Jayfeather's stick

The Stick is a smooth stick that has all of its bark removed. It is covered in rows of scratch marks. Each scratch that has been struck completely through represents a cat who made it out of the tunnels, and scratches that were struck half-way through represent cats who, sadly, never came out (i.e. Fallen Leaves). It once belonged to Rock before it was found by Jayfeather, who was an apprentice at the time. He had gone to gather herbs with Leafpool, and found the stick. He asked Leafpool to put it somewhere safely, and she did. It is also a popular fan couple (JayxStick), though it is mainly mentioned as a joke.

Dark River

 * In the prologue, Fallen Leaves is about to leave on his journey to become a sharpclaw. When he meets Rock in the tunnels, it is shown that Rock is holding a stick. Later, when Fallen Leaves never returns after drowning in the tunnels, a half-mark is made on the stick showing that Fallen Leaves had entered the tunnel, but had not returned.


 * While traveling around the lake with Leafpool, Jaypaw visits the stick.


 * It is noted that when Jaypaw felt his paw along the long scratches, he could hear voices whispering to him. He then gets frustrated, since he cannot understand the murmuring of the ancient cats.


 * Later, when Jaypaw, Lionpaw, Hollypaw, Breezepaw and Heatherpaw are searching for Sedgekit, Swallowkit and Thistlekit in the tunnels, Rock appears to Jaypaw with the stick. He makes five long lines and three smaller ones, then scratches through those same lines, indicating that they made it through the tunnels alive.

Outcast

 * When Jaypaw is supposed to be collecting herbs, he gets distracted and starts looking for Rock's stick. Instead of hearing the voices whispering to him, he hears nothing. This frustrates Jaypaw because he wants to know what life was like for the cats that lived around the lake long ago.

Eclipse

 * As Jaypaw goes to look for the stick, he feels it bobbing up and down, floating in the lake. He tries to grab it, but Firestar saves him from drowning and gets the stick for Jaypaw. He asks why this is important. Jaypaw replies it's a medicine cat thing. Firestar shrugs it off and asks where to place it. Jaypaw points to a tree root. Firestar places the stick, and brings Jaypaw home.

Sunrise

 * Jayfeather goes to the Stick when he takes Mousefur and Longtail out to walk. He tries to reach Rock using the stick, and ask the old cat for answers, but Rock only says that the stick isn't the answer to everything, and that the answers lie within his own Clan.

The Fourth Apprentice

 * At the beginning of the book, Thornclaw finds the stick and begins to use it to help Berrynose and Spiderleg out of the mud after they get stuck in it. However, Jayfeather suddenly erupts from the undergrowth and protests, warning Thornclaw to make sure that it is unharmed. Eventually Thornclaw gets Berrynose and Spiderleg, and later Rainstorm, a RiverClan warrior, out of the mud with it.


 * Later in the book, Jayfeather uses it to contact Rock, asking why he didn't tell him the truth about his real parents. Feeling betrayed when Rock doesn't answer, Jayfeather destroys the stick by breaking it over a sharp rock and instantly regrets it.


 * At the end of the book, when Dovepaw and Ivypaw are out going for a walk in the forest, Dovepaw steps on splinters left from the broken stick.

Fading Echoes

 * On a patrol, Ivypaw steps on the stick and gets a splinter in her paw pad much the way Dovepaw did. To prevent any further injuries, Brambleclaw decides to get the stick out of the way and tosses both of the broken halves into the lake. As this happens, Dovepaw hears a cry of pain from Jayfeather. Although he thinks that Leopardstar's death pierced him, it is probably because his only connection with Rock has been gotten rid of. Later in the book, Lionblaze questions Jayfeather about why he broke the stick. Jayfeather expresses grief over the stick. He mentally asks himself why couldn't Rock tell him about the prophecy concerning the "three". He looks into Lionblaze's thoughts and sees him playing with Heathertail. Jayfeather sees Rock where Heathertail was sitting. Lionblaze and Heathertail seem not to notice Rock. But then Lionblaze scolds Jayfeather, because he noticed him looking in his memories. Lionblaze then walks away, leaving Jayfeather behind.

Trivia

 * In an Erin Hunter Chat it was stated that the Erins find JayxStick very amusing.