Warriors #4: Darkness Awakens

Chapter 18

I tried not to show my annoyance. You had to bring that up? I thought. Why is she so worried? I've been playing mossball with her since sunhigh!

I took a deep breath and nodded to Cherrykit, trying not to snap at her. She was a nice cat. I had no reason to want to hurt her feelings.

I nodded to her and mewed, "Jayfeather says that it's all better!"

Cherrykit's eyes glowed. "Yay! That's great!" she exclaimed, hopping up in the air. Then she composed herself and dipped her head to me. "Goodnight!" she whispered. "Goodnight, Goldenshine!" she then meowed to my mother.

"Goodnight, darling," Goldenshine whispered, giving Cherrykit a quick lick on her head.

I was watching Cherrykit pad over to Poppyfrost to join Molekit and Snowkit as Goldenshine meowed, "Did you have a good day?"

I immediately nodded and looked up to her. "It was awesome!" I answered. "...and awesome to be out of the medicine den for once."

Goldenshine snorted. "You have no idea!" she murmured. She then touched her nose to my ear before lying her head down in her nest.

My ears flicked as I heard her speak again. "Is that why you seem so much lighter today?"

I tilted my head and looked at her. "What do you mean?"

Goldenshine lifted her head back up. "I don't know... since you've been out and about today, you've just seemed so much more like yourself," she explained, "Not the tired, grumpy Swiftkit I've seen in here for the past couple of moons!"

I nodded as I thought about what Goldenshine had just said, and I had to admit that she was right.

After the fox attack, things had really been looking up. I had felt more rested, I haven't wanted to snap at every cat that talked to me, and I had gotten to enjoy playing, and not fighting to the death every night.

...Is this maybe because I haven't been in the Dark Forest for the past few nights? I realized.

I still hadn't seen Ashfur or Tigerstar since they had given me the mission to find the fox. They had told me that they were giving me a few days to fulfill the mission... but I hadn't. I still wondered what this meant when it came to my training in the Dark Forest.

What if they just gave up on me? I wondered. I was shocked when I didn't feel completely disappointed at that prospect.

Honestly, the idea of not going to the Dark Forest for maybe one more night... was a pleasant one.

I finally answered to Goldenshine with a nod. "You're right, I guess!" I purred, nuzzling my head into her fur before laying it down into the soft moss.

"I'm glad," Goldenshine whispered before lowering her head and closing her gray eyes.

I took a deep, relieving breath and then closed my eyes.

I was annoyed to find that they opened right back up again, but I wasn't back in the nursery. Rather, I recognized the tall oak trees and the multitude of bushes of the Dark Forest.

Are you kidding me? Foxdung! I thought to myself. Just when I thought I was going to get another good night of sleep!

I couldn't suppress a small hiss. I was digging my claws into the earth in frustration as I heard pawsteps come from behind me.

"Oh! I'm sorry," I heard a familiar deep voice meow, mockingly. "Did we interrupt your night of curling up with your mother and getting your beauty sleep?"