Chapter 2

Birchfall's POV

Two moons have passed since the accident had passed with Berrynose. Every day I tried to talk to him. To ask him what had happened that dreadful day, but with each chance came a cold shoulder or a glare. I was beginning to think that anything that he felt for me that day was gone. It vanished. But I still wanted him.

I wanted what I knew I couldn't have. So tonight I knew I had to do something, I had to get him to tell me what happened and why he won't even think twice about talking to dusk fell and all of the cats went to their dens, I padded out silently because I knew he was on watch to night. As I padded closer I saw his cream colored pelt sparkle under the silver moon light. It made me want to go over there and snuggle with him and never leave his side.

I noticed that as I got closer he backed away into the darkness of the shadows that came from the bramble entrance. His eyes grew huge with fear, as he scrambled away. I stopped just a few feet in front of him realizing that he couldn't go back much farther.

"What's wrong Berrynose? I am not gonna do anything to you I just want to talk." He hissed violently but quietly so that I was the only one who could hear him.

" You! I hate you and I will never like you! Its wrong and it's a disgrace to the clan. Don't you see what everyone will think of you if you keep trying to pad after me?" I looked at him stunned.

So he did know. Hadn't he remembered anything? Or at least any of the good that had come of that day?

My heart suddenly felt like it had been sliced open, and that what he was saying was just making the pain unbearable. I had to get out of there, and now. I tried to hide my tears by putting my head down and running out, but I know he saw the tears that had fallen at his paws as I ran out.

Berrynose's POV

I sat there in the night hoping he didn't come out, hoping he wouldn't try to talk to me. It would be too much to turn him down and see the hurt in his eyes. It would break my heart to turn him down. I did love him but I couldn't afford to let her hurt me again, if I tried to love him. And I also wouldn't take the chances of her some how getting to him.

Why hadn't I seen the hostility between these two sooner? I asked myself as a shadow appeared out of the warriors den. I prayed that it wasn't him. But as the cat got closer I froze with fear and I did the only thing that I knew would keep him away from me. I backed up as he kept walking and began to hiss and spat at him finally when I was just inches from the bracken entrance. He paused and spoke as I kept hissing.

"What's wrong Berrynose? I am not gonna do anything to you I just want to talk." I did the unbearable, and spat.

"You! I hate you and I will never like you! Its wrong and it's a disgrace to the clan. Don't you see what everyone will think of you if you keep trying to pad after me?"

It broke my heart, and I thought of that day, where I almost told him how I truly felt about him and I almost broke down then and there as I saw agony and sorrow take over his amber gaze.

All of the sudden he looked down and cringed the next thing I knew he was gone. But I noticed the tears that he had tried so hard not to show me, laying basically at my paws as I stood up to try and stop him before he left.

Birchfall's POV

As I ran through the forest I stumbled over rocks and branches as the tears that stung my eyes just kept coming. What was I thinking? I should never have even thought that he would like me that way. I mean I guess that should have been obvious by how he chose Honeyfern over me if he had any idea back then. I sat alone in the dark just staring at nothing, I guess just wondering if anything or anyone would come. Nothing, just silence was all that had come with me. I thought about going back to camp as I began to get drowsy.

But decided it was best to stay away. I don't think I could handle seeing him right now or any of my clan mates right now. So I curled up in a ball and soon drifted off to sleep as a slight breeze ruffled my fur.

I awoke in darkness I looked around thinking I could still just be in the forest but my mind quickly changed as a sudden breeze came through and I recognized the scent of the cat that came with it. Honeyfern.

I heard paws lightly padding on the floor but I couldn't tell where they were coming from until there she stood right in front of my face. I let out a furious hiss and batted at her with unsheathed claws. But she laughed as I cut right through her.

She walked around me in a circle just staring me down and then she slid her tail under my chin and purred.

"Birchfall, you know nothing of the cats that have died do you? You can try all you want to hurt me but it wont happen because am already dead. But you however." She paused as she unsheathed her claws.

"Are still very alive and now trying to steal my Berrynose from me. And I am just going to have to teach you a lesson." She lashed out at me to quickly for me to dodge, and she snagged my shoulder. Blood began flow out of my wound in what felt like waves, I began to feel the burning and I let out a screech of pain. She laughed again her voice full of malice.

"You think that's bad? Wait for this…" she turned her head and yelled.

"Tigerstar! he is ready for you." All of the sudden a large brown tabby appeared and he looked like Brambleclaw's twin.

Wait that must have been his father. He charged at me and as I tried to run away he crashed into me and sent me flying, as I hit the ground my breath was knocked from me. He was at my side in an instant, and jabbed me side with his unusually long claws, and he racked them down my side. Unable to move I wailed as pain flooded over me.

I am dead; I thought he is going to finish me off.

"Stop!" she yelled suddenly.

"I don't want him dead. Yet." I sat up barely unable to keep myself there and spat in her face as she approached me.

"So you cant even fight your own battles, you have cats fight them for you." I tried to go on but I still hadn't gained back all of my breath.

"Oh I can fight them myself I just don't want to get my paws dirty. And I can still get what I want. If you noticed how Berrynose treated you earlier, that was all me." I blinked, so he didn't hate me, he had a reason for keeping me away.

"And if you go near him again, he will pay the price. Just because I know how much you want him. I will make it so you just can't have him." I woke with the sun in my eyes and as I stood I felt pain tremble through my body, I looked over at the wounds that were still gushing blood, and I heard her last warning go through my head.

"And if you go near him again, he will pay the price. Just because I know how much you want him. I will make it so you just can't have him."