Chapter 1
"Cinderpaw, no!" Fireheart yelled, grabbing his apprentice and pulling her away from the gorse tunnel.
She scowled at him.
"Why can't I go?" she demanded furiously.
"Because you're too young, someone else can go," Fireheart retorted.
"Fine Fireheart," she sighed unhappily.
"Go grab something from the fresh-kill pile and bring it to the elders, I think they might be in the mood to tell a story or two," Fireheart meowed, trying to cheer her up.
Cinderpaw's face lit up and she bounded away. Fireheart sighed with relief that she actually listened for once.
5 moons later
"Cinderpelt, Cinderpelt!" the Clan cheered and Cinderpelt proudly sat beside her brother, Brackenfur.
Cinderpelt leaped down from the Great Rock and to where Fireheart and Sandstorm was sitting.
"Congratulations," Fireheart purred.
"I couldn't have done it without you," Cinderpelt replied, rubbing her muzzle with his.
"Hey Cinderpelt, over here!" Brackenfur called to where he was surrounded by a bunch of warriors.
"Okay," she turned to Fireheart and Sandstorm, "Bye!"
Fireheart turned to Sandstorm, could he see something there, jealousy perhaps? No, what would Sandstorm be jealous of?
"Err, do you want to get some fresh-kill?" he asked a little awkwardly.
Sandstorm shrugged half-heartedly.
"Alright."
Fireheart picked a plump vole for him and Sandstorm to share.
"Thanks," Sandstorm meowed and took a bite, "Mmm."
They ate the vole quickly, both of them very hungry.
"Um Fireheart?" Sandstorm meowed, shuffling her paws, "Do you like Cinderpelt?"
"Of course I do, she was my apprentice," Fireheart replied, confused.
"No, I mean in that way," Sandstorm said, rolling her eyes a little bit.
"What way?" Fireheart demanded, completely confused.
"Oh never mind," Sandstorm said impatiently and stalked off.
She-cats, Fireheart thought, they're impossible.
Toms, Sandstorm thought, they're impossible and completely clueless to when a she-cat likes them.
That night, Cinderpelt and Brackenfur sat vigil. Fireheart laid in his nest, completely awake and thinking. He felt that he didn't just like Cinderpelt as a friend, he felt something a little more. The feelings must have built up during when he was mentoring her. He always saw something in the fluffy gray she-cat. Did he want a mate? Did Cinderpelt want a mate? Did Cinderpelt even like him? Well, of course she liked him, but more than a friend?
He stayed up nearly all night thinking about it but dozed off before dawn and when he woke up she saw a pretty face that belonged to Cinderpelt.
"Oh hi," he said, stretching.
"Morning," Cinderpelt meowed, yawning a little.
"How was your vigil?" Fireheart asked.
Cinderpelt smirked a little.
"Well, I can't say anything bad about it so I won't say anything at all."
"Hey Cinderpelt, you can make a nest here, there's room," Graystripe meowed, interrupting there conversation and pointing to an empty space beside Fireheart's nest.
"Okay," Cinderpelt meowed, shrugging, "I'll go fetch some moss."
And she went off.
"What was that for?" Fireheart demanded, glaring at his best friend.
"What was what for?" Graystripe asked innocently.
"Cinderpelt and I were having a nice conversation until you interuppted."
"Oh, so you like her?"
"Well, duh! Everyone likes her, she's nice."
Graystripe rolled his eyes.
"I meant in that way."
"What way? Am I the only one who understands what it means if you like someone that way?"
"Yeah, probably. Wait, has someone else had this conversation with you?"
"Well Sandstorm, she asked me if I liked Cinderpelt in that way," Fireheart told him, "But I really dunno what that meant."
"What did you say?" Graystripe said curiously, sitting up.
"I asked her what way and she just stalked off," Fireheart admitted, "I think she was kind of frustrated."
Graystripe shook his head exasperately.
"You are so clueless, Sandstorm likes you! Like in the way she wants you to be her mate and Cinderpelt does too."
"REALLY?"
"Yes really and honestly, you should be thinking about a mate. Do you want to be mates with Cinderpelt or Sandstorm?"
"Um, well, err, I like Cinderpelt, a lot, I guess," he mumbled.
Graystripe grinned triumphantly.
"I knew it!"
"So, if I want her and I to be mates, what do I do?"
Hope you liked this chapter and review! Tell me if you liked it, hated it and give suggestions. I'll try to update soon!