Disclaimer: I based the Clan structure on the Warriors books by Erin Hunter.

Sorry, I didn't update sooner.

Thanks again to everyone for supporting to this story. Please write a review so that I know what you think about it.

Now here is the next chapter. Enjoy and please review.

Chapter 4

Half a moon after her annoying encounter with the ForestClan deputy, Hawkfeather still bristled when she thought about that day. She had met the black tom a few times since then; most recently at the Gathering last night. But Talonwing didn't approach her again. Instead, Hawkstar, the ForestClan leader, shared some disturbing news with them: They had scented a badger on their territory. Falconstar had advised her warriors to keep alert and Hawkfeather had arranged for more patrols. The vicious animal could easily kill a cat and didn't keep to Clan boundaries.

Right after the sunhigh patrol returned to camp, Hawkfeather went on a patrol with her apprentice and Falconstar.

"Be careful, Shinypaw. Taste the air and let us know if you scent something odd." The Clan leader told the young cat. The white-and-gray she cat nodded and walked along her mentor.

They were walking along the ridge close to the HedgeClan border and now took a turn along the outskirts of the forest. They hadn't scented anything unusual and Falconstar decided to head back to their camp. Suddenly the black-and-ginger she-cat stopped in her track. Hawkfeather looked at her sister and tasted the air.

"Badger!" the deputy exclaimed.

"It's close. Be careful." Falconstar mewed.

Then the two sisters saw the big shape of the badger closing in on them. A surprised shriek from Shinypaw startled Hawkfeather. Her apprentice would not be helpful in this situation.

"Stay out of this, Shinypaw." She told the young cat.

"Let's distract the badger and then drive it out of our territory." Falconstar told her sister.

The Clan leader pelted between the badger and Hawkfeather and drew the creature's attention to herself. This was the signal for the deputy; she attacked the intruder and raked her claws over its muzzle. Falconstar turned around and help her sister in attacking the badger. Soon, the creature was bleeding from several wounds. The sisters intensified their attacks and the badger retreated deeper into the forest.

"Wow, you were great." Shinypaw gleamed at her mentor. "You drove it off."

"It's gone for now. Let's go back to camp." Falconstar mewed.

Falconstar had ordered continued patrols until they could be certain that the badger had left. At the next Gathering, Hawkstar and Rabbitstar reported no more sightings of the badger and it was agreed that it had left the Clans' territory.

xxx

Green-leaf was coming to an end. After the incident with the badger, life had become quiet again. A quarter moon ago, Shinyflower had become a warrior and now Hawkfeather could concentrate on her duties as deputy. She was out hunting in the woods. She had spent the last two days overseeing patrols and preparations for the cold season. The nursery had to be patched up; none of the she-cats had announced kits, but Grasswhisker wanted them to be ready. The elders' den had needed some re-modeling as well to keep the cold out. Hawkfeather needed to stretch her legs and hunting would do her well.

She had already caught two mice and a sparrow when she smelled that someone from ForestClan had trespassed into their territory. Hawkfeather tasted the air again and flicked her tail: That scent belonged to Talonwing. What did the ForestClan deputy want on her land? She scanned the area hoping to find the black tom, but couldn't see him anywhere. She heard a noise from a close-by bramble thicket and turned around.

"Hello, Hawkfeather. How are you?" Talonwing asked her cheerfully.

"What are you doing on my territory?"

"Oh, nothing really. I just wanted to say hi." Talonwing had sat down and placed his tail neatly over his paws. Rage grew inside Hawkfeather. He wanted to say hi?

"You are trespassing. Get off my land, now!"

"Don't be so rude, Hawkfeather. Sit down and let's chat for a while." He blinked at the she-cat and Hawkfeather saw a sparkle of something strange in his green eyes.

"I am not rude, Talonwing. I have a Clan to run. Shouldn't you be helping Hawkstar organize patrols and such?"

"I've taken care of that. Now I have some spare time and I thought the two of us could chat a little. You know, discuss our deputy duties."

Hawkfeather looked at the black tom and didn't know what to say. Why was he here? Talonwing had risen to his paws and was now only a mouse-length away from her nose. Suddenly he ran his tongue over Hawkfeather's ear and purred. The she-cat pulled sharply away from him.

"What do you think you are doing, Talonwing." Hawkfeather stammered.

"What does it look like?" He was walking toward her again.

"We are from different Clans."

"I know that. But it doesn't matter." He was standing next to Hawkfeather and pressed his muzzle into her sleek black fur. He purred softly into her pelt.

"Stop that."

"Why, don't you like it?"

Hawkfeather couldn't answer. The closeness of his pelt, his breath in her ear made her mind swirl. She felt herself tremble.

"I have to go." She mewed hastily.

"Why are you running away?" he looked hurt.

"I am not running away. I have things to do."

"Meet me here again tonight at moonhigh." He suggested.

"Why would I do that?"

"If you are not running away now, meet me here again later."

Hawkfeather cursed under her breath. How could she get out of this situation? She couldn't meet him again, could she?

"Hawkfeather?" Talonwing prompted. The she-cat hadn't given him an answer yet.

"Fine, I'll be here at moonhigh."

She turned around and wanted to leave as he called after her again. "Don't forget to take your fresh-kill, Hawkfeather. You're a great hunter, really."

Hawkfeather went to fetch her catch, cursing under her breath again. Talonwing had confused her so much, she had completely forgotten what she did before she met him. And he had commented on her hunting. Does that mean he had watched her all this time?

xxx

Night had fallen. Soon it would be moonhigh. Hawkfeather had debated with herself whether she should keep her word and see Talonwing. Well, she had given the black tom her word, but she would be breaking the warrior code if she went. The way he had looked at her, they way he had nuzzled her, it was apparent that he meant for them to break the warrior code. But Hawkfeather couldn't stop thinking about the touch of his pelt to hers. His tongue as he had licked her ear. She knew it was wrong, but she couldn't stop her paws from taking her to the woods.

"You came. I thought you might not." Talonwing had been waiting for her. His eyes shone when he saw her.

"I shouldn't have come."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because we are breaking the warrior code." Hawkfeather mewed sternly.

"This is about you and me, not the warrior code." He had walked close to Hawkfeather and pressed his pelt to her.

"We can't do this, Talonwing." Hawkfeather mewed weakly. She felt her resolution melt away. If she didn't leave him now, she wouldn't leave at all. The black she-cat drew herself away from him and went back towards her camp. Talonwing followed her.

"Please, don't go." He begged and the sound of his voice made Hawkfeather's heart race: it was full of longing. "I've loved you since the first time I saw you. Give me a chance."

Hawkfeather was rooted to the spot. He loved her?!

"When I first saw you the moon made your fur shine like Silverpelt. That moment I knew we were meant for each other." Talonwing had stepped closer to her and ran his tongue over her ear. Hawkfeather couldn't resist any more and pressed her muzzle into his fur. Talonwing purred hard and pressed his pelt closer to hers. Their tails entwined.

xxx

Hawkfeather had spent the night with Talonwing. She was so happy. In the back of her mind, a small voice reminded her that what she was doing was wrong. She was breaking the warrior code. Talonwing had asked her to meet him again in three days and she knew she would come again. Whatever the consequences were, she would have to face them. She couldn't stop seeing Talonwing because she had fallen in love with him.

xxx

For the past moon, Hawkfeather had sneaked out of camp every few days to see Talonwing. She was afraid someone would find out about her nightly adventures. Especially, if that someone was Falconstar. Hawkfeather had never been able to hide anything from her sister; it was only a matter of time until she would find out.

"Hawkfeather, I need to speak with you. Do you have a moment?" Falconstar joined her at the fresh-kill pile.

"Sure."

"Let's grab something to eat and go to my den." Falconstar mewed. They had each taken a fat mouse and now settled down in the Clan leader's den.

"Two nights ago I woke up at night and went to stretch my legs." Falconstar began. Hawkfeather's heart raced. Two nights ago? That's when she had last met Talonwing.

"I smelled your scent outside the camp. It wasn't stale so I followed it. I was wondering what you would do out of camp in the middle of the night."

Hawkfeather swallowed the last of her mouse and looked at her sister.

"Then I found you close to the ForestClan border. Asleep. Next to Talonwing."

Continues soon...