The night was quiet. Barely a claw of the moon shone into the black forest. A stream was babbling mutedly beside a large. White-gray stone where two figures sat curled up together, huddling against the cold wind leaf-fall brought.

"This is wrong," murmured one of the figures, the starlight barely revealing her dark, spotted fur.

"I don't care," whispered her companion, a lighter-colored but thicker-furred cat. He gently licked her ears.

"But Stonestar," protested the she-cat, her sapphire eyes glittering with worry. "We're leaders! We should think of our Clans before our happiness. Plus, what if someone caught us?"

"I don't care," repeated Stonestar. "Let them know. Let the whole world know! I love you, Rainstar, and nothing will ever change my mind – or my heart."

"Yes, but what about your Clan?" Rainstar pressed. "There will come a time when you have to choose, mark my words."

An owl hooted in a nearby tree, startling the cats.

"We should go," Rainstar whispered, standing up.

"Will I see you again?" asked Stonestar, amber eyes clouding.

"Tomorrow," replied Rainstar, and with that she jumped off of the rock, over the stream, and disappeared into the foggy territory of MistClan.

-

The nights were becoming colder. Stonestar shivered as a harsh breeze ruffled his greenleaf-thin fur as he sat on the same frozen rock as the night before.

"Where is she?" he murmured to himself. Rainstar had not arrived, and the moon was beginning to dip low. The forest around him was very quiet, and the wind had stopped blowing. Even the stream surrounding the island had ceased activity.

Stonestar felt his paws prickle as a thought crossed his mind: she's not coming.

Of course she's coming! he protested, shaking his head.

A rustle in the trees and a fresh MistClan scent made Stonestar look up, only to find himself face-to-face with a snowy white she-cat.

"You shouldn't be here," she said in a very strong voice, though Stonestar could detect a hint of sympathy.

"Ivorycloud? Why are you here?" Stonestar felt the fur on his shoulders rising.

"Rainstar told me everything." Ivorycloud sat down and wrapped her slender tail around delicate white paws.

"Oh." Stonestar's ears flattened and his tail drooped. After a moment in silence, he let out a small wail. "What am I going to do?"

"Rainstar and you have a choice to make; but before you make any decisions, I want to let you in on a little secret. You have one life – well, yes, technically nine," she corrected herself as Stonestar opened his mouth to argue, "and one chance to live it. You have forever in StarClan. Would you rather spend a lifetime with Rainstar, or eternity?"

Stonestar pondered Ivorycloud's words for a moment before replying, "You're saying I should be the best leader I can be, and reward my life by spending my time in StarClan with Rainstar." Ivorycloud nodded. Stonestar sighed. "Then I shall live my life to the fullest. Thank you, Ivorycloud."

"A wise leader knows when to listen to the words of a medicine cat," Ivorycloud meowed, satisfied, disappearing into the fog.

"I will wait," Stonestar whispered, getting up to return to his own home. "I will wait for you, Rainstar."

-

The sky was starting to turn dawn-gray as two cats silently padded through the misty underbrush. One of the two, a brown tabby, turned to the other.

"You did the right thing, Rainstar."

Rainstar looked at her friend seriously. "I hope I did, Hawkwing."

Hawkwing lightly brushed her leader's shoulders with her tail and the two she-cats quietly walked back to camp.