Chapter 9: Pinestar

For the first time since he started this whole plan, Pinestar felt nervous. He had felt so calm, so eager, when he had waited for Greyleaf to show up, and he'd felt so confident when he had led her to this place. But now that he was here, he didn't know what to do. How could he express how he felt without scaring her off, or worse, provoking her into attacking him. He settled on just straightforwardly telling her his feelings.

"Since the first time I laid eyes on you, I knew that I loved you." He mewed slowly, cautiously.

She she-cat noticeably stiffened.

"L-Love me?" She mewed incredulously, a surprised expression on her lovely face.

Pinestar nodded, trying to put all of his whirring emotions into one look. He opened his mouth to say something, but then he paused, unsure.

"I- um - I can't explain it. I just, do. It's like," He searched for a word, tapping a paw nervously and slightly sticking out his pink tongue in concentration. "It's like - uh - when you can't stop thinking about something, and you don't know why."

She gave him a quizzical look, her emerald eyes boring into his pelt. Pinestar felt himself blush. Mouse-brain! You should have rehearsed this! He scolded himself, before he just spoke it plainly yet again.

"I think you're beautiful," He mewed clumsily, looking at the ground and running his paw back and forth across it, leaving a line in the soft earth.

"Well, I don't know about beautiful," Greyleaf replied, stepping back a bit and flicking her fluffy tail sheepishly, "Lilytail has always been the prettiest she-cat in ThunderClan."

Pinestar frowned, both saddened and frustrated by her response. "No, I doubt she is."

The Thunderclan she-cat's eyes widened, and she seemed to realize the sincerity in his words.

"Uh-I," She stammered, obviously dumbfounded, and her eyes lost focus. She didn't even notice when he sat down next to her and placed a brown paw on her grey one.

"I love you Greyleaf. It's crazy, but I do," He whispered, and her head snapped to the side, green eyes finding amber. "I have no idea why, but I think StarClan led me to you. I- I know that clan law does not allow us to be together, but please, think about it. Give me a chance." He pleaded.

She stared at him, her expression inscrutable, and for a split second, Pinestar was afraid she would refuse, run off, and tell her clan of his treachery to the code.

If she did so, he would end up in a world of trouble, maybe even being exiled for what he was doing. Other than that, there would be doubt as to his fate. He would be ridiculed, stripped of his position, and would have any trust he had been given stripped away.

"O-okay," She murmured, looking at the ground shyly And surprising the tabby tom.

Pinestar purred - a deep, rumbling sound - and smiled with glee, causing the tabby she-cat to look back up at him.

Her expression changed to one of lightheartedness. Greyleaf crossed her eyes and stuck out her tongue. "Call me the loony bird if ThunderClan. I'm the first cat to trust a ShadowClan leader with my life on the first day of knowing him."

He laughed at her antics, and she joined in. Once they were able to control themselves, they said their goodbyes and awkwardly headed back towards their homes.

As he traveled back, Pinestar couldn't contain his glee. She had actually said yes! She was going to give him a chance! He could just feel the joy coursing through his veins, lighting his heart and fueling the lives of passion and love that lived in him! When he got home, he vowed would become the best leader he could be! For Greyleaf!

Chapter 9: Time Jump

Over the next few moons, they grew closer and closer as they met at night. Both of them were very careful and stayed on their sides of the border, always taking different routes to get to their meeting place.

They both eagerly awaited these meetings and hated leaving. It got harder and harder to tear away from each other's company as the sunrises passed. The two dreaded departing as much as they awaited seeing one another.

However, Greyleaf had also grown closer to Blackpaw. The dark tom had earned his warrior name and now was called Blackfur, and to appease her parents, Greyleaf pretended that she had feelings for the over-protective tom. They always went on hunting and border patrols together, ate together, and their nests were always next to one another.

Greyleaf really did like Blackfur, just not in the way her parents thought. Those special feelings were reserved for Pinestar, and Blackfur knew nothing of their relationship. She intended to keep it that way, and that meant spending almost every waking moment with him.

Sadly, this tore a rift between Greyleaf and Goldenfur. She never saw much of the golden tom anymore, and she missed his company. The grey she-cat had liked his easy companionship, and she missed hanging out with him.

But, every once in a while, Greyleaf would get to talk to Goldenfur. When they were together, all of the awkwardness disappeared. Greyleaf could just be herself. The feeling of companionship between them was almost as strong as the bond she and Pinestar shared, despite Blackfur's interference.

As for Pinestar, he was getting the hang of being a leader. The white-muzzled tom was kind but firm with his clan. He had already led ShadowClan into a victorious battle against RiverClan, made Ivypaw and Rowanpaw as warriors - now called Ivyfrost and Rowanclaw - and named Shortkit and Dawnkit apprentices.

Pinestar had become a beloved leader. His clan admired him, and the kits aspired to be like him.

Life was going well for both clans.