A/N Hey, long time no see! Enjoy.

Chapter 5 Relationship Trouble

(Birchfall)

This past moon has been silent torture. No code, no rules, no nothing. Ugh. And have I mentioned every she cat here has at least flirted with me twice? It's been hard here. Not emotionally hard, but physical. The landscape is so strenuous, my muscles strengthen everyday. I'm not a scrawny young warrior anymore. I'm a battle hard weapon with hard eyes, and apparently that's all the rage with she cats.

But they don't get it. My heart is with Whitewing. I WILL see her again. Reeba sat next to me, gazing at the hillside. She turned to me. "Do you do this every night?" She asked, indicating my slipping off into the night.

I looked at her and smiled ruefully. "Every night." She made this disgusted sound. "And you wonder why she cats would just love to be your mate! What, with your overcast eyes, ripped body, and troubled past. Every queen's fantasy."

Her rant surprised me. "Aren't you one of those moon struck rabbits?" She shuffled her tiny paws, almost self-consciously. " I have bigger prey to catch than an outsider like you."

I smiled slyly. This was my favorite game, getting into Reeba's head. "And who might that be? Fuzzball?" He laughed teasingly, imagining Reeba sharing tongues with the over sized hairball.

Reeba sprang from her spot, hissing. "For your information, it's Sun! No way would I ever be interested in that strange speaking-thing like Fuzzball!" She seethed until she realized what had happened. Then, she gazed at me coolly. Her turn.

"And why aren't you mister she cat wrangler? Too scared?"

She hit a dark spot. My face darkened. "None of your business."

She rolled her perfectly angled eyes. "So sorry to bust your bubble. I thought romance ran in the family. With Jade and Stripes together and all. Who has captured your heart?"

I looked away. "It's no one. Leave me alone." Reeba merely snorted. "Christ, you'd think you would have your own tragedy. Can't you spill just one wittle secwet? I pwomise I won't tell nobody!" She ended in a cutesy voice.

I sighed, and caved. Slightly. "She's lost. Trapped somewhere I can't see, and there's no hope of ever seeing her again. She's lost." I ended flatly.

Reeba's eyes became sympathetic. "That's exactly what happened to Sheba. Before we came to the mountains, before Thorn was…well, what he is now, Sheba and him were together. Too young for mates (Christ too young), but you knew just by looking at them, there was love. Then, one night she and Thorn snuck out to see a park on the far side of our territory.

To make a long story short, a spike from a monster flying by nearly decapitated Sheba, if Thorn hadn't of pushed her away. The point slashed Thorn's throat and sent him headfirst into a stone wall of an upwalker's den. The hit made him lose every memory he had, Sheba and all. It took forever to get him to trust us again. We have no idea if he'll get better."

She paused, and then continued on sadly. "Sheba hasn't given up yet. Every day she sits with him-he never lets anyone touch him- and talks to him. Every day. And you know what? He doesn't like her. No matter how hard she tries, he doesn't remember. And still, every day…" She trailed off and shook her head.

"I'm sorry your mate is lost. Sheba's is also." Suddenly, she pricked her ears. "Dawn patrol's awakening. Let's go." I nodded stiffly and sped along Reeba. I was sure she was dying to tell someone that. Someone to understand what it felt. A thought occurred to me. She trusted me.

Wow, something that doesn't happen very often. Sun met us as we entered camp. "I'm leading dawn patrol. Any volunteers before I start choosing?"

Shadow, Ribbon, and Rascal agreed to and Reeba piped up, "Will I be one too many?" Sun smiled at her. "The more the merrier. Let' move." The patrol dashed away.

I padded around the camp until a sight caught my eye. Sheba was sitting with Thorn, both of them eating, talking. I walked over. "Mind if I join you?"

Sheba narrowed her eyes, but Thorn nodded gratefully, making my heart twist with pity. "Fine by me Screech."

I sat down with a vole and stared at Sheba. She looked like an exact beautiful copy of Reeba, except she had rich ginger fur and sparkling green eyes, unlike Reeba's silvery form and blue eyes. Her's bore into me.

"Yes?" She asked coldly. Thorn grunted, irritated. "Don't worry, she's does this to everybody."

Sheba immediately retaliated. "I'm so sorry Thorn, it's just that we always have so interesting conversations, and some cats", she glared at me, "make me lose my train of thought."

He shrugged. "We were talking about the difference between crow-food and rubbish, not the future generation of flying cats."

"I don't think there's a difference." I meowed. Thorn raised his head. "See? I told you there was no difference! Can I go now please?"

Sheba sighed and nodded. Thorn scampered away. "I hope you're happy." She hissed at me, "Believe it or not, I LOVED that conversation." Her eyes brimmed with pain.

I looked at her understandingly. "Trust me, I know what you're going through, only my lost one is sunrises away from here. He'll come around."

She looked at me as if I had just said badgers and two legs could raise families together. Slowly, she softened. "Thank you." She whispered.

I grinned. "If you need help, I could always talk to him." Her eyes lit for a moment, but suddenly darkened to a jaded color. "How can I trust you to say the right things?"

I shrugged nonchalantly. "Back where I came from, I was a very big ladies man."

To my irritation, my comment was met by a serious bout of disbelieving laughter and snorts.

………………………………………………………………………………...

Finding Thorn was not an easy feat. For one thing, his favorite job was lookout, and that was on the highest point of the highest hill in a scraggly bunch of bushes and bramble. Did I mention this hill was steep, rocky, and hidden? You can see my dilemma.

When I finally got to the top of the hill, I was wheezing and sputtering, trying hard not to collapse. I looked around and groaned. No one was up here. Behind me, I heard hard breathing. I turned and saw Thorn race into the clearing, not even winded by the climb. He creeped me out sometimes. "Were you already assigned watch?" He asked disappointed.

I shook my head. "It's all yours. I just wanted to talk." Thorn looked relieved, and sat down. "What about?"

"Sheba." I blurted. He frowned. "What about her?"

This wasn't going well. I decided a different approach. "Why don't you like her?" He looked almost sad.

"It's just that she's always there, keeping me from everybody else. I just want her to ease up, you know? She's a great friend, but way too clingy."

A part of me knew that was the answer, but it still made me sad. "Listen", I mewed earnestly, "she really likes you. She's just desperate for you to like her back. She even told me that she thoroughly enjoyed your crow-food conversation. I'll tell her to back off a bit, but you have to make an effort also. Deal?"

Thorn looked troubled. "Alright, but I have a problem."

I groaned. "What now?"

"I'm in love with Reeba."

That did it.

(Bluestar)

Sitting at the back of camp, I gazed at the starless sky, just hoping, that I might be able to see a star tonight. But of course, no luck came. I swiveled my ear to hear Spottedleaf approach me. "What is it?" I meowed tiredly.

She flicked her tail in anticipation. "We found Longtail at the border."

I immediately jumped up and raced to her. "What happened? Is he all right? Where did he come from?"

Spottedleaf gave me a shoosh. "He's very traumatized. Apparently he's been their prisoner for over two moons. I would give him a couple of days for him to get rest and food. That means no visitors." She meowed, eyeing me.

I flicked my ears. "Fine, but we need all the information we can get in order to bring Whitewing back here."

Spottedleaf nodded. "Of course, but-"

"But what?" I asked irritated. Taking down Tigerstar meant we had to do anything to stop him.

"Just don't get caught up in your hate for Tigerstar, like you did when you were alive. Whitewing and Birchfall are NOT tools." Spottedleaf warned.

I snorted. "The moment they made that ridiculous promise to us we all became tools. Why not use the best of them?" I looked around. "Speaking of the best, where's Firestar. I haven't seen him since he snuck out to Birchfall's dream."

Spottedleaf glared at me. "You put him in isolation, remember? You said even the greatest of leaders know when to be punished. Why don't you take your advice."

"How dare you!" I snarled at her, "I should have you-"

"Have me what? Killed? Tortured? Put in isolation? Without your right hand cat you are nothing!" Spottedleaf snarled back.

"I am everything!" I roared. "I found the camp. I went into Starclan to find survivors. I thought of every plan we have. And you tell me I'm nothing? I will be the one to take down Tigerstar. Not you, or anyone else. You are the one that's nothing."

"Have you forgotten the nothing that saved you from Tigerstar?" Spottedleaf muttered.

I was at a loss of words. Shame burned my ears, but I couldn't let that show. I lifted my chin. "Lucky shot." I meowed haughtily.

Something awoke in Spottedleaf. Her warrior side. "Fine then, O Great Leader of Starclan! I quit, and I'm taking the prophecy, Firestar, and my medicine cat knowledge with me." And she started to strut away. "See how you cope without nothing for a few days", I heard her venomously mutter.

The color drained from my face, but it was replaced with rage. "You'll come back! You won't be able to survive. And when you do, I'm not sure if I'll take you back."

Spottedleaf stopped walking and turned in my direction. "Something has taken over you old friend." She mewed sadly, "When you have learned your lesson, look to the jagged rock at the time the wind blows, and you will have found me. Until then, good luck. Right now, you are no better than Tigerstar himself." She darted away.

It took a few moments for it to sink in, and when it did, I fell to the ground. "Starclan, what have I done?" I murmured.

"A great business to Tigerclan." A deep growl answered, to my horror. I whipped around to see Tigerstar at the edge of my den, smiling wickedly. "This camp was tricky to find."

"You-" But I didn't get to answer. A paw from behind me slammed into my head, sending me to the ground. Before I passed out, I saw a dark gray face, leering at me. I closed my eyes. Shadedsoul.

A/N Gasp! Whose side is Shadedosul on? Twistey out.