Autumnpaw was a former kittypet. She lived in the peaceful town of Elmwood, at least, until the fire. Her housefolk escaped, but they left her inside, and she didn't get out without a scar, a long burn along her underbelly. She ran away, and was found unconscious at the edge of MapleClan. Now she is a full member of MapleClan, an apprentice to Owlclaw. She has two best friends, Honeypaw and Stonepaw. But she decided to keep her kittypet name as a reminder of her old home. If she had the choice to either go back to her housefolk and have the fire never happen, or to not change anything, she wouldn't change anything.

Autumnpaw flinched as a raindrop fell on her nose. She sneezed, waking her grumpy roommate, Rainpaw.

He groaned and complained, "Could you be any louder?! Some cats are trying to sleep here!" Autumnpaw rolled her eyes with amusement; Rainpaw was being louder than she was! The dark ginger tabby stretched and headed out into the rain.

She saw Owlclaw under a maple tree and ran over to him, "Can we go hunting? It would warm me up and the Clan would welcome warm, dry prey." Autumnpaw flicked her tail slightly towards the damp freshkill pile.

Owlclaw replied, "I agree, why don't you-" He was interrupted by Stonepaw, who skidded over to them, showering them with mud. Owlclaw hissed, but couldn't suppress twitching his whiskers in amusement. Autumnpaw laughed, but Stonepaw looked ashamed.

"And I was just starting to dry off!" Owlclaw complained, but Autumnpaw knew he didn't mean it.

"Sorry," Stonepaw said apologetically, "But could I join you?" Autumnpaw and Stonepaw looked up and Owlclaw hopefully.

"Fine. Go get your mentor, but hurry up, I don't like to be kept waiting." He flicked his tail, smiled, and ran to the camp entrance. Autumnpaw followed, with Stonepaw and his mentor, Rabbitwhisker, behind.

Autumnpaw was stalking a blackbird when something in the bushes startled her prey and it flew away. She hissed, and crept up to the bush. She sniffed and smelled a familiar scent, IvyClan! Autumnpaw growled and said, "Get out of our-" Suddenly the cat grabbed her and pulled her into the bush.

Her mouth covered, she bit and scratched her attacker when he said, "Shh, please don't tell anyone, please! I would get in so much trouble! I strayed over the border without knowing it."

She didn't trust him, after all he did grab her and pull her into the shadows, but something compelled her to say as clearly as she could with a paw stuffed in her mouth, "I won't if you get off and stay off of our territory!"

"Thank you, thank you!" He meowed gratefully, and he released her. They both exited the bush, and she was able to get a good look at him. He was a silver tabby, and was sleek and handsome, even with leaves and twigs stuck in his fur. She stared at him, and him at her. Autumnpaw thought, Woah, he's handsome! Then she shook the thought from her mind, horrified. Her eyes followed him even after he crossed the border.

"Fox dung!" Autumnpaw meowed after yet another escaped prey. She glanced guiltily at her mentor, and meowed, "Sorry."

Owlclaw shook his head in aggravation, "That's the third time! I don't know what's gotten into you Autumnpaw! Why don't we go back to camp, where you can clean the elder's bedding." He turned towards camp, not seeming to acknowledge Autumnpaw's look of shame. On the way back to camp, she kept her eyes trained on her paws. She couldn't stop thinking about that tom she met earlier. He was so handsome! Maybe I'll see him again tonight at the gathering, if I'm even allowed to go, Autumnpaw thought glumly.

Once she got back to camp, her mouth empty of prey, she got straight to cleaning the elder's bedding. It was dusty and dry, and Squirreltail would not stop talking! When Autumnpaw finally finished, she grabbed a small mouse and carried it over to where her friends were sitting.

"Hey. I heard your hunt wasn't the best it could've been, but that's ok. Everyone makes mistakes." Honeypaw said. She finished her squirrel before Autumnpaw or Stonepaw, and she had to go on a border patrol, so she padded off into the forest.

"So... Nice day isn't it." Stonepaw commented awkwardly. Autumnpaw nodded, but she was only half listening. She couldn't get that tom out of her head!

"So, anyway, I was wondering, maybe, you want to hunt with me tomorrow?" Stonepaw asked shyly. Autumnpaw shook her head, trying to dislodge the thought of the tom from IvyClan.

Stonepaw took it as a refusal, "Oh, th-that's ok. It was only a suggestion."

"Oh no! I mean, yes, a hunt would be great!" Autumnpaw mewed, stuttering.

Stonepaw smiled, "Okay! Well, I'll see you tomorrow then!" He skipped off joyfully. Autumnpaw smiled to herself, Stonepaw could be so funny at times.

Autumnpaw was thrilled; she was going to the Gathering! And even better, Rainpaw wasn't going! She thought she had made it up to her mentor by catching two mice and a vole. Autumnpaw did a little bounce of excitement, then stopped. She silently scolded herself for behaving like a kit. This would be her second gathering, and both her friends were going with her. She couldn't wait!

Oakstar led the way to the Gathering Cave, a giant cave on the edge of HeatherClan with a big ledge jutting out a little above the floor where the leaders sit. Autumnpaw raced along beside her two friends, Honeypaw and Stonepaw, her heart pounding with excitement. They got there just as the last of IvyClan were entering in. Autumnpaw's eyes scanned the last bit of IvyClan cats, looking for any trace of the tom she saw, but there was none. She desperately hoped he went to the Gathering, if he didn't she might not see him again until the next Gathering! Unless there was a battle before then. She shivered at the thought.

Soon they entered the cave, and she stopped to let her eyes adjust to the dark. Her friends went on, not noticing her staying behind. Autumnpaw's eyes soon adjusted, and she decided to head over to the apprentice pool where the apprentices hang out. She looked around, searching for a familiar face. Suddenly, a small calico cat popped up in front of Autumnpaw's face, "Hi there! I'm Patchpaw, what's your name? Are you from MapleClan? I bet you are, you smell like you're from MapleClan. This is my first time here, this is so exciting! My other friends went somewhere and they must have not noticed I was missing."

Are you sure your friends didn't ditch you, Patchpaw? Autumnpaw thought,but she only said, "I'm Autumnpaw, but I'm kinda-"

Patchpaw's head tilted in confusion, "What's an autumn? Is it some kind of plant? I never heard of it before. By the way, my favorite kind of freshkill is rabbit, what about you?" Patchpaw spoke a mile a minute!

Autumnpaw meowed loudly, "Autumn is when the leaves on the trees turn red, orange, yellow! How can you not know that?!"

"Be quiet! It's starting!" She heard a nearby warrior hiss in her ear. Autumnpaw was so frustrated, Patchpaw was the one talking so much! Autumnpaw sat down, fuming.

She looked up just as Lakestar, a blue gray tabby she said, "StreamClan has been fine." She stepped back and nodded to a massive dark brown tom with long black legs.

Hawkstar meowed with his deep voice, "HeatherClan is flourishing. We have two new apprentices, Patchpaw," The calico cat Autumnpaw just met held her head up proudly, "And Leafpaw. We have also had three new kits: Foxkit, Robinkit and Applekit."

He stepped back and allowed Oakstar to speak. "The prey has been running well in our Clan. We have a new apprentice, Honeypaw." Autumnpaw smiled at her friend, who looked nervous but excited at the same time.

Nightstar, a sleek, lithe black she stepped up, "IvyClan has lost an elder, Crowfrost." The IvyClan leader's eyes filled with grief, but then she shook her head and announced, "But the prey has multiplied and aside from our loss, IvyClan is doing well." The leaders jumped down from the ledge and the cats started heading back to their Clans. Autumnpaw searched for the tom, and was passing a large stalagmite when she was grabbed, again! Behind the stalagmite, she struggled until she saw who it was who had grabbed her.

The silver tabby blinked at her, and slowly released Autumnpaw, "I'm sorry, but I had to see you again!"

Autumnpaw purred softly, "That's the second time you've kidnapped me today!"

The silver tabby tom laughed, "By the way, my name's Breezepaw. What's yours?" Autumnpaw told him, and after she saw the confused look on his face, quickly explained it.

Breezepaw smiled, "That's cool!" He heard the sounds of the Clan cats slowly fading away and quickly said, "Let's meet again, tomorrow night, at the border!" He glanced at his Clan, nearly out of sight, "Meet me there!"

Autumnpaw watched him race back to his Clan, her heart pounding wildly. She sighed dreamily, Breezepaw! Autumnpaw floated back to her Clan, a look of sheer bliss on her face. Stonepaw noticed her expression and looked suspicious, but said nothing.

The next night, Autumnpaw went into her nest and slept before any of the other apprentices did. She woke up in the middle of the night and quietly sneaked out of camp through the dirt place tunnel. The dark ginger tabby raced through the trees, heading to the IvyClan border. When she got there, she noticed Breezepaw wasn't there and that she had got there first. Autumnpaw sat and groomed herself, waiting for Breezepaw. Suddenly, she heard footsteps and she looked through the trees, trying to spot Breezepaw. Autumnpaw saw him at the same time as he saw her, and he ran up to meet her.

He got up to her and butted his head against hers softly in greeting, "Hey Autumnpaw! How you been?"

Autumnpaw smiled, "You mean since last night when I saw you, great thanks! How bout you?" "I've been awful, my heart ached for you, I wish I could see you sooner." Autumnpaw's heart fluttered, he's so romantic!

Breezepaw continued, "I wish we didn't have these borders, why can't we be one great big Clan? Then I would get to see you all the time." Autumnpaw didn't understand why there was separate Clans, either, why couldn't we all just get along?!

"But now that I'm here, I'm ready to have some fun!" Breezepaw meowed excitedly. Autumnpaw purred, this was going to be the best night she ever had!

Autumnpaw saw Breezepaw almost every night, and even though she was always tired, it was worth it. Stonepaw seemed to be very suspicious, though.

One day Autumnpaw was daydreaming about Breezepaw when Stonepaw came up to her, "Hey." Autumnpaw just nodded absently.

Stonepaw meowed, blushing, "So I was wondering, maybe tonight do you want to take a walk with me or something?"

Autumnpaw, caught up with her thoughts, only nodded and mewed, "Ok, sure."

Stonepaw smiled, "Great! See you tonight!"

Autumnpaw went to sleep early like she always does and woke up in the middle of the night. She sneaked out of camp and ran towards the border, her heart pounding in anticipation. When she got there, Breezepaw was waiting for her.

They touched noses, purring, and Breezepaw meowed excitedly, "Guess what?!"

"What?"

"I got my warrior name yesterday! That's why I couldn't come, I was sitting vigil."

"That's great! I am so happy for you!" Autumnpaw nuzzled her head against his chest, purring, "What is it?"

"Breezeheart." He meowed proudly.

"That's a great name!" Autumnpaw said.

Breezeheart, purring, licked her ear, "My heart belongs to you." Autumnpaw's heart melted, she sighed happily and she leaned against him. He smells so good, like pine she thought. Breezeheart placed his head on top of hers. She could stay like this forever.

Suddenly, she heard a loud CRACK! Autumnpaw jumped up and she swiveled around. Stonepaw stood staring at her with a look of disbelief and tremendous sorrow. Autumnpaw opened her mouth to say something, but then she closed it again when she saw Stonepaw shake his head.

Stonepaw said softly, his voice cracking and his bottom lip quivering, "How could you? How could you?! He's from IvyClan! I thought you knew better, I thought you could figure it out on your own, but I guess I was wrong. I love you Autumnpaw. But now you've gone and broke my heart, it can never be repaired. Forever there will be a scar on my heart from what you've done!"

His eyes suddenly filled with an immense hate, "But I guess I should have expected it from a kittypet!" He spat out the word like it was poison.

He growled, "I will never forgive you for this! Never! I hope you're happy, because you've just lost yourself a friend!" With that, Stonepaw darted away, his angry tears flooding out of his eyes. The realization of what she had been doing struck her like a blow to the face.

She turned around and quietly said, her voice wavering, "I'm sorry. This has to stop. I-I can't do this anymore. Please understand, this is the only way." Autumnpaw's eyes were dangerously close to overflowing with tears.

Breezeheart's own eyes filled with grief as he begged, "Don't do this. Please. It's not like we're telling each other Clan secrets or anything. Weren't you having fun?" Autumnpaw looked away, and Breezeheart's tone changed from sadness to hate and anger, the same that Stonepaw had for her.

"I'm warning you, if you do this, you will never be forgiven! How many hearts will you break?! And the next time you're in battle, you'd better watch your back, because I'll be looking for you, kittypet!" Breezeheart ran back to his Clan in a flurry of dust and leaves, leaving Autumnpaw alone. Her tears flowed down her face, full of sorrow and grief, cutting her heart to pieces. Slowly, she turned around and padded into the forest.

Autumnpaw padded up to the very edge of the cliff. She looked down at the sheer drop and the sharp rocks that awaited her. Autumnpaw thought of her housefolk, she thought of the fire that had nearly killed her, she thought of all the cats who didn't think she could do it when she joined MapleClan, and she thought of the cats who did. She thought of her mentor, and of Honeypaw. She thought of Breezeheart, and the time they spent together. Finally, she had a million images of Stonepaw: Stonepaw laughing, Stonepaw smiling, Stonepaw playing, Stonepaw running, Stonepaw frowning, Stonepaw crying, Stonepaw angry, and Stonepaw with all the pain and anguish he had when he found out about her and Breezeheart.

Autumnpaw heard a faint voice calling her name. She thought, No one wants me here anyway, everyone thinks I'm just a stupid kittypet. Some people, like Breezeheart, would even be happy once I'm gone. Autumnpaw heard her name again, closer this time. Autumnpaw looked one last time around at the forest, her home. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and jumped. The last thing Autumnpaw saw before her death was Stonepaw reaching out to her, his face contorted in grief, sorrow, and guilt.