Grasstail awoke to sunlight filtering through the brambles that made up the warriors den. Yawning, he glanced at the nest next to him. Empty. He thought. Mintstorm must have left already. He got up and stretched, then headed out to the clearing. There were plenty of rabbits on the fresh-kill pile. Newleaf had been kind to WindClan, and the moor was full of rabbits and field mice, just waiting to be caught. And Grasstail was glad of that. He remembered his conversation with Mintstorm before they had gone to sleep the night before.
"Mintstorm." Grasstail had said.
"Oh! Grasstail! You startled me."
"Mintstorm, are you expecting kits?"
"Oh, well..." Mintstorm had hesitated, her head lowered.
"Mintstorm, you can tell me." Grasstail reassured her.
"Yes. I am." The small dark brown tabby had said. Grasstail purred. Kits! I'm a father! He had thought happily. Grasstail had licked his mates shoulder. He had settled down in his nest, happily thinking about their kits.
"Grasstail"
Grasstail was jolted out of the memory. He looked around, trying to find the cat who had called to him. It was Robinflight. The deputy of WindClan was organizing patrols.
"I want you to take Hootpaw, Littlefoot, and Burrpelt on hunting patrol." Grasstail nodded and went to wake his apprentice and find Littlefoot and Burrpelt. He found Hootpaw dozing in the apprentices den. The red and gray tom never seemed to get enough sleep these days.
"Hootpaw. We have hunting patrol. Hootpaw!" The apprentice opened his eyes sleepily. Taking a moment to collect himself, and then replied "I'm coming!"
Littlefoot was at the fresh kill pile, sharing a rabbit with Ashfall, but she came quickly, and Burrpelt was already at the warriors den, waiting for the rest of the patrol. The patrol left camp.
POV change: Mintstorm
Mintstorm had gone on dawn patrol that morning. With Hailfur. They had been patroling the Riverclan border. Dawnheart was leading the patrol. Hailfur and Mintstorm had dropped back, and Hailfur sprung a question. "Mintstorm, when are you going to tell him?" The gray warrior had asked her.
Mintstorm avoided the question. "What do you mean? Tell who?" She said, her eyes lowered to the path.
Hailfur sighed in frustration. "You know who, Mintstorm. Please don't play this with me."
"I-I'm just- I- it's so hard. He loves me. He really does." Mintstorm stuttered, ashamed. She had been meaning to tell Grasstail. It was hard enough. Then last night came. Mintstorm thought, remembering the night before, when Grasstail had guessed that she was expecting kits. And he was right. Except for the fact that they weren't his kits. They were Hailfur's. Mintstorm hadn't meant to have kits with Hailfur. It had just... happened. She really had liked Grasstail, loved him even, but then Hailfur moved into the warriors den, and suddenly it was Hailfur who tugged at her heart, Hailfur who she saw as the father of her kits, Hailfur who she shared her rabbits with. She had meant to tell Grasstail for a while now, but everything just kept getting more complicated. Every time she mustered up the guts to tell him, suddenly she just couldn't.
"I know Mintstorm, but do you love him? Or me? You need to make your decision, before he finds out, and leaves you whether you like it or not." Hailfur told her gently.
Mintstorm sighed in defeat. Hailfur was right. Her kits could only have one father. And that father was Hailfur.
"I'll tell him tonight."
Seeing his mates distress, Hailfur liked Mintstorm's fur. "Don't worry. It will be alright. It's better that you tell him now, so he'll have time to move on and find another mate."
Mintstorm nodded, and they finished their patrol.
POV change: Grasstail and Mintstorm
Grasstail found Mintstorm sitting by the fresh kill pile. "There you are! I was looking for you." He settled down next to her. "I've been thinking about names for our kits, and I want to name one Stormkit. After you." At this, Mintstorm winced. I have to do this. I loved you Grasstail, I wish things were different.
When he noticed his mate wince, Grasstail felt worried "What's wrong?"
Mintstorm took a breath, before telling him. Be brave, be brave. Oh StarClan, I hope this is the right choice. "Grasstail, the kits, they're not yours."
Grasstail felt his heart skip a beat. "Wh-What do you mean they're not mine. Who else could they be?"
Mintstorm was silent a moment, and then she whispered "Hailfur's."
Grasstail's eyes blazed "That piece of fox dung! Why did he force himself on you?"
Mintstorm looked even sadder. "He didn't. Force himself on me, I mean. I- I love him."
Grasstail's eyes widened, and his heart broke. "Then go to him. And don't come back to me when you realize you made a mistake."
I'm sorry Grasstail. It just wasn't meant to be. Mintstorm thought, as she cast one last glance at her former mate.
POV change: Hailfur
It had been six moons since Mintstorm officially became Hailfur's mate. Now the proud father of two kits sat outside the nursery, watching his kits, Grasskit and Lindenkit, tumble in a play fight. Lindenkit sprang away from her brother, yowling "You'll never catch me!"
"We'll see about that." Grasskit growled playfully. "First one to the fresh kill pile wins." Mintstorm squeezed out of the nursery, and went to sit beside him.
Hailfur saw the far of look in her eyes, and guessed what she was thinking. "It wasn't your fault Mintstorm. It was his choice. You couldn't have stopped him."
"I know, but if only I could have loved him enough..."
"You can only love one cat, Mintstorm. You made your decision, and he made his. You've done enough by naming one of your kits after him."
"I still wish he was here. He would have loved our kits."
"He's watching over them from StarClan."
"I know, but there are somethings in life that are meant to be held close. And so I'm holding on."
So, end of story. Some of you might be wondering what happened to Grasstail. What do you think? I mean, he is in StarClan, so he's not exactly alive anymore, but... how did he die? Anyway, I hope you liked the story!