Jayfeather's stick

The stick is a smooth stick that has all of its bark removed, and it is covered in rows of scratch marks. Each scratch that has been struck through represents a cat who made it out of the tunnels. It once belonged to Rock before being found by Jayfeather. Jayfeather snapped it in anger in The Fourth Apprentice.

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 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 scratches, he could hear voices whispering to him.


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

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 wanted to know what life was like for the cats who 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 stops him and gets the stick for Jaypaw.

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 uses it to help Berrynose and Spiderleg, and later Rainstorm, a RiverClan warrior, out of the mud.


 * Later in the book, Jayfeather uses it to contact Rock. After having an argument with the ancient cat, Jayfeather destroys the stick by breaking it over a sharp rock.


 * 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.