Shadestorm's pov

Shadestorm was awoken by someone prodding her.

"I'm trying to sleep. Leave me alone." She grumbled. She was still feeling bad from the last night's conversation with him. I shouldn't have ran away like that.

"Is that a way to talk to your deputy?"

Fox-dung.

By now she recognised Russetfur. "What is it?" She asked sharply, opening her eyes. "You have to go hunting with Rowanclaw and Cedarheart. "

Shadestorm got up, and found herself facing the Shadowclan deputy. There was amusement in her dark green eyes. "A strain on your little romance, huh?" Russetfur said suddenly.

Not funny.

She just shot an annoyed look at the ginger she-cat, and pushed past her to the clearing. And that's on her, always sticking her nose into everyone's business.

But as she joined the rest of her patrol, Shadestorm realised the ginger deputy was right. I need to apologise.

...

As the sun began to set, Shadestorm was restless in her nest. So many thoughts were swimming in her head she couldn't even count them.

Is this the place we'll settle in? Will he forgive me? Is Tallstar's death a bad omen?

The old Windclan leader had joined Starclan at dawn. He had changed deputies just moments before his dying, and Windclan seemed to be divided because of that. At least they won't cause that much trouble.

She couldn't sleep, so she headed outside.

Silverpelt was illuminating the forest floor, and frost twinkled on the grass. The sky was cloudy, but Shadestorm felt comfortable sitting alone in the shadows.

It's beautiful out here.

But it wasn't a surprise that she wished Blackstar was beside her.

...

She had been outside for quite awhile, when she was startled by movement in the bushes at the opposite side of the clearing.

Her heart started pounding with fear. A fox?

Just moments later she recognised the white pelt and black paws. This is my chance to apologise. I'm not sure if I should follow him, though. But she quickly made a decision, and got up. Her gray pelt was swallowed by shadows.

Then she reached a clearing. The ground gave away to a cliff at the edge of it. The view was overlooking the lake, which shone beautifully under them.

He was sitting near the edge of the clearing, looking at the stars.

"Blackstar?" She whispered.

The shadowclan leader whipped around, but his hackles went down as he saw her.

"Oh, it's just you."

Shadestorm padded beside him, and sat down.

And both of them started to speak at the same time.

"I'm..."

"Listen..."

There was a moment of silence before he tried again. "I wanted to apologise. I wasn't exactly kind to you the last time we spoke." He mewed, looking at the ground.

"I should probably apologise too. I shouldn't have ran off like that."

When Shadestorm dared to raise her eyes from the ground, she found the Shadowclan leader looking at ther with affection in his amber eyes.

She felt a same kind of feeling in her own eyes. She wanted nothing more but to just sit here, beside him. Forever under the beautiful starsky.

Blackstar's pov

As they glanced into eachother's eyes, he felt his heart swelling with love. Her green eyes reflected his feelings.This is the right time. At first he wasn't sure what to say, but soon the words were there.

"Shadestorm... I love you."

"I was wondering if you would never say that. I love you too." She said back, wisdom in her eyes.

The two cats pressed against eachother, and twined their tails.

It was great, sitting here beside her, watching the warriors of Starclan shining in the silverpelt. The sky was cloudless now, and the moon was illuminating their pelts. The grass was glittering with frost.

There were fireflies flying around them, creating a lightshow that seemed almost like the bugs were dancing in favour of the newly confessed truths.

The view was breathtakingly beautiful. Perfect. Just like the she-cat beside him.

...

After a while she spoke.

"You know, after Redpaw's death, I told myself I would never love any cat like we loved each other. But you made me change my mind about that." The gray she-cat looked at him, a faint smile playing on her lips.

"I think I can let go." She whispered, her voice quivering with emotion.

She leaned her head on his shoulder.

They remained there for a long time, admiring the view, side by side.

But he broke the silence.

"I think we should go back now. The moon is starting to go down."

And so they padded back to the makeshift camp, two pairs of eyes shining.

But before they could part ways, Shadestorm spoke. "What will we tell the clan?" Her voice was so hushed he could barely hear it.

"That we're together now, if thats okay with you."

She just smiled and touched his ear with her nose. And he drew her closer and breathed in her scent, burying his nose into her neckfur. They stood there for a moment, purring quietly.

Before she could head away, she spoke. "My nest is awfully uncomfortable. I was thinking if I could share yours?"

She looked like she would burst out laughing any moment. "Okay then." He was now smiling too. And he couldn't help but think Shadestorm truly had an infectious smile.

"Goodnight." He whispered.

"Sweet dreams." She whispered back. And soon the gray she-cat had fallen asleep.

He was sleepy, but he stayed awake for a moment longer.

Suddenly the clearing outside the den seemed to glitter with starlight.

He watched, astonished as Stonefur padded out of the bushes. The silver gray tom's pawsteps made no sound, and his fur shone with tiny stars.

And the wind carried the words Blackstar had wanted to hear for a long time.

"I forgive you."

Then, just like that, the Riverclan tom was gone. All that remained was a faint trace of stardust on the frosty grass.