Brambleclaw drowsily awoke from the best sleep he had in moons. He had dreamt that he was cuddling with Squirrelflight, letting her warmth spread through his body. It was so cosy… Brambleclaw mentally scolded himself. Squirrelflight lied to him about his 'kits' claming them as her own. It made his blood boil to think about it, let alone speak to that lying she-cat. He could never trust his former mate again, and made sure that they never crossed paths.
He waited for the warmth of his dream to fade, but what he found realized that he wasn't cold, and was surprised to find a cat pressed against his pelt. His pelt bristled. What was that she-cat thinking! Squirrelflight knew that they weren't mates anymore, and she of all cats shouldn't be that close to him. Still, he found it strange for the hot-headed she cat to be curled up with him. All he had to do was give her the cold shoulder and she'd leave him alone till dawn. He opened his eyes, angry, wanting to rip apart that amber pelt, but his eyes saw brown. The scent was… Rowanfur.
He jumped up, hissing. How dare this she cat get so close to him! What if Squirrelflight saw? The little voice in the back of his head asked. Brambleclaw shook his head. He didn't care if that she-cat saw, she deserved it if she got hurt. "What in Starclan do you think your doing!" He hissed at Rowanfur, his pelt standing on end. The she-cat looked at him with big, moony eyes. "Oops." She giggled, her voice fake. "I must have rolled over in my sleep!" Brambleclaw hissed. He knew very well that she was lying/
They both knew very well what she was doing. Brambleclaw knew that she had a crush on him, but this went too far. "I am not your mate, or anyone elses." He hissed. She narrowed her eyes. "What about Squirrelflight?" She growled at the lying she-cats name. "She lied to me." Brambleclaw growled, mostly for his own benefit. The she cat allowed herself to purr. Brambleclaw suddenly knew. The she cat found pleasure at his hatred of his former mate.
He glanced at Squirrelflight's nest, and was surprised to find it empty. He hoped that she had gone on a early hunting patrol, and not doing something horrible in her grief. He knew he didn't care about her, but even he didn't want her hurt.
He gave Rowanfur a look of pure hatred, then hissed, "Get out of my sight, you filthy excuse of a warrior. Next time you even touch my pelt, you will be hurt." He growled. The she-cat raced out of the den. Brambleclaw shook in fury, shacking off the impulse to rip her to shreds.
He walked out of the den, prepared to organize the daily patrols. A few cats were in the clearing, stretching and a talking, waiting for Brambleclaw to tell them what to do. He walked up under the highledge, and waited for more cats to gather. "Brambleclaw!" Firestar called from his den. Brambleclaw turned to his leader and found himself beckoned to his den. The dark tom leaped from the rocks that served as a connection from the ground to the ledge, then entered the leader's den.
He walked in, and was surprised to find Sandstorm and Leafpool waiting beside Firestar. Squirrelflight had inherited her mother's aditude and her fathers pelt, but Leafpool looked more like her mother. Sandstorm was worried about something, the two other cats mirroring her. Brambleclaw was starting to worry himself. If Sandstorm was worried about something, it had to be important.
Brambleclaw sat opposite the three cats. "Brambleclaw." Firestar began, "Have you seen Squirrelflight lately?" Brambleclaw's pelt bristled. Just because he once loved the she-cat didn't mean he was responsible for her actions. He shook off the feelings, knowing he must think of the she cat as a clanmate. "Not today, why?" Sandstorm buried her head into Firestar's pelt. "Sandstorm awoke in the middle of the night, and she was gone." The leader of thunderclan gulped. "Brambleclaw, she hasn't been seen since then." In spite of all his intentions, Brambleclaw stiffened. Squirrelflight hadn't gone on a hunting patrol. She must of seen… Why did he care? He hated her! Did he?
"Do you have any idea of why she might of gone?" Firestar continued. "No, but I may have an idea." Brambleclaw told the cats of last nights events. Leafpool hissed. "Stupid she-cats! Squirrelflight shouldn't be in the forest alone! Have you seen how skinny she is lately?" Brambleclaw blinked. No, he hadn't noticed, then again, she had seemed thin lately… "If she gets attacked…." Leafpool trailed off, not wanting to say what they all thought.
Firestar took a deep breath. "Can you go find her? I know its too much to ask but.." Brambleclaw nodded. "I'll go." He was worried, but annoyed. Now he had to get the cat out of trouble again!. He walked out of the den, and began to search. Her scent trail led out of the camp, and he followed it. It seemed that she had run widely, not caring to watch her path. More likely blinded in misery. Brambleclaw thought guilty.
While the she cat deserved to be hurt, Brambleclaw didn't want her dead. He smelled a fresher scent as he approached the lake, and was relieved to see a glint of amber not far. "Squirrelflight!" He hissed, not wanting to get his paws wet. When the cat didn't move, he edged forwards. His former mate was barley moving. Brambleclaw touched his nose to her fur.
"Squirrelflight?" He asked. As soon as his nose touched her pelt, a dizzy blackness enveloped him. He felt his knees buckle, and down he went. Then, everything went black.