Chapter 10

Jayfeather happily padded through his den, two she-cats at his side. He picked up some borage leaves in his mouth and set them down in front of him.
"Honeypaw, what are borage leaves used for?" Jayfeather prompted.
"Leaves and root can be used for fevers, while queens can eat seeds for her milk," Honeypaw responded quickly.
Jayfeather nodded,"Right, Sarah, take a good look at these, if you ever are traveling and you have a fever, borage can be found beside most streams."
"Or if I'm going to have kits," She joked. Jayfeather stopped and flicked his ears forward, but she didn't say anything more, and he felt awkward.
"Well, er, yes," He murmured, pulling himself together,"Now I'm going to show you how to make a poultice of juniper, lavender, and marigold, that should help if you have white cough, though it won't cure it," He reached into his herb store and sniffed for the proper herbs. He chewed them and spat them out onto a dock leaf.
"See, you chew them like that and then you would have the ailing cat eat them, but since we don't have one I put them on a dock leaf." Jayfeather mewed to them both.
"Thats great Jayfeather," Sarah purred, flicking her tail around his ear affectionately. He shivered as warmth spread through his body.
"Good, we've been doing a lot of hard work today, why don't we stop for some fresh kill?" Jayfeather purred, hoping he would get the chance to eat with Sarah.
"Great!" Honeypaw squeaked, running out of the den. Jayfeather padded out of th den, waiting for Sarah to join him. He pushed the ferns out of her way and let her pass.
"Thanks Jayfeather," Sarah licked the top of his head, sending shivers down his spine. He felt the familiar guilt burn his ears. I'm not doing anything, she licked me! Besides, I'm only being polite, Jayfeather reasoned with himself, though he could feel his stomach churning with fear. What if cats starting questioning him about his friendship with her? How would Tinder feel about him sharing so much time with his mate?
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"I told you before," Sarah's exasperated mew rasped,"What you're saying is not true"
Jayfeather listened in as Tinder and Sarah argued quietly near the fresh kill pile. He shuffled away awkwardly as the pair grew angrier with each other.
"As if! I've been watching you Sarah!" Tinder growled furiously. Jayfeather had no idea what they were arguing about, it seemed they started arguing as soon as Jayfeather walked over. "Jayfeather, don't you think I'm right?" Tinder turned to the blind medicine cat. Jayfeather flicked his tail nervously.
"I'm not sure I know what you're talking about," Jayfeather mewed flatly.
"Don't drag Jayfeather into this!" Sarah hissed, her pelt burning with embarrassment.
"I have to go check on Cinderheart," Jayfeather excused himself from the two cats, aggitation sparking off them like lightning crackling in a storm.
"I'll join you," Sarah huffed, leaving her mate alone by the fresh kill pile. Jayfeather felt surprising delighted by her fur pressed against his. They both entered the medicine den, and Jayfeather flicked his tail to th guard for today, Twigstorm.
"Cinderheart?" Jayfeather called in to his den, scared she might attack again.
"Jayfeather?" She called back, her voice quiet and sad. Jayfeather pressed his way in, he could sense her anxiety flowing from the back o the den.
"Do you need anything Cinderheart?" Jayfeather murmured, stepping closer to his patient gingerly.
"Nothing," She whispered, disappearing again to the farthest reaches of his den. Jayfeather sighed, he couldn't help her, not until he could speak to Cinderheart and Cinderpelt at the same time, and that wasn't going to happen anytime soon.
"Sorry about the mess," Jayfeather turned back to Sarah, fur burning beneath his pelt.
"Its alright Jayfeather," Sarah sighed, her breath stirring on his ear fur,"I know you're too busy helping the clans to worry about cleaning,"
Jayfeather grew hot,"Well..."
Sarah ignored him,"You're so smart Jayfeather, and curious. I bet you're wondering what Tinder and I were arguing about." She flicked her tail around his neck.
"Sure," Jayfeather mewed, his mind lost in her sweet voice.
"Tinder thinks I spend too much time here," Sarah mewed casually, her tail flicking slowly across the floor,"But I don't think so, what do you think,"
Without thinking about a response, Jayfeather replied,"You can come here anytime,"
Sarah let out a relieved purr,"Oh Jayfeather, what would I do without you?" Her tone dropped into a whisper,"But I'm afraid for you,"
Jayfeather tilted his head quizzically,"How come?"
"It's Tinder, I think he's jealous. I'm afraid he would do something to you so I wouldn't visit anymore," Sarah whimpered quietly. Jayefather gasped,
"Surely he wouldn't! I'm a medicine cat, and he's practically a clan cat himself!" Jayfeather's eyes widened in fear. "Plus we're not doing any harm. You're just here to learn anyways," He could feel her wince at his words. Jayfeather instantly regretted saying it.
"Jayfeather, did you ever think I came here for more than to learn?" She mumbled under her breathe and Jayfeather barely caught her words. His heart beat faster and faster. He could die right now and be happy, he knew how she felt about him now! "I really like you Jayfeather, you're so smart, smarter than Tinder, and you know so much about the clans I could never know even if I lived here my whole life!"
He rushed forward,"Oh Sarah, I really like you too, but what are we going to do? We can't be together, I'm a medicine cat and you have a mate,"
Sarah shook her head," Just one night together, we can talk and have fun without the stares of the other cats," He could hear her heart beat faster, like his own. Her head lifted from his chest, "Tomorrow night, meet me by the sky oak,"
Jayfeather shook his head,"I have to go to the moonpool tomorrow night,"
"Fine, then three nights from now, so you can have a night to rest after the moonpool, I'll meet you at the Sky Oak."
"Are you sure about this?" Jayfeather whispered into her ear, her sweet scent drifting around him.
"Of course," She purred. Jayfeather sighed again.
"Jayfeather?" Honeypaw's voice meowed, Jyafetaher could hear her fur brushing against the ferns in the entrance,"Have you seen Whitewing, nobody has seen her since last night?" Honeypaw's mew was fruaght with worry.
Jayfeather shook his head,"No," He suddenly felt awkward around his apprentice and Sarah, especially since their fur brushed close together. He scooted backwards a few steps.
"I have to go," Sarah blurted,"Remember what I said Jayfeather,"
"Of course," Jayfeather breathed, once again lost in her scent.
"Jayfeather, I finished asking the elders about their joints and the queens about their kits," Honeypaw called to him, sucking him out of his trance.
"Good, now I'm going to show you where to find tansy and my catmint garden," Jayfeather trotted forward, flicking his apprentice over the ear happily. Honeypaw followed him out of the den, her pelt bristling with excitement. Jayfeather had told her never told her about the catmint before until now, though most cats knew about it.
"Hey Jayfeather," Honeypaw called to her mentor, "You have powers right? Like really cool powers?" Jayfeather sighed.
"Yes,"
"Well what can you do?"
"I can see in my dreams,"
"Hedgepaw says you can read other cat's minds," Honeypaw pestered.
"I can do that too,"
"What did the prophecy mean, the one from Firestar I mean?" The apprentice requested. Jayfeather rolled his eyes.
"Why do you want to know so much?" He rasped.
"Don't you want me to be smart?" She teased her grouchy mentor cheekily. Jayfeather ignored her questions and trotted through the camp.
"Can I ask another question?" Honeypaw squeaked cheerfully.
"Fine, what do you want?" Jayfeather sighed.