Crowfeather's Dilemma

Chapter One

I sighed as I followed my clan out of the camp to the Gathering. My pelt was prickling uneasily. I wish Onestar hadn't chosen me to go to this Gathering. I had this strange feeling something bad was going to happen...but I wasn't sure.

I really hoped I wouldn't see Leafpool here tonight. As much as I hated to admit this, I still had feelings for her. I'm doing my best to get over her. I worried that if I saw her again, the feelings would all come back, and I wouldn't be able to quit thinking about her.

"Is something wrong?" Ashfoot asks.

"No, I'm fine." I reply. "I'm just tired."

"You seem jumpy." she mews.

"It's nothing." I mutter.

Ashfoot looks at me sympathetically. She always knew when I had something on my mind, or when something wasn't right. She knew that I wasn't ready to talk about it right now, so she didn't say anything else.

Once we arrive on the island, the other cats in WindClan pad off to talk to their friends from the other clans. I sit at the back of the crowd, near some elders.

"Psst!" a familiar voice calls.

I jump and turn around. "What do you want?" I hiss.

"Come back here! I need to talk to you." the voice says. I recognize it as Leafpool's voice. I can't ever forget her lovely voice.

'' Is she going to ask to get back together? I hope---''I stop myself. No, I don't want Leafpool. We are done. Nightcloud is my mate now, and Breezekit is my son. I care nothing about ThunderClan, or their stupid medicine cat Leafpool.

"What do you want?" I snap. "Make it quick!"

"I need to tell you something, and it's very important." Leafpool mews. Her amber eyes are shining in the darkness. I'm tempted to bury my nose in her soft fur, but I don't dare. Leafpool isn't mine anymore.

"Well hurry up. The Gathering is going to start any minute." I hiss.

"I'm expecting your kits." she whispers.

Chapter Two

My heart felt like it had jumped in my throat. How had this happened?! This couldn't be true! Leafpool was a medicine cat for one, and secondly, she was a cat from another clan!

A wave of anger then swept over me. This was her problem. Not mine. I wasn't her mate any longer, and I wasn't going to be responsible for those kits.

"I don't care, Leafpool!" I snarl. "Stay away from me! Those are not my kits, and I will not be responsible for them! My mate is Nightcloud, and my son is Breezekit. I don't care about your or your kits!"

Pain and sadness filled her amber eyes, but I ignored it. I ran away from her, and went to go find my other clanmates.

Luckily, Blackstar called for the Gathering to start, so she wouldn't be able to bother me anymore.

"Crowfeather?"

"What do you want now?!" I snap.

It was one of my good friends, Tornear. He was looking at me with wide-eyes.

I sigh. "Look, I'm sorry about snapping at you. I'm just not in a good mood right now."

"Fightning with Nightcloud again?" he asks.

"No...it's just..." I have to think quick. I can't mention anything about Leafpool, or he'll think something is up. "Those ThunderClan furballs keep meowing about how they are such wonderful hunters and incredible warriors." I unsheathe my claws. "It's getting on my nerves."

"That's ThunderClan for you." Tornear replies. "They think just because they help our the other clans, that makes them better."

"I would like to sink my claws into their fur..."

"Be quiet!" snaps a ShadowClan elder. "Can't you hear the clan leaders talking?!"

I lash my tail, but don't say anything else.

Chapter Three

We arrived back at camp just before dawn. I was tired, and was in a foul mood. I tried to get what Leafpool had said out of my mind.

''Who cares about her anyways? She's not my clanmate, or my mate for that matter...so why should I worry about her? ''I think to myself. Let her and the great ThunderClan worry about it.

   I pad into the nursery to check on Nightcloud and Breezekit. I picked a sparrow off the fresh-kill pile for her. I dropped it at her paws when I went in.

"Well, I'm surprised that you wanted to come in here and see us." she growls.

I was taken aback a bit. What had I done to make her mad?

"I can come in here and see you two when I want." I reply coolly. I try not to let my temper get the best of me.

"Usually you would rather spend your time elsewhere, instead of visiting us." Nightcloud hisses. "Breezekit hardly even knows that you're his father!"

I sit down next to her. "Look, I'm really sorry for the way I've been behaving. I should've been there for you more often...and I'm sorry that I haven't been. I promise for now on, I will be a better mate to you."

She narrows her eyes. "That's not all."

I blink in confusion. "What else is there?"

"Breezekit''." she lashed her tail.'

"Oh right." I twitch my whiskers. "I will try to be a better father for...Breezekit."

Nightcloud grunts. "Sometimes I wonder why I even bother with you, Crowfeather. Obviously all you care about is Leafpool. I should've known that I never would mean as much to you as Leafpool does!"

"I hate Leafpool!" I spit. "She means nothing to me anymore! I've gotten over her. You are my mate now, and Breezekit is my son now. I could care less about her. We're over with."

Nightcloud sighs. "I wish I could believe that, but I can't. Not by the way you act."

I press my nose to her ear. "I promise that I'll be a better mate. Just give me another chance."

Nightcloud is silent for a moment. She looks at me, and says. "Alright. One more chance...but that's all you get. If you can't change your attitude and be a better mate and father, I'm not going to have anything else to do with you."

"Thank you." I give her a lick on her ear. "I love you so much."