Goldenshine's POV

I shivered as I snuck through the forest by myself, the last chills of leaf-bare still lingering in the forest. As I traveled, I looked up to the sky to see that it was a bright orange, mixed with a pink color. The sun was beginning to sink behind the trees.

I hope I'm not late for Breezepelt, I realized, my stomach fluttering as I thought about him again. The more that the fact that I was meeting with him set in, the more... eager that I got. I wasn't sure how I felt about that still. I've never been so confused about my own feelings before, I realized. Maybe this is why I've always stuck to my warrior duties and nothing else!

I started to walk a little faster, looking from side to side every once in a while to see if I was being watched. Lilypetal had almost blown my cover earlier and I didn't want that to happen again. Mothers always seem to know everything, I thought, annoyed. Hopefully only Lilypetal being suspicious is the extent of it...

Suddenly, as I traveled closer and closer to the end of ThunderClan's territory, WindClan scent began to flood through my nose, and I heard the faint water noises of the stream that marked the border between WindClan and ThunderClan's territory.

Here I was, where Breezepelt and I had decided to meet. It was then that I realized that I wasn't feeling guilty or paranoid of being caught at all, and only anticipated the WindClan warrior's arrival.

"Breezepelt?" I then whispered, padding closer to where the stream was, looking around and trying to stay as quiet as I could.

"Goldenshine!" I heard an excited voice meow immediately after.

I slid through some bushes and saw Breezepelt waiting for me, standing by the stream. Looking at him for the first time since last night, my stomach almost seemed to flip upside down. Breezepelt sure is a handsome cat, isn't he? I couldn't help but think.

"Hi," I meowed nicely, touching my nose to his, trying not to show how nervous I was all of the sudden.

"Hey," he purred as he stared warmly at me. "I'm glad you could make it."

I returned the warm gaze and wrapped my tail nearly around my paws. "So, what did you want to do?" I asked, narrowing my eyes. "You were pretty intent on doing this, so you better have plans!"

Breezepelt winked and then lightly touched his tail tip to my shoulder. "How 'bout we go for a walk?"

I nodded and stood up, feeling all tingly again like I had last night when we had first encountered each other. This feels so weird! I thought, Why did he even want to meet up, anyway? Why did I agree to it? This cat had just asked me to take a walk with him. It was something so simple, but the fact that a cat from another Clan was asking me to do it made it a big deal. I almost felt disgusted with myself, reflecting on the fact that I had agreed to it so easily.

But as disgusted with my own actions and feelings as I was, I padded up to stand beside Breezepelt, and we both began to walk along the stream, making sure to be cautious of other cats possibly being around.

"So, what is your life like in ThunderClan?" Breezepelt asked, stepping over so his fur brushed mine.

I didn't pull away. "Normal as any warrior's life, I suppose!" I purred happily. "But don't get me wrong, it's all my absolute dream. It's been since I was a kit. Every part of it is perfect. I go on patrols everyday, hunt for prey, eat prey, take naps..."

A purr rumbled in Breezepelt's throat. "Being a warrior really is wonderful," the black tom agreed. "But sometimes it's pretty stressful."

"Yeah, for sure," I murmured. "The taking naps part of my day rarely ever happens!" As Breezepelt let out a small purr of amusement, I then asked, "Do you like being in WindClan?"

Breezepelt snorted, "Some of the warriors can be real mouse-brains, but it's a good Clan, I suppose. It's all I know."

He then nudged me on the shoulder. "At least we're not like ThunderClan. You all think that you're better than any of us!" He meowed teasingly.

My mouth dropped, and I nudged Breezepelt back. "So not true, you flea-brain!" I purred, lightly swiping one of paws across his ear. "You better watch your mouth, or I'm going to leave right now!"

"Oh, please don't," Breezepelt then meowed, purring as well, but I actually sensed some sincerity in his meow.

I let out a quiet mrrow of laughter and gazed warmly at him. He looked back at me, returning the glance, then turned back his head to look ahead.

For a little while we walked in silence. Before I knew it, the sun was gone, and the stars of Silverpelt spread all over the sky, just as they had been when Breezepelt and I had met just the night before.

As the two of us continued to walk alongside each other, suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I could see Breezepelt's head turn toward me, and he stared with his eyes glittering.

I stopped and looked at him, my stomach twisting for the hundredth time that night. If Breezepelt had stared at me like this last night, he would have lost his ability to stare within heartbeats, but now...

"Why are you looking at me?" I asked, trying to hide my excited smile. And why do I like that you are?

"No reason," Breezepelt purred, smiling back at me, his eyes still sparkling.

My eyes then widened as he slowly moved his tail towards mine. Oh my StarClan, oh my StarClan... When he was close enough, he twined it with his.

I closed my eyes for a moment, sure that Breezepelt would be able to hear my heart beating. Why does this all feel so... nice? Why don't I feel badly about this?

My ears grew hot as I decided to step to stand closer to Breezepelt, leaning my head forward and brushing my muzzle against his, not feeling a single twinge of regret.

He blinked, gasped, and then looked at me in shock. I purred quietly, looking back at the WindClan warrior with warm eyes.

Then Breezepelt returned it, and we stood like that for several moments before I felt the black tom tap his tail against my shoulder, nodding his head to the large oak tree in front of us.

"Race you up that tree!" he meowed challengingly. He got a head start and started to climb up the tall oak tree.

"Hey, not fair!" I purred and raced to catch up to him. I leaped up to get a grip on the tree and quickly started to climb up, feeling so happy and exhilarated. I'm having so much fun! I realized as I clawed the bark, trying to catch up to Breezepelt. Not that I don't have an extreme amount of fun when I'm back in ThunderClan but... this is just... fun! Plain 'ol fun!

Breezepelt was ahead of me by one fox-length, but then I hopped onto a low branch and was able to get past him.

"Hey!" he shouted, still climbing behind me.

I purred as I climbed, sure that I was going to win this race. When I nearly made it to the top of the big oak, my paws suddenly lost their grip and I began to plummet down the tree. Everything became a blur as I watched each branch I had jumped off of pass my gaze as I fell.

"Goldenshine!" Breezepelt shouted. His yowl sounded like barely more than a whisper in my ear.

I landed on the ground with a big thump, and all the breath was immediately knocked out of me. I struggled for breath, rolling onto my side. Well, I suppose I'm not having a lot of fun at the moment...

I watched as Breezepelt leaped down the tree, and he was next to me within a heartbeat.

"Are you okay?" he demanded, staring at me with wide eyes and running his tail gently along my flank. He then bent his head down to lick urgently at my head. "Please be okay..."

"I'll be okay," I wheezed, letting the tom's slow licks sooth me. "J-just landed on my back and lost my breath for a moment!"

"Thank StarClan," Breezepelt sighed, touching his nose to mine.

Yeah, thank StarClan, I thought. What would we have done if I had gotten seriously hurt? Breezepelt would have had to bring me to ThunderClan camp himself, and then every cat would know what we're doing!

I suddenly became confused as Breezepelt froze and then lifted his head up from where he had been looking at me. He sniffed and looked ahead. I flicked my ears and watched him nervously.

"I smell ThunderClan," he muttered.

"It's me, mouse-brain," I meowed, trying to stand up. And we're just inside ThunderClan territory, hopefully you would smell ThunderClan!

"I thought that I could smell something else..." Breezepelt muttered, half to himself. "But you're right. Maybe I'm just extra paranoid." he then murmured, walking to stand beside me. "Hopefully you're right."

"Of course I am, silly!" I purred, shaking out my fur. "Never doubt a cat who has been stuck in the tunnels for a whole night. Their word is holy!"

Then we both sat down, howling with laughter before falling silent with the forest around us. I laid my head on Breezepelt's shoulder, and he rested his muzzle on my head, and we stood there together by the stream.

This is amazing, I realized. We don't even have to talk to each other. Just being with Breezepelt makes me so happy. How? I was still so bewildered by my actions of the night. It was almost as if me, Goldenshine, was watching myself from the outside and seeing all of the things I was doing. I was wanting to yell at myself and tell myself that what I was doing was wrong, and that I shouldn't enjoy this time with this warrior from another Clan. After all, I had spent my whole life wanting to be the most dedicated ThunderClan warrior possible. Was I throwing that all away by meeting with Breezepelt like this?

I was then pulled from my questioning thoughts as a rustle came from some bushes behind us. I looked at Breezepelt, but he was staring ahead bravely, and he didn't say anything.

"What is going on here?" A voice beamed, spreading through the forest. I flinched at the strength of the voice.

Then, another rustle came from some other bushes, closer this time, and a cat came out to stand in front of us. I wanted to sink to the ground as I recognized the familiar appearance of the cat who had bright ginger fur, broad shoulders and green eyes.

It was Firestar.