"Jaypaw."

The light of yellow moon reflected off the water, a sprinkle of soft yellow stars sprayed around it. A small tabby she-cat lay near it, whispering softly under her breath. The soft ripplings in the moonpool stilled, the pond taking on a glassy appearance. She smiled softly at the image now in the pool, a small scruffy gray cat sleeping silently. So he hadn't followed me after all.. Leafpool had been especially careful this time, taking alternate routes and splashing through streams. A cruel trick to play on a young, blind apprentice, but it had to be done.

"Squirrelflight."

The gray kitten's image faded away, replaced by a ginger she-cat racing through the woods. The tabby could feel the exhileration racing through the cat's fur, the thrill of the hunt and hunger. She smiled softly as she watched her sister turn, as if she was mewing to someone close by. A large brown cat padded to her, entwining his tail with hers. A sigh escaped from the tabby's chest. Brambleclaw.... He was so protective. They way they looked at eachother... Painful.

She thought for a while before whispering the last name, closing soft amber eyes.

"Crowfeather."

The way she said it was pained, scared even. Before she gazed into the inky black water, she knew where he was.

"Leafpool."

She bowed her head, releasing her power over the little pond. The voice was quiet, soft.

"Leafpool, please!"

The voice was pleading now, longing in every syllable.

"Crowfeather..."

The black cat's pelt brushed against her light tabby, but she moved away quickly.

"I can't do this. I just can't. The pain...The wondering... The duty to my Clan..."

Crowfeather smiled softly, resting his tail on her shoulder. "We can work it out, Leafpool. We can be together still! Clan boundaries will stop out love!"

He was smiling now. Happy. Almost as if those few words had made everything better.

Leafpool wrenched her shoulder away from his tail. Her eyes burned angrily, each word spiked with pain and anger.

"You don't understand, Crowfeather. You'll NEVER understand."

She stalked away, back to her own territory. The tabby stopped at the exit, turning around. Sorrow filled her amber eyes as she spoke, but they were spoken with certainty, they could not be recalled.

"I don't love you anymore."