Author's Note: So here I am again with this story. I found it huddled in the back of my computer and decided, why the heck not? I'll be sure to try and stay on it this time, for sure, haha. I'm really excited and hopefully, I'll be doing much better than I did before with my updates and staying around on FF. ;D Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own the Warriors Series, yada yadda.

Nightstar felt a chill freeze her to the bone as the crisp Leaf-fall breeze threatened to knock her from her lithe paws. She quickly dashed through WindClan territory, heather tickling her nose in a manner that was all too nostalgic. Her kitten days had been gone too soon before she was shaped into an apprentice destined for greatness and a warrior who had become deputy only after training a single apprentice, burly Redpaw – now Redtail – who had boundless energy and no way to exert it. At not even twenty-seven moons, she was a leader. She was no longer Nightheart, but Nightstar, and the name carried responsibility that felt too heavy for her thin shoulders.

The moon beamed down on the moorland, brightening it with hazy light that cast everything in a silver glow. She looked above, taking in the moon's position and size, her mind suddenly filled with the thought of the Gathering that was to come in a few sun's time – the time when all the Clans herded together to share news, yet here she was, rapidly approaching the RiverClan border with stones stuck in her throat and butterflies in her belly. She thought being a leader – a star – had strengthened her, but she felt weak, vulnerable, and ultimately hopeless.

Her pitch black paws just barely grazed against the invisible line that was the border, her whole body tense as she looked about, her eyes wide and wary as she took in her surroundings. Nightstar's whiskers twitched as she took a step forward, then another, until she was standing on the moist and rich ground that was RiverClan, something so foreign from the solid ground of WindClan.

"Trespassing, are we?"

The challenging mew was easily recognizable and her head bolted in the direction of the sound, only to have her side assaulted with a rough shoulder ram that sent her tumbling over on her side. The WindClan leader let out an angry hiss as she remained low to the ground, hooking out a paw that scored fur on the opposing tom's flank, causing him to jump back in surprise at her lack of an attempt to pull herself up. In his surprise, she hurriedly rose to her feet, ears pressed flat against her head as the tom's honey brown eyes locked onto her bright yellows, "Sunstar," she greeted, teeth clenched, claws unsheathed, "You knew that I'd be here – why did you attack me?"

The golden tom was seated now, head angled back to nurse the bleeding scrape on his flank. He peered up at her, amused, before letting out a quiet chuckle. "Seems you don't know how to loosen up, Night." She spat at the familiarity of her name he used, tail lashing in unease. At this, Sunstar only scoffed. "I had only been joking, Nightstar." He corrected, his full attention now on her, sweeping over the disheveled black pelt of the rival Clan leader. "I've missed you…"

Another sudden chill crept through her body, one that wasn't from the cool air, but one that sunk deep within her flesh and churned the butterflies in her stomach. She felt an urge to heave, her emotions jarred by the confession and a sickness that the medicine cat chocked up as a bad piece of prey. Nightstar let out a feeble sound, one that could barely be acknowledged as a meow as she lowered her head to look at her paws, her body curling in on itself as she sat, nose pressed into her chest. "I know, Sunstar. I know."

She did know – she had missed him too. She was unsure how their feelings had turned into something more than a mutual dislike, to understanding, and now to lo – no, she refused to call it that. He had only helped her when she was unsure and afraid of being leader, helping to guide her and her Clan on the right track. Nightstar had hated it – she hated meeting with him and taking the strong tom's humble advice, while he toyed and joked with her as if they were friends. She could tell that he disliked her as well. You're too uptight, he'd tell her, and yank at her tail purposely with his teeth. But now, Nightstar couldn't go a single night without thinking of him. Oh! What would Honeystar think of her?

His body came to press against hers, a sensual nudge as his large form curled against her, their fur tangling together in a way that was oh-so-intimate. Nightstar felt his head come to rest atop her own, his tail falling to lie across her flank, a single paw shamelessly brushing against the exposed back of her neck. She had given Sunstar all of her and she was beginning to regret it. Once more, her stomach clenched and she forced back bile that rose in her throat. Was it the tension or something more?

"I – I haven't been feeling well lately," Nightstar murmured quietly, head still lowered, nose pressed into her own soft fur. Sunstar remained quiet, only the soothing twitch of his tail telling her that he was listening. "Hollytail says it was something I ate but… I don't think so." She had his attention for sure now, he shifted. "Well, I know because I haven't eaten in two days."

Nightstar didn't have a reason for telling him this. If she were faced with Stripestar or Snowstar, she would have said nothing. A Clan was most vulnerable when their leader was ill, yet she knew that Sunstar wouldn't dare take advantage of her.

"I'll have Rainshadow look at you."

"No!" She bolted upwards, looking back at him as best she could. "No, Sunstar. It's suspicious – we don't want… nobody needs to know… we're… us – we shouldn't!"

Before she could speak another word, a violent quiver wracked her body. She pulled herself from Sunstar's comforting embrace, saddened by the lost, but pained by the vicious ache in her belly. It seized her, completely froze her like claws through her underside and in a flurry of pained gasps, she vomited what little was in her stomach.

"I'll take care of you," She heard Sunstar promise as he pressed his head into the crook of her neck, just barely recoiling as she continued to heave the contents of her almost empty belly. "I swear on it, Nightstar. You'll be fine."