Squirrelflight lifted her head, the confliction in her gaze rolling like storm clouds. Brambleclaw had asked her to meet with him by the Abandoned Twoleg Den. He had seemed upset, but not in the aggressive way he had been the past few moons. No, she'd say it was the guilt-filled kind of upset, one where he was regretting something.

She had agreed to the meeting, ready to finish the conversation long before it had even started. She wondered briefly if Brambleclaw was going to apologize to her- no, he wouldn't. He would never apologize over his reaction to her doubts and fears. He had proven this time and time again on the journey, even before they had left. Brambleclaw was stubborn and ambitious.

Most of all, he was proud.

Squirrelflight, while eager to get this over with, did not race to the Twoleg Den. She dragged her steps, lingering among the overgrowth of the Clan's territory. She had been walking for a while now, and could see the den peeking out from the bushes beyond her. She gritted her teeth in annoyance, before pushing past the last of her cover.

She could see the stocky brown tabby already- and while she hated him so much, she could understand why she had grown to love him. He was handsome, and she had believed he was loyal to his clan above everything else. His amber eyes had burned like the dying sun at sunset. The dark ginger she-cat shook her head to clear her thoughts, and with her head and tail held high, she strut towards the proud tom.

Brambleclaw turned at the rustling of grass, ears pricking at the sight of her. "You made it." He spoke, voice light, but also strained. Squirrelflight eyed him, before turning her head sharply.

"I was going to just stay at camp, but I did promise to meet you." She all but huffed out. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Brambleclaw's flank spike up in anger, but he took a deep breath and it lay flat once more.

"I didn't come here to argue, Squirrelflight. I… I wanted to apologize."

Squirrelflight's head whipped back around, disbelief in her green eyes. Him? Apologize? Oh, this was going to be good.

Brambleclaw shuffled his paws, eyes darting to the side in unease, before he continued. "I hate how I ruined our friendship by being so rude to you. I don't want us to hate each other. I want to go back to how we were, Squirrelflight."

She sat there for a moment, cautious to speak up. Was he being genuine? She closed her eyes, and when they opened her eyes held hurt, but also determination.

"I don't want to hate you either, Brambleclaw." Squirrelflight spoke, voice as hard as stone. "You know my worries already. What you choose will decide our 'relationship'."

Brambleclaw frowned, eyes darting back up to meet hers. He opened his mouth and closed it a few times, before his voice finally returned to him.

"I won't end my friendship with my brother, Squirrelflight. It's no fair to me or him. You have no issues with Tawnypelt, why do you hate Hawkfrost so much? Would you feel the same way if it were Mothwing I was befriending?! You don't seem to hate your sister for being friends with her!"

Squirrelflight could feel the fury building up beneath her fur. For a moment, a soft pushing of concern brushed against her thoughts, but she waved it away. With a growl, and her fur fluffed to make her twice her normal size, Squirrelflight took a step forward.

"You don't get it! I know he's bad, Brambleclaw-" Squirrelflight began, only for Brambleclaw to cut her off, eyes blazing.

"How? How is he bad exactly? You've given no solid proof that Hawkfrost is evil!"

Squirrelflight froze, and her eyes narrowed into a cold glare. "You're making me say it then, huh?" Brambleclaw blinked in confusion, eyes still alight with rage, but surprise also sparkled beneath the amber depths.

"I know, Brambleclaw. I know about you and Hawkfrost training with Tigerstar."

Brambleclaw lurched, as if he had ran straight into a wall. His jaws were agape with shock, and horror briefly flitted across his face. "I-"

"You have no excuse." Squirrelflight snarled, stepping back. "Leafpool saw you both. How could you train with… with that monster?! He hurt so many, killed so many! You were alive during his worst, how could you think he'd be a cat to listen to, Brambleclaw?!" The tom merely flicked his ears back, his jaws working to reply, but no sound escaped them. "You're smarter than this!"

Squirrelflight could feel her sides heaving, and she turned herself away. "This conversation is over. You've made your choice, and I've made mine. Our relationship would've never worked out. We fought to many times to actually feel any love, and you clearly trust your brother and- and Tigerstar more than me." She spat the dead cats name with so much anger and disgust that Brambleclaw flinched back.

With a turn of her head, Squirrelflight stomped away, tail lashing with rage. She could hear Brambleclaw calling for her to come back, begging for her to stay, but she ignored it. She wouldn't tell his secret. Not yet. Not until he did something to truly deserve it. But she wasn't going to stand by him any longer. She had plenty of cats to be with. Her sister, Leafpool, would never betray her. Shrewtail was kind to her in a way no cat has ever been, and she's felt soft for him since she was made a warrior. Ashfur is an amazing friend and uncle she would never abandon. That doesn't even compare to the remaining kin in her Clan.

Squirrelflight would never need to depend on Brambleclaw every again.