Jayfeather's Curse

Chapter 9

"Okay Willowkit, you need to hang tight," I tell the she-kit, and she plops down defeatedly. While we wait until Shimmerkit catches up, I look around for a familiar landmark, but I see nothing.

"You're going too fast!" he puffs as he approaches us, and I can't help but giggle. He has shorter legs than his sister and me, so he usually gets left behind.

"I'm sorry Shimmerkit, I forgot you were coming along with us!" I tease, and he springs onto my back and play wrestles with me. "Okay okay that's enough. Time to keep on going. Do you remember who we're going to meet?" I ask them.

"Ooh, Jayfeather!" Willowkit exclaims, her blue eyes shining.

"That's right, and you have to be on your best behavior when you finally meet him," I remind the two mischievous kittens. It has been a moon since the first meeting with Jayfeather, and there has been a few more. But we finally agreed to find each other and meet up so I can bring the kittens to the clan. I just hope they will accept two young, hungry kittens during Leafbare. I cannot wait to see Jayfeather. I miss his soft grey fur and his sky blue eyes. He was always the kindest to me, and seemed to like me. I sure do like him... he's the best friend I've ever had! If I could only find the way back to the clans...

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Where is she? I ask myself as I wander through the forest. I silently curse her out as I trip over vines and bracken. It's difficult trying to find someone and not being able to actually see them. I taste the air, but don't scent her anywhere. I told the clan I was going on a multi-day trip to see if I could find a special herb. I figured I could just pick some leaf off a tree and say it had magic healing abilities. You know, medicine cat stuff. Yay.

After a while I plop down under a tree. Leafbare is approaching and the nights are getting chillier. I can't feel the hot sun on my pelt so I figure that the sun is setting. I rest my chin on my paws and sigh. It's been three days and no sign of Lilypaw. The silver she-cat has been absent from my dreams and I wish I could reach out to her. I can't believe that I'm putting in this much effort for a stupid cat. But I know that she would do the same for me so I feel obliged to find her. But that's not the only reason. I'm starting to feel something for her, and I can't deny it anymore. She is such a caring cat, and she makes me want to be a better person. Sadly that's no going to happen because I like being a snarky asshole. But that's not the point. The point is she makes me feel a way that only one other cat has, and that cat is.. er was, Half Moon. But she existed before the clans were formed, so she isn't an option. I feel a drive to find her, and I will not return until she is with me, and that is a promise.

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I sit under the tree and shoot daggers at the falling snow. It's been two days, and there has been no sign of her anywhere. I feel the snow resting on my whiskers and it sends shivers down my spine. The temperature is dropping and I didn't get a chance to build a den before it started snowing. I push myself up off the ground an trudge on. I crane my head down to the ground and feel with my whiskers. It's pretty flat here besides the occasional small hill. I scent a mouse and feel my stomach growl and realize I forgot how hungry I am. There is just one tiny problem. I can't hunt very well. Ya know, the whole being blind and whatever.

After a while of wondering around and missing prey after prey, I stumble into a barn. I swing my head around, scenting for any clues about Lilypaw and hear hissing behind me. I whip around and come muzzle to muzzle with a foul-smelling cat. I take a few hasty steps as the cat snarles,

"What are you doing in my barn? Can't you see that I have my nest set up here?" I roll my eyes at her comment.

"Yeah, sorry I couldn't see it, it's just that I'm blind or something. Just let make them see for a second," I retort and sense the shock and regret that floods into the cat. Serves her right.