The Better Choice

The Heavy Hearts in the Storm

A small gray tabby tom stretched and woke up the sunrise after the Clan Gathering.

He'd normally think something like "What a great day!" or "The weather sure is lovely out!"

But not today, he felt as dark as the clouds hovering the leaf-fall scenery over ThunderClan camp.

He loved Gemlight, but she loved Bramblestar! Bramblestar of all cats!

I was there with her, I wanted to be her mate, I-

"Stormpaw!"

The gray tabby tom turned around and saw his mentor Blossomfall.

"It's time for the dawn patrol!" Blossomfall purred.

"Oh." Stormpaw smiled, dying inside. "Great!"

"You can set up the patrols, Gemlight."

"Do I need any advice?" Gemlight felt put on the spot, this was only her first sunrise as deputy!

"Just don't put too much pressure on one cat." Bramblestar yawned. "Try not to send one on more than one patrol if they're tired."

"OK." Gemlight saw Blossomfall and her apprentice Stormpaw waiting towards the camp's exit. She walked to them.

Bramblestar smiled as he stared at Gemlight's rump.

She's going to have my kits soon enough!

"Bramblestar?"

"Oh! Yes, Millie?" Bramblestar turned away and looked at the she-cat. "You back from Graystripe's vigil?"

"Yes, Sandstorm seems sad. Having to help bury Graystripe so soon after burying Purdy." Millie looked back up at Bramblestar. "May I talk to you privately?"

"Certainly." Bramblestar got up. "Let's go toward the WindClan border."

Bramblestar and Millie walked away from camp.

"Was there something you wish to tell me?" Bramblestar asked. "If it's about how Graystripe died, I insist it was a fox."

"I stopped loving Graystripe long before the fox attacked him." Millie confessed.

She then pointed at her belly with her tail.

"They're not his kits." Millie added. "They're from a tom in WindClan. They're Crowfeather's."

"Crowfeather's?" Bramblestar looked at Millie strangely. "Huh."

"I didn't want anyone to know." Millie looked down. "Graystripe was sobbing before he died. He knew that they weren't his kits because we stopped mating moons ago!"

"I won't tell anyone." Bramblestar meowed. "We need more kits anyway."

"Thank you!" Millie touched her nose to Bramblestar's shoulder and ran off. "Finally! My new litter will be nice and healthy!"

Bramblestar sat down and smiled, taking in the view of the forest.

So will my kits, mine and Gemlight's!

Gemlight had ordered the dawn patrol out and sent a border patrol toward the ShadowClan border.

"I want to join the border patrol." Dovewing insisted.

"Dovewing, you're expecting kits!" Gemlight looked at Dovewing sympathetically. "I'm sure every queen wants to hunt while they're expecting kits, but you have to care about your-"

"I don't care about my kits!" Dovewing snarled with hatred.

"What?"

Gemlight held back a smirk, while Dovewing held back a scream.