This is a heavy chapter, I actually wrote part of it several chapters ago. Things have been boiling for a while. Let's gooooo!

- Mossy

Review Replies:

succulentsofa- Jonathan (or Smokepaw) is that pan man. I love him too! And yes, I also long for RedMistle to be canon. Stupid Rabbitfoot!

jabaredjf- Haha, Jonathan is fun to write but Rabbitfoot... he's going to be a bad mentor. And yeah, Viperpaw would beat Redpaw, he's been training longer. Redpaw's a sweetheart, but not a fighter.

Radio Free Death- I appreciate your criticism, but that is the alligences for the story. They're common in warrior fanfics. Also, Ravenstar and Thorntail are both friends and dead, as they are in Starclan. Ravenstar is just teasing him, that's their dynamic.

The day started out like usual, with Echopaw and Goldenpaw arguing like the idiots they were. Milkpaw covered her ears and suppressed a groan.

"Sorry," Firepaw whispered in her ear, flushing slightly at the she-cats who were arguing over him.

"They're throwing quite the hissy fit," he grinned and Milkpaw rolled her eyes.

"Why are you like this?" she sighed.

"Oh, you know you like how I am," Firepaw chuckled, and Milkpaw hated how she focused on the graceful tilt of his head. He was beautiful. Objectively so, Firepaw is objectively beautiful.

"No, I don't," Milkpaw growled, lashing her tail. Firepaw sighed and stood up.

"Echopaw, do you want to go hunting?" he asked sweetly and the beautiful silver she-cat perked up.

"Of course I would Firepaw!" she exclaimed and leapt up. Milkpaw gritted her teeth, of course she would just just at the opportunity to be with perfect Firepaw.

The two walked out of the den together and Milkpaw pretended her heart didn't clench at how they were so close their pelts were brushing. This is what you want, Firepaw to finally pick one of them so Echopaw and Goldenpaw will stop fighting.

Annoying twits.

She sighed and noticed Goldenpaw frown and walk towards the elders den to change out their moss. "There she goes," Cinderpaw sighed.

"What?" Milkpaw looked at her brother is confusion.

"Well… we have the same problem, surely you understand," Cinderpaw responded, "You like Firepaw and… Goldenpaw is the most beautiful she-cat in the whole clan."

Milkpaw wrinkled her nose. "One, I do not like Firepaw," she sighed. Cinderpaw opened his mouth and she pressed a paw to it. "I don't care what Dovepaw told you," she narrowed her eyes, "It's not true, he's just a friend at the most. And… you like Goldenpaw?"

(She didn't see how Firepaw overhead their little conversation with Echopaw beside him, not far away. She didn't notice how he visibly wilted under her words.)

"Sorry… that's just what I heard," Cinderpaw gave her a confused expression, "And Goldenpaw is amazing. The only problem is she likes Firepaw. So can you… woo Firepaw so she'll stop pining after him?"

"What? No!" Milkpaw screeched, "I'm not going to woo my friend so you can get with the leader's daughter. You can do better than that ninny anyway."

Cinderpaw bristled, "At least I don't lie to myself! Come on Milkpaw, it's obvious to Dovepaw and I what's going on. Don't you know you're hurting him!"

"I…" Milkpaw looked at her paws, "And how would you know that?"

"Fogpaw," Cinderpaw chuckled, "Okay, he doesn't want me to tell you this, but he has a big crush on Icepaw. So he told her in jerky Fogpaw fashion and she said she didn't like guys, and that Firepaw was already mourning over 'one of Softsnow's brood.' It's obviously you!"

Milkpaw quelled any guilt and fluttery feelings in her stomach. I don't want to end up like mom, broken after losing some tom.

"It could be Dovepaw or Fogpaw or even you," Milkpaw spat, "Why does everyone keep getting on to me?"

"Maybe because we all want to cuff you over the ear!" Cinderpaw growled, "Starclan Milkpaw…"

He turned and walked away from her.

"Milkpaw, what are you doing laying about?" Graytail walked up to his apprentice, "Come on, we have training to do!"

"Okay, okay!" Milkpaw glared at her mentor and stood up.

Graytail led her outside of camp and she caught a glimpse of Firepaw sitting with Echopaw, their tails twined…

She tried not to focus on it.

She put all her energy into her strikes and swipes, letting her anger pour out. Graytail was taken aback by her fury. "Milkpaw calm down!" he exclaimed, "Please…"

Milkpaw breathed hard and said, "Again, I want to go again." Anything to distract her from the image of Firepaw and Echopaw sitting there together…

"That's… that's enough for the day," Graytail sighed, "Milkpaw, are you feeling alright?"

Milkpaw gritted her teeth and whispered in a strained tone, "I am perfectly fine."

She charged through the woods… barreling straight into Firepaw. "Agh, move out of my way!" she hissed at him.

It had started raining, when had it started raining? In all her anger, Milkpaw had failed to notice the water falling from the sky.

"Milkpaw…" Firepaw's voice was gentle, too gentle, "You look upset."

"Yeah, obviously peabrain!" Milkpaw snapped, breathing heavily. She looked at his stupidly handsome face and couldn't decide if she wanted to scream at him or kiss him…

You don't want to kiss him.

She looked at her paws to keep herself from getting lost in his eyes.

"Milkpaw, talk to me," Firepaw told her, coming up and sitting down beside her (he was too close for comfort).

"Where's Echopaw?" Milkpaw snapped.

"She twisted her paw and went back to camp," Firepaw looked at her oddly, "Why…?"

"Are you all together?" Milkpaw quipped, looking pained as she asked.

"Milkpaw…" Firepaw hesitated, and looked almost guilty, "She asked me a few days ago, but why does that upset you? She has the most gorgeous eyes, you know? And she's kind and-"

"You told me to just pick someone already," he whispered.

Milkpaw's lip quivered as something broke inside her. It wasn't her, it would never be her, she was right-

"Milkpaw, listen to me, you're my best friend," Firepaw tried to reassure her and his whispered in a sad tone, "You said you'd never like me."

It was then Milkpaw came to a realization that made her sick with herself. She didn't just like Firepaw, she… she…

"Her eyes are such a bright blue, like ice but she's so warm," Firepaw admitted with a guilty, miserable smile. He was smitten. "I genuinely care about her. I… I'm thinking about asking her to be my mate after we earn our names."

"You're an idiot, Firepaw!" Milkpaw snapped, unsure how much more of this she was able to take. Hearing about him bouncing from Goldenpaw to Echopaw was tearing her apart. Somehow Firepaw's kindness and lame jokes had won her heart, and hearing him go on about Echopaw's eyes was just too painful. She ran deeper into the forest, leaping over various ruins. Of course Firepaw, being a mousebrain, ran after her.

"What do you mean, Milkpaw?" Firepaw approached her cautiously, "What did I do?"

Milkpaw glared at him, her green eyes begging him to understand. "Firepaw, I am in love with you!" she screamed, pouring all her pent up frustration into that one statement. She pretended not to notice the tears that had started to roll down her face.

"Oh Milkpaw," Firepaw said her name so softly but she didn't dare allow herself to hope, not after what he had just told her, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because, you already had two she-cats fighting over you," Milkpaw growled through gritted teeth, "Besides, you just told me that you want to ask Echopaw to be your mate after you two become warriors."

"I do… but Milkpaw, you're still my friend," Firepaw came at sat down next to her, "I-I never thought you were interested in me."

"Me neither," Milkpaw hissed, "Yet here we are."

"Milkpaw," Firepaw said her name so gingerly that she could almost pretend that he loved her.

"Don't say my name that way, like you- like you love me," Milkpaw begged, "Just, go."

Firepaw looked at her with questioning eyes. "Go!" she yelled, and… he went. Milkpaw was alone in the forest with nothing but her tears for company.