Eyesore: The Weight Of Souls

Chapter Twelve

Jaypaw peeled open his eyelids, swollen with sleep. He shook his head slowly, mind still reeling from what had happened in his dream. Lionpaw was part of the prophecy. Maybe that's why they'd connected so well.

"Wakey, wakey, bunny. You fell asleep out here amongst the heather." Nightcloud's whiskers trailed over his head, her touch feathery.

Jaypaw got to his feet, fur spiked in all directions. "Has Cranberrystripe been asking for me?"

She tapped her tail twice against his flank to gesture the answer was no.
"You're on camp duty today, apparently." Nightcloud reminded him. Jaypaw groaned. Camp duty was the worst. He hated collecting moss, taking care of other cats, and hated their whining and questions. 

"Yeah, yeah." A thought unfurled from within his brain. "Isn't it the gathering tonight?" The idea tasted like sunshine, warm and hopeful. Lionpaw might be there. They could discuss the prophecy and all they knew, and figure out who the other cats in it were

His mother tapped his flank once to indicate yes.
"Your second gathering! How do you feel?"

"I mean, I don't really care. It's just another gathering." But inside, his organs were humming. A chance was right in front of him, waiting for him to take it.

Throughout that day, Jaypaw's thoughts kept him occupied. Weaving nests, grooming the elders, forced conversation were all made easier by pondering the prophecy. He planned out all the things he'd need to say to Lionpaw. He'd need to discuss powers, other cats that may be in the prophecy, and his theory that the Four was made up of a cat from each Clan.

His daydreaming fogged his head, keeping Jaypaw distant from his daily activities. He didn't fully concentrate until he was actually arriving at the island as the moon had fully risen in the sky.

"Jaypaw, your fidgeting is kind of annoying," Whiskerpaw whispered to him. "What's so exciting about this gathering, anyway?"

"Oh, there's someone I want to see," Jaypaw replied. He tried to sound airy but his words came out bubbling with excitement.

Whiskerpaw's whiskers scraped Jaypaw's face as he turned sharply. "You'd better not have feelings about a cat from another Clan!" He sounded affronted.

Jaypaw shook his head impatiently.
"Of course not. It's just a friend, no big deal." He sniffed, though he was trembling with anticipation. Lionpaw was more than just a friend. He was one of the Four. And that was certainly a big deal.

When WindClan entered the island, Jaypaw took a deep inhale. He scented ThunderClan easily, mixing among ShadowClan scents. RiverClan wasn't here yet, which gave Jaypaw time to find Lionpaw and for the two to sneak away to talk.

He weaved through the crowd, wondering just how to find the other tom. Scents cascaded around him, disorientating Jaypaw as he stumbled through the crowd. Chatter ground against his ears, scraping against his bone. He followed the haze, desperate to scent Lionpaw through it all.

"Hey, Jaypaw!" He turned his head at the sound of voices calling. He forced a smile. Briarpaw.

"Hey, Briarpaw. Is Lionpaw here?"

The molly tapped his flank with her tail to signal yes. "He is," she confirmed. "I can find him for you if you want! He was over by the foxgloves. The ones on the ShadowClan lakeshore. Last time I checked he was talking to the ShadowClan medicine cat."

Jaypaw swallowed, his saliva tasting like morning glory, sunrises dripping in birdsong serenading him awake, or to sleep. Jaypaw's feet were already moving toward the foxgloves by ShadowClan's side of the lake shore.
"Thanks, Briarpaw!"