"I'm sorry Mary, but I don't think I can do that." Redstar said gently. I growled, my fur bristling. "You have to!" I exclaimed. He shook his head. "Look, he's no good for my kits. I'll ask you again, please change Shinepaw's mentor to someone else!" Tears started to roll down my face, dropping onto the floor of Redstar's den. "Please." I said.
He looked at me for a very long moment and then sighed. "I mean… I… I guess I could do." He mewed softly, "I guess I could do… for you." Surprise lit up my face- had he just almost confessed he liked me? This was big. So very big. But I remained calm and nodded, trying to hide my absolute delight. 'Thank you, Redstar. It means a lot." I replied. I stood, and realized I was starving. I hadn't eaten anything all day. I dipped my head respectively and stepped out into the dim light of the day.
"Wait! Mary, wait!" I heard Redstar say behind me. I turned and he was smiling widely. "I was wondering if you wanted to go to the Gathering tonight? It would be your first time." Astonished, I nodded, my face expressionless. "T-thank you, Redstar." I muttered like an idiot. "Thank you much."
Redstar's Point Of View
She was beautiful, and she was always on my mind. Mary was brave, and fierce, and calm and centered. For her age, she was very mature. She did what was best for her kits. She let them stay so they could have a better home, even though every day she was reminded of a lost love; a lost life. So very selfless. But I was worried about the Gathering; would the other Clans make fun of her? ThunderClan had been mostly fine with it; they had excepted Runtwhisker when he had come, so why not his first mate and his kits.
I think it all came down to this with the kits; they were to be excepted because if they were half the Warrior Runtwhisker was they would be great Clanmates. And so far they were great Apprentices. They mostly always did what they were told, and were very hard workers. They would make great Warriors as well.
I was taken away from my thoughts as Smallstep [my deputy] reminded me that we would be late for the Gathering if we stayed any longer. After that I led my Clan down to the island, still thinking of Mary.