Gingerpaw

Tomorrow

"Foxpaw, you'd better leave now. My clan is anxious, yours will be missing you, and you will want to brush up on your fighting skills for tomorrow."

"Yes, Featherstar. Thank you for letting me stay the night."

"What else could I do when Gingerpaw had to give her side of that story?"

"And Foxpaw?" Gingerpaw called. Foxpaw looked over his shoulder. "Thank you, by the way. For saving me. From drowning." She was getting tongue-tied. The warmth that came with the thought of Foxpaw was messing with her mind.

"You're welcome, Gingerpaw. Will you show me to the border? I don't know which way to go."

This was a lie: Foxpaw had carried Gingerpaw from the river to the camp with no problem. But Featherstar didn't know that and he nodded his consent without a second thought.

When they were out of earshot of the camp, Foxpaw turned to her. "Gingerpaw, please take more care in the future. You nearly drowned. I thought you were dead."

Gingerpaw nodded. "I was."

"What?"

"I'm not sure exactly what happened, but I was floating above you. You were crouched over my body and you were saying my name."

"How is that possible?"

"I don't know. I was floating in darkness, and I saw a light ahead. I thought it was a star so I went to investigate, and it was you."

"Is that why you called me your Star-cat?"

"What?"

"Just after you came back, you said 'Foxpaw. My Star-cat'."

"Oh that. Yes. Everything's so blurry now." Gingerpaw mewed. "And Foxpaw, I can't meet you tomorrow. That's when the fight is. Maybe we can organise a time and place at the Meeting."

Foxpaw looked disappointed, but nodded. He gave Gingerpaw an affectionate lick on the forehead and darted through the trees to Waterclan territory.