Mapleleaf – Well, it's hard! I do have a life you know… And Flamesoul's reason for leaving is explored in the story, and it becomes…quite a problem too.

Dakotles85- Loyal? Hmm… I think maybe you should read some of his comments on she-cats, and how he treated Gingerleaf when he was her mate! I'll read you're story when I get the time…I've read the first chappy. You're a much better writer then me – stop putting yourself down! As for her name, I personally like Roseflight, but I was thinking about plots and such…and the name Rosethorn fits better. Plus, a lot of reviewers on both this site and another one clearly like the name Rosethorn…so her name became Rosethorn!

Cinderwing- Hmmm… I like your prediction!

Strangefur- You know you are the first reviewer to even comment on Graywhisker, or Thorntail's father and his half-Clan heritage? Being Half-RiverClan (technically) and half ShadowClan living in ThunderClan. I'm not going to comment on who Thorntail's papa is though…that's something you have to read to find out! So get reading!

PearlaH.Sweden- Alright…

Nameless Nightmare- Do you just want me to continue because I'm bad at editing, and I have a long fic? xD Allwells. Anyways I will continue this particular story I suppose…

Sorry if I didn't reply to your review! I wrote the replies while at school…and was kind of rushed. I did the oldest ones first… I also apologize for the shortness, and…well disappointingness of this chapter. Long story. It's in Applefur's point of view, one I haven't used yet, and to be honest…I think this is the first chapter where neither Thorntail or Rosethorn do…anything. Oh, and you'll notice that Rosethorn is called Rosepaw in this chapter. That is because Applefur doesn't know that the medicine cat got her new name yet…so…yeah.

Chapter 23

Applefur's heart lurched; as she saw the red-blue that was Rosepaw flee from the camp as if the fires of hell were on her heels. It was astounding to see, because the medicine nearly flew through snow that went up to her chest. The ginger she-cat was tempted to run after her, but she was surrounded by the cats of her Clan. Not only would it be hard dodging through them, but in order for their plan to work…

"Um…" Applefur began, leveling her gaze with Featherfrost's ice-blue orbs, "I need to go speak to Blackshadow about something," she mused, noticing the black tom still speaking with Icepelt – most likely the ThunderClan warrior hadn't even noticed the medicine cat's frantic escape from the camp.

"I see," Featherfrost purred, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "You have to let him down easy?" the pretty white she-cat tossed a glance over at him from her shoulder, and let out a sigh. "I think he might've heard…"

"Darn," it was Sandpelt, one of the other nursery queens speaking now, as she stared at Icepelt and Blackshadow from afar. "I always thought it was Thorntail who was the expert at getting new mates every new-moon. Apparently we should give Blackshadow some credit too…"

Applefur dug her claws into the earth. If Icepelt had decided to take her mate away, then the pretty white she-cat would be having an unfortunate accident soon enough. Blackshadow was hers, whatever the Clan decided to believe. She excused herself, and pushed through the group of cats, and trotted over to her true mate. As she approached, he turned an amber gaze on her and gave her a curt nod. Icepelt did the same.

Applefur fixed Icepelt with a cold glare, hoping to silently tell the white she-cat to get away from her tom. However, Icepelt didn't seem to get the message, so Applefur mewed icily, "I'd like to speak to Blackshadow alone."

Icepelt hesitated for a moment, but finally dipped her head, and padded over to where Dusktail and Spottedlight were lounging outside the warrior's den.

For a moment, Applefur forgot her whole purpose of coming over to Blackshadow, and hissed, "What were you doing with her?" a thorn of hurt pierced her heart, and for a moment Applefur felt what she knew Rosepaw must be feeling. "She looked interested…"

"Applefur, she's old enough to be my mother," Blackshadow pointed out smoothly, touching her shoulder playfully with his tail. "Stop being so jealous." Applefur shrugged her shoulders, and tried to ignore the pain she felt at his calling her jealous. Even though she knew it was true.

"Well…" Applefur drawled. "What were you talking to her about?"

Blackshadow purred at what seemed to be Applefur. The ThunderClan she-cat was tempted to claw his ears off, but held back. He just stared into her pale-blue eyes with his own amber for a few moments, and finally meowed, "We were just talking about what Streamstar told us. I'm going to be mentoring Morningkit, and Icepelt is getting Aquakit. That's all." He shrugged his shoulders, as if the news didn't excite him at all, but the sparkle of joy in his eyes was as if he had been appointed Clan deputy – and not simply gotten an apprentice.

"Oh," Applefur purred. "That's so great, Blackshadow!" she wanted to give him a lick on the ear, but fought herself, and stopped midway. She suddenly remembered her reason for speaking to him. "Blackshadow," she meowed, "Rosethorn heard what I said – about Thorntail being the father of my kits…and she flew out of camp faster then a monster on the Thunderpath. …Blackshadow," Applefur breathed. "You did tell her, right?"

"Of course I did!" Blackshadow flared, his hackles rising. "You give birth to a litter of my kits," he emphasized the word 'my' as if he had to make it clear that they were his, 'claim them as Thorntail's, and nobody suspects her anymore…" Applefur wanted to cuff the tom over the ear for speaking of the plan in the middle of the camp. Luckily, his voice was quiet. "I told Thorntail just last night, and I told Rosethorn when…oh fox-dung!" Blackshadow swore, with a ferocious spit at the earth. "I was going to, but I forgot about the half-moon! I guess I never told her…"

"Mouse-brain!" Applefur snarled lashing her tail. "You call yourself a warrior? You can't even be trusted with the simplest of tasks!" The ThunderClan she-cat raised her eyes to the heavens, and noticed how quickly the moon was starting to dive under the earth, to be replaced by the sun. "We have to find her and explain to her what happened,"

"We'll never catch up to her," Blackshadow sighed, his eyes full of sorrow. "It'll be hard to pick up the scent of her with just the two of us…"

"Who needs scents?" Applefur asked curiously. "If we're lucky, her pawprints will still be embedded in the snow…"

"But StarClan is against us!" Blackshadow hissed, flailing his front claws in the air as if he were clawing a StarClan cat's pelt. "They want those two to be found out, and punished…they'll probably send more snow…" as the black tom spoke, Applefur noticed stone-gray cloud form overhead, as if StarClan had every intention to carry out what Blackshadow had said they would.

"Then we'll outrun StarClan!" Applefur snapped. "I only gave Thorntail up because Rosepaw was the one getting him! If another she-cat does, I don't know what I'd…" she stopped herself, as she noticed Blackshadow's hurt look in his eyes. "Blackshadow," she stuttered, her word coming out nearly inaudible, "I didn't…I didn't mean that the way it sounded…"

"Yes you did." Blackshadow murmured. "You've always wished to carry Thorntail's kits. I guess that's why you were so eager to disclaim my rights as a father, and put Thorntail in my place. You can live your life now pretending that Thorntail is your mate…"

"No that's not true!" Applefur snarled, forgetting about how her friendship with Rosepaw was on the edge. "And don't lie Blackshadow! I've seen how you look at that medicine cat! You'll always love her more then me! Its only because I look like her that you even bothered with me!" Applefur purred when she finished her flay, as she saw the hurt and embarrassed look Blackshadow had on his face. However, the pain she had felt when Blackshadow had accused her of her eternal crush on Thorntail was nothing compared to the agony she had thrashing about in her heart, as her true mate, Blackshadow, didn't say anything to defend himself. The black tom could've literally ripped her heart out, and it probably would've hurt less.

"…Blackshadow," Applefur murmured, her voice softer now. "…whatever I…or you feel about that couple…I really do love you. I'm proud to have your kits…do you love me?"

"Of course," Blackshadow purred. "I'll always love you, Applefur."

Comforted now, the new-queen suddenly remembered Rosepaw. "Great StarClan!" she gasped. "We have to go after her! We should go now!"

"If we leave together they'll suspect something…" Blackshadow was referring to the group of ThunderClan cats by the nursery, who, as Applefur turned her head and noticed, were still watching the couple with curiosity. Luckily they were too far away to hear the conversation…

"I'll run out of the camp as if in a fury," all this sneaking around as starting to bother Applefur, but she supposed she'd get used to it. "And you can chase after me...and if you're jealous of my love for Thorntail."

Applefur could just hear Blackshadow mutter, "That shouldn't be too hard…" before the tom meowed louder, "Alright. Go."

The ginger she-cat let out a furious yowl, as if her fury was aimed at her mate, and then turned tail, and sped out of the camp, a storm of snow flying behind her as she sent the flakes into the air.

As she sped through the gorse tunnel, she was acutely aware of Blackshadow pounding at her heels, and was comforted. She wondered for a single moment if they should've told Thorntail about Rosepaw's reaction, but decided that they had done well in not telling him. It would probably cause too much drama, and maybe a rift in his and Rosepaw's relationship. Thorntail wasn't good with rifts. Or long-time relationships. That was one of the reasons he had gotten a new mate about every moon or so.

As Applefur followed Rosepaw's paw-steps in the snow, she suddenly felt a chill. Thorntail had technically been Rosepaw's mate for a moon now… Was Rosepaw's time up?

No, Applefur thought determinedly as frost started to wrap around her whiskers. Their relationship will be eternal. I know it…