'Okay,' began Brambleclaw. He and Brackenfur had offered to go hunting, though really they just needed some privacy. 'I may... or may not, of course... theoretically, I mean... be, hypothetically, of course, in love with a theoretic hypothetic possible medicine cat. Maybe. And by a horrible turn of hypothetical theoretical events that hypothetically have nothing to theoretically do with me... It may not be hypothetical. Maybe.'

Silence.

'Do I make myself clear?!'

'Umm... not really, no.'

'Okay, I'll start again. I may-'

'STARCLAN NO! I GET THE IDEA! SPARE MEEEEE... JUST MAKE IT SIMPLE!' Brackenfur sobbed.

'...I'minlovewithleafpool.' Brambleclaw said, at roughly 20 words per second.

'What? Didn't quite catch that.'

'... Iloveleafpoolokaydidjagetthatiminlovewiththemedicinecatofthunderclaniminlovewithleafpool.' He replied.

Brackenfur face-pawed.

'I... am... in... love... with... Leafpool. OKAY?!'

'You... are in love with the leader's daughter. Who's a medicine cat. And you're deputy?!'

Brambleclaw nodded sheepishly. His eyes were fixed firmly on the ground. He couldn't meet Brackenfur's steady gaze.

'Right. Okay.'

Brambleclaw stared in shock as his friend chased after a mouse. He doesn't care. Brambleclaw thought. Why? Will he tell Firestar? Hmm...

'Ow! Fox dung.' Brambleclaw yowled. He had stepped on a large thorn and got it stuck in his pad.

Sorreltail (who had said she would accompany them but had been left behind when the toms were 'chasing that fast looking mouse.' which Brambleclaw had seen) ran up. 'Are you okay?' she asked, looking at his pad. 'Ooh... You'd better go and see Leafpool about that.'

Gladly. 'If I must...' He tried to make his sigh sound resigned rather than wistful.