Chapter 15:

Tigercloud slept in the warriors' den beside Snowbush. Their bond had grown stronger since Snowbush had rescued her from Darkpool. As for Darkpool, he was punished by Foxstar for attacking a clanmate. Once he recovered from his injuries, he would have to take care of the elders for a moon. Tigercloud hoped that Darkpool wouldn't ever attack her again. But she knew that wish was too good to be true. Tigercloud no longer felt safe unless she was around Snowbush. She informed the new deputy, Wolfwhisker of her fears and he had agreed to let them do patrols together.

Now Tigercloud and Snowbush eat, slept, patrolled, and shared tongues together.

They now had a really close bond, and later, Tigercloud wanted to ask him something.

Tigercloud slowly fell to sleep. She opened her eyes in the ShoalClan camp. In the middle of the camp, Leopardfur was laying on the ground. There were tiny kits at her belly, meowing for food. Tigercloud wanted to go help her sister, but her paws were frozen to the ground. Then, a huge hole opened up under them and swallowed them into it's black depths.

Tigercloud woke up beside Snowbush in the morning, panting. He slept on. Tigercloud prodded him awake. He stuck his head up and wearily opened his eyes.

"What?" He asked.

"I have something I want to ask you." Tigercloud meowed. The cats walked outside the den and padded out of camp. They went to a large pond.

"What do you want to ask me?" Snowbush asked after a few heartbeats later.

"Will you be my mate?" Tigercloud blurted out. He looked at her.

"I'm sorry, I like someone else." He meowed. Then he got up and walked away.

Tigercloud was left alone feeling heartbroken.