Warriors: Broken

Chapter 7

⠀⠀ You are halfclan...

⠀⠀ That was the only thing she could think about. Should she tell her brothers? She decided to, but it would have to be in the right place at the right time. Adderpaw and Timberpaw flattened their ears as they nudged the old deputy. He wasn't her father.

⠀⠀ I am of Windclan and Thunderclan. I need to find my true father. Join Windclan. Get away from this mess. Jaypaw thought, then the prophecy given by her mother wiggled itself into her thoughts.

⠀⠀ After flames bring darkness and many birds fall, one choice will determine the fate of them all.

⠀⠀ "What does that mean?" She hissed to herself. The she cat was now in the forest, her long tail sweeping across the ground. She could see how she was part Windclan. Long legs, small paws, quick. Jaypaw had many questions, but one was more important than the others. Who was her real father?
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⠀⠀ Two moons had passed since the adder incident, as Jaypaw called it, and she decided it was time to tell her brothers the secret that would change their lives, and hopefully give them something to cling on to. With a deep breath, Jaypaw padded into the apprentices' den.

⠀⠀ "Adderpaw. Timberpaw. Meet me behind camp." She hissed. The apprentice slowly snuck out, her paws silent. After waiting on the ledge for several minutes, the two tabbies appeared from behind a bush. "Follow me."

⠀⠀ As soon as the trio of siblings had gotten away from the clan's watchful eyes, she turned around and stared at them. Innocence. That was all she could see reflected in their eyes. She waited there for a moment, knowing she would regret telling them, but it had to be done.

⠀⠀"We're halfclan." She choked out. Her brothers simply stared at her, shocked.

⠀⠀"How... how to you even know?" Timberpaw whispered hoarsely. Adderpaw stared at him and nodded.

⠀⠀ "Do you not believe me?" Jaypaw challenged. Her golden tail began to sway in annoyance as she bared her teeth.

⠀⠀ "No, we believe you, it's just that we don't know how you found out, that's all. Right Adderpaw?" The tabby nodded.

⠀⠀ "Well who's then our real father?" Adderpaw's voice was shaky as he asked the question. Jaypaw shrugged.

⠀⠀ "Hey, I have a crazy idea..." Both heads turned to Timberpaw.

⠀⠀ "What is it?" Jaypaw mewed.

⠀⠀ "We go look for him, tonight!" he yowled. Jaypaw flattened her ears and tackled him.

⠀⠀ "Shut it, mousebrain!" she growled, but it was too late. Cherrypaw had heard them, and she made her way up.

⠀⠀ "What are you guys doing?" the apprentice said groggily. She was probably taking a nap in the bush like she often did to help her clear her mind.

⠀⠀ "Uh, we were just playing tag and I surprised Timberpaw..." Jaypaw's fur spiked in anticipation as she waited for Cherrypaw's response.

⠀⠀ "Okay, whatever. Just stop it I'm trying to sleep." and with that, she waddled back into her nest.

⠀⠀ "She's gonna make the crankiest elder." Timberpaw snickered as the siblings watched her disappear into the bush.

⠀⠀ "I heard that!"

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⠀⠀ "JAYFROST! ADDERBITE! TIMBERWING! WRENFLIGHT!"

⠀⠀ The clan cheered for their new warriors as they held their heads high, all except one. Jayfrost was glaring at Wrenflight as she winked at Ashfang, who had gotten his warrior name a little under a moon ago. He smiled back at her, making Jayfrost cringe.

⠀⠀ "Jayfrost. Jayfrost!"

⠀⠀ She shook her head and blinked, looking at the other cats in front of her.

⠀⠀ "Tonight you have your vigil. I suggest you get started, it's already sundown." Jayfrost nodded to Snakefoot and positioned herself outside of the entrance. Her mind raced, and she was thankful she didn't have to sleep.

⠀⠀ We've come no closer to finding out who our father is... she thought, but I do know more about Wrenflight than she'd want me to know. She suddenly realized that she left Jaxx in the dust when he was getting ready to tell her more. Tomorrow night, I'm finding Jaxx.

⠀⠀ The vigil was silent, except for the occasional shuffle from Adderbite as he attempted to stay awake. He was always the first to fall asleep. Timberwing looked as if he was about to fall over. Jayfrost guessed he didn't think he was allowed to yawn, making it nearly impossible for her to not laugh as he made a face and tried to breathe without separating his lips.

⠀⠀ The next day all Jayfrost did was sleep. She avoided Wrenflight, who acted as if she could do another vigil tonight and not be tired. When Timberwing padded into the warriors' den, Jayfrost couldn't help but laugh.

⠀⠀ "You do realize you're allowed to yawn, right?" His ears went pink and he shook his head.

⠀⠀ "Was it that obvious?"

⠀⠀ "Let's just say if you were trying to make a cat laugh that had never laughed before, and you did that face, they'd die of laughter." They both laughed for a while, but fell asleep as the noise died down.

⠀⠀ Jayfrost awoke at sundown and stretched. Adderbite and Timberwing were curled up next to each other, and they weren't about to wake up. As the sun drifted under the horizon, the golden she cat took off.

⠀⠀ "Where are you going, Jayfrost?"

⠀⠀ The new warrior turned to see Ashfang guarding the entrance.

⠀⠀ "Oh uh... I like to hunt at night." she mewed. The tom's amber eyes filled with worry and she licked his ear. "I'm the one hunting, I'm not being hunted." She smiled and trotted into the darkness.

⠀⠀ Jayfrost followed the trail she took as an apprentice, pausing at where her mother had visited her. The prophecy rang in her ears once again.

⠀⠀ After flames bring darkness and sparrows fall, the jay will determine the fate of them all.

⠀⠀ She couldn't stop thinking about the flames part. Her heart pounded each time she heard the word. By the time she had crossed the river, no one was in sight, but there was the fresh scent of cat.

⠀⠀ "Jaxx? Jaxx it's me, Jaypaw. Except I'm Jayfrost now. Jaxx?"

⠀⠀ A tree branch creaked above her, and as she looked up, two cats came crashing down. Jayfrost hissed and unsheathed her claws as the large rogues circled her. One, a silver tabby with green eyes lunged at her. The warrior instinctively rolled back and pushed him off of her with both hind legs. As he flailed in the air, his claw snagged against her side, dislodging it from his paw.

⠀⠀He wailed in pain and stumbled up. Jayfrost had a gash that began to bleed heavily. She was about to lunge at the rogue when the tabby she cat barreled into her side and slammed her against the tree from where they fell. As she was aiming a blow at the young warrior's neck, a black silhouette appeared above her.

⠀⠀ The cat pinned the tabby and locked his jaws around her neck. She squirmed and tried to shriek, but nothing came out. He let go when he was certain the tabby would die and moved on to the tom with a red muzzle and teeth bared.

⠀⠀ "Tell them not to trespass on my territory, or this will happen to each one of you!" He snarled. With wide eyes, he nodded and backed off, limping his way home. The black tom turned and faced her. The scar was there, and he had nicked ears, but Jayfrost hardly recognized him.

⠀⠀ "Jaxx?" Jayfrost mewed uncertainly. "Thank you."

⠀⠀ "Uh Jaxx," a blue hued she cat mewed as she padded delicately out of the shadows. "Who is this?"