A/N: I decided to have this chapter in another cat's point of view. I don't have enough time to write lately, I've been getting rather sick also, so I'm ending it here. I know it's rather disappointing. My apologies. Maybe I'll try re-writing it some time in the future.

::: Chapter Three - What Could Have Been :::

x-X-x

Whitewing just stood there staring at him with a look of bewilderment on her face. Why would Ashfur just reject her like that? They'd always been so close. She knew very well Ashfur wasn't particularly approving of her relationship with Birchfall, but she would have hoped he'd be a little happier for her. Sometimes she just didn't understand how his mind worked.

There had been a time when she had considered him as a choice for her mate. She'd come to that age in her life when she wanted to become a mother, but she didn't want just any tom to be the father of her kits. She wanted to be in love. She and Ashfur where together a lot. Sometimes it was hunting, going on patrol or just hanging out. At first, she'd thought maybe this was what love was like. However, this delusion did not last for long.

She saw how he still looked at her. It didn't matter that Squirrelflight was with Brambleclaw. It didn't matter that his time with her was over. The fiery ginger she-cat would never be his. Yet, he still couldn't let go of her. That wasn't the kind of mate she wanted. She'd always end up being second best to him. Never the one he loved the most. In the end, that was why she chose Birchfall.

Sometimes she couldn't help but wonder though. Did that make Birchfall her second best? Maybe. Hard as she tried, she didn't think she could ever stop loving Ashfur. Did she really have any room to ridicule him then, when in a way, she was just the same?

x-X-x

It was moons later when she noticed a change in Ashfur. He no longer stared at Squirrelflight with that intense, wanting gaze. He got along better with Brambleclaw and he seemed all around happier. Not having to train Lionblaze every day might be helping as well. Another change she'd noticed was that he'd seemed to have stricken up a friendship with Leafpool.

No one else seemed bothered by it. Except for Firestar that was. ThunderClan's leader watched them like a hawk whenever they where together in camp. Though their time in each other's company mostly consisted of them chatting in a friendly manner or Ashfur assisting her in collecting or arranging herbs, which was really getting on Jaypaw's nerves. The young gray tabby was growing quite bored.

Whitewing was mildly worried, hoping he wasn't falling in love again. Especially not with Leafpool. Especially not after the whole Crowfeather incident. It wasn't long before her worry for her friend passed away to joy for something else however. She was pregnant.

x-X-x

The time for her first litter had finally come. It wasn't until Ashfur was gone that she finally re-thought everything. Who could have killed him? Why would they do something like that? Was there something about him she hadn't known? And most of all, should she have stuck by his side instead of choosing Birchfall, especially if he had been in trouble?

The answers to all these questions she would probably never know. Only one thing was for certain as she watched Leafpool that night, mourning him alone in her den.