-Sigh- I iz sooooo terribly sorry for taking so long to update..... school has just been really busy lately... anyway, I'm not really sure what I'm going to write in this chapter, so I'm just going to wing it! Hope it turns out well!

OH MY STARCLAN! I ALMOST FORGOT THE DISCLAIMER!!! -faints-

Disclaimer- I really really really really really really really really really really really really x one billion wish I owned Warriors... But I don't... so I'll just hafta keep wishing that Shrewpaw had stayed alive and become Squirrelflight's mate instead of stuck up bossy Brambleclaw.

Chapter 3

Honeypaw shuffled through the trees, not sure where she was going. The sun was high overhead as she wove around the brambles and ferns. When she looked up she realized her paws had lead her straight to the lake, and more importantly, the honeysuckle bush. Her soft green eyes shimmered and she squeezed them shut, whirling around and stalking back into the forest. She didn't want any more reminders of Berrynose. She wished that Starclan would just come and take him now. She gasped as the thought flashed in her mind. She didn't really want him to die! She just wanted him to love her, like she loved him. She came to a halt and dug her claws as deep into the soft green-leaf ground as possible. Then she stayed like that. Eyes squeezed shut, head tilted back, and claws dug deep into the dark earth. A voice startled her and she jumped.

"You look like you need someone to talk to." Sandstorm chuckled, sliding out of the ferns and sitting down beside Honeypaw. Her voice was humored but her eyes were deep and sympathetic.

Honeypaw stepped quickly back to where she had been standing and tried to cover up the deep gouges she had created in the forest floor.

"I-I'm okay..." Honeypaw mewed shakily. "I just need some time to think..."

Sandstorm nodded, but padded over beside her apprentice anyway. "I know how you feel." She sighed, staring out of the trees and over the lake.

Honeypaw looked at her in surprise. "You do?"

"Partially anyway." Sandstorm smiled weakly. "When I first became a warrior, I had two toms padding after me... Dustpelt and Firestar. But his name was Fireheart back then." Her eyes gleamed with remembrance. "I had no idea which one was right for me. I had to make a choice. So do you. As you know, I chose Firestar."

"But..." Honeypaw stuttered. "How did you choose?"

"Well," Sandstorm sighed, "it wasn't easy. First, I had to decide what kind of a tom I wanted for my mate. Then I tried to figure out which one fit the best."

Honeypaw nodded. It made sense to her. "Thanks Sandstorm." She smiled. "You're a great mentor."

Sandstorm smiled back. "Thank you." She purred, giving her a quick lick on the head. "I'll let you think this out for a while."

Then the ginger warrior padded through the trees, back towards the camp. Honeypaw watched until she had completely disappeared. Then she turned and began to stroll slowly towards the WindClan boundary. Thoughts poured through her head and she tried desperately to keep them at bay.

"Okay." She muttered. "First I need to decide which toms like me."

She narrowed her eyes in thought. There was Lionpaw and Spiderleg. They were the most obvious. Then she thought harder. There was one time when Mousewhisker had offered to get her some fresh-kill. She could remember noting the strange glimmer in his eye. She could also recall how Thornclaw would ask to have her on a patrol, or compliment her on her training. Another thought popped into her head. Birchfall! He often asked to go on patrols that she was on.

So I have five toms padding after me... She thought. But which one do I like?

The only cat you will ever like is Berrynose.

She growled in anger at herself and flexed her claws, pushing the lingering voice away.

You do not like Berrynose! You do not like Berrynose! She chanted in her mind. You hate him! He's arrogant and rude! He doesn't even care about you!

She sighed and glared at the ground.

Focus on who does like you. She told herself. What about Mousewhisker? He's a nice cat.

Her heart suddenly sunk. I could never live with him as my mate. He would remind me too much of Berrynose... Well... Spiderleg is definitely out of the question! He's so sharp-tongued! Plus he's not very loyal.

She paused to lick some water droplets off of a drooping fern. Um... How about Birchfall? He's a great cat... He's kind, loyal, and very brave... So he's a possibility...

She twitched her whiskers happily. She was beginning to get the hang of this. Now... Thornclaw... He would make a great mate too... He's bold, but not rude. And he's very complimentary. Plus he's devoted and really loves the clan! Yes, she decided, Thornclaw would make a great mate.

One last cat. She winced. Lionpaw. He had always been kind to her and tried to protect her, but could she really have him as her mate? She pondered the question carefully. Strangely, she couldn't come up with an answer. She kept padding along, praying that Starclan would show her who her mate was to be.

She wasn't watching where she was going and she suddenly ran right into another cat. She jumped back in surprise, her fur fluffed out, claws extended.

"Agh!" Lionpaw whipped around. "Whatch where you're go-"

He suddenly stopped, seeing Honeypaw staring at him with round, frightened eyes.

"Sorry." He muttered.

Honeypaw let her fur lay flat and she sat down. "N-no. It's my fault. I wasn't paying attention..."

She looked up and met his dark amber gaze. It was filled with a mix of emotions. Hate, confusion, love, despair. She blinked and looked away, staring at the Windclan border which was just in front of them. The stream trickled gently over the pebbles, making the water ripple. She found herself wishing that life could be as simple as that stream; just flowing along, not caring what got in its way. Lionpaw's deep voice suddenly broke through her thoughts.

"Do you really still love him?" He asked flatly.

She stared straight at him, not even recognizing her own voice as she slowly mewed, "No."

It was such a foreign concept. Not loving Berrynose was unheard of in her mind. She blinked back her surprise and looked out through the trees and across the moor. Her paws itched to run across it, to be free like the wind. She could feel Lionpaw's gaze burning into her.

"Then who do you love?" He meowed.

She squeezed her eyes shut and thought. "I... don't know..." She meowed. Suddenly, she found herself pouring out all of her thoughts and troubles to Lionpaw who just sat there, listening quietly, nodding gently.

"I just don't know what to do!" She cried. "Sandstorm gave me some advice, and I tried to use it, but it just isn't working! I can't choose!"

She crumpled to the ground in utter defeat and buried her muzzle between her paws. Lionpaw laid down next to her, softly stroking her flank with his tail.

"Why can't it just all go away?" She breathed in barely a whisper.

"Because if it all went away," Lionpaw sighed, "I wouldn't have you."

Honeypaw lifted her head and stared at him for a moment, not sure what to think. Her mind raced, thoughts jumbling up her common sense.

Tell him you feel the same way!

Don't trust him!

Don't fight it!

Give in! You know he's perfect!

He isn't like Berrynose!

Honeypaw slowly stood up and backed away, her eyes clouded and grim. "I-I can't... I can't do it... I can't forget him.... I can't..."

Then she whirled around and streaked through the forest, back to camp, leaving Lionpaw staring after her, wishing things could be different.

Hmmmmmmm.... I can't decide if I liked that or not... THIS IS THE REASON YOU GUYS R&R!!!!!!! so please, pretty pretty pretty please, R&R!!!! *puppy dog eyes* if you don't i might cry.......

ALSO! I WANT TO KNOW WHO SHOULD BE HER MATE!!! LIONPAW, BIRCHFALL, THORNCLAW, OR BERRYNOSE!?! I NEED YOUR ADVICE!!!

~Flamesong