Chapter 11

     Snowpaw raced behind Lionblaze beside the Highledge, trying to get to Jayfeather as fast as they could. I hope he is okay, Snowpaw thought.

     Lionblaze stopped suddenly behind a bush. She stopped right behind him. He was poised, ready to jump out. "When I attack her, you drag Jayfeather out to safety, okay?" Snowpaw nodded, but was shocked. Was he dead? She crept closer to the bush. Her heart stopped when she saw through the leaves, Petalfur standing over a limp Jayfeather.

     Looking up at her father, she saw his eyes blazing and narrowed to slits in fury. Snowpaw turned back to the pair of cats. Jayfeather's breathing was fast and uneven. It was loud, as if he were struggling to take at least one more breath. Petalfur pulled one paw off his shoulder, with tufts of his fur showing in her claws, and hit him hard on the side of his chest with it. Jayfeather gasped, then was quiet. Petalfur looked satisfied as she dug her claws back into Jayfeather's shoulder. Then, without warning, she lunged at his neck. 

     At the same moment, Lionblaze jumped out and knocked Petalfur off the medicine cat. She hadn't managed to bite his neck-yet. Snowpaw dashed out as soon as the cat was distracted and rushed over to Jayfeather's body. She grabbed him by his scruff and began hauling him out. She dragged him behind a bush and set him down. 

     Snowpaw sniffed him over. He didn't seem to be breathing. She hoped he was okay. Snowpaw ran her paw over his chest, hoping to get some sign of movement. Her paw ran over the spot where Petalfur had hit him. Jayfeather jerked away and gasped in pain. Then he fell silent again. Snowpaw flinched, startled, but relieved. At least that showed that he was alive.

    Lionblaze rushed over, panting. "I chased her away," he said, then looked down at Jayfeather. "How is he?"

     Snowpaw shook her head. "You can't hear him breathing, but he is alive."

     "How can you be sure?"

     "Just watch," she said and ran her paw over the same spot. It happened again.

     Snowpaw looked up at her father. There was sadness in his eyes as he gazed down at his brother. She just watched as he buried his nose in Jayfeather's fur. Starclan, please don't let him die! 

      Lionblaze looked up at her. "Should we take him back to camp or bring Leafpool here?" Snowpaw just shrugged. "Okay, then. Help me get him onto my back." He bent down and Snowpaw grabbed Jayfeather by the scruff and pulled him onto Lionblaze.

     "Now just make sure he doesn't fall," Lionblaze said while beginning to walk back. Snowpaw padded alongside her father and watched over the limp cat. 

     As they entered the medicine den, Snowpaw noticed Smokepaw lying in one of the nests, his neck bound in cobwebs. She ran over to him. He was awake, at least. "Are you okay?" she whispered.

     He nodded, but his eyes were dull. 

     "What happened?"

     "I'll tell you later. Right now you should go make sure Hollypaw and Firepaw are okay."

     "They are both fine." Snowpaw spun around. Leafpool was there. "But you aren't, Snowpaw. What happened?"

     "Well, Petalfur attacked me. Then Jayfeather-"

     "Oh," she interrupted. Snowpaw realized that Lionblaze must have already talked to her. "Sit down in a nest and wait for me," Leafpool said before going back to Jayfeather.

     Snowpaw settled down in the nearest nest and looked anxiously at Jayfeather. Horror pulsed through her as the former medicine cat bent down next to Jayfeather's chest and looked up at all of them, her eyes glistening with fear.  

     In a forced calm voice, Leafpool said, "His heartbeat is weak. The chances that he'll survive are smaller then a mouse's tail."

    She heard Smokepaw gasp from behind her. Stiffening at Leafpool's words, she remembered how close Smokepaw and Jayfeather were, whether they showed it or not. And she felt bad for Leafpool because she was Jayfeather's mother. Snowpaw searched anxiously for a reaction on Lionblaze's face, but it remained hard as stone.

     Lionblaze bent down. "Watch this," he murmured. He flashed out his paw and gently placed it on the side of Jayfeather's chest, where he had been hit. The limp cat's body convulsed the same way as it had done before. Leafpool's eyes widened more.

     "I hope it isn't broken," she said. "I have no way to fix him then." Snowpaw gaped. Leafpool didn't even know how to help him? "Well, first I'll start by waking him up." She bent down and licked him a couple of times, once in a while murmuring in his ear.

     Jayfeather stirred and blinked open his sightless blue eyes. His head still rested on the edge of his nest and he looked almost about to join the ranks of Starclan. 

    "Jayfeather! Are you feeling okay?" Leafpool asked urgently.

    Snowpaw was shocked as he shook his head weakly and let out a soft sigh. The Jayfeather she knew would never have let any cat know how much pain he was in. His eyes looked dull and shattered and Lionblaze seemed horrified by his brother's condition. She could hardly believe that these were the same two cats who despised each other so much just earlier that day.

    "I'm going to touch your chest, Jayfeather, and I want you to tell me how it feels." Leafpool ran her paw over the same area, and he convulsed. 

     Jayfeather moaned. "Why did you do that?" he asked weakly.

     "How much did it hurt?" she asked again.

     Jayfeather's eyes blazed. "How much do you think?" he hissed angrily, though Snowpaw could tell his anger wasn't directed at them. Leafpool just sighed impatiently at him and he gave in. "I'd rather be dead than have you do that again," he whispered.

     Leafpool only remained her calm self as she spoke to Jayfeather. "I think it might be broken," she admitted. "And if it is, I won't be able to fix it. I'm sorry." Sadness clung to Leafpool's eyes as she gazed at her son.

     "W-will I die?" Jayfeather asked reluctantly, though Snowpaw could tell he already knew the answer.  But she didn't, and she looked back at Leafpool, waiting.

     Leafpool didn't respond. She was gazing down at him, her eyes glazed with sorrow. "Let's just pray it isn't broken," she mumbled softly.

     Snowpaw looked back in between Leafpool and Jayfeather. The gray tom looked shattered. He must never have thought in his wildest dreams that he would die like this. He was protected by the truce that all medicine cats share, after all.

     Lionblaze looked the worst. His head was hanging so low it almost touched the ground. He's already lost Hollyleaf, she remembered with a jolt. If Jayfeather died, he would be the only one left of his litter. He would be alone. She watched him shake his head disbelievingly and slowly pad out of the den.

     This is my fault. It was true, Jayfeather had saved her from Petalfur.

     Leafpool hurried after Lionblaze. Smokepaw was resting his head and closing his eyes. His wound must have been bothering him. Only Jayfeather was aware of her. She got up an leaped out of her nest. Snowpaw walked to him slowly.

     "Snowpaw?" he guessed.

     "Yes," she said quietly before sitting in front of him. "How are you feeling?" 

     She saw a flicker of annoyance pass through Jayfeather's eyes. "I'm..." he trailed off, not finding the right words to say.

     Guilt overcame her. "It's my fault," she sobbed.

     He blinked, surprised. "Why do you say that?"  

     "You saved me from her."" Snowpaw couldn't see why Jayfeather didn't understand.

     "I always had the choice of not saving you, you know. It was my decision," he said. "Besides, Petalfur was after me, not you."

     Snowpaw tipped her head to the side. "Why?

     Jayfather's eyes grew dark. "I don't know. But she had attacked me during the battle also," he admitted. Snowpaw stared at him with wide eyes. 

     "Really?"

     Jayfeather just nodded darkly.