Snowpaw awoke, yawning and stretching. The snow had melted even more and now large parts of the ground were visible.

            Smiling, she looked around to see Bear's nest empty.

            Snowpaw widened her eyes. No, the tom hadn't left. He couldn't have. He had promised he would stay!

            Snowpaw was nervous now and she looked around. There was no sign of the tom at all. She began to run into the woods.

            "BEAR! BEAR!" she screeched.

            She nearly ran into the tom.

            "Gosh, what's the problem, Snowpaw?!" he groaned, rising back up.

            "I-I thought you left," Snowpaw whispered.

            "Leave? Nah, I'm staying right here. It's pretty nice out here," Bear said.

            "Holy StarClan, Bear, your wound!" Snowpaw gasped. It had seemed to be much smaller and healed better. There were no signs of infection at all.

            "Oh, yeah. I don't know what you did, but you fixed it up pretty good and I can walk normally again. I was just out here hunting."

            "Oh, sorry to interrupt," Snowpaw said. "I'll leave you to hunt then."

            "You want to come with me?" Bear asked.

            "Would I?!" Snowpaw smiled and padded after the young tom.

            Bear glanced around the forest, looking for prey. Snowpaw didn't know why, but she felt very nervous around him and was scared she'd scare prey away or make him mess up.

            As they walked, Bear suddenly stopped, then looked up into the sky.

            "What are you—"

            "Sh," Bear spoke. No sooner did he speak, a flock of birds landed on some nearby trees. "We'll climb up these trees."

            "What? With your wound?!"

            "Not so loud," Bear hushed. He placed his leg onto a branch and began to climb. "Come on, Snowpaw."

            "I don't know," Snowpaw said. "What if I fall?"

            "You won't fall. Now come on," Bear said.

            Snowpaw sighed and began to climb up the tree with the tom. She didn't know why, but she already trusted him fully even though she had only met him the day prior.

            Bear continued to walk up the branch, sinking his claws into the bark. Snowpaw thought back to her lessons in the winter where she would slip. This was surprisingly easy. The bark was no longer slippery. It was rough and dry, perfect for climbing.

            Bear was near the birds now. "They'll probably fly towards you," he said. "Kill them when they do."

            With a yowl, he leapt into the flock and they flew down. Snowpaw leapt into the air, swiping her paws. She had no idea what she was doing. At one point, she swiped a bird and when she came down, she didn't land on the branch. She was falling. Snowpaw gasped and sunk her claws into a branch, dangling from the large tree.

            "BEAR! HELP!" she screeched.

            The tom looked down, seeing her dangling. "Hang on, Snowpaw!"

            Snowpaw held on for dear life, but her claws began to slip and Bear wasn't coming down the branches fast enough.

            Snowpaw shut her eyes and let go.

            "SNOWPAW!" Bear yowled.

            Snowpaw landed on something hard, then blacked out.

When Snowpaw opened her eyes, she was back in her camp. Was it all a dream? It must've been. But Snowpaw felt pain in her shoulder. When she looked up, she saw Bear gazing at her.

            "Wh-what happened?" she asked.

            "You fell. I caught you."

            "Did you get the bird?" Snowpaw asked.

            Bear laughed. "I don't really think that's the important thing right now."

            "Thanks," Snowpaw smiled. She tried to stand up, but her shoulder pain kept her down.

            "You might want to lay down for awhile. Your shoulder is not broken," Bear spoke.

            "How do you know how to heal? Don't you think I know it's not broken?" Snowpaw asked.

            "My mother knew herbs just like you. She was especially good with broken bones," Bear said.

            "What happened to your mother?" Snowpaw asked.

            "I don't know. I left my family behind and went off as a rogue," Bear spoke.

            "My mother left me," Snowpaw said.

            "Really? Why?"

            "I-nevermind," Snowpaw sighed. She suddenly locked her eyes with Bear and then turned away quickly.

            "Your blue eyes are really pretty," Bear said.

            What was this odd feeling inside of Snowpaw? She had never felt it before. "Oh, uh, thanks," she purred.

            "You're one of the most beautiful she-cat's I've ever laid eyes on," Bear whispered into her ear.

            "R-really?" Snowpaw asked.

            Bear nodded.

            "Well, you're on of the most handsome toms I've ever laid eyes on," Snowpaw said. This was true. She had never really talked to any toms before, besides those in the nursery.

            Was she falling in love with the tom? They had only met the day before, but she knew something was different about him. He understood her better than any cat that had ever before. He almost understood her better than her mother.

            "I'm going to get some prey. You stay here," Bear said.

            Snowpaw felt a pang of sadness as the tom walked away, but she stayed. As he disappeared out of sight, Stonecloud and Silverwhisker appeared.

            "Hey!" Snowpaw said.

            But Stonecloud and Silverwhisker did not smile.

            "What?"

            "Training?" Silverwhisker asked.

            "My shoulder's sore though," Snowpaw spoke.

            "You were supposed to train earlier this morning, remember?" Stonecloud asked.

            "Oh, that's right. Sorry," Snowpaw said.

            "This tom better not get in the way of your training," Silverwhisker said sharply. "You still need to train, Snowpaw. And you know we can't appear in front of the tom. He'll think he's gone delusional."

            "Well, I can't train right now. My shoulder is sore," Snowpaw argued.

            "Oh for StarClan's sake," Stonecloud rolled her eyes. A light suddenly flashed on Snowpaw's shoulder and when Snowpaw moved it, she felt no pain. When she stood up, her shoulder did not hurt anymore.

            "Y-You healed me!" Snowpaw gasped.

            "Now you can train," Stonecloud smiled.

            "No, I can't. Bear is getting me food right now. I can't leave."

            "And what's so special about this 'Bear'?" Stonecloud asked.

            "He understands me and I think he likes me and I think I like him," Snowpaw smiled.

            "Are you sure?" Silverwhisker asked.

            "Yes, why wouldn't I be sure?"

            Silverwhisker did not reply. "What's it going to be, Snowpaw? Training or Bear?"

            "No, don't make me choose! We can do both!" Snowpaw reassured them.

            "No, you can't," Stonecloud said. "You can't handle these two things at once, Snowpaw. We're leaving now."

            "Leaving? What do you mean?!" Snowpaw gasped.

            "Leaving as in your training is over now," Silverwhisker said.

            "But I haven't even received my warrior name! I haven't finished!" Snowpaw whined.

            "We'll finish your training, but you have to stay away from Bear," Stonecloud said.

            "NO! HE'S MY ONLY FRIEND! I-I LOVE HIM!" Snowpaw looked down, embarrassed.

            "Good-bye, Snowpaw," Silverwhisker said.

            "No! Don't leave!" Snowpaw pleaded.

            But the two she-cats looked back at her and faded, leaving Snowpaw alone.

            Snowpaw sat down on her nest and began to cry. Her mentors couldn't leave her! This was all unfair!