Love… From a Different View

I shriek in terror, running blindly in whichever direction I am facing. They took everyone, is my only thought. The twolegs took them all. Faces flash before my eyes, glistening with tears of despair: the faces of my friends and clanmates, whom I saw taken from me all at once by those… those beasts.

My legs finally give out, and I sprawl on the ground, crying softly at the hopelessness that is encroaching on my mind. "What will I do?" I wail to no one in particular, raising my open mouth to the sky. "There's nobody left!"

Suddenly, the weight of the situation slams into me, shattering the frail fragments of futile hope I had left. I am now the last one, the last cat of ThunderClan. I bury my nose in my paws, salty liquid soaking my ragged tortoiseshell fur and turning the ground beneath me to mud. I sit there for StarClan knows how long, weeping until my eyes feel like they're about to crack in two.

I blink weakly, the last of my powerful emotions expended for now. Suddenly, I hear the sound of twigs snapping. Something is crashing through the forest towards me. It's the twolegs. They're coming for me at last. I'm sorry, ThunderClan. I've failed.

I catch a glimpse through the undergrowth, and gasp in surprise; I see not the pink, slimy skin and unnatural multicolored pelts of a twoleg, but instead the deep russet fur of a fellow cat. He bursts into the clearing in front of me, and I instantly recoil at seeing his identity.

"Foxclaw," I snarl. "Couldn't you have just gone with the rest of the clan?" My eyes glint, not teasingly, but with unfeigned abhorrence.

"Not if I wanted to survive," he huffs, evidently too winded to counter my venomous inflection.

"Pah," I spit. "That's what I meant."

"Well I'm not exactly thrilled you survived either, Shadowedleaf" he retorts, "But in case you hadn't noticed, we're the last two cats in our clan. Like it or not, we're going to have to work together."

"And do what?" I jibe back. "In case you hadn't noticed, our clan is gone. We're just a couple of warriors, not even the deputy or medicine cat or anything. They were taken too! They were all taken…" I break down into sobs again. They cut off abruptly as Foxclaw tries to rest his tail on my shoulder in comfort.

"I don't need your help," I seethe, shaking the tears from my deep blue eyes. I rise and spin on my hind leg, rudely flicking my tail in his face as I sprint away, desperate to get as far from that cat as possible. I climb trees once I am a good distance away, in order to ensure he can't follow my scent trail.

I would much rather be the last cat in ThunderClan than be stuck with that snake-tongued coward. His name should have been changed to fox-heart, I rage, flashing back to the beginning of my hatred for him.

It all started when he took an interest in my sister. He was already a warrior, and we were only apprentices at the time, but I guess her shimmering pelt was a draw to anyone. He was still young, and had that hormonal lust gleaming in his eyes whenever they lighted upon her petite, innocent form.

He progressed their relationship quickly, going from sharing tongues in the day to meetings at moonhigh in less than half a moon. She had no idea what he was doing, but loved having attention, so she went along with everything he did.

One night, he took her to a far clearing at the corner of our territory. He made her keep it a secret, and I only found out about a moon later. That night, she returned strangely aroused, but she shrugged off all my questions. One moon later, I found out she was pregnant.

Her kits came early, only half a moon after that; they all died, but that wasn't the worst part. My precious little sister, my lovely Shimmerpaw, died in the nursery. She was barely eleven moons old, and pregnant before ten. All because of this lusty, perverted, self-centered prick of a tom.

I shed a single silvery tear in her memory, watching as it floats through the air as if suspended, blossoming on the ground in a beautiful pattern. My mind wallows in misery as I lie in the crook of the willow tree, both at the sorrow of my sister's untimely death—I have always called it murder—and at the crushing burden of being the last respectable member of my clan.

Foxclaw's POV

I sigh, resigned over the years to Shadowedleaf's hate for me, as she leaves the clearing in a whirlwind of fury.

I shouldn't have done that, I reflect, regretting my choice, moments before, to attempt to comfort the spitting she-cat by touching her. I should have known how that would end.

I know deep inside that we need to stick together; after the horrible tragedy which has befallen our clan, we're all that's left, and need to quickly rebuild or our clan will be destroyed.

I'm sure she sees this point of view, but refuses to have anything to do with me. And I understand why; after all, I impregnated her sister as an apprentice, killing her during kitting.

However, a darker part of me hates her too, thinking she has no right to be so angry at me. It was just instinct, that part of my mind tells me, beginning to take over.

Besides, Shimmerpaw asked for it. She basically caused herself to die; it wasn't my fault. If anything, Shadowedleaf should be angry with her sister. Not with me.

But she has a right to be sad, the nicer side of me protests weakly, feebly trying to regain its position from these dark and corrupted thoughts. It was only your lust which led you to pressure poor Shimmerpaw into letting you go into her; it's not her fault she was too innocent to understand it.

No, the darkness counters, She had feelings for you too. And look at Shadowedleaf now; the whole clan sided with her, throwing scorn upon you.

I close my eyes and press my paws over my ears, squashing my face into the ground in an attempt to block out the arguing voices in my head.

"No!" I hiss. "Shut up! Shut up, shut up, shut up!" The voices only become louder, easily overpowering anything my pitiful lungs are able to create. They fill my head, ricocheting around and causing my skull to feel that it's cracking apart from the turmoil inside.

Eventually, the conflict becomes too much for my feline form, and I pass out, savoring the black, silky silence for a fleeting moment before my consciousness departs like a freed spirit exorcised from its tortured host.

Shadowedleaf's POV

Somewhere in the deepest recesses of my distraught mind originates a single thought, comprised of nothing but empty, abyssal blackness and two words: Go on.

I wearily open my eyes, blinking off the crusts which formed in my fitful sleep. I didn't even realize I fell asleep, and I look around wildly, trying to regain my bearings.

I move to take a step forward, then pull back sharply in fear, a sinking feeling tingling through my stomach as I realize, just in time, that I am still in a tree several tail-lengths above the ground. Now fully alert, I warily make my way back down the tree, relieved when I make it safely to the solid earth upon which I now stand.

I bend down, sniffing for any trace of Foxclaw's scent. I am thankful to find none, and as I glance around the bushes, I see no evidence that I have been followed. Now relaxed, I meander through the forest, pondering what my next course of action should be. My decision is made for me when I hear my belly growl loudly.

"I guess I need to hunt," I mew to the stony, silent air. It brings back memories of hunting with my friends, but also the pain of their capture. I shake my dappled head, resisting the onrush of uncontrollable emotions, and focus on hunting.

I stalk lightly through the undergrowth, casting the piercing gaze of my optics around me, searching for signs of life. By the gnarled roots of an ancient oak, I spot a bushy squirrel, tail swishing through the leaves as it hunts for food.

I take a flying leap, not daring to approach any nearer for fear of detection. By the time the squirrel sees my sleek feline body hurtling towards it, there's nothing it can do. It throws itself vainly to one side, bit my paw slams down on it, breaking its flimsy spine.

I land gracefully and sit down to eat. I send a quick prayer to StarClan, although I feel vaguely betrayed; they didn't save my clan from near total destruction. I finish the squirrel, spitting out fur, when I hear rustling coming from a thick clump of ferns.

I stay still, slowly peering into the dense foliage. I think maybe there's some more prey, perhaps even a rabbit; that'd fill me up for days. Instead, I see a deep red form burst into view, skidding to a halt in front of me.

"You again?" I exclaim in surprise, stepping back a few paces. I quickly recover, placing a scowl on my face and curling my lips. "I thought I told you," I growl, my vocal cords sending pulses of hatred across the clearing, "that I wanted nothing to do with you."

He licks his pelt calmly. "I didn't know you were here," he explains nonchalantly, as if he expects me to believe him.

"Pfft," I scoff. "As if; I know you're following me, and I know why, too. You're after me, just like you were after Shimmerpaw."

He sighs, not confirming my accusation, but not refuting it either. "Look," he begins. "I know how much you hate me, and I know how much I resent you; I'm not asking you to stop hating me, nor would I expect you to."

"Good," I sneer. "You're not completely delusional."

He rolls his eyes and continues. "What I am asking you to do is to put your personal feelings to the side for the safety of your clan… our clan. Teamwork is our only chance of saving ThunderClan!" He paces agitatedly as he finishes his rousing, inspirational speech.

I have to admit, he has a point. But the thought of working with him… I just can't accept it. Do it for the clan, part of me urges. You need to save ThunderClan, and two cats, no matter their feelings for each other, are always better than one.

"No," I retaliate, resisting the pull of necessity. "I'm going to restore our clan to their rightful home, but I'm going to do it alone!"

I stalk off quickly into the bracken, scanning for clues as to where the other cats have been taken. I have to find them first, I decide. Then I can free them. I return slowly to the trampled swath of forest where they were captured. The air is filled with the thick, choking reek of twoleg.

Through the smothering stench, I detect a hint of ThunderClan's distinctive, earthy aroma. I instantly perk up, following the trail intently. My eyes scan the ground, and I momentarily leap back in shock; there are splatters of blood dotting the forest floor.

I shake off my fear and pad onward, now more determined than ever to find my lost clanmates. If those twolegs have hurt them, I plot darkly, I'll shred them to pieces.

I nearly run into a stone wall at the edge of the forest; the path has led me to Twolegplace. I look up and gulp as I see that the wall is several fox-lengths tall; it would be impossible to scale.

What else can I do? Suddenly, it hits me: The kits! How could I have forgotten them? I scamper away from the twoleg wall, desperate to reach the camp before something terrible happens to the precious little scraps of life.

Foxclaw's POV

Shadowedleaf just left again. I am amazed by the true depth of her loathing for me. I always knew she hated me, but now I realize it is so passionate that it surpasses her clan loyalty.

Speaking of clan loyalty, I think, I should help the clan, even if she is determined to go off on her own. I swiftly realize that the kits have been left in camp. It's nearly sunset, and they will be hungry and scared.

I spin and sprint through the forest, leaping clean over the gorse barrier in my haste as I arrive in the ThunderClan camp. I hear loud mewling coming from the nursery; the kits obviously know someone is here. I compose myself and walk in, maintaining an aura of calm despite the adversity of the situation.

"Hey, kits," I mew quietly, lowering my head to their eye level.

"Who are you?" one of them squeaks.

"I want my mama," the other two bawl, their faces screwed up in distress.

"Hush, now," I tell them. "I am Foxclaw. Your mama can't be with you right now, but I'll take care of you until she comes back." The little kits blink up at me in confusion.

"Where is she?" one of them asks, a she-kit with a black tuxedo pelt.

"She's on a mission," I say, lying so they won't be scared. "She'll be gone for a few days. I'll get you some food now."

The other kits stare uncomprehendingly as I hop over to the fresh-kill pile. Thankfully, there's some left over prey, and also the kits are old enough to eat it. I grab a mouse and bring it back into the nursery, tearing off three large pieces.

"Eat up," I instruct them, presenting each little bundle of fur with a share of food.

"I don't like mouse," a tiny white tom complains, shining blue eyes looking up at me in revulsion.

"Eat the mouse," I order sternly, "Or go hungry." The little tom debates within his mind for a few tense seconds, before reluctantly chewing up some of the meat. "That's a good kit," I purr, stroking him with my tail. The three kits finish their meal and begin to yawn.

"It's bedtime now," I announce, lightly pushing them into their nest.

"But…" the third kit, a gray tom with dark stripes, protests feebly. "I'm not… Not tired."

"Yes you are," I counter, chuckling slightly at his stubbornness. The tiny scrap tries to argue, but his eyes close and he drifts off. "There, there," I soothe. "Everything will be just fine."

I curl myself beside the kits, circling them protectively with my paws and tail, and lie down to go to sleep. I may not even really now these kits, but they are now my responsibility. I silently vow to keep them safe, no matter what.

Shadowedleaf's POV

I race through the forest, the trees and bushes blurring around me in the darkening night. Please, StarClan, I pray. Please let the kits be all right. I slide through the gorse barrier, catching my fur on the protecting thorns and panting as I regain my footing.

I burst into the nursery… and stop dead in my tracks. There in front of me are the precious little kits, sleeping soundly. But curled around them, sleeping with them, is the cat I least want to see: Foxclaw. I can barely refrain from shouting at him, but I know I cannot wake the kits.

I instead head off to the warriors' den, bristling at the fact that he got to them before me. The night is upon us, but the next day seems just as dark; we have no clan, no plan, and no hope. I coil up in the cold nest, luxuriating in the blissfully ignorant emptiness of sleep's embrace.

I awake to a bleak, pale dawn; the light is harsh and streams through the gaps in the leaves, its futile warmth overpowered by the iron grip of the earth's icy chill. It is well and truly leaf-fall now; soon, there will be snow, and prey will become nearly nonexistent.

I shiver slightly, getting out of the den and stretching to make the most of the sunlight. I turn to see the three kits tumbling out of the nursery, climbing over each other in their rush to explore.

"Wait just a moment!" Foxclaw exclaims, scrambling to his paws. He leaps from the nursery, and nearly falls over in surprise at seeing me in the camp.

"Wha—" he splutters. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to find the kits," I reply coolly, stalking over to said fluffballs.

"Who're you?" They ask inquisitively.

"Foxclaw said our mommy is on a quest!" A jumpy tuxedo she-cat exclaims, barreling into me with a squeak. "Do you know where she is?"

"No, sweetie," I purr, lowering myself to the ground. "It's her special mission, but she'll be back soon."

"Okay," she replies happily, skipping back to Foxclaw. "Can we have a badger ride?" she begs, eyes wide and pleading.

"Yes, please?" Her two brothers rush over, already leaping onto Foxclaw's back.

"Uh," he grunts, collapsing dramatically. "Okay, climb on!"

"Yippee," the three little kits squeal, holding on tightly as he rises and prances around the clearing, feigning deep growls.

"Rrgh, these annoying kits," he rumbles. "Get them off me!" The three shriek in happiness, swaying wildly as he makes feeble attempts to shake them off of his back.

I hiss, slightly bored with his antics, and wander out of the camp. I'll go find the clan again, I decide. And this time, I'll get into Twolegplace and get them back. I race through the trees, stopping at the point I last found their trail. I have a better look at the wall now, as well as more determination; I notice that it's not as high as I thought, and there is a tree right next to it with limbs which extend into the Twolegplace.

I let out a low purr of satisfaction, quickly scaling the tree and leaping lightly down onto the top of the wall. I can see for forever; twoleg dens dot the horizon, and extended left and right until I could see no more. I nearly fall off the wall, shocked at the massive sprawl that was Twolegplace. My heart feels like it is being squeezed by a stone paw, the life slowly dripping from it like blood from a fatal wound.

How will I find them? They could be anywhere. I am about ready to run away and cry in despair, when a gray tabby tom emerges from the nearest den, seeing me.

"And who might you be?" He inquires, tilting his head up at me.

"My name is Shadowedleaf," I mutter, staring blankly down at him from my perch.

"Oh," he responds knowingly. "You must be one of them Clanners."

I take a few seconds to digest his strange dialect, then confirm his suggestion. "Yes, I am from the clans."

"I heard you Clanners don't take kindly to no strangers; what cause might bring you a-skulkin' around these parts?"

"I'm looking for the rest of my clan," I confess reluctantly; I shouldn't be dealing with kittypet lowlifes, but he may be a good chance of finding my clanmates. "They were taken by the twolegs yesterday…"

"Hm?" His eyes narrow in confusion. "Oh, you mean them Hind-leggers? Yep, I done heard they brought in a picking of Clanners 'round noon yes'rday, if them sleazy rogues are to be trusted."

My pelt tingles; I am so close. "Where are they now?"

"Well, I dunno for certain, bu' they be sayin' they's holed up in yonder buildin'." He points with his tail to a barren gray box of a twoleg structure; it rises above the ones around it, exuding an ominous colorless haze. I shudder, dreading the thought of going into that place.

It'll be for your clan, I tell myself, desperately trying to overcome my fear. "Well, thanks," I mew unsteadily to the strange tom.

"Oh, it ain't no inconvenience or nuthin'," he finishes. "Good luck ter ye!"

I nod, still thrown off by his lopsided accent. I set off along the top of the stone wall, taking up the fastest pace possible while still keeping my balance. I rapidly approach the cold, eerie building, my apprehension mounting with every pawstep, but I still plod on.

The wall ends before I reach the building, so I leap down, rolling to lessen the impact. I get up and approach the towering structure, quailing internally but determined to be brave for my clan. I skirt around the corner, flinching slightly at the rough feeling of the twoleg paths on my paws.

I jump, flattening myself to the ground as the shiny front of the building opens up; out come two twolegs, who thankfully don't notice me. Seeing my chance, I surge forward, slipping through the opening before it closes.

I gape in awe at the immense interior. The ground is paved with a smooth reflective stone, the space rises higher than the treetops of the forest, and an entrancing crystalline structure hangs suspended in mid-air, emanating a brilliant white light.

I jerk myself back to reality, frantically looking around to make sure I haven't been spotted. By StarClan's grace, none of the twolegs have seen me; they all seem busy with some strange objects for which I have no name. I slowly make my way across the floor, sniffing intently for any hint of my clan's smell.

I detect a faint wisp coming from the right side, and quickly slide into the brightly lit tunnel there. I try to remain as silent as possible, pressing my paws to the slick surface beneath them softly, and keeping my claws sheathed.

The scent becomes stronger as I approach an opening in the stark white wall, but it is now smothered in those of blood and fear. I shift my course, stepping into an enclosed space filled with strange cells made of silvery strands woven together.

Gasps of astonishment ring out among the trapped cats, seeing my sleek body appear in the entrance.

"Shadowedleaf!" they cry. "Help us! Get us out!"

"I don't know how," I explain agitatedly. "But are you okay? What happened? What did they do to you?"

"I don't know!" A black tom by the name of Shadestripe wails, rattling his cage.

"They took us here first," a calico she-cat called Dapplenose offers more calmly, though anxiety still shows in her voice. "Then they poked us with these weird things; they made us go unconscious, and when we woke up we were back here."

I shudder, wondering what terrible things could have befallen them during that time.

"Please…" Dapplenose breaks into a pained whisper. "Free us…"

I instantly step to her cage, examining the front side of it. I open my mouth, preparing to bite through the tendrils, but she stops me with a warning hiss.

"We tried that," she tells me. "It will not work."

I remove my jaws from the hard strands, pondering what to try next. There is an irregularity in the grid pattern, and there are extra pieces of this stuff there. I test it with my paw, recoiling in surprise as it moves with a loud snapping noise.

Encouraged, I try again, this time pressing both sides of it with my paws. The cage pops open with a loud snapping noise, sending me tumbling backwards. Dapplenose leaps out with a hoot of triumph. I quickly get to my paws, running around to release the others.

I suddenly hear pawsteps coming from outside, and turn to stare in astonishment as Foxclaw steps in through the opening. "What?" I exclaim, as explanation defies me. "Why are you here?"

"I followed you," he says simply. "I figured you were going to save the clan, and you'd need some help." I stare at him, flabbergasted for a few long, drawn-out seconds, before I spin around to continue freeing the captured cats, now aided by Dapplenose.

"Help if you want," I tell him curtly. He sighs and joins me in releasing the catches on the cages.

"How did you find us?" Dapplenose asks once we have rescued the whole clan and begin heading out.

"I followed your trail to Twolegplace," I explain, remembering my frenzied hunt. "Then I found a kittypet with a weird accent; he told me you were in this place. I came in and there you were."

I stop as we are nearly to the big open space. "There are twolegs in here," I whisper cautiously. "We must be as silent and quick as possible. The rest of the clan nods, accepting my word. I peer around the corner, scanning the twolegs to make sure none of them are looking our way.

"Go!" I signal, flicking my tail. "They're not watching! Quickly!"

The cats stream from behind me into the wide expansive area, sprinting across to the portal at the side. Three cats push on the clear sheet, slowly opening it so the rest can escape. I take up the rear, herding the whole clan through the unnatural opening.

Suddenly, one of the twolegs behind us casually glances up from what it was doing; Its jaw drops at the sight of the fleeing felines. It stands and begins hollering and running at us.

"Hurry," I squeal, shoving the last cat out into the open and pelting after them. The twolegs are hot on our trail, but we are quick and agile, weaving through tight spaces the twolegs have no hope of passing.

"Whew," I breathe, stopping near the edge of the Twolegplace to catch my breath with the rest of the clan. Suddenly, I realize this is where the strange gray tom was earlier; I have another question for him now.

"Where are you going?" Foxclaw questions as I leap up onto a nearby wooden wall; I have heard kittypets call them "fences" before.

"I want to find out what the twolegs did to them," I answer, not wanting him to join me. "Alone, if you don't mind."

"The twolegs are still looking for us," he argues. "You'll need protection…"

"I don't need anything," I snarl, eyes narrowing in defiance. "Least of all from you." I whip around, launching myself onto the ground and not waiting to see what he does in response. I catch sight of the tom from before skulking under a bush.

"Hey, there," I call to him, putting a friendly expression. "Can we talk again?"

"There be just one thing," he hisses. "Who'n is your little friend over yonder?" I bristle and whirl around to face whomever it is, letting out a growl of disgust as I see that Foxclaw followed me again.

"This," I spit, "is Foxclaw. He may be a scheming snake-heart, but he probably won't hurt you. And he's not my friend."

"Hmph," the gray tom grunts. "Well, I dun suppose he's alright. Wha'd'ya wanna know?"

"What did the twolegs do to my friends?" I ask, twisting back to face him.

"Erm," he grunts, evidently thinking about it. "I'd guess they prob'ly done spayed n' neutered 'em, is what I'd say."

My eyes blink in confusion. "What's spaying and neutering?" I ask, some trepidation creeping into my voice; those words sound bad, like removing a vital part of something.

"Oh," he exclaims. "I dun forgotten you Clanners don't know none of them Hind-leggers' terminologies. That means they'n can't mate no more; they can't have kits or nuthin'; them Hind-leggers don't want no cat babies riotin' around the place."

I let out a cry of shock, my eyes flying open. "You mean… None of them will ever have any kits again?"

"That's whut I said," he reiterates. "I'm mighty sorry fer ya, but there ain't nothin' much nobody can do, y'know?"

My legs wobble and I collapse on the ground, not wanting to believe it. "Oh, StarClan," I moan. "What are we going to do? Our clan will die out!"

The tom utters a wordless noise of pity, sorry for me but knowing he can't help.

"Th-thanks for your help," I stutter, rising shakily and moving to leave.

"Say, what'n's your name?"

I look over my shoulder, staring at his curious yet neutral gray eyes. "Shadowedleaf," I answer, my voice surprisingly soft.

"Mine's Devin. Come by anytime, 'kay?"

"Okay," I agree unsteadily. I continue on my path, loping dejectedly back to my clan.

"Did you find out?" they ask. "What did they do?" I shrug off all the questions, and step onto a gnarled tree stump.

"Attention!" I call to them. "If everyone could please look up here!" The cats cease their murmuring and turn their gazes to me, expecting some stirring speech.

"I have discovered what the twolegs have done," I begin, trying to keep a calm demeanor about myself. "I spoke to a cat who is well-versed in their strange habits, and he told me exactly what they did."

"What is it?" they cry, anxious to find out even though they dread my answer. I sigh deeply, allowing an expression of passionate regret to ease its way onto my face.

"The twolegs… altered you. They did something horrible, removed something sacred and vital—your ability to mate. It's gone. None of you will bear or raise kits again; None of you can ever know the joy of having your own family."

The dumbfounded felines stare at me in shock, their brains slowly processing my fateful announcement. As the first realize the terrible significance of their cruel new reality, they release screams and wails of anguish; the whole clan begins crying for their lost future. I sob with them, revealing my sorrow at the now inevitable demise of our great clan.

"What will we do?" Dapplenose howls in distress and horror. "We'll run out of cats!"

Suddenly, Foxclaw speaks up. "We might yet make it through this. We have three kits right now, and they will grow up to be fine warriors in time to create a new generation. But what's more," He pauses and stares directly at me as he makes a sickening proposition. "Neither I nor Shadowedleaf were affected; we could bear kits as well, and that would be enough to bring ThunderClan back."

"What?" I burst. "You and me… mates? Not in nine lifetimes!"

"It's our only option," He presses. "If we don't become mates, our clan is doomed."

My face screws up in revulsion, and I am even more disgusted when part of me agrees. Suddenly barraged by blinding emotions, I run away into the forest, trying to come up with a reason why this won't need to happen.

We could take in loners and rogues, I think, desperate to find any solution but mating with my most hated enemy. And the three kits we have could mate with them… Or even each other if necessary. I gag at the idea, repulsed that I even thought of that. Siblings having kits is one of the most disgusting things they can do.

Speaking of kits, I realize with a jolt of fear that Foxclaw has left them unattended in the camp. "Not again!" I screech, racing back to the clearing. I pray to the stars, hoping against hope that they've survived another day. But there's a sinking feeling in my gut that tells me something terrible has happened.

I sprint faster and faster, pleading that I'll get to the kits in time to save them from whatever I find. I burst through the gorse entrance, and shriek in horror as I see blood pooling on the ground. In the middle of the red smear lay three tiny, broken bodies; the kits are dead.

I collapse, what was left of my heart smashed and shattered, my soul brutally torn apart. My tears fill all I can see, blurring my vision into a haze of red. I barely have enough energy to keep on breathing, and I lose all sense of time.

After what could be hours, minutes, or even days, my sight clears to reveal a russet tom stepping into the camp. The reminder of all that happened before is too much, and I lose consciousness with a groan of despair.

Foxclaw's POV

Shadowedleaf runs away, obviously digusted at the thought of us becoming mates. The rest of the clan doesn't seem thrilled about it either, but I think they understand, as I do, that it is our only choice.

We need more kits… I suddenly remember that I have left Dapplenose's kits back at camp.

"Fox dung!" I exclaim. "We need to get back to camp now!" I rush off into ThunderClan territory, not waiting for a response. I hear pawsteps behind me, confirming they have followed. We pelt through the forest, anxious to return to our home and our only hope. I slow as we reach the gorse barrier, a chill of foreboding rising in my chest.

"Wait here," I tell the clan as I move slowly forward and enter the camp. The first thing I notice is Shadowedleaf lying prostrate on the ground. She groans and apparently goes unconscious. With a jerk of my head and a gasp of horror, I see why: The three adorable little kits, with whom I was playing just this morning, are lying dead in a pool of blood, their throats ripped out and their life savagely torn from them.

I return to the clan, tears falling freely from my eyes. "Th-they're dead," I gulp. "The kits, they're dead."

Dapplenose was their mother, and she shrieks, shoving past me into the clearing and seeing them. "NO!" she cries, falling to the ground and writhing in agony. "Not my precious kits!" Her voice cracks, and she breaks down into uncontrollable, heart-wrenching sobs.

I stand there sadly, and it suddenly dawns on me that Shadowedleaf and I now must be mates. Every other hope has been crushed. I pad slowly over to her unmoving form, nudging it gently with my paw. She groans again, rolling over and waking.

"Foxclaw," she pleads. "Tell me it was all a horrible nightmare…" The look of pure regret on my face tells her that it isn't; all those terrible events really did happen.

She exhales, seeming to have given up. "Why?" she whispers, hardly audible in the cold, unforgiving atmosphere.

"I don't know why," I respond, "But I do know that we have to be mates or ThunderClan will die; there is nothing else left."

She cries, half in sorrow at the kits' death, and half in self-pity for her situation. I sigh and wander off again, depressed now. I don't want to be her mate either, but I need to if I want to save the clan. The clan is milling around helplessly, some weeping, others trying to comfort them, still others just staring blankly ahead as they wander aimlessly.

I amble over to Cloudstar, who is talking to her deputy, Goldensplash. "Cloudstar," I call, sitting a respectful distance from the leader.

"Yes," she responds, turning her green eyes onto me. "What do you want?"

"You should call a clan meeting," I suggest. "They seem confused, and need direction." I indicate the cluster of felines with a small head motion.

"Why didn't I think of that?" she exclaims, rising to her paws. She bounds to the Skyrock, from where she addresses the clan as a whole.

"Cats of ThunderClan!" she cries, raising her head proudly above the mass of cats. Eyes are raised up to look upon her, a huge spectrum of emotions reflected in them. "You all know of the tragedy which has befallen us," she continues, eliciting a fresh chorus of saddened wails. "None of us are able to mate, and even worse, Dapplenose's kits have been killed by a fox."

A shriek of grief rises above the clamor. "Quiet!" Cloudstar orders. "But there is still hope; two brave cats escaped the twolegs and are still fertile: Shadowedleaf and Foxclaw!" The smattering of multicolored optics slowly turn to the two in question, who shrink back under their volatile stare.

"Should they agree to this," Cloudstar adds, "They will become mates, and save our clan."

I blush, bristling at my own embarrassment; Shadowedleaf, on the other paw, retches and looks away.

"They may not be, um, the most friendly of cats towards each other," Cloudstar admits awkwardly, "But they are our only hope of survival." A few weak cheers are heard from the crowd, but the more common reaction is a blank stare.

"I will now talk with them personally," Cloudstar finishes, landing softly on the ground as she dismounts from the rock. "Come here," she orders to Shadowedleaf and me, standing next to us.

I gulp down my mixed emotions and slide closer. Shadowedleaf glowers at me, but sits by me anyway. "I know you two hare each other," Cloudstar begins.

"No kidding," I reply testily. Cloudstar shoots me a stern glare, then continues.

"You must be mates. In fact, I order you to do so. And as you know, a clan leader's word is law." She stalks off, leaving Shadowedleaf and me staring at each other in dismay.

"We have to be mates now," I mumble, looking at the ground. "I don't deserve anyone, let alone the sister of the cat I violated…"

"Of course you don't," she hisses, "But now we have no choice."

She turns away, a snarl deforming her pretty face… No, she's not pretty! I smack myself with my paw, banishing these greedy thoughts from my mind.

"I'm going hunting," she announces, speeding away from me. "And don't even think about following me."

I suddenly realize how tired I am, despite the fact that it's still light out, and settle down in the warriors' den; sleep when it comes is fitful, but I am grateful for what little rest it provides.

Shadowedleaf's POV

I pelt into the forest, throwing myself into the task of hunting to try to distract myself from the horrible truth: I have been forced to the cat I have hated for so long I can't remember the time when he was just an annoying young warrior…

I am suddenly plunged into memory.

I see Foxpaw made a warrior, his eyes shining with excitement; I cheer for him along with my sister, who is pressed close to my side.

My vision shifts ahead, where I see Foxclaw taking Shimmerpaw hunting for the first time; his eyes gleam, not with lust, but with happiness. She returns thrilled she has found someone who likes her as more than just another apprentice.

Another shift; this time I see Foxclaw being told Shimmerpaw is pregnant. His jaw drops, and his optics become glazed with worry and fear, not with satisfaction, as I thought.

I slowly return to the present, profoundly moved; My grief was enough to alter my memories. This tom was not evil at all. Instead, he simply made a mistake. It may have resulted in Shimmerpaw's death, but that's not the point, I realize.

I… I forgive him. I grab what prey I have caught and run back to camp as fast as possible, dashing it down onto the pile and careening into the warriors' den. Mouse dung! Foxclaw is already asleep. Determined to let him know what I have remembered, I lay down with him, resting my head on his paws.

I am strangely comforted by this touch, even though I despised him only moments ago. "I forgive you," I whisper as he stirs. "I may not love you; I don't think I ever will, but I accept you. I accept you as my mate."