I do not own Warriors.

Chapter One

StreamXDeer

Stream's POV

The first time I noticed Deerslash was when I was a small kit. I had followed a butterfly to a creek and fell in. Deerpaw had fished me out. When I looked into his rich, golden eyes, I knew that he'd be mine. But I was a kit, and he was a few days from becoming a warrior! What was I thinking? He's so handsome and caring-he'd have a mate in no time.

So I spied on him when I was an apprentice. I followed him everywhere he went. I made sure he didn't get close too any she-cat except for me.

One day I approached him. "Hey Deerslash, can you help me with a hunting technique? I just can't get it down with my mentor...maybe you could help!" Of course, him being him, he helped me. Then after we finished, we watched the clouds. My heart was racing so fast when we were laying there, out pelts touching. Every few seconds I looked at him. He caught me a few times.

How embarrassing!

But, as moons passed, I wasn't that little clumsy kit that fell into the stream. I was a strong, lithe, young cat. I remember getting my warrior name. Streamsplash. Deerslash smiled at me and ruffled my fur with his paw when I approached him after the ceremony. "Congratulations Streamsplash!" My heart melted.

He said my name!

One night I was dreaming of Deerslash and me running through fields together when I felt a prod. My head snapped up to face Deerslash. "Hi!" I said cheerfully. He nosed me out of the den and into the forest. "What is it?" I asked.

He looked at his paws. "Umm... Streamsplash... I know you are a good friend of mine...but...I thought I'd tell you first...me and Spottedwhisker are mates."

My heart seemed to shatter like glass. What could I say?

Congratulations!

No.

I HATE YOU!

No.

I Love you! Pick me!

Maybe...no.

I took a deep breath. "Good...for...you...?" I said through gritted teeth. He eyed me cautiously.

"Are you alright?" What should I say?

DARK FOREST NO!

No.

Really, I'm not. You just broke my heart, idiot.

NO.

"Oh, I'm fine!" I said cheerfully. Make sure you step on some of my heart so it rubs in! I thought. He smiled at me.

"Good. Thanks for being supportive!" With that, he smiled warmly and trotted back to camp.

I just sat there until dawn. I shook out my fur and walked to camp, my tail trailing behind me.

When I got there, Spottedwhisker was rubbing up against Deerslash lovingly. She suddenly announced loudly,

"I'm having Deerslash's kits!"

I fell down the side of the ravine and thumped against the ground. I went out cold.

. . .

I awoke a few days later. Everyone fussed over me, visiting a few times a day. Except for Deerslash. Spottedwhisker was where he directed his attention. He was deeply in love with her. Even a deaf and blind idiot could know that.

Every day I waited for him to visit me. Every day I was disappointed.

Soon 3 moons had passed since my fall. I was up and hunting by then. Spottedwhisker had begun her kitting that morning.

I stopped by the nursery to see Spottedwhisker weakly lick Deerslash's nose. "Take...care of the...kit for me... You'll be...a...great...father..." Then she went limp.

Deerslash yowled. "WHY? WHY DID STARCLAN TAKE HER FROM ME?" He was crying. I took a step forward.

"Deerslash-"

"LEAVE!" He yowled. I took a step back, then went back to him.

"Deerslash, I'm so sorry for your loss... but...the kit's alive..."

"The kit will never replace her!" He yowled.

"I know, but..."

"The kit can't survive without Spottedwhisker!" He whispers. I look to him.

"I'm trying to help you get over the kit and Spottedwhisker."

He hissed at me. I immediately knew that he'd never be the same. The caring had left his body. It would probably never be found.

"Deerslash-"

"GO AWAY!"

"Fine!" I hiss. "Then I won't tell you what you need to know!" I stormed out of the nursery and into the warriors den. I curled up in my nest and cried.

How could he treat me that way? I love him! He's supposed to be caring! What just happened?

...

A few days later Spottedwhisker and the kit, later named Lovedkit, were both buried under a cherry blossom tree. Deerslash was almost always sitting there, mourning. He loved Spottedwhisker so much. I didn't know a cat could be in a love that deep.

I tried to avoid him, but every day he gave me a look. I'm not sure if it was in thanks, friendship or... love?

One day he walked over to me. "Thanks for trying to help." He said dully.

I wanted to ignore him, but I looked at the ground and whispered, "That's what friends do for each other."

Deerslash took a few steps closer to me. "I was horrible to you. Why did you forgive me?"

I hiss. "Did I say I forgive you? No, I didn't."

He steps back, slightly surprised. "Streamsplash, the other day you said I needed to know something... what would that be?"

I blink back tears. "You don't need to know." I bite my lip. "It'd offend you."

Deerslash rests his tail on my shoulder. I step away, shaking his tail off. "You can tell me." Deerslash pricks his ears forward.

"I've loved you ever since I fell in the stream." I sniffle. "It broke my heart when you and... Spottedwhisker..." Tears flow out of my tear ducts uncontrollably. "And I tried to make you happy, even though I could barely go on." I make a hiccup-like sound cats only make when they are crying over a death, or something very devastating. "So I avoided you when you were mourning, to make it easier for you."

Deerslash blinks a few times before he looks down at his paws. "I'm so, so, sorry Streamsplash." I look up a tiny bit. Then he continues. "But I don't feel the same way about you."

No.

This wasn't happening.

My heart couldn't be breaking again.

I push past him and out of camp. I run, blind from hurt and despair to a pond, crying uncontrollably. My thick, salty tears plunk against the surface of the water.

"Why?" I scream at the water, holding my stomach as I double over. A wind brushes past me and swirls petals around me, but I don't look up. I don't think I ever will again. I fall down from how weak I feel. I continue crying for days, no one coming for me. I was soaked in tears, the salty liquid covering much of my fur, just making me remember what could have been, if I had acted faster as a kit, as an apprentice, as a warrior, if only it could have been.

...

Life went on for me, though almost every second hurt. I hunted, I fought, I got sick, I recovered, I ate, I slept, and I drank. Deerslash never really went near me, and I never went near him. Both of us never found a mate, my first, his second. We both aged, and I gave up my warrior duties a couple of moons before him, thanks to a leg injury. Being an elder was somewhat comforting for me, never having to really do anything, never even having to leave the den, if I didn't want to.

The day Deerslash joined the elders wasn't that bad. He just padded in, put down his nest farthest from mine, and slept. He was asleep for days at a time. I never realized that he was so devoted to being a warrior that he never got to get time to think about his life's events. Spottedwhisker's death left a hole in his heart, and I was stupid to think that I could replace it.

Around 8 moons later, Deerslash passed. He died in his sleep. Surprisingly, I was sad. When he was sprawled out in the clearing, dead, I went down, my joints clicking, and curled around him, trying to pass some warmth into his cold body. I stroked his back fur with my paw.

"It's all right. Now, you'll be happy. I'm sorry I couldn't help you, all those years ago. You love Spottedwhisker, not me. And I respect that. I tried, Deerslash. I tried to mend your heart. But it was too far broken for you to love anyone but her. I understand now. May you have endless hunting in Starclan. And I hope you see Spottedwhisker." With that, I stand up.

We carry Deerslash to the cherry blossom tree and bury him next to where Spottedwhisker and Lovedkit are. It seemed appropriate.

On the way back, I feel a little dizzy, and when I curl up in my nest and close my eyes, I know I won't be waking up. But at least I finally got my clarity.

...

There's something about love that makes it so rewarding. I loved Deerslash more than I could imagine, but he loved Spottedwhisker even more. They were mates. But you don't have to be mates to love. Through death, heartbreak, and life we must hold on. Deerslash and I both experienced this. The death of Deerslash's old self hurt me, and he broke my heart at least two times. But I went through life. And Deerslash, his mate died and he was heartbroken. But he went on too. The word 'mates' is just a stereotype.

You can be deep in love with someone without being 'mates'.

When I talked to Deerslash before we buried him, I truly meant it. I love him so much that I hope he does find Spottedwhisker, and I hope they raise their kit in Starclan.

Sometimes I really wish that I had made my move sooner.

But you can't live life regretting stupid things.

So, how'd you like it? I really like this! I might do a Starclan time for them... Review please!