The Heart of a Lion

Chapter 12: Lies

The wind chilled me that night as we waited out in the night under open sky. I shivered and looked around warily. Why did I have to be here?

Breezepelt kept his eyes on the ThunderClan border for any cats, sitting upright against the wind, unbothered. I tried searching for reason in his desolate eyes, but it was like I didn't even know him anymore. They were full of nothing.

What would I say? I knew Lionblaze would be here. This was the night I arranged to meet with him, but what would he think when I had to reveal all the lies Breezepelt was forcing me to tell him? I didn't want this, but I had to for the safety of my kits and myself. I felt like I wanted to die, anything but go through this.

"I scent someone approaching," Breezepelt said, tasting the wind. "Call him."

"Lionblaze, I'm here," I called out, seeing the golden warrior bounding toward me, etched in starlight.

Breezepelt vanished farther down the hill, leaving me to greet him alone. He came up to me and rubbed his head against my shoulder, purring gladly.

"My sweet Heathertail," he meowed. "I missed you. I want to see our kits so badly. I bet they are growing huge." He drew back, nostrils quivering. "I scent another cat. You aren't alone." He tensed to flee back across the border.

"No, wait," I called. "You don't understand. I didn't want-"

Breezepelt cut me off and stood beside me, casting me a warning glance. He didn't want me to give any clues to Lionblaze about anything. I looked into his eyes, trying to send him a telepathic message, but he wasn't looking at me now. His eyes were all for Breezepelt.

"What are you doing here?" Lionblaze demanded.

"The same reason you are, I guess. I am not slow. I already know why you are here. Heathertail already told me," he replied smoothly.

I felt sick when Breezepelt stepped closer to me.

Lionblaze stared at me questionably. "You told him about us? Why?"

Couldn't it be any easier? "I…I brought him here to tell you."

"Tell me what?"

Breezepelt was enjoying this, I could tell. "You haven't figured it out by now. Heathertail doesn't want you anymore. She is with me now, and she brought me here to tell you so. You aren't good enough anymore."

Lionblaze unsheathed his claws and prepared to spring at Breezepelt, his glowing eyes furious.

I'm sorry, my love. "Wait, he is telling the truth," I choked out.

"Make it convincing," Breezepelt's voice whispered.

"I never should've met up with you. Out-of-Clan relationships are against the warrior code, and I can't be a part of it anymore. You will never satisfy all my needs. I know Breezepelt will always be there for me whenever I need him. It's over." The words stung, and I lowered my head as the words I just said rang through my mind.

Lionblaze just stared, and hurt reflected in his eyes. "Tell me this isn't true. What about everything we had? Our kits!"

"They will be fine with me to raise them," I told him. "Things just didn't work out is all."

"Things can't work out like this," Lionblaze pleaded. He was too pained to say another word and streaked back off to ThunderClan territory, leaving me standing there, my heart breaking. I quivered and watched my only love, the only cat that I ever cared about vanish over the hillside. He was gone, and it was all my fault.

"That is best," Breezepelt meowed. "I did it for you, you know." He tried to touch me, but I flinched away.

"Are you happy? There goes my one chance of happiness, and you crushed it. If you really cared anything about me, you never would have broken my heart. I hate you!" Then I, too, ran away.