Cherrysky sat in the clearing of the camp with her head bent in sorrow, images of betrayal still fresh in her mind.
Cherrysky padded along next to her mate, Silvermoon. She bounded down a slope that led to the stream. Silvermoon tackled her and they both fell into the shallow stream. Cherrysky wrestled him over and sat on top of him.
"Ha. I win," she smirked.
Silvermoon kicked out with his hind paws and hurled her off him. He pinned her to the ground and got her soaking wet.
"You were saying?" he laughed.
Silvermoon got off her and splashed her with water. Cherrysky picked her paw up high and brought it down in the water hard. Silvermoon was bombarded with a tidal wave of water. He shook himself off and splashed her back. Cherrysky kicked water at his muzzle and he shook it off again. Cherrysky hooked a piece of moss on her claw from the ground and hurled it at Silvermoon. He grinned like a kit and hurled it back up high. Cherrysky jumped and caught it in her teeth but she accidentally swallowed it. She flopped down in the water and made a disgusted face. Silvermoon laughed, his voice ringing through the forest. Cherrysky responded by splashing water in his face. He shook his fur out and jumped on her. She butted his tummy with her head. He swiped her muzzle with his paws. She jumped on him and pinned him to the ground. This went on for a while until they got tired. Cherrysky and Silvermoon went back to camp, wrestling, giggling, and talking. Cherrysky took a piece of fresh-kill and sat down to eat it while Silvermoon went to talk to Honeyvine. When Cherrysky finished she went to the warrior's den, curled up, and fell asleep.
The next day Cherrysky yawned and walked out of the warrior's den. She saw Honeyvine and Silvermoon walk over to her. She greeted them. Honeyvine nudged Silvermoon in the shoulder and he looked at Cherrysky with a saddened face.
"Cherrysky. I, um, well, I can't be your mate anymore."
Cherrysky's mouth hung open n disbelief.
"Why? I thought you were happy!"
Silvermoon opened his mouth to say something but Honeyvine cut him off.
"He was never happy. He came to me moons ago complaining about you. I was actually there for him. Then he fell in love with me. And I'm expecting his kits!"
Cherrysky's eyes widened. She looked at Silvermoon, but he was staring at his paws.
"Is this true?"
Silvermoon slowly nodded. Honeyvine smirked and looked as if she could laugh. Cherrysky growled and leaped at her slashed her muzzle with her paws. Honeyvine ducked and pummeled Cherrysky's belly with her hind paws. Silvermoon looked surprised at the two she-cats. Honeyvine gripped Cherrysky's scruff and shook as hard as she could. Cherrysky lay on the ground stunned. Honeyvine put her paw on Cherrysky's throat. Cherrysky went limp. Honeyvine's grip loosened and Cherrysky bolted up, hissing and spitting. Cherrysky bit down on her paw until she tasted blood. Honeyvine yelped and jumped back, ripping her paw out of Cherrysky's mouth. Cherrysky licked the blood off her lips as Honeyvine leaped at her. Silvermoon thrust himself in the way of the to cats and growled. They stopped and stared at him.
"Stop!" he turned to Cherrysky.
"Please. I did love you. But now I love her. There is no point in fighting if I've already made up my mind," he nodded to Honeyvine and the two ran out of camp.
Cherrysky sat miserably on the ground and stared after them.
Cherrysky sighed and thought o herself, Why did you leave me Silvermoon?
Cherrysky and padded over to her friend, Lilacfern.
"Hey! You'll never guess what I just heard last night. I saw Silvermoon and Honeyvine talking," Lilacfern told her.
"So? I don't care. He left me. I want nothing to do with him."
"No, no. It's all a misunderstanding. I heard Honeyvine threatening Silvermoon!" she whispered.
Cherrysky looked at her friend in surprise.
"What did she say?" she asked, intrigued.
"Honeyvine said 'if you don't be my mate and leave that sorry excuse for a warrior, then I'll kill her."
Cherrysky glanced at Silvermoon from across the clearing. So that's all he was doing. Protecting me. Anger ripped through her pelt. I can take care of myself! I could have ripped Honeyvine to shreds! She went over to Silvermoon and slashed his muzzle with her claws.
"That was for lying to me," before he could react she stalked over to Honeyvine. She pushed her down with her paws and sunk her claws into Honeyvine's flesh.
"You threatened to kill me. You took my mate. You caused me heart break and sorrow. You will pay."
Cherrysky kicked Honeyvine in the belly. Honeyvine shoved her off of herself and bit her shoulder. Cherrysky cried out and raked Honeyvine's belly with her claws. Honeyvine yelped and gowled at her. Honeyvine leaped at her. Cherrysky sidestepped and pinned her to the ground.
"I bet you're not even expecting kits," Cherrysky spat.
"She's not," Cherrysky peered over her shoulder at Silvermoon.
"I want to kill her. Clan mates don't try to kill each other. She betrayed her clan," he said.
Cherryskay nodded and held Honeyvine down harder. Honeyvine wiggled and squirmed as hard as she could. But in one swift movement, Silvermoon killed her. Cherrysky let go and pressed her muzzle into his fur.
"I'm sorry," he murmured.
"It's okay."
Together, the two mates stalked off to tell their leader what happened.