The Last Hope/Chapter 16

Chapter Summary
Jayfeather's PoV


 * Jayfeather awakes because of a cold wind. He looks around, wondering where he is. The tabby suspects he must be somewhere in the Dark Forest, because StarClan is usually set in mild greenleaf with a light breeze. He cannot detect any sign of life and tries to hear pawsteps. Fur brushes bark, and he peers through the brush. A muddy cat steps out, and he jumps back, thinking it is someone from the Dark Forest. Instead, it turns out to be Spottedleaf, who asks what he is doing here. Jayfeather inquires if this is StarClan, and she confirms it. Then he asks what happened, and she replies that leaf-fall happened. This is the first StarClan has known, and the tortoiseshell also smells leaf-bare on the way.


 * He tells her that's impossible; StarClan can't have leaf-bare. She simply says that the Dark Forest is rising, and StarClan may fall. The blind retorts that it won't if he can help, and requests to talk to Flametail. Spottedleaf asks why, and he replies because of the sign. She tells him StarClan never sent a sign; they can't even see the Clans. Confused, he argues that one of them must have, because he couldn't get to the Moonpool last time he wanted to talk with Flametail, but now he's here. The tortoiseshell insists that StarClan did not send a sign, and Jayfeather comments that someone must have. He switches topics and asks to see Flametail.


 * Spottedleaf reminds him that the deceased medicine cat will be in ShadowClan's part of the hunting grounds, as StarClan is divided. He snorts that StarClan has no borders, but she snaps back.