New oneshot time! Hooray! Time to get thinking again! Tell me what you think.
He couldn't explain what it was about her that he was attracted to. She was a plain she-cat. There was just something about the way that her fur smelled, and the way it shone when the sun hit it just right, that made him want to curl himself around her and lay there forever, forgetting the rest of the world. But she loved Berrynose. He felt sorry for her whenever the older tom rejected her to go hunting with Birchfall or Whitewing.
They were warriors now, all of them. and he wanted nothing more than to settle down and start a family. With her. He wanted her to bear his kits, and he longed for her scent to linger on his pelt all day. He wanted her to love him just as much as he loved her. But he knew that he couldn't make someone love him.
"Lionclaw?" Hollygaze mewed one day as he padded into the nursery to drop off fresh-kill for her sister. "Is something wrong? You look troubled."
"I'm fine," Lionclaw snapped, dropping the vole at Hollygaze's feet and stalking away. Out in the clearing, he saw her, sitting there with Berrynose, who had his muzzle in the air, looking away from her as she tried desperately to get his attention. Then, she mewed something that made Berrynose's eyes snap open. He gazed at the she-cat in shock, then meowed something back. She stared at the older warrior for a moment before racing out of the camp and into the forest.
"Honeyfur, wait!" Lionclaw called, pelting after the she-cat. He found her sitting by the abandoned Twoleg nest a short distance from the camp. Her chin rested on her paws as she gazed up at the cloudy sky, her eyes clouded with greif. "Honeyfur?" Lionclaw meowed, sitting down beside her and placing the tip of his tail on her shoulder. Honeyfur jerked away.
"Leave me alone," she spat coldly.
"What did Berrynose say to you?" Lionclaw asked, ignoring the she-cat's furious glare. "I swear, if he hurt you, I will go back there and slaughter him."
"No," Honeyfur sighed, shaking her head. "Don't do that, please."
"What did he say to you?" Lionclaw demanded.
"Well," Honeyfur mewed uncertainly. "I decided it was time I told him how I really felt about him. I told him that I loved him and asked him if he felt the same way, and he said he didn't." The she-cat paused to sniffle. "He was just so...so rude about it!" she cried. "He just flat out rejected me. I felt horrible."
"If he were to be your mate," Lionclaw meowed. "He shouldn't treat you like that."
"I guess you're right," Honeyfur replied. "I guess he wasn't really the one for me, you know?" She paused and gazed into Lionclaw's eyes for what seemed like a lifetime before turning away. "I...I suppose I don't truly have a soulmate."
"Don't tell yourself that," Lionclaw meowed. "There's a soulmate for everyone in this forest. All you have to do is look. You shouldn't give up so easily, Honeyfur. Remember, a true warrior does not give up."
Honeyfur nodded. "You're right," she mewed. After a bit of a pause, she asked, "Do you think I'll ever find my soulmate?"
"I'm sure you will," Lionclaw replied. "All you have to do is keep on trying. If you love someone, tell them. I guess I should head back to camp now. You can come, too, if you want."
"No, thanks," Honeyfur sniffled.
Lionclaw nodded in understanding, then turned and padded away. He was halfway back to camp, when he heard pawsteps pounding behind him. A voice cried out, "Lionclaw! Hang on!"
Lionclaw turned and sat down. Honeyfur came crashing out of the undergrowth and barreled into him. "I thought about what you said," she mewed. "And I've decided it's time I told you something." She turned away for a moment, gazing up at the sky, before turning back to him. "Lionclaw," she mewed, her lip quivering. "I...I think I love you. More than I loved Berrynose."
Lionclaw closed his eyes. "I love you, too," he murmured. He opened his eyes to find Honeyfur gazing at him longingly. He leaned forward and covered her muzzle in affectionate licks. She twined her tail with his, and together, the two of them padded back to camp.