"Briarblaze! Briarblaze!" I drank in the sweet sound of my clanmates enthusiastically cheering my name. I was a warrior now.

"Congratulations!" I turned to see Brackenbreeze—my mentor—standing next to me, his yellow eyes shining with pride. "I knew you'd do really well."

I nodded my head vigorously, remembering I was forbidden from speaking on my vigil.

"You're a full Thunderclan warrior!"

That was my sister, Hollylight. She was the medicine cat apprentice, but had gotten her full name last half-moon. I flicked my tail in thanks, not really knowing what else to do.

"Well," Hollylight mewed shortly, "I must be off. There are herbs which I must collect before leaf-bare hits." She walked off, shooting Brackenbreeze a friendly look.

My tail suddenly lashed in anger. Why would you be angry? The logical side of my brain thought smoothly. She's lucky to be friends with such a good mentor and warrior. The words rang true, but the nagging feeling of jealousy remained, quivering deep inside my chest. I didn't want anyone else ever looking at him like that.

"I need to go too," Brackenbreeze said, with a slightly odd intonation. Was that a hint of regret in his voice? "I have to do the evening patrol."

I allowed him to pass, my spine tingling strangely as his fur brushed mine. I continued watching the camp with a sweeping gaze after he left, making sure all the cats were sound asleep and safe in their nests. The vigil was long, but not uncomfortable; the early leaf-fall nights still retained some comforting warmth from the sunny days before them.

"Goodnight," Brackenbreeze whispered as he slipped past me into camp again. "See you tomorrow."

Although I could not say anything, I felt profound emotions, glowing with their intensity, seeping into my gaze at his dimly lit form striding confidently through the camp. I sighed deeply, and glanced back around the area, continuing my watch and finishing my warrior vigil.

When I woke up, it was past sunhigh, since I had gone to sleep at dawn.

"Are you ready for your first hunting patrol as a warrior?" Mousefoot asked brightly; He was another recently named warrior, having had his ceremony only last moon.

I purred lightly in response, stretching and stepping assuredly out of the den. "Who else is coming?" I asked over my shoulder as I padded into the sunlit clearing.

"Oh," Mousefoot replied with a shrug, "Fernpelt and—uh—Brackenbreeze. He was your mentor, right?"

My eyes lit up with excitement at hearing Brackenbreeze's name, and I gave Mousefoot a hasty affirmative. Bounding happily across the clearing, I slid to a stop in front of Brackenbreeze. "We're going on a hunting patrol!"

"Who else is coming?" he questioned nonchalantly. "Mousefoot and Fernpelt," I answered evenly, not much caring with whom we would patrol.

He licked his paw and ran it quickly over his ear a few times to clean it. "When do we leave?"

Mousefoot pranced over with Fernpelt in tow. "Right now!" he announced proudly.

"Great!" Brackenbreeze exclaimed, obviously thrilled at the simple task of serving his clan. He started towards the camp entrance, and we all followed him; I was especially eager to prove myself a worthy warrior.

And you're trying to prove something else, too, nagged a persistent part of my mind. Shut up, I thought crossly. By now, the hunting patrol had reached a large, open clearing near the ShadowClan border.

"Let's split up," Brackenbreeze suggested thoughtfully.

"Yeah," I agreed, quickly thinking of a reason. "We won't scare off each other's prey then." The two other warriors nodded their assent, and headed in opposite directions in unspoken agreement, taking courses which led away from the border. I glanced wistfully at Brackenbreeze, closing my eyes dreamily as I savored these few moments alone with him, then headed away from the lake.

Smelling mouse, I quickly crouched behind some brambles, trying to pinpoint the creature's location. There: It was nibbling peacefully on some seeds, thankfully upwind of me. I maneuvered carefully around the brambles, getting into a good attack position.

Wiggling my haunches for added force, I sprang at the furry body, snapping its neck with a sharp bite and not forgetting to thank StarClan for its life. Burying the mouse under a small holly bush where I would remember it, I headed back towards the center of our territory, reasoning that none of the other cats would be there.

I glanced to the left and saw a plump vole scurrying about barely a fox-length away. Thinking quickly, I leaped through the air directly towards it. However, something spooked the vole, and it disappeared down a tiny hole, leaving me to land where it had been only a heartbeat before, empty-pawed.

Funny, I thought. It didn't see me, and I was downwind too! Suddenly, I caught a whiff of Brackenbreeze's scent from past where the vole was. Wondering why he was here, I crept slowly through the ferns to the edge of a small, sunlit clearing. He was completely oblivious to my presence, simply sitting in the open and looking into the forest.

Staring into those deep golden eyes, I came to realize how I truly felt. I was in love with Brackenbreeze. I remembered all the times we went out as mentor and apprentice; this feeling had been forming in me for a long time, but now I finally knew what it was.

I loved Brackenbreeze, and almost mustered the courage to step out and tell him. But then Hollylight slid out of the shadows, which were intensified by the shimmering sunlight streaming down into the clearing and upon Brackenbreeze's gorgeous dappled bronze pelt.

What is she doing here? I thought curiously; It seemed too coincidental that they would just happen to see each other here. I heard her greet Brackenbreeze warmly, and him purr in return. The hairs on my back began to prickle with suspicion and dread as I realized this was all set up. He arranged this; He met with her! But why?

"Hollylight," Brackenbreeze mewed happily. "I'm so glad you came! Now, what did you want to tell me?" I craned my neck, angling my ears to hear them as they spoke.

"Brackenbreeze, I…" Hollylight broke off hesitantly, then whispered, "I love you."

I could barely contain my utter horror. NO! She can't! I loved him first! Brackenbreeze seemed slightly surprised, pulling back sharply. Maybe he doesn't love her back!

"Hollylight, I—I didn't expect this…" Yes! He loves me instead!

Brackenbreeze continued, his voice suddenly glowing with affection: "I never thought you felt the same way I did. I love you too!"

NOOOOOOOOOO! I turned and sprinted blindly from the scene, tearing my soft brown and white fur on the encroaching brambles as I blundered through the forest in despair. Tears began pouring from my eyes, further blurring my vision of the greenery speeding past me.

He couldn't! He has to love me! He has to be Mine!

Panting now, I collapsed in a small hollow, the bitter, salty tears of my abject hopelessness flowing down my face. "It can't be!" I wailed brokenly to the stars and sky. "They can't be mates! I need him!" The cosmos gave no answer, the deep orange sun only continuing to sink, as it did every single day.

I let out a long, guttural, wordless howl, standing and staggering, utterly destroyed, to the lake. Maybe I'll drown myself. At least then I won't have to live feeling like my heart is being stabbed by the claws of all of ShadowClan, trampled by all the badgers in the world, then ripped to pieces in front of me.

I had completely given up and was about to throw myself into the water, almost relishing the thought of my own death. But then something strange happened. The evening sun peeked out through a gap in the trees, tinging the lake a fatal shade of red. As I stared at the now blood-colored liquid lapping at the shore, I realized what I had to do. Grinning as my cunning plan began to take shape in my mind, I headed back to camp, not forgetting to pick up some extra prey along the way.

I woke up, yawning loudly and relishing the feeling of warm sunlight encasing my body in its glimmering rays. Today was the day. Today I would win his heart. There was to be a battle with ShadowClan; we were both on the patrol.

My bright green eyes glowed as I imagined the scene:

The fighting is intense, the warriors screeching and clawing each other, crimson blood spattering ground and fur alike. An enemy warrior lunges at Brackenbreeze, eyes glinting with malice, aiming to kill.

I leap across the raging battlefield, yowling at the top of my lungs as I bowl the warrior off Brackenbreeze.

"You saved my life," he mews breathlessly after I send the enemy screaming back to their camp.

I acknowledge his awe with a gentle nod, saying I would do anything for him. The battle is now finally over; we have driven off the last defeated enemy. I stare longingly into his beautiful yellow eyes; waiting for him to respond as they twinkle up at me.

"I—" he chokes out, breaking off and regaining his composure. "I love you, Briarblaze. I had another crush, but… You're different."

I purr and press my tingling pelt to his, filled with the passionate fire of my love. We will be mates forever.

I was snapped out of my perfect reverie by Lightningstrike, the clan deputy, coughing expectantly beside me. "We're leaving now," he mewed, his face set in determination for the coming fight. "Are you ready?"

I nodded vigorously, eyes alight with excitement—but not just for the battle.

"The battle patrol is leaving now," Lightningstrike announced clearly, his voice ringing out in the enclosed camp as he began to tread toward the entrance. The many other cats who would join us all came forth and streamed out of the camp.

Our patrol stayed as silent as possible, creeping stealthily through the forest, until we were in sight of the ShadowClan border. We moved into an attack formation behind the thick wall of shielding brambles, waiting for ShadowClan to make the first move.

A lone cat slid from the darkness on the other side of the border, glancing around furtively and giving a quick flick of his tail. More cats poured out behind him, eyes searching warily for signs of enemies.

"Climb the trees," Lightningstrike whispered. I nodded, quickly passing the instruction on and scampering up a nearby maple. The ShadowClan cats advanced slowly into our territory, completely unaware we were there. Lightningstrike gave me a flick of his ear, signaling for the battle to begin.

"ThunderClan, attack!" I yowled, leaping from my tree onto the back of an utterly dumbstruck calico she-cat. I screeched with triumph as my claws scored long gashes down her flanks, blood welling up from the wounds. She let out a sharp cry of agony, rolling over and throwing me off onto the ground.

I leapt to my feet, ready to continue the fight, but she ran from the fray, leaving crimson spots on the ground below her. I snorted in contempt, launching myself back into the writhing mass of cats.

I tackled a russet tom, and was tearing into his exposed belly when I heard a cry for help. I whipped my head around, and my eyes went wide as I saw Brackenbreeze pinned beneath a massive black tabby; he was thrashing violently, but to no avail. The black cat sneered and lowered his head to deliver a killing bite.

"No!" I shouted, throwing myself towards Brackenbreeze. Time slowed down as I flew across the clearing. I'm not going to make it, I thought despairingly.

No, countered the part of me which had planned this. You'll do it.

I was barely a tail-length from him when Hollylight appeared out of the blue. I watched in shock, which turned to abject horror as she slammed into the burly tom, knocking him a fox-length away. I landed short, skidding to a halt and simply staring at the two cats on top of each other.

"You—" Brackenbreeze choked. "You saved me."

Hollylight purred and licked his cheek, as the fight still raged around them. "Anything for you, my love."

Something snapped inside me, and it was all I could do not to hurl myself onto Hollylight right there and then, ripping the life from her glistening amber eyes. Instead, I took out my rage on the ShadowClan warriors, tearing clumps of fur from their pelts. As the last warrior scurried into the bushes, I was panting, turning left and right to look for more victims.

"Briarblaze," Hollylight mewed, sidling over to me. "It's over."

I looked around once more, shook myself, and sighed with such a mix of emotions as to be indescribable. "Yes," I agreed. "It's over."

It was now the day after the battle. I was crouching by the edge of camp, crunching vengefully on a mouse on which I imagined Hollylight's face.

She agreed, I thought, remembering last night when I had asked her if I could help her collect some catmint. I knew a perfect place, but it was at the bottom of a sheer cliff, with sharp rocks lining the bottom.

As I finished my meal, Hollylight came up beside me, an expectant look in her eyes. "Are you ready to go?" She asked, paws kneading the ground in understandable impatience; it was now coming up on leaf-bare, and she would need the catmint to cure the inevitable bout of deadly greencough.

"I'm ready," I replied, my eyes shining at the thought of what I was about to do. We padded silently through the forest, watching as the first amber leaves of leaf-fall spiraled forlornly from their trees. We reached the edge of the ravine, stopping to look down at the crucial little leaves growing at the bottom.

"This is the place," I mewed, keeping any hint of my plot out of my voice.

"How do you propose we get down?" Hollylight questioned anxiously, glancing from the fatal rock face up to me.

I stared back at her, my gaze now clouding with the hate I felt for her. "Something like this," I snarled viciously, rearing up to my full height and shoving her off the cliff.

She let out a horrified shriek, which was abruptly ceased as she slammed onto the rocks below with a dull thud.

I leaped gracefully down a secret path, purring as I saw my nemesis sprawled on the ground at my feet, broken. She twitched feebly, and I put on a smirk as she opened her eyes and weakly coughed up blood.

"Why?" She whispered, straining her neck to look at me. "Why would you do this?"

"You stole my mate," I replied, my voice dripping with venom. "You can't even take a mate, being a medicine cat, but you did anyway, and stole my love from me." I lowered my head, my eyes boring into hers, making sure she would feel my loathing. "He will be Mine," I hissed. "Mine forever."

I silenced her with a jerk of my paw, shuddering in satisfaction as the blood ran freely from her neck and swirled around my paws. My job now done, I bent down and lifted her body in my jaws, feigning tenderness so I wouldn't be suspected.

I carried her all the way back to camp, screwing up my eyes with false tears. I stumbled through the entrance, collapsing after I set Hollylight's body gently in the middle of the clearing. Shocked gasps and cries arose as the clan saw Hollylight's limp form in the center of camp.

"What?" Lightningstrike exclaimed as he scrambled out into the light, aghast at seeing the medicine cat dead in front of him. "What happened?"

"I—" I choked, still forcing myself to sob. "We were going to collect catmint, and… She…" I broke off, burying my face in my chest, secretly grinning in pleasure.

I recomposed my grief-stricken expression, raising my head shakily to speak again. "She fell off the cliff! When I got down, she was already dying, and she said… She said to tell Brackenbreeze he would find another cat; she was not meant for him."

I gulped and continued weeping, shoving my muzzle into Hollylight's neck. I surreptitiously licked the fur clean so no cat would notice the claw marks. From the corner of my eye, I saw Lightningstrike explaining to the cats what had happened, then heading into the den to get Brackenbreeze. I looked up to see him walk out of the den, and instantly recoil when he saw who was lying on the ground, dead.

"NOOOOOOO!" he screamed. "Hollylight, no! HOLLYLIGHT!"

He sprinted across the clearing, tumbling to land beside her. He raised his head and let out a piercing caterwaul of agony.

"You can't leave me," he mumbled as he pressed his fur to hers.

"I won't leave you," I mewed softly, sliding across so our pelts touched lightly. "She was my sister, and your mate; I can help you with this."

He nodded weakly, tears still splashing on Hollylight's side from his eyes. "But what if I can't?" he whispered, closing his eyes against the sobs of grief. I laid my head next to his, quietly uttering expressions of sorrow.

I woke up the next day, blinking blearily in the morning sun. Brackenbreeze stirred in his sleep, suddenly crying out for Hollylight.

I shook him awake, and his eyes rested on Hollylight's body in front of us. He let out another moan, burying his face in her fur and drinking in her scent for the last time.

"She told me to find another," he choked. "But how?"

I rested my muzzle on his shoulder and purred. "As long as they love you, it will all fall into place."

He stiffened slightly and turned a questioning look on me. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"I—" I started, then cleared my throat. "I love you, Brackenbreeze. We are both devastated by this loss, but let it be our making, not our undoing."

His wondrous yellow eyes lit up in surprise, and with affection. "I-I never realized…" he stammered, "But I love you too."

I shifted closer to him, entwining our tails, and murmuring soft words of tender emotion. He turned his head back to Hollylight, crying again over her death.

Glancing to the side as he licked her pelt, I saw my sister's spirit, weeping tears of betrayal at the cruel deed I had done. She was horrified at how I had played her murder to make Brackenbreeze my mate.

I growled at her, putting all the hate and betrayal I had felt into my voice. "He's Mine now," I sneered, curling my lip. "He will forever be Mine."