Chapter 2: Complicated

Foxflower padded into ThunderClan camp, two luckless voles clamped in his jaws. He carefully set the dead rodents in the fresh-kill pile, and strolled over to join his friend Waterwing, who was recklessly devouring an innocent squirrel as if he hadn't eaten in days.

"Hungry, are you?" purred Foxflower, his golden eyes glinting in amusement. Waterwing didn't reply until he was finished eating (which only took about three seconds anyway) and even then his only reply was "Yep." While Waterwing was gasping for breath, Foxflower caught sight of his mate, Lionclaw, emerging from the patrol she led.

"Hey, Waterwing, I'm gonna go say hi to Lionclaw, okay?"

"Sure, yeah, that's totally cool. Yeah, ditching your bud who was there first for your mate is so cool, you need two pelts. Yeah, cool-" But Foxflower had already run over to Lionclaw, mewing a greeting.

He nuzzled he and purred "How are you?" She didn't reply right away. She avoided eye contact with him, and seemed sad and deep in thought.

"Foxflower," She began, choosing her words carefully. "I…. I don't think we should be mates anymore."

Foxflower didn't say anything. When Lionclaw mustered the courage to look into his eyes, his expression was a mixture of disbelief and hurt. He was searching her face, trying to find a hint of her smile, trying to get Lionclaw to admit that it was a joke, and that she still loved him… but that never happened. Finally, Foxflower spoke: "But….but w-why?" His voice was broken, little more than a whisper.

Lionclaw hadn't wanted this to happen; She tried to love Foxflower the way she used to, but…. She just couldn't. She didn't want him to get hurt. She had never wanted that. But she felt there was no other. She still loved Foxflower, but… not in that way.

She sighed. "It's…. complicated." She finally managed.

"To complicated to tell me?" Gasped Foxflower. Lionclaw tried to reply, but it was too late. Foxflower had run off. And despite the fact that they lived in the same Clan, she never saw him again.

Neither did anyone else.