You Were Mine

About a she-cat who was in love with this cat, and he loved her, and they were happy. Then he met this other she-cat, and he totally forgot about the she-cat he fell in love with first...yeah. Original artist the Dixie Chicks. Oh yeah.

"Come on, Cinderfoot, we're going to go-" I cut off abrutly. He wasn't paying attention to me. He was staring at Shimmerpelt. I sighed and turned away, knowing the love was gone. Cinderfoot loved Shimmerpelt now; obviously he no longer wanted anything to do with a cat named Quailsong. But I still loved him. What could I do or say to make him see how much he hurt me?!

I can't find a reason

To let go

Even though you've found a new love

And she's what your dreams are made of

He padded away from me with Shimmerpelt brushing his flank. Suddenly, he stopped and turned around to look at me. Hope fluttered in my chest. Was he going to notice me, for the first time in moons?

"Can you check the elders for ticks?" My jaw dropped, but before I could reply, he raced out of camp, Shimmerpelt at his heels. Seven words. He had spoken seven words to me in three moons. How I despised Shimmerpelt.

I can find a reason 

To hang on

What went wrong can be forgiven

But without you it ain't worth livin 

Alone.

My parents had died when I was young, and I had been an only child. I had been lonely, and Cinderfoot had been there for me. Now he seemed to think that she was no longer lonely, that she didn't need him. It was the complete opposite. I turned, tail drooping, to take a nap in the warriors den.

Sometimes I wake up

Crying at night

And sometimes I scream out your name

"Quailsong! Quailsong, wake up!" The voice was Rivertail's. I lifted my head to find my face wet with tears. I had been crying.

"Yes, Rivertail?" I whispered, sitting so I could wash my face.

"You were crying out Cinderfoot's name. Are you all right?" His voice was unconcerned, just confused. At hearing that I had been crying for Cinderfoot, I glanced around to see if he was in the den. Maybe hearing her calling him would have alerted him that she still needed him. But he was still gone with Shimmerpelt. Her blood boiled.

What right does she have to take you away

When for so long, you were mine?

I heaved to my paws and padded out of camp, heading for Our Tree. When we had first realized we were in love, we had went to a tree near the back of their territory. We had each raked our claws down the tree, leaving our marks forever indented in the bark. That was a few moons before he met Shimmerpelt. He had most likely forgotten about Our Tree.

Took out all the pictures of our wedding day

It was a time of love and laughter

Happy ever after

But even those old pictures have begun to fade

As I looked, I noticed that new bark had begun to fill in our claw marks. Even the tree knew it was over. How badly I wanted Shimmerpelt to disappear, to leave Cinderfoot alone so he would come back to me.

Please tell me she's not real

And that your really coming home 

To stay.

I remembered how Rivertail had told me she had been crying and calling for Cinderfoot, and wondered what he would have said or done if he had seen.

Sometimes I wake up

Crying at night

And sometimes I scream out your name

'What right does she have to take you away'

'When for so long, you were mine?'

'I can give you two good reasons'

'To show you love's not blind'

I padded back to camp. I wasn't supposed to be gone long. I shoved into the nursery. Two pairs of young eyes greeted me. Mudkit and Cinderkit. The oldest looks just like her father. Tears bubbled in my eyes as I curled around them.

He's two and she's four 

And you know, they adore you

"Is father coming today?" Cinderkit asked hopefully, Mudkit nodding. More tears came, and they spilled over.

So how can I tell them

You've changed your mind?

"No, kits. I'm sorry. Your father won't ever come to see you. He's forgotten." I sobbed, and the kits clung to me, wailing his name, howling for him to come back. My heart ached when I looked at them, and who there fahter was.

Sometimes I wake up

Crying at night

And sometimes I scream out your name

'What right does she have to take you away'

'When for so long, you were mine?'

When the kits had cried themselves out and had fallen asleep, I left and went back to Our Tree. When we first put our claw marks in it, we had made nests in the roots that we slept in. As I lay in his nest, scared by how much his scent had faded, memories of Us came flooding back. I was too upset to sleep, but I let the tears spill freely now.

I remember when you were mine.