Here's chapter... nine? It's that writer's block again, sorry I took so long.

Appleheart sighed, rubbing her cheek against Birchclaw's shoulder. "Of course I'm not annoyed you told Whitecloud," she purred. "After all, Tawnypelt knows about us as well."

Birchclaw let out a sigh of relief. "I'm glad you feel that way," he told her. "I'd choose you over any cat, any day, but Whitecloud's one of my closest friends. I don't want to spoil our relationship."

Appleheart meowed her agreement. "Nothing should get between our friends." It was one of the many reasons she loved Birchclaw; he was very loyal to his Clanmates. A small part of her glowed with pride as she realised that to him, she was more important than the whole of ThunderClan. For a while they sat in silence, content with just being together, watching the stars overhead.

"Hey, guess what?" she said suddenly, raising her head.

"What?"

"Tawnypelt's having kits!" Appleheart mewed happily. "Her first litter."

Birchclaw licked Appleheart's nose. "I never thought she'd settle down completely," he murmured, surprised. "Who's the father?"

"Rowanclaw," Appleheart replied. "It wasn't a forbidden love like ours at all." The pale she-cat had been slightly disappointed when Tawnypelt had announced the news yesterday. She'd secretly liked the idea of another cat so close by breaking the warrior code along with her. But at least she'd been able to come into the open about her kits. Seeing the delight in the tortoiseshell's face, Appleheart couldn't help repressing a twinge of longing.

"Birchclaw," she meowed softly.

The ThunderClan tom turned his face to her. "Yes, Appleheart?" His amber eyes were as full of love as they had been on the day they'd confessed their feelings for each other.

Appleheart hesitantly continued. "Birchclaw, did you… have you ever thought about…"

Before she could finish what she was going to say, there was a rustle in the bushes behind them. Birchclaw instantly stood up, his face drawn back in a snarl, while Appleheart raised herself into a fighting crouch.

There was a flash of white fur, and then Whitecloud was standing with them. "Birchclaw!" she cried. "You need to get back to the camp. They've noticed you're gone."

Birchclaw nodded briefly. He turned to Appleheart and rasped his tongue over her ear. "When we next meet, you can tell me," he promised. "I love you."

Appleheart touched his nose with hers, breathing in his scent. "I love you too."

Birchclaw gave one last lingering look, then spun around and dashed through the undergrowth, leaving the two she-cats together.

"You're Appleheart, right?" Whitecloud broke the pause.

Appleheart nodded slowly. "You must be Whitecloud." Then, remembering what Birchclaw had said about the ThunderClan cat, she added "It's nice to finally meet you. Birchclaw's told me all about you."

Whitecloud dipped her head. "He never stops talking about you," she murmured. "It's great to see him so happy, but the Clan's getting suspicious." She raised her head. "How long can you wait before you meet him again?"

"Not long," Appleheart replied. "But does midnight, two days from now, seem okay to you?" Personally, she wanted to see him tomorrow, but Whitecloud was right.

"If you can't manage longer…" the white she-cat sighed. "I'll tell him. Nice to have met you, Appleheart." She turned and ran off in the direction Birchclaw had gone.

Appleheart lay down, her nose resting on her paws. She didn't feel like going back to her Clan yet.

"Appleheart?"

The she-cat spun around for the second time that night. For a heartbeat, she stared at the stranger. Then she dipped her head in greeting. "What are you doing here, Smokefoot?"

The black tom gazed at her with unblinking blue eyes. "Moonhigh patrol," he explained briefly. "I heard voices. What are you doing here, anyway?"

"A bit of late night hunting," Appleheart meowed quickly. "It's great to hunt when the forest is covered in moonlit shadows." Her heart was in her throat; she hoped he'd buy her story.

"You should have let some cat know," Smokefoot mewed.

Appleheart stood up. "I will next time," she responded, padding past him and into the depths of her territory. Smokefoot watched her go with a puzzled expression on his face.

Far too late, Appleheart realised that she hadn't washed Birchclaw's scent out of her fur when she'd brushed past Smokefoot.