Fading Echoes/Chapter 12

==Chapter description==
:Jayfeather checks on Briarpaw, who is sleeping beside her mother, Millie. The medicine cat is frustrated at not knowing how to treat her legs. Out in the camp, he hears Brambleclaw organizing the cats on patrols, asking Dustpelt who the latter needs to clear the debris from the fallen tree. Dustpelt calls out for Birchfall, Brackenfur, Rosepetal, and Hazeltail to assist with the cleanup.
:Briarpaw slowly wakes up, and she asks Jayfeather if the reason she can't feel her hind legs is due to the poppy seeds he had treated her with. Jayfeather tells her that he thinks they're recovering more slowly than her body. She mentions that she hopes it's soon, as she's just passed her final assessment and is ready for her warrior ceremony.
:Jayfeather picks his way through the camp, irritated at his inability to navigate through the debris. Millie keeps pace with him, demanding to know what is wrong with her kit. Graystripe approaches the pair, asking about Briarpaw, and Jayfeather explains that they'll need to wait. As he walks away, he silently questions why she can't feel her legs as they're not broken. Graystripe and Millie go to the medicine den to see their daughter. Lionblaze approaches Jayfeather after helping Mousefur and Purdy bury Longtail. Jayfeather asks Lionblaze about Dovepaw, mentioning that being part of the prophecy is a great responsibility, even for a fully grown cat. Lionblaze decides to take her hunting with Ivypaw to distract her. 
:Bumblepaw and Blossompaw ask Jayfeather if they can visit their sister, to which he agrees. Leafpool creeps up on him and asks how she's doing. When he points out that she could go look herself, she reminds him that she's a warrior. She suggests that he go and see Littlecloud, who's dealt with a similar injury. Jayfeather visits Firestar, who is sitting with Sandstorm. He asks to travel to ShadowClan to speak with Littlecloud, and the leader agrees, suggesting that Squirrelflight should accompany him. As the medicine cat exits the den, several cats ask him about Briarpaw. The last one to ask is Brightheart, and he confides in her briefly. Jayfeather asks for her help in keeping an eye on the apprentices and elders while he travels to ShadowClan. 
:As he passes the apprentices' den, he hears Mousefur fretting over her lost denmate as Purdy comforts her and distracts her by asking about Longtail's life. Squirrelflight catches up to him as he starts to leave the camp, and they travel in relative silence before Squirrelflight reminds him that she loved him and his siblings. As Jayfeather snaps at her, she angrily reminds him that Leafpool has lost everything. He tells her that it's Leafpool's fault, not anyone else's, before Squirrelflight interjects that they did what they thought was best.
:Approaching the border, a ShadowClan patrol consisting of Oakfur and Ferretpaw, walks by, escorting the cats to their camp. Blackstar approaches, and they ask to speak to him and Littlecloud in private. Inside Blackstar's den, they explain to him that a tree in their camp had fallen, and that Briarpaw was gravely injured and Longtail was killed. When Littlecloud joins them, he recalls a similar incident that occured when he was Runningnose's apprentice, about a cat named Wildfur. He explains that Wildfur died after developing an infection due to being unable to leave his nest. Squirrelflight suggests that they keep Briarpaw moving, with Littlecloud adding that a nest that allows her to sleep upright could help as well. Before they depart, Littlecloud sends Jayfeather and Squirrelflight home with more herbs, renewing the ThunderClan medicine cat's determination to heal the apprentice.
:Jayfeather follows Squirrelflight back to the camp. Squirrelflight tells him that she is proud of him and that she knows he can help Briarpaw. Jayfeather is less confident, but he thanks her. In camp, he sees Cloudtail and Brackenfur working on the barrier. Firestar is discussing the fallen tree with Brambleclaw and Dustpelt. Brambleclaw suggests that they could use the larger branches to build new dens and should have the camp rebuilt in less than a moon. Firestar notices Jayfeather and asks about his visit with Littlecloud. Jayfeather reports that it was good advice, but he wants to tell Graystripe and Millie first. Brambleclaw tells him that Graystripe is on patrol.
:Jayfeather takes his herbs to the medicine den and hears Brightheart and Millie fussing over Briarpaw, trying to persuade her to eat something. Jayfeather tells them to leave her alone, and he and Millie argue. Briarpaw is agitated; the two she-cats had told her about Longtail’s death. Jayfeather tells them that it’s good for Briarpaw to learn to deal with distress, because she has a hard path ahead, but he will do everything he can to save her. Millie asks him what Littlecloud told him, but Jayfeather wants to test Littlecloud’s theory first.
:Jayfeather goes over and examines Briarpaw’s backbone and legs, confirming that her legs are still lifeless. Then, he nips Briarpaw’s backbone and reassures the young cat that he is just testing something. He continues nipping her, working his way gradually towards her tail. He nips her lower, and Briarpaw asks if he was going to do it again. Frightened, Jayfeather pokes a claw into the same spot, and Briarpaw tells him that she can’t feel anything, even when he sticks his claws in harder. Jayfeather tells the young cat that her backbone is broken and that she won’t be able to feel anything in her hind legs again. Millie asks Jayfeather how he knew that backbones don’t heal, and Jayfeather tells her about Wildfur. Briarpaw is distraught at the idea that Wildfur died, and Millie shoves Jayfeather out of the den, hissing at him for implying that her kit was going to die.
:Squirrelflight comes to break up the argument and reassures Millie that just because Wildfur died doesn’t mean Briarpaw will. Squirrelflight and Jayfeather explain to Millie that if Briarpaw keeps active, she has a good chance of staying healthy. Millie is still agitated that her kit will never be a typical warrior and seeks comfort in Graystripe’s return. Brightheart sticks her head out of the den and advises Jayfeather to come tell Briarpaw exactly what’s going on. Jayfeather settles next to the young cat, aware of panic flooding from her. She asks him if she’s ever going to walk again. Jayfeather tells her no and apologizes, touching her head in a gesture of comfort.
==Characters==
===Major===
===Minor===
*[[
*Bumblepaw
*Blossompaw
*Leafpool
*Firestar
*Sandstorm
*Foxleap
*Icecloud
*Thornclaw
*Brightheart
*Purdy
*Mousefur
*Cloudtail
*Brackenfur
*Oakfur
*Ferretpaw
*Kinkfur
*Ivytail
*Tawnypelt
*Scorchfur
*Starlingpaw
*Pinepaw
*Blackstar
*Littlecloud
}}
===Mentioned===
{{mclist|2|
*[[
*Birchfall
*Rosepetal
*Hazeltail
*Longtail
*Dovepaw
*Ivypaw
*Hollyleaf
*[[12}}
*[[12}}
*[[12}}
*[[12}}
*[[
*Runningnose
*Wildfur
}}
==Notes and references==
Category:Omen of the Stars arc
Category:Fading Echoes
Category:Chapter subpages