Silverspots headed to the Cave of Peace confidently. This would be one of her last meetings with Echoflight. She wondered what the black she-cat had for her today. Perhaps it would be fun. Perhaps it would be a lesson.

It most definitely was not.

"What're you doing here?" a surprised voice mewed.

"Ebonywind?" Silverspots spat. "I always come here! I'm Touched!"

"Well, I'm going to be too!" Ebonywind growled back.

"I was first!" Silverspots whined in annoyance, stamping her paws.

"Alright! Enough bickering, you-" Echoflight cut herself off, thinking for a second before adding, "You aren't elders and you're acting like them!"

Ebonywind pressed back, looking ashamed, while Silverspots thought about what Echoflight had just said. Did she mean you aren't even together yet and you're arguing like old mates already?

Maybe she did.

Echoflight led the way into the cave, Silverspots marching in without glancing at Ebonywind. How dare she speak to me after what she did? She hurt me!

Then, an afterthought. But what is love without pain?

"I brought you here to speak. What you have right now is an unhealthy relationship," Echoflight commanded.

"I'm not speaking to that piece of heart-breaking fox-dung!" Silverspots hissed back sharply.

Ebonywind recoiled as though she had been clawed. Her eyes drifted to the ground. "I'm sorry, Silverspots. I didn't mean it! I was just so busy!"

"So busy? Yeah right! Tell that to StarClan!" Silverspots retorted.

Echoflight sighed deeply from where she was perched and stood up, moving in between them. Silverspot's claws had unsheathed without her knowing, and Ebonywind looked confused and unhappy.

Silverspots reluctantly sheathed her claws, feeling a mixture of emotions. She felt happy that Ebonywind was sorry and wanted her to be more sorry. But she also felt guilty that she was hurting Ebonywind. Ebonywind was so amazing! Her fur was beautiful, her eyes were mesmerizing, and her personality was compassionate, but sharp too.

"You two really need to talk. Not fight," Echoflight looked like she was regretting this.

Good! I don't want to talk to her!

"Okay," Ebonywind agreed for her. Silverspots bristled and glared at her.

"Fine," she grunted.

"I'll leave you to it. I'll come back at moonhigh. If I find you fighting, both of you are getting a stern talking to. I will personally go talk to Rowanstar and I won't ever Touch you again." Echoflight warned.

Silverspots nodded meekly. She needed Echoflight to survive. No way was she going to fight if she would lose her Touch status.

"What do you want to talk about?" she growled slightly.

"Our relationship," Ebonywind was direct. "I missed you."

"I missed you too," Silverspots admitted. "You were my..."

Lover? Crush? Maybe girlfriend?

"Best friend," she settled on.

"My..." Ebonywind seemed to pause too. "Best friend as well."

There was an awkward silence in which Silverspots was sure that both of them were thinking very hard in.

Did Ebonywind love me too?

"Did you love me?" Silverspots blurted before cursing under her breath.

Ebonywind's eyes went wide. "Did you?"

"I asked you first," Silverspots teased without thinking before a pang of pain went through her.

We used to tease each other like that.

"I did," Ebonywind confided. She looked extremely uncomfortable. "Did you?"

Did. Did. Not do. Silverspots was screaming internally. Ebonywind didn't love her anymore.

"I did too. And I still do. But you don't." Silverspots turned away. "I think I'll leave."

Ebonywind didn't protest. She just stood there and watched as Silverspots left the cave.

I don't care if Echoflight comes back. I don't care anymore!"

Silverspots paused at a piece of large bark with a broad and flat surface. She lifted one of her claws, carefully using the tip of it to slice a drawing onto it.

The drawing depicted two cats standing together, their heads close. Their pelts were touching and all. Pain seared Silverspots heart. This was what they could've been.

Anger took over the pain and she slashed her claws through the bark and cut it in half. One half was her. The other half was Ebonywind.

It was what she felt like.

She gave in to her pain, fear and anger and drove her claws across the bark, shredding it. Once it was nothing but dust, she stopped, breathing heavily. Her claws throbbed but her mind was lighter. It's in the past now.

"Feeling better?"

Silverspots spun around, expecting it to be Echoflight, but it was Ebonywind.

"Go away!" she yowled, taking off into the woods.

"Come back!" Ebonywind caterwauled, chasing after her.

Silverspots ran with desperation, her ears flat and her tail streaming. But Ebonywind was clearly faster and caught up quickly. Ebonywind stopped her from running with her tail. Their fur brushed and Silverspots flinched back.

"No...no!" she whimpered. "You'll just hurt me again! Stop!"

Ebonywind ignored her, licking her ruffled fur gently. "I didn't mean to hurt you, Silverspots," she mewed softly.

"I know you didn't, but I can't bring myself to forgive you," Silverspots cried. "It hurts too much to talk to you. It's better when I can ignore you without feeling guilty. Anger is better than guilt and grief."

Ebonywind licked her ears before responding. "I know we had feelings for each other in the past. And I'm sorry for breaking your heart like that. But I'm telling the truth when I say this. I really didn't mean it. I was just so busy with Rowanstar and Luckystar's war. My life has always been complicated. I didn't mean to drag you into it."

Silverspots looked at her, feeling her heart melt again. It just hurt so much to look at her silver and tan pelt without growling and snarling. She turned away. "I'm sorry for acting this way. I can try being normal. If you want."

"I don't want that. We aren't normal," Ebonywind nuzzled her and she stiffened. It's been ages since we did this.

"Then what?" she shot but with less anger than before. It was weak, and she knew it.

"We could try being together again," Ebonywind suggested.

Silverspots broke away, completely shocked. "What?!"

"In the future," Ebonywind clarified. "When we've had time to calm down."

"I suppose it could work," Silverspots agreed.

"We're good?" Ebonywind looked at her with hopeful eyes. They were begging for forgiveness.

"We're good." Silverspots fell against Ebonywind's body until they were a mass of fur, licks and purrs.

A/N This might've been one of my finest chapters :)