Nothing To Forgive

It had been exactly a moon since the battle with the Dark Forest. Bramblestar had received his nine lives, and was officially ThunderClan's new leader. Squirlflight was his deputy, and every time when she spoke, ThunderClan was reminded of her father, Firestar, who had died in the battle with the Dark Forest. Purdy had declared that he was no longer a member of ThunderClan now that Mousefur had joined StarClan, and was going to be a loner again. ThunderClan was sad to see the likable elder go, including Molepaw, Cherrypaw, and Jayfeather himself, who had bore the brunt of Purdy's ceaseless stories. Jayfather had watched Bramblestar and Squirlflight carefully. He wanted to see if there would be romance kindled between the former mates, but there was none. Bramblestar may have forgiven Squirlflight for lying to him, but Jayfeahter suspected that neither of them were willing to fall in love again. Love, Jayfeather thought. The word meant so much to other cats, and yet the word sent tremors down his spine. It was love that caused a forbidden union between Leafpool, a medicine cat from ThunderClan, and Crowfeather, a warrior from WindClan. That union caused Jayfeather, Lionblaze, and Hollyleaf to be born in a web of lies, deceit, and pain. Lionblaze had finally gotten his love to accept him and his destiny. He and Cinderheart were now mates. Hollyleaf had died in the battle with the Dark Forest. Jayfeather had his position as a medicine cat again, and was now the most respect cat in the Clans. Yet something was missing.

Jayfeather still thought of what he said to his mother, Leafpool. "There's nothing to forgive. You did what you thought was right." He had hated Leafpool with every breath in his small body, as with Squirlflight and Crowfeather. Now he had forgiven them. He remembered when Lionblaze had told him that Breezepelt, their half-brother was about to kill him when Crowfeather intervened. "He said that he didn't regret falling in love with Leafpool. He didn't regret anything." Jayfeahter recalled how his brother's voice trembled with emotion. "Crowfeather told Breezepelt that he didn't hate him, that his mother encouraged it. Breezepelt ran away, and then Crowfeather paid respects to Hollyleaf's body." Lionblaze's voice faded as Jayfeahter recalled what Onestar had told the Clans at the last Gathering. Breezepelt and Nightcloud had become rouges, and he suspected that they haven't left the Clans yet. The leader warned that the two former warriors were highly dangerous, and wouldn't hesitate to kill a kit. Jayfeather felt Crowfeather tense at the mention of his mate and son, and felt his half-hidden memories. Jayfeather knew one thing. Crowfeather did not love Nightcloud. He still loved Leafpool.

He wanted to talk with his father. Crowfeather's sudden attitude to his half-Clan kits had startled Jayfeather, and he wanted to know what his father was thinking. Crowfeather had only revealed half of his feelings to Lionblaze and to wanted to know his father's true feelings about him, Hollyleaf, Lionblaze, Nightcloud, Breezepelt, and Leafpool. In order to tell him that, however, Jayfeather would have to talk to Crowfeather face to face. He would have to follow his father's dreams. Night was coming, Jayfeather could tell. The cries of excitement from Seedkit, Lilykit, Dewkit, Amberkit, and Snowkit had faded once the five kits disappeared into the nursery. He heard the soft meows of his Clanmates as they slept. Briarlight, his patient, was already asleep. Her calm breaths calmed his own breathing and mind. Soon Jayfeather found himself asleep, where he would follow Crowfeather's, his father's, dreams.