Update: 1/3/21

Added her second death onto the end.

Spottedleaf sighed, staring at the wall. She felt a pull of longing in her heart.

The longing to be with Firepaw.

She loved the apprentice, she knew, even though he had barely been with ThunderClan for any amount of time. She also knew that medicine cats were forbidden to have a mate. She could only watch him from afar...

She shook her head, tossing away the unwanted thoughts. Stop daydreaming, she scolded herself. You shouldn't even be thinking about this.

She turned to her herbs, noticing that her comfrey stash was running low. Better go get some more, she thought. She padded out of camp, heading towards RiverClan territory. She pushed her way through the ferns, finding the patch of comfrey she usually took from. She breathed in its scent, relishing the peaceful morning. She froze mid-sniff. Something wasn't right.

The scent of ShadowClan was in the air.

She shook her head, sniffing again. It was gone now. Stop overreacting. A patrol probably just picked up their scent near the border. She continued to pick her herbs, stuffing some under her chin as well as in her mouth. Deciding that she had enough, she walked back to the ThunderClan camp, nodding to Lionheart, who was on guard as she passed by. She entered her den, beginning to sort through her herb piles. Comfrey goes here, take out the old, put in the new. Need more marigold. Throw out the old... she recited this process for a little while, sifting through the mountains of leaves.

Crack.

Someone was there.

She turned, the smell of ShadowClan flooding her nostrils once more.

Oh, no...

Clawface burst through the barrier, quietly yet aggressively. Before she could even blink, he slashed through her throat. She tried to let out a yell of warning, but it was too late. Clawface leaped out the hole he had made, as quickly as he had come in.

No...

Spottedleaf closed her eyes, letting her head rest on the dusty ground.

I never even got to tell him how I feel...

. . .

20 moons later

. . .

Spottedleaf leaped through the peaceful realm of StarClan, the satisfying breeze ruffling through her fur. She felt optimistic, for she was going to visit Firestar tonight.

She dove through the clouds, landing on one underneath it. She built up speed, running faster than ever before. She felt the world changing around her as she entered the Living World.

She was in Firestar's den. He was fast asleep next to Sandstorm. At this, Spottedleaf felt a twinge of jealously at the closeness between the two, something that she never got to have. She quickly pushed the thought down.

Firestar was happy. Sandstorm was reliable and a good mate. They were going to have a better life together than if Spottedleaf had taken the light ginger she-cat's place.

Spottedleaf took a deep breath, tapping Firestar's forehead with her paw. She began to feel the world shift once more, diving into her almost mate's dream.

She spotted Firestar ahead of her, so she quickly looped around, landing in front of him.

The ginger tom looked startled before happiness began to rapidly overtake him.

"S-Spottedleaf!" he cried in joy, jumping forward. Spottedleaf smiled back.

"Greetings, Firestar. How have you been?"

Spottedleaf leaped at yet another Dark Forest warrior, pinning him down and giving him a swift bite to the neck.

She turned, glancing around for another cat. Her eyes rested on Firestar.

And Mapleshade, pinning down Sandstorm.

"Sandstorm!" she cried, bounding over to Firestar's mate. Mapleshade was in a killing position, claws out and ready to draw blood.

"Leave her alone!" She pounced on the Dark Forest she-cat, knocking her off of Sandstorm. The calico tried to get a few swipes in, but the old cat quickly overpowered her. She threw the StarClan cat against a tree, where she laid, panting.

"Why are you defending the cat that stole your love? You should be happy that I was killing her for you!" Mapleshade growled menacingly.

"No, I wasn't," I replied, feeling a weird sense of calm flooding through me. "I was always loyal to Firestar. He's happy with Sandstorm; that's all that matters." I met the ginger leader's gaze, giving him a loving blink.

Mapleshade yowled in fury, flinging herself at me, clawing and slashing. I hit the ground, pain coursing through her body.

"NO!" yowled Firestar, bounding over to the former medicine cat. "Spottedleaf..."

She looked up at him one last time. "I'm sorry, Firestar, but I cannot walk with you anymore." The light faded from her eyes, reflecting the sky. Firestar let out a wail.

"Y-You promised that you'd meet me in StarClan..." he whimpered, looking like a kit for a moment. Sandstorm rested her tail on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Firestar. I know how much she meant to you."

Firestar nodded. "Wherever she may be, I will always remember her. For Spottedleaf."