Outcast/Chapter 29

==Chapter description==
:Jaypaw lies in the sleeping hollow where the scents of his littermates still linger. He does not try to sleep, but instead listens for the first sounds of the returning warriors. He worries about whether Hollypaw or Lionpaw died in the battle, and what it would mean to the prophecy, and the young cat wonders how he could bear without them. The waterfall's noise is noted to sound hollow and echoing with the cave almost empty; the two kit-mothers are with their litters in the nursery; the elders are in their sleeping places on the other side of the cave; and Wing Shadow Over Water, the injured prey-hunter, sleeps nearby. Every other cat has gone to fight, as there is no point in leaving guards to protect the cave when all the [[intruders would be fighting in the battle.
:Eventually, Jaypaw cannot stay still any longer, and he rises to his paws and pads across the cave, licking a few icy drops where they trickle into the pool of fresh water. He then slips down the passage that leads the Cave of Pointed Stones. All is silent inside, but Jaypaw feels a faint stir of wind and draws in a strong and fresh scent of the Tribe's healer. He calls Stoneteller, and from the end of the cave, the old cat replies that he is there, though his voice sounds sad and defeated. He asks the apprentice what he wants, and Jaypaw asks if there is any word from the Tribe of Endless Hunting. The Healer says that there is none, and Jaypaw feels a pang in his belly at the knowledge that Stoneteller had lied to his Tribe about what the Tribe of Endless Hunting had said, and how he tried to manipulate his cats into choosing to flee. However, his plan had failed, as the Tribe had chosen to fight, and left the old cat with the knowledge that if they survived, it would be without their ancestors' support. Jaypaw feels the Healer's pain and cannot help feeling pity. The medicine cat meows an apology, and Stoneteller wonders if their ancestors lost faith in them. Jaypaw assures him that it must not be that, and he pictures the pool among the sheer crags where he had confronted the Tribe of Endless Hunting. The mottled tom had revisited the dream countless times in his waking mind, until he though he understood its meaning, but he is not sure what the knowledge would be to him.
:A rasping voice says Jaypaw's name behind him, and the gray apprentice spins around. Every hair on his pelt rises at the sight of Rock, but he is confused, as he is not asleep. The ancient cat glimmers as if standing in moonlight, and seems to float in shadow. Jaypaw starts to get excited and reaches out his senses to Stoneteller, but the old cat's feelings have not changed, and he makes no sound. Rock mews that Stoneteller cannot hear and see him, and that only Jaypaw can. The ThunderClan tom's voice shakes as he asks why he came, and Rock replies that the battle has been won, and they can all go home now. Jaypaw is delighted that Hollypaw and Lionpaw are safe, but is sure that Rock came to tell more than just the battle results he would discover in the morning anyway. The blind apprentice meows that the Tribe must have fought well, and wonders if the Tribe of Endless Hunting will have more faith in them now, but Rock sourly asks why they should, as the Clans saved the Tribe. Jaypaw demands what is wrong with that, and notes to himself that although he had always longed to speak with Rock back at the lake, he now gets more and more frustrated with the ancient cat at each encounter.
:Rock replies that StarClan did not send him, and he was not summoned by the Tribe of Endless Hunting either. Jaypaw begins to object, but Rock silences him and sweeps his tail. He hisses that the Clans came and won, at least for the battle, but questions if he thinks the borders would hold, reminding Jaypaw that the Tribe does not have experience of defending their territory, and the trespassers have honor at keeping their word. Jaypaw is dismayed and asks if they came for nothing, but Rock disagrees and says that he has learned a lot, and the Tribe will eat well, at least for a while. The ancient cat's eyes seem to gaze into the shadows at something hidden from Jaypaw.
:Jaypaw takes a deep breath, and guesses that the Tribe cats came from the lake. He is satisfied to see Rock's start of surprise, and the ancient cat confirms his theory, asking how he knew. Jaypaw explains that it was in the pool in the mountains that the Tribe spirit showed him, and that they found another Moonpool, just like the one near the lake. There is pain in Rock's voice as he says that the Tribe turned their back on so many of their old ways, but says that they still sought for peace beside the water. Jaypaw guesses that the prophecy came from when the Tribe and Rock had all lived together, and Rock says yes, and tells Jaypaw that they have been expecting him for a long time, and now he has come. Jaypaw is both scared and delighted as he returns the old cat's blind stare, and Rock continues that the others deserve to know, as it is not just his destiny.
:From the main cave, Hollypaw's voice calls for Jaypaw to come quickly, and, with Rock suddenly gone, Jaypaw is left alone in the Cave of Pointed Stones, except for Stoneteller's silent presence. The young tom finds the entrance to the passage and races out to meet his sister, who bounds up to meet him and gives his ear a hurried lick, informing him that Lionpaw is covered in blood. She goes on that their brother claims to not be hurt, but that Jaypaw must help him, and Hollypaw leads him across the cave to the waterfall to where he is. Clan and Tribe cats pour past them, yowling the good news to the cats who stayed behind, and Crag is heard meowing that he will go and tell Stoneteller. Hollypaw dashes along the path beneath the tumbling water, and Jaypaw follows quickly, his pelt pressed against the rock.
:After believing that his littermates have come back safe, Jaypaw is worried that Lionpaw will still die, and after reaching the pool, he noses at his brother's fur. He is shocked that it is thickly clotted with drying blood, and tries to hide his fear as he says they must get it off of him. Hollypaw suggests bringing the golden apprentice closer to the waterfall so that the spray helps in cleaning off the blood, and the three cats move around the edge of the pool until Jaypaw feels its spray soaking into his fur. Lionpaw protests at their fussing, claiming that he is fine, but Jaypaw snaps that Lionpaw is only fine at his say-so. Lionpaw sounds puzzled as he says that no cat could touch him, and he is not hurt, but Hollypaw tells him to be quiet and let her lick.
:As Jaypaw and Hollypaw clean the blood from their littermate's fur, the medicine cat apprentice realizes Lionpaw is not hurt except for a bitten ear and sore pads. Jaypaw tries to hide that his paws are shaking with relief, and he mews to his brother that he does not need herbs but should just keep the ear clean, and that he himself will check on it every day until it heals. Hollypaw's voice is unsteady as she exclaims that he really is okay, and she explains that Jaypaw that Lionpaw fought very fiercely. The male apprentice begins to sound like his old self as he says that they won the battle.
:Hollypaw fretfully says that she does not trust the trespassers, and expresses her doubt on if the Tribe will defend its new borders, and Jaypaw's belly lurches to hear his sister echo Rock's warning. She continues that she is unsure why them came if they were not going to succeed, and wonders if the Tribe of Endless Hunting got it wrong. Jaypaw reaches out with his tail to touch her shoulder, and he mews that the Tribe's ancestors did not want them, and that StarClan did not send them. He says that they came to win the battle and needed answers that their questions. Neither of his siblings reply, and Jaypaw adds that they all wanted to come to the mountains, which is why things happened so that they came. He goes on that it is about the three of them, and that StarClan, the Tribe of Endless Hunting, and Rock have been waiting for them. Hollypaw is confused about who Rock is, and Lionpaw asks his brother if he is crazy, but Jaypaw crouches on the edge of the pool and motions his brother and sister to draw closer. He murmurs to his siblings that there is something he must tell them.
==Characters==
===Major===
===Minor===
===Mentioned===
==Notes and references==
fr:Exil/Chapitre 29
Category:Chapter subpages
Category:Outcast
Category:Power of Three arc