INTRODUCTION

"Jayfeather!"

Jayfeather was barely aware of the distant, echoing voice. He blinked and saw the blurred image of Lionblaze. Then the pounding of paws against the ground.

"Jayfeather, hang in there- Leafpool's coming!"

Bramblestar's fuzzy figure stood before Jayfeather now, his voice, like Lionblaze's, hardly at all understandable.

Jayfeather was numb, tired, unaware. All he knew was he was on the ground, and his clanmates had reason to worry about him.

What happened? Jayfeather thought. His voice echoed too, in his mind. He could barely see the pained expressions of Lionblaze and Bramblestar. Wait…. see? Why can I see? Hadn't he had a dream about seeing, from Starclan? Yes- the day he could see the world was the day he could-

Then Jayfeather realized.

I'm dying.

"Hang in there," he heard Bramblestar repeat.

But Jayfeather knew. He knew he couldn't.

"It's too late," he found himself muttering. It's too late…