The three of them returned to camp and Cheetahstep watched her friend closely. Something seemed a bit off with her, but Cheetahstep had other things in mind to explain the change in behavior. Runningwish broke away from her and Seapaw and approached her sister, Goldensky, who had been sitting alone.
Cheetahstep decided to think about it later and not confront her friend, atleast not right now while she was talking to her runaway sister.
Mapleshade rested on the dusty clay floor of the camp beside Snowtuft. She looked out toward the camp and almost felt.. something she couldn't place.. but, it was peaceful. Beside her though she could nearly choke on Snowtuft's bad mood.
"I know you're not pleased with our delay, but acting like a brat won't help anything. You'll get us caught if you act like yourself.. from what I've learned Goldensky isn't a grump." Mapleshade scorned her partner on this mission. Snowtuft looked at her, a burning glare hidden behind the she-cat's sweet eyes. Before he could spit a comment at her Mapleshade gave him another order.
"Learn about Goldensky. Learn to act like her. You're in a role now, not just a new pelt. If they see anything suspicious they'll find out something isn't right." Mapleshade warned him for what could have been the third time.
Across the camp Tigertooth was entering through the gate of ferns. He was surprised he had been allowed out, but apparently his word was a lot more powerful then he thought to Firestar. The past day he and Goldensky had returned was underwhleming.
He had expected hatred and distrust but he only received small signs of resentment and no leash. Maybe it was a sign of distrust that they let him be free, a sign of hate that they allowed to do so because they might have a chance of him disappearing.
Tigertooth wouldn't know. He had noticed as well that it was blatantly obvious he and Tigerstar were more infused then these other possessed cats running around. As he grew up he and Tigerstar molded together through mind, and then body. It seemed these other cats were becoming one with body while their minds were seperated, but, the Starclan cat inside them dominated the controls.
He never had that with Tigerstar, though earlier when they were on the run from Firestar and when they confronted, Tigerstar had firmly taken hold of the controls. Tigertooth could only say he was pleased to know it was Tigerstar doing it as a precaution to protect him and Goldensky, rather then to just come back into this world to seek his unending revenge. It was a relief to everyone else as well when Firestar revealed Tigerstar's earlier explained motivations about leaving to take Tigertooth and Goldensky to a safer place, far away from the clans.
He spotted Goldensky sitting with her sister and sighed. He had been enraged at knowing his mate didn't tell him about her kitting. It deeply disturbed him to know he had frightened her to such an extent that she wouldn't share with him that she was with his kit. It only filled his being with guilt, the growing sympathy mixed with the regret of not letting her know she could trust him with that secret, making it hard for him to even walk as he was now.
Even Tigerstar was stirred by the discovery. But Tigertooth had given it thought and began to understand Goldensky's paranoia. She did follow him in a moments notice without any idea of what he had planned to do with Shadowclan.
The plan may have blown up in his face, but, he did intend for him and Goldensky to be happy, or atleast safe. He even had his own doubts about her before they left Shadowclan, the main reason he wouldn't speak to her during their time there, but as she stood against him, stood with him, and when they interacted, their relationship changed to a more mature level. Everytime they spoke together he started to see more of her character, and he liked it.
Her spirit was strong and so bright it could destroy shadows for miles, but she knew when to hide her gift of joy when it wasn't needed. It was a good contrast against him and he wondered if Goldensky had an influence on him and Tigerstar.