Chapter Ten:

Early in the morning, the scent of SkyClan followed by a SkyClan cat came into the LakeClan camp. Most cats welcomed him with happiness.

"Hawkwhisker!" exclaimed Tinyfoot and Joyspring, covering their family member in licks and nudges.

Jewelshine hung back behind her brothers, watching from a cautious distance.

"Hello, Hawkwhisker," mewed Followstar, walking to him. She seemed mildly interested. "What's going on? This is unusual."

He swept his gaze around camp until he saw Jewelshine. Gulping, he glanced back to Followstar. "I would like to talk to you, Followstar. My leader has granted me permission."

"Alright, come with me. We'll talk." She motioned with her tail.

Jewelshine rushed up to him.

He gave a low purr and licked her cheek. "Jewel, it's probably better that I talk to Followstar alone."

She purred too. "Can I talk to you after? Before you go back?"

Hawkwhisker nodded, brushing his head against her before following Followstar into her den.

"Feel free to sit down," Followstar mewed.

He did, since his muscles had started to tense with anxiety. "Well...I want to come back to LakeClan."

Followstar tilted her head, surprised. "Well...I...I suppose you could come back...could you tell me why you want to come back?"

Hawkwhisker reluctantly and quietly replied, "The reason why I left became the reason why I want to come back."

"Does this have anything to do with Jewelshine?" asked Followstar cautiously, looking slightly amused.

"Yes." He added hurriedly, "But I know she's a medicine cat, and I'll try to stay as far away from her as I can, I promise I won't ever, ever, ever try to talk her out of her medicine cat calling, and - "

"Hawkwhisker," Followstar finally interrupted, trying to suppress a smile. "Jewelshine left that calling yesterday."

Joy flashed across his face and he exclaimed, "REALLY?!"

The scent of the said she-cat rushed him, and the golden furred cat shyly stepped into the den. She was smiling and flicking her tail with anxiety. Hawkwhisker rushed up to her and brushed against her lovingly.

"You want to come back?" she whispered.

"You said the question you always had was whether or not I'd come back for you? The answer was always yes, Jewelshine. I only stayed away for so long because I felt like cats needed me in SkyClan. And I felt like you didn't. But I do. Need you, that is."

"And you asked me if I would ever leave the medicine cat calling for you," she whispered. "I would have, but I was scared. I'm not anymore."

"If you need me here in LakeClan, I'll always be here for you," he mewed.

"I'll always need you," she whispered.

Followstar watched them quietly, reflecting back on when she fell in love with Whirlwind. He was a couple moons younger than she; she had always pushed him and was rude to him, but he loved her and looked up to her desperately. When she finally admitted that she loved him when she became a warrior, he was overjoyed. He meant more to her than anything in the world. She could tell Jewelshine and Hawkwhisker loved each other in the same way.

"You're welcome back, Hawkwhisker," Followstar mewed. "I'll announce it to the clan."

Followstar left the den to allow them a few moments to themselves, and Whirlwind was the first to walk up to her.

"Do I even have to ask?" he asked.

"No, you don't." She purred and brushed against him. "They're in love. As much so as we are, as much so as Briarshine and Kestrelstar, and they are overjoyed to be together after all this time."

Whirlwind licked her ear gently. "Followstar, I love you," he said softly, rubbing his nose against her neck.

She purred. "I love you, too."

"I'm proud of your choice, my love. You are very merciful." Whirlwind licked her ear again.