Goldenshine's POV

"Goldenshine? Goldenshine!"

I was practically jerked back into the present by Cherrypaw's call, and quickly whipped myself around from where my gaze had been locked on some bramble bushes to face my apprentice. "Hm?"

Cherrypaw looked unusually impatient as she padded up to me. "You're zoning out again!" she meowed irritably. "Great StarClan, I've been calling your name for what has felt like a moon!"

I stared, absolutely bewildered, as the ginger tabby she-cat then let out a huff and sat down. "We're supposed to be training here!"

Excuse me? Who are you, and what have you done to Cherrypaw? I thought as I had to clench my jaw in order to keep it from dropping all the way to the ground in amazement. "You're right," I muttered. "It's looking like we're going to need a training session on how to get rid of attitude next." I thought Swiftflight was going to be the only cat I'd need to give that lesson to!

I then watched as Cherrypaw let out a sigh and closed her amber eyes. "I'm sorry, Goldenshine..." she mewed as she lowered her head down with shame and shifted her paws back and forth. "I'm... I'm just not in the best mood right now."

I let out an amused snort. "Yeah, no kidding!" I joked before padding up closer to my apprentice and lightly touching my nose to her ear. "Is everything okay?"

I pulled away to find that Cherrypaw's gaze had managed to look even more regretful and sad, but what was worrisome was the fact that her words said otherwise. "Um... yeah. Yes, everything's fine," she replied. She simply stared ahead, her eyes still dark for a moment, and then proceeded to shake her head and flash me a reassuring, apologetic gaze. "Really. I'm sorry that I snapped."

I wasn't convinced at all by Cherrypaw's words, and I couldn't help wanting to probe into this situation of hers that was clearly giving her a hard time, but I held back. "That's okay, Cherrypaw," I meowed softly to her, wrapping my tail comfortingly around her shoulders. "I'm sorry, too." Sorry, I was just casually trying to decide how to tell your Clanmate that she's actually carrying my sister's spirit. Forgive my tomfoolery, I thought to myself, only half-joking as I reflected on the reason Cherrypaw had needed to yell to get my attention in the first place.

I then let out a long sigh as I looked down at my apprentice, who, for a reason that I didn't know, looked as mentally exhausted as I felt.

So, I came to a decision. "Hm... clearly the two of us aren't in the best of headspaces right now," I murmured out loud, then giving Cherrypaw a light nudge. "I think that we should go ahead and call it a day. How does that sound?"

Cherrypaw let out a quiet gasp and looked back up at me, her eyes wide with surprise. "Calling it quits early?" she asked worriedly. "Are you sure?"

I gave my apprentice a definitive nod and stood up. "I think that we both need it!" I replied. I then quickly began to lead the way forward. "Come on, let's get back to camp and get something to eat."

I paused for a moment and glanced back at Cherrypaw, who looked incredibly wary as she stood up. I honestly wasn't surprised at all, because although Cherrypaw clearly needed some time to clear her head, she wasn't one to usually let it become a burden and impede on her training at all.

So, it took her a moment before finally deciding to follow me. "Okay," she breathed, running ahead to stand beside me. "Let's go."

Then, without another word, the two of us began to make our way back to the ThunderClan camp. Although I wasn't even traveling at a very fast pace, Cherrypaw was trailing just behind me, her gaze looking down at the ground as her tail dragged on the forest floor.

The sight was something that made me incredibly uneasy, along with all of her past behavior in the last few days since the battle. Not only had Cherrypaw - being one of the sweetest cats in ThunderClan - snapped at me, but she'd just seemed overall upset, and not herself at all since I'd been able to get back up on my paws after the battle in the tunnels.

And as worried as I had been for my apprentice, there had been something else occupying my mind even more than that. There was something that I had been wanting to do, and unfortunately my battle recovery and getting Cherrypaw back on track with her training had been a delay to it.

But I was determined to take action in Snowstorm's situation, something that was now definitely a long time coming, but had been put off so many times due to the uncertainty of all of it.

And, well, things were still uncertain now, but I felt if anything could be done right now, it would be that I help Snowstorm to find out who she really is. And I unfortunately also had needed to take it on without Jayfeather's help, and I didn't want that decision to be a waste.

Over the past few days I'd been trying to think of the words to say to the she-cat, and figuring out how to even approach her in the first place. How in the name of StarClan was I even going to reveal all of this to her without completely freaking her out? Goodness, it's all so scary, and all I'd even be doing is being the one to tell her! I thought, letting Cherrypaw go in first as we arrived at the camp entrance. Oh, StarClan, why can't you just bring her to me? That'd be a much easier way to start.

"Goldenshine!"

My ears flicked, surprised as I heard my name as soon as I had come out of the other side of the tunnel. And I was even more surprised, to say the least, when I looked up to see the white pelt of Snowstorm quickly running up to meet me. "There you are, finally!" she breathed once she had gotten to me. "I've been waiting for you to get back."

I widened my eyes back at the younger she-cat as my heart began to beat faster. "You have?"

"Yes!" Snowstorm replied, the tip of her tail beginning to twitch. "Brambleclaw said that you and Cherrypaw had left for training a while ago, and-" She then cut herself off, shaking her head quickly before focusing her gaze on me once again. "Anyway, could we talk?"

I was completely dumbfounded at this point, actually convinced that StarClan had heard my desperate plea. "You want to talk to me?" I questioned Snowstorm, trying to keep my voice even.

She gave a single sharp nod in reply. "Yes. Is now a bad time?"

No! No! My goodness, it's the best time, you have no idea! I thought, not even hesitating to answer the she-cat as I gave her a reassuring shake of my head, knowing that I was practically being given an opportunity to do what I had been wanting to do. "Not at all," I answered her before turning to face my apprentice, who had been politely watching our exchange in silence. "Cherrypaw, you can go ahead and get yourself something from the fresh-kill pile and take a breather." I then leaned forward to touch my nose affectionately to her cheek. "I'll see you soon. Great training session today."

Cherrypaw gave me a brief warm, appreciative look. "Thank you, Goldenshine," she replied in a cheerful voice that sounded somewhat forced.

And it was clear that that was the case, as she gave me a long, sorrowful look and then turned around and immediately let out a sigh, slowly traveling towards the fresh-kill pile.

I watched my apprentice go for a few heartbeats, my heart welling up with sympathy and worry for her, before turning around and beckoning Snowstorm to follow me with my tail. And my concern for my apprentice slowly began to be replaced with immense nerves as Snowstorm padded up to flank me. "So, talking?" I tried to meow casually. "Let's do it."

Snowstorm purred with amusement as she began to follow me. "Alright," she replied as she still purred. "I'm sorry if this seems completely random. Swiftflight said that I should talk to you, actually."

What?

I paused from where I had been emerging through some shrubs - the entrance to a fairly secluded spot I knew well, and I slowly turned my head to look back at Snowstorm. "Swiftflight did?" I asked in astonishment.

I then proceeded forward, letting Snowstorm make her way through the bushes behind me. "Yes, he did," the white she-cat answered. "You see, the poor cat has been having to listen to all of my nonsense, and he suggested that I talk to you about it."

Swiftflight sent Snowstorm to talk to me? I asked myself, wondering if my son had been sensing just how much I'd needed to speak to his friend.

I wasn't sure if Snowstorm's were going to have to do with what I needed to reveal to her myself, or I could possibly have been blowing this whole thing out of proportion. What if she had just been gushing to Swiftflight about a cat she was mooning over, and he didn't want to hear about it?

Either way, I was too overwhelmed with anticipation to even speak, and simply waited and watched as Snowstorm seemed to be figuring out what she wanted to say. "Nonsense, huh?" I purred, deciding to lighten the mood just a bit. "I'm always up to talk about nonsense!"

Snowstorm purred with amusement. "Well, I'll admit that it's probably a bit more than nonsense," she murmured. She then tilted her head to the side. "Or not? Maybe..."

I then backed away, startled as the younger she-cat let out a growl and shook her head violently. "Great StarClan, I don't know!" she then meowed irritably as she began to pace. "Dreams are supposed to be nothing but nonsense, but I can't understand why they're bothering me so much!"

I slowly narrowed my eyes as I watched Snowstorm walk back and forth across the clearing. Her words had been vague, but I already knew exactly what they meant, and what they could possibly be allowing me to do - and holy heck, was that going to be a lot.

I rose to my paws and urgently ran up to meet the she-cat. I gently ran my tail across her flank and then used it to press down her haunches so she'd sit down. "Steady, Snowstorm," I meowed to her softly. Steady, Goldenshine. Steady. "What dreams?"

I then watched as Snowstorm attempted to take a deep breath, but it didn't seem to calm her all that much. "Dreams of fighting and darkness, the medicine den, the Dark Forest, the bramble clearing in our territory, and juniper berry bushes, for StarClan's sake!" she explained, almost sounding as if she were in hysterics. "My goodness, I probably sound crazy! And if I'd only seen these things once, of course I wouldn't think much of it, but it's every single night!"

Snowstorm then began to shake her head slowly as she looked back at me. "Every single night," she then meowed tautly, "and it's all so frightening."

She then closed her eyes, let out a sigh, and looked away from me again as she shrugged. "I'm sorry, I probably sound like a feather-brain, but Swiftflight said that you might know what's going on with me, and I had to take that chance."

For a while after Snowstorm had spoken, I could do nothing but stare back at her in complete disbelief. I mean, I was in total awe of everything I had just heard. It was in that moment that I realized that the she-cat's destiny had been creeping up on her, calling out to her more strongly than I could have ever imagined. The poor young warrior was being driven crazy by all of these things see was seeing, and not having a single idea of what all of it meant.

I knew that now, there was absolutely no reason for her to live in so much oblivion anymore. I was now completely certain of what I needed to do, and I was also completely certain that I was now being given the perfect opportunity to do it. It was clear that all of what Snowstorm was going through was stressing her beyond belief; she needed to know the truth.

I took a deep breath and met finally Snowstorm's gaze again. Swiftflight was right, I thought, feeling a twinge of warmth and pride for my son, who had clearly given some thought to the advice he'd given his best friend. And you were right to take that chance.

I then broke my gaze away from the she-cat as I whipped myself around and began to pelt out of the clearing. "Snowstorm, come with me," I called back to her. "Quickly."

I now felt nothing but certainty and determination as I then led Snowstorm out of the bushes and into the camp clearing. I could practically sense the younger she-cat's utter confusion, but I was sure that soon enough, she would be seeing things more clearly than she ever had before. And I know exactly how to make that happen, I thought confidently, what I needed to say and do now coming as easily to me as catching prey.

Just within heartbeats, I arrived to my planned spot - the medicine den. I settled down just a few tail-lengths from its entrance, and watched as Snowstorm did the same, just a bit more hesitantly. A chill then ran down my spine as she adjusted herself into a more comfortable position, sitting up straight and wrapping her tail around her paws.

In that moment, her stance looked so much like Snowflight, that I almost felt weird asking her what I was about to. But nevertheless, I took a deep breath and met Snowstorm's gaze steadily.

Here goes nothing. StarClan be with me. I then felt a pang of sadness as I took a quick glance at the warriors den. And give me all the strength and confidence that I'd have if Jayfeather were beside me. Let me doing this without him still be worth something. "Snowstorm, do you by any chance know of Snowflight?"

"Snowflight? Of course I do," Snowstorm quickly replied, clearly trying to hide her confusion at the change of subject after earlier. "She was your sister. Poppyfrost named me after her, right?"

I gave Snowstorm a slow nod. "Yes, she did," I answered. I then shifted closer to her, hardening my gaze just a bit to prompt her on. "What else do you know about her?"

I tried to wait as patiently as possible as Snowstorm seemed to be grasping at her own knowledge. "Um, well..." she murmured just before flicking her tail towards the medicine den beside us. "Oh, she was a medicine cat alongside Jayfeather, wasn't she?"

"Yes, she was," I confirmed for Snowstorm. I then let out a sigh as I began to be pulled into my own memories of my sister. "She had originally trained as a warrior beside me, but decided later on that being a medicine cat was her true calling."

I then couldn't help but let out a small purr of amusement as I shook my head slowly. "I didn't like that very much at first, but it didn't take me long to realize that she had been onto something - healing and herbs seemed to come to her more easily than fighting moves ever could."

I then began to shift nervously in my spot, wondering what the response would be to my next words. "You know... you've always seemed to have been pretty knowledgeable about herbs, and I've definitely caught you wandering around this den a few times, Snowstorm," I went on, keeping my gaze on the she-cat as I tilted my head to the side. "You've even said before how it all seems so familiar to you. And just now, that you've had dreams of this medicine den on several occasions?"

Snowstorm let out an exasperated huff. "Too many. I feel like I know every single piece of that den now, and every single herb that's in there just by what I've seen in my dreams." I then watched as her gaze grew confused all over again. "But... what of all of it?"

I then just barely caught her surprised expression as I turned around and began to pad away from her once again. "Goldenshine?" I heard her call out. "Where are you going?"

I didn't look back at the she-cat as I replied, set on getting to our next destination as soon as possible. "Keep following, Snowstorm."

I luckily heard Snowstorm's quick pawsteps behind me as I then led her out into the forest, which was tinted in a bright orange light with the setting sun.

I then began to slow down, taking a quick glance behind me to see that Snowstorm was still there, before completely coming to a stop next to a patch of juniper berry bushes. I then looked back to Snowstorm again to catch her coming to a stop, her eyelids flittering as if she was trying to escape a daze she was in.

"Are you alright?" I asked the white she-cat.

Snowstorm gave me a reassuring flick of her tail as she then sat down. "Yes, I'm sorry. I'm just a bit lightheaded," she answered to me before shaking her head quickly, her eyes widening as she began to take in our surroundings. "Wait a moment... this is one of the places that I see so often in my dreams!"

"Yes, I figured that," I muttered. I then backed away a couple of pawsteps and gestured to the bushes we were standing in front of with my tail. "Do you know what those are?"

Snowstorm stared at the green clumps for just a heartbeat before answering. "They're juniper berries, right?" she asked, her blue eyes brightening. "Oh, I've always loved the smell of them, and they are the prettiest blue I've ever seen..."

The white she-cat then trailed off, giving me yet another, confused, suspicious look. "But Goldenshine... what-"

"This was one of Snowflight's favorite parts of ThunderClan territory," I began to explain to her before she could finish her question. "She and Jayfeather would often go out to gather herbs, and if he lost her, he'd usually know to find her here."

I then flicked my tail towards the shrubs once again, and I found that the more I was speaking the more my heart seemed to sink as I spoke so much of the past. "Snowflight also loved juniper berries, and she described them just as you did."

I then took a deep breath as I looked down to the patch of dirt at my side, fighting through grief to speak my next words. "Which is why she was buried here - right next to the place that always brought her comfort and happiness."

I then looked back to Snowstorm, finding that she was also looking at Snowflight's burial spot, her blue eyes narrowed and thoughtful. "Snowflight is buried here?" she asked, her voice just barely above a whisper. "Right here?"

"Right here, Snowstorm," I answered her, standing up. "In this place that you've dreamt of so much."

And with that, I noticed a clear change in Snowstorm's expression. Her eyes weren't filled with puzzlement anymore, but curiosity rather.

It gave me all of the encouragement I needed to keep going, and lead Snowstorm deeper into ThunderClan territory. "Come on," I urged her on. "I have one more place to show you."

This time, as I began to trot forward, Snowstorm seemed to follow me without any hesitation. Clearly, something that I was doing was getting to her, and if there was any chance that she was understanding what I was trying to tell her, I was going to take it and proceed on.

But just as we were about to arrive to my final spot, I stopped in my tracks and whipped myself around as I heard Snowstorm let out a hiss. Her eyes were screwed shut, and her teeth were clenched as she dug her claws deep into the ground.

My ears flicked up in alarm. Oh, no! What's going on?

I urgently ran up to the young warrior. "Snowstorm! What's the matter?"

I then felt an immense wave of relief as she let out a huff and opened her eyes again. "Goodness, it felt as if a huge boulder slammed onto my head for a moment there," she breathed before proceeding to give her head a shake. "It's fine. Let's keep going."

She has a headache now in this clearing... and felt lightheaded at the juniper berry bushes earlier, I recalled as I warily continued on at the she-cat's urging. Interesting...

I then paused only a moment later, realizing that we had arrived at our next stop. I glanced back at Snowstorm, who was scanning her eyes in all directions.

"The bramble bush clearing..." she murmured so quietly that I barely caught it. "... The same exact clearing that I've seen so many times..."

She then steadily came to a stop as her gaze finally stopped on me. "Goldenshine, how is it that you're..." She then trailed off, seemingly too amazed to go on.

I stood up again, padding up to stand just in front of the white she-cat, still certain that all of her confused, spiraling thoughts would soon disappear with what I had to say. "Snowstorm, do you know how Snowflight died?"

At this point, Snowstorm didn't even seem thrown off by my questions anymore. But she still gave my latest one a lot of thought, her eyes dark as she stared at the ground. "She... she was killed by Ashfur, wasn't she?" she answered me, shutting her eyes and taking a deep breath before meeting my gaze with sorrowful blue eyes. "You avenged her, didn't you? You killed Ashfur?"

"And I did it without a moment's hesitation," I told Snowstorm. "Ashfur killed Snowflight in this very clearing, and I was the one to find her." I then had to close my eyes as grief threatening to rise up inside of me once again. "It was all so sickening, seeing her like that, and at the same time having to process the fact that she was most definitely gone."

Snowstorm stared back at me, her eyes wide with sympathy as she listened. "That... that must have been absolutely awful, losing your sister like that. And... and to Ashfur, too..." she nearly whispered, raising her tail so that she could place it on my shoulder. "This clearing must hold a lot of significance to her..."

The white she-cat then took her tail from my shoulder as quickly as she had put it there and stood up. "...Just as the medicine den and the juniper bushes do," she murmured, her eyes narrowing down into slits. "All things that I've dreamed of... all things that I identify with."

I nodded slowly back at the she-cat, my fur beginning to tingle at the realization beginning to happen in front of me. It's all working! I thought as I practically tried to hold in an excited squeal. "You're right."

"I seem to have a lot in common with Snowflight."

"You definitely do."

After several bone-chilling heartbeats of silence, Snowstorm then slowly turned her head to face me once again. "Goldenshine... can I ask you a question?" she meowed as she padded around so that she was face-to-face with me. "Why have you told me so much about Snowflight? She died seasons ago, didn't she?"

I took a deep breath before answering the she-cat, actually needing to think about my words for the first time since we'd left the secluded clearing. Now, I had given her all of the background that she needed, which now allowed me to tell her exactly what all of it meant.

This is it. After all of this time...

I took a step forward, keeping my gaze calm as I looked back at Snowstorm. "Her body died... but her soul didn't," I meowed clearly. "It still lingers here, Snowstorm, just as strongly as it did when Snowflight herself carried it."

I then watched as Snowstorm's eyes slowly began to widen as I went on, lightly brushing my tail along her flank. "Someone else carries it now."

And with those words, Snowstorm's gaze seemed to completely wash over with wonder and complete astonishment.

I simply watched, my fur tingling as a chill ran down my spine.

She understood now. I was sure of it.

After several heartbeats, she then closed her eyes and slowly lowered her head to the ground. "Someone else, huh?" she murmured.

She then lifted her head back up, meeting my gaze once again. "I... I'm that someone else, aren't I?"

"Yes, Snowstorm," I replied, my voice thick with the emotion that had been welling up inside of me. "And these dreams of yours have been trying to tell you just that." I then padded up closer to the she-cat and wrapped my tail around her back. "Snowflight has returned to ThunderClan through you, Snowstorm, and I know that with complete certainty." And now you know as well.

I then sighed as I lifted my head to look around the clearing we were sitting in. "You are meant to fulfill the destiny that she never could," I forced out, my voice growing continuously more hoarse and taut with each word I said. "And part of that, I know you have already done."

Snowstorm flicked her ears, her eyes still wide. "You do?"

I actually managed a purr of amusement as I replied to the she-cat. "Don't think that I had simply brushed over your mentioning of your dreams in the Dark Forest, Snowstorm," I meowed to her as I recalled what I had learned in just the past few moons - the moment that my son had become himself again. "I know what you did to help Swiftflight."

"So... that was something that I was being called to do!" Snowstorm exclaimed as she gave a lash of her tail. "That was all a part of Snowflight's destiny?"

"Jayfeather and I think so," I answered the she-cat, giving her a shrug. I then hesitated a bit before my next words, as they scared me just as much as they would Snowstorm. "And... we unfortunately also think that that wasn't the extent of it. I also know, Snowstorm, that the dreams you're having probably aren't just of the Dark Forest in general, are they?"

I then turned completely to face Snowstorm again. "There's a specific cat haunting your mind, and I think I know which one," I muttered through gritted teeth. "The one that killed Snowflight?"

Snowstorm gave a slow nod, her eyes growing dark. "The one that killed Snowflight..." she murmured. "...and the one that manipulated Swiftflight for so many moons... Great StarClan, how I wish that I could sink my claws into his mangy gray fur..." She then shook her head quickly as if to pull herself out of her own anger. "I've always thought that I'd been dreaming of him... and that place, because I'd been reliving what I went through there. But... why am I really?"

Ah, the question that's been on my mind for months. "I hate to say it, but I don't know, Snowstorm. I don't know at all," I answered the warrior, not being to push down my panic at having to show her any uncertainty following what I had just revealed to her. "All I know is that it is all laying down a path for your destiny, and Snowflight is waiting for you to fulfill it."

"And fulfill it, I will."

Yet another chill ran down my spine at Snowstorm's bold words, words that had been spoken with absolutely no hesitation at all. In fact, the white she-cat hadn't seemed to have shown even one bit of fear since hearing the truth.

In fact, I didn't think I had ever seen her look so much at ease. "You're not scared?" was the first thing that I could think to ask through my amazement.

"Oh, I'm scared out of my mind!" Snowstorm replied with a snort, shaking her head. "But who wouldn't be, if they were in charge of a mission as big and important as this?"

She then took a deep breath. "But despite my fear, I don't think I've ever felt so relieved at the same time. All of the dreams, the ways in which I think and the way I see things... it all makes sense now," she went on. "I never knew Snowflight, obviously, but now... I can almost feel her determination that's been strong in her soul since she died. I've always felt it, but never knew what it meant, but..."

I then nearly let out a gasp as Snowstorm stood up, and the strangest glowing wave rippled through her whole body. For a moment, her pelt seemed to shimmer like the stars of Silverpelt, and I felt my sister's presence as strongly as I ever had. "Now I'm ready," she meowed, clearly not having noticed what I'd seen at all. "I'm ready for whatever this destiny asks of me."

I barely had the time to process what I had just witnessed, as just a heartbeat later, I heard several loud and quick pawsteps heading our way from deeper into the forest. Snowstorm and I exchanged a nervous, confused glance before flanking each other and facing the noise.

And, as I had expected, we were facing a ThunderClan patrol, heading right towards us. Thornclaw was at the front, with Brightheart, Dustystorm and Emberpaw just behind him.

They all abruptly came to a stop once they arrived into the bramble clearing. "Goldenshine!" my father exclaimed after letting out a relieved, exhausted sigh. "There you are!"

I couldn't help but let out a snort of amusement. Apparently everyone is looking for me today, I joked before quickly running up to meet Thornclaw. "Father? What's going on?"

My heart began to pound as I almost instantly noticed the worried, dismayed look in my father's pale blue eyes. "Have you seen your mother?" he then asked as he began to frantically flit his eyes around the forest. "She fell a bit behind me and the kits when we were in the Twolegplace, promising that she'd be just a bit longer returning to camp, but she still hasn't returned."

My heart then began to pound even faster. "Oh, no," I whispered. "Could she just be having some trouble getting back?"

"That's what I would have liked to think," Thornclaw muttered. "I got a patrol together to see if we'd possibly just run into Lilypetal in our territory making her way back, but she's nowhere in sight, and the only scent we can find of her is the one that she trailed as we left for the Twolegplace." I then watched as Thornclaw shut his eyes for a moment, as if he could barely stand the amount of anxiety he felt, and was trying to hide it. "You haven't seen her at all?"

"No, I haven't," I replied truthfully. "Snowstorm and I have been all around ThunderClan's territory, and we haven't seen any sign of Lilypetal."

Emberpaw, who was standing right next to Thornclaw, let out a horrified gasp and then pressed up against her father. "No!" she cried. I then watched sadly as Thornclaw wrapped his tail around her back as my younger sister dug her head into his fur. I have to admit that I'm almost tempted to do the same...

I then shifted my gaze over as Brightheart padded up to stand on Thornclaw's other side. "You all had gone to the Twolegplace so that Lilypetal's brother could see the kits, right?" she asked her brother. "Maybe she's just gotten caught up in speaking with him. They are siblings that barely get to see each other, after all!"

Although Brightheart's words actually brought me some reassurance, Thornclaw didn't seem comforted by them at all, and immediately shook his head. "Despite that, I know that Lilypetal wouldn't let herself be in the Twolegplace for this long," the golden tabby murmured as she stared straight ahead. "She'd be back by now if she had control over it."

Although Thornclaw's words weren't nearly as consoling, they were unfortunately the ones that made more sense. I exchanged an anxious glance with Dustystorm, who had padded up to stand on Emberpaw's other side. "Uh, oh," he meowed. He then shifted his gaze to look at my father. "Thornclaw... then, it sounds like..."

My mate then trailed off, clearly too reluctant to go on. So, I finished his words for him as my gaze locked with Thornclaw's. "Lilypetal's miss-"

Thornclaw immediately shut his eyes, raising his tail as if to ask for silence. "I don't need to hear it," he meowed sharply. He then quickly turned and nodded to my mate. "Dustystorm, go back to camp with Emberpaw and fetch a couple more warriors."

My father then turned to face me. "Goldenshine, Snowstorm - you can join us as well," he meowed, and my pelt brushed his as I ran up to join the patrol, and he padded ahead, pausing after a few pawsteps as he stared off into the forest, the moonlight turning his golden brown pelt silver. "We're going to the Twolegplace."