A Final Farewell (CLOSED)

Buttercup waited patiently at Carrionplace in ShadowClan's territory. She knew she wasn't supposed to ever come back here, but there was a specific warrior she was hoping would find her here. She had caught herself a pair of plump mice that she carried all the way from the abandoned barn outside of WindClan's territory for him -- or any other cat who she was unlucky enough to bump into instead. There was something she needed to tell him. Please let him come...

Firestone had been stuck in the camp under his own will. After all, what happened... first, Honeydrop's confession about being his true mother instead of Littlebrook, then, his brother attacking her with fury, after that, the fear of not finding Buttercup in the Barn, and finally, his father (and former mentor) was now dead, not giving him the chance to discuss the lies he told him. The usually bright and cheerful tom was rotten inside... all the lies... all the world he thought he knew crumbling apart... all happened within days. Those last days were so overwhelming to him that he couldn't leave the camp except for his apprentice's training and when Magpiestar himself told him to do.

However... today it was different. After days and nights lost on his depressed thoughts, he finally decided to take a walk outside the camp, alone. He somehow needed this... be away from a clan that changed for him the day when Honeydrop decided to speak. The flame-furred cat walked through the marshes, not thinking too much about where was he going until he caught the scent of the Carrionplace. Leaving his gaze on the ground, his eyes widened when Firestone saw the white and orange rogue that was his friend. His green eyes looked at her, more tired than usual, but happily. At least... one of his worries was now gone now that he knew she was okay.

The Shadowclan warrior trotted toward her, smiling. "Buttercup! I'm so glad to see you again!"He purred welcoming her with friendly nudge before stepping back. "After the Gathering... some things happened and I couldn't go to you immediately. I went to the Barn to see you a few days later and I couldn't find you! I was so worried... I could only think that maybe the worst happened. But, thanks to Starclan you're here!"

Buttercup nuzzled the tom back, drinking in his warm, familiar scent. She then looked up into his gorgeous eyes and frowned ruefully. "I'm sorry for leaving so suddenly, Firestone. I met a kit in Twolegplace who desperately needed me to help care for him, but when he left to join a rogue-made Clan outside of the territories... I couldn't let another kit leave me. But I was so torn up about leaving you without saying goodbye, or getting to know anything about my dear Heather. So... I said goodbye to my little Mange and left DawnClan." She nudged the two mice she caught towards him. "Here. Give these to any queens or kits in your Clan. Tell them you caught them; they would never accept prey from a rogue."

The tom listened to her story quietly, wondering about that "clan" outside the five original clans. A clan called Dawnclan made of kittypets, rogues and loners... I doubt that many clan cats know about this... He thought for a second before turning again his attention to the she-cat. After all, she was what really mattered right now.

The warrior looked at her, concerned when she told him about how she left a safe home because of him and her daughter and how she gave them two pieces of prey when she probably needed it more. "You're probably right... but I honestly don't care about clan origins. I'm not even a full Shadowclan cat, you know? My father used to be a rogue in the past but that didn't stop him from being a good warrior... even if he..." The tom gulped remembering his betrayal and decided to remain quiet for a few seconds. He wasn't ready to say it out loud... he still needed some time before accepting the fact that Flamestrike lied to him. "Well, it doesn't matter anymore. What is really important is that you're safe but I'm worried about how are you feeling inside your heart, Buttercup. I met Heatherpaw again in the last Gathering... she wasn't so comfortable talking to me but at least she was fine... Thunderclan is training her to become a warrior of that clan and she already had a few friends, like her mentor, Reedheart, and this other apprentice called Emberpaw. I'm not sure if she wants to leave... but she's safe and healthy."

Buttercup's ice-blue eyes shone with deep sadness. So Heather was happy where she was. Or... was she brainwashed by those awful ThunderClan cats into thinking she was happy? Those disgusting thieves would pay one day, she would make sure of it, for tricking her daughter into believing she could only find happiness fighting to the death with complete strangers.

She put these thoughts aside for now. There would be a chance to put her thoughts into ideas, then into action. There was something else she needed to tell him. "There's something else I must tell you." Her voice was soft and feeble, but she forced herself to keep eye contact with him. And those brilliant, beautiful green eyes...

"I... I can't stop thinking about you, Firestone. You helped me after I lost my kit, and you're continuing to help me now, and I will be forever grateful for all you have done for me. But I just can't stop thinking about you. You are the bravest, strongest, and most loyal Clan cat I know, not to mention kind and patient and charming. I know of your warrior code, or at least some of it. You aren't allowed to take a mate with another cat outside of your own Clan. But... I still wanted to say... I love you, Firestone." She looked sadly at him, knowing fully well in her heart she could never be with him... but at least she was able to confess her feelings before it was too late for either of them.

The warrior pricked his ears with curiosity when she told him she had something else to say but he didn't expect what came next. His green eyes just widened a bit and he could only felt a pressure inside his heart as she continued talking with such a sad expression... especially because he couldn't return his feelings. Firestone looked away, confused and troubled since he didn't want to hurt her even more. "Buttercup... I... I'm flattered by your words and everything you think about me but... I think you know I can't say the same to you." He returned his sight back to her trying to not be too mean or rude. The tom didn't want to lose here. "You're my friend... and I like you, your perseverance, your kindness and how hardworking you are when it comes to your family. But I don't have the same feelings for you and is not because you're from the clan. Is just... I just don't feel the same way. However, that doesn't mean I don't care for you and your happiness. You're one of my closest friends and I want you the best in the world but a life with me as your mate is something that I cannot give you. I can only promise you that we will be always friends even if we don't live in the same place or with the same cats. I'm not sure if that's enough... actually, I highly doubt it is... but is the best I can do for you and I'll be always there to help you when you need me." He said that seriously but in his last words he smiled at her, friendly, just like he always did.

Firestone didn't love her. This broke Buttercup's heart. Her ears folded back sadly and she stared down at her paws for several moments. Then she looked back up at him with a new perspective of the situation.

At least she was able to get this confession off her chest. Firestone may not love her back, and it did hurt her to know that, but at least he still considered her a close friend, which was incredible considering their origins. She couldn't help a sad sigh, but at least she still looked a little happier. "I know it wouldn't have worked out," she whispered. "But at least we can still be friends, just as you said. And that's good enough for me. Though... I suppose it's a good thing you said no anyway."

She turned her head away with another soft sigh. "I just can't live without Heather anymore, no matter how hard I try. Yes, I have Mange, but he won't ever replace her in my heart. I... I wasn't completely honest with you. I have come back not just to see you again, but to convince her to come with me back to DawnClan. So... I still reside there, and I will be going back, but not without Heather."

Even if he noticed wasn't' completely satisfied by his choice, he was glad that she could at least be happy being just her friend. The warrior knew that he probably broke her heart but he couldn't force a relationship that just... wasn't going to work out.

Firestone listened to her words once again and looked away from her, fixing his eyes on the Shadowclan's territory. "At least... you're fighting to be with your beloved kit. From my point of view... I believe that Heatherpaw is really lucky to have a mother like you... Not everyone can have that..." He mewed with a saddened voice, remembering how Honeydrop gave him and his siblings away because she was a code-breaker. The former medicine cat never fought for them... she didn't even try to be their mother and just lied to them. He wasn't so mad about the broken code... no... he was angry at her for not caring for them as a mother... like she... never loved him and Gingerstripe. It was unfair... "I wish you good luck, my friend. I hope we can meet again in the future once you bring Heather back to you."

"Thank you very much. You are such a good friend, and I will never forget you. Until next time, I bid you farewell." With a final dip of her head and a warm gaze, Buttercup turned and padded back into the forest, planning on traveling just outside of ShadowClan territory to reach ThunderClan's.