Night Whispers

Dovepaw was about to call to Jayfeather, but he was already crossing the den toward her. “I’m sure Daisy and Poppyfrost would appreciate you checking the kits’ moss,” he told Briarlight as he passed her nest. “I’ve got to go out for a while. Bumblestripe, keep Briarlight company. But no more wild stories, please.”

Jayfeather swished past Dovepaw. “Come on,” he whispered, pushing through the brambles. “We need to talk.”

Finally! Was Jayfeather going to start taking Ivypaw’s visits to the Dark Forest seriously? She hurried after him. Without breaking his stride, Jayfeather nodded to Lionblaze. The golden warrior broke away from Firestar and Brambleclaw and bounded after them. Firestar watched, eyes narrowed, as the three padded out of camp.

“Right.” Jayfeather halted in a clearing on the bracken-covered slope outside the hollow. He fixed his blind stare on Dovepaw. “You’ve got to stop Ivypaw coming back from the Dark Forest in such a state. She’s going to give everything away.”

Dovepaw stared at him, openmouthed. Rage roared up from her belly. “I’ve got to stop her?” she spat. “What do you think I’ve been trying to do? And not just because all her scratches and swellings and sprains might give away our secret.” She thrust her muzzle into Jayfeather’s face. “Because I’m scared she’s going to get killed!”

“Calm down.” Lionblaze wove between them. “You’re right, Dovepaw. Ivypaw is getting hurt too often, and it’s our duty to protect her.”

Dovepaw let out a slow breath. “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you all along!”

“But,” Lionblaze added, “we can’t follow her into her dreams.”

“Jayfeather can!” Dovepaw pointed out.

Lionblaze shook his head. “Tigerstar’s already warned him away from the Dark Forest once. We can’t risk him going there again.”

“But you can risk Ivypaw going there night after night,” Dovepaw fumed.

“She’s one of them,” Jayfeather reminded her. “They won’t hurt her on purpose, as long as they think she’s on their side.”

“Can’t you just talk to her?” Dovepaw looked pleadingly from Jayfeather to Lionblaze. “Tell her she can’t go. She might listen to you.”

Lionblaze ran his tail along Dovepaw’s spine. “Do you really think she’d listen?”

Dovepaw’s heart sank. No. Ivypaw seemed convinced that Tigerstar was making her a great warrior. She’d never give that up.

“Besides,” Jayfeather sat down and tucked his tail over his paws, “we need her in the Dark Forest more than ever.”

Lionblaze’s attention flashed toward his brother. “Why?”

“Yellowfang visited me and warned me that we must fight the Dark Forest alone.”

Lionblaze cocked his head. “Alone?”

“All the medicine cats are being told the same thing. We must cut all ties to other Clans and face the danger alone.”

“Do the other Clans know about the Dark Forest warriors?” Lionblaze flattened his ears.

“No.” Jayfeather shifted his paws. “StarClan seems to know, but they’re keeping it from the medicine cats.”

“Why?” Dovepaw demanded.

“They might not want to scare them.” Jayfeather shrugged. “They might simply not know who to trust anymore.”

“Why don’t you tell the medicine cats?” Dovepaw asked.

“Yellowfang ordered me to keep my mouth shut.” Jayfeather shifted his paws. “And when I tried to warn Kestrelflight and Willowshine, I had a vision.”

“What was it?” Lionblaze leaned closer.

“StarClan froze in front of me and shattered like ice until there was nothing left. StarClan was destroyed.”

Dovepaw stared at him. “So we’re on our own?”

Jayfeather shrugged. “ThunderClan has the Three, so ThunderClan must be the one to survive.”

Lionblaze began to pace. “So I’m supposed to fight this battle for everyone?” The tip of his tail flicked angrily. “Great StarClan, why can’t I just have a normal life like any other cat?”

Dovepaw frowned. She thought Lionblaze liked being part of the prophecy. Why was he suddenly acting like he didn’t want to be so powerful? He had always encouraged her to embrace her own powers, and at last she was beginning to enjoy them. Thanks to her super senses she could hear Tigerheart wherever he was. She could hear him hunting with his Clanmates; she could listen to his breathing as he fell asleep in his nest… She jerked her thoughts back. This wasn’t the time to think about Tigerheart. “But why does Ivypaw have to keep visiting the Dark Forest?” she demanded.

“We need to know what they’re up to,” Jayfeather told her.

“We know what they’re up to,” Dovepaw retorted.

“But we don’t know when they plan to strike, or if they’re behind this plan to divide the Clans.” Jayfeather leaned closer to Dovepaw. “Ivypaw could find out for us.”

Dovepaw flinched away. “You want her to spy? Don’t you think she’s in enough danger already? If Tigerstar found out she was spying, StarClan knows what he’d do to her.” Sickness welled in her throat. “No! There’s no way you’re going to put Ivypaw through that. Not even if the whole Clan depends on it!”