Jaywatcher's Love [Old, DISCONTINUED]

∆ chapter 6 ∆

Jaypaw padded into camp, carrying a fat vole. It was almost leaf-fall. Leaf-fall meant leaf-bare.

Rowantail had taught her the basics of hunting, and Jaypaw had caught on quickly.

Today was the day. The day after the Gathering. Jaypaw needed to meet Leafpaw.

The ShadowClan apprentice dropped the vole, meeting her mentor at the entrance to the warriors' den.

"Jaypaw. Hello." Rowantail mewed to his apprentice between licks at his ruffled fur. "Did you enjoy the hunting patrol with Blackpaw and Newtspeckle?"

"Very." Jaypaw murmured, eyes drifting to her paws. "It was nice. To spend time with Blackpaw."

"Wonderful." Rowantail mewed. "What did you catch?"

Great StarClan, what's with all the questions?Jaypaw thought bitterly. "I caught a vole. A fat one."

Rowantail nodded. "Good catch. You'd better go to check on the elders."

Jaypaw nodded back at her mentor and padded to the den that sheltered the elders.

Mistwind and Tawnyberry were sharing tounges in their den. Jaypaw knew that the two elders were long-time mates.

Tawnyberry looked up from where she was grooming Mistwind's pelt. "Ah, hello, Jaypaw. Here to change the bedding?"

"Yeah." Jaypaw purred at the elder, making sure to show the older cat respect. "Do you mind moving over?"

"Not at all, darlin'." Mistwind mewed, shuffling over until they were off the moss. Tawnyberry did the same.

Jaypaw clawed at the old moss and grabbed a couple pawfuls and a mouthful, the smell making her gag.

Jaypaw nodded to the elders and padded outside the ShadowClan camp, burying the moss beside a dead tree.

She ripped moss off of a nearby oak tree beside a stream, grabbing pawfuls and a mouthful, the same way she did with the old moss.

Jaypaw made her way back to the ShadowClan camp, which wasn't too far away. Padding to the elder's den, she started to put the moss in the right place.

When she finished, the den smelled better, and looked better. Jaypaw turned to the elders as they settled into their new nests. "There."

"Thank you, Jaypaw." Mistwind meowed as he switched positions with Tawnyberry and began to groom her fur.

"You're welcome." Jaypaw mewed politely as she walked out. Jaypaw looked at the sky as she padded to the apprentices' den. It was already almost sun-down

Jaypaw had only started the hunting patrol right after sun-high. She didn't realize that so much time had passed.

Jaypaw padded into the apprentices' den, greeting by Tigerpaw and Nightpaw. "Hi." Nightpaw murmured, as Tigerpaw flicked his tail in greeting.

"Hello." Jaypaw greeted, curling into her nest and sighing silently. Closing her eyes, Jaypaw slept.

∆ ∆ ∆ ∆ ∆ ∆

The dream was back. Jaypaw ran as fast as she could, paws pounding against the grassy ground.

The same lithe white she-cat was surrounded by a wall of brambles. Jaypaw knew this was Leafpaw. It was a perfect copy of the ThunderClan apprentice.

Jaypaw ran up the same tree, surrounded by pines and clutching the branch with unsheathed claws.

A shadowy figure passed right by Jaypaw, and she felt her fur bristling in fear. It was a cat's silhouette. A cat with black fur, and yellow eyes.