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Goldenflower was all grown up now; he had his warrior name and a nice set of skills to go with it. He was still soft and gentle like he had been when he was younger, and he was still as capable of being a total goof as he was when he was a kit but something had changed inside him. He had matured and it had softened his energy, he was still capable of bouncing around like he had as an eager apprentice but it didn’t happen near as often anymore. So many changes had happened but one thing always remained the same with the Golden tom, his feelings for Snowpaw. The white apprentice that as of late had seemed to be doing less well then usual, this of course upset Goldenflower and he devised a plan to try and cheer his friend up. So picking something that was green, but not grass of course, he headed into the medicine cat den where he knew Snowpaw would be while Rookfrost was gone. “Snowpaw?” He asked in the softest kindest voice he possibly could, “I found this thing, I wonder if you needed it.” He said with a mellow but extremely goofy grin that was completed by the laying back of his ears. “Its green and stuff…”

[Fate Admin]

Snowpaw sat poking absentmindedly at a pile of herbs in front of him. He wasn’t even paying attention to them anymore. He sighed and pushed them aside, back into a nice little nook out of the way. It was nearly six whole moons since StoneClan was chased out and Snowpaw just worried about them more every day. At least his training with Ivypaw seemed to be going well, but would she ever be able to get her full name as a medicine cat? Could she visit the Moon Tree from where StoneClan hid away up in the mountains? She was likely closer to it than any of the Clans, but who would give her a full name if she went? She would be all alone. Besides… they should get their names around the same time. They had started their training so close to each other….

He stood in the center of the den, claws working at the earth anxiously, when a voice startled him from his thoughts. He whipped around, wide-eyed, to see Goldenpaw- no. Goldenflower. He relaxed and sat down heavily, curling his bushy tail over his paws. He stared at the ‘green thing’ his friend had brought him and laughed at Goldenflower’s words. “You shouldn’t go picking any green thing you see, what if you find something poisonous?” He shook his head, his ‘scolding’ light-hearted. Forgetting whatever Goldenpaw had brought him, he was overtaken by the sudden urge to be somewhere else. He had all these worries bubbling just beneath the surface, about to boil over, and he needed someone to talk to. It seemed his position as medicine cat apprentice had kept him distanced from many of his peers, but Goldenflower had always been a constant source of companionship. Snowpaw didn’t even seek the tom out, Goldenflower just showed up at perfect moments. Like this one.

“I need to get out of camp for a while. Will you come with me Goldenflower?” He looked hopefully at the golden tom, remembering a time so long ago it seemed now when Goldenpaw had come to him after hurting himself training. His fur had really shone golden in the sunlight that day. He moved forward and brushed up against his friend affectionately, “I don’t know how you do it but you always show up at the perfect time.”

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Goldenflower dropped the green thing that was still dangling from his jaws and stared at Snowpaw, “I d-don’t think its poisonous I feel fine… that’s how they get you.” He said inwardly cursing the evil green plant. He didn’t have long to think about it as he was asked to run away with the white tom (At least that’s what he took away from Snowpaw’s words) mixed with the softest of touches as the other rubbed up against him. It was lucky that the golden apprentice was a furred creature as his pelt burned at the contact, a strange swirly sensation started in his tummy and he felt as if he may fall down at any moment. Answering as best he could he choked out simply, “I w-would love to go with you…” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath regaining control as he listened to Snowpaw comment on his punctuality to which he meowed the obvious answer, “It’s because I show up all the time… If I’m always there I will hit all the perfect times.”

[Fate Admin]

Snowpaw purred amusement at the golden tom’s words, “I guess that’s true.” He moved past Goldenflower, breaking their close contact as he padded toward the den entrance, flicking his fluffy tail behind him and looking over his shoulder to see if Goldenflower was following, “You don’t… have to come with me, you know. You’re a warrior now… I’m sure you have better things you could be doing than humoring me for a walk….” He paused at the den entrance as that thought struck him. He didn’t want to take Goldenflower away from any important warrior duties he was supposed to be performing.

His tail twitched, impatient to get out of camp for a while, preferably BEFORE Rookfrost came back from wherever he was at the moment. Rookfrost hadn’t changed at all, he stayed the same as Snowpaw could remember him the very first day he met the dark medicine cat. He realized Rookfrost had always been this way, now. He just hadn’t known about it then. If he had, perhaps he would have hesitated at the thought of becoming his apprentice. But then again, perhaps not. He wanted to be a medicine cat and he wasn’t going to let Rookfrost stand in his way, no matter how much he disliked his mentor and thought he was no proper medicine cat at all. He didn’t have much other choice.

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Goldenflower couldn’t sputter out and disagree with Snowpaw’s answer fast enough, “Important warrior duties? What could be more important then escorting the medicine cat to keep him safe?” He looked down at his paws obviously having lied, he couldn’t help but twirl the right one in a circle over the den’s floor, “Actually I bet you fight as well as I do… you might be the one saving me.” He admitted shamefully, “I’m more of a hunter.” He admitted this knowing that Snowpaw was ready to get moving already, so he followed behind the white tom with his head still hung low. “I’m not shirking any duties if that’s what you are wondering. I’ve got time to go with you.” The golden tom was actually fairly scared of his friend being disappointed in his fighting ability, however he didn’t know what he could do about it as he was a much superior hunter and that’s just how things were.

[Fate Admin]

Snowpaw shook his head. He supposed being an escort was a decently important job. When Goldenflower seemed a bit disheartened over his supposed lack of fighting ability Snowpaw paused again and to touch his tail gently to the other tom’s shoulder, “There’s more to life than fighting, even for a warrior.” His pale green gaze, so like his mother’s, was soft and somewhat sad. Even though he hadn’t even been there, even though it had been moons ago, Snowpaw still carried a great weight of guilt for what his Clan had helped bring upon StoneClan. So much unnecessary violence and death, for what? Some extra pebbles in their territory?

He let his tail flick the golden warrior’s shoulder playfully, trying to push his guilty feelings over StoneClan away and to have a decent time with Goldenflower. “I never thought you were shirking any duties… I just thought… I dunno, maybe you might rather do something else.” His ears flicked as he continued to lead the way out of camp at a leisurely pace. His belly suddenly grumbled and he realized he hadn’t eaten yet today. Looking back at Goldenflower a little sheepishly he slowed to a halt, “Erm… I don’t suppose you’d be willing to put those hunting skills of yours to use? I… I guess I forgot to eat yet today…. If you don’t want to I guess we could go back to camp instead… I’m sure there’s something on the freshkill pile.” He hadn’t brought Goldenflower out to wait on him, after all.