Snowfeather awoke, feeling weak. Her stomach grumbled, and her throat was parched. She looked up, seeing a light snow falling up ahead. A tree hung over her, allowing her to remain dry as the snow fell.

            She looked at her wound, seeing cobwebs were placed on top of it. The bleeding had stopped, and she looked at it with curiosity. She did not feel as much pain as before, though touching it resulted in sharp pain that spread through her body.

            She looked around, not spotting Lionstripe at all. Where had he gone? Where was she? She knew she wasn't in FoxClan, obviously. She was somewhere in the forest.

            With all the might she could, she stood up and leaned against the tree, shutting her eyes tight as pain spread through her.

            "You're awake," she heard.

            Snowfeather opened her eyes, seeing Lionstripe with some cobwebs. "Where am I?" she asked.

            "We're a day's walk from FoxClan," he told her, grabbing some cobwebs off her pelt and replacing them with some new ones. Snowfeather gagged at her wounds he dressed them, but she was relieved from pain as he did so.

            "What happened? How long was I asleep?" she asked.

            "About two days," Lionstripe told her. "I couldn't find any marigold, but I happened to find some cobwebs. I've been running day and night."

            "Aren't you tired?" Snowfeather asked.

            Lionstripe nodded. "Of course, but, you were about to die, Snowfeather. I had to save you. I had just enough love to provide all that energy."

            Snowfeather smiled. "You probably wouldn't find marigold anyway," she told him. "It only blooms from new-leaf to leaf-fall."

            "I assumed that," Lionstripe said. "So I found this," he said, pulling out a small and frail plant with small yellow flowers blooming from it.

            "Goldenrod," Snowfeather breathed. "It heals wounds too. Where did you find this?"

            "A meadow nearby. The snow hadn't covered all of it yet, and I happened to find a piece still alive. Do you know how to apply it?"

            Snowfeather nodded. "I was trained with all these herbs. Of course I do. You must chew it to a poultice then apply it to the wound."

            Lionstripe nodded, beginning to chew the flower. Once he had done so, he pressed it to Snowfeather's wounds. She gave a sharp cry from the sting, then sighed as she felt relief.

            "Have you found anymore?" she asked.

            Lionstripe shook his head. "If we get to FoxClan by tonight, they'll be able to tend to you."

            Snowfeather nodded. "Alright. I'll see if I can walk," she said, standing on all fours. Her legs were wobbly, and she felt they might buckle beneath her. Luckily, Lionstripe stood next to her, allowing him to lean on her side.

            "I would run," he told her. "But all my energy is gone, obviously. We'll be fine with a day's walk."

            Snowfeather nodded. "I'm starving and thirsty. Did you catch anything?"

            "That's right," Lionstripe said, pulling out a dead squirrel. He pushed it towards her, a smile on his face. "I followed your advice and caught this squirrel," he said.

            "Thanks," Snowfeather said, quickly gobbling it up. As for water, she ate some snow, the cool substance relieving her parched throat.

            "I think I can walk now," she told Lionstripe, walking on her own a little.

            "If you need help, just let me know," Lionstripe told her. "I'll be here to assist you."

            Snowfeather smiled. "Thank you, Lionstripe," she said, beginning to walk through the woods with him. The snow had stopped now, but gray clouds still loomed up ahead, and she wondered if another snow shower would hit.

            "Has it snowed much?" she asked.

            "No, not much," Lionstripe told her. "If I had snowed a great amount, I wouldn't have been able to find that goldenrod. I expect a snowstorm will come in soon...which is why we need to get to FoxClan tonight."

            Snowfeather nodded, trying to pick up her pace.

            "Don't harm yourself, now," Lionstripe said. "We'll be there in plenty of time. You need to keep your strength up," he told her.

            Snowfeather nodded. "Alright," she said, walking at a comfortable pace.

            The two walked side by side in the forest. Snowfeather remembered walking through snowy woods back with Stonecloud and Silverwhisker. She remembered the miraculous light that Stonecloud had brought to reveal the plants. Snowfeather wished she could go back to that when times had been simpler.

            No, she was glad she was here now. She had a loving mate, even though she'd gone through terrible circumstances to get where she was today. She wondered if this was all part of StarClan's plan for her.

            Snowfeather thought back now to when she thought StarClan had abandoned her. Those days were dark, and she was glad to escape from them. Lionstripe had been her miracle, her gift from StarClan.

            "What?" Lionstripe asked.

            Snowfeather suddenly realized she had been staring at him intently.

            "Nothing," she grinned, looking away. A smile was still lit on her face though.

            She felt Lionstripe shove her lightly. "What?" he asked again.

            "Nothing," she laughed. "I was just thinking..."

            "About what?"

            "You," she said.

            Lionstripe's eyes gleamed, and he raced ahead of her, laughing. Snowfeather, now able to use her powers, transported in front of him, laughing.

            "You can't catch me!" she laughed, transporting on a nearby branch.

            "Want to bet?" Lionstripe asked, racing up the tree.

            Snowfeather laughed, appearing below the tree now. "Looks like you've got yourself in a  tough situation there, Lionstripe."

            Lionstripe laughed. "I'm a bit jealous of your power, Snowfeather," he said, racing down the tree and circling her.

            Snowfeather laughed, pawing at him lightly. Together they collapsed at the snow, smiling. Snowfeather could barely feel her wound now, and it barely stung anymore. It sure didn't hold her back anymore.

            They then raced through the forest, laughing and smiling. They were acting like young kits playing in the nursery, something Snowfeather had only witnessed, never experiencing.

            For the rest of the day, they maintained a constant pace. Near the afternoon, Snowfeather's wound had begun to sting again, though without any goldenrod, they had to continue through the woods.

            Lionstripe kept her company though, allowing her to rest on him every once in awhile as they walked. Dark clouds covered the skies, and Snowfeather knew a blizzard would be on them soon as the wind picked up.

            "We haven't got that much longer," Snowfeather told him.

            "It's just up this hill," Lionstripe promised, gazing up at the white hill up ahead. A few snow covered trees sat on top, and with all the strength she could, Snowfeather managed to make it up the hill.

            She was tired, weak, and hungry though. Eating snow couldn't cure all of her parched throat. She wanted to collapse on the hill, but she had to keep going. She had to make it to FoxClan with Lionstripe. She could get help there, and they could spend their lives in peace.

            Now standing at the top, she collapsed in the snow, tired. The first snowflakes fell, following more. Lionstripe ran to her side, shoving her.

            "Snowfeather, are you alright? Maybe you can transport there," he offered.

            Snowfeather got to her fours. "No, I can't. I'm weak," she said, her knees buckling. She felt Lionstripe place her on his back, beginning to march down the hill.

            Snow fell faster now, the winds blowing it into her fur. She hung onto Lionstripe, her wound aching. She needed help to her wounds. She looked, seeing they had to begun to bleed again. They had no time to stop for herbs though. With the blizzard coming down on them, they had to get to FoxClan.

            She felt Lionstripe pick up his pace now, beginning to use his powers to race through the forest. Snowfeather shivered as the snow blew quickly, though Lionstripe kept moving.

            She suddenly felt him halt, and Snowfeather opened her eyes, seeing cats stare at them in horror.

            "Is this FoxClan?!" Lionstripe frantically asked.

            An older ginger she-cat nodded. "Yes, this is."

            Lionstripe slowly laid Snowfeather down on the ground. "We're here to join. She must get to the medicine cat first though. Her wounds are beginning to bleed again."

            Snowfeather watched as a gray tabby she-cat slowly began to pull Snowfeather against the snowy ground. She saw Lionstripe's green eyes gaze at her one last time before she was pulled into a den.

            Snowfeather winced in pain as herbs were applied, though soon, her wounds felt better, and her stomach growled.

            "Food," Snowfeather weakly told the she-cat.

            The she-cat, whom Snowfeather assumed was the medicine cat, came back with a mouse. She still tended to Snowfeather's wounds, occasionally providing Snowfeather with some water which she drank quickly.

            "I'm Mistyfall, by the way," the she-cat told her. "FoxClan's medicine cat. And you are?"

            "Snowfeather," she told her.

            The cat nodded. "You're lucky I was able to get to your wounds in time. They were getting irritated. You're here to join, aren't you?"

            Snowfeather nodded. "Yes. I've been traveling here."

            "Is that other tom your mate?" Mistyfall asked.

            Snowfeather nodded. "Yes, the tom is Lionstripe, my mate."

            "Why don't you get some rest now," Mistyfall told her. "I'll bring him in later to see you."

            Snowfeather nodded. "Sure," she said, closing her eyes. She slowly drifted off into a deep sleep, hearing the howling winds of the blizzard behind her.