A golden-brown tabby tom sat in the camp clearing, his heart racing. He was waiting for his mate to return. He watched with pricked ears the entrance to camp, his paws moving nervously up and down on the stone, the soft scuffling a comfort to the old tom, preparing to say something that could change his life.

He seemed unusually calm, his blue eyes relaxed, his tail curled around his front paws.

It was unusual for the ThunderClan warrior to seem so calm, as the majority of the time, he was bustling around, always wanting to blame another Clan for something that happened to his Clanmate.

Despite his easily agitated personality, the golden-brown tabby was undyingly loyal to his Clan. He was blind the the fact that his Clanmates could do wrong, and simply believed that ThunderClan was the best Clan.

After all, if they weren't the best Clan, why would that patrol have rescued him as a kit? If they didn't care about their kits, they would have left him and his siblings to die in the ShadowClan camp.

Finally, he found what he was looking for. The tortoiseshell she-cat padded through the camp entrance, a squirrel hanging limply from her mouth. Her yellow eyes brightened at the sight of her mate.

She ran over to the fresh-kill pile, muttering something to their son, Stempaw, the ginger and white tom nodding tersely. She padded over, her bright eyes reflecting the faint light of dusk that flowed through the stone hollow.

"Hey, Thornclaw," she purred happily, nuzzling her mate. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, Blossomfall." Thornclaw responded, sighing slightly. "You?"

"Actually, amazing!" She purred. "I just found out, Bumblestripe's kits finally came!"

"Yeah... I heard. They came just after you left. Luckily Leafpool was able to get Hushedfern through the kitting without much pain."

"Yeah. Bumblestripe looks really happy!" She purred, indicating toward her brother with her tail. "Do you know their names? I just want to go and see them!"

"Let's go, then." The golden-brown tabby replied, "I haven't seen them either."

The two padded over to the gray tabby, who was sniffing through the fresh-kill pile. He grabbed out a squirrel, his eyes bright. "Hey," he mewed, his voice slightly muffled, "do you guys want to meet the kits?"

Before Thornclaw could respond, Blossomfall nodded eagerly, accidentally slapping her mate in the face with her tail. She padded after her brother, who had began to pad away.

Thornclaw followed the two reluctantly, catching a sympathetic gaze from Spiderleg, who sat outside the warrior's den, cleaning his tail. The golden-brown tabby tom's heartbeat quickened at the sight of the warrior's amber eyes, his black pelt turning a bit russet in the sunlight.

Thornclaw nodded, following his mate and her brother to the nursery, squeezing through the entrance. "Hey, Hushedfern," he heard the gentle purr of Bumblestripe, as the gray tom nuzzled the new mother. "How are Puddlekit and Branchkit?"

"Wonderful, actually," the former loner replied, gazing at the two she-kits happily. "They're just waiting for their father to return."

Bumblestripe smiled, looking at his sister. "Blossomfall came to see the kits!" He purred, touching his tail tip to the tortoiseshell she-cat's shoulder. "She just couldn't wait!"

Blossomfall smiled back, touching noses with her brother's mate. She glanced down at the kits, curling her tortoiseshell tail around her paws. "They really are beautiful. I wish I had kits still. Being a queen is so nice."

Thornclaw turned to the den entrance, his eyes a bit wide at his mate's statement. He wasn't ready to be a father again. Certainly not now. He cleared his throat, his tail tip twitching. "Umm. I'm going to go out, it's a bit crowded in here."

Before any rejections could be heard, the golden-brown tabby padded quickly out of the milky-scented den, his fur bristling. He padded to Spiderleg, as the brown and black tom looked lonely. "Hey. What's up?" He asked, his voice a bit more natural and less panicky, now that he was away from the nursery.

"Nothing much. Just kind of bored. You?" The brown-chested tom replied.

"I just got out of a potentially awkward situation..." He responded, lapping at his chest. "I really shouldn't be talking about it, but I don't think Blossomfall would mind."

"And this 'potentially awkward situation' is...?"

"Well, Blossomfall was talking about how she'd 'love to be a mother' again. Spiderleg, I'm not ready to be a father again... And I feel so awful saying this, because I love all my kits, but I almost wish I'd never been mates with Blossomfall in the first place. I mean, I just don't feel like I love her anymore... I might have used to, but no longer..."

"Oh.... Thornclaw.. I'm sorry. I understand how you feel. I really do. I mean, Daisy and I... I used to  love her. But, I just felt like I couldn't anymore. Like I didn't... And, I wish I could give her the love she deserves, because she's a wonderful she-cat, but I can't. I just don't love her."

Thornclaw nodded, glancing toward the nursery, seeing his mate pad out of the den, turning around to say one last thing, before walking out, spotting Thornclaw sitting with Spiderleg. "Hey!" She mewed, padding over to the two. "What ya talking about?"

"Oh, nothing much. Just stuff here and there," Spiderleg mewed, the lie slipping off his tongue as easily as swallowing a mouse. "And how are you today, Blossomfall?"

"Oh, I'm great!" The tortoiseshell responded, "especially since Bumblestripe's kits came. I mean, they're just gorgeuos. Have you seen them?"

"No. Kits aren't really my thing, unfortunately. I mean, they never have been," the black and brown tom picked through his words carefully, swishing mhis tail across the ground, lapping at his mud-colored chest awkwardly.

"Oh, um, yes, of course... Sorry," Blossomfall replied, staring at the ground. "Hey, Thornclaw, you want to go out on a walk, or something?"

The golden-brown tabby tom sighed, nodding reluctantly. "We can go out on a walk, to the lake. Is that fine?" He asked.

"Yep! Let's go! Come on!" She purred, rubbing against her mate before dashing off through the tunnel entrance, her tail chasing behind her. "Race you!"

Spiderleg gave his friend a sympathetic glance, licking his lips. "Well, have fun. Are you going to tell her?" He asked. "I think you should. It might be hard, but it's the best thing in the end. I promise."

The golden brown tom nodded, looking toward the entrance, where his mate waited. "I have to go. See you later, Spiderleg."

He padded to his mate, following the tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat through the forest, a light breeze ruffling the orange, yellow and brown leaves that littered the forest floor. As her pace increased, so did his, so it seemed as if the couple was chasing each other.

Although leaf-fall had began to appear, the frondescence had been late, and greenleaf had been going on for many moons, longer than Thornclaw ever remembered it.

As the two reached the lake, the small wave lapping against the sandy shore greedily, the spindrift spraying across the surface into the two's pelts. The estivation had begun, and none of ThunderClan was very upset.

"So, what did you drag me out here for?" Blossomfall purred, a smirk on her face. "It's a bit wet... I suppose it could be much worse."

The she-cat shrugged, licking her nose, wrinkling her face at the breeze blowing straight into her tortoiseshell face.

"Well, Blossomfall. I need to tell you something very important..." He whispered, looking at the sand, in turmoil at the cause of his shuffling feet.

"And that would be...?" She asked, worry in her eyes.

"I can't love you anymore... I'm sorry. So sorry. I just don't!" He cried, turning away, tears running down his face. "I don't know what's wrong with me. I just don't love you..."

Blossomfall scrambled back, her eyes wide with shock. She cried out, as if in physical pain, her mouth open with surprise and hurt.

"I gave my everything to you! I loved you! I had your kits! I- I hate you, Thornclaw!" She yowled, turning away. "Go away!"

The golden-brown tabby turned away. He hadn't realized leaving Blossomfall- the she-cat he had loved- would be so hard for her. She hadn't treated him that well. They were more like friends than mates, after all.

"I didn't think you'd be this hurt, Blossomfall. I'm sorry..." He whispered, tears swimming in his blue eyes. "I didn't want to live a lie..."

"Well, you told me the truth!" She hissed, turning around, her teary gaze filled with anger and shock. "I loved you, Thornclaw! And all I get it anger and rejection! You're worse than my mother!"

The ThunderClan warrior turned back around, dashing off, his claws sinking into the soft dirt as he bolted toward ShadowClan territory, wanting to get away from his former mate. He had at one point loved her. He wanted to protect her.

He wanted to love her.

But he couldn't. Not anymore, at least. It was too much , living a lie. He padded up to the forest's edge, stopping, and turning to the lake. He could see Blossomfall, pacing back and forth, her silhouette outlined against the sun, slowly sinking in the sky..

The sun's lat rays kissed the earth's surface, the lake turning a beautiful orange color. The gentle lapping of water was still audible at this time, but barely. Thornclaw had to strain his ears to really hear it.

"I'm sorry that I couldn't love you, Blossomfall... I wish I could, but I can't live a lie. I'm very sorry," he muttered, his blue eyes shining with tears and worry. "I hope I can make it up to you, so we can be friends. I love our kits, but I could never again love you. Not even in the way in which your pelt glistens in the sunlight, or the way your eyes used to shine when you looked at me. I'm sorry. Goodbye."