Hello all! It is I, the fabulous Fox! Welcome to my brand-new challenge book! Shocking, right? I, Fox, who was once called "The hopeless little kitty who keep all her challenges separately to make it look like she has more challenges." Is now making my very own challenge book! I hope you enjoy!

A thick blue-grey mist hovered just above the dew-laden grass that shimmered almost eerily in the silvery light of Silverpelt. The earth was gently bathed in the glittery light that filtered gently down from the dark sky above, and the glowing pelt of a lone cat stood out starkly against the faint glow of the grass.

The figure paused, his tail raised slightly, and his nose pointed into the wind. Though his pelt bristled nervously, his glassy eyes shone as the chilling breeze cut through his pelt, ruffling his grey-and-white fur and sending ice-like chills through his bones.

"Who is it?"

The tom lowered his head suddenly as a voice split through the silence of the night, seeming to cut through the very center of the full moon that rose above. His fur rose defensively, before he forced it down, unwilling to show fear.

He could see her, her ginger pelt in great contrast with the silvery world around her. She sat crouched under a holly bush, the dark leaves hiding most of her bright pelt. Her eyes glowed in the night, a dark yellow-green that flashed through the leaves from time to time, almost making him to believe that he was meeting a ghost.

"Who do you think?" The tom replied, smiling as he padded closer to where she hid. Relief washed over her face as she slipped out from under the spiked leaves, her eyes now shining a glassy white in the light of the moon.

"In this light I was afraid you were Blackwillow, returning home early with the rest of the Clan." She replied, pressing closely up against him. "When you're nervous, your mind plays tricks on you."

He purred. "Blackwillow, huh? Well you looked like yourself, a bright ginger flame, as always."

Dapplesong smiled softly, and touched her nose gently to Patchfur's, her cool touch surprising him slightly.

"Thank you for meeting me." She whispered, her scent swirling around him as he wove his tail around hers, fire and ice twining together into a single, powerful flame.

"Of course. Without this, I'd practically burst." He murmured. Dapplesong purred quietly, slowly closing her eyes in the calm of the night. After a moment's pause, Patchfur continued, nervousness clawing relentlessly at his belly.

"Dapplesong, there's something I need to tell you."

"Hmm?" Her eyes remained shut, which almost made it harder for Patchfur to bring himself to say it.

"Well...Paleheart...she's...she's expecting kit. My kits."

Dapplesong's green eyes blinked open, and her smile disappeared, replaced by a look of deep consideration.

After a long moment of unbearable nervousness on Patchfur's part, she finally spoke, her words soft.

"Does that mean you want to...stop?"

"No!" He meowed fiercely, more so than he had meant to. "No, Dapplesong. We can't stop. I couldn't..." He paused, words swirling through his mind. "Paleheart was once the cat I loved. She was my mate, and now she's carrying my kits. But...I know now that my choice to be with her was the wrong one. Dapplesong, I was you to be my mate."

Dapplesong's eyes glowed with happiness as Patchfur finished speaking. "But...what about Paleheart?"

Patchfur hesitated a moment, then sighed heavily. "Dapplesong, I still care for her. Not as a mate, but as a close friend. She's been there for me...always. We've been friends for as long as I can remember, and for that reason, we have to stop."

"But Patchfur! You said-"

"I know what I said, Dapplesong." Patchfur meowed, placing his tail over the ginger she-cat's mouth so that he may speak. "That's what I want. I want to keep this going, but Paleheart needs her kits to have a father. I need to be that cat, Dapplesong. Because if I'm not, then they won't have anyone to be there for them. You see, don't you?"

Dapplesong nodded, though Patchfur could see her eyes glistening with sadness as she dropped her gaze. "What will I do without you?"

"I'll still be here. I'll still be that cat you love, but we have to be apart, at least for a few more moons." Patchfur whispered, fearing that his voice might crack with the words he was saying. "It's time we head back to camp. The Clan will be back from the Gathering."

...

The two walked in silence through the silver-clad wood back to the clearing that housed the entrance to AmberClan's camp. Patchfur could still feel Dapplesong's warm fur pressed up against his side as they emerged into the clearing. Dapplesong stood close by his side, almost refusing to go, before finally turning away and disappearing into the mouth of the cave. Patchfur remained rooted to the place he stood as her ginger form melted into the shadows, watching until even the very top of her bright tail had faded.

A moment later, a long-furred brown she-cat emerged from the shadows, her troubled amber eyes glancing back into the depths of the cave. When she spotted Patchfur, the trouble dissolved from her eyes and was replaced with a warm glow.

"Patchfur!" Paleheart meowed, bounding forward to bump noses with the grey-and-white tom. "I just got back from the Gathering. Why are you still awake?"

Patchfur didn't answer, his eyes remained fixed on the spot where Dapplesong had vanished.

"Patchfur?" Paleheart prodded. "You don't look very happy for someone who's going to be a father in a few moons. What's bothering you?"

Patchfur forced a smile and tore his gaze away from the cave entrance, his heart sinking as he looked into Paleheart's loving yellow eyes. "I'm fine, my sweet. You must be tired after the Gathering. Let's get some rest."

Paleheart wove her thick brown tail around Patchfur's as the two AmberClan warriors padded into the darkness of the cave. Despite the half-light, Patchfur could see Dapplesong's fiery ginger form crouched by the rainpool, sadness clouding her gaze as she refused to look at him. The grey-and-white tom lowered his gaze and padded with Paleheart by his side to stand among the warriors nests. He wordlessly lowered himself into the nest, Paleheart pressed closely against his side, and looked across the dimly lit cave to watch Dapplesong as she slowly rose to her paws and curled up in her own nest, several tail-lengths away from Patchfur.

He closed his eyes, unable to bear the sight of her so alone and heartbroken. We wished with all that he had in him that he could go to her, and sit by her side, comforting her as she drifted into sleep.

But I can't. He thought bitterly.

I have to do this for Paleheart.

I have to.