Picture: Jaypool
Jaypool growled, pressing her ears against her head and fluffing up her tail. Her crystal-clear blue eyes were focused on her opponent. She pounced, stretching out her forepaw. The opposite cat tried to duck, but she was too slow. Jaypool's paw cuffed her roughly across her ears. She landed a little clumsily on her feet, and her rival swerved out of her reach, and hissed. Jaypool was about to pounce again, when a familiar voice interrupted her.
"Having fun?"
She swung around. Her father's dark green eyes glittered. She dipped her head and purred. Hawkstripe, her sister, stepped next to her and purred.
"We were just practicing some battle moves," she twitched her ear.
Firestorm nodded. "Shadowpelt is arranging border patrols. I can't come, but can you?"
"Yes," Jaypool turned to her sister, who nodded.
The two litter mates pelted across the clearing to catch up with the deputy's patrol. Hawkstripe grinned and raced to the front, like always.
"Jaypool!" Jaypool held back from following her sister. She turned. Nighteagle cocked his head shyly at her. "Hey," he meowed.
"Hi!" Jaypool replied, slowing down. She noticed his friend, Hailfeather, trailing close behind him. What that a look of envy on brown-speckled face? Jaypool stifled a purr.
"Have... you heard what Oakstar said?" Nighteagle asked cautiously.
"No- what?"
"A prophecy. Dapplefur says it's super important! And Oakstar mentioned that a cat in this clan is involved!"
"Really?" Curiosity filled her. She wondered who it was! How exciting!
"Yeah. Pretty cool, huh?" Nighteagle smiled, his dark blue eyes shining. Then he lowered his head, acting like the shy cat he was again. Jaypool purred. She could see he was desperately looking for something to chat about. I don't want to embarrass him! Jaypool thought.
"Well, see you later! It was nice talking to you!" She called over her shoulder, already heading to catch up with Hawkstripe.
"Y-You too!" Nighteagle stammered.
Hawkstripe purred, amused, as Jaypool appeared next to her.
"Flirting, are we?" She taunted.
Jaypool shook her head, turning away. "No!"
"Don't be a mousebrain." Hawkstripe grinned sweetly, her bright green eyes twinkling. "He likes you. A lot!"
Jaypool felt the skin under her silver fur grow hot. She kept quiet. Hawkstripe giggled, and turned away.
"Paw prints!" Hailfeather's yowl tore through Jaypool's thoughts. Her head snapped up, and she caught sight of a track of paw prints. She pushed forward and bent down to sniff them. They were stale; obliviously made quiet a while ago. She couldn't recognise the scent of any cat, but it did smell like StormClan. She lifted her head and frowned, puzzled. Shadowpelt, the deputy paced a few steps forward.
"What do we do?" Fawnstep broke the silence.
"Follow them, of course!" Hawkstripe pushed in, eyes shimmering with excitement. Shadowpelt flicked his tail, already making his way through the dense ferns. Fawnstep nodded and crept after him.
Fawnstep was a very close friend of Jaypool. They had done everything together as kits. They had sort of drifted away as apprentices ever since Jaypaw had met Nightpaw. They had also become close, but he was very shy. Hawkstripe was right, he did seen to have a crush on her. When the three of them had been made warriors, Jaypool and Fawnstep grew closer again. Now they were best friends.
Jaypool jogged enthusiastically after her, Nighteagle trailing close behind, followed by Foxtail and his apprentice Cherrypaw.
The paw prints led a long way. Whoever it was, they seemed to have been long for something. The prints were scattered all over the place, dipping into rabbit holes and through thick layers of thorns. Sharp brambles raked Jaypool's fur into lines, and thin branches pricked her face. Annoyed, she lowered her head and spat another bunch of leaves out of her mouth.
"Look!" Nighteagle exclaimed suddenly. Jaypool forced herself to look up, and saw something that made shivers run down her spine like ice cold water. Scratch marks. But not normal apprentice-training scratch marks. Four crooked claw marks etched deep into the hard wood. They were long and jagged, stretching across the tree trunk.
"That... isn't a normal practice scratch mark," Shadowpelt shuddered.
Jaypool backed off. The paw prints lead right up to the tree and back to its path. And the claw marks definitely had the same scent on them. Plus, whatever it was, it was certainly a cat.
"Let's... Move on," Hawkstripe suggested, and Jaypool felt her sister pressing close to her side.
The patrol went on, and Jaypool soon found herself in the lead.
"Watch out!" Nighteagle yowled. Too late. Suddenly, her insides back-flipped as she felt herself plunging through a thick layer of leaves, and the sound of snapping twigs echoed in her ears. She felt strong jaws grab her by the scruff of her neck, and pulling her up. Panting, she lay at the edge of a deep, dark hole. Her heart thudded, painfully bursting out of her ribs. Blood pounded in her ears as she tried to get her breathing under control.
"Are you okay?!" Hawkstripe leaned over her, a worried expression on her face. Fawnstep was next to her.
"Nighteagle saved your life!" Shadowpelt crouched beside the hole to examine it. "You fell through a grid of branches which was covered up with leaves."
Jaypool staggered to her paws and peered down the hole. She would have plunged into complete blackness; who knew what was down there? Nighteagle had saved her!
"I think we should go home." the black and white deputy said.
"No, don't let me stop you!" Jaypool interrupted.
"You're not. It's too dangerous to keep going. There may be more deadly traps. And besides, we have to report back to Oakstar before we take any further actions." He argued, turning around. Jaypool followed him obediently with the rest of the patrol. This time she didn't pay much attention to the thorns and twigs. Her heart was still pounding in shock, and she was deep in thought.
"Jaypool, you ought to see Dapplefur." Nighteagle told her after the got back to camp.
"Why? I told you, I'm fine!" She snapped, irritated. Nighteagle slunk off with Hailfeather, leaving Jaypool cursing herself.
"Why are so snappy at him?" Hawkstripe appeared next to her.
"I wasn't-"
"Yes, you were. He's just trying to help. He really cares about you!"
"I know." Jaypool sighed. "But he worries too much!"
"Jaypool, I need to talk to you. It's super important!"
Jaypool swing around and gasped. Oakstar!
"Of course," She dipped her head to Hawkstripe and followed him into the leaders den, where Dapplefur was already waiting.
"I think you've heard that we have received a prophecy from StarClan." Oakstar began. Jaypool nodded and swallowed.
"Well, this may come as a surprise, but StarClan has chosen you."
Excitement bubbled in her throat.
"I think you may want to hear it-
Jay, Crow, Flame and Otter must unite
To save all the clans
From two pure evil cats
Planning to destroy Storm
Then Lake, Cloud, and Sand."
"You're Jay, Jaypool. And you must find Crow, Flame and Otter from the other clans. Tonight at the gathering." Dapplefur said.
"But I-I don't-" Jaypool tried to sort her jumbled thoughts dancing around in her head.
"I know this is going very fast for you, but you have to find the other three cats mentioned in the prophecy tonight at the gathering. Can you do that?" Oakstar locked his yellow eyes on her.
"Yes." Pull yourself together! You've been chosen by StarClan! You can do this!
"Good. The sun is setting; I'm calling out the cats going to the gathering now." Oakstar exited the den, so Dapplefur and Jaypool followed.
"...Jaypool, Nighteagle, Foxtail, Brightstorm, Thrushflight, Blossomstreak, Hailfeather..."
Jaypool kept quiet for the whole walk to the Fourtrees. She was sank deep in thought, and didn't even pay attention to apologetic looks Nighteagle shot her. She knew she should apologise to him, put she didn't have the time for that.
Tonight was going to be a busy night.
And she was right.
Lol I'm not sure about the ending. Does it add suspense or does it just add more lameness? :P
Anyways, I'll be publishing the next chapters whenever I can. So stay tuned!