Warriors #5: Heart of Fire

Chapter 8

Goldenshine's POV

"Goldenshine, will you calm down?" Jayfeather hissed back at me. "Stop meowing nonsense and take a breath!"

I let out a snort as I followed Jayfeather into the medicine den. "I'm hardly meowing nonsense!" I exclaimed as I crawled through the bramble screen. "How am I supposed to react when I find out you're leaving out of nowhere?"

"I have to go!" Jayfeather insisted, lashing his tail irritably. "What am I, your mother? Why is it such a big deal to you?"

Why is it such a big deal? I repeated in my mind as worry and frustration bubbled up inside of me. Sure, the fact that you're my friend and you're suddenly leaving is one thing, but you've also been my cohort in trying to figure out this Snowpaw situation!

I had only just woken up at dawn, about a quarter moon after the Gathering, when I had actually overheard Jayfeather's conversation with Squirrelflight, Dovewing, who had been made a warrior a few days ago, and Foxleap - telling them that he was being called to the Tribe of Rushing Water, and that they were going with him.

Once their little gathering had dispersed, I had approached the gray tabby medicine cat, already delving into a deep panic at the news. And, of course now, Jayfeather wasn't quite getting why, but I had every reason to be!

Sure, Jayfeather and I shared pretty much the same amount of information when it came to Snowpaw and the spirit that she carried... but what if something happened while Jayfeather was gone, when he and I were some of the only ones that knew about Snowpaw's real identity? I surely would have no idea what to make of it by myself!

So, I expressed this to Jayfeather. "It's a big deal because I'm not a medicine cat!"

Jayfeather rolled his eyes. "Oh, I know that," he muttered before beginning to dig through some of his herbs. After I let out an annoyed huff, he then meowed, "Your point?"

"How will I be able to further understand what's going on with Snowpaw without you?" I answered, trying to keep my voice down despite my anxiety. "I'm not a medicine cat like you; I can't interpret weird signs and stuff."

Jayfeather snorted. "Well, you're definitely nowhere near being a medicine cat if you're calling prophecies 'weird signs and stuff'..."

"Jayfeather!" I then nearly shouted, growing more and more nervous with every heartbeat. For once, I want you to take what I'm saying seriously, not as a joke!

"Great StarClan!" Jayfeather breathed before putting down the herbs he was tampering with and turning towards me. "Goldenshine, as much as it... pains me to say it - you're a smart cat." I then tilted my head and narrowed my eyes as Jayfeather sniffed and seemed to gesture his head to the side, I assumed towards the apprentices den. "Well, about some things, at least."

"Having a kit with a cat from another Clan hardly applies here!" I hissed to Jayfeather through gritted teeth.

"Whatever. All I'm trying to say is that you'll be fine," Jayfeather meowed, flicking my ear with his tail. "Anyway, what are you even expecting to happen?"

I snorted and shrugged. "I don't know! What if she does something strange or cryptic - something that only you would understand?" I asked Jayfeather, my nerves beginning to rise up again despite the medicine cat's reassurance.

"If that's the case, all you need to do is tell me once I get back."

"But only StarClan knows when you're coming back!"

Jayfeather then let out an exasperated sigh, and I couldn't help but feel a small twinge of guilt for how much I was pestering him. "Well, I am coming back," Jayfeather murmured in his usual prickly tone. "And once I do, you'll be able to tell me anything that has happened."