.
"Wow, being a medicine cat must be as boring as it sounds," Duskpaw grumbled.
Jayfeather cleared his throat, the apprentices' talking quieted.
"I didn't mean it Jayfeather, you get to talk to Starclan and..." Duskpaw chirped quietly,"and you get to pick herbs..."
Jayfeather ignored her apology,"Honeypaw, its time to come back now," He could sense her fear and anxiety.
"Alright," She murmured padding to his side. Jayfeather ushered her away from her littermates and their curious stares and pricked ears.
"What happened in there?" Honeypaw murmured to her mentor. Jayfeather gulped, he had told Honeypaw before how Cinderheart's mind was hurting her, but he couldn't even start to explain how painful each and everyday was for her. Her mind constantly reeling in agony, and another cat lurking somewhere in the shadows everyday of her life.