...

Willowshine bounded ahead happily, looking back only when she realized she was the only one who was rushing. "You guys are so slow! Pick up the pace or we'll never get there in time for Christmas!"

"Oh, Willowshine," Rose sighed. "I would jump around if my kits would let me."

Jinx gave her a startled look. "What?"

"No, not yet, you daft fool. Not yet." Rose purred, shoving him playfully with her shoulder.

Jayfeather looked down. With all of Willowshine's distracting mews, he couldn't help but focus on nothing but her. He was very alarmed on how attracted he was to her. Everything around him reminded him of how much he liked her... especially with mates just a mouse-length away. It was as if StarClan was taunting him; playing with his emotions. You love Willowshine. You can't have her. You love Willowshine. You can't have her. You love-

Jayfeather tripped with a meow of surprise and landed on his face. This caused Willowshine to skid to a stop and look over her shoulder with concern. Ugh, StarClan, here we go again!

"Jayfeather," Rose sounded mildly worried. "Are you quite alright?"

Jayfeather could feel them staring at him strangely. Such humiliation! It was as if he was some starving rogue and StarClan was dangling a vole in front of him; just out of reach every time he jumped for it. Fox dung!

Willowshine skittered up to him. "You okay? You sure? Does it hurt? Do you need medical attention? Is it terribly excruciating? Is your paw going to swell up again? Can you reach ThunderClan camp without help or-"

"Shiny! StarClan, you worry! I'm fine!" Jayfeather snapped. A part of him regretted saying this, but Willowshine couldn't know. She just couldn't. Medicine cats can't love! He'd have to resist her stupid Willowshiny attractiveness and hope it would pass, but great StarClan, this was hard! Why me?

"Alright, Blindface, just trying to help." She mumbled, turning with a huff but staying in step with the ThunderClan medicine cat.

Jayfeather tried to avert his attention from her bouncy, bubbly scent. Um... That rock. It smells like a tree. What? No, rocks don't smell like trees... that tree must smell like a rock. Yeah! That leaf. It smells like dew. Like Willowshine... Willowshine...

Jayfeather wanted to bang his head repeatedly against a tree. Mouse-brained! Mouse-brained! He couldn't possibly be twitter-pated! It wasn't even spring!

"How long till the ThunderClan border?" Tawny questioned a few moments after Jayfeather had tripped. Jayfeather's ears flattened. We've got to cross ShadowClan border! Oh, StarClan, how could I possibly forget? Uh oh. What if Jinx and Rose and Tawny decide to stay there and teach Christmas? But I've got to get home! Must escape Shiny!

"Er... far." He replied lamely.

"How much farther?" Jinx gave him an odd look.

"Thruh ShuduhClen territery..." He mumbled, giving an angry stomp of - accidentally - his injured paw. "Ow!"

Jayfeather flicked his paw sheepishly, feeling incredulous. How in StarClan's name could he forget about passing through his least favorite Clan's territory...? Willowshine.

"What?" Rose stopped lumbering, a baffled expression on her fluffy brown face.

"Apparantly, we have 'thruh shuduhclen territery' much left to walk." Willowshine summed. Being as dumb and gullible as she is, she turned to Jinx. "What does 'thruh shuduhclen territery' mean, Jinx?"

"It means our guide should speak up!" Jinxs muttered flatly flicking Jayfeather pointedly with his black and brown tail.

"Through ShadowClan territory!" Jayfeather meowed loudly. "We have to pass the ShadowClan border to get to ThunderClan with this route!"

"Well!" Rose beamed, looking as though she'd just had a pleasuring thought. "By all means, let's meet them! The more the merrier!"

"What do you mean?" Willowshine's silver gray face was scrunched in confusion, as if she still hadn't worked out the 'thruh shuduhclen territery' mean.

"I think we can spread the Christmas cheer to one more Clan before heading homeward, yes Jayfeather?" Maybe Jayfeather had just imagined it, but he thought he felt a smug feeling come off of Rose. Not the, you-don't-get-to-go-home-yet smug feeling, but the, you-get-more-time-with-Willowshine smug feeling. Was Jayfeather really that easy to read?

"What a wonderful idea!" Tawny meowed, catching on to what Rose was doing, before Jayfeather could protest. "Besides, it'd be much easier to teach them along the way rather than pass them now and go back later."

"Yes, that would waste time!" Jinx agreed most enthusiastically, also getting the idea. "Only three more days to Christmas, don't forget. We'd best use the time we've got!"

"Um, okay." Willowshine seemed oblivious to what was happening. "You know what, Jayfeather, they're right! We should use the time we have to teach what we can to ShadowClan! That rhymed. Anyway, ThunderClan can wait one more day, don't you think?"

Jayfeather wanted to argue. ThunderClan would most certainly not wait! For all he knew, Leafpool had already died of worry and Lionblaze - that overprotective mouse-brained brother of his - had sent a million search parties. Maybe Bramblestar, being the stubborn cat he was, had even accused another Clan of cat-napping and started some war that Jayfeather didn't know about yet. No, ThunderClan needed him now. But it was four against one. Jayfeather could do nothing about this situation if he was going to be a part of this expedition.

"Oh, yes." His sarcastic reply came in a hiss. "They'll just strut around like normal; an average day with a medicine cat missing."

"Good!" Willowshine gave a little hop. "Then let's get on with it!"

Jayfeather let Jinx, Tawny, and Willowshine prance a bit ahead. He needed to have a little word with Rose the Betrayer.

"Rose," He began irritably. "What do you know?"

"Jayfeather." She gave him a playful cuff on the ear. "You lovesick devil."

"'Devil'?"

"Oh, never mind. The thing is that I know that look on your face. You like Willowshine lot. I'm doing you a favor by buying you more time! You should be grateful."

"I'm most certainly not grateful! And how do you know how to read my expressions?" Jayfeather growled flatly. "Leafpool?" No, wait, Rose has never met my mother...

"Jayfeather." Rose repeated. "Do you really think these will be the first kits I've ever seen grow up? Hm? Do you really think I'll be the first queen? No. Tawny's kits grew up right in front of my eyes. And I was Aphrodite when it came to their love lives."

"'Afro... die-ty?"

"Forget it. The point is, I used to be a young and crazy cat just like you. I always spent as much time as possible with the cat I loved. I want to help you out a bit. Fine?"

Jayfeather - lost at 'crazy' - had a genuinely puzzled look on his face.

Rose gave him a warm look. Fine. Now, let's catch up before we're missed!"

...

Finally done! Hope the chapter was okay. Please review and I do not own Warriors! Bye!

-Over and out,

/Jay'sGirl123