Swiftflight's POV

My fur was still prickling with surprise as I watched the countless amounts of StarClan cats make their way out of camp. One by one each glittering, sparkly figure crawled through the tangle of brambles, leaving their descendants alone in the living world once again.

My gaze stayed on the white pelt of Snowflight as I continued to shake my head in amazement, still hardly being able to believe the words that my long-lost kin had shared with me earlier. You seem to think that I wouldn't know you. Don't you remember that first time that the two of us played mossball together as kits? Training alongside each other as apprentices? All of our talks... that night in the Dark Forest?

It all sent a chill down my spine each time I thought about it again. I don't know if I'll ever fully understand it... I realized, glancing over my shoulder as I heard pawsteps come from behind me. How is it that I can be so close to a cat that I've never even met?

I then let out a sigh as I watched my mother, Goldenshine, pad up to stand at my side. Her gray eyes also seemed to be locked on her sister's lean figure. "And there she goes," she murmured, watching as Snowflight's thick, fluffy tail finally disappeared through the camp entrance. "She's finally going to be able to go to StarClan, and live a live full of the happiness and peace that she deserves."

"And I'm sure that you're at peace too," I observed, giving Goldenshine a light nudge, "after all that you and Jayfeather went through to get her to this place at all."

My mother slowly turned her head to face me, and I met her gleaming, proud gaze. "I definitely am," she whispered. "Not only is Snowflight finally able to go to StarClan, but she also fulfilled her destiny. That was made clear when she was finally set free from Snowstorm." She then glanced over at where the gray-and-white she-cat still lied on the ground. "Finally."

But I scarcely heard her "finally" at all. My heart began to race, and my mind was swirling with many, many anxious thoughts as I set my gaze Snowstorm's limp body for the first time since Snowflight had been released. "But now that Snowflight's spirit has been released from Snowstorm's body... what is left?" I asked Goldenshine, my voice rising with worry as I spoke my thoughts aloud. "What happens to Snowstorm?"

I didn't even give my mother a chance to answer, and urgently pelted over to my friend's body, where Poppyfrost currently lied next to her. Jayfeather and Goldenshine knew what needed to happen to release Snowflight, but what about beyond that? I wondered anxiously as I then skidded to a halt. Well, I'm going to attempt to find out.

As I came to a stop, I immediately met Poppyfrost's widened, alarmed blue eyes. "Swiftflight, what in Silverpelt just happened?" the tortoiseshell pressed to me. "Why did Snowflight-"

I held back a growl and let myself dig my unsheathed claws anxiously into the ground. "Poppyfrost, I really wish that I had time to explain," I muttered to the older she-cat through gritted teeth, trying to hold my temper despite this delay, "and I'm trying with all of my power not to snap at you, because I respect you, and also because I need you to let me talk to your daughter again."

I then bent down to press my head against Snowstorm's flank. "But right now, I just need to see if..."

I then did my best to block out every single possible sound that could make its way into my ears, using all of my concentration to see if I could sense even the smallest heartbeat come from Snowstorm's chest. Anything, anything at all...

But to my dismay, my own heartbeat pounding in my ears was all that I could detect. I had made it clear many times tonight that I was no medicine cat, but I could be sure that Snowstorm still didn't have a pulse. Nothing, nothing at all...

The realization made my heart drop, and the horrible, unbearable fear that I'd felt as soon as I'd seen my friend collapse resurfaced all over again. "No..." I breathed.

I then let myself fall to the ground as I began to vigorously shake the gray-and-white she-cat. "No, no, no!" I nearly cried out. "Snowstorm? Snowstorm, please wake up!"

I desperately continued to shake Snowstorm despite receiving no reply, for some reason hoping that the movement would jerk her awake as easily as if she were only asleep. And through my distress, I blocked out anything that would keep me from doing so.

I didn't even bother to acknowledge any of the cats beginning to gather around where Snowstorm and I lied, and I didn't even look back at Goldenshine as she tried her hardest to meet my gaze.

"Swiftflight, you heard what Jayfeather told us," my mother meowed to me softly. "She's dead."

I finally whipped my head towards Goldenshine, the blood now roaring in my ears, and my heart racing even faster. "Foxdung to that!"

My mother wasn't affected by my harsh tone, and only stared back at me through wide, sympathetic eyes. "What reason would Jayfeather have to lie?" she whispered hoarsely to me, her voice revealing pain. "And now that Snowflight's spirit has left her body... she has no spirit to wake up with, either."

If Goldenshine's words were meant to calm me down, it wasn't working. They seemed too terrible to be true. So, was Snowstorm's only purpose to carry another cat's body, just to collapse and die once the cat had done their deed? "No!" I demanded to my mother. "That can't be right!"

I then tore my gaze from Goldenshine's to look down at Snowstorm. "Snowstorm, please, please wake up!" I implored to the limp she-cat.

I then lowered myself down to lie just next to her once again. One thing that you taught me how to do was how to express my feelings, and that they're always the way forward... I thought, my heart beginning to feel unbearably heavy. What else do I have left to do? "Please, Snowstorm..." I then went on hoarsely. "Snowflight can't be all that you are! I know that it isn't."

I screwed my eyes shut as the pain I was feeling almost seemed to physically grow inside of me. "I don't know what kind of cat I'd be right now if it hadn't been for all of your help." I then let out a huff, giving the weakest shrug. "Yes, it was Snowflight's help, but... I refuse to believe that it's just an ancestor's spirit that's been by my side all of this time. You're so much more than that..."

I then closed my eyes. "You're my best friend," I nearly whispered, my voice becoming thicker. "I don't know what I'd do if I lost you."

When silence and stillness continued to be my only reply, I finally let my head fall down to my chest in defeat. "Please..."

I then closed my eyes once again as I felt Goldenshine lightly touch the tip of her tail to my own shoulder. I'm just wasting my breath, aren't I? I thought grimly as this horrible reality began to sink in, one that was coming much, much too early in my life. Snowstorm is dead. My best friend is dead.

And with my best friend's death, it almost felt as if a part of me had died, too. Throughout my whole life, through all of my ups and downs, she was a cat that never, ever fully left my side. She never gave up on me, I reminisced as I let my tail lie on Snowstorm's shoulder. I wouldn't be who I am today if it wasn't for her. Snowflight said that I was, but... Snowstorm was truly the greatest, truest friend that a cat could ask for.

I then let out a long, pained sigh as I continued to stare down at Snowstorm, more specifically at where my tail was lying limply over her shoulder. It's still not fully sinking in yet... I realized, letting out the smallest snort of amusement. It's almost like I can feel her breathing.

I then quickly lifted my head, my ears flicking. Wait a moment.

I pressed my ears to the she-cat's pelt once again, and I nearly let out a gasp. Wait a moment, I repeated. I don't think I was imagining that! I then sprung up to my paws, my heart beginning to race all over again.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Goldenshine staring worriedly back at me. "Swiftflight, what's wrong?"

I practically flung my body around to face my mother. "She was breathing!" I exclaimed. I then proceeded to run back to Snowstorm's side and place a paw on her flank. I was sure that I could feel the weakest, most miniscule rise and fall there. "She was breathing. I'm sure of it!"

Beside me, Goldenshine let out a long sigh and closed her eyes. "Swiftflight..."

"I swear on my soul that she was!" I demanded, lashing my tail irritably back and forth. "I know what I felt and saw."

I then turned around to look at Poppyfrost, my heart rising with hope all over again as she padded up to stand on my other side. But to my dismay, she looked just as unconvinced as Goldenshine had - her blue eyes wide and full of sorrow. "Swiftflight, Berrynose and I have been with her since the StarClan cats left, and she hasn't shown any signs of..."

She then trailed off for a moment, wincing as a ripple ran down her tortoiseshell flank. "...of being alive."

I couldn't hold back a hiss of anger and exasperation as I whipped myself around to turn on Poppyfrost. I'd heard nothing but exactly what I didn't want to hear since I'd run up to check on Snowstorm, and I was being pushed to my limit. "And I didn't show any signs of being a good cat for most of my life, but that didn't mean that I was doomed to ever change, was I?"

But as distressed as I was, I quickly realized just how uncalled for my behavior was. I flashed Poppyfrost the briefest apologetic look and let out a frustrated huff. "I'm sorry."

I then began to pace the area, turning away from Poppyfrost's alarmed, concerned expression. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

Goldenshine quickly intercepted me, her gaze stern, but reassuring as she put the tip of her tail on my shoulder once again. "Swiftflight," she meowed sharply. "Calm down."

My feelings of remorse only lasted a moment, and I found that I had to hold back another enraged hiss. "Calm down?" I roared back at my mother. "I'm trying to tell you all that Snowstorm is breathing, and you don't believe me!"

I then felt my heart sinking with dread as I quickly scanned my eyes around the clearing, where I saw that not only Goldenshine and Poppyfrost, but many cats around me seemed alarmed, and skeptical of my words. StarClan, no... I thought worriedly as I realized just how familiar these expressions were. It's the fox attack situation all over again...

I then looked back at Goldenshine, taking a step closer to her. "You said that Jayfeather had no reason to lie about her being dead," I pressed to the golden brown tabby she-cat. "What reason would I have to lie about her being alive?"

I then narrowed my eyes back at her, lowering my voice just a bit. "At this point, what reason would I have to lie about anything?"

With my words, Goldenshine also seemed to be having to hold back a frustrated hiss. But instead, she let out an exasperated sigh and closed her eyes. "You don't..." she breathed.

When she opened her eyes again, her gaze was calmer and more sympathetic. "And it's not that we don't believe you, we just..." She then hesitated for a moment, seeming to have to think about her next words. "I know that this is hard, Swiftflight. You're losing your best friend. But it's not going to help you to live in denial."

"But I'm not living in denial!"

"Swiftflight, please!" Goldenshine nearly hissed back at me, and it was then that I noticed the glint of pain in her gray eyes. "Snowstorm collapsed, and Jayfeather said that she isn't breathing."

She then took a deep breath, attempting to calm herself as she took a step closer to me. "I hate seeing you like this, and it's not going to get any better if you try to convince yourself of something that isn't true."

My first impulse was to immediately refute my mother's words, just as I had already been doing profusely. "But, I-" I began, flicking my tail back towards Snowstorm.

But I quickly let it drop again as Goldenshine's words began to sink in, and I found myself feeling defeated all over again. "Well... at least I thought..."

As I lowered my head, desperately trying to fight my resurfacing grief, Goldenshine padded back up to me and wrapped her tail around my shoulders. "Come on," she meowed softly to me, turning me away from Snowstorm's body and beginning to lead me across the camp clearing. "Let's go help Dustystorm and Nightwing patch up the nursery."

She then gave me a light, affectionate nudge on the shoulder. "You'll be able to fetch plenty of brambles from the forest with those quick paws of yours."

"Quick paws? Please."

Goldenshine and I both stopped in our tracks, and I felt my heart practically skip a beat. Was... was that who I think it was?

I then slowly turned my head around to look over my shoulder, and was completely shocked to see that, sure enough, Snowstorm was lifting her head as she seemed to be blinking her eyes open. They looked tired and glossed over, but were also gleaming with mischief as they stared back at me. "I've beaten him in more races than I can count."

My mouth dropped open, and all of the grief and dejection I'd felt just heartbeats before suddenly evaporated like a puddle in greenleaf. "Snowstorm!" I exclaimed as I ran up to meet my friend. "No way!"

I then whipped myself back around to face Goldenshine. "Take that!" I called out to her, lifting my chin in triumph. "I was right about shrew, and I was right about this!"

My mother was staring back at me as she shook her head in amazement. "I've never been so happy to be wrong!" she purred.

She then flashed me a sharp, teasing look. "About Snowstorm, at least," she muttered. "I'm defending thrushes until the end of my days!"

Okay, you do that, I thought, love and appreciation for my mother welling up inside of me. Be prepared to fail.

Then, after one last affectionate was exchanged, my mother then let out an excited squeal before making a break for the medicine den. "I'll go and get Jayfeather!"

I only watched Goldenshine go for one moment before running up to meet Snowstorm, taking her weight as she attempted to stand up. "Are you alright?" I pressed to the she-cat as I watched her lie her head on my shoulder. "How are you feeling?"

To my relief, and surprise, quite frankly, Snowstorm only leaned on me for a moment before lowering down her haunches and sitting up on her own. "Well... I'm tired, my wounds sting like I've been poked by a thousand bees, and I'm incredibly sore, but..." She then let out a sigh, and met my gaze with warm, but clearly exhausted eyes. "Yes, I am alright, Swiftflight."

"Do... do you feel any different?" I pressed to her, basically desperate to know how the absence of Snowflight's spirit would affect Snowstorm, if it would at all. "Do you realize what has just happened?"

Snowstorm sniffed, and managed to lash her tail just once. "Other than me nearly being shred to bits?" she joked. But it only took a moment for her gaze and expression to grow more thoughtful and solemn. "Well... I do feel different..."

Her eyes then slowly began to widen. "And because I do... I think I can guess what has just happened," she murmured. "I'm just as sore as I was before, but I'm not lightheaded or dizzy anymore."

She then slowly shifted her gaze to meet mine. "Has... has Snowflight...?"

"Yes, Snowstorm," I replied to my friend, slowly nodding to her. "Thanks to you, she was finally able to return to StarClan. Now she's left you to be you." I then put the tip of my tail on her shoulder. "Just you. You're free to find your own destiny now." Because you are Snowstorm, and your life wasn't simply meant to complete another cat's life. And thank StarClan for that!

I then simply watched, somewhat amused, as Snowstorm continued to try and process everything that she'd just been told. "Wow... I am, aren't I? Free..." she whispered, and I wondered if I was even supposed to hear her. "Free... that's how I feel!"

She then lifted her head and let out a relieved huff as she stared up at the star-flitted sky. "I feel so... so free, Swiftflight!"

I couldn't help but let out a small purr of amusement at my friend's behavior. In instances similar to this, I'd tell her that she was too weird for her own good. But instead, I simply murmured warmly, "I'm glad."

I then took a deep breath. "And you know what?" I queried to Snowstorm, tilting my head to the side as I thought about just how relieved and "released" I felt as well. "I feel very free, too." I was never carrying another cat's spirit, but... for a while there I might as well have been carrying a pretty dark, sinister one.

A chill then ran down my spine, and my gaze went to my paws. There was a time that I would have considered fighting with the Dark Forest tonight, I realized gravely.

I then looked back up at Snowstorm. But instead, I'm here with my friends, family and Clanmates, and I wouldn't care if we won or lost as long as I was on their side.

To my shock, and confusion, Snowstorm let out a skeptical grunt with my words, narrowing her eyes back at me. "You do?"

"Um... yes."

"Are you sure?"

I then couldn't help but roll my eyes and let out a huff of frustration. "I think StarClan just sent me a sign - they want their cryptic, hard-to-understand phrases back."

"Oh, come on!" Snowstorm then purred, flicking one of my ears with her tail. "I agree, Swiftflight, that you have so many reasons to feel free after all of this time, but..."

She then weakly flicked her tail, gesturing to something behind me. "As far as I've been told, you have something to say to someone that will certainly make you feel even more free."

Somehow... somehow, probably just a shot in the dark, but I somehow knew exactly who Snowstorm was gesturing to.

I glanced over my shoulder, and my stomach immediately began to flutter as my eyes fell on the ginger tabby pelt of Cherrypaw. The apprentice was just a few tail-lengths away, and she was alone, licking at one of her wounds.

I then slowly turned back to Snowstorm, my heart's pace quickly doubling with the amount of fear I was feeling. But at the same time, I don't think I'd ever felt so sure and certain in my entire life. "I do, don't I?" I then murmured to Snowstorm.

Snowstorm purred with amusement. "Oh yeah, you do!" she exclaimed as she began to nudge my shoulder lightly with her tail. "Now go on - make all of the advice I've given you over the past few moons be worth it!"

I rolled my eyes, snorting as I rose to my paws. "Oh, please! I used some of it on you while you were lying on the ground!"

"What? You did?" Snowstorm then pressed excitedly, her eyes widening. "What did you say?"

I broke my gaze from the she-cat's and shook my tail dismissively. "Um, nothing," I muttered. Hm... I think she'll live without knowing about the big speech that I gave to her while I was trying to shake her awake... I thought teasingly.

Snowstorm sniffed and rolled her eyes, quickly realizing that she wouldn't get it out of me. "Hm, whatever," she murmured. And after the two of us shared a mrrow of laughter, she took a deep breath and flashed me a warm, encouraging look. "Good luck, my friend. Please tell me how it goes!"

How "it" goes... I thought. "It" being something that will change my life, whatever the end result may be... "Thank you, Snowstorm. I will," I meowed to the she-cat, my nerves rushing and spreading through my blood like a forest fire.

Then, just as I was beginning to walk away, I paused for a moment and looked back at Snowstorm. "By the way, once you've healed from your wounds - we're racing out in the forest," I called back to her, my eyes narrowing. "We'll see who really has quick paws."

Snowstorm was still looking back at me, her deep blue eyes affectionate and warm. "Sounds like a plan!" she purred just as Jayfeather padded up, beginning to dab cobwebs on her wounds. "Be prepared to lose, big time!"

After returning the look, I finally turned around, leaving my friend to finally be taken care of.

And now that I was sure that Snowstorm was okay, I had something else that I needed to tend to. And among everything else, Snowstorm is also probably the reason that I've found the courage to do what I'm about to do.

And as my eyes fell on Cherrypaw once again, I truly don't think I had ever, ever felt so nervous in my entire life. Having to fight another set of Dark Forest cats wouldn't make my head spin like this.

But I knew that I needed to do this, and seeing this amazing, courageous, beautiful she-cat in front of me further reminded me of why. Snowstorm and Poppyfrost even sensed it before I realized it myself... I thought.

I then took a deep breath, and took one pawstep forward. But now, I have realized it, and I'm going to...

I then put that paw right where it had been before. I'm... I'm going to...

I then shook my head quickly, forcing that same paw forward again. I'm going to do this.

I then slowly begin to take several pawsteps forward, letting Snowstorm's advice echo in my head one last time. But surely it wouldn't make you so nervous if it wasn't something... or someone, that you cared about so much?

And I do care, I thought, my fur tingling and my heart continuing to pound as I looked back at Cherrypaw. I care for her more than I could ever say.

I then took one last deep breath, sure that Cherrypaw would notice me approaching her at any moment now. Yet, here I go - about to make an attempt to say it. "Cherrypaw?"

My heart managed to beat faster, my stomach managing to flutter even more as Cherrypaw flicked her ears, shifting her gaze to meet mine. "Swiftflight," she breathed, running up to me and pressing her muzzle to my neck fur.

I sighed, leaning into the she-cat's touch as a purr rumbled in my throat. As funny as it may sound, she managed to ease my worries about something that for which she was the cause of worry. I suppose that's just how fantastic she is...

After a few moments, Cherrypaw then pulled away, meeting my gaze once again with sweet, sympathetic amber eyes. "How is Snowstorm doing?"

As they always did, looking into Cherrypaw's eyes caused me to go completely blank for a few heartbeats. But eventually, I managed to force a few words out. "She's fine... she's great," I replied. "She's in a lot of pain, but she's going to be alright."

Cherrypaw's eyes then lit up with excitement and relief. "Oh, that's absolutely wonderful! I'm so glad!" she purred. "But..."

Her expression then wiped over with concern and confusion. "What are you doing over here, speaking with me?" she then asked, tilting her head to the side. "Don't you want to make sure that she's being taken care of?"

I shook my head back at Cherrypaw. "I know that she's being taken care of - Jayfeather is with her now."

I then took yet another deep breath, keeping my gaze on Cherrypaw's in an attempt to stay calm. "Which I'm glad is the case, because... I've been meaning to speak with you."

Then, all of the sudden, I found myself pulling back on my words as I felt my stomach twist up into a nervous, panic-filled knot. "Well, you know, to check on you."

Cherrypaw clearly sensed my nerves, but to my relief, she didn't question it. "Aw, Swiftflight, that's so sweet of you," she meowed instead, her eyes glowing with appreciation and affection. "Well, I'm-"

But I quickly cut the she-cat off, shaking my head quickly as I forced myself to push past my fear all over again. "No, no, no," I then muttered rapidly. "No, it's actually more than that."

Cherrypaw tilted her head to the side as she let out a quiet purr of amusement. "What is more than what?"

"Well, I'm not here just to check on you," I finally admitted to the ginger tabby she-cat. I then shrugged and looked down at my paws. "I mean, I am here to check on you, too. I've been so anxious to see how you're doing, and I completely interrupted you when you were trying to tell me how you're doing, and..."

I then sighed, shaking my head slowly, seriously and genuinely questioning how Cherrypaw could have possibly fallen for a mouse-brain like me. "Great StarClan," I murmured, sniffing. "I'm already blowing this."

Cherrypaw was looking down at me, trying to meet my gaze. "Blowing what, Swiftflight?"

I slowly lifted my head to meet Cherrypaw's gaze again. And as I looked into her eyes yet again, all of my dread and worry seemed to die as all of my feelings for this she-cat blazed and crackled in my heart yet again. Here we go. I don't care how stupid I sound, or how weird it is going to feel, or how scared I may be.

I then fully sat up, staring gently back into Cherrypaw's eyes as I wound my tail around hers. I have something that I want to say to this she-cat, and I'm going to say it. "This," I meowed softly to her.

For a moment, I simply stared into her kind, welcoming perfect eyes, before they drove me to speak even more. "Listen, Cherrypaw... I know that we've established certain things between us already," I began. "We know how much we mean to each other, but... there's something else that I really think that you should know. Something else that I've been too scared to say for a while."

"Really?" Cherrypaw whispered back to me, her amber eyes now glowing with a mix of warmth, curiosity, and a bit of concern as well. "Too scared?"

I slowly nodded back at her. "Yes, unfortunately," I admitted to her. "And I hate that it's taken me this long, but my stupid fears and pride always held me back. My past held me back, but..."

I then took another deep breath, tightening my grip on Cherrypaw's tail. And to my own surprise, my next words came out as a hoarse, thick whisper. "I've realized that none of that is worth holding onto if that means that I get you instead."

Cherrypaw continued to stare back at me, her head shaking slowly as her amber eyes glowed in the moonlight. "Oh, Swiftflight..." she breathed, her own voice soft and thick with emotion. "That is so, so sweet of you to say."

I could very easily hear my own heart pounding in my ears, but rather than trying to calm myself down now, or try to ignore it, I simply let it carry me forward. "Well, it's true," I whispered to Cherrypaw, briefly putting one of my paws over one of hers. "You're so... you're so compassionate, and kind, and brave, and..."

I hesitated for just a moment, trying to find the right words. "And I feel so... so safe when I'm with you, if that makes sense? You're always here for me, and that means so much to me," I struggled on. "And you... you're nice to look at, and..."

I then let out a mrrow of laughter that was followed by a sigh, and I closed my eyes as I shook my head. "Wow, I must sound like I have thistlefluff for brains right now..."

Cherrypaw let out one of her adorable laughs, proceeding to give me a quick lick on the cheek. "Thistlefluff or not, it's really precious to watch," she purred, then nuzzling my cheek with her muzzle.

And once she pulled away to meet my gaze again, I continued on. "Thanks," I purred, the she-cat's touch throwing off my thoughts for a moment once again, but I quickly threw myself back on track. "What I'm trying to say is, is that everything about you is so wonderful, Cherrypaw. I still don't think I even deserve to be seen in the same camp with a she-cat as incredible as you are."

I then shifted myself closer to Cherrypaw, our muzzles only a couple of mouse-lengths away from each other. "But either way, I still want you to know that..."

I closed my eyes, my nerves holding back once more. "That..." Come on, Swiftflight! "Um..."

Cherrypaw let out a small giggle, and her sweet scent wafted over me as she shifted even closer to me. "That's okay, Swiftflight," she purred softly to me. But despite her calm, sweet tone, I could see the small glint of apprehension in her own eyes. "I think... I hope, I know what you're trying to say, and... I l-"

I broke my grip from Cherrypaw's tail, so that I could gently brush my own across her muzzle. "No, no. I'm sorry, but you must understand that this is something that I need to say," I purred back to Cherrypaw, flashing her a warm, yet determined gaze. "I'm not taking the easy way out of this. I want to do this right."

Then, with those words, all of my fear seemed to vanish as I lowered my tail to twin it with Cherrypaw's once again, and I stared back at her, hoping that my eyes reflected all of the feelings that were blazing in my heart.

But even if they weren't, I was about to make them known in another way. "I love you, Cherrypaw," I finally whispered to the ginger tabby she-cat in front of me. "So much."

I then watched, not even being able to feel any self-satisfaction as I nervously awaited Cherrypaw's response. But I suddenly felt that I had all of the energy and motivation to leap up to the tallest tree as I saw the warmth and deep affection that glowed in her amber eyes that reflected so beautifully in the moonlight. I could hear a soft purr beginning to rumble in her throat.

And I couldn't help but purr as well as I watched her then shyly lower her head, and begin to shift her paws back and forth. "So... you were saying what I thought you were..." she whispered, and I could hardly stand to see just how adorable she looked trying to hide just how happy she was. "In that case..."

She then looked back up at me, her eyes still glowing with the same warmth and deep affection, and something more. "Swiftflight, I love you too," she then whispered. "So much."

And with that response, I found myself at a loss for words all over again. Not from fear, apprehension, or wariness, but a level of happiness that truly took my breath away. I love Cherrypaw - this absolutely amazing she-cat that I'm still sure that I don't deserve, and she loves me back.

The first thing that I could think to do, with my tail still wound tightly around hers, was to close the now very small gap between our muzzles. So, I took a step forward, proceeding to press my own muzzle fiercely against Cherrypaw's and letting her warm, familiar scent flood into my nostrils once again. Then, I used one of my paws to pull Cherrypaw close, and I began to give her slow, gentle licks on her head.

And, as usual, these gestures and feelings that were welling up inside of me felt weird, and strange, but most certainly not wrong. In fact, they felt absolutely spectacular. I suddenly felt as strong as a warrior of LionClan, as light as the most frail feather, and as happy as the birds that chirped in the forest each morning as the sun rose. All because of a single cat, I thought, my love for Cherrypaw burning fiercely in my heart. And I'm going to protect and love this cat with everything that I have.

Cherrypaw leaned into my chest as I pulled her close, a purr rumbling in her throat. "Well, I'm sure glad that that's all established," she then whispered. I then flicked my ears with curiosity as I felt her anxiously shift next to me. "And... with all of that in mind, I'm sure that you've heard by now that Molepaw and I are going to be warriors in a couple of quarter moons."

I stared affectionately down at Cherrypaw, my eyes narrowed. "I think about it all of the time," I whispered to her. "What about it?"

"Well, that would mean that we'd both be warriors and... I don't know..." she sighed, glancing nervously up at me. "Two warriors that love each other in the same Clan... they typically, well, when they're in the same den, they..."

She then looked down at her paws as she began to shift them back and forth. "They sometimes sleep in the same nest," she went on, causing my eyebrows to raise. "And... and sometimes they call themselves mates, but... but if you're not comfortable with that, I-"

I let out a small chuckle, nuzzling Cherrypaw's head with my muzzle. "It's really cute that you think you have to even ask, Cherrypaw," I purred to her, my gaze locking with hers again as she looked up at me. "Sounds absolutely perfect to me."

Cherrypaw stared up at me, her eyes glowing with love, before proceeding to let out a sigh and dig her head back into my fur. "I'm so glad, Swiftflight."

I sighed as well, wrapping my tail around the ginger tabby she-cat as I lifted my head to stare up at the stars, which were slowly beginning to fade with the arrival of dawn.

And in that moment, with Cherrypaw pressed against me, my Clanmates, friends and family, surrounding me in the camp clearing, and the cats of StarClan watching me from above, I realized that I had never felt so free, and so much like myself in my entire life. Thank you, StarClan, for giving me a chance to have so much, after I refused to have anything at all for so long. Thank you so much.