"Wow, I really didn't expect to see you." Snowfall meowed with surprise ringing in his voice.
"Well I missed you and I wanted you to come back home." Dovepaw meowed hopefully. Snowfall looked around at the cats surrounding them, the cats he had come to know and trust, especially Flameheart. "I don't know, Dovepaw, I really like it here. I got to start over and my life is great so far."
Softpetal and Tigerfoot sat close, their tails intertwined, watching everything closely. Flameheart squinted her eyes and stared at Snowfall distrustfully.
"I'm Dovefur now." The gray she-cat corrected. "Poppynose had your kits."
"They're not mine." Snowfall meowed flatly. "They're Bluestripe's, so there's no reason for me to come back."
"I want you to come back." Dovefur mewed quietly. Snowfall had forgotten how much he liked the young cat and now he was tempted to return to his clan.
"Don't do it." Flameheart meowed sternly. Softpetal looked over at her and shook her head angrily. "No, we can't tell him what to do. Let him make his own decision."
Snowfall nodded gratefully and looked back at Dovefur. "May I speak with you in private?"
"Of course!" Dovefur meowed in surprise. Snowfall and the Windclan cat started to pad out of camp, but Smallstar stopped them. "Don't leave the camp. I'm not sure if I trust you enough to let you out into our territory so you will talk in my den."
Snowfall dipped his head gratefully and led Dovefur into the leader's den.
"I haven't seen you in three moons." Dovefur began. "I meant to tell you how I felt about you before the battle, but Poppynose told me not to and so did Bluestripe."
Snowfall growled angrily at the thought of his former mate and best friend. "I hate those two."
"That's no way to speak of your clanmates." Flameheart scolded, entering the leader's den. "I know I'm supposed to give you privacy, but if she can give you reasons to go then I can give you reasons to stay."
Dovefur stared mistrustfully at the dark ginger she-cat. "You're right; you are supposed to give us privacy. Please leave now."
Snowfall looked down at the ground, not wanting to meet either of their eyes. He knew that in time he could love either one of the she-cats, but which one would be the better decision? He sighed deeply and looked back and forth at Flameheart and Dovefur.
"Make a decision already." Flameheart complained after a while. Dovefur looked angrily at her and unsheathed her claws, digging them into the dirt beneath her paws. "Give him time, it's not that easy to make a decision that will affect the rest of your life."
Snowfall glanced gratefully at the Windclan cat and knew what his decision would be. "I will return to Windclan." He finally announced, pride ringing in each word.
"No, you can't." Flameheart gasped. "I love you Snowfall. I need you to be here with me and all of our friends."
Softpetal burst through the entrance to the den and stopped, looking down at the ground bashfully. "Um, sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but well, just I'm sorry."
Snowfall chuckled as she composed herself. "It's fine, Softpetal, there's no problem, you would have found out anyways."
"I'll miss you." Flameheart meowed sorrowfully. Snowfall dipped his head and they touched noses gently for the last time.
"Goodbye." Snowfall whispered. He turned and licked Softpetal on the cheek.
"See you later." She mewed. Dovefur looked like she was about to burst out of her pelt with excitement. "Let's go." She meowed happily as they walked through the camp.
"Goodbye everyone." Snowfall meowed loudly so that all the cats could hear. They all replied sadly and Snowfall padded out of the Thunderclan camp, back to his home. Dovefur pranced along as they passed Fourtrees and the border to Windclan.
"What are we going to tell them when we return?" Snowfall asked.
"Well, we should say that they just now decided to return you. We don't have to bring up the fact that you decided to stay there." Dovefur answered. Snowfall nodded and nervously entered the camp behind Dovefur.
"He has returned." Dovefur announced and the Windclan cats surrounded Snowfall excitedly.