A full moon hung in the sky as I walked towards the ThunderClan border. I caught the faintest whiff of Leafpool's scent. My pulse quickened. She must have been picking herbs near here a couple days ago.

I sighed as I remembered all the secret meetings with Leafpool. When it was just me and Leafpool, things were great. It makes me feel guilty to say this, but I wish I could be with Leafpool instead of Nightcloud. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love Nightcloud, but...she's not like Leafpool at all. She doesn't have the same grace and warm heart that Leafpool does. When I see Leafpool, my heart melts. I care a lot for Nightcloud, but I'm not in love with her.

What am supposed I to do? I seem to have gotten myself in a bad situation. It always seems that those that I love the most are the ones that I can't be with. My heart clenched painfully as I remembered Feathertail. My dear Feathertail…she had given her life for those mangy tribe-cats, and they wanted to celebrate! All they cared about was the fact that the stupid Sharptooth had been slain. Oh yes, it was perfectly fine for all of them to be safe, but it didn't matter that my beautiful Feathertail had been sacrificed!

Suddenly I heard a rustling in the undergrowth nearby. Then I remembered: I had agreed to meet Leafpool here!

Leafpool slipped out from the undergrowth. She looked warily from side to side, making sure that no one saw her. Her warm amber eyes were shining in the darkness. I bounded over to her and buried my nose in her soft brown fur. I purred as I breathed in her sweet scent. I missed her so much.

"Leafpool," I said. "I miss you so much. I can't bear to be without you..."

Leafpool rasped her tongue over my ear. It made me feel warm all over. "I missed you too."

"I wish there was a way for us to be together...but obviously there's not," She murmured. "We can't keep sneaking out and seeing each other at night like this. Someone is going to catch us eventually."

I pulled back for a couple heartbeats, trying to prevent myself from crying in front of her. Deep down inside, I knew she was right. She was ThunderClan's medicine cat and I was a WindClan warrior. Our love was never meant to be, but I couldn't stay away from her. How could I? My heart belonged to her…

"Don't be sad, Crowfeather." Leafpool said gently. "You have Nightcloud right? She loves you. And what about your son? Your family needs you."

My heart twisted in both anger and sadness. The thought of life without Leafpool was too much to bear.

"But they can't replace you, Leafpool. No one can! I would give both of them up just to be with you." I cried.

Leafpool pressed her flank against mine. She twined her tail with mine. "I have something that I need to tell you."

I looked into her warm amber eyes. "What is it?"

"I'm pregnant with your kits." She whispered.

I felt like my heart had jumped into my throat. I was both scared and happy.

"B-b-but how is that?" I stammered. "How can that be?"

"I don't know..." Leafpool looked at her paws.

I gave her a lick on her cheek to comfort her.

"I'm scared. . .what if my clan finds out? What will they do to me?" Leafpool's eyes began to fill with tears. My heart began to ache.

"Everything will be alright, I promise." I mewed. "We can get through this."

Leafpool sniffled.

"I have an idea…maybe you can get Squirrelflight to help you out? I mean, I know you two are close and all." I suggested.

Leafpool brightened. "Of course! She wouldn't ever give me away." Leafpool pressed herself closer to me. When she did, I breathed her in sweet scent. Not for the first time, I wish that we could just stay like this forever. Having her beside me made me feel complete. I loved her so much…

Leafpool suddenly stood up. "I have to go now. My clan will be wondering where I am."

I sighed. "Yeah, you're right." I hated having to separate from her again. It felt like I was losing her. "Will I get to see you again tonight?"

"Yes, of course." Leafpool gave me a swift lick on the head and whispered "I love you, Crowfeather."

"I love you too, Leafpool." I whispered back.

Leafpool disappeared into the undergrowth.

I sighed. Reluctantly, I crossed the stream and went back into my own territory. I dried my fur off the best that I could, and started to head back to camp.

"Where have you been?!"

I turned around. It was Nightcloud.I had almost made it into the Warriors' Den. . .

"I was out on a walk. . .I couldn't sleep." I said quickly.

"Thinking about Leafpool too much huh?" Nightcloud spat. "I smell ThunderClan on you!"

I flinched at the way she said Leafpool. There was nothing but pure hatred in her tone.

"No, I am just restless." I sighed. I went over to Nightcloud and gave her a lick on her cheek. "You know I love you. I wouldn't want to be with anyone but you."

Nightcloud looked at me suspiciously. Her eyes were blazing with anger and hurt.

"You mean everything to me. You are my world! I don't know how I could live without you. You are the love of my life, Nightcloud. I would do anything to make you happy and you know that." I said.

Nightcloud looked at me with cold eyes for a few more heartbeats. She then pushed her nose into my shoulder. "I shouldn't doubt you. I should know better than that…I should know better than to listen to Tornear." She sighed. "I'm just afraid that you still have feelings for Leafpool."

"What was between us is over now. I'm with you now. I love you, and only you. Not her." I replied.

"Really?" Nightcloud looked at me with sad eyes.

"Really." I told her. "I love you more than anything in this world!"

Nightcloud purred. "Let's go hunting-just you and me."

"I would love that." I meowed.

XXXXXXXXXX

Moons went by, and I still hadn't heard from Leafpool. Why wasn't she talking to me? I wanted to know about our kits. Didn't she want them to know their real father?

I moped around a lot. Everyone in my clan was getting mad at me. I would miss prey that practically leapt in my paws. I couldn't sleep and I couldn't eat. All I could think about was Leafpool and our kits.

I got up early in the morning to go on dawn patrol with Weaselfur and Owlwhisker. Nightcloud was sitting at the entrance of the warriors' den, waiting for me to get up. When I woke up, she rose to her paws and glared at me.

"Crowfeather, we need to talk." she said.

I sighed. "About what?"

"Come with me." Nightcloud replied.

"You better make it quick. I have to go on the dawn patrol." I muttered.

I mumbled about how stupid and inconsiderate she-cat's where while I followed her. If she heard me, she didn't show it.

She stopped just outside of camp and turned to face me. Her eyes were blazing with fury.

"What the matter with you?" Nightcloud demanded. "All you've been doing is moping about here lately!"

I looked at my paws. I didn't know what to say.

"Breezepaw has become an apprentice and you never congratulated him! He's been waiting on his father to take him out on a hunting trip, but have you? No!" Nightcloud spat. The venom in her voice made me shiver.

"Look, I'm sorry-" I told her.

"No, you're not. All you care about is that stupid Leafpool! That's why you're moping around. You miss your precious little Leafpool!" Nightcloud snarled. Her claws slid out and dug into the grass.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I wasn't going to blow up on her. I couldn't afford to. Nightcloud was my mate and I needed to keep her. If I didn't stay on good terms with her, I wouldn't have anyone besides my mother.

"I'm over her, ok? Leafpool means nothing to me." I responded.

"Yeah right!" Nightcloud snorted.

"I'm telling you the truth." I meowed. "Why can't you believe me?"

Nightcloud just sighed. "I don't know if I can trust you, Crowfeather. How do I know you're not going to leave me for Leafpool?"

"Believe me; I don't care about her anymore. She can be torn apart by a dog for all I care." I replied.

Nightcloud narrowed her eyes. "Do you really mean that?"

"Of course I do." I pressed my nose into her warm black fur. "I love you. We're meant to be together and we always will be together. Please let go of the past and move on. Our relationship will never last if you don't." I said. "It was stupid for me to ever have feelings for a ThunderClan cat and I regret it. It was a stupid mistake. I want this relationship to work out with you. You mean the world to me Nightcloud."

"Alright." she mewed after a few minutes. "But you seriously need to be there for your son, though. If you can't be there for him, there will be no more us."

"I will, Nightcloud." I gave her a lick on her ear.

"Make sure that you do." she twitched her tail.

XXXXXXXXXX

As time went on, I quit thinking about Leafpool. I quit thinking about our kits and I just quit caring about her all together. I didn't want anything to do with her anymore and the grief I felt for our lost love went away. I focused on being the best warrior I could for my clan and being there for my family. Nightcloud and I were closer than ever now. But I still couldn't stand Breezepaw. He's the most annoying fleabag I've ever met. I couldn't believe that my own son was so stupid. It was embarrassing.

Tonight was the night of the Gathering. I never looked forwards to a Gathering, but I was even more reluctant to go tonight than usual. I had an awful feeling in my stomach and it was growing worse as time for the Gathering drew closer. I just wished I could just curl up beside Nightcloud in the warriors' den and share tongues with her. It would be a much better way to spend the night.

The whole way there, my paws dragged. I hung along in the back, struggling to keep up. I had pleaded with Onestar to let me stay in camp tonight, but he instisted that I attend the Gathering tonight. Why, I don't know. I hated spending the night crowded on a small island with the idiots of the other clans! I really didn't care what they had to say. They weren't important.

When we reached the island, I saw Leafpool. She was sitting with Squirrelflight. I could see the three mangy little pests: Hollyleaf, Lionblaze and Jayfeather. I didn't know why it made my blood boil to see them, but it did.

I sat as far away from them as possible with Breezepaw and Nightcloud. The air felt tense as the Gathering begun. I wanted to go back to camp so bad.

Suddenly, about halfway through the Gathering, stupid little Hollyleaf interrupted the great Firestar. I laugh to myself because Firestar is too stupid to control his own warriors. I was too busy laughing inside to hear all of Hollyleaf's speech. But I did catch the last part of the speech. My heart sank when I heard what Hollyleaf said:

"...our parents are Crowfeather and Leafpool."

WHAT?! How had that happened? I was the father of those three vermin? Impossible!

"That's a lie!" I leapt to my paws and yowled.

Nightcloud and Breezepaw glared at me.

"Is this true, Leafpool?" Firestar asked.

"Yes, Firestar." Leafpool answered.

My tail fluffed up and I rose to my paws "I don't care about you, Leafpool. My mate is Nightcloud, and my only son is Breezepaw! I am not the father of your three illegitimate kits!" I hissed in fury.

Everyone else was stunned silent. Their eyes were wide and their jaws dropped.

"I can't believe you, Crowfeather!" Nightcloud hissed at me. "I thought I could trust you."

"Nightcloud, wait-" I cried.

Nightcloud and Breezepaw looked at me, eyes full of hatred and disgust. Then they disappeared into the darkness.

I glared at Hollyleaf, Lionblaze and Jayfeather and then Leafpool. I raced off to find my mate and son.