Dovewing's Silence by Erin Hunter Read Free Book Online

cats’ dreams?”
    Lionblaze drew one massive paw over the pale-feathered breast of the dead pigeon. “The Great Battle took a lot out of all of us,” he meowed. “None of us know how long it will take to recover.”
    â€œBut this isn’t a battle wound!” Dovewing protested. “This is something else, something that has changed inside me! I can’t describe it exactly, but I know I’m different.”
    Lionblaze kept his gaze fixed on the bird at his feet. “Talk to Jayfeather if you’re worried. He knows more about this than we do. We’re part of a prophecy, remember? I don’t see how that could change.”
    Dovewing wanted to challenge him but he picked up the pigeon, making it clear their conversation was over. Lurching awkwardly on his infected paw, he trotted along the path and vanished into the bracken. Dovewing scooped up her mouse and followed, letting her tail trail miserably in the dirt.
    â€œJayfeather!” Dovewing shivered as a cold gust of wind whipped up her fur at the foot of the cliff. She moved closer to the bramble fronds as if they offered some shelter. “Jayfeather, I have to talk to you!”
    â€œReally? Right now?” came the impatient reply.
    Dovewing braced herself. “Yes, now.”
    â€œYou’d better come in then. But don’t touch anything!”
    She pushed through the brambles and stopped, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the dim light inside the cave. The sandy floor was covered with piles of herbs, some fresh and green-smelling, others wizened and dried into tiny black curls. Jayfeather was crouched beside Foxleap, who lay on his side in a moss-lined nest, his eyes closed. The medicine cat was peeling a dressing of leaves away from the warrior’s belly.
    Dovewing took a step back. The stench that came from the wound was overpowering. “Great StarClan!” she whispered.
    â€œExactly,” Jayfeather commented dryly. Without moving his head, he reached out with one paw and expertly scoopedup a wad of recently chewed leaves. “What do you want?” he muttered as he began to press the leaves against the open pus-filled wound.
    Dovewing tried not to gag. “Can Foxleap feel that?” she asked.
    â€œStarClan be thanked, no,” Jayfeather replied. “I keep him dosed with poppyseeds to make him sleep, and he rarely stirs. I want him to stay like this until the wound starts to heal. Is something wrong, Dovewing? As you can see, I’m quite busy. Leafpool’s out collecting herbs, since Brightheart is taking care of Sorreltail’s kits in the nursery, and Briarlight has gone into the forest with Daisy to stretch her legs.”
    Dovewing moved closer. “I think something has happened to me since the Great Battle,” she began. “My senses have changed. I mean, they’re gone. I can see and hear like other cats, but that’s all. And Lionblaze has injured his paw, which never used to happen. So I wanted to know if you had noticed anything different about your powers.”
    Jayfeather froze, his paws motionless on Foxleap’s injury. Then his ears twitched. “Dovewing, this can wait. Let me do my duty to Foxleap, and to the other cats that need me to treat them. You’re not in pain, are you?”
    Dovewing shook her head, until she remembered that Jayfeather couldn’t see her. “No,” she meowed.
    â€œThen I don’t see how I can help you. I have to concentrate on my responsibilities to this Clan.” His voice rose and one of his front paws curled up in anger. “Foxleap cannot die! We have lost too many cats already! Why does StarClan keeppunishing us like this?”
    Dovewing stared at the medicine cat in shock. “You can’t say that! We defeated the Dark Forest cats! We won the battle!”
    â€œReally?” snarled Jayfeather. “It doesn’t feel that way to me. All I’ve done is watch my