Jaywatcher's Love [Old, DISCONTINUED]

∆ chapter 5 ∆

"Help me!" Jaypaw yowled, running as fast as her paws could take her. She was running from her worst nightmare.

"Come on, Jaypaw!" A voice snarled from behind her. "You know you'll never have a mother!"

Jaypaw only ran faster. "Leave me alone!" The apprentice leaped over logs and rocks, ducking under brambles and tree roots.

She didn't dare look behind her. Jaypaw knew she'd see something she didn't want to see.

Ahead of Jaypaw, a lithe white she-cat with brown markings. She was drawn towards the she, but didn't know why.

She scampered backwards, heart racing, as brambles sprouted out of the ground, blocking her path.

Jaypaw climbed the nearest tree, going a tail-length each jump upwards. She reached a low branch and crouched low, surrounded by pines.

A shadowy darkness engulfed Jaypaw before she could speak. "Jaypaw! Jaypaw!" A familiar voice panicked.

Jaypaw jolted awake. Cedarpaw was staring at her with wide eyes. "Jaypaw! I was beginning to think that you were never gonna wake up!"

Fear-scent trailed around the tom. "What were you doing in your dream, battling a fox?"

"No, sorry. I-I was having a nightmare. Was-was I kicking you in your sleep?" Jaypaw noticed it was almost moon-high outside the bramble-covered den.

"Ivypaw and Nightpaw woke me up for the Gathering. They told me to wake you up, and I saw you thrashing around in your nest." Cedarpaw explained.

"It's the Gathering?" Jaypaw asked, hopes rising. "And I'm going?"

"Of course!" Cedarpaw purred. "It's your first Gathering."

Jaypaw leaped up, eyes gleaming. "Let's go then!"

"Wait!" Cedarpaw hissed as the younger apprentice raced ahead quickly.

Jaypaw scattered dusty sand everywhere when she halted in front of her mentor. "Hi, Rowantail!"

"Hello, Jaypaw." Rowantail mewed calmly. "Ready for your first Gathering?"

"Yeah!" Jaypaw squeaked, hoping she didn't sound too much like a kit. "I'm ready!"

Rowantail merely nodded as Redstar signaled for the Clan to move. Jaypaw walked forwards at the heels of her mentor, seeing most of the Clan. All the warriors were going, except Smokeflame, Newtspeckle and Owlfang, to guard the camp, Jaypaw assumed.

The ShadowClan cats were silent as they traveled to Fourtrees. Jaypaw glanced at Rowantail, but the senior warrior only walked forwards.

After what felt like minutes of walking, Redstar's tail shot up into the air, and the Clan stopped. Jaypaw nearly walked into Dawnberry's rump, but stopped herself before she did.

Rowantail signaled silently to Jaypaw to not make a sound. Suddenly, Redstar's tail shot down, and ShadowClan poured into the hollow like a rushing waterfall.

Jaypaw was pushed forwards by all the cats behind her, nearly toppling into the hollow.

Redstar bounded up to the large rock in the center of the clearing as the ShadowClan cats made their way around the clearing.

Scents mingled and Jaypaw had a hard time keeping up with who was from what Clan.

Jaypaw could see Dawnberry, Badgerheart and Tawnyeyes, all talking with a group of fish-scented warriors.

She looked over and saw Cedarpaw and Ivypaw talking with an apprentice that smelled the same as Spotstar, when he entered the ShadowClan camp. Nightpaw was there too, eyes clouded and looking aroundp