Warriors #3: Shifting Shadows

Chapter 3

Goldenshine's POV

I was sitting by the fresh-kill pile, eating a squirrel with Mousewhisker and Hazeltail, when the water patrol that I had sent Lilypetal on just a tad bit late finally returned, for some reason looking more muddy and battered than they usually did. I watched curiously as Cinderheart and Lionblaze walked over to the elders den and dropped their moss off there, while Ivypaw and Dovepaw traveled over to the nursery. Lilypetal stood next to Brambleclaw, gently placing her moss down as they began to look for Firestar, I assumed.

I then flicked my ears as I noticed the strange warrior that was trailing behind them, his fur just as muddy as the rest of the patrol. He looked extremely annoyed, while simultaneously a little shaken and nervous.

What in the name of StarClan happened on that patrol? And... who is that? I wondered, glaring at the extremely muddy tom who clearly wasn't a ThunderClan warrior.

The tom froze as he noticed me glaring back at him. He then quickly broke his gaze and ran to follow the arriving ThunderClan cats.

I stood up and tried to pad closer to the Highledge as subtly as I could to listen as the patrol was walking up to Firestar, who was staring curiously at the newcomer just below the Highledge.

"Who is this?" Firestar asked, looking back at the tom with narrowed eyes. "Even through that mud, I can tell that he's not a ThunderClan warrior."

"Rainstorm of RiverClan," Brambleclaw answered. "He nearly drowned in mud on our patrol, and we figured that we should bring him here to recover."

My gaze went back to Rainstorm as I heard him snort. "I'm not weak or anything," he demanded, rolling his eyes before letting his muddy head fall to the ground.

Firestar just blinked, clearly trying to decide what he wanted to do with the muddy furball.

"Okay, that is fine" he answered. "But he must leave as soon as he recovers. You can take him to Jayfeather and Snowflight right now." Firestar then nodded to Lilypetal and Brambleclaw in farewell before joining Sandstorm at the fresh-kill pile.

Brambleclaw nodded back to his leader and then began to lead Rainstorm towards the medicine den at the other side of the clearing. I followed the dark brown tabby tom with my gaze, and just barely was able to see Snowflight suddenly poke her head out of the entrance and beckon Rainstorm inside, looking quite bewildered and confused. I couldn't help but sigh and roll my eyes as I watched my sister then turn around, her white fluffy tail disappearing back inside.

Although I had tried my incredibly hard to be happy for my sister, who was now a full ThunderClan medicine cat alongside Jayfeather, it was difficult when I knew that she had decided to follow a path completely different that mine. Snowflight had become the medicine cat apprentice as soon as Leafpool had been forbidden from her medicine cat duties, which still upset me a little bit to this day.

Back when I was an apprentice, I had wanted Snowflight to become a warrior with me. I wanted to go on patrols with her, go out hunting, and fight alongside each other in battle. Luckily, we had been able to train beside each other until almost the end of my apprenticeship, but the night I had become a warrior also happened to be the same night that she was deemed the official ThunderClan medicine cat apprentice.

It was still quite difficult to accept, even now, me having been a warrior and her a medicine cat for six moons. But I knew that I couldn't act like an immature apprentice anymore, and I had to accept what she wanted. I had let Snowflight know that I wasn't angry with her for her decisions. She was my sister, and I loved her, after all.

I really want her to be happy, I thought. I just need to get over my petty selfishness.

Pulling myself from my bitter thoughts, I walked over to Lilypetal after seeing the patrol separate. As soon as I fell into her sight, her hazel eyes lit up and she padded over to me happily. A purr rumbled in my throat as I touched my nose to Lilypetal's in greeting. Unfortunately nowadays, seeing Lilypetal or Thornclaw and getting to talk to them feels like a privilege, I realized sadly. Now that we're all warriors, we're all busy with different duties!

I pushed away negative thoughts once again, deciding to ask my mother about this incident that had caused this water patrol to bring a RiverClan cat into camp. "So, what happened?" I questioned, looking back at the medicine den where Rainstorm had disappeared just moments ago.

I purred with amusement as I watched Lilypetal roll her eyes, knowing quite well that she wasn't one to get frustrated often. "Rainstorm, who came out of nowhere, mind you, caught Ivypaw sniffing a fish," Lilypetal explained, twitching her tail with annoyance. "For whatever reason, he had to be difficult, saying that sniffing a fish is intruding on RiverClan's water. So, he tried to run after Ivypaw to stop her, from... sniffing the fish, and he fell into a deep mud puddle."

I nodded, continuing to purr. "Well, you did say he was being difficult. Maybe it was what he deserved!" I commented. "Why did you bring him here?" I then asked, tilting my head.

Lilypetal looked back at the medicine den, her eyes suddenly glowing with sympathy. "He took a pretty rough fall!" She responded. "He would have never been able to make it to his camp by himself."

Rainstorm's lucky that ThunderClan's hospitality is as great as it is, I realized, rolling my eyes.

I nodded again before I felt Lilypetal's muzzle touch the top of my head. "I know it's probably not fun for you to have a strange trespasser in this camp," she meowed softly, knowing very well that I could be very wary of outsiders if I wanted to be. "But I'm sure he'll be out of here before you know it, don't worry."

"Thanks," I whispered to my mother, drinking in her sweet scent like I did as a kit for just a moment. "I hope so!"

Lilypetal then gave me another touch on the nose in farewell, giving me a look full of love, before proceeding to walk over to the fresh-kill pile where Thornclaw was sitting down, waiting for her.

As the two of them scooted closer to each other and began to talk, twinning their tails together and hearing their purrs... I couldn't help but question my words from earlier, when I had committed to swearing off of trying to find a mate someday.

I still considered it a waste of time, definitely, but... the thought of feeling those first butterflies, falling in love, having that special companion beside you always, was...

I then shook my head quickly, realizing that those thoughts were completely outrageous. No way, my initial thoughts were exactly how I feel, I told myself. I have my Clan and my warrior duties to focus on, and that's enough!

I shifted my thoughts over to the fresh-kill pile. It was now dusk, and many cats had already eaten, so the heap was fairly low.

I have nothing else to do for the moment, so I may as well go hunt, I thought. I'll fill up that pile for the moonhigh snackers!

Coming to a decision, I trotted over to the camp entrance and out into the forest.