Leafpool stared into the distance, her heart aching. It was sunset, and she'd been gathering herbs near the WindClan border. It had been moons since she'd spoken to Crowfeather ever since the badger attack, and yet she still felt the pain of parting with him. She was a loyal ThunderClan cat, but she felt a tug at her paws whenever she saw the moorland hills. She missed him. She did, but there was nothing that she could do; nothing to soothe the agony in her chest.

Leafpool shuddered, the cool breeze ruffling her fur. She remembered those joy-filled nights when she would sneak off to see Crowfeather. How it would just be them, alone in the dark, just two cats bound by love. But now she only saw him at gatherings, and even then he would keep his distance and hardly glance at her.

The ThunderClan medicine cat tore her gaze away from WindClan's territory and turned when she heard the sound of rapidly approaching pawsteps. She whipped around, surprised, and she felt her heart break all over again when she saw a familiar smoky gray pelt streaking towards her. She did not expect a polite greeting and did not receive one.

"Why are you so close to the border?" Crowfeather growled, his fur bristling along his spine. "Move along before I report you to Onestar." His voice was cold and his eyes glared straight through her. Leafpool swallowed the immense sadness that welled up inside her.

"I'm on ThunderClan territory," she answered, her voice shaking faintly. "I'm just collecting herbs."

"Well, go on then," Crowfeather meowed, and padded away. "I'm warning the sunset patrol that you're here," he called over his shoulder. "If you're not gone by then, it's your fault."

"Crowfeather, wait!" Leafpool yowled, desperation creeping back into her voice. How could she bear to lose him again?

"What?" Crowfeather asked, turning. He walked slowly back, his eyes narrowed. He seemed to check to make sure that there were no cats approaching before looking evenly at Leafpool.

"T-there's something I think you should know," she whispered."

"No, there isn't, Leafpool. You don't have to tell me anything anymore. We belong to different Clans, remember?"

"Why are you being like this? It was hard for me too, you know. But ThunderClan needs me to be their medicine cat. I don't have any choice!" Leafpool insisted.

"You did have a choice, and you chose to stay with them! Look, I shouldn't even be talking to you. What if someone sees us? My Clanmates have only just begun to trust me again, and that's mostly thanks to Nightcloud," Crowfeather hissed.

Leafpool felt her legs weaken. "Nightcloud? Why?" she asked quietly.

Crowfeather looked away. "She…she had my kits last moon. Onestar's going to announce it at the next Gathering," he answered. Leafpool froze.

"Oh. I didn't know," she meowed hoarsely. She had to force her voice to sound calm, and yet inside it felt as if she were being ripped apart.

"Well, what did you think I'd do? Let my Clanmates go on thinking I was more loyal to ThunderClan? Nightcloud's a great cat and a good mother," Crowfeather snapped defensively, as if Leafpool had just insulted him for being mates with Nightcloud.

"I-" Leafpool cut him off suddenly, her voice stronger than before. "You were right, Crowfeather. We don't have anything to say to each other now. Goodbye." She turned slowly, her eyes stinging. Why? Just why?

"Leafpool." She stopped short to sense Crowfeather coming up behind her. "I. Still. Love. You," he hissed through gritted teeth. Leafpool didn't expect pain, but it came, taking her breath away. "But I have a mate and a kit. I belong with them now."

"I understand," Leafpool replied.

"No, you don't!" Crowfeather growled, his voice rising.

"I do, and it's ok. I'm ok with it!" Leafpool persisted and turned to look at him.

"No, no, it's not ok. You're not ok with it!" Crowfeather snarled. "You still love me. Don't you? Don't you?"

"I-I-" Leafpool began, but was interrupted.

"If it's me you want, then have it!" Crowfeather yowled into her face.

Leafpool wanted to run, get away from the tom who she would die for, the tom who would die for her. She wanted to escape the agony that coursed through her veins just at the sight of Crowfeather's dark gray pelt. But she was frozen to the spot.

Crowfeather suddenly lunged at Leafpool, forcing her to the ground, every move radiating his desperation. A jolt of realization hit her; he was even more heartbroken than she was.

Leafpool lay on her back as Crowfeather stood over her. "What are you doing?" she hissed, trying to push him off.

"You wanted me," Crowfeather retorted as he looked down. "Tell me you want me. Because I can always walk away. This would have never happened. We'd never speak again."

Leafpool flattened her ears and looked into his blue eyes sadly. "But that's just it, isn't it? What's the point of this? Both of us are just going to walk away afterwards. Either way, it would be like it never happened.

"What is this, Crowfeather? Is this just you trying to make yourself feel better?"

Crowfeather lowered his head to lick her nose, but she could see that he was in pain. Some unspoken words passed between them. He moved down to rasp his tongue across her core.

Leafpool shivered, squirming in guilty anticipation. Just how many times would she break the Warrior Code?

Crowfeather purred quietly, lapping between her soft folds. She gasped as he slowly pushed his tongue into her core, wriggling it eagerly and exploring what was his.

"Great StarClan-!" Leafpool moaned, lashing her tail in pleasure. Crowfeather crept up, flicking his ears with a lust-filled gaze. He licked his lips, and Leafpool caught a glimpse of his fully erect member brushing against her core.

Crowfeather rubbed it teasingly, his eyes narrowing.

Just put it in...! Leafpool thought impatiently, her breath quickening. Crowfeather noticed her agonized expression and nudged her core with the tip of his member, just to let it slip out.

Suddenly, Crowfeather thrust it inside of her. Leafpool let out a yowl of surprise. She closed her eyes in pure bliss as her body was rocked from Crowfeather's steady rhythm as he pumped in and out.

"Oh, Crowfeather!" Leafpool screeched as he hit her G-spot. "Right there!"

"I know," Crowfeather panted. "I know every part of your body, Leafpool." For a moment she was jolted with sorrow, but it disappeared with another pang of pleasure.

"Uh- I'm going to cum!" Leafpool yowled, her chest heaving.

"Me too," Crowfeather moaned. He jerked, his breathing coming in short gasps, as his warm seed exploded inside of her. He collapsed, finding comfort in feeling Leafpool's soft body underneath him.

"I will always love you," Leafpool murmured. She sensed Crowfeather pause.

"I know," he replied quietly. "Goodbye."

As Leafpool was trotting back to camp, Sandstorm burst from the underbrush, practically crashing into her.

"Leafpool!" she gasped in surprise. "Where were you? We thought you were in trouble when we heard you yowling!"

"I was just collecting herbs," Leafpool meowed. "I got tangled in a bramble. It was nothing."

It was nothing.