Jayfeather's Choice

Chapter 8

Jayfeather closed his eyes, but opened them soon after. I need to know how the Clans are doing, he thought. He slipped into Lionblaze's dreams, praying that his skills were still sharp. Lionblaze stood in the ThunderClan camp- the way the camp had looked the last time Jayfeather saw it. "Jayfeather, why did you leave?" Lionblaze whispered to himself . "The power of stars would do nothing without the stars themselves."

"Lionblaze!" Jayfeather called. Lionblaze turned around, astonished. "Jayfeather." Lionblaze gasped. "You're here." He sighed. "I thought I'd have to go to you myself to deliver this prophecy." Smoke engulfed Jayfeather and Lionblaze, so much so that Jayfeather could barely see his brother. "Time must be reversed in order to restore what has fallen."

"What do you mean?" Jayfeather asked. Lionblaze shook his head. "If only I knew." He sighed. "But Jayfeather- come back."

Smoke engulfed Lionblaze, clouding his vision. No longer being blind, Jayfeather could see the figure of a cat approaching

"Lionblaze?" Jayfeather whispered, barely daring to hope

"I wish I was Lionblaze." Jayfeather's heart dropped as he realized this was not his brother. Instead, it was a small, gray she cat. Her eyes were blue and her fur was messy and dirty.

"Are you part of.." Jayfeather began.

The she-cat nodded. "I am Smokepaw of FallenClan."

"Smokepaw?" Jayfeather asked. "You look old enough to be a warrior." He searched through Smokepaw's mind, and couldn't believe what he saw.

A younger ONestar and Smokepaw were sitting at the entrant of a Twolegplace. Onestar's affection for Smokepaw was clear, and Smokepaw seemed to share ONestar's thoughts.

The scene shifted. Jayfeather couldn't see Smokepaw or Onestar, but he could definetley hear them. Jayfeather gagged at the thought of what they were doing. The scene shifted once more.

Smokepaw was carrying a kit away from Onestar, fury in her eyes. Onestar looked heartbroken, his tail dragging as he padded away.

The scene shifted for a final time. Smokepaw looked much older now. She was following a large group of cats over a mountain. Jayfeather easily regognized Leafpool, Firestar, and Brambleclaw.

JAyfeather left Smokepaw's mind, staring at her in shock.

"You knew Onestar? And you followed the Clans to the lake?"

Smokepaw nodded, her eyes showing only the slightest whisper of grief. "And I lost them midway. When I finally found them, I learned that ONestar was dead."

"I'm sorry." Jayfeather mewed sincerely.

"You shouldn't be." Smokepaw snapped. "Anyways, I'm here to deliver a message that StarClan wanted me to send."

"StarClan is already gone." Jayfeather pointed out.

"Appearently not." Smokepaw replied. "The cat said her name was Star Flower or whatever. Weird name, right?"

Jayfeather nodded, still confused. Hadn't Tigerstar killed all of StarClan? Maybe some cats had survived.

"He told me to tell you to come back, and that if you stayed too long, you would have to do the unthinkable thing. I don't know the exact words, but this is pretty close to what she said."

Jayfeather frowned. He had already given up everything to live with the Tribe of Rushing Water. What more was there for him to do?

"Come back to the Clans with me, Jayfeather." Smokepaw extended her paw, staring into Jayfeather's eyes. "The Clans need you. Your Tribe doesn't"