I felt like I was suffocating, like my heart was being torn out as I glanced at Blossomfall and Rosepetal talking in hushed whispers like I wasn't several mouse-lengths away from them. I didn't even want to look at Dovewing who was across the camp.
I wasn't a cat that usually got angry, I hated getting angry. But I felt my anger began to boil, threatening to reach a point of no return when I remembered what I had witnessed several sunrises ago. I had walked out of camp looking for Dovewing since it seemed to take a long time for her to come back from her border patrol. And how stupid was I to think that she wasn't doing anything wrong when she left out of camp by herself.
I kept following her scent until I found her mating with Tigerheart. It was devastating after all those moons that ThunderClan was evacuated from the flood, watching Dovewing calling out afraid that she couldn't hear anymore, deciding that she didn't want to trust me. Instead she wanted to mess around with a ShadowClan tom. And y'know what her first worry was? It wasn't if I was OK, or if our relationship was over, it was if I'd tell ThunderClan what she did.
How was I supposed to answer that question after I witnessed the traumatizing sight of the cat who was supposed to be the love of my life mating with another tom and acting like we weren't in love? And did she never love me? I simply walked away and every so often she'd apologize so I wouldn't say anything. And I still had that secret to reveal.
So what was I going to do? Reveal how shameful, disobedient, and unfaithful Dovewing is to our Clan and let StarClan knows what happen to her or do I let them speculate why we broke apart?
I badly wanted to ruin her life, but wouldn't I just be as cruel as she is if I did so? What if I just let the guilt build up within her? Would that actually work? I decided for now not to say anything because I had so many questions...and unfortunately a piece of me still loved her.
"Bumble, can we talk?"
I turned around and my eyes brightened to see my caring and big-hearted father Graystripe. I nodded and we both walked out of camp till we were presumably out of hearing distance.
"I see that you and Dovewing aren't on great terms. Is there anything you want to talk about?" My father asked.
"Aren't on great terms is a nice way of putting it." I almost scoffed. "We're not mates anymore...she cheated on me with another tom."
"Oh. I can't imagine any tom in our Clan would have intent to hurt you." Graystripe's eyes softened. "But if you don't wanna tell me who it is that's okay."
"Dad...can you keep a secret?" I almost begged sensing that he was already guessing what I was going to say.
"Of course."
"It wasn't a tom in ThunderClan." I whispered. "She should be punished and humiliated for breaking the code deliberately but I can't bring myself to say anything. I still love her. And before you say it, please don't tell Bramblestar for me. Dovewing would still put two and two together and realize that I told you."
"I'm sorry son." My father's eye twitched as he held back anger. "Dovewing can be very self-centered at times but I never thought she'd do this to you. You deserve a lot better Bumblestripe."
I looked away and allowed tears to stream down my fur and I felt Graystripe rest his tail on my shoulders. I wouldn't be OK for a while, but even though I didn't have my mother because she was too attentive to Briarpool or Blossomfall because she's a total gossip, I still had my dependable father. My father was right, I did deserve better. And I would get something better in due time.
Dovewing's POV
My heart almost leaped out of my chest when I saw Bumblestripe leave the camp with his father. What was he going to tell him?! I couldn't let him reveal what I did to all of ThunderClan! He told me to give him time so it seemed that doing that was my best bet to make sure that he didn't say anything.
When I confronted him to make sure he didn't say anything, he acted shocked that I chose to say that out of all things. He expected me to ask about our relationship of all things! Why would he ask me about that, it was obvious from the moment he caught me and Tigerheart mating that our relationship was over. And I was OK with that! How hard was it to understand that?
I walked to a bare spot in camp to place my fresh-kill to eat, having toms all over you is simply exhausting. Not to mention the dirty looks some of the ThunderClan cats gave me. Then my relaxed attitude disappeared as quickly as it came. What if he told some cats already? How long would it take before every cat knew?
I tensed as I smelled Bumblestripe's scent from behind me and I turned around to see him sitting right in front of me. My ears flattened, in the sunrises since I mated with the rugged tom that was Tigerheart, Bumblestripe didn't want to talk to me at all. And now he was right here.
"You did a horrible thing Dovewing. And I don't forgive you, nor should I." Bumblestripe explained quietly. "Not only do you not care about what we had, but I don't think you understand the significance of what you did. I didn't tell anyone about what you did. And if that is what bring you comfort, then you're a sick and heartless cat. I can't believe I became mates with someone like you."
Bumblestripe waited for a few moments for maybe an apology or something but I refused to respond to his stupid ramble. He gave a look of disgust before walking away. Like I cared about how he felt! He wasn't going to reveal my secret so as long as I was really careful, I could mate with Tigerheart anytime I wanted. And that was all that mattered.
Several seasons later, Bumblestripe's POV
Moons after Rowanstar and his remaining cats temporarily joined our Clan after Darktail arrived, Dovewing became pregnant which didn't surprise me. After all her and her true love weren't separated by borders anymore. But that didn't matter anymore, a certain she-cat and I have been bonding over the past few seasons.
"Wanna go bird-hunting in the trees?" I heard my beautiful best friend Rosepetal ask me. I remembered the wonderful memories over the past seasons of the two of us catching birds leaping on branches and the many laughs we shared together. It was only a matter of time before we confess our feelings to each other. And I nodded as we walked out of camp with our tails intertwined.
I deserved better, and Rosepetal was more than I could possibly ask for. I purred contently with no worry about the past or the future. Instead I enjoyed the moment of here and now with an optimistic perspective.
My heart was whole and complete.