CHAPTER 4

Leafheart wandered along the WindClan border, looking for her best friend. They had to talk. Suddenly, the scent of a WindClan cat drifted over, strong and clear. Annoyingly there were no bushes to hide in- but Leafheart needed to ask a WindClan cat something anyway.

It was Smokewhisper- Rooktalon's mother. "Leafheart? What are you doing here?" she mewed, her eyes slightly mistrustful.

"Y-you haven't seen Blossompelt around, 'ave you?" Leafheart asked, her best friend's name like magic on her tongue.

"Goodness know what you'd want with that she-cat! She's a heart breaker, she really is, and a slut- Wait? Where are you going?" Leafheart dashed past the long-furred black she-cat and was way into WindClan territory before she could do anything about it.

The pretty tabby she-cat stopped, panting. Usually, when Blossompelt and Leafheart met up, it would be in ThunderClan territory as it had more undergrowth to hide in. Leafheart had no idea where she was.

Then- boom- out of the ground popped Greywhiskers- a very large WindClan warrior.

"What in StarClan do you think you're doing here?" he growled, his tail raised. Leafheart knew she couldn't fight off this cat- he was well known for being heavy.

"I-I... look! RiverClan warriors!" Leafheart again used a distraction. As Greywhisker spun round, startled, the young she-cat dashed away.

She ran and ran, tripping over dis-used badger setts and straggly bushes. Her eyes stung- she was lost in unknown territory, and her best friend probably thought she was a complete weirdo. A rabbit hopped a few paces away, taunting and enticing. It was as if it knew that Leafheart would never dare to steal prey.

She slumped down. Then, a familiar scent drifted over on the breeze- BLOSSOMPELT! The young brown cat turned her head and grinned as her best friend padded over- and her face fell as the beautiful golden she-cat yelled "What the 'ell do you think yer doin' 'ere?"

"Blossompelt- we need to talk! Please?" Leafheart's eyes were wide, whilst her friend's were narrow and bitter.

"Fine. As long as you don't touch me."

"What do you think I am? Some weird pervert?" Leafheart was offended, but proceeded to talk anyway. "I love... you're mah best mate..."

"Not any more I'm not. You better clear off- I'm on patrol with Ferretfur and Goldtail. They'll be back soon." Blossompelt's eyes were cold and her neck fur bristled.

"You can stop bein' mean for a start-" Leafheart was cut off by an angry retort from her ex-friend "Look. Let me get this into yer head! I'm not a lesbian, I'm don't fancy you and I never will! You kissin' me was NOT ON."

"You didn't pull away."

"I was in flippin' shock! I don't exactly expect mah best mate to just randomly plant one on me, do ah? Clear off, I neva wanna see you again!"

Leafheart looked helplessly at her friend one last time, and ran off. Salty tears crept their way down her face and in the distance she heard Ferretfur say "What just happened?" and Blossompelt reply "Nothing. Just a flea in my fur I've been tryin' to get rid of fer ages..."

"Why the 'eck do you smell of WindClan?" Slatefur shouted, his blue eyes ablaze.

"I 'ave no idea what you're on about..." his daughter Leafheart replied, cowering.

"It's a tom, innit? You're seeing a tom in WindClan! You're always skulking around out there..."

"NO! I went to see Blossompelt, that's all!" she hissed back.

"Stop lying. No daughter of mine is going off with some tom from another clan!" he snarled.

"Lay off her, Dad! Can't you see that she's upset?" Roseshine mewed defensively, twining her pretty brown tail with her sister's.

Slatefur spat and stalked away, stiff legged. The younger of his daughters shot off into the forest- tears stung her eyes. Leafheart's day was not going well...

Roseshine scented the air. Her sister had been gone for about an hour, and Roseshine felt sorry for her. The pale tabby she-cat followed the trail she'd just smelt- it lead to the pool.

"Hun? Are you here?" she called, her voice soft. Something sniffled in the bush next to her, so she pushed through.

"Aww.. sis... It's a tom, isn't it? Did you get dumped?" the older she-cat's head cocked to the side and her eyes were lit with concern.

"No, it's-"

"You'll laugh about it in a week! You're worth more than him- and for all I know he might be the fittest lad ever"

Roseshine curled up next to Leafheart and the two were carried away by exhaustion, and a black wave of sleep crashed over them.