"Haha, I'm sure you aren't!" Halfpaw could see the fire in the kit's eyes, the passionate determination of a cat who won't be silenced. "What's your name, by the way? My name is Halfpaw." 

"I'm Stagkit, but I'll be Stagpaw soon. I'm almost six moons old now!" Stagkit bounced down the path along Halfpaw for a good long while after that, and they talked. They talked about how warriors were always so bossy, how the trees were just starting to bud once again, how the new flowers sprang out of the dirt. 

But everything has to end, and eventually they made it to the border. They bid each other goodbye, and went back to their homes.

Stagkit happened upon a patrol, and they brought him back home. He got quite a scolding, but he was fine. He didn't tell them how Halfpaw helped him, because he knew they wouldn't believe him. He didn't want to get his new friend in danger! 

Halfpaw had a quiet, uneventful walk back home. He couldn't get the little kit out of his mind, though. The spirit in that cat...