It that time in Australia, only two months till scorching sun and relentless 40 degree Celsius plus days (AKA summer). Enjoy this chapter, and, as always, please review!

Sunstrike didn't quite know what she was doing.

She walked over the moorland, her paws heavy and her heart sinking. By this simple action, meeting Thornclaw, she was disobeying every thing she had been taught, the warrior code and her instincts. It was all so wrong yet it was so right. She loved Thornclaw, that was a fact she couldn't avoid, but they were from different clans. Why do we have to be in different clans? Why? Why? Why? She thought furiously to herself. She somehow managed to keep her thoughts under control as she reached the moonpool. There, waiting for her, his golden pelt glistening in the rising sun, was Thornclaw.

She sped up, feeling light as air, her paws barely skimming the ground. She collided into Thornclaw in an undignified crash but neither of them cared. She pushed against him purring like mad and he returned the affection. "Sunstrike," He whispered simply, his voice quite but meaningful; "Thornclaw," she whispered back. "How are you?" He asked, sitting down and carelessly washing himself. 'Good," She mewed, then yawned, "But tired." She added. "Going to the gathering and then getting up to sneak away at dawn isn't the best." Thornclaw laughed, and then yawned. "I agree!" he meowed.

"Perhaps we should choose a better time to meet, that way we're both not complete wrecks." Thornclaw suggested. It was a simple question, but for some reason it meant a lot to Sunstrike. "Keep meeting…" She whispered. Some horrible feeling lurched inside her as she realised the level of disloyalty she had gotten herself into. But for some reason she ignored it. "Yes," she whispered, "Another time of day would be good." "Great!" Thornclaw meowed. "How about sunset?" Sunstrike paused then mewed "Yes."

"I have to go now," Thornclaw meowed, "But I'll see you here tomorrow at sunset." "Goodbye." Sunstrike whispered, "See you tomorrow." She pressed her pelt against his. "Bye." Sunstrike murmured. Thornclaw turned around and disappeared into the bushes on ThunderClan's side of the border. Sunstrike turned around and noticed that the sun had risen. She cringed; her clanmates were probably wondering where she was. She started to head back to camp.

When she got there, Ashfoot, the clan deputy, greeted her. "Sunstrike there you are." Ashfoot meowed, "I want you to join a hunting patrol." Oh great, after barely getting any sleep last night, getting up at dawn and going to the gathering, I get to chase rabbits all day. She thought to herself. Life's just not fair sometimes. Shaking her head, she headed off with the hunting patrol.

After a tiring, tiring day, Sunstrike just managed to drag herself back to camp. I'm never doing that again. She thought to herself, never. But her bad mood was spoiled by the appearance of Swallowtail. "Sunstrike, Sunstrike!" The dark gray she-cat mewed, excited. "Guess what!" Sunstrike somehow managed to gather enough energy to purr. "What?" She meowed. "I'm expecting Antpelt's kits!"

"Great!" Sunstrike mewed, happy for her friend. "I'm happy for both of you, Antpelt will make a great father, too." "Thank you." Swallowtail meowed "Thank you very much." All of a sudden Antpelt burst into the camp and practically collided with Swallowtail "Emberfoot just congratulated me on being a father," He meowed, "Is it true?" Swallowtail ducked her head, embarrassed "Yes." She meowed "It's true." "Great!" Antpelt mewed. He then pressed himself against Swallowtail and purred.

Leaving the two cats, Sunstrike headed over too the fresh-kill pile, where she was greeted by Leaftail. "Hey, um… do you want to share this with me?" He mewed nervously, gesturing to a rabbit at his paws. Sunstrike blinked her tired eyes at him "Sure." She mewed. Then she noticed how Leaftail was looking at her, and what Swallowtail had said. He does like me. She realised with sickening realisation. Oh StarClan, can't you make my life a bit easier, please?