Goldenshine's POV

I let out a yowl, almost to release the adrenaline and excitement bubbling up inside of me as I pelted through the forest, my fur being blown back by the breeze, and my paws only lightly touching the ground with each step I took.

I briefly looked over my shoulder to glance at the sandy-gray tom that was running just behind me. "Be prepared to admit defeat, because you're about to eat dirt, you turtle!"

"Famous last words!" Dustystorm, my mate, shouted back to me after an amused snort. I then let out a shocked gasp as he nearly seemed to disappear out of thin air from my sight. I looked up to see that Dustystorm had begun to leap up a tree trunk as quickly as any squirrel could.

He really was meant to be a ThunderClan cat, I thought fondly, my heart welling up with pride as I thought about how much my mate had managed to fit into Clan life despite living his entire life as a kittypet until just moons ago.

But no matter how impressed I was with him, or how much I loved and admired him... there was no way in the name of StarClan that I was going to let him win this race. Not even with those exemplary climbing skills he has. "Ah, you think you're clever - going all squirrel-mode, huh?" I called up to my mate as I watched him leap swiftly from branch to branch.

I then let out another yowl of excitement and triumph as I let my bursts of energy further take me forward. "Not as clever as my footing!"

I then felt as if I was running as quickly and swiftly as I ever had in my entire life as I continued to burst through the ThunderClan forest. It almost felt as if StarClan was steering me by how easily I was able to dodge past bushes, leap over roots and make my way around trees.

Eventually, as a certain birch tree came into view, I unsheathed my claws and skidded to a halt, my heart full with success as I watched Dustystorm leap down from a tree just a couple of tail-lengths away.

"Ha!" I meowed, leaping up onto all four paws as Dustystorm padded up to me, his pale blue gaze filled with a mix of mock-annoyance and humor. "I made it to the birch tree first! I win!"

Dustystorm snorted as he brushed clumps of dirt and leaves off of me with his tail. "Barely!" he teased, rolling his eyes. "Come on, you have the advantage - you've been in this forest longer than I have. It's going to come more easily to you!"

"Or you're just a sore loser," I purred as I lightly nudged Dustystorm on the shoulder and licked his cheek. I then pulled away and began to trot in tight circles around my mate. "Admit it! Admit that I won!"

Dustystorm followed my movements as his eyes gleamed. "Fine, you won!" he meowed, sighing as he lashed his tail. I then raised my eyebrows with interest as he put his muzzle up to my ear and hissed into it. "For now."

"Oh, please!" I purred with amusement before sitting down next to Dustystorm, finally taking the time to catch my breath after our long run through the forest. "You just keep telling yourself that," I teased to Dustystorm, flicking one of his ears with my tail.

"Oh, I definitely will - because it's true!" Dustystorm taunted, his eyes now shining with determination. After I purred with amusement once more, his eyes then softened as he sighed. "Well... maybe not."

I tilted my head back at my mate. "What do you mean?"

My head suddenly felt light as Dustystorm then twinned his tail with mine. "You've just seemed so much more like yourself lately," my mate replied, his gaze full of love as we both stood up to begin slowly walking through the forest. "I've seen more of the fiery, energetic Goldenshine that I originally came to like so much."

My heart was beginning to grow extra warm as Dustystorm went on. "I feel like even just a couple of quarter moons ago you wouldn't even be in a mood to race!" he meowed before touching his nose to my ear. "Now, however... I think you could lap me around this forest several times over!"

"And don't you forget that!" I teased, then letting a long, mentally-exhausted sigh as I began to reflect on Dustystorm's words. "But you're right. I really wasn't myself, was I?"

But honestly, I think I had every reason to feel as down in the dumps as I had. Your son not speaking to you for moons, a son that you had been so close to when he was young, ought to cause some negative feelings.

But now, that had completely changed. My heart wanted to flutter and skip each time I looked back on the dawn that I had been about to take my apprentice, Cherrypaw, out for training, but Swiftflight had been quick to approach me and apologize for all of his past behavior.

Unfortunately, finding out that he had trained in the Dark Forest with Ashfur came along with that, I recalled. But that doesn't matter anymore. None of it matters! Swiftflight had left the Dark Forest, and we had been working on our relationship since then.

And now, as Dustystorm had pointed out, I was nearly at my all-time high because of it. There were many, many other things that could put a damper on my happiness at the moment, but the fact that I had fixed my relationship with my son had made it all seem significantly easier.

And part of it is all thanks to...

A chill nearly ran down my spine as Dustystorm and I crawled through some brambles to see two figures in the clearing in front of us, one of these figures being Snowstorm - also known as the she-cat that was carrying my sister's soul.

Although a piece of her destiny still remained a mystery to Jayfeather and me, we had discovered that she was meant to be the one to pull my son away from what could have been a terrible fate in the Dark Forest.

Originally, Jayfeather and I had thought that this was the extent of what Snowflight was meant to do in order to fulfill her destiny, but when her spirit wasn't released from Snowstorm's body, we had realized that that wasn't the case at all.

All we can do is wait... I thought in dismay as I briefly reflected on all that I had found out in just the past few days - Ashfur's treachery, and so many Dark Forest plans. We're having to wait for many things, unfortunately...

My thoughts were suddenly interrupted as Hollyleaf, who was burying what looked like a squirrel, snorted. "It's about time you all joined us," she muttered as she shook her head slowly. Dustystorm and I exchanged an amused glance as the fluffy black she-cat then stood up. "On second thought - maybe you all should head straight for the nursery. It'd be better suited for you two, at the moment."

"Aw, come on, Hollyleaf!" I purred as I padded up to her. "All we did was have a little race!"

"During a hunting patrol?" Hollyleaf replied, her voice a bit sharper. She then lashed her tail and nodded towards Snowstorm, who had her mouth gaped open in the search for prey scent, and lashed her tail. "Come on, Snowstorm's already snatched a shrew and a sparrow. We're heading back to camp soon, and you all need to contribute."

I sighed and dipped my head to Hollyleaf, having to admit that Dustystorm and I had been a little careless with our actions. "Alright, Hollyleaf. I'm sorry," I replied sincerely. You may have big bursts of energy, but did you think of putting it to use by hunting for your Clan? I scolded myself. Instead you had to ask your mate to race!

Dustystorm's eyes were wide and apologetic as he also nodded to Hollyleaf. "Me too. We'll be right back with something," my mate insisted before turning around and beckoning me with his sandy-gray tail. "Let's go, Goldenshine!"

Dustystorm and I then proceeded to practically cover the entirety of ThunderClan territory, searching for prey as the sun began to set in the sky. Thank StarClan, our endeavors weren't hard to achieve, for the coming greenleaf had blessed our forest with quite the abundance of prey.

By the time that our small hunting patrol had begun our travel back to camp, Dustystorm and I each carried a couple of catches in our jaws. I couldn't help but let out a mrrow of laughter as I glanced over at Hollyleaf, who was flanking me on one side. "Happy now?" I purred through the prey in my mouth.

Hollyleaf rolled her eyes next to me. "Sure," she replied. "But that prey could have been caught a few moments earlier than it was - just saying."

"I know, I know," I sighed, lightly brushing my tail over Hollyleaf's shoulder. "I'm sorry, we were just having a little fun. It won't happen again."

I then purred with amusement to myself after I had spoken. Goodness, I sound like I'm speaking to Firestar or Brambleclaw! I thought jokingly. Hollyleaf sure likes to stick to the rules, doesn't she?

I then glanced over at Dustystorm, who was flanking me on my other side, to see his gaze full of humor, revealing that he was thinking exactly as I was. A purr then began to rumble in my throat as I was suddenly overwhelmed with gratitude and affection. I wound my tail around my mate's as I thought, as much as I don't like to break rules either, I could never regret getting to have fun with this one, even if we're on patrol.

The sun had almost completely disappeared behind the trees by the time that our hunting patrol had returned to camp. We immediately padded across the camp clearing to drop our prey off at the fresh-kill pile.

Almost immediately after I had set my prey down, I was nearly startled by the blur of white that flashed past me. I whipped my head around to see that Snowstorm was making her way deeper into to camp. She seemed to be approaching Swiftflight, who had been talking with Cherrypaw, who I had let off early after a grueling battle-training day, and Molepaw, her brother, near the apprentices den as we'd returned.

Snowstorm excitedly walked up to the three, and although I couldn't hear what they were saying from I was, they seemed to immediately engage in happy, cheerful conversation.

As I've said a lot lately, thank StarClan, I thought with relief as I watched Snowstorm and Swiftflight exchange words. Not only had my relationship with Swiftflight been strained, but other cats had been affected as well - including Snowstorm, who I definitely considered to be Swiftflight's best friend. But he mended his relationship with her, too. I knew that he had it in him.

I let out a sigh full of ease, taking a quick glance towards the medicine den before turning to Dustystorm and touching my nose to his shoulder. "You go on to our nest, I'll be right back," I whispered to my mate, realizing that the ThunderClan camp had fallen quiet - many cats already in their dens, sleeping. I then used my paw to move the shrew that Hollyleaf had caught. "I'm going to bring this to Jayfeather. I don't think that he's had a bite to eat all day."

Dustystorm's eyes widened at my words. "Great StarClan - take your time, then!" Dustystorm insisted, his tail lashing with surprise. He then touched his muzzle to mine before proceeding to walk towards the warriors den. "You'll walk in to find me dreaming of how I'm going to win our next race!"

"Oh, you wish!" I called back to him in a hushed voice. I then felt a purr rumble in my throat as I returned the tender gaze Dustystorm was giving me. "I love you."

"I love you too," Dustystorm replied immediately, his eyes shimmering like the lake in the moonlight, before continuing his travel. "Now go feed our medicine cat!"

I had to suppress a loud purr of amusement at Dustystorm's words as I finally bent down to pick up the shrew I had separated from the rest of the pile. I quickly and urgently padded towards the medicine den, because as far as I knew - Jayfeather hadn't eaten all day. And even if he has, I can use the opportunity to ask him about Snowstorm. Maybe he's had some new dreams? I realized excitedly. We haven't been able to catch up and talk very much in the past few days, but maybe now he has time!

I quietly made my way through the bramble screen that marked the entrance to the medicine clearing. One of the first things I saw once I was inside was the back of a certain gray tabby pelt, the paws attached to this gray tabby pelt hard at work organizing the herb stocks. Next to him, Briarlight was already curled up in her nest, fast asleep.

I padded a few tail-lengths into the den and dropped the shrew onto the ground. "Hey, Jayfeather," I whispered, assuming that he knew I was there. "If you're hungry, I brought a shrew for you before I head off to sleep."

I decided to sit down in anticipation for the medicine cat's reply... which never actually ended up coming.

I couldn't help but let out a small grunt and narrow my eyes. I knew that Jayfeather wasn't the most courteous or polite cat around this lake... but not even a "thank you"? Or a "no, thank you" would even work...

"Um... Jayfeather?" I meowed more hesitantly as I took a step closer to where the tom was working. "Did you hear me?"

I then nearly flinched as the gray tabby tom whipped his head around, and I met his piercing blind blue gaze. "Yes, I heard you!" he hissed back at me.

My eyes widened at the extra-harshness in his tone. "Then why didn't you-"

"Obviously I was too busy with what I was doing to reply!" Jayfeather replied, his eyes blaring.

I tried to refrain from taking a step back. Jayfeather never gave any cat the warmest of welcomes when they came into his den, but I knew that this was extreme, even for him. "I'm sorry, Jayfeather, I just..." I then trailed off, figuring that Jayfeather would scold whatever I'd say to try and explain myself. I shook my head quickly as I then meowed, "Whatever. There's your prey, if you want it."

I was actually shocked by the amount of frustration blaring in Jayfeather's eyes. "Wonderful," he murmured sarcastically before whipping himself around and returning to his herbs. "Now leave me be."

My mouth nearly dropped to the ground. "Fine!" I spat back at the medicine cat before stomping out of the den, utterly bewildered by my friend's behavior. I mean, he usually always acted like he had a burr in his fur. But now he had acted as if there were two burrs... maybe even three.

As I stormed angrily out of the medicine den, I barely noticed Hollyleaf, who almost seemed to be waiting outside for me. "Hey!" she meowed as she raised her tail to cut me off. She then tilted her head to try and meet my gaze, her green eyes filled with concern. "Why do you look like someone just put ants in your nest?"

I snorted as I turned to face Hollyleaf. "Because your brother is," I muttered as I rolled my eyes. "Ask him the same question - I'm sure he'll reply so very kindly."

To my surprise, Hollyleaf's only response to my words was a single lash of her tail, and her eyes darkened as she seemed to fall deep into thought.

"I see," she murmured after several heartbeats, and then slowly turned to pad into the medicine den, her gaze still incredibly contemplative and pensive. "I'll see you tomorrow, Goldenshine."

"Goodnight?" I replied to the black she-cat, completely confused as I watched her fluffy tail disappear through the bramble screen.

I then stood where I was for many moments, trying to process everything that had happened in the past few moments. Why didn't Hollyleaf seem to want to question anything that I said? I know I'd certainly be concerned if someone approached me and said that Snowflight was in a fit!

I sighed and finally turned around to begin walking towards the warriors den, but I almost instantly paused again. I looked back towards the medicine den again. It's almost like Hollyleaf knew that he was angry, or that she knows of a reason as to why he could be angry...

I then whipped my head around for the last time and proceeded to crawl into the warriors den. Yet another mystery to contemplate for days on end, I'm sure, I thought, trying to push down frustration as I settled down next to Dustystorm in our nest. Whatever was going on, it all was very unsettling. I wonder what's going on with Jayfeather?