“Okay, but don’t overdo it,” Brightheart warned the white warrior. “The more you rest, the sooner you’ll be back on full warrior duties.”

As Icecloud started clawing moss together, Jayfeather withdrew a couple of paw steps to give the young cats space, and sat beside the pool of water that trickled down from the rock wall, stretching out his neck to lap up a few cool drops.

“I’m glad Sandstorm’s getting better,” he remarked to Brightheart as she settled down beside him. “But she still can’t shake off that cough. I hope it’ll clear up when newleaf comes.”

Brightheart nodded. “Cherrykit’s back to her usual energetic self,” she mewed. “And the other cats are over the worst of the whitecough.”

“Right.” Jayfeather rose to his paws and arched his back to give himself a good stretch, then sat down again with his tail curled around his paws. “I’d far rather be treating injuries than the sickness we’ve had to deal with in the last few moons.”

“So would I.” Brightheart’s tone was heartfelt. “We don’t have to worry that Icecloud’s bad shoulder will spread to the rest of the Clan!”

Jayfeather let out a purr of amusement. “I can’t wait for newleaf,” he went on. “Warmer days and more prey will help the Clan get back to full strength. There’ll be more herbs, too, and the plants by the Twoleg nest will have a chance to grow.” His humor faded at the memory of how he had been forced to trade herbs with ShadowClan, and his purr gave way to a low growl deep in his throat.

“What’s the matter?” Brightheart asked.

“I was just thinking about how I had to give catnip to ShadowClan, to exchange for Ivypaw—Ivypool, I mean,” Jayfeather told her. “I was sorry that Littlecloud was ill, but not sorry enough that I wanted to deprive my own Clanmates.”

And I’m not happy with how the other medicine cats are behaving at the moment, he added to himself, unwilling to tell Brightheart about the way his counterparts in the other Clans were insisting on keeping themselves apart following warnings from their ancestors. They’re turning aside from the united path that medicine cats have followed for seasons beyond count. For a heartbeat he asked himself if he was just as guilty, for not wanting to give the herbs to Littlecloud. That’s different, he told himself firmly. The health of my Clan has to come first.

Squeals from nearby told Jayfeather that Icecloud and Briarlight were getting overexcited.

“I’ll see to them,” Brightheart mewed, touching his shoulder with the tip of her tail. “Hey, knock it off, you two! Icecloud, do you want to be stuck in here until greenleaf?”

“But we’re having fun!” Icecloud protested.

Jayfeather left Brightheart to deal with them and padded over to the mouth of the den, where he sat beside the bramble screen. Cats passing through the entrance had worn away the twigs that blocked the gap after the beech tree fell, and once again he could feel the breeze on his face.