The night air was tense and uncertain. She should've been back long ago. thought Phoenixwing.

Silverpaw rubbed up against her, smiling. "I'm sure she'll be back."

"It's been two days. I just don't understand." whispered Phoenixwing.

"She'll be back soon. I'm sure of it." Nightsky reassured her. The tone itself was endearing, but underneath was icy dread. Something was bothering Nightsky, Phoenixwing was sure of it. But what?

Patrolling the outside edge of the camp with Silverpaw, Phoenixwing saw a tiny little white shape, shoulders drooped. Nightsky walked over to him, a sad smile on her face. "I'm here. Don't worry."

Cloudkit looked at her, his bloodshot eyes like fire against his white fur. "I don't want you! Go away!"

Nightsky recoiled, offended. Phoenixwing shrugged.

Rainpaw finally galloped into the clearing, a huge smile on her face. Swallowfern padded silently behind her, bags under her eyes. Phoenixwing shuddered. She could almost imagine the creaking of the old medicine cat's bones.

"Rainpaw! How was the journey to the Moonstones?" Phoenixwing asked.

"We walked west forever, along the mountains. It was at least a day there, a day back. That's what took so long. And..."

"What?"

"I'm not Rainpaw anymore." She grinned cheekily. "I got my medicine cat name."

"What? Tell me! Tell me!" Phoenixwing bounced up and down like an excited kit.

"Raindrop." Raindrop's chest swelled.

Phoenixwing purred. "So, what do you want to do tommorow? I think... it'd be nice to catch up."

"Why don't we go get some herbs?"

* * *

Phoenixwing and Raindrop headed out of camp, the early morning sunshine settling on the dew. Everywhere around them were prisms of light, like fireflies shimmering in the morning air.

Phoenixwing swiveled her head, hoping to find some herbs, but there were none in sight. Raindrop ran past her. "Catmint!"

She picked up a plant with rugged green leaves. Carefully, she shook off the dew. "Score."

"That's an herb?" Phoenixwing asked. The tiny plant seemed dull, at least to her.

"That's an herb." Raindrop confirmed, rolling the leaves inside a orange leaf that had fallen off a tree. The green looked disorienting against the orange and red.

The two meandered through the forest. Every now and then, Raindrop would stop, sniff the air, and place a few leaves in her bundle of herbs. Phoenixwing's mouth watered with the sweet scent of flowers and leaves, fresh picked from the forest.

"Is that enough?"

Raindrop nodded, her jaws latched on to the herbs.

"Can we... stop by somewhere? Please?"

Raindrop nodded.

The way to the sacred place wasn't unfamiliar to Phoenixwing. She'd snuck out time and time again to go there.

Raindrop recognized it too, and she sighed through the herbs. "Pfffffffffffff..."

Phoenixwing ignored her and headed through the bushes into the clearing she knew so well. As usual, the mound of dirt was bare, but on top, at the center, lay a red lily that shined like her feather- a beautiful flame, spiraling upwards.

There was another scent here. Raindrop pressed against Phoenixwing. "We sholf geth back to camph."

"Pssk. For someone with such a great nose, I feel like you should use it."

"Wath do you mean?"

"Come out, Rivertail. I know you're there."

The lithe, silver shape slunk out of the shadows.

Raindrop looked from one of them to the other, and then muttered, "I hath to go back to camph." She fled the clearing, herbs in mouth.

Rivertail stared down Phoenixwing. "Just as beautiful as ever."

"Oh, cut the mouse dung. Why are you here?!"

"I was just training Windpaw, and I had to go get the flower."

"What?!" Phoenixwing looked down at the flower, shaking. "You..."

"I did it for you. I always have... because I love you. I've loved you since I was little. I promised that I'd always keep a flower here, for you." Tears were streaming down his face.

Phoenixwing shook. "You... when you got caught in RainClan..."

He nodded.

"But... why... how..."

He looked up at her, pleading in his eyes.

She had hated him.

Had.

But... this whole time...

The worst part of all, was that she couldn't bring herself to be appalled. Some part of her knew this was right. They'd fought together. Hunted together. Now they were more than rivals. More than friends.

She reached forwards, and in one fluid moment, they touched.

They were mates now.

Out in the distance, Phoenixwing saw four pairs of shocked eyes. Two apprentices, Nightsky, and Raindrop.

Phoenixwing couldn't care less.