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How exactly had this happened?

The flame-pelted tom glanced up and over towards the entrance of the warriors' den, his emerald eyes narrowing briefly. He breathed softly through his nose, not willing to glance away at the love fest.

His pale ginger mate was comforting the broad-shouldered dark brown tabby tom willingly, despite them having this conversation for nearly a moon now. Firestar blinked up and his grandson Lionblaze pelted past him to race over towards the familiar grey-pelted she-cat. Firestar's eyes narrowed, but not in anger, as longing flashed across his features. Where was the love in his relationship anymore?

Sighing, he glanced down at his dark ginger paws, pale stripes racing across his paws and tipping his tail. Scars were etched into his skin, fur not dare grow over it; he was lucky enough to be alive after the battle with the Dark Forest cats. His deep emerald eyes blinked solemnly as he perked up his large nicked ears, glancing briefly over to where his pale pinger mate was speaking with the amber-eyed warrior.

"-Ferncloud would want you to be happy." The pale ginger she-cat's tone was soft and almost hesitant.

Firestar glanced away, not daring to look at them anymore. He wanted to cover his ears and demand that it wasn't happening, that it wasn't true, that it was all an act, but his heart continued to pound away anyways, speeding up a bit as his eyes dimmed briefly as he subconsciously began to eavesdrop on their conversation.

"I could make you happy, Dustpelt." Her tone was light and almost perky, a hint of seductiveness slithering through.

"Wha-.. what about Firestar?" He sounded surprised and blinked at her, Firestar could see that through the corner of his eye.

"Forget him, I was only with him to get you jealous. But then you end up with Ferncloud.. how'd that happen? We were meant to be together."

Firestar closed his eyes. He was not hearing this, he simply was not, no matter what, he would deny he was hearing this. Of course he knew that she still harbored feelings for Dustpelt, they had agreed to make him jealous, but then he had fallen in love with her. Recently, their relationship had been falling apart, and now, listening to her smooth silky tone, he realized; she never did love him. He sighed, then cast his eyes downwards, not daring to glance up again.

He can just imagine her saying, 'We never did love each other, Dustpelt. It was all an act. But I'm glad I did it, now that we're together.' He glanced up momentarily and noticed Sandstorm's leaf green eyes staring at him, and Dustpelt not even glancing over. She nodded meekly in his direction and then he realized - Yup. That's probably what she said.

He flicked his gaze away, not daring to look at the two lovebirds further as they began to pad away away, their tails entwined. His shoulders were shaking as he flicked his tail before wrapping it around his paws, not daring to look at any other cat for the moment. His sides heaved slightly as he watched his nephew, Cloudtail, and his scarred ginger and white patched mate playing with their kits. He felt his heart wrench, longing for that relationship. No, he wasn't exactly in love with Sandstorm anymore, but the pain and the attraction was still there, but he was completely open to anything, it seemed.

Sighing again -not for the last time-, he raised his head and tried to get a hold of himself. He blinked and glanced around, suddenly noticing all of the couples wandering around. Toadstep was with Icecloud, Foxleap with Ivypool, Dovewing with Bumblestripe, Berrynose and Poppyfrost... He sighed, the longing in his chest becoming an uneasy weight. Would it be wrong for him to love again, after Spottedleaf and Sandstorm? Would it be a tom this time? No, he didn't reckon so.. He narrowed his eyes briefly, pain etching into his eyes as he stumbled onto his paws and began to pad towards the entrance.

He nodded his head towards the red-bellied warrior known as Spiderleg, whom he recalled was the former mate of that cream-furred long-haired barn cat known as Daisy, before making his way out of camp, willing to escape it all. The sunlight beat down on him as he padded around, absently glancing around subconsciously, his ginger pelt gradually warming up to an almost frightful amount of heat, despite it being newleaf and the long dazing days of heat were yet to come. Small puddles from the recent rains reflected his reflection, as he stared down into one of them, imagining all those moons ago when he saw himself as a lion...

His thoughts traveled back towards his first conversation with Sandstorm concerning their relationship; it had been on a day devoid of clouds, the sky full of colors ranging from scarlet to violet and light fuchsia.

"Know this is not for you, Firestar, this is all for his attention, this is only a display of attraction to get his attention, less you forget that." She had stared coldly up at him, a small smirk playing across her features before she nodded meekly, dragging the two wriggling kits towards her for them to suckle. "I will act as your mate, you must treat me as your mate, I may mother your kits like a mate would, but know, that never will I truly be your mate."

"A display of affection," Firestar mused, glancing down at the snuffling balls of fur, one taking a striking resemblance towards his sister, Princess, whereas the other one looked mostly like a combination of both Sandstorm and Firestar. He blinked down at both their daughters before nodding, "I wouldn't expect less." He glanced at her solemnly before smiling sadly at her. "Don't doubt that my affection towards you isn't real, though."

She scoffed openly at his face. "Don't say that. As soon as he's available, he's mine. Better go get she-cats lined up; I'll never return those affections of yours. Best to know that now." Then she tilted her head up, a glint in her eyes as she smiled almost sadly at him. "I love Dustpelt, Firestar. I want you to go find a she-cat of your own to love, I know that I'm not that she-cat. Spottedleaf wasn't that she-cat. Go find that she-cat and go make someone else happy, Firestar." She looked sadly up at him, as if wishing him luck. "Because... a she-cat like me doesn't deserve your love."

Firestar glanced up momentarily as a familiar grey tabby she-cat's voice penetrated through his thoughts. "Cinderheart," he meowed softly, suddenly feeling nervous and giddy at the sight of her and her familiar twisted leg. Her blue eyes were filled with concern as she looked at him tenderly, understanding filling her deep blue pools. She reminds me too much of Cinderpelt... of course, she is Cinderpelt.. Firestar thought. "What are you doing here?"

"Coming to see how deep Sandstorm scarred you," her tone was soft and light, as if she was treading carefully around him, but beat straight to the bush in her objective. "Firestar... you stopped truly loving her a while ago, right? Why not let someone else in?"

"I'm not letting myself do that. No. I.. I don't think I could ever love someone, and alas, no she-cat would be interested in me."

Cinderheart breathed heavily through her nose as she narrowed her blue eyes in frustration, before rolling them in a quick and swift movement. "You always were clueless about love, even when your own apprentice was mooning over you." Firestar blinked up in surprise at the grey she-cat, pale stripes racing across her sides as she blinked adoringly at him. "Firestar... you never gave Cinderpelt a chance, she was forced into the role of a medicine cat. You chose Sandstorm over her and look where that got you! Cinderpelt was reincarnated into me, and I... I wasn't forced into the role of a medicine cat. I'm free, I have no bounds."

Firestar blinked in surprise at her before understanding flooded his vision. "...Lionblaze," he muttered hoarsely.

"Means nothing to me. He's probably mooning over Heathertail or something of the sort. Firestar... we may have an age difference, but my love for you has never withered. I love you, I truly do, and I'll never pick anyone else, you won't be my second best, you will be my one and only. We... we could be mates, finally, and have such nice wonderfully kits too, if you'd like. It's possible, look at Brightheart with her new litter! Just... just think about it, okay, Firestar?" Her tone was pleading as she gazed at the dark ginger tom who stared back uncertainly. She sighed then and hung her head in defeat, "Think about it... that's it... nothing else. Just... nevermind, I guess... I better just go..." Rejection filled her eyes as she turned to flee.

"Cinderheart, wait."

She turned to look at him, her smoky grey fluffy tail waving slightly out behind her, a dim hope filling her eyes. Firestar sighed and glanced almost nervously up at her, "I'm sure you'd much rather prefer a younger tom than myself, or at least fancy Lionblaze.. I still feel a sort of attraction towards Sandstorm but.. I can't promise much but we could... we could try. I can't deny an attraction towards Cinderpelt - towards you."

She smiled and began to weave her way back towards him, a slight spring in her step as she sauntered over towards him, the soft springy moss beneath their paws feeling smooth. She rubbed her face against his, enjoying the smell of the trees he gave off. Whispering softly, she said, "..And that's all I could ever hope for."

Description
How exactly had this happened?

The flame-pelted tom glanced up and over towards the entrance of the warriors' den, his emerald eyes narrowing briefly. He breathed softly through his nose, not willing to glance away at the love fest.

His pale ginger mate was comforting the broad-shouldered dark brown tabby tom willingly, despite them having this conversation for nearly a moon now. Firestar blinked up and his grandson Lionblaze pelted past him to race over towards the familiar grey-pelted she-cat. Firestar's eyes narrowed, but not in anger, as longing flashed across his features. Where was the love in his relationship anymore?

Sighing, he glanced down at his dark ginger paws, pale stripes racing across his paws and tipping his tail. Scars were etched into his skin, fur not dare grow over it; he was lucky enough to be alive after the battle with the Dark Forest cats. His deep emerald eyes blinked solemnly as he perked up his large nicked ears, glancing briefly over to where his pale pinger mate was speaking with the amber-eyed warrior.

"-Ferncloud would want you to be happy." The pale ginger she-cat's tone was soft and almost hesitant.

Firestar glanced away, not daring to look at them anymore. He wanted to cover his ears and demand that it wasn't happening, that it wasn't true, that it was all an act, but his heart continued to pound away anyways, speeding up a bit as his eyes dimmed briefly as he subconsciously began to eavesdrop on their conversation.

"I could make you happy, Dustpelt." Her tone was light and almost perky, a hint of seductiveness slithering through.

"Wha-.. what about Firestar?" He sounded surprised and blinked at her, Firestar could see that through the corner of his eye.

"Forget him, I was only with him to get you jealous. But then you end up with Ferncloud.. how'd that happen? We were meant to be together."

Firestar closed his eyes. He was not hearing this, he simply was not, no matter what, he would deny he was hearing this. Of course he knew that she still harbored feelings for Dustpelt, they had agreed to make him jealous, but then he had fallen in love with her. Recently, their relationship had been falling apart, and now, listening to her smooth silky tone, he realized; she never did love him. He sighed, then cast his eyes downwards, not daring to glance up again.

He can just imagine her saying, 'We never did love each other, Dustpelt. It was all an act. But I'm glad I did it, now that we're together.' He glanced up momentarily and noticed Sandstorm's leaf green eyes staring at him, and Dustpelt not even glancing over. She nodded meekly in his direction and then he realized - Yup. That's probably what she said.

He flicked his gaze away, not daring to look at the two lovebirds further as they began to pad away away, their tails entwined. His shoulders were shaking as he flicked his tail before wrapping it around his paws, not daring to look at any other cat for the moment. His sides heaved slightly as he watched his nephew, Cloudtail, and his scarred ginger and white patched mate playing with their kits. He felt his heart wrench, longing for that relationship. No, he wasn't exactly in love with Sandstorm anymore, but the pain and the attraction was still there, but he was completely open to anything, it seemed.

Sighing again -not for the last time-, he raised his head and tried to get a hold of himself. He blinked and glanced around, suddenly noticing all of the couples wandering around. Toadstep was with Icecloud, Foxleap with Ivypool, Dovewing with Bumblestripe, Berrynose and Poppyfrost... He sighed, the longing in his chest becoming an uneasy weight. Would it be wrong for him to love again, after Spottedleaf and Sandstorm? Would it be a tom this time? No, he didn't reckon so.. He narrowed his eyes briefly, pain etching into his eyes as he stumbled onto his paws and began to pad towards the entrance.

He nodded his head towards the red-bellied warrior known as Spiderleg, whom he recalled was the former mate of that cream-furred long-haired barn cat known as Daisy, before making his way out of camp, willing to escape it all. The sunlight beat down on him as he padded around, absently glancing around subconsciously, his ginger pelt gradually warming up to an almost frightful amount of heat, despite it being newleaf and the long dazing days of heat were yet to come. Small puddles from the recent rains reflected his reflection, as he stared down into one of them, imagining all those moons ago when he saw himself as a lion...

His thoughts traveled back towards his first conversation with Sandstorm concerning their relationship; it had been on a day devoid of clouds, the sky full of colors ranging from scarlet to violet and light fuchsia.

"Know this is not for you, Firestar, this is all for his attention, this is only a display of attraction to get his attention, less you forget that." She had stared coldly up at him, a small smirk playing across her features before she nodded meekly, dragging the two wriggling kits towards her for them to suckle. "I will act as your mate, you must treat me as your mate, I may mother your kits like a mate would, but know, that never will I truly be your mate."

"A display of affection," Firestar mused, glancing down at the snuffling balls of fur, one taking a striking resemblance towards his sister, Princess, whereas the other one looked mostly like a combination of both Sandstorm and Firestar. He blinked down at both their daughters before nodding, "I wouldn't expect less." He glanced at her solemnly before smiling sadly at her. "Don't doubt that my affection towards you isn't real, though."

She scoffed openly at his face. "Don't say that. As soon as he's available, he's mine. Better go get she-cats lined up; I'll never return those affections of yours. Best to know that now." Then she tilted her head up, a glint in her eyes as she smiled almost sadly at him. "I love Dustpelt, Firestar. I want you to go find a she-cat of your own to love, I know that I'm not that she-cat. Spottedleaf wasn't that she-cat. Go find that she-cat and go make someone else happy, Firestar." She looked sadly up at him, as if wishing him luck. "Because... a she-cat like me doesn't deserve your love."

Firestar glanced up momentarily as a familiar grey tabby she-cat's voice penetrated through his thoughts. "Cinderheart," he meowed softly, suddenly feeling nervous and giddy at the sight of her and her familiar twisted leg. Her blue eyes were filled with concern as she looked at him tenderly, understanding filling her deep blue pools. She reminds me too much of Cinderpelt... of course, she is Cinderpelt.. Firestar thought. "What are you doing here?"

"Coming to see how deep Sandstorm scarred you," her tone was soft and light, as if she was treading carefully around him, but beat straight to the bush in her objective. "Firestar... you stopped truly loving her a while ago, right? Why not let someone else in?"

"I'm not letting myself do that. No. I.. I don't think I could ever love someone, and alas, no she-cat would be interested in me."

Cinderheart breathed heavily through her nose as she narrowed her blue eyes in frustration, before rolling them in a quick and swift movement. "You always were clueless about love, even when your own apprentice was mooning over you." Firestar blinked up in surprise at the grey she-cat, pale stripes racing across her sides as she blinked adoringly at him. "Firestar... you never gave Cinderpelt a chance, she was forced into the role of a medicine cat. You chose Sandstorm over her and look where that got you! Cinderpelt was reincarnated into me, and I... I wasn't forced into the role of a medicine cat. I'm free, I have no bounds."

Firestar blinked in surprise at her before understanding flooded his vision. "...Lionblaze," he muttered hoarsely.

"Means nothing to me. He's probably mooning over Heathertail or something of the sort. Firestar... we may have an age difference, but my love for you has never withered. I love you, I truly do, and I'll never pick anyone else, you won't be my second best, you will be my one and only. We... we could be mates, finally, and have such nice wonderfully kits too, if you'd like. It's possible, look at Brightheart with her new litter! Just... just think about it, okay, Firestar?" Her tone was pleading as she gazed at the dark ginger tom who stared back uncertainly. She sighed then and hung her head in defeat, "Think about it... that's it... nothing else. Just... nevermind, I guess... I better just go..." Rejection filled her eyes as she turned to flee.

"Cinderheart, wait."

She turned to look at him, her smoky grey fluffy tail waving slightly out behind her, a dim hope filling her eyes. Firestar sighed and glanced almost nervously up at her, "I'm sure you'd much rather prefer a younger tom than myself, or at least fancy Lionblaze.. I still feel a sort of attraction towards Sandstorm but.. I can't promise much but we could... we could try. I can't deny an attraction towards Cinderpelt - towards you."

She smiled and began to weave her way back towards him, a slight spring in her step as she sauntered over towards him, the soft springy moss beneath their paws feeling smooth. She rubbed her face against his, enjoying the smell of the trees he gave off. Whispering softly, she said, "..And that's all I could ever hope for."