The Blossom Shrivels and Dies (CLOSED / SOLO / LONG POST)

Sweetheart shivered in the freezing air as she slowly made her way towards Fourtrees. Usually, her secret meetings with Scorchfang on the night following the Gathering would bring her such joy and excitement, but now it only brought her sadness and despair.

Tonight, she was to tell her true love that she could no longer visit him.

She was desperate to find any solution around the problem, to find any way for their relationship to work, but Honeydrop of ShadowClan had made it clear that she would just be exiled. She personally was just fine with that, but she didn't want Scorchfang to be exiled, either; she knew just how much he wanted to become ShadowClan's leader one day.

In the darkness, she was able to identify a black shadow. The only way she was able to tell it was Scorchfang was by the piercing orange eyes glowing in the darkness. Strange, he looked sad, too...

Sweetheart approached the ShadowClan tom and nuzzled him. "Hello, Scorchfang."

"Hi, Sweetheart," Scorchfang meowed solemnly, returning the affection. It was clear to Sweetheart that he had something on his mind, too, but she had to clear this off her chest first.

"Scorchfang, I..." Sweetheart began softly, trembling with emotion. She didn't want to do this. But it was what was best for Scorchfang. "I... I can't see you anymore..." She expected to see such great shock and despair in those mesmerizing orange eyes, but there was none. Just the same level of sadness he showed when she first arrived.

"I know." Scorchfang's voice was barely more than a whisper. "I want to be with you, too, but I don't want to get you into any trouble with Ivystar. She sounds so incredibly strict."

"She is, and I imagine Magpiestar is, too."

"Yeah, he sure can be. He banished our medicine cat a few moons ago for taking a mate within her Clan."

Sweetheart looked up in surprise. "Was this cat named Honeydrop?"

"Uh, yeah. How did you know?"

"She was the one who told me, back when I was visiting the Moonstone as an apprentice, that I couldn't see you anymore," Sweetheart replied quietly. "I didn't want to listen to her at first, but... I know how much you want to become leader of ShadowClan one day. I don't want to jeopardize that for you. And even if I'd be okay with being exiled from RiverClan -- being as awful as it is for taking ThunderClan's medicine cat of all cats hostage -- I... I don't want to be all alone out there."

"I understand," Scorchfang mewed. "Actually, last night Violetshine, my former mentor, caught me talking to you. She's always questioned my loyalty and actions because of who I was as an apprentice, but I want to prove to her -- to all of ShadowClan -- that I've changed for the better, and that I can be a trusted cat to lead their Clan one day."

"So, I suppose that settles it... We can't see each other in secret anymore." Sweetheart looked away, feeling a mewl rising in her threat. She wanted to cry. Then she suddenly felt Scorchfang lifting up her chin with a forepaw to look at him, and he was sadly smiling at her.

"You've taught me the true value of she-cats. I will never forget that, and I will never forget you. Perhaps one day, when we're in StarClan, we will finally be together again. But for now... could we spend just one more night together?"

Sweetheart blinked up at the handsome cat whom she fell deeply in love with, whom she never dreamed of letting go for any reason. She smiled softly. "I would like that very much."