I know it's been a really long time, and you probably thought I wasn't going to continue or whatever, but that isn't the case. I am terribly sorry about this...I will now try to update once a week.

Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors.

"Lionblaze, can I talk to you?"

Lionblaze glanced up to see Cinderheart standing there, shifting on her paws. She flicked her ear nervously.

Lionblaze swallowed the shrew. Swiping his tongue across his jaws, Lionblaze replied, "Sure." Standing up, he arched his back into a stretch. He blinked at his mate. "Are you okay?"

Cinderheart jumped slightly. "Let's talk in private."

Lionblaze frowned. "You didn't answer my-" but he cut off. Cinderheart had already spun around and began to pad quickly over to the thorn tunnel. Lionblaze narrowed his eyes, but followed the gray she-cat into the forest.

As Lionblaze followed Cinderheart through the trees, he pulled back his ears. Usually, the sounds of the forest were comforting, but with Cinderheart acting so reckless, they were annoying, filling his ears and making it hard to hear. Lionblaze almost tripped over a large stick.

"Well?" Lionblaze asked when Cinderheart finally stopped. He glanced around and blinked in acknowledgement of the place, but said nothing. Cinderheart had taken him to the clearing where he had met Icecloud all those moons ago.

Cinderheart swept her tail around, looking anxious. Lionblaze sat down across from her, neatly curling his tail around his paws. He waited patiently before Cinderheart suddenly blurted, "I think we should stop."

Lionblaze immediately tensed. "Stop what?"

"Meeting, you know…" Cinderheart gestured weakly around. "…being with each other."

Lionblaze leapt to his paws. "What, why?"

Cinderheart didn't say anything.

"Was it something I did?" Lionblaze pressed. "It's not the destiny thing again, is it?"

Cinderheart cast her gaze down. "No," she replied. She took a step back. "This wasn't a good idea."

"What, telling me we shouldn't be mates?" Lionblaze muttered wryly. He let out a snort. "I agree."

"No, Lionblaze," Cinderheart looked confused.

"What, then?"

There was a pause. Somewhere deep in his mind, Lionblaze knew he was acting irrationally, but he pushed the thought away. He needed answers. Now.

"I-I-" Cinderheart sounded broken. "I can't tell you."

Lionblaze ground his claws into the ground and began pacing. "Does anyone else know?"

"Yes," Cinderheart said softly. She hesitated before saying, "Jayfeather."

"What?" Lionblaze hissed, feeling hurt. Why could she trust her brother with this, but not him? "Why him? He's a medicine cat, he's blind, and I never thought you to be friends! Jayfeather? Really?"

Cinderheart flinched, and her hackles rose. "Look, Lionblaze," Cinderheart spat out, "I have my reasons."

"But Jayfeather? Why?"

"Oh, I don't know," Cinderheart snapped. "It might have to do with the fact that he's a medicine cat, has a connection with Starclan, and he's much more caring than you!"

There was a tense silence. Lionblaze froze with shock. He looked at Cinderheart, but found nothing but coldness in her blue eyes. There was none of the regret Lionblaze had been hoping for.

"I don't like it any more than you do," Cinderheart growled. She glared at him, and Lionblaze took a step back. "I was going to ask if we could be friends, but I don't even know if that's what I want anymore." She turned. "Bye, Lionblaze."

Lionblaze made no movement or sound as he watched her stalk away. When she was far enough away, Lionblaze rolled his eyes. She cats.

You're not thinking clearly, said a voice in his head. You were acting irrational, snappy, moody and rude. Go and apologize, ask for forgiveness. Being friends is better than nothing.

Lionblaze stubbornly ignored the voice. His thinking was fine, and Cinderheart was the snappy, moody, rude irrational one. It wasn't his fault that things got a little heated; she shouldn't have broken up with him in the first place.

"Well?"

Lionblaze glanced up, startled, from where he had been moodily picking into a squirrel. He immediately felt anger rise in him, and had to fight back a growl. Jayfeather stood over him, his icy blue eyes staring him down. Traitor.

"Well?" Jayfeather repeated again when Lionblaze didn't answer. Lionblaze paused for a moment.

"Well, what?" his voice came out sounding rougher than he meant it to, but that was fine. Stupid Jayfeather.

"I know something's wrong," Jayfeather prodded. "You came back from your walk with Cinderheart, and you seemed angry and upset. I know Cinderheart went to cry in her den, because Brakenfur told me."

"What?" Lionblaze was unable to mask his surprise. He knew he'd been a little harsh, but…now he was starting to wonder how much.

Jayfeather sneered at him. "Yes," Jayfeather hissed, "so I would like to know, what did you do?"

"Why do you care?"

"You're my brother," Jayfeather replied simply, but didn't say any more. Lionblaze let out a low growl.

"If you must know, Cinderheart led me out into the forest to break up with me."

Lionblaze glanced back down and messily tore off a piece of squirrel. For a moment Lionblaze wondered if Jayfeather was still there; there was silence.

"I'm running out of comfrey." Jayfeather's voice startled him. "I need a warrior to come with me. Will you?"

Lionblaze looked up. "Wha-?" he began, but cut off. He knew what Jayfeather was doing; in case any cat was eavesdropping and noticed them walking into the forest, they would assume they were going for a casual stroll for herbs. "Alright," Lionblaze cast a glance at the half-finished squirrel. "I'm not hungry, anyway."

Pushing it to the side, he stood up and hurried to follow Jayfeather. The two brothers set off at a casual place; if Lionblaze sensed correctly, it seemed Jayfeather was heading over toward the abandoned Twoleg place.

"I'm going to check on the catmint," Jayfeather explained as if he knew what Lionblaze was thinking, which, Lionblaze reflected, he probably did. Once again he cursed his brother.

"Okay," Lionblaze had to stop short; Jayfeather had paused back abruptly. "Are you going to tell me what this is about or what?"

"Er, I guess," Lionblaze quickened his pace to stand next to his brother, who had resumed walking. "But, er," Lionblaze searched for an excuse to delay the inevitable, "I don't know where to begin."

"The beginning would be a nice place to start." Lionblaze had to hold back a grin. Jayfeather and his wry humor.

"Right," Lionblaze swallowed. "It started with Cinderheart asking for us to talk. She wanted to speak privately. I followed her into the forest and to a clearing, where Cinderheart stopped. She told me we should stop seeing each other." Lionblaze swallowed. "I got mad at her, and I might've acted…rash. We began to yell, because she wouldn't tell me why. I asked her if anyone else knew-" Lionblaze chanced a side glance at Jayfeather, but his face remained impassive, "-and she said you. I got mad that you knew and I didn't and…" Lionblaze shrugged, "here we are."

There was silence for a moment. "So you mean to tell me," Jayfeather's voice was calm and slow, "that Cinderheart said you needed to stop seeing each other, and without even knowing why, you began to yell. And finally, after all your yelling, that is when you ask her why."

Lionblaze shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah, and?"

"You mouse brain!" Jayfeather cried. "Of course she won't tell you! Even if she could, which she can't, do you really think she'll want to tell you after all your psychotic yelling?" Lionblaze stepped back, his fur prickling.

"You're making it sound worse than it was," Lionblaze protested. Jayfeather turned his blind, angry gaze on his brother.

"Am I? Am I really? Dovewing's not the only cat with ears, you know," Jayfeather snapped. Distantly, Lionblaze remembered Jayfeather had had the best senses in the clan-besides eyesight-before Dovewing had come. "I followed you, badger brain!" Lionblaze twitched his whiskers. That was going a bit far. Unless he was talking about Midnight, which Lionblaze seriously doubted he was. "I heard all your yelling." Jayfeather curled his lip. "'He's blind'!" Jayfeather mimicked. "'Jayfeather? Really?'"

Lionblaze shifted his paws and hung his head. There was a moment of silence. "I'm sorry," Lionblaze said quietly. "I know my behavior was inappropriate, but…"

Lionblaze trailed off, but Jayfeather seemed to understand. He touched his tail to the ginger warrior's shoulder. "You're such a fox heart, Lionblaze," Jayfeather said softly. "Beware of the consequences of your actions." Before Lionblaze could say anything else, Jayfeather had turned and disappeared in the ferns. Lionblaze scratched his claws across the ground, frustrated.

I hate my life.

I know there's usually a spoiler here, but I'm going to let everything remain a surprise for now. ^.^

~D