"Jay struggled to breathe. She hurt. Her ribs were all achy and sore as she lay on the wet grass. They had travelled for days and she had managed fine. But now as she panted in the fresh morning\u2019s air she didn\u2019t know if she could face another day of walking. Closing her eyes, she lay her head down on the dewy grass and tried to relax. Her breathing sounded rough and ragged but better than it had been when she had woken up. It was slightly worrying. If she died again would she be able to come back? If she died again and it wasn\u2019t her time would she be stuck in the Moonpool clearing, not alive but not quite dead until it was her time? Jay bit her lip and tasted blood. It was scary. She tried to let the wet grass and the birds singing soothe her but it didn\u2019t work. She was just as anxious as before. Giving up completely in resting, Jay got to her paws. She could smell water up ahead and began to walk towards it. It would have been quite nice to go on an early morning walk if she didn\u2019t hurt so much. Her paws sank into the wet mud and she jumped back a couple of paces. She had walked straight into the pond. Jay crouched down beside it and began to lap up the fresh water. It tasted lovely and soothed her scratchy throat. When she had drunk her fill, she sat back up and waded into the pond. It was quite deep and came up to her neck but it was surprisingly nice. She supposed some cat like Willowheart would have found it terrifying. After all her son, Starkit had drowned. But to Jay it just felt nice. It was cool but not too cold and the best part was that it was just once smell. It wasn\u2019t a muddle of different smells. It was just one. That made it peaceful and not confusing or panicked. After a while of just walking, Jay began to actually swim. At first it was just in small circles but soon she was swimming around the pond. When she began to tire though, she got straight out. She didn\u2019t want to get too out of breath again. Jay lay down beside the water, letting her tail skim over it. Her eyelids slowly began to droop and she fell asleep to the sounds of birds singing and water lapping her tail. \u201CHey,\u201D came a familiar lazy drawl. \u201CShe\u2019s here.\u201D Jay felt the fur on the back of her neck prickle. Her breathing became even more ragged \u2013 if possible. But it wasn\u2019t until a nose sniffed her side that she realized that it hadn\u2019t been a lazy drawl. It had been anxious. Blackshadow had been worried about her. Jay felt a strange desire to laugh. That just sounded stupid. Blackshadow never worried about anyone. He hadn\u2019t worried when his sister Inkpool had cut herself badly and was losing lots of blood. He hadn\u2019t worried when his mother Icepool had badly twisted her paw. Why would he worry now? \u201COf thank StarClan,\u201D came another voice. \u201CI thought something terrible had happened.\u201D Jay gulped in air and tried to recognize the voices. \u201CWell, I don\u2019t know,\u201D mewed another she-cat. \u201CShe seems really out of breath.\u201D That was Rowanberry\u2019s voice. She could recognize that voice easily. The other she-cat must be Seedwhisker. Jay panted. It felt as if some cat was squeezing her sides together. Maybe even like some cat was pushing her head under water. \u201CI\u2019m... Fine...\u201D Jay wheezed, forcing herself to sit up. She could imagine Seedwhisker narrowing her eyes and Rowanberry twitching her ears. But she imagine Blackshadow the best. He had stopped pacing and was now staring at her with such... Concern? Jay blinked. She could feel his amber eyes scorching her. \u201CAre you sure?\u201D Rowanberry asked uncertainly. \u201CI mean you look...\u201D \u201CSoaked for a start,\u201D Blackshadow continued. \u201CWhat, you thought you\u2019d just take a dip? You could have frozen!\u201D Jay snorted. \u201CFrozen?\u201D she scoffed. \u201CIt\u2019s still green-leaf you know.\u201D Her fur was on end now, her blue eyes narrowed to glaring slits. Blackshadow couldn\u2019t tell her what to do. \u201CIt\u2019s getting cold quickly,\u201D he snapped. Jay knew she had won. Her tail curled triumphantly and she struggled to her paws. \u201CCome on Jay,\u201D Seedwhisker meowed. \u201CWe have to get back to the clearing.\u201D Jay flicked her ears. \u201CWhy aren\u2019t we going any further?\u201D she asked. It seemed stupid to hang around here. It was so open. She felt as if she could be seen from miles away. \u201CAppleseed has had her kits,\u201D Seedwhisker replied, her tail tip flicking anxiously. Jay knew exactly what she was thinking without asking. The pale tabby leader didn\u2019t think Appleseed\u2019s kittens would survive. But Jay thought differently. Appleseed was a strong cat and Tigerstripe had been too but he had died during the battle against The Dark Forest. \u201CThat\u2019s great!\u201D Jay exclaimed. She turned away from the three warriors and began to pad back to camp. She wasn\u2019t out of breath anymore. She hadn\u2019t noticed when it had happened; all she knew was that her ribs didn\u2019t feel squeezed anymore. Jay quickened her pace as she heard paw steps behind her. She didn\u2019t really want to talk to Seedwhisker, Rowanberry and definitely not Blackshadow. She wanted to talk to Hollyfrost and Bolta. Back by the lake Jay, Hollyfrost and Bolta had found that they had powers like no other cats had ever had. Jay could control the wind. Hollyfrost could control fire \u2013 well kind of. Bolta could control water. They were also part of a prophecy; three will come again; the bright-eyed Jay, the prickly Holly and the brave Bolta. They were supposedly the only three cats who could destroy The Dark Forest. Jay approached Bolta who was sitting beside Larkkit and Marshkit, two of Flora\u2019s kits. \u201CHi,\u201D she mewed, sitting down next to them. Larkkit looked up. Jay could feel her soft golden gaze scanning her. Larkkit was special, Jay had found. She could remember things from when she had been just a tiny kit and had excellent knowledge on herbs. \u201CHello,\u201D Larkkit mewed softly. \u201CHey,\u201D mowed Bolta lazily, turning around to face her. Jay stared at the place where she thought Bolta\u2019s eyes where. \u201CWhat are Appleseed\u2019s kits called?\u201D she asked. She obviously couldn\u2019t speak of the prophecy in front of Larkkit and Marshkit. Bolta shrugged but Larkkit purred softly. \u201CBluepaw let me see them being born,\u201D she mewed. \u201CAppleseed had a tom and a she-cat. They\u2019re called Rainkit and Tigerkit.\u201D Jay\u2019s ear twitched. \u201CBluepaw let you?\u201D she asked. \u201CBut I thought Flightfeather was you\u2019re medicine cat?\u201D Larkkit shook her head sadly. \u201CFlightfeather is sick,\u201D she meowed. \u201CShe says she wants to go and join the elders.\u201D Jay gasped. \u201CBut that\u2019s terrible!\u201D she cried. \u201CDo you think she will make the journey?\u201D Larkkit hesitated. No. Jay knew what the small she-cat was thinking. Larkkit looked up at Jay again. \u201CFlightfeather is an old cat,\u201D she meowed. \u201CShe\u2019s older than all of the elders. And she\u2019s been getting a bit... Forgetful lately.\u201D Jay knew she meant crazy. Not crazy like she was. Not hearing voices crazy. Larkkit meant insane, dangerous and maybe even scary. You\u2019re not crazy. Bolta, Hollyfrost and Bramble can hear us too. (\u201CWho\u2019s Bramble?\u201D) Sorry. You haven\u2019t met him yet. (\u201CWhat are you talking about, Ellie?\u201D) It doesn\u2019t matter. Jay jumped out of her thoughts. Her attention turned to Marshkit. He had sat in silence the whole time she had been there. He was a pale grey tabby tom. Jay had imagined him with green eyes but she couldn\u2019t be sure. \u201CWhat have you been doing, Marshkit?\u201D she asked, trying to be friendly. Marshkit appeared not to have heard and continued staring into the distance. Jay tilted her head to one side. There was something not quite right about the little tom. His thoughts were a hazy blur. \u201CHe\u2019s deaf,\u201D Larkkit whispered in Jay\u2019s ear. \u201CBut he doesn\u2019t want any cat to know.\u201D Jay knew how that felt. She felt sorry for the little tom cat. \u201CI\u2019m blind,\u201D she whispered back to Larkkit. \u201CHow do I tell him that?\u201D Jay felt Larkkit\u2019s golden gaze on her fur a few heart-beats. Then she turned to Marshkit. Larkkit approached him slowly and tapped him with a paw. Jay watched the place where she knew they were. Marshkit turned his head. Jay imagined Larkkit beckoning with her tail and using sign language that she couldn\u2019t see. \u201CYou\u2019re blind?\u201D Jay could barely understand him. Marshkit\u2019s voice was as scratchy and dry as sand and he spoke so fast that the words flowed together. \u201CI\u2019m deaf.\u201D Jay approached him slowly and carefully. \u201CI promise I won\u2019t tell anyone,\u201D she meowed. Larkkit flicked her tail wildly. \u201CS\u2019okay,\u201D Marshkit meowed. \u201CYou can tell.\u201D Jay purred then turned back to Bolta. But her scent was faint now. Bolta left when you told Larkkit that you are blind. Jay nodded and smelt the air. Bolta was sitting beside Hollyfrost. Good, thought Jay. Now I can finally talk to them. Jay was about to pad over them to them when three things happened very fast and at the same time. First Jay could scent a scent she knew very well. A dog\u2019s scent. A very hungry dog\u2019s scent. \u201CFlightfeather!\u201D Jay whipped around at the sound of Bluepaw\u2019s shriek. \u201CFlightfeather\u2019s dead!\u201D \u201CHey!\u201D came another cry. \u201CIt\u2019s getting all dark!\u201D"@en . . . . . . . . "None"@en . "Jay struggled to breathe. She hurt. Her ribs were all achy and sore as she lay on the wet grass. They had travelled for days and she had managed fine. But now as she panted in the fresh morning\u2019s air she didn\u2019t know if she could face another day of walking. \u201COf thank StarClan,\u201D came another voice. \u201CI thought something terrible had happened.\u201D Jay gulped in air and tried to recognize the voices. Concern? Jay blinked. She could feel his amber eyes scorching her. \u201CAre you sure?\u201D Rowanberry asked uncertainly. \u201CI mean you look...\u201D \u201CHello,\u201D Larkkit mewed softly. (\u201CWho\u2019s Bramble?\u201D) It doesn\u2019t matter."@en . . . "Newcomers"@en . . "Newcomers"@en . . . .