Eclipse

“I think so.” Jaypaw didn’t look up. “There’s no sign of infection.”

“Did StarClan warn you she’d be injured?” Did they warn you about any of this? Lionpaw’s heart quickened as he waited for an answer.

Jaypaw put down the moss. “No.” He smoothed down a frond of fern curling near Squirrelflight’s nose. “And before you ask, they said nothing about the vanishing sun or the battle, either.”

Lionpaw narrowed his eyes. He knew when his brother had something on his mind. “You don’t think this has anything to do with StarClan, do you?”

Jaypaw sat down. “No.”

Well? Why did Jaypaw have to be so mysterious about everything?

“I think…” Jaypaw began tentatively.

“What?”

He looked up. “I think I know someone who can give us answers.”

The fur along Lionpaw’s spine lifted. Jaypaw’s pale blue eyes seemed to be watching him, as though he could actually see.

“We need to find Sol,” Jaypaw meowed. “He predicted that the sun would vanish. He told Leafpool a great darkness was coming, and the sun would disappear. I think he would have told us more, but Firestar sent him away.”

Disappointment flooded Lionpaw. Jaypaw was no better than the warriors. “Why are you all obsessing over the sun?”

He lashed his tail. “It doesn’t matter. It’s back now, and we’re okay. But we still have to deal with WindClan. They’re going to come back if we don’t show them they can’t—”

Jaypaw cut him off. “It does matter,” he growled. “WindClan are nothing more than a thorn in our flesh. We can pull it out anytime we want. But the sun disappeared, and Sol knew it would happen. StarClan didn’t! Don’t you realize what that means?”

Lionpaw didn’t, but he wasn’t going to admit that. “What can we do about it?”

“We have to find Sol.”

Lionpaw leaned back in surprise. “Don’t be silly! He left yesterday. He could be anywhere by now. And Firestar’s not going to let us wander off to look for him. There’s been a battle. Half the warriors are injured, and who knows when there’ll be another invasion.”

Jaypaw flattened his ears. “Remember the prophecy!” he snapped. “We have the power of the stars in our paws! That makes us more powerful than Firestar, more powerful than StarClan! If Sol knows why the sun vanished, we have to find him!”

Chapter 19

Jaypaw wanted to claw his brother’s ears to make him listen. Please understand! “We have to find Sol!”

Squirrelflight stirred beside him. “Who?” she breathed.

She’s awake!

Jaypaw leaned down and pressed his nose to his mother’s pelt. She felt warmer. Not hot, though. No infection. He laid his pad on her flank. Her breathing was steadier, not too fast.

She was recovering from the shock of her injury.

“How’s Lionpaw?” Squirrelflight asked faintly.

“I’m right here.” Lionpaw brushed her ear with his nose.

“What about Hollypaw? Was she wounded?”

“Hollypaw’s fine too,” Jaypaw reassured her. “We’re all fine.”

The ferns rustled as Squirrelflight lifted her head. “Has the sun vanished again?”

“Look!” Jaypaw encouraged her to open her eyes. “It’s still shining.”

Squirrelflight rested her head down. “StarClan must be angry with us.”

“Not us,” Lionpaw mewed. “It’s WindClan they’re angry with.”

It’s got nothing to do with StarClan. Jaypaw patted the ferns around his mother’s head. It was like taking care of an anxious kit.

Hollypaw stirred. “Is she awake?” She jumped to her paws.

“Squirrelflight?”

“Is that you, Hollypaw?”

Hollypaw buried her nose in her mother’s fur. “I was so scared you were going to die!”

Squirrelflight managed a soft purr. “I’ll never leave you, little one,” she promised.

Paw steps scuffed toward them, and Jaypaw scented Brightheart.

“I saw her move!” The one-eyed warrior’s mew was filled with hope.

“She’s awake,” Jaypaw told her. “No sign of fever, and her breathing’s strong.”

“Shall I fetch Leafpool?” Brightheart offered.

Jaypaw shook his head. “She’s sleeping. I think we should wake her only if the bleeding starts again or Squirrelflight starts to get restless.”

“How did these feathers get here?” Squirrelflight was sniffing at the soft blanket covering her. She pawed weakly at her bedding. “And the ferns?”

“We built a nest around you,” Hollypaw told her.

“Thank you.” Pride warmed Squirrelflight’s mew. “I have such brave, kind kits.”

“You should rest, Squirrelflight,” Brightheart warned.

“You lost a lot of blood.”

“Yes,” Squirrelflight breathed, the ferns rustling around her.

“She’s closing her eyes,” Hollypaw whispered. “We should leave her to sleep.”

“You three should be resting too,” Brightheart advised. “I’ll watch Squirrelflight until Leafpool wakes up.”

Jaypaw’s fur tingled. This could be their chance to go look for Sol. “Thanks, Brightheart.” He forced his voice to sound tired. “Come on,” he called to Lionpaw and Hollypaw. “Let’s go get some sleep.”

He paused as soon as he was sure they were out of earshot of Brightheart.

“What is it?” Hollypaw stopped beside him. “You’re all jumpy.”

“We have to find Sol!”