Chapter 1

Swiftfeather woke immediately thinking about her long walk with Gorsewhisker last night. He had asked her to be his mate! She couldn't stop thinking about the way his eyes had lit up when she had said yes. She exited the warriors den to find him. Once she was out of the warriors den she quickly spotted him and bounded over to him.

"Hey" she purred

"Hey would you like to share some fresh-kill?" he asked she gave a nod and he grabbed a large shrew and then followed Swiftfeather to a nice grassy spot and put the fresh-kill down and pushed it over to her as an indication she should take the first bite.

"Thanks" she meowed quickly as she took a bite then pushed it over to Gorsewhisker so he could take a bite. She looked up to see her best friend Birchfur looking at her with sorrow in his eyes. What is that all about? Oh well I'll talk to him about it later she thought. She and Gorsewhisker kept eating but she couldn't get Birchfur's look out of her mind.

Later that day after Swiftfeather got back from her sunhigh patrol she saw Birchfur alone and went over to him.

"Can I talk to you?" she asked

"Sure" he answered as he followed her out of camp and into an open clearing. She finally stopped walking and turned around to face him.

"What's up?" she asked concern in her voice

"Nothing" he replied. She looked at him with doubt in her eyes

"Come on we've been bestfriends for as long as I can remember I know when something is wrong, just tell me please"

He looked at her wondering if he should actually tell her this then he decided it would be best for her to know.

"I love you and I always have and always will" he finally managed to say. Swiftfeather looked at him paralyzed with shock. Then she got herself together and answered

"I'm sorry but I'm in love with Gorsewhisker" she meowed as calm as possible

"You know I thought you loved me too but I guess I was wrong" he meowed hurt and quickly turned and left.

"Birchfur wait! wait! I do love you" she meowed barely a whisper but he was already gone. I do love you! She thought in realization

"I always have" she meowed silently as realization hit her, she had always loved him and nothing could change that. How could I of not known? She thought miserably. She needed to fix this. She rushed back to camp and over to Gorsewhisker.

"Can we talk somewhere private?" she asked

"Sure" he replied hesitantly as he followed her out into the forest. Once they got to a clearing Swiftfeather looked at him with sorrow in his eyes

"We can't be mates anymore…I-I'm in love with someone else" she finished, Gorsewhisker sat gaping at her and then muttered

"Why?" he looked at her helplessly

"I don't know I just love him more" she meowed he gave her one last glance

"I will always love you" he meowed before he rushed off into the forest never to be seen again. Swiftfeather went slowly back to camp thinking about all that had happened. When she got back she went over to Birchfur and licked his ear

"I love you" she meowed

"W-what about Gorsewhisker?"

"We aren't together anymore I love you and only you" she insured. He started to purr

"I love you too" he meowed