Author's Note: Ahh… I love it when I finally finish a chapter.

Here's to your reviews! Thank you all! I love you guys!

Sorry, but I got so many this chapter that I don't think I have enough time to reply to them all. Just thank you all. You're awesome. Swag. :)

So yeah, enjoy it while it's here. The Curse of Beauty Chapter Four.

The Curse of Beauty

Chapter Four:

Redpelt purred for what felt the first time in seasons.

She and Shadepetal sat in their usual spot beneath the leader's den, sharing tongues in the late afternoon sun. It was such a simple moment, but she felt like her heart would shrivel and burn if the moment ended. Shadepetal's eyes glimmered as they talked, and Redpelt knew that it meant a lot to her best friend as well.

Ever since the gathering that had taken place several sunrises ago, where Rootstar had announced to all the Clans that Shadepetal was now Toadclaw's mate, Redpelt had found that life had surprisingly got a lot better. Because other toms had suddenly had the terrifying realisation that Shadepetal was no longer on the "market", the chasing and harassing of Shadepetal had become somewhat less frequent. Also, Redpelt's confinement to camp had ended, meaning that she could go out of camp again! It had helped her to calm down and not be so restless. Instead of the melancholy attitude that she had adjusted to over the last moon, her usual fiery personality had returned.

Even more miraculous, Toadclaw had seemingly backed off a little.

When she had first realised it, Redpelt had found it difficult to actually believe that Toadclaw had generally stopped stalking Shadepetal as much. Some of the things he did hadn't changed, like bringing her prey at mealtimes and chatting with her regurlarly, but no longer did he follow her around and keep tabs on her all the time. This had allowed Redpelt and Shadepetal's friendship to develop once more. Because of the little amount of time they had been able to spend together over the course of the previous moon, their connection had wavered, but now it had returned to it's usual strength. They spent more time together now; going for walks and sharing tongues, as they were doing now.

Suddenly, Redpelt felt herself awake fro her day-dream, and she turned back around to face Shadepetal. She blushed a little when she saw that her best friend was staring at her. She wasn't really sure why. 'What is it?' She asked.

Shadepetal shrugged quickly and turned her head. She began to groom herself self-consciously. 'Nothing.'

There idleness, however, was interrupted by a sudden yowl from the High-Ledge. Both she-cats turned their heads to see Rootstar standing just outside the lichen entrance to his den, his gaze fixed upon Shadepetal.

'Shadepetal!' His voice echoed.

Redpelt eyes contracted and she felt a sudden apprehension made her fur stand on edge. Rootstar hadn't exactly had good news whenever he had invited Shadepetal to his den before. Redpelt remembered one time before when he had called for Shadepetal and suggested she became Toadclaw's mate. He hadn't really seemed to take her firm answer of "NO!" very seriously, and, five sunrises later, the incident where Rootstar had announced Shadepetal was his son's mate had take place. Redpelt hoped Shadepetal didn't have any unpleasant surprises in store for her.

Shadepetal looked just as puzzled as Redpelt for a second: the two of them exchanged glances. She seemed to be looking for some kind of guidance from her best friend. Shadepetal obviously hadn't forgotten her previous visit to Rootstar's den, just like Redpelt. The ruddy brown she-cat shrugged, before flicking her tail and gesturing for her friend to go up to Rootstar. She knew that she couldn't exactly protest… through experience.

Shadepetal got up and padded away from their spot and made her way up the High-Ledge towards her leader. Redpelt stared after he, feeling somewhat uncomfortable. An odd burning sensation began in her heart- a fierce worry for Shadepetal.

As soon as her friend disappeared after Rootstar into his den, she got up, her eyes searching around the ThunderClan camp. She was looking for Toadclaw in the huge mass of ThunderClan cats. Maybe he'll know what Rootstar wants with Shadepetal. She thought.

Soon enough she noticed him, surrounded by a group of friends, sitting in the looming shadow of the warrior's den. She stormed over, not caring how she heard a few jeering yowls echo from some of Toadclaw's friends: Toadclaw himself, however, did not jeer.

'Toadclaw.' She said, once she had reached the group. She ignored the teasing smiles upon the tom's faces. 'I need to talk to you.'

An expression of surpass crossed Toadclaw's face. He glanced at his little gang; all of them seemed just as surprised as he was. One of them murmured something into Toadclaw's ear, something which Redpelt didn't quite catch, but he shrugged and ignored it.

Redpelt herself felt surprised that he hadn't questioned what she asked, but she didn't protest. Toadclaw got up ad she lead him away into a quieter corner of the ThunderClan camp, where they could talk properly.

'What's this about, Redpelt?' He said, impatiently, before the hair on the back of his back rose apprehensively. 'I haven't been making any advances on Shadepetal if you're asking about-'

'I'm not talking about that.' She snapped, her tail flicking. 'I'm asking about why our admirable leader Rootstar has just called Shadepetal to his den for one of his little "chit-chats".'

Toadclaw sat there for a moment, looking emotionless, before shock spread across his face. 'What?' His voice was just above a coarse whisper. 'No!' He shook his head. 'He promised he wouldn't!'

Redpelt felt a burning sensation in her stomach. The look on Toadclaw's face told her this was not, in any circumstances, good. It looked like he knew what he had called her in for, but hadn't thought it was actually going to happen. 'Toadclaw.' She said, her voice getting a little quieter and less confident. 'Wha- what is it?'

He looked up at her gravely. 'Rootstar's asking Shadepetal if she's going to have my kits.'

Shadepetal burst out of Rootstar's den, not really sure what she was feeling. It was somewhere in the middle of absolute disgust and horror, and also confusion and strong disbelief. But I thought… Toadclaw had changed. I thought he wasn't suggesting things like that to Rootstar anymore...

She didn't know what it was, but for some reason, over the past moon, Shadepetal had thought she'd detected a change in Toadclaw. In the way he treated not only her but other cats as well. In the way he cared for her. But- but this! No. She snarled at herself. I can't believe you fell for his little trick! He's just being kinder to try and make you be his mate.

Unknowingly, she unsheathed her claws and scraped them across the rocks on the way down from the High-Ledge in her fury. The horrible screeching noise made many other cats turn to face her. She hissed at them, her eyes searching through the crowd for one cat in particular. Redpelt.

And Toadclaw was with her.

She smirked and ran over to them, making sure they could see the anger she was feeling. Toadclaw winced and seemed to back away a little, whereas Redpelt immediately stepped forward, her eyes taking on a comforting note. 'Shadepetal-' She began. Shadepetal could tell from the shock on her face that she knew as well.

But she walked right past the cat she loved. She had to admit, it was the first time she had totally ignored Redpelt for awhile. She focused instead on Toadclaw.

As soon as he realised she was heading straight for him, Toadclaw took a small step towards her. 'Look Shadepetal.' He began, desperately. 'I didn't decide this to happen-'

But Shadepetal wasn't having any of it. Stop lying to me! She thought internally, before stepping forward, claws unsheathed and hitting him straight across the face.

Toadclaw stared at Shadepetal in shock, as did the rest of ThunderClan, and Redpelt. Even Shadepetal herself had to admit, she wasn't a violent cat, but when the pleasure of what he had just done soaked through her, she smirked. I've wanted to do that to your smug little face for ages, Toadclaw.

Toadclaw stayed silent for a few more moments (as did the rest of the cats in ThunderClan. Rootstar himself had emerged form his den). The scratch on his face began to bleed. 'What in StarClan's name was that for!' He shouted at her.

'Everything.' Shadepetal retorted, before hitting him across the face again. Toadclaw dropped into a defensive stance to avoid being struck again. 'Every time you harassed me, suggested things to do with me, and now, especially this!'

Shadepetal discovered she was breathing heavily. Oh StarClan… she had wanted to do that for so long. And in the lake's name did it feel good. Especially in these circumstances. She was just about to raise her paw again, when suddenly she felt another paw lock around her own, preventing her from striking Toadclaw once more.

Shadepetal turned around and found it was Redpelt. Though her posture was soft, her eyes were serious and firm. 'Shadepetal. That's enough.' She said. 'He's had it. That's enough.'

The beautiful jet-black she-cat locked eyes with her best friend, and stared into the amber pools of Redpelt's eyes. There beauty and majesty calmed her somewhat, but still she could feel a burning rage in her body. And now, he felt something else. The desire to go away. The urge to run out of camp and never return.

It was an odd sensation. She had never felt it before: Shadepetal diverted her gaze from Redpelt and stared out into the forest. Suddenly, she felt like the trees were pulling her away from the place which she previously called home. Rootstar's suggestion had seemingly struck a note inside her. One that made her fantasise and dream. And to be honest… it didn't feel like a bad idea.

Almost ignoring everything that had she had done in the past few seconds, she shook off Redpelt's paw and dashed out of the camp at full speed. Straight after her, she heard the paw steps of Redpelt charging after her. 'Wait!' Redpelt called. 'Shadepetal. Stop!'

But she didn't.

She found that she couldn't.

As Redpelt chased Shadeetal out into the forest, away from the ThunderClan camp, she found herself reflecting on what Shadepetal had just done. And how, suddenly, everything that Redpelt had thought was Shadepetal had just evaporated into thin air in a matter of seconds. All of a sudden, she had just become a monster. Snarling and shouting in a fit of rage, and tying to get revenge on everyone and everything that had done her wrong. Even now, as she chased her through the undergrowth, Redpelt felt that the cat she was chasing wasn't Shadepetal… or at least, wasn't Shadepetal at that moment. What's happened to you?

But now, Redpelt knew that the fitness of a cat who spent all of her time out of camp, and a cat who hardly left the camp at all would start to come into effect. Redpelt quickly began to catch up with her friend, until she was all but by her side. 'Shadepetal!' She said to her friend. 'Please, stop!'

But Shadepetal carried on as if she couldn't hear her. There was that odd burning in her eyes once more. The rebellion and carelessness which she had never seen before. It was like they just refused to listen to sense, and they would only listen to sense if it hit them straight in the face.

As it happened, that was just what took place. Redpelt leaped in front of her best friend, hoping that would make her stop, but of course, it didn't, and the two she-cats rolled over each other on the grass as Shadepetal ran into Redpelt. The fiery red she-cat grunted as her friend's full weight collided into her stomach, but he resisted; holding Shadepetal done so that she couldn't escape from her grasp.

In the next second, the two cats were lying in a heap on the ground, with Redpelt lying firmly on top of Shadepetal pinning her. 'Shadepetal!' She yowled, straight into her friend's face. 'STOP NOW.'

In the next second, Redpelt saw something she would never forget.

It wasn't something amazingly magical nor stunning, but the few seconds would be etched in her memory forever. As soon as her eyes locked onto Shadepetal's she saw the strangest change she had ever seen come over Shadepetal. In the chase, her eyes had been full of rage, like a monster, but it seemed that Hyde was transforming back into Dr Jekyll. The usual kind beauty calm back into Shadepetal's sky-blue eyes, and her bristling black fur settled back down. Redpelt couldn't look away. The two she-cats eyes stared into the others, as if searching for something.

And suddenly, the most ferocious blush came over Shadepetal. It wasn't just a small flowering of red on her cheeks, it was so huge it was almost laughable. You could see the pink of it right through her black fur, that would usually cover it up. It didn't this time. Redpelt wasn't really sure why, all she knew was that she suddenly found herself purring at her friend. 'Blushing, I see?' She commented, breaking the intense silence.

'Um… uh, yes.' Shadepetal said, the blush not leaving her cheeks. The innocence and odd naivety and returned to her eyes. Her eyes darted desperately and uncomfortably. 'Listen, there's no chance you could um, you know, get off me?' This comment made Shadepetal blush even more.

Redpelt felt confused for a moment, but she obeyed and Shadepetal scrambled to her feet and broke into a fit of embarrassed washing. Redpelt didn't let go of her paw though. She wasn't going to let Shadepetal dash off again.

And now, she confronted her. Shadepetal looked up as Redpelt pressed her paw down upon Shadepetal's, softly but firmly. 'Shadepetal…' she sighed. 'What happened there?'

Shadepetal looked away, guilt showing on her face. 'I'm not really sure.' She murmured. 'It was like something just took over me.'

It certainly looked like that. Redpelt thought, but she didn't say that aloud. Instead she said, 'I have to say, Shadepetal. You gave me a real scare there. I thought you were running away there.'

As soon as Shadepetal winced, it occurred to Redpelt that that might've been exactly what her friend was intending. The thought made her flick her tail across her best friend's ears comfortingly. 'Red Petal?' She whispered.

Shadepetal nodded immediately. Redpelt stepped back a little and reached out her paw, allowing Shadepetal to lock her paws around her's. The claws interlinked, and she heard Shadepetal breath out heavily for a moment. Redpelt's best friend's eyes were closed tightly, but as soon as Redpelt drew away, breaking the contact and ending the Red Petal, Shadepetal's eyes opened.

Revealing the most beautiful emotion and smile that Redpelt had ever seen in Shadepetal's eyes. It glowed like the sun in darkness, and Redpelt felt an element of shock enter her system. She'd never seen Shadepetal eyes filled with that sort of emotion before. Redpelt couldn't quite fix what it was.

And then Shadepetal spoke. 'Thank you.' She said, beaming.

Redpelt's eyes contracted. 'For what?' She asked hesitantly.

'Everything!' Shadepetal echoed, her ears pricking. She stepped forward a little. Redpelt looked up just as the sun rose over a line of trees in the distance. The sun glowed down into the forest where they were, lighting up Shadepetal's pelt with sunlight. 'Everything you've done for me in the past.'

Redpelt felt like she was missing something. Where has this come from? She wondered, staring at her friend oddly. Did I do anything that was special? I usually have to comfort her, but this has never happened before...

'I really mean it, you know.' Shadepetal spoke again, taking yet another step closer. Almost a little too close for Redpelt's comfort, but the fiery red she-cat didn't pull away. In fact, there was odd sensation in her stomach that seemed to pull her closer! 'You've never left my side, not once. You're the best friend I've ever had.'

Correction: I'm the only friend you've ever had. The thought crept into her mind before she could stop it, but again, she kept her thoughts to herself. Now, Shadepetal was getting alarmingly close. So close that the beautiful she-cat could almost touch her.

'Um… Shadepetal…' She said hesitantly. Redpelt found that her heart was fluttering like a trapped bird. Because Shadepetal was co close seemed to be striking a chord on her heart, but she didn't know why. Shadepetal's my best friend! She thought. Why is this happening? 'You couldn't, you know, um, back off a bit?'

As soon as those words left her lips, Redpelt instantly felt guilty. And the terrible thing was, she didn't know why. She didn't know why her whole body seemed to be on fire. Something was screeching at her inside, telling her to apologise and let Shadepetal get close to her face once more. Why should I? Redpelt argued with herself. She's my friend! I don't know why she was getting that close anyw-

She stopped thinking as soon as she saw the emotion in Shadepetal's eyes. It was like her attractive friend's whole life had just been burnt away into shards of a broke dream. Shadepetal was still standing as close as she had been, but she'd stopped staring at Redpelt, and the smile on her face had completely evaporated. Suddenly, Redpelt felt terrible, but again, she didn't understand. There was something slipping from her grasp. What had just happened? Why was what she just said so awful? Shadepetal had just been standing a little too close to her, and she'd ask her to step away from her. Shadepetal had asked that of her many times, hadn't she?

And suddenly, Shadepetal was gone. The she-cat had ran away, disappearing into the forest. Redpelt kept staring at the spot where her friend had been standing, trying to find something. Searching for an answer. What just happened? She almost shouted. All of a sudden, her legs felt weak. Redpelt sunk to the ground, feelings she didn't know what meant threatening to overwhelm her. What she had asked her friend to do was something so little; a simple act of stepping back!

Well then why did her action seem so huge?

Almost without knowing what she was doing, Redpelt got up. Her guts felt like they had been tied into a knot. Slowly, with her tail in-between her legs, the she-cat got up and made her way back to camp.

The rest of the day past without much event. Redpelt sat in the camp, feeling sorry for herself, and staring straight forward. There was a robin in-between her legs, but she didn't touch it. Redpelt just spent every moment of the rest of the day reflecting on the events that had taken place earlier. Shadepetal still hadn't returned, and normally, she might've found the strength to worry about her, but Redpelt was too numb to stand up.

It was almost night when she heard another cat sitting down beside her. She turned her head, and saw that it was Toadclaw. If she wasn't so solemn, she would probably have been both hostile and apprehensive, but again, she felt as if she didn't have the energy.

'Sorry Redpelt,' he began slowly. 'I was just wondering if you'd seen Shadepetal after you came back to camp…?'

Redpelt didn't address the question. All she did was lower her head and muzzle the top of the robin sadly. She didn't look up at him, though she did steal a glance at his face. The scratch marks on his face were still visible.

'You do know that I'm not going to ever forgive you.' Redpelt said abruptly. 'For the way you treated Shadepetal.' She finally looked up at him and looked him in the eye. She remembered all the hate in her body that she'd kept locked up for so long, focused on the tomcat in front of her. She remembered all the times she'd wanted to hit him while he was sexually harassed Shadepetal.

Toadclaw didn't seem at all surprised. 'I know. I never thought you would. To be honest, I'm not sure I can forgive myself-'

'And I don't believe you either.' She snapped, her tone becoming sharp.

'What?'

'I don't believe the little act you've got going.' Redpelt got to her paws, but didn't raise her voice. 'I don't believe that in the space of what, a moon?, you'd change to become a completely different cat. I don't believe it. No: I refuse to believe it. Why would you change, huh? What made you?' Redpelt said, before snorting and turning away. 'It happened way too fast.'

Toadclaw was silent for a moment. There was a note of regret in his voice, but his voice didn't waver when he spoke. 'Love is putting someone else's needs before you.' (Author's Note: Yes guys, I'm using a quote from Frozen. I'm not gonna rant about it, because I hate the movie, but that quote really fits this moment.)

Redpelt's ears pricked. 'What?'

'Something I learnt in the space of a moon.' He retorted. He hesitated. 'Something that I suppose I learnt from StarClan.'

She frowned. StarClan? What do my ancestors have to do with this?

She repeated this question to Toadclaw, and he was just about to open his mouth, and a scream echoed through the camp.

Instantly, both Toadclaw and Redpelt were alert. The noise had come from an apprentice standing by the entrance to the camp. He was staring at the entrance. Redpelt followed his gaze upwards and then saw a cat that was almost unrecognisable in the entrance. She was covered in scratches and and blood that wasn't necessarily her's. Her pelt was ragged and torn in places, and her ears had been bitten badly, but Redpelt's breath nearly fell out of her chest when she realised who she was staring at.

It was Shadepetal.

The new few minutes happened in a daze. All Redpelt knew was that at one point she was running forward, trying to help her best friend, and then she was being pushed back by a crowd of cats all trying to get to her. Redpelt reached forward with her paws, trying desperately to reach her friend, but she couldn't. She was always out of her grasp. It was like she was trying to reach StarClan, but the Dark Forest was pulling her back. Despair almost hit her, when another cat finally reached Shadepetal and carried her down to the medicine cat's den. Instantly, Redpelt tried to run forward once more and get her friend, but the medicine cat pushed her back, saying that she couldn't have visitors at that moment.

Foxdung to visitors! Redpelt yowled in her mind. She's the cat that I l- Her thought was cut short when she discovered what she'd been about to think. Instantly, confusion hit her, and she backed away from Shadepetal. She grabbed her head and yowled loudly, but no heard her. They were to busy being focused upon Shadepetal. She wanted the confusion to end, but it wouldn't. Her mind was filled with smoke.

Slowly, he turned around and padded away, feeling lost, into the Warrior's Den. She didn't really know where she was when she fell into the nearest nest, that wasn't necessarily her's and fell into a dreamless sleep.

The moonlight was bright and silent. It glowed down into the ThunderClan camp, illuminating the smooth rock surface enigmatically. Nearly every cat was asleep, lulled by the day's dramatic events, but one single cat was awake. With a kind of mission on her mind.

Redpelt entered the medicine cat den silently. Her amber eyes glowed in the darkness, searching around for the cat she was looking for. Shadepetal. Soon she located her target in a corner of the medicine den, lying in a luxurious nest of feathers and moss. Her body was lined with scratches and wounds from what Redelt had found out later was an encounter with ShadowClan she-cats. She'd crossed the border accidentally, and had been found by a patrol consisting of only ShadowClan she-cats, who unfortunately, had very different opinions of Shadepetal to the toms of their Clan.

Redpelt sighed and sat down beside the nest of her friend, an exasperated look entering her eyes. 'Shadepetal.' She whispered quietly, ensuring that she wouldn't wake the medicine cat. 'Can you hear me?' She knew it was ridiculous, but still. Redpelt knew she had to tell her something.

'I understand now.'

In her sleep, it was like Redpelt had been hit over the head with a boulder. Suddenly, everything made sense. Everything that had happened earlier today- everything she'd felt of late in her heart. It had become clearer than crystal.

'The only question is whether you…' She sighed again. 'The only question is whether you understand as well.'

The thought made her chuckle a little. I don't think so. Redpelt thought. I doubt anyone has ever understood what I understand now. I doubt this has ever happened before since the dawn of time.

She didn't know what it was, but for some reason, Redpelt felt like what she'd found out was for some reason wrong. She knew it wasn't but… well, it just seemed like it was. They were in the same Clan, so technically speaking it wasn't against the Warrior Code at all. What she thought was was that other cats would probably frown upon it.

It worried her. Toadclaw crossed her mind. What would he think if he knew I was in here, making some sort of admittance speech? Redpelt mused. I doubt he'd be happy.

'Love is putting some else's needs before you.' Redpelt murmured. The fiery red she cat doubted she'd ever know what that truly meant. Love played such a huge part of Clan life. It dictated the survival of a Clan more than anything this. More than hunting. More than fighting. Maybe, if this crazy idea somehow worked, she'd know what Toadclaw meant.

That doesn't matter, though, does it? Redpelt told herself. You're here to tell Shadepetal something.

It was stupid- since Shadepetal was asleep- but she was going to do it anyway.

Shadepetal… please don't… of for StarClan's sake. Just don't hate me for this. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you.

Redpelt leaned forward and closed her eyes. Her voice wavered uncontrollably.

I love you.

:D

Nice ending, huh?

PLEASE RR!