How could this have happened? She hadn't meant to do anything wrong. And she especially hadn't meant to have anything to do with him. He was so stuck up, rude, and conceited! Why did it have to happen to her? There were plenty of other she-cats in the Clan. Like Whitewing or even Leafpool. But why did he have to pick her? She didn't love him. She loved Ashfur. Ashfur was kind, caring, the only tom in the Clan who would listen to her problems. And the best part ws, he loved her back. How could she possible explain to him what had happened?
"Squirrelflight!" Ashfur called as the ginger she-cat entered the ThunderClan camp. Squirrelflight glanced at her mate sadly, then turned away. "Squirrelflight?" he mewed, padding over to her. "What's wrong?"
"I...I can't say," Squirrelflight replied. "I simply cannot say it."
"You can tell me anything," Ashfur assured her.
"But not this," Squirrelflight insisted, padding toward Leafpool's den.
"Squirrelflight," her sister mewed as she entered. "How are you?"
"Distraught," Squirrelflight replied. She padded closer to the medicine cat. "Can you promise to keep a secret?"
"Certainly," Leafpool meowed carefully. "What is it you have to say?"
Squirrelflight leaned in toward her sister so that her muzzle was a whisker length away from the medicine cat's ear. But she couldn't manage to keep her voice a whisper. "I'm pregnant!" she blurted out.
The shock in Leafpool's eyes was undisguised. "Pregnant," she mewed slowly. "You're pregnant."
"Exactly!" Squirrelflight cried, falling to the ground.
"I thought you'd be happy. I'm sure Ashfur will be."
"That's the problem," Squirrelflight whispered, her voice cracking. "They're not his. They're...Brambleclaw's."
"You're having Brambleclaw's kits?" Leafpool asked.
"Yes!" Squirrelflight snarled. "You daft mousebrain! How long does it take for you to catch on? I'm pregnant! The kits aren't Ashfur's! They're Brambleclaw's! Do you understand now?"
A shuffling of pawsteps was heard behind Squirrelflight. She whipped around furiously to see...Ashfur.
"Squirrelflight?" he mewed softly. "Are you alright? I heard you yowling and I came to see what was going on."
"I..." Squirrelflight started, but was cut off by Brambleclaw as he stepped into the medicine den and padded to my side.
"She's pregnant," he purred triumphantly, twining his tail with mine. "She's having my kits. Don't you see, Ashfur? She doesn't love you. I was clearly her choice all along. If I weren't, she wouldn't have come to me begging to be my mate and have my kits."
Ashfur just stood there for a moment, glaring at Brambleclaw. Then, he turned his hot glare to Squirrelflight. She flinched.
"Please, Ashfur," she whispered. "It's not true. I love you, not him. Please, please believe me."
Ashfur growled. "You filthy, lying, cheating lump of foxdung!" He leapt at the she-cat, his claws unsheathed. Squirrelflight heard Leafpool gasp as she tumbled to the ground, Ashfur's claws dug into her skin. She yowled in pain, but did not bother to fight back. Ashfur continued to lash at her, slicing open deep wounds in her flanks, tail, ears and just above her eyes.
"It's a good thing we're in the medicine den," Brambleclaw purred. "Someone's going to have to patch up Squirrelflight's wounds."
Ashfur stopped suddenly, climbing off of her. He glared at me once more as Squirrelflight lay on the floor, bleeding into the dust. Though anger showed clearly in his eyes, there was a hint of sadness behind it.
"I hope you two enjoy your lives," he growled as he stalked out. "I'm sure your kits will be beautiful, Squirrelflight."
"Ashfur!" Squirrelflight mewed after him, struggling to get to her paws. Leafpool pushed her back down gently and nudged her into a nest in the corner of the medicine den.
"Shhh," she whispered. "It's alright. You'll be fine."
"I don't want to be fine!" Squirrelflight mewed weakly. "I want to die."
"I'm not going to let that happen," Leafpool meowed firmly.
Squirrelflight glared at Brambleclaw as he padded joyfully out of the medicine den, purring as he went. You monster, she thought. You horrible, horrible monster.