Ambivalence • Jayfeather X Reader •

~Jayfeather X Reader~|28|

A/N: Hello everyone! I'm going to be making a picture of how Y/L/N's territory looked at first and it will be put on one of the first chapters next month.

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[Y/W/N] stirs in her sleep, her tail gently flicking from side to side as she dreamed of catching a mouse. It was no doubt one of the nicest nights she's ever had. Green-leaf had been peaceful and the prey was plentiful, but leaf-fall was coming once more and soon she would have to fight for her clan against the sharp fangs of leaf-bare. She began to wake up and stretched her muzzle in a large yawn. Did I sleep in? Only two more warriors lingered in the Warriors den. It was Cloudtail and Brightheart, seemingly murmuring to each other lovingly. "Jeez, get your own den." [Y/W/N] hisses teasingly. Brightheart snaps her head around in shock. "I didn't see you there! Sorry, [Y/W/N]." Cloudtail rolls his eyes. "She was snoring up a storm. If you couldn't see her you could've heard her." He meows, giving his chest fur a swift lick. Brightheart can't help but chuckle, but smacks her tail across her muzzle and apologizes immediately on both of their behalves. [Y/W/N] reassures her. "It's fine. Cloudtail wasn't the first to comment on it. Yet at the same time, look who's meowing." [Y/W/N] said with an amused purr. Cloudtail hisses in annoyance. "You should probably act like you're doing something before Berrynose comes in to comment on it." "True. Bye!" [Y/W/N] meows. She yawns again and steps out of the den, looking to the fresh kill pile immediately. It seemed plentiful and cats were obviously helping themselves to it before leaf-bare came. A border patrol was out and warrior gone with warrior to hunt. [ Y/W/N] doesn't realize a familiar medicine cat beside Firestar walk up to her as she's trapped in her thoughts, staring at fresh-kill while her tail flicked curiously. OH- [Y/W/N] flinches back to reality, seeing Jayfeather roll his eyes at her and Firestar twitching his whiskers in amusement. "Now if you don't mind," he meows, "We need to talk." Oh. Oh no. Jayfeather looks past her, seemingly questioning his life decisions. Well, he seems normal, and Firestar doesn't look mad... "Alright. What about?" [Y/W/N] meows. "Come." Firestar says bluntly. Well, okay, I take that back. But he was anything far from being in a bad mood. His tail flicked with apprehension. His talented medicine cat, the son of his daughter, had found his happiness; accepted by Starclan. He couldn't let Thunderclan think he was hiding good news from showing happiness in the clearing. [Y/W/N] and Jayfeather follow him deeper into the forest, soon stopping when they were close to the lake. "I had a dream." He muttered, with his head lowered in an unreadable expression. ... Is that it? [Y/W/N] tilts her head as if to question what it's about, while Jayfeather simply twitches an ear, waiting for him to go on. "Jayfeather, [Y/W/N], you've heard, correct?" He makes eye contact with them, not moving an inch from his position. "What did I hear about?" [Y/W/N] meows. Firestar stood dumbfounded and looks at her for a minute. "You heard. Starclan gave you their blessing. You now have no code to break. Jayfeather, I am happy to see that you've finally got something you've wanted in life. Thank you for your service as a medicine cat. [Y/W/N], I'm proud of you. You came far and are a true warrior now.  This will be announced to the Thunderclan today, but no other clan will hear. They surely will think Starclan is picking favorites." He meowed. [Y/W/N] can almost hear his thoughts. You're part of the three. A part of one, simply yet not one yourself. You will keep him strong... [Y/W/N] can't help but worry. Will Thunderclan react well? "Okay, Firestar. When today will this be announced?" Jayfeather hisses with undisguised impatience. "Now." Oh. "The sooner, the better." He mumbles. "You both will stand with me. Congratulations." His muzzle curves into a smile and he raises his tail as signal to follow. [Y/W/N] pads after him obediently, sticking a little too close to Jayfeather out of fear. "You're getting fur in my mouth, mouse-brain. And you taste like crow food." "Clearly not enough if you're still able to complain about it. How do you know how crow food tastes in the first place?" "Its a metaphor. Do you have bees in your brain?" Jayfeather and [Y/W/N] continue bickering throughout the walk back to camp. Firestar puts up with it somehow, simply flicking his tail and twitching his whiskers as he chuckles at their kit-like conversations.  Cats begin to crowd around the odd three that are walking together onto the Highrock, but no further. "May all cats that are old enough to catch their own prey gather for a clan meeting." Firestars powerful yowl rings across the territory. Cats poke heads out of dens, quickly walking out and sitting next to their clan mates. "I, Firestar, leader of Thunderclan, had a dream sent by Starclan." He meows. Cats go silent but excitement is seen. "No other clan is to know about what I am to say any further!" Excitement goes to shock in a heartbeat. Jayfeather puffs out his chest and [Y/W/N] sits next to him awkwardly. "Starclan has told me that Jayfeather has been to go through more than most other cats that you would know of. The path of his life he had to take was never his decision, nor will the future be." He meows coldly. The cats faces deadpan, getting nervous. "This has never happen before, but Thunderclan, Starclan has approved of Jayfeather to be able to break only one and one at most of the medicine code." Gasps of shock ripple across the clan. "Jayfeather and [Y/W/N] also were told." He meows, his voice strong and his gaze to his clan unbroken. "And they didn't tell us?" Berrynose hisses loudly. "I literally just got told, what do you think we're doing?" Jayfeather hisses back. "I'm afraid Jayfeather is right. As I was saying... Thunderclan. [Y/W/N] and Jayfeather are now a couple, and Starclan approves of this!" Firestar yowls. Murmurs slowly go across of the warriors. The queens and elders seem excited, heads held high. "I really lived long enough to see this out of all things happen." Mousefur murmured. The queens were talking eagerly about things [Y/W/N] would rather not think about. Berrynose of course decides to yowl again. "Why did no other medicine cat get this permission?" Firestar raises his tail to signal silence. "As I've said, Jayfeather has more of a complex path. His love to [Y/W/N] will not affect his job as medicine cat. As I have said, such is Starclan approved." Firestar meows. Cats nod their heads, slowly accepting what's happening. Squirrelflight lets out a yowl of delight. "Congratulations!" Brambleclaw and Leafpool join in. "I knew you'd find someone, [Y/W/N]." "You'll be amazing together, both of you." Molepaw and Cherrypaw yowl their support. The clan cheers their congratulations. Briarlight seemed to be having a heart attack. She was practically throwing herself through the crowd of cheering cats, determined to be the loudest to yowl their names. Firestar purrs loudly in satisfaction. His pride for his clan is shown in his eyes, blazing with no effort to disguise it. [Y/L/N]s pelt heats up quickly and Jayfeather tsks at her before giving her a swift lick on the ear.
The cheering dies down but the happiness doesn't. The clan gradually leaves to do their every day duties, occasionally giving [Y/L/N] or Jayfeather a quick shoulder bump in congratulations.
Meanwhile Briarlight was throwing herself over wherever they went while yowling about how cute they were, and when [Y/L/N] went to go hunting, forced Jayfeather to let her come with [Y/L/N]. "How long have you had feelings?" She hummed. "I don't really know when it started, but for a while," she murmured. "It just took me a long time to realize." "Do you want kits?" [Y/L/N] visibly chokes. "Well- I- not like- not now- I just- only yesterday- I can hardly lick him without- WHAT-" "So that's a yes. Can I name one? Pleaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-" "finebutonlyifwehavethree." "Thank you!" "Pff." [Y/L/N] paws at her side affectionately. "You're a good cat, Briarlight. I'm really glad I know you." "Oh, thanks. You too!" [Y/L/N] purrs, eventually scenting a mouse and getting into a hunting crouch. Briarlight scents the hint and keeps still to make sure it doesn't hear her. With a strong paw, [Y/L/N] takes it and quickly ends it's suffering. "I wish I could do that." Briarlight whispered, only loud enough for [Y/L/N] to heat. "I bet you can." [Y/L/N] meows. Briarlight shrugs. "You don't need your back legs to claw or bite prey, do you?" "Well, no, but I need them to get in to a proper crouch." "If you can't do a proper crouch, do your own crouch. It doesn't have to be considered proper to work." "I don't know how." "Briarlight, you know you can't fight, but I know you can hunt. You might not be able to do it alone but it's something to start with, it can be really helpful in hunting parties. I know you can do it. If you can't sneak with a crouch, have you tried to hide by crawling?" "Do you think that'd work?" "Maybe. Here." [Y/L/N] gets a rather large leaf, setting it in front of Briarlight. "Now imagine that's a mouse, okay? Picture you just scented it. Go behind that bush and on your stomach to hide easier." [Y/W/N] instructed. "Okay." Briarlight did it without question, hiding and lying on her stomach. "Keep your body slightly lifted with your front paws so you're able to move when you need to."  Briarlight does this, her body mostly down with herself slightly hovering on her paws. "Observe it's movements." Briarlight focuses, even though it's a leaf.
...
"Good. Now, mice rely on hearing. Keep your body low so they don't hear the leaves crinkle under you, but stalk towards it." Briarlight does this nearly perfectly. Her tail is limply dragging behind her so she doesn't need to worry about it being held too high. "Good. Now you need to raise your own and attack swiftly. Mice are fast, you can be faster." Briarlight raises her paw and slams it down on the leaf with great force. Her front legs are amazingly strong from having to constantly rely on them. Briarlight seems in question, but hopeful at the same time. "Good job, Briarlight! Let's try that with a real mouse, okay? You don't need to get it the first time, we're only practicing. You're working as hard as you can and that's what matters. You're going to get your fair share of fresh kill. You always deserved it and you always will." "...Okay..." Briarlight keeps crawling to stay silent, so [Y/W/N] mimics her so she doesn't feel lonely. Just then, Jayfeather comes loudly stomping through the leaves. "Where have you been, Briarlight? It's time for your exercises and you've been out for too long." He growls. "Jayfeather! [Y/W/N] could've found a way for me to hunt!" Briarlight meows. They were both still in a crawling position, but Jayfeather couldn't see that. "Yeah, wish I could see it." He muttered. Briarlight begins to explain the technique [Y/W/N] taught her, and Jayfeather nods slowly. "That's a good idea [Y/W/N]. Just don't get your hopes too high, Briarlight, and don't push yourself to do anything or depend on this. You're a big help to your clan either way." He says. "Okay!" Briarlight squeaks. "I suppose this will replace today's exercises but you get no excuse for tomorrow. Oh, and I'm going to supervise you two. I don't trust you together." "Fair, [Y/W/N] meows, [As I was saying, I scented a mouse before someone scared it off." Jayfeather rolls his eyes. "But I think I know where it went. Continue position. Jayfeather, you too." "Stupid furballs." He meows hesitantly and gets in a crouch. [Y/W/N] fails to stifle a snort in seeing that, and Briarlight isn't much different. "You're basically asking me to tear out your throat right now so I'd watch it." "Jeez, fine, we're going." [Y/W/N] goes deeper into the trees, tracking the mouse. She finds it; Briarlight the same. She takes to the bushes just as she trained. The mouse was gnawing on a berry and was plump. Briarlight was twitching in the bush and [Y/W/N] was watching her beside Jayfeather behind a tree. "I'd only do this for you." He whisper hisses. [Y/W/N] licks his muzzle and he growls quietly. Briarlight begins twitching and slowly moves into the grass, keeping low. The mouse is clueless; giving Briarlight the perfect opportunity. She seised  the moment and smacked her paw down on to it, before copying the finishing bite she saw [Y/W/N] do on her catches. "[Y/W/N]! Jayfeather! I caught it!" [Y/W/N] attempts runs to her side, falls over, and continues running before crashing into a tree. That doesn't stop her as she pounces around happily. Jayfeather has a look of shock on his features. "Good job, Briarlight!" He meows. "I knew you could do it! I'm so proud of you! We need to show the clan. That's one plump mouse!" [Y/W/N] meows. Briarlight hurls herself up proudly, carrying her catch in her jaws before hopping back to Thunderclan territory with muffled squeaks of joy. "Well, that's something I never thought I'd see. And I didn't." Jayfeather said. "Pfff." They walk back to camp which is already stirring with excitement off Briarlight catch. Millie was fainting with excitement. "My kit! My precious kit! I knew you could do it." Graystripe seemed like he was about to cry. No, he was crying. Hard. Firestar and Sandstorm were sitting together, watching from a few fox lengths away with astonishment. Sandstorm purrs. "I swear, this clan has the weirdest and the best moments of happiness." "That's putting it lightly." They murmured to each other. Blossomfall and Bumblestripe were pressing against their sisters flank after Briarlight put her fresh kill in the pile. And for once, she didn't feel guilt when she took a piece of prey out for herself. Millie continues prancing around her. "You're not going to fight though, right?" She asked. "No. Jayfeather and [Y/W/N] said fighting was off limits, but I can try to hunt as long as I'm with another cat." Briarlight meowed through a mouth full of vole. "I'm so happy for you, my dear..." Jayfeather has a grin he couldn't hide on his face. "I should've thought of that." He twitched his whiskers in amusement. "I wouldn't have thought of it if you hadn't brought me here in the first place, but sure." [Y/W/N] purrs. "Technically Squirrelflight forced you here, but sure." [Y/W/N] rolls her eyes and watches the clan congratulate Briarlight. She and Jayfeather share a mouse before the sun begins to set. [Y/W/N] starts passing to her den with her eyes dropping in content tiredness, even though she did basically nothing that day. Well, maybe something. She sees cats looking at her questioningly. She shrugs it off and continues walking to her nest. "Arent you going to sleep in the medicine den from now on?" Brambleclaw asked, who had already settled down next to Squirrelflight. "I didn't know I was able to." Squirrelflight yawns sleepily. "I thought you told her, Brambleclaw." "Right. Firestar said you can sleep in the medicine den from now on with Jayfeather." "...Okay thanks." [Y/W/N] walks out of the den and bolts after Jayfeather, who also was walking into his den. "Hey! Hey! Firestar said I can sleep here." "So I'll have to listen to more of your snoring? Great." He snorted, but was clearly satisfied. "Yeah, whatever." [Y/W/N] meowed, before greeting Briarlight and settling down next to him in his nest. "Night Jay." "Goodnight." He mutters, before tucking his muzzle into her fur and drifting to sleep. Today was good. Soon, [Y/W/N]'s vision goes dark and she falls asleep.