Syrupy Shorts - One-Shots

by Mapl3 Syrup

A collection of one-shots written by the not-so-famous Syrup, mostly inspired by prompts found online. Short #3: Seashore, Seashore: If her mother is thunder and her father is lightning, then Blaze is a storm. Their storm. But when Blaze's obsession with the sea leads to her mother's death, her perception of her small family of three changes forever. A forum challenge.

1. Misconceptions

Hey guys! I'm guessing no one remembers me from my What If one-shots, but I'm here again with another one-shot compilation book. This one does not have anything to do with What-Ifs specifically, (though perhaps one day I might finally have the inspiration to continue with that one, though under a different style) instead just being a one-shot compilation book.

Most of these are/will be prompt-inspired. This first one is inspired by a prompt for a story compilation on BlogClan that I really liked.

The prompt was (in Syrup-simplified-what-I-remember form): an OC of yours has a mate who they love greatly. However, their mate has recently started acting weird and somewhat suspicious and they are talking to other toms/she-cats. Your OC is starting to get rather suspicious of their mate. Meanwhile, a cat from another Clan tells your OC that they are into said OC. What does your OC do? Do they stay with their mate who they love or do they leave your mate for the other cat?

My spin on this prompt will feature POVs from both cats in the mate relationship. Birchstripe is the main cat, with Mistywing being the mate who is acting weird.

A quick note since indents don't exist on FFN (D:) : There is one big chunk of memory right at the very beginning. There are also two or so other parts of the story where the cat currently narrating remembers something the other said before. That will be in quotations and italicized on its own line to help clarify that it is a memory.

Welp, please enjoy and feel free to review! I'm curious to know what others think about this shot.

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Misconceptions

. - . - . - . mistywing . - . - . - .

"What do you mean, I'm pregnant?" I exclaimed, staring at Robintail, the ThunderClan medicine cat. My eyes widened frantically. "No, this can't be happening!"

The warming newleaf sun looked down on me and my wonderful mate as we sat in the clearing, tails entwined as we chatted. I was telling Birchstripe about my border patrol, his amber eyes gleaming attentively as he listened to me. Our pelts were sleek and glossy in the sunlight, all of ThunderClan thriving with the end of leafbare. Though I did enjoy telling the story, I was mostly happy to be able to spend quality time like this with Birchstripe, who I loved more than anything.

I paused in my story as I caught sight of Blossomtail's three kits taking their first steps out of the nursery, my blue gaze lighting up with adoration. The trio had been born about half a moon ago and had been the talk of the Clan for quite a while. The tortoiseshell queen kept close to her kits, her gaze never straying from them and with good reason for her worry: the fourth kit of the litter, later named Tigerkit, had been stillborn. Blossomtail refused to lose another kit.

"Aren't they precious?" I cooed to Birchstripe, my eyes still trained on the kits. I purred with amusement as one of the kits stumbled over his own paws, tumbling to the ground in a mess of flailing paws. "They're just adorable!"

"They are cute," Birchstripe agreed. "Though, they're going to be so much trouble in a moon or two when they can walk better and are tired of playing mossball."

"Shh, don't be so negative!" I told him, my eyes bright as I swatted a paw at him.

He exclaimed in protest, leaning away from my paw. "Oh, come on! I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just stating the truth!"

I laughed softly, tail flicking from side to side as I gazed at Birchstripe lovingly. "You're such a pessimist."

"But I'm your pessimist," Birchstripe answered, purring as he looked at me.

I smiled slightly, my blue eyes trained on him now. I loved Birchstripe more than anything else in the world – and as long as Birchstripe was alright, his pessimism didn't matter. As long as Birchstripe was with me, everything would be fine.

Blinking affectionately at him, I nodded. "Yeah. My pessimist."

"And you're my optimist," the light brown tabby tom added, touching his nose to mine.

"I should hope so!" I purred, the sound rumbling in my chest. "I'd like to hope I mean something to you."

"Everything," Birchstripe told me. "You mean everything to me."

I touched my nose to his, the two of us falling into a comfortable silence as we sat, our gazes drifting back towards the kits. I rested my head on the light brown tabby tom's shoulder, our pelts brushing as we watched Blossomtail's three kits teeter around the clearing.

The tom who had fallen earlier, a brown tabby tom, was scampering around the clearing with his two sisters now. His stubby tail waved from side to side as he tried to keep his balance, his amber eyes wide as he soaked in all the details of camp.

One of his sisters, a tortoiseshell just like her mother named Petalkit, let out an awed gasp as looked up at the highledge. "Brindlestar makes announcements from that?"

"It's not that high!" Twigkit, a brown tabby like her brother, boasted. "I bet I could climb up there in two moments!"

"Bet you can't!" Petalkit retorted.

"Yeah," the tom, Adderkit, agreed. "You're too tiny to climb it that fast!"

I chortled with amusement at their interactions. "Aren't they cute? I wonder if my sister and I were like that when we were their age."

"You'd be the one agreeing Twigkit could climb it," Birchstripe stated with a purr, twitching his whiskers. "Optimist."

I rolled my eyes. "And I guess you'd be Adderkit."

"Why, of course!" My mate mewed extravagantly, raising his head high. "I'm the mighty Birchstripe! There is no cat more pessimistic than I am!"

"Agreed," I purred. "Lucky for you, you've got me to brighten you up."

Birchstripe faked offense, amber eyes sparkling. "Are you calling me a grump?"

I hummed in agreement. "You bet I am," I declared, bopping him on the nose with a paw.

"And I thought you were an optimist!" The light brown tabby tom said, sighing dramatically. "Oh, what am I to do? Even the beloved Mistywing doesn't believe in me! I'm just a grumpy ol' badger!"

"Don't you forget it!" I purred, swatting a paw at Birchstripe.

Birchstripe huffed again, falling silent. Twigkit was attempting to climb up to the highledge, with Blossomtail snagging her daughter by her scruff and swinging her back down to the ground every time she attempted it. The tortoiseshell queen eventually planted herself between her kits and the highledge, amber eyes stern as she scolded her kits.

"It was Petalkit's idea," Twigkit said defensively.

"No, it wasn't!" the tortoiseshell kit squeaked defensively.

Twigkit spun to face her sister, swiping a paw at her. The two broke out into a squabble, Adderkit sticking his tongue out at his littermates as he watched. Their mother heaved a sigh, rounding them up and sending all three back to the nursery. They whined, upset at the fact that their time in the camp was being cut short, before trudging back to the den with Blossomtail in tow.

"I think the only cats that they're going to be causing any trouble are Blossomtail and Mudwhisker," I mewed to Birchstripe.

He hummed in response.

After a few more seconds, I peeled my head off of his shoulder to look at Birchstripe. "You know…" I mewed tentatively, not sure how he'd react to my next words. "It might be nice to have kits of our own someday. Just imagine it, little copies of me and you running around camp!"

"And bothering us day and night," Birchstripe reminded me.

I kept my gaze on him. "What would you think of having kits though?"

"I…" The light brown tabby tom met my eyes, looking almost solemn. I wondered what he was thinking. "I'm not too keen on being a father, Mistywing. I don't really want kits."

Silence fell between us for a few long seconds. I thought over his answer, realizing I couldn't say I was surprised he wasn't looking to be a father. I also realized I didn't really mind. Turning my attention away from my thoughts and back to the light brown tabby tom, I saw that he had turned his gaze away. I knew him well enough to tell that he was a little panicked. He must be thinking I wouldn't want to be mates anymore because he didn't want kits.

"That's okay," I mewed softly.

He looked back towards, his amber eyes meeting my warm blue ones.

I shot him a smile, moving to rest my paw on his. "We don't have to have kits to be happy. We have each other, and that's all we need, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Birchstripe agreed, a purr rising in his throat as he looked at me. "…You're the most wonderful she-cat in the world, Mistywing."

I purred, touching my nose to his.

We didn't need kits to be happy. Birchstripe and I had each other.

"I can't be pregnant!" I told Robintail anxiously. "I can't! Birchstripe doesn't want kits! What am I supposed to do? What if he refuses to do anything with them? What if he dumps me because I'm expecting?"

The red-and-white tom gazed at me sympathetically. "You still have a moon before you'll have to move into the nursery. I'll tell Owlnose to not send you on too many patrols until then. In that time, you can figure out what you're going to do. Mudwhisker might be a good cat to talk to – he didn't really want kits, but he became quite the happy father when Blossomtail and he had their second – surviving – litter."

I widened my eyes. "Oh, shoot! What about Twigpaw? Who's going to mentor her when I'm in the nursery?"

"Brindlestar and Owlnose will figure that out," Robintail assured me. The tom rested his tail on my flank. "Maybe try talking to some of Birchstripe's friends, as well. I'm sure they can help you out."

"Okay," I sighed, but my mind was still whirling. "That's a good idea. Thank you, Robintail."

He nodded to me, turning back to a pile of herbs and beginning to sift through it again. Slowly, I padded out of Robintail's den, wincing as I spotted Birchstripe by the fresh-kill pile, waving his tail at me.

I shook my head at him – there was no way in all of StarClan that I could face him right now – and padded over to where Thistleflight, Birchstripe's brother, and Cedarfoot, one of Birchstripe's best friends, sat outside the warrior's den.

Please, StarClan. I need your strength if I'm going to figure out what to do about all of this.

. - . - . - . birchstripe . - . - . - .

I frowned, a little confused as Mistywing turned away from me and headed towards Thistleflight and Cedarfoot. She had just come out of the medicine cat den – maybe she wasn't feeling so well. Whatever. I could talk to her later.

Part of me was almost tempted to try and eavesdrop on whatever conversation Mistywing was having with my brother and my friend, but I knew Mistywing wouldn't want that. Besides, I did promise Adderpaw I'd take him out battle training alone today. The tabby apprentice claimed he wanted to learn some new moves before he sparred with his sisters again, wanting to be the victor.

Finishing the mouse I was nibbling at, I rose to my paws and trotted over to where Adderpaw sat outside his den. "You ready to go training?"

Adderpaw jumped to his paws, brown tabby tail lashing behind him. "You bet I am! I'm going to crush Petalpaw and Twigpaw the next time we fight!" His amber eyes gleamed with anticipation.

Mistywing had said Adderpaw and I were alike when we were just kittens, and we still certainly shared a resemblance in personality. Though Adderpaw was definitely a lot more enthusiastic than I ever remembered being, it was a pleasure to train the sturdy little tom. He'd make a good warrior one day.

"You better," I agreed, twitching my whiskers. "I'm going to show you how to knock their legs right out from under them today. They won't be expecting that!"

Adderpaw grinned. "Let's go, then!"

He hared towards the camp entrance and I followed, just a few pawsteps behind as Blossomtail used to be when he was a kit. Adderpaw nearly ran into his father, Mudwhisker, as he padded into camp at the head of a returning border patrol.

"Are you heading out training?" Mudwhisker asked with a purr, nuzzling his son warmly.

The father-son pair were almost identical except for the fact that Adderpaw had Blossomtail's amber eyes while Mudwhisker's eyes were a deep green. It was actually kind of interesting to me to try and find different aspects of Adderpaw's parents in the tom's personality.

"Yeah! Birchstripe's gonna teach me some fancy battle moves. Petalpaw and Twigpaw won't stand a chance the next time we fight!" Adderpaw boasted.

…He also quite like his sister, Twigpaw, who was Mistywing's apprentice.

"I bet they won't! Birchstripe told me you're turning into quite the fighter," Mudwhisker mewed.

Adderpaw shot me a proud look, happy to hear his mentor thought he was doing well.

"I'm going to be the best fighter in all of ThunderClan!" Adderpaw agreed. "But, I need to learn that move first!"

Mudwhisker twitched his whiskers. "I like that attitude. Well, I'd best let you and Birchstripe be if you two want to train!"

Adderpaw nodded, sliding past his father and out of camp. I followed, sharing an amused look with Mudwhisker as I did so.

Out in the forest, I pulled ahead of Adderpaw, running through what he could sense as we walked towards the training clearing. At one point, we paused so Adderpaw could catch a mouse that was wandering nearby; he buried it underneath a holly bush to retrieve later.

"Okay, we're at the clearing," Adderpaw announced, bouncing into the center of said clearing. "Show me the move? Please?"

I nodded with a grin, padding towards my apprentice. "Of course. That's why we came here, isn't it?" Not waiting for a response, I continued, "The trick is to hit the tendon on the back of a cat's joint. It's easier to hit both paws on the same joint, but when you're more experience and you've developed more muscles and paw reach, you can hit two joints at once."

Adderpaw nodded. "Okay! Are you going to show me how it works first?"

"I don't know if you can see the backs of your legs," I pointed out. "But yes, I'm going to demonstrate on you."

In just a few moments, I had struck my paws at the joint of one of Adderpaw's rear legs, striking the tendon and forcing his leg to buckle. Adderpaw let out a yowl of surprise as he stumbled, regaining his balance after a few heartbeats.

"That's awesome!" Adderpaw declared with wide eyes. "Let me try it on you!"

I nodded, turning so Adderpaw could see my hindlegs better. "Remember, right on the joint, as hard as you can."

The first time Adderpaw swung his paws, he misaimed slightly and only caused me to stumble. But the second time was a strong, and my leg buckled underneath me. I had been expecting it, so I braced myself properly, but I knew Adderpaw would be all the more satisfied if I stumbled so I pretended like it had completely knocked me off balance.

"Well done!" I praised, craning my head to look at him over my shoulder.

Adderpaw beamed, proud. "Can I try it again?"

"Of course. We'll keep doing this for a little bit to strengthen the move," I told him, and braced myself for the proceeding blows.

When we were done with battle practice, Adderpaw and I headed back towards camp, stopping to retrieve his mouse from underneath the holly bush. Back at camp, we split, and I padded towards the warriors' den, ready to go to sleep.

Just as I was about to enter the den, Mistywing slid out. She looked surprised to see me, blue eyes quickly widening.

"Hey," I mewed warmly, nuzzling her. "Where are you going? The sun is setting!"

"Just out for a walk," Mistywing mewed, sounding oddly detached as she pulled away from me. She looked almost distressed, and I frowned with concern. "I didn't burn off a lot of energy today."

I tilted my head. "May I come with you? We haven't had a night walk in a while."

"It's only been half a moon!" Mistywing exclaimed, back to her normal self for just a split second as her blue eyes sparkled. "But no thank you, I'm not in a particularly social mood."

"Okay then," I shrugged. "See you tomorrow."

I slid into the warriors' den, curled up in Mistywing and I's nest, and settled in for the night. I could spend time with Mistywing tomorrow.

. - . - . - . birchstripe . - . - . - .

But Mistywing wasn't there when I woke up. Instead of being curled up in our nest, she was sleeping in Dewmist's old nest. Dewmist herself was currently sleeping in the nursery, being the mother of my good friend Ashwhisker's two young kits, meaning her nest was open – she and Ashwhisker both had long fur and preferred to sleep in separate nests during Greenleaf when it was hot – but that didn't explain why Mistywing was sleeping in her nest; after all, we'd never had a problem with the heat being shorthaired.

I shrugged and rose to my paws, carefully treading through the maze of nests and waking warriors, crossing the den to Mistywing.

She was blinking her eyes sleepily, letting out a tiny yawn. I smiled at the sight of my beautiful, absolutely wonderful, silver-and-white tabby mate. Hopefully nothing is wrong. This is the third weird thing she's done.

"Hey there, sleepyhead. What are you doing in Dewmist's nest?" I asked, leaning over to give her an affectionate lick.

Mistywing bristled with surprise, looking up at me. "Oh… You, uh, were looking really peaceful last night when I came back from my walk. I didn't want to disturb you."

I purred. That sounded just like something sweet Mistywing would do. "Thanks. Though you could never disturb me, you know. You're my optimist."

She flinched when I said the term and I tilted my head, confused.

"Oh, nothing. Sorry. I thought I heard something," Mistywing mewed quickly, not meeting my gaze.

I twitched my whiskers, amused. "Okay, then. Let's get something to eat before Owlnose sends out the dawn patrol!"

Mistywing hesitated, then nodded, her gaze straying to some cat behind me. She started for the den entrance after a heartbeat; I looked over my shoulder to see it was Thistleflight she had been looking at. With a shrug directed to my brother, I followed my mate out of the den and toward the fresh-kill pile.

The silver-and-white tabby she-cat selected a squirrel, her favorite, and carried it to our normal meal spot.

I crouched next to her, twining my tail with hers and dipping my head to take a bite.

"Mind if I join you two?"

Mistywing and I looked up see Thistleflight standing before us, a vole in his jaws. He normally ate by himself or with Cedarfoot or Ashwhisker, our good friends, but I supposed Ashwshiker had been spending a lot of time with Dewmist recently. Not to mention Cedarfoot was quite grumpy in the mornings. I guessed he just wanted to socialize. Still, I found it a little weird that Mistywing had been looking at Thistleflight in the den and now he was joining us for breakfast. Not to mention they talked yesterday.

"Of course!" Mistywing mewed enthusiastically. She separated her tail from mine, patting the ground next to her.

Thistleflight crouched down in the space she had beckoned him to, my nimble brown-and-white brother meeting Mistywing's look with his green eyes.

I couldn't help it. I knew Mistywing was faithful, I knew she loved me, I knew we had a great relationship, but… why was she acting so weird in the past day? And why was she spending so much time with Thistleflight and my friends?

These are ridiculous thoughts, I told myself firmly. Besides, it's only been a day of odd behavior.

I didn't entwine Mistywing and I's tails again, though, and I somewhat hated myself for the fact that I was even beginning to doubt my wonderful mate.

"Okay, guys, time for the morning hunting patrol!" Owlnose called, sliding out from his brother Robintail's den where he and the medicine cat must have been talking. "I want Ashwhisker to lead the hunting patrol. Mudwhisker, Cedarfoot, Thistleflight, and Mistywing will go with you, though Twigpaw will not be accompanying you."

The deputy turned his gaze to where a confused Twigpaw stood between Adderpaw and Petalpaw. "You and your siblings are going to have a hunting assessment today. I'll be filling in Mistywing's place at the assessment, while Birchstripe and Foxclaw will, of course, join the apprentices and I. We'll head out in a just a few moments now, after I finished instructing the rest of the patrols for the day."

I didn't pay much attention to the rest of Owlnose's words, instead being quite confused. Mentors always assessed their own apprentices – deputies never subbed in. And there wasn't supposed to be another hunting assessment for another half a moon! Why was Owlnose suddenly having us do it now, especially when Twigpaw could be earning valuable experience just by being on the hunting patrol with a group of warriors?

"Well, I guess Mistywing and I should get going," Thistleflight chirped, swallowing his last bite of vole and hopping onto his paws.

Mistywing nodded, straightening as well. My gaze shot to her, still confused.

Thistleflight cut between Mistywing and I, cutting off my view. "After you," my brother stated, dipping his head to my mate.

The silver-and-white tabby she-cat nodded silently, padding towards the camp entrance where Ashwhisker, Cedarfoot, and Mudwhisker had already gathered.

I forced myself to look away. Adderpaw would be waiting for me to come and brief him on the hunting assessment.

. - . - . - . mistywing . - . - . - .

I hated how being pregnant changed how I felt around Birchstripe. I was just so entirely nervous during breakfast and yesterday, nervous that he'd find out I was pregnant and get upset. Robintail said so few words yesterday, yet my entire life has changed. I feel like I can't look Birchstripe in the eye anymore.

He doesn't want kits. He said so himself. And I told him we'd be happy without kits. Then I had to ruin it by being pregnant.

If Birchstripe doesn't want to be my mate anymore because I'm going to have kits… I don't know what I'll do. I love him, more than anything. But I'm pregnant, and I can't change that. In a few moons I'll have kits and I will raise them and I will care for them. I can't abandon them. But will my kits have a father raising them as well?

Now, just being around Birchstripe makes my paws itch. I'm scared, I'm worried, and worst of all, this whole situation is making me avoid my mate.

I think part of me believes that maybe, if I stay away from him, I'll stop loving him so much and then it won't hurt so much when he dumps me.

At least all the toms I've talked to have been really supportive. I don't what I would do without them.

Ashwhisker and Mudwhisker are the only toms who I haven't told about my situation yet who I want to tell. Luckily, Robintail told me he'd make sure Owlnose, who was conveniently Robintail's brother, would send me and all of the toms I was consulting with out on a patrol together so we could talk.

"This is an odd patrol," Ashwhisker commented as he led towards his chosen hunting spot. "Owlnose doesn't normally put Cedarfoot and Thistleflight and I all on the same patrol."

Cedarfoot and Thistleflight both glanced towards me and I hesitated, missing a step.

"That's because…" I mewed, my words trailing off.

Ashwhisker and Mudwhisker halted, looking towards me with confusion. Cedarfoot and Thistleflight paused as well, Thistleflight brushing his tail over my flank in silent support.

"It's because I'm expecting kits," I forced out. "And I know Birchstripe doesn't want kits, but here I am, pregnant, and I don't what to do or how to tell him."

I didn't tell them my fear that Birchstripe wouldn't want to be my mate anymore if I told him.

Ashwhisker widened his eyes. "You're expecting kits? That's amazing!" he mewed. "Lilykit and Violetkit are precious – Dewmist and I love them so much. It will be great, I promise."

Mudwhisker, meanwhile, was quietly thinking, his gaze lighting up with understanding. "And you thought I would be good to talk to, since I didn't want kits either," he guessed.

I nodded slightly, looking away.

"It was a little bit of a shock for me when Blossomtail told me," the older warrior admitted. "I wasn't quite sure what to think, since, again, I hadn't wanted kits. But I loved Blossomtail, and that was what mattered. And when Petalpaw, Twigpaw, and Adderpaw were born, I found I loved them just as much as I loved Blossomtail herself. I wouldn't change a thing."

But you're not Birchstripe, I thought. You're not a pessimist. But I didn't say my thoughts out loud.

"How did Dewmist tell you she was expecting?" Thistleflight asked, his tail still brushing my flank. I felt a flash of gratitude for my mate's brother and shot him a slight smile. He'd been so incredibly supportive of me ever since I told him.

Mudwhisker shrugged. "She asked me what I thought were good kit names. When I asked her why it mattered, she told me it mattered because in a moon and a half, we'd have kits of our own to name. It took me a few heartbeats to understand what she meant."

I nodded slowly, soaking what he said in.

"You'll be a great mother," Thistleflight told me, breaking up the silence. "And Birchstripe will be a great father, I'm sure. I guarantee he'll love your kits just as much as you will, I promise. You just have to tell him that you're expecting."

"I'm not ready," I protested. "I-I can't tell him. Not yet."

Immediately, Thistleflight nodded. "Of course. Not until you're ready," he agreed.

Cedarfoot caught my gaze, the dark gray tabby nodding to me. "And until you're ready, we're here for you."

Mudwhisker and Ashwhisker nodded with agreement.

"Though, we should probably hunt something," Cedarfoot pointed out a second later. "We are supposed to be a hunting patrol."

And in spite of it all, I managed a laugh at his words.

. - . - . - . birchstripe . - . - . - .

A little under half a moon quickly passed by since Mistywing first talked with Thistleflight and Cedarfoot. Mistywing kept talking with Thistleflight, as well as Cedarfoot, Ashwhisker, and Mudwhisker, but especially Thistleflight, and it bugged me.

I keep telling myself to trust Mistywing, that she'll return to normal soon, but it feels like she and my brother are attached by the tail. It's like they never spend any time apart.

Not just that, but it almost feels like Owlnose is out to get me. I've only gone on one patrol with my mate in the past half moon, while Thistleflight has gone on over ten, I'm sure. My other friends and Mudwhisker have also gone on plenty of patrols with Mistywing, and I just don't understand why.

Well, I think I do.

Thistleflight keeps evading any questions I ask him about Mistywing. Mistywing looks guilty any time I talk to her.

At this point, with all the evidence, I'm pretty convinced I've figure out what's been happening. Mistywing is in love with my brother, Thistleflight. She visited Robintail that one day to ask him for advice and to get him to tell Owlnose to keep Mistywing and I apart while she decides on how to tell me she doesn't want to be my mate anymore. But, despite it all, Mistywing is still compassionate, so she's been spending time with my friends to figure out how to tell me in the way that will hurt me the least. Meanwhile, she keeps wishing to spend time with Thistleflight, and vice versa. Though I still haven't figured out how Mudwhisker fits into everything.

Everything points to it. Whenever I approach Mistywing and she's with Thistleflight or one of the others, they stop talking all of the sudden. And when we're all in camp and they're talking, I see them sometimes shoot looks at me. Thistleflight's always near Mistywing, and a lot of the time he has his tail resting on her flank.

So Mistywing didn't love me anymore.

It hurt like some ShadowClan warrior was literally clawing my heart to pieces. Mistywing, the cat who I love more than everything and anything, has passed me over for my brother. I can't look either of them in the eye anymore.

"We don't have to have kits to be happy. We have each other, and that's all we need, isn't it?"

I flinched as the memory surf through my head. No, Mistywing doesn't need me to be happy. She needs Thistleflight.

Rising to my paws, I stared down past my paws into Mistywing and I's shared nest. She still sleeps in Dewmist's nest every now and then, though we've still been sharing a nest plenty of nights. Well, why are we? She doesn't love me.

I tore the large, two-cat nest apart, forming two individual nests. The warriors in nests close to mine who are still awake looked at me with confusion as I dragged one of the nests away from mine until it's right next to Thistleflight's. They'll like that.

Right at that second, Mistywing and Thistleflight slide into the den, Mudwhisker following behind them. Mistywing spotted me and tilted her head in confusion as she realized our nest have been split.

"It's Greenleaf. I'm getting hot at night with the two of us sleeping together," I mewed simply.

Mistywing and Thistleflight shared a confused look as I turned and slid back to my nest. My nest, not our nest.

The phrase hung heavily in my mind.

I supposed I'd have to get used to that.

The next day passed quickly as I stayed away from Mistywing as best as possible, watching her hang out with Thistleflight and my friends instead. I wasn't sure what was worse: Mistywing not loving me anymore or her also just needing to steal all my friends in the process.

No, losing Mistywing was definitely worse.

Still, I knew that if we were in opposite positions – not that I could ever stop loving Mistywing, even now that she didn't love me – Mistywing would try to make the whole process easier for me.

She's too kind, I thought with a sigh. Only Mistywing would try and help make the cat breaking her heart feel better and less guilty. But if Mistywing could do it, so could I. I'd just slowly slip into the background and give Mistywing a seamless transition from me to my brother. Woo-hoo.

"The cats going to the Gathering with me-"

I snapped out of my stupor. With everything going on with Mistywing, I'd completely forgotten that the Gathering tonight. Hopefully, I'd be chosen for the patrol – the Gathering would surely distract me from her.

"-are Owlnose and Robintail, Toadclaw, Brambleheart, Silverfrost, Leopardwing, Raintail, Hazelfoot, Blossomtail, Birchstripe, Foxclaw, Adderpaw, Twigpaw, and Petalpaw."

I let out an internal whoop of satisfaction that Brindlestar had chosen me and none of my friends or Mistywing. A perfect night to forget about my heartbreak and focus on politics and other matters.

The journey to the Gathering island was quick. ThunderClan was the third Clan to arrive, WindClan oddly lagging. They'd probably show up soon, but until then we were free to socialize.

I was quickly approached by a golden tabby she-cat from ShadowClan with glittering yellow eyes who dipped her head to me. "Hey there. You're Birchstripe, right? I'm Honeyfur."

"Hey," I answered, nodding to her. "How's prey running in ShadowClan?"

She smiled slightly. "Oh, well enough! My sister just had her kits this moon, and they're quite adorable. I don't want kits myself – not that I have a mate – but they're still fun to watch."

"Agreed, I'm not looking to be a father either," I stated, somewhat surprised to find a cat who shared my opinions. Most cats didn't seem to have anything against having kits, though she was a ShadowClan warrior. ShadowClan would never cease to surprise me.

"Really? A handsome tom like yourself?" Honeyfur mewed curiously.

I shrugged. "Nope. A mate is fine, but no kits."

Hoenyfur tilted her head. "I thought you had a mate? Mistywing, right?"

I barely withheld a flinch, instead shaking my head slightly. "Not anymore. She likes my brother better."

"Ouch," Honeyfur mewed sympathetically. Her yellow eyes sparkled as she drew closer to me. "Hey though, no mates, no responsibilities!"

"Except for patrols!" I pointed out.

Honeyfur shrugged, smiling slightly. "Fair point. Cricketstar wouldn't be very happy if I said I couldn't hunt simply because I'm single."

I laughed at that, imagining Honeyfur telling the fierce, grizzled ShadowClan leader this. It would be quite the scene indeed. "You say that like you don't plan on ever getting a mate."

"Well, I mean, I'd like to have a mate," Honeyfur said, gazing at him. "You?"

"Maybe," I shrugged. "My first relationship didn't turn out so well."

Honeyfur reached out with her tail to tap my shoulder reassuringly. "I understand. Though I have to say I can't see why she left you. You're nice, you're funny, you're friendly – if I were your mate, I'd never leave you."

I smiled slightly at her words. Honeyfur wasn't Mistywing, but of course maybe that was good thing. She certainly made good company, especially for a ShadowClan cat.

"Too bad the warrior code forbids it then," I joked.

Honeyfur grinned, in return stating, "Maybe I'd join ThunderClan!"

"Maybe I'd join ShadowClan," I teased back.

"Would you really?" Honeyfur mewed, turning inquisitive.

I hesitated under her intense yellow stare. "…For true love? Yes. I'd go for love."

WindClan chose that exact moment to arrive, Rabbitstar racing to join the other leaders on the announcement tree. The Gathering was called into motion and Honeyfur and I found a place to sit near the edge of the island, our gazes turning to the leaders.

Nothing much had happened in the past moon, it seemed. Honeyfur's nephews were mentioned, two kits named Yellowkit and Skykit. RiverClan also had a litter of kits as well as a new apprentice, while WindClan sported two new warriors. The announcements were over soon and the gathered warriors were left to chat for a little while longer.

Honeyfur turned to me, looking apprehensive but serious, once we were free to talk again. "Birchstripe… I know you're probably still sad about Mistywing, but I want you to know that... that I really like you. We've talked before, as apprentices and as warriors, even if you probably don't remember me because I was shyer back then and I was always with my sister, but I do really care for you. And if you wanted to join me in ShadowClan…"

Her words trailed off as I stared at her, shocked.

Was the ShadowClan she-cat asking me to be her mate?

"I know it'll be a little rough in the beginning because most of ShadowClan won't trust you, but we'll find our way though it. Together. And neither of us want kits, so that part is perfect, too!" Honeyfur continued quickly.

I slowly opened and closed my mouth, not sure what to say. "I…"

"Just think about it, will you? I know you probably don't care about me like I do you, but if you wanted to join ShadowClan and give it a try… and you wouldn't have to see Mistywing all the time either, and… and… I'll meet you at the clearing at the border on the night of the quarter moon and you can tell me your answer then, okay?" Honeyfur rushed.

The golden tabby jumped to her paws and quickly joined her Clanmates. Right on time, for Brindlestar leapt down from the announcement tree and signaled for ThunderClan to gather by the tree bridge.

Slowly, I turned and padded over to join my Clanmates.

. - . - . - . mistywing . - . - . - .

I was going to do it. I'd been gathering my courage all night, and Mudwhisker and Thistleflight, as well as Cedarfoot and Ashwhisker, had been giving me encouragement and support too. As soon as Birchstripe returned from the Gathering patrol, I was going to tell him I was pregnant.

The toms and I jumped to our feet as we heard the thundering sound of many pawsteps coming closer. The Gathering patrol was back!

I took a deep breath, told myself it was going to be alright, and watched at the tired group of ThunderClan warriors padded back into camp. Birchstripe was near the back of the patrol and he started straight for the warriors' den; I bounded over to intercept him.

"Birchstripe!" I called, skidding to a halt beside the light brown tabby tom.

Amber eyes glanced at me. "What?"

I tilted my head. Birchstripe had been growing a little distant recently, and though that had been part of my hope, it still hurt and confused me. This morning he felt especially distant. Still, I refused to let myself be deterred and I shot a quick glance over at my shoulder at Thistleflight.

He gave me a grin and confident-looking nod in return and I nodded slightly back, glanced back at Birchstripe.

"Birchstripe, I have something important to tell you," I mewed, and gathered up my breath to drop the stone once and for all.

"Maybe tomorrow?" Birchstripe interrupted. "I'm really tired. I kind of just walked to the island and back, Mistywing. I'm sure we can talk after I'm rested."

I froze. I hadn't been expecting Birchstripe to… to turn me away?

"It's really important to me that I tell you," I told him. "I've been trying to figure out how to tell you for a while now! Can we please do this now?"

Birchstripe narrowed his gaze. "I'm sure it won't change anything whether you tell me today or tomorrow. I'd like to get a full rest, but I promise we can get it over with later."

With that, he turned and finished sliding into the warriors' den.

I stared after him, frozen to the spot. What just happened?

Thistleflight bounded over to me. "What happened?" he asked, sounding confused. "Did it go well?"

I shook my head, my head and tail drooping. "He said he was tired. He told me I could tell him later," I mumbled. "I didn't get the chance to tell him."

Thistleflight's tail brushed against me. Comfort.

"You've got this, Mistywing," he told me firmly. "Tomorrow will be the day. You've got this."

. - . - . - . birchstripe . - . - . - .

I curled into my nest with a slight sigh. I'd known Mistywing would have to tell me about her and Thistleflight someday, but especially after my conversation with Honeyfur I couldn't bear to hear Mistywing tell me the news quite yet. It was one thing thinking it. It was another hearing the love of my life tell me she didn't want me anymore.

"I've been trying to figure out how to tell you for a while now!"

Yeah, she sure had been. So long that I had already figured out her big news.

With a bitter frown on my face, I curled my tail over my nose and settled down to sleep.

In the morning, I didn't get up when I first awoke. Instead, I lay in my nest, my thoughts returning to Honeyfur from the night before. It was true that if I joined ShadowClan, I wouldn't ever have to deal with Mistywing or Thistleflight or my "friends" again. And Honeyfur herself was nice, friendly, and funny. She seemed smart too, as well as understanding. Really, there wasn't anything bad I could say about the ShadowClan she-cat.

She didn't say that we had to be mates, just that she wanted me to give her a chance. And… If I didn't have Mistywing anymore, then maybe it would be worth giving Honeyfur that chance.

I sighed, rolling over in my nest. No matter how nice Honeyfur seemed, no one could ever replace Mistywing. The silver-and-white tabby she-cat had broken my heart, true, but even then, I still loved her more than anything.

Which was, most likely, a stupid move. Continuing to love the cat who abandoned you for your brother? I couldn't think of any good that might come from that.

If I stayed in ThunderClan, my love for Mistywing could make things hard. Then again, same could be said for if I joined Honeyfur in ShadowClan.

But… if I joined Honeyfur in ShadowClan, maybe I would learn to get over my love for Mistywing.

Maybe I'd learn to love Honeyfur.

I pictured the golden tabby she-cat in my mind, yellow eyes sparkling with amusement. I could be happy with her, right? She was a good cat, and she was nice, and the only thing I disliked about her was the fact that she was ShadowClan. Surely she could fill the whole in my life Mistywing had left me with.

Noise in the clearing reminded me that I did need to get up so I could go train Adderpaw. Hopefully we could head out before Mistywing could get to me. I really didn't need to hear her break up with me right now.

Sliding out of the warriors' den, I spotted Adderpaw by the fresh-kill pile and bounded over to him. "Come on, we're going battle training. But first, I want to see how fast you can get to the training clearing!"

Running for the camp entrance with an anticipating Adderpaw on my heels, I kept my gaze strictly ahead of me, even as Mistywing rose to her paws and took a tentative step towards me, Thistleflight and Sunstream at her side.

I hadn't seen much of Sunstream recently. She and Thistleflight had been close – or still were close? I wasn't sure. – but Thistleflight had spending all his time with Mistywing recently.

A bummer. I was pretty sure Sunstream had liked Thistleflight, but she must have been told by now that Thistleflight and Mistywing were mates. I wondered when the news would reach the rest of the Clan. Surely I'd be the laughingstock of the Clan then, the tom who lost his mate to his brother.

I flattened my ears and slid out of camp, running as fast as I could.

Despite my longer legs, Adderpaw kept up with me pretty well, not falling too far behind. Still, he was panting by the time we reached the training clearing; we'd have to work on his endurance sometime.

I wondered who would be made his mentor after I left for ShadowClan on the quarter moon. Maybe Thistleflight – it would be fitting, after all. First, he takes my mate, then he takes my apprentice.

True brotherhood right there.

My thoughts of Thistleflight and Mistywing made the quarter moon go by rapidly – with all of StarClan's luck, I'd managed to avoid Mistywing for the first few days of the quarter moon, and after that it looked like her efforts to tell me we weren't mates anymore were waning. She still spent just as much time with my brother as before and I had easily made up my mind: tonight, I would tell Honeyfur I was ready to join ShadowClan.

I sat outside the warriors' den as the sun set, knowing I wouldn't be able to go until the Clan was asleep. Across the clearing from me, Thistleflight and Sunstream were engaged in a gleeful conversation, their faces alight with delight, Mistywing for once not with my brother.

I guess Sunstream hadn't been as romantically interested in Thistleflight as I had thought. Either that or Thistleflight was leading on either Sunstream or Mistywing.

Despite my effort to contain it, I bristled at the thought. I'd tried hard over the past few days, but I still loved Mistywing. I'd always love Mistywing. Hopefully Honeyfur would be able to help me with that after I settle into Shadowclan.

But for the moment, I was as madly in love with Mistywing as before and the thought that my brother might be leading her on made me angry.

Still, Mistywing was smart. She would have known if Thistleflight was leading her on, and Thistleflight himself was a good cat. He wouldn't do such a thing.

The thought didn't stop me from leaping to my paws and stalking over to Thistleflight and Sunstream. The two looked up at me with confusion, though happiness still glanced through their expressions.

"Birchstripe?" Thistleflight mewed quizzically.

"Look, if you're going to steal my mate, you should at least be true to her!" I hissed, my tail lashing behind me.

Thistleflight jumped to his paws, eyes wide. "What? I don't know what you're talking about! I just asked Sunstream to be my mate, and she said yes!"

"So which one of them are you leading on?" I sneered. "Don't look so surprised. I see you and Mistywing, always hanging out, how you've always got your tail on her flank. By the way, you can tell Mistywing I know what she's trying to tell me. It didn't take me too long to figure out she was trying to break up with me, with all of your whispering around together."

My brother stared at me. "Birchstripe, Mistywing and I aren't mates! I-I don't think of her like that at all! She loves you so much, she's just been struggling to tell you-"

"Yeah, yeah. Well guess what? You two don't have to 'break the news' to me anymore. By tomorrow morning, Honeyfur will have brought me to ShadowClan and I can forget about Mistywing and you and the rest of ThunderClan!" I snarled, then turned and hared out of camp. Who cared if I left early? The sooner I did so, the sooner I could be away from this whole mess.

I ran all the way to the border, plopping down at the clearing to wait for Honeyfur. She showed up earlier than I expected, her eyes sparkling at the sight of me.

"Birchstripe! You came!" she exclaimed, running to the border and sitting down.

"Of course I did," I mewed, twitching my whiskers.

Honeyfur gazed at me. "And?"

"And I want to join you in ShadowClan."

The golden tabby she-cat purred warmly, hopping onto her paws to touch her nose to mine. The second before our noses would have touched, a yowl froze us in our tracks.

"Birchstripe! Stop!" Mistywing hared into the clearing, eyes wide as she raced up to me. "Please, you have to listen to me! I'm not in a relationship with Thistleflight, I swear!"

I turned away from Honeyfur, giving the panting silver-and-white tabby she-cat a look through narrowed eyes. "Oh yeah? Really? Because that's not what it looks like to me."

Mistywing's blue eyes were wide with distress. "I-I couldn't figure out how to tell you I'm pregnant!"

Silence.

Mistywing took a quick breath and continued. "I knew you didn't want kits and then Robintail told me I'm expecting and then I didn't know what to do because I thought you wouldn't want to be my mate anymore if you knew I was going to have kits and Robintail told me maybe I should talk with some of your friends and Mudwhisker since he didn't want kits either to build up my confidence and think things through and all and then I tried to tell you after the Gathering but you didn't let me and then Thistleflight told me just now you thought we were mates and that you were going to join ShadowClan!"

She finished and panted some more.

I stared at her with wide eyes. "You're… pregnant?"

Mistywing dropped her beautiful blue gaze to the ground. "…Yeah. I am."

"And you thought I'd leave you because you were pregnant?" I stated.

"Well, you didn't want kits and I knew that and then suddenly I was expecting kits, and-"

I waved my tail to stop her. "Mistywing, I thought you were leaving me for my brother!"

"Excuse me, but I don't have all night. Could you please make up your mind as to whether you're joining ShadowClan or staying in ThunderClan?" Honeyfur asked, yellow eyes flashing and tone dull, almost monotone.

Mistywing let out a wail of distress. "You can't join ShadowClan! Our kits need a father, Birchstripe. You can't leave! What about our kits? What about me?"

I looked between the two she-cats, my heart panging. Mistywing was pregnant? She still loved me?

If Mistywing loved me, then my life was already perfect as it was. My gaze fell on Honeyfur, the golden tabby she-cat who had claimed to have feelings for me, and reality struck me.

I had been about to leave behind my life, my friends, and my family – and the she-cat I loved – for a sliver of a chance of life in a hostile Clan with a she-cat who, though she seemed nice, I didn't really know.

Even as I had silently despised my brother for stealing Mistywing, and felt bitter towards Mistywing for leaving me, I had never stopped loving Mistywing and I'd known that. I'd thought I could leave my feelings for her behind in ThunderClan.

Now Mistywing was expecting kits. The she-cat I loved was expecting the kits I'd never wanted… but Mudwhisker loved his kits despite his unwillingness to be a father. Everyday, the tom was proud of Adderpaw, Twigpaw, and Petalpaw.

I was proud of Adderpaw, too. I'd watched him bud as a kit and then bloom as an apprentice. In a few moons, I'd watch him a blossom as a warrior.

Some cats have told me the mentor-apprentice connection is almost like a father-son connection. You spend so many hours together, the older cat watching and guiding the younger cat as he grows up. One flower watching a seedling sprout into a flower as beautiful as the first.

I treasured my connection with Adderpaw. The sturdy little tom had found his own place in my heart, our mentor-apprentice bond strong.

Mistywing was my heart. But maybe there was room for more.

I met Honeyfur's gaze and silently shook my head. My home was in ThunderClan, with my mate and my soon-to-be kits and my apprentice.

As the long-furred golden tabby she-cat turned and stalked off into ShadowClan territory, tail flicking behind her, I twisted and my amber gaze met Mistywing's blue one.

"We don't have to have kits to be happy," I mewed softly. "We have each other, and that's all we need, isn't it? But that doesn't mean we can't be happy with kits. Maybe these kits will make us just that much happier."

Mistywing smiled, and it was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. "You're the most wonderful tom in the whole wide world, Birchstripe. Did you know that?"

And I leapt forwards and touched my nose to hers.

. - . - . - . epilogue . - . - . - .

My face split into a smile as I watched three kits take their first steps out of the nursery. Mistywing followed close behind them, her gaze lovingly trained on our three kits. Their eyes were wide as they looked around the ThunderClan camp, their stubby tails whipping behind them as they worked to keep their balance.

A silver-and-white tabby she-kit stumbled over her paws, the little kit a copy of her mother in appearance except all the way up to her beautiful blue eyes. But instead of Mistywing's slim build, she had my own stockier frame, tall and already broad-shouldered but just as unsteady on her paws as her siblings.

We named this one Ivykit.

Briarkit, a light brown-and-white tabby she-kit, turned to her sister and tried to help her up but almost ended up falling herself in the process. We named her after my late mother, Briarflight, who died a few seasons ago due to greencough. Briarkit shared my mother's caring nature but had the brave and intelligent nature of Mistywing. It's a beautiful combination.

Our last kit, another she-kit, had left her siblings already. She teetered by the fresh-kill pile, her eyes wide as she looked at the pile of prey. To the warriors, the fresh-kill pile isn't much of a sight unless if you're hungry, but for the kits it had to look like a mountain.

"That's the fresh-kill pile?" the silver tabby she-kit breathed, her yellow eyes wide with awe. "It's gigantic!"

Ivykit and Briarkit stumbled their way over to their sister, following her gaze to the fresh-kill pile.

"It's not that gigantic," Ivykit stated, though her blue eyes were wide as she looked at the pile. "I bet I could climb all the way up to the top before you can say 'mossbal!'"

"Bet you can't!" the silver tabby answered, gaze flaring. "Besides, I could climb it before you could say 'moss.'"

Briarkit tilted her head, studying the pile. "I don't think we're big enough yet to climb to the top."

Mistywing shot me an amused look from where she stood behind the kits, and I heaved myself to paws to join my family.

"What are you three doing? Climbing the fresh-kill pile?" I mewed, coming up beside my kits. I gave Briarkit, who was closest, an affectionate nuzzle on the forehead.

"Well, maybe," Ivykit mewed. "Briarkit doesn't think we can. But I bet we could!"

I purred warmly, gazing at my three kits. "I think you three could manage it sooner or later. But I also think climbing on the fresh-kill might be a little disrespectful to the prey."

"It was Honeykit's idea!" Ivykit exclaimed quickly, defensively.

Honeykit was what we named our last kit, the silver tabby she-kit with honey gold eyes. I hadn't been fond of the name as it referenced Honeyfur, who I had nearly gone to join ShadowClan with, but Mistywing had suggested it. She had said Honeyfur represented an important time in our life and in our relationship. She said that, after everything, this kit was proof that our bond was stronger than ever. That I was her pessimist, and she was my optimist, and these were the three things we loved above anything else.

Ivykit, Briarkit, and Honeykit. The only cat more precious to me than them was Mistywing, and I was never going to let her go again.