The Last Hope

Mintfur murmured to her Clanmate. “I think Mistystar should decide.”

“I guess.” Distrust edged Beetlewhisker’s mew. Jayfeather suddenly wished Lionblaze was with him after all.

Troutstream strode forward. “Come on.” The she-cat nosed him uphill and Mintfur and Beetlewhisker fell in beside them.

“There’s a tree-bridge here.” Troutstream’s pelt brushed Jayfeather’s whiskers as she leaped up ahead of him. Jayfeather smelled the stale sap of a fallen trunk. It must span the river that carved RiverClan’s camp from the mainland. He scrambled up after her, digging his claws into the peeling bark, and followed her gingerly, his heart lurching as the log rocked under the weight of Mintfur and Beetlewhisker behind him. The river swished beneath him. It would wash him into the lake if he fell.

When he felt the trunk divide into brittle branches, he knew he’d reached the other side. He gathered his haunches under him and leaped forward, hoping to clear the top of the fallen tree. He landed clumsily among some trailing twigs but Troutstream steadied him.

“This way.” She led Jayfeather through tall grass. RiverClan scent bathed him as they reached a clearing. He could sense shock flash around him from the cats in the camp.

“Why’s he here?”

Heronpaw was silenced by Rushtail. “Listen and you might find out.”

“Welcome, Jayfeather.” Mistystar’s pelt scraped against twigs as she squeezed out of her den. “Have you come to see Mothwing and Willowshine?”

Jayfeather dipped his head. “Yes, if I may.”

“He’s got no right!” Beetlewhisker snarled.

Jayfeather could feel warmth flooding from Mistystar. At least she was pleased to see him. “He has the right of StarClan,” she cautioned her warrior. Her tail-tip touched Jayfeather’s flank. “I’ll take you to the medicine den.”

He followed her across the camp, into a tunnel of grass that opened into a small clearing. Jayfeather inhaled the familiar scents of coltsfoot, borage, and watermint. Grass swished and paws scuffed the ground.

“Jayfeather?” Mothwing sounded surprised.

“Is everything okay?” Willowshine’s tail brushed the soft earth.

Mistystar turned beside him, her pelt brushing his as she padded away. “I’ll leave you to talk.”

Willowshine was at his side in a moment. “What’s the matter? Is someone sick?”

“I needed to talk to Mothwing,” Jayfeather explained.

“But you’re not a medicine cat anymore.” Willowshine sounded puzzled. “Dawnpelt accused you of—”

Jayfeather interrupted her. “If ShadowClan told the river to stop flowing, would it?”

Willowshine stiffened. “It’s not just ShadowClan!” she protested. “StarClan has shared dreams with me and they told me that medicine cats must stay away from one another.”

Mothwing snorted. “They’ve said nothing to me, so you can go collect mallow while I talk to Jayfeather.”

Jayfeather felt silence harden between the two medicine cats. Then Willowshine whipped her tail over the ground. “Okay.” She stomped from the den.

Mothwing’s tail twitched. “If StarClan told her to jump in the lake, she would!”

Jayfeather shrugged. “She can swim.”

A growl rumbled in Mothwing’s throat. “Don’t joke. This is serious. It’s you who told me we are facing a terrible battle.”

How will I know if she’s the fourth cat? He crouched beside her. “The Clans need to unite for the battle that is coming, but that’s impossible while the medicine cats are divided.”

Mothwing’s claws scratched the earth. “It’s so mouse-brained! Ignoring common sense just because some starry old cat tells you to.” Her tail whisked past Jayfeather as she tucked it around her. “I’m sorry,” she apologized. “I know you believe in StarClan and I respect that. Faith has helped to guide the Clans through difficult times before, but right now it seems to be getting in the way.”

Jayfeather understood the frustration in her mew. StarClan was making the threat of the Dark Forest more dangerous by driving the Clans apart. “If only I could talk to Flametail, perhaps I would be able to persuade him to tell Littlecloud the truth.”

“That would be a start.” Mothwing shifted her paws. “The medicine cats are never going to come together while they think you’re a murderer.” She sat up. “I’ll talk to Littlecloud and Kestrelflight. I might be able to persuade them to see that they’re undermining the strength of the medicine-cat code.”

“Would they listen to you over StarClan?”

Mothwing’s claws scraped the earth. “I’m glad I don’t have StarClan buzzing like bees in my brain! How can you think clearly with old cats muttering in your thoughts all the time?”

“Jayfeather?” Mistystar’s mew sounded softly in the entrance tunnel. “You have to leave.”

But I still need proof that Mothwing’s the fourth cat!

“My senior warriors no longer see you as a medicine cat,” Mistystar explained apologetically. “I have to respect their feelings. You can’t stay here any longer.”

Jayfeather could sense hostility prickling in the air outside the medicine den. “They think I’m a trespasser.”