Rosetail padded across the camp. She stretched and yawned, then glanced back at the warriors' den. Bluefur was still asleep. Her shoulders slumped. She remembered Bluefur's reaction at a past gathering. She'd seen Oakheart, the RiverClan deputy. Rosetail went along with her mooning, hoping it would make Bluefur think differently of her, but maybe it didn't. She sighed and looked at the ground. No worries, all she had to do was keep pointing out toms that Bluefur would think was attractive, right?

"Rosetail," Tawnyspots called to her. "Come with me on the dawn patrol, since you're up. It'd be better to bring a warrior thats already awake than wake one."

Rosetail dipped her head repectfully. "Okay." She joined the deputy, who was standing with Adderfang, Sparrowpelt, and Redpaw. Robinwing was there, but she looked tired. Tawnyspots began leading the cats out of camp. Rosetail followed. She felt a bit better now that she was on patrol.

She inhaled the crisp morning air outside the camp, feeling the soft grass beneath her paws. It wouldn't be too long until this kind of weather was replaced with leaf-bare. It never seemed too long before the warm weather died off. Rosetail suddenly remembered that she was on patrol. I don't have time for daydreaming! she reminded herself sharply.

After she returned to camp, she felt excitement rush through her as she spotted Bluefur. She was alone, sniffing at the old prey in the fresh-kill pile. Her blue gaze met Rosetail's.

"Hey Rosetail," she called to her. "How are you?"

"Okay I guess." She tilted her head and purred. "Better now that you're here."

Bluefur looked at her anxiously, and Rosetail remembered what she'd told her. She felt awkward now, hoping that no cat had seen her affection toward Bluefur. She glanced at the fresh-kill pile, remembering the times when Rosetail and Bluefur had sat in the forest, daydreaming and talking the days away. It seemed like forever ago now. Bluefur had once loved her, and now it seemed like she was getting further away now. Maybe hunting with her could rekindle what they'd had.

"Would you like to go hunting?" Rosetail asked.

Bluefur gave her an affectionate glance. "Okay. Lead the way, Rosetail."

Rosetail padded out of camp, Bluefur in her pawsteps. She felt lighter than she had before, as if she had grown wings and glided over the ground. With Bluefur by her side, it seemed like she could do anything, and just be herself.

Bluefur stopped to taste the air. "Mouse," she whispered, dropping into a crouch. Rosetail admired her sleek figure and her graceful pawsteps as she readied for the pounce. She leapt and trapped the mouse in her paws, killing it with a swift bite.

"Great catch," Rosetail purred to her.

"Thanks." Bluefur buried it under a tree.

Rosetail decided to look for some prey. She didn't want to cut the hunt short by asking Bluefur questions already. Whether she liked it or not, her Clan needed prey. She eventually scented a pidgeon, and with careful tracking, she caught it. She buried it beside Bluefur's mouse.

"Bluefur . . . can we talk?" Rosetail asked nervously.

Bluefur looked confused. "Okay, but why?"

Rosetail stared at her paws. She opened her jaws, but she couldn't say a word. She forced herself to speak, hating every moment of it. "Remember when we used to spend all the time together, and we used to be so close? Did you-" She inhaled sharply, hoping not to ruin anything. "Did you . . . love me? I mean like-" She looked at the ground, feeling horror overtake her, turning her vision to black and white. When she looked at Bluefur's face, she felt worse. Her legs buckled out from under her, and she collapsed. She forced herself awake.

"R- Rosetail? What do you mean?" Bluefur stammered. "Are you okay? Should I get Featherwhisker?"

"I didn't-" She broke off, feeling heavy grief on her shoulders. "I'm sorry, Bluefur. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make it seem like. . ." Her voice trailed off as her vision darkened to black.

Rosetail woke up. She shivered. She wondered if she'd only had a bad dream, until she realised she was in the medicine den. Maybe I was sick. Rosetail weakly lifted her head to see Bluefur sitting nearby. Spottedpaw was there too, looking a bit startled.

"She's awake," Spottedpaw mewed.

Bluefur padded over to Rosetail, and Rosetail flinched as she met her gaze.

"I'm sorry," Rosetail whimpered.

Bluefur nodded. "I know you are. I never said we were together then. We weren't mates, Rosetail. We're two she-cats. ThunderClan needs kits, and two she-cats can't provide them."

Rosetail wished she'd died instead of fainting. She felt like her whole world had come crashing down. "Isn't there something I can do . . ?"

Bluefur sighed. "I do love you, Rosetail," she whispered, "I just don't want to have the whole Clan knowing that, and I can still like other cats too."

"Thrushpelt." Rosetail sat up. "You love him, don't you?"

Bluefur looked nervous for a minute. "I can love more than one cat at once, but Rosetail, we can't be mates. I want to have kits someday. I want them to have a mother and a father, just like you did, and just like I did." She sighed. "Just . . . don't talk about this again. It's not right of us to love each other. Imagine what Stormtail would think! Or Sunstar or Tawnyspots. No cats have ever been like this before. You'll move on and so will I." She narrowed her eyes affectionately. "I'm sure you'll find another she-cat to moon over, and I'll have a tomas my mate."

Rosetail felt bitterness pulse through her, mixed with affection. She couldn't ever replace Bluefur, but Bluefur could just replace her!

Bluefur looked at her sadly.

"We're still friends?" Rosetail asked, trying to keep her voice from cracking.

Bluefur nodded. "Still friends." She turned and exited the den, and Rosetail wanted screech as loud as she could. She stood up and left the den too, padding into the forest. Spottedpaw didn't stop her. Rosetail stood on a big rock near the border with the land of no Clan, and let out a horrid screech. She clawed up the grass and snarled. "I'm so stupid!" she yowled. Her screeching and yowling turned to the pitiful wailing that a newborn kit would make. She layed on the ground. I ruined everything, didn't I?