WARRIORS\ The Dark Raven\ Evil Jayfeather AU\

PREVIEW

some designs for the cats who show up the most/ are more important to the story (credits to Sagutoyas.)

 (Mapleshade and her kits will be more important later in the story, though Maple makes her appearance sooner, she isn't terribly important to Jayfeather's descent to madness until later chapters.)

        Jayfeather stood from his nest, stretching his legs and opening his jaws in a long yawn. Alderheart was already sitting upright in his nest, his muscles tense beneath his thick fur.

       "What's the matter with you, Alderheart, you're never up before I am." Jayfeather grumbled, shaking the sleep from his pelt and padding over to where the younger medicine cat sat. 

       "Well?" he grunted, prodding Alderheart's shoulder, "spit it out!"

       "It's Briarlight, Jayfeather, she's gotten worse." as if hearing Alderheart's response had somehow drained all of the annoyance out of his body, Jayfeather slumped to the ground, dreading the moment they would have to surrender Briarlight to Starclan. 

       Briarlight struggled to sit up in her nest, the sickness overcoming her. Jayfeather choked out a few words that she couldn't hear, turning his head to gaze blindly in her direction. 

       "But she's never given up, so why should we give up on her?" Jayfeather spat, his grief turning to anger, " why should we stop trying? What kind of Medicine Cats would that make us?" He demanded, fury burning hot under his pelt. Alderheart backed away, concerned for his former mentor, who was clearly in distress.

       "Jayfeather, sometimes being a good Medicine Cat means accepting when there's nothing else we can do." Alderheart mewed, wincing as Jayfeather shot him a glare through his sightless blue eyes. Cold fury pulsed through Jayfeather's veins, sending a rush of adrenaline through him. Alderheart cowered away from the older Medicine Cat in fear, wishing he would've kept his mouth shut. A low growl rose in Jayfeather's throat as he flicked his tail angrily.

      "Don't listen to him, Jayfeather, I understand you" A mysterious voice spoke, harsh yet somehow comforting, " I understand the pain of losing someone precious to you." The voice turned into a low growl, sending a chill through the blind Medicine Cat's fur.

      "Alderheart," Jayfeather started, " is there any other cat here with us?" He asked, parting his jaws to taste the air for traces of the mysterious cat.

       " No, Jayfeather, He can't hear me. I'm speaking directly to you through your thoughts." The voice spoke again, this time sounding more like a mother comforting her kit.

       "No other cat besides Briarlight" Alderheart mewed in concern, "Jayfeather are you okay? You seem a bit spacey." 

       "Who are you?" Jayfeather called out to the voice in his mind, "Why are you speaking to me?"

       "You've probably heard about me before," the voice spoke again, becoming more clear that it was the voice of a she-cat, " My name is Mapleshade"