Jayfeather perked his ears at the sound of distant crunching of leaves. He lifted his nose and scented the air. Squirrel. Shaking his head irritably, he continued to pad through the forest. The warm greenleaf breeze ruffled his fur and he felt the pale half-moon shining down oh his gray pelt. As he neared the stream that led the way to Moonpool, he began to pick out the different scents of his fellow medicine cats. "Hello, Jayfeather," mewed the soft voice of Willowpelt. Jayfeather nodded politely at the RiverClan she-cat. He felt nervous hesitation radiating off of her fur and knew exactly what was on her mind. "I...I'm very sorry about Leafpool," she sighed sympathetically. The gray tom narrowed his eyes and turned his head away from her. Although he couldn't see, he didnt want to even be perceived as looking at her. He scented the air quickly. "Here comes Kestreltail," he muttered. Willowpelt's relief was obvious to Jayfeather when she heard that there was another cat able to distract her from him. He hissed under his breath and turned to face the WindClan tom. "Hey, Willowpelt, Jayfeather. Sorry I'm a bit late." "That's okay," Willowpelt mewed sweetly. "Littlecloud and Dawnpaw aren't here yet." Jayfeather suddenly heard soft pawsteps padding toward them. "Hello, you all!" called the old tabby tom. "Sorry we're late; Tallpoppy was having some trouble breathing." "Nothing serious, I hope," Jayfeather murmured curiously. Littlecloud shook his head. "Nothing we couldn't handle. Dawnpaw here did wonderfully," he added warmly to his apprentice. Dawnpaw shuffled her tiny paws and licked her chest fur embarrassedly. "Well, we'd better get going, if we want to catch the moonlight at Moonpool," suggested Kestreltail. The other three medicine cats nodded in approval and turned to head toward the Moonpool. Jayfeather walked with his head hung low, he didnt even bother to listen in on the other cats' conversations. They walked a fox-length ahead of him, apparently not even aware of his presence. Suddenly, he felt a warm pelt brush against him. "Jayfeather," mewed Littlecloud, his voice cracked with age. "Yes," Jayfeather grumbled. "You mustn't grieve over Leafpool. She lived a wonderful, long life, and trusted that StarClan would lead her path in the right direction. She wouldn't want to see you so upset over her death." The gray tom's fur bristled. "So what, am I just supposed to pretend like she didnt die? I'm I not to think of her cold and dead somewhere?" The old ShadowClan tom sighed. "Of course you must think of her, but think of her not as dead, but as a presence that will always be with you." Jayfeather turned his head away from the tabby, fighting the tears that threatened to fall from his sightless eyes. Littlecloud touched the tip of his tail to his shoulder. "We're at Moonpool, now." The five cats scrambled up the slope leading to the sacred meeting place. Jayfeather chose a cold spot on the rock, not wanting to feel comfortable at the moment, and touched his nose to the icy water. The pale moon shone above and the twinkling stars winked down at him. He sighed. "Come on, StarClan," he muttered irritably. "Let's get on with it." "Same old, stubborn Jayfeather," purred an achingly familiar voice. "Leafpool," Jayfeather whimpered, feeling like a frightened kit calling out for his mother. He looked ahead and saw the slim outline of the she-cat he had learned to love as a mother. Warm tears began to dampen his dark fur. Leafpool padded up to him and licked his cheek. "Do not cry, my darling," she purred. "I have something to tell you." Jayfeather sniffed back his tears, putting on a brave face for the sake of his Clan. "What warning do you have for us?" His voice cracked with sadness. The brown she-cat smiled and touched her tail to his shoulder. "No, my darling Jayfeather," she mewed. "This doesnt concern the whole of ThunderClan. But it may concern you brother and sister, if you wish to share it with them." Jayfeather stared at her puzzled and she just smiled back patiently. "Jayfeather," she began, taking in a deep breath. "Have you ever wondered why Squirrelflight's milk never came when you three were born? Or why you and Hollyfur look nothing like Squirrelflight or Brambleclaw?" Jayfeather considered this for a moment then nodded slowly. Leafpool paused. "Well, that's because..." She closed her eyes for a moment, breathing in deeply. When she opened them, they were glazed with tears but filled with warmth. "It's because you are not their kits." "What?" the dark tom gasped softly. "Then, whose kits are we? Are we even ThunderClan, or did they just find us and decide to take us in?" By this time, Jayfeathers eyes were wide and wild, and his fur was bristling along his spine. "Calm down, love," purred Leafpool, touching her tail to his lips. "You are ThunderClan...at least half-way." "Halfway? What do you mean halfway? How can we be halfway?" Leafpool narrowed her eyes playfully. "If you let me talk, I will tell you." Jayfeather looked down innocently and began to listen intently to what his mentor said. Taking a deep breath, Leafpool continued, "You are half ThunderClan, and half WindClan." Jayfeathers muscles tensed. "Your father is..." "Your father is me," meowed a new voice, this time deeper and silky. A dark gray tom, darker than Jayfeather, but not by much, padded toward him. Jayfeather recognized the scent of Crowfeather. "Crowfeather?" gasped Jayfeather, remembering the headstrong WindClan warrior. "Well, if youre my father...then whos my mother?" "I am." Jayfeathers gaze shot back to Leafpool. Her eyes were pleading, laced with tears. "Crowfeather and I fell in love and ran off together. We came back because we knew we belonged in our own clans. But I never stopped loving him." "And I never stopped loving her," Crowfeather purred, twining his tail with hers. Leafpool smiled. "I learned I was going to have kits a few moons after we parted." Crowfeather began to look sorrowful. "I had to take a new mate, just so my Clanmates would trust me again." He looked back up at Jayfeather. "I never knew that you and your siblings were my kits. I never would have abandoned you if I had known." Jayfeather saw the regret in the dark toms blue eyes. He felt his father's pain like a sharp claw piercing his heart. He swallowed. "I know," he whispered. "I would have liked to know you as a father, rather than an enemy." Crowfeather smiled gratefully. Jayfeather turned back to Leafpool. "How come you never told me?" he asked softly. Leafpool looked down at her paws. "I didn't want to upset you. What kind of mentor breaks the warrior code by having kits?" "My mentor," replied Jayfeather warmly. "And my mother." Leafpool's eyes flooded with tears, from what Jayfeather could tell, of joy. "Thank you, my son," she sighed. "You know, I had always thought you were a punishment from StarClan, what with your blindness, and all." She looked him straight in the eyes. "But I was wrong. You are the greatest blessing a cat could wish for. And I'm proud to be your mother." Jayfeather felt a purr erupt from his chest. He had always worried about pleasing Leafpool. It always seemed like he was just a burden to her. "And I am proud to be your son." He looked at his father. "Both of yours."
______________________________________________________________ Setting: Jaypaw has recieved his medicine cat name, Jayfeather. He is on his way to meet the other medicine cats to go to Moonpool. This is his first time sharing tongues with StarClan without Leafpool; she had died a few weeks before. Jayfeather had obviously gotten very close to Leafpool during the course of his training because he's depressed due to her death.
I hope you like this! This idea was buzzing around in my head all through OGTs.