Dawnpelt's Anger

Chapter 2

Jayfeather stalked up to the border and pulled the chervil up from the ground. He sniffed around for more of it when he heard a twig crack nearby.

"Dawnpelt?" he meowed, nervousness starting to claw at his belly.

When no answer came, he turned to leave when suddenly something slammed into him. He thudded to the ground, the wind knocked out of him and suddenly Dawnpelt's scent washed over him. She pounced on top of him and had him pinned to the ground, her claws piercing his shoulders.

"Stealing our herbs?" Dawnpelt sneered, "Your not going to get away with that!"

Jayfeather let out a yowl of fear as she lifted a paw to strike his throat, but he lashed out with his hind legs, raking her belly. She doubled back, hissing with irritation and she pounced at him again. He rolled out of the way and sprang to his paws.

"Get off our territory!" he screeched, running towards her but was taken by surprise as she jumped on his back.

He collapsed, unable to take her weight. He struggled to get to his paws but couldn't.

"Your finally going to get what you deserve for breaking the warrior code!" Dawnpelt hissed madly.

Jayfeather gasped as he felt sharp claws pierce the back of his neck. He went limp, hoping to use the play dead trick on her. He started feeling weaker and weaker, losing oxygen and blood. He knew he didn't stand a chance against a Shadowclan warrior.

Suddenly he heard caterwauling. It was very faint, and he felt himself loose consciousness as he thought he heard and Ivypool's and Foxleap's voices. The voices slowly faded away, and so did his pain.

~~~~

Jayfeather opened his eyes to the feeling of sunlight drifting through the branches of the medicine den, partly warming his pelt. He lifted his muzzle, realizing he wasn't dizzy anymore. Briarlight was cramming chervil into the herb store.

"Are you feeling better?" Briarlight inquired, coming to sniff his wounds again.

"Yes." Jayfeather got to his paws shakily. He limped out of the medicine den, wincing as he felt the deep scratches on his shoulders burning.

"Jayfeather!" Lionblaze bounded up to him. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine." Jayfeather said flatly, not liking all this attention.

"Good! I caught you a mouse for you. Want to share?" Lionblaze asked.

"Sure." Jayfeather meowed, suddenly realizing how hungry he was. He followed his brother to the fresh-kill pile, picking up a juicy mouse.

After taking a bite of the mouse, Leafpool came racing across the camp.

"Jayfeather! Are you alright?" Leafpool meowed, covering him in licks.

"I'm fine!" Jayfeather hissed, "Stop treating me like a kit!"

Leafpool stopped licking and murmured something to Lionblaze and they both purred with amusement. Jayfeather flicked his tail with annoyance and kept eating.

"How was the gathering?" Jayfeather asked eventually

Lionblaze hesitated, then meowed, "It was ok. But Dawnpelt mentioned that you were stealing herbs from their territory."

Jayfeather froze and stopped eating.

"What? It was on our territory!" Jayfeather exclaimed.

"Then why did she attack you yesterday? I don't think she'd attack if you weren't crossing their border." Lionblaze meowed thoughtfully.

Jayfeather's mind whirled. Was Lionblaze defending Dawnpelt?

"I-I didn't cross the border." Jayfeather stuttered, but now he was becoming confused.

Did I cross the border by mistake?

"I still think she shouldn't of attacked that fiercely, though." Lionblaze growled.

When they finished eating, Lionblaze left to go hunting and Jayfeather headed towards the medicine den. Before he got there a cat blocked his path. Jayfeather scented Leafpool.

"What?" he asked, still a little dazed about what Lionblaze had told him.

"Jayfeather... Briarlight saved your life. I think that's a sign that she should be your apprentice." Leafpool meowed.

"But Starclan hasn't told me yet if she's the one." Jayfeather protested, still half listening.

"I know but..."

"She's disabled." Jayfeather cut her off, flashing a stern look "She can't rush to help with two paralyzed legs. We've had this discussion before."

With that he whipped around and stalked off into the woods, and he heard Leafpool sigh behind him.

It's not her decision, he thought, Its Starclan's.

He padded on through the warm, sun-dappled forest. He made sure to stay clear of the Shadowclan border, and veered off in the opposite direction when he suddenly heard a terrified screech. He whipped around heard two cats yowling. He raced as fast as he could, using his whiskers to guide him. His stomach clenched when the smell of dog reached his nose. The noises became more clear when he reached the Shadowclan border.

"Help! Jayfeather!" Tigerheart's yowl came.

Tigerheart and Dawnpelt were trying to fight the dogs, with no success.

He hesitated, then flung himself over the Shadowclan border. Hissing threateningly, he sprinted up to the dogs and crashed into one who had Dawnpelt pinned down.

"Help!" Tigerheart's screech was cut off as a dog clamped its jaws on his throat.

Jayfeather gasped and rushed to help but bumped into the second dog. It turned around, snarling and lunged at him. He dodged its attack and ran around to help Tigerheart and the dogs suddenly stopped, ears perked. Then they retreated, tails dragging as Twolegs called them. The dog who had Tigerheart in his jaws dropped him reluctantly. Jayfeather ran over to Tigerheart, and accidentally tripped over a tree root, landing on him with his claws out for balance. Jayfeather quickly sheeted them, hoping they hadn't clawed Tigerheart's throat.

Dawnpelt gave a terrified gasp.

"Tigerheart!"

She sprinted up to them and shoved Jayfeather off of him. She buried her head in his fur, whimpering. Jayfeather dug his bloodstained claws into the ground in anger.

If I had reached him sooner, he might not have died!

"You killed my brother!" Dawnpelt hissed, her voice cracking with grief.

Jayfeather dug his claws in even harder. "I did not!"

"You are a murderer. Now I have proof." Dawnpelt spat.

"But I was trying to save him... I saved you!" He protested.

"I saw you on top of him. Don't try to confuse me with your lies again! Your claws were piercing his throat. I saw it! Don't think you can get away with it this time, Jayfeather." Dawnpelt was raging.

Jayfeather felt hurt suddenly.

Did I kill him?

"Now leave our territory!" Dawnpelt sounded so heartbroken, Jayfeather couldn't bare it, "And don't ever come back."

Jayfeather turned, his tail drooping in shame. He walked slowly back to camp, feeling guilty and angry with himself.

Now both of Dawnpelt's brothers are dead because of me!

------