Nutriafang wasn’t having a good day either. She had spent yet another morning and afternoon alone, save for the dawn patrol her dear old brother had graciously assigned her to. And even then, she’d hardly spoken to a soul, nor had anyone bothered speaking to her outside the occasional patrol-related question or command. Now that Wapatofur no longer had time for her – what he did in his free time, she hadn’t a clue – she finally realized just how alone she was, physically and emotionally, in GaleClan.

‘I almost wish he’d never even brought me here in the first place,’ Nutriafang thought. ‘At least in ShoreClan I would have had more cats to talk to. Maybe I could have grown to enjoy my family’s company, become friends with Beefur, Honeyhoot, and Whitebark. A positive relationship with Beefur might be a bit of a stretch – Wapatofur made him and their siblings, Cattailcry and Ducknose, sound insufferable – but honestly, what did she know? She’d never gotten the chance to form her own opinion about them. Maybe they weren’t as toxic as Wapatofur claimed. After all, his disappearing act lately made him look more like a miserable hermit than the selfless hero she deemed him long ago. Had he finally grown tired of her? Did he regret bringing her along? Was he planning to leave GaleClan and abandon her, too?

These dark thoughts swirled in Nutriafang’s brain as she trudged through the forest, fluffy brown tail dragging in the muddy grass. She watched the orange-pink sky darken overhead and wondered briefly if she should turn around and sleep off whatever negative emotions currently plagued her. ‘No, I don’t want to lie next to cats who don’t care about me. If they suddenly miss me in the middle of the night, they can come looking.’ Maybe Wapatofur would notice her absence when she didn’t show up that evening to receive a patrol assignment for the next day. Or maybe Sparrowclaw – who she still refused to talk to for the role he played in her late promotion. The thought that someone might lose sleep over her temporary disappearance filled Nutriafang with petty satisfaction. That would teach them a lesson.

The young warrioress found herself trekking nearer and nearer to the ShoreClan border. Perhaps she was subconsciously seeking comfort. Not that she remembered much about her birth clan that might offer some semblance of reprieve. Heck, she hardly retained any memories of her family prior to Wapatofur’s rescue mission. The only cat with whom she recalled more than a pawful of interactions back in the day was Bluepaw. Just one moon apart, the she-kits played and napped together. Nutriafang couldn’t even summon an image of her mother’s face, but she never once forgot Bluepaw.

The two bosom buddies had reconnected a few moons ago at a gathering and had been practically inseparable since then, often meeting secretly near the border for… what, the GaleClan warrior didn’t know. Simple companionship? Something more? All Nutriafang knew was that when their pelts pressed up against each other or when their eyes met after a well-timed joke, she didn’t feel so lonely anymore. Maybe that’s why Nutriafang’s paws led her to the ShoreClan scent markers. If anyone understood how she felt, it would be Bluepaw.

Just then, a familiar and welcome scent entered her nostrils. Nutriafang’s eyes widened. No, it must be wishful thinking. But her nose was right. She could just make out Bluepaw’s slender frame several meters away in the dimming light.

“Bluepaw!” As the other feline drew nearer, Nutriafang narrowed her eyes. "Hey, are you okay?”