Here's something many people struggle with: What is love? I know that a little kid would say something around the lines of, "It's when two people share a close bond with each other." Others might say, "Love is wanting to see them every day and do whatever you can to make them happy." There are so many people in this world, about 7 billion if I remember correctly. For each word in the human language, I bet there's at least one word that everyone has a different definition for. My first guess, if you don't know, is the simple word known as 'love'.

The first thing most of us can probably think of when they hear the word love is marriage. Some think of a certain type of food or TV show, but I bet we can all think of family as one of the things we can love. But there are some people who don't love their family. It's none of my business pointing them out or discriminating them. If you don't happen to love your family, I bet there's something out there that you love.

But then we start to wonder how some people love others even if they make stupid choices or mistakes. It's like a stronger friendship, it gets shaken up a bit, but it can always be patched up. Maybe it isn't as strong as before, but it can be fixed. However, there are some people who love someone that they would go distances for. It may be a family member or someone they know, but they go the risks anyways.

Why do they do the things they do? Is it out of love? If so, what's their definition of love? Is there something else in them that causes them to do these things? Perhaps it's not out of love, what if the feelings of sadness or fear play a part in their actions?

Do people do things out of love, or is it something else?

X X X

The sun dragged on in the lazy sky in a rather slow pace, taking its time as Mothpaw and the others eagerly awaited the coming of sunhigh. Dew from last night's rain shower glimmered in the rays like tiny, fallen stars on top of the dens. A misty taste flooded into her mouth the moment she stepped outside. Her pelt continued to radiant heat in the chilly morning, relief that she was able to sleep through the rain occupied her mind. The damp ground squished under her weight, absorbing the water stored underground and dampening her underbelly. If things could go her way, then she'd stay where she was until duties required her.

Waking up early in the morning was a challenge, and Mothpaw could still feel sleep's effect dragging her down. The rest of the apprentices remained awake inside and left her to herself outside the entrance. In this position, she got the perfect view of camp and the shy sunrise. Just like her, she could sense the sun peeking up from behind the moor, cautiously waiting for a cat to step into swaying fields of grass. Rain from last night still trickled down and splashed into puddles around her, giving the silver apprentice a soft repetition of falling droplets.

This is the only time, she thought, gaze shifting to the exit of camp. The gateway to freedom made her yearn to see what the world had. Yet it also made her cower in fear of the dangers that lurked behind patches of woven grass or dwelling in abandoned rabbits holes. That's where the slim plan of Olivepaw's mind came to play.

It was no secret that there were laws apprentices had to obey without a question. From day one and the constant morning meetings, apprentices were forbidden to leave camp unguarded. Even in the mornings, it was too dangerous to leave MeadowClan and venture out into the threat like a blind cat. Safety in numbers used to be a tactic Ashstar used, but now it turned against them with a cruel sneer, wrenching cats out of his grasp forcefully.

It only opened up danger going out alone on a border patrol. Mothpaw knew that one cat alone couldn't hunt enough to bring back enough to feed the entire Clan. Not to mention checking the borders regularly and making sure they were strong, a single cat would complete the task the quickest way possible to avoid the unseen threat. Sending too many cats at once and sending too little both exposed any patrol; so Ashstar decided that the maximum number of cats was to be three cats, no little, no more.

And now, six apprentices planned to cross and travel toward the Moon Tree.

Strike early in the morning - according to Olivepaw, nothing was up. That fact was proven right, as the slim, black-furred apprentice had to wake everyone up and herself, forcing her way out of the peaceful luxurious sleep she was in. For now, Mothpaw tried to regain as much sleep as she could before they had to leave.

Sneaking out of camp seems kinda classic, she thought, tail curling up to shelter them from the wind's icy touch. "Are we really doing the right thing?" The only thing reassuring the dread rising in the pits of her stomach was Deerleaf's advice. The spotted warrior was impish and mischievous, yet trapped in the body of an apprentice. Before they had set out, the quick-eyed she-cat had seen their intentions and encouraged them in their scheme.

So far, only Deerleaf knew about their plan.

Let's hope she doesn't spill anything to Ashstar, prayed Mothpaw. Trusting the only cat in the Clan with closest ties to the leader - alongside Dapplefur - was a risk.

"Come on." Olivepaw nudged Mothpaw forward, forcing her to come out of her comfortable position. "We gotta leave now." Impatiently, Mothpaw felt another bundle of fur crawl over her forcefully, revealing itself to be her sister. Small giggles from Runningpaw and Beechpaw remained inside, to her disappointment. Twisting around, the two toms were wrestling with one another.

"Guys!" she hissed, flicking her tail at them sharply to catch their attention. They both froze shut their jaws. "You're going to wake everyone up!"

"Yeah, Beechpaw, you're going to wake everycat up! What is wrong you?!" joked Runningpaw, giving her brother a hard shove into his nest. Beechpaw fell on his face and quickly got back up, throwing himself at the other apprentice.

"Why'd you blame me?!" he demanded, shoving the older tom down.

"Because why not?" The two began to roll around the den in a squirming fit. Olivepaw poked her head in the den to see the ruckus, and her face dropped at the sight of two toms with a wrinkle of her nose.

"Guys! We're going to get caught if we don't shut up!" she stormed into the den, attempting to yank her brother off. Failing, the black apprentice let out an annoyed grunt and pushed her way out of the den. Mothpaw followed, realizing that the pelt of her sister was standing in front of a smaller figure outside. Olivepaw had stopped beside her as well, fear painting the tips of her pelt and causing her to shrivel into a smaller ball.

To their relief, the figure took a step closer, lowering their head in the sunlight. Deerleaf's brown head only had to lower a few inches to meet Honeypaw's eyes. Her warm, green eyes beamed down at the apprentice. Mothpaw felt her fur relax and Olivepaw uncurled herself from the ball she created. Runningpaw and Beechpaw came out giving each other scowls before ramming straight into their sibling's backs. The sensation of her brother hitting her made her spring away with her fur spiked out.

Deerleaf glanced at the two toms with wide eyes. Honeypaw twisted her head around her shoulder and her face lit up.

"You're finally out!" exclaimed Honeypaw in a mild tone, keeping a close eye on the sleeping camp. "I was starting to think you weren't going to even wake up."

"You can say that again," Olivepaw grumbled, giving her brother a glare. Runningpaw mocked her by rolling his eyes and mouthing the same words back.

"Are you guys really serious about going to the Moon Tree?" Deerleaf asked, sweeping her gaze across the row. "You do know that my father doesn't want anymore missing cats than there already is."

"We know," Runningpaw spoke up. "That's why we'll be quick."

"Have you been there before, Deerleaf?" Mothpaw piped up, catching the young warrior's attention.

"...I have." Deerleaf's gaze darkened before letting the sun come back into them. Mothpaw frowned at the quick mood swing. "But it's not something you should ask me for." There it was again, the quick flash of a dark presence over her usual joyful eyes. It made her want to speak up and ask about the she-cat's burdens. Instead, she kept her mouth shut.

What is it that I feel? Mothpaw examined Deerleaf closer. MeadowClan was full of dull looks that it became more natural. Even times when they were supposed to celebrate she couldn't find a single cat in the Clan who could look up into the sky with shining eyes that carried no sorrow. The warrior in front of her was perhaps the most energetic one she knew. Maybe her smile could lift the Clan's spirit.

No, she thought. As much as Mothpaw hated to know the truth, she couldn't cover her ears in time for the thought to slip through. Seeing one happy cat in the midst of a gloomy Clan was the thing that stuck out. Something in that smile they gave others around them made her stomach uneasy. Was it that feeling of hope that disgusted her? She couldn't place a firm paw on it, but she could manage to place a quivering one on top of one theory.

A warrior such as Deerleaf finding time to spread joy and even attempt at cheering them up was the pink flower in a field of rotten bones. It stuck out from the rest of the black land and begged others to absorbed its beauty. A sign that life could still grow and thrive just how it always could. That was why the flower had to be squashed out; it gave hope to a hopeless group of cats that couldn't change.

"Can you take us there?" Honeypaw suddenly asked, catching everyone's ears. "You know the way, right? Why not take us?"

"I..." Deerleaf seemed to consider the deal. For a brief moment, Mothpaw saw the small cat inside her open its eyes and ears to offer. Then an unknown feeling surpassed the desire, extinguishing it out like a flame. Shaking her head, she said, "No, you guys need to see what is out there. I already know what's there."

"Why?" Honeypaw persisted.

"Because my father simply wants you to know what they're doing," Deerleaf snapped, ears flattening to her skull. "He knows you'll want to go to the Moon Tree. He's giving you the chance to go there and get back."

"Isn't the Clan going to worry about us? What if we aren't fast enough?" Beechpaw asked, worry filling his voice.

"They will, they'll probably start looking for you, too," Deerleaf mumbled. "I'd get a move on now."

"That doesn't make sense!" Olivepaw fought, standing close to the warrior. "If he's worried about losing cats, why is he letting us leave camp completely unguarded?! We haven't even been apprentices for a moon!"

"Just... Just go!" Deerleaf growled, pushing the black apprentice away like she was a disease.

"No!" Olivepaw argued, leaping over her paw and smashing her head into Deerleaf's chest with a thud. The two fell over, Olivepaw putting her entire weight on the warrior. "You know what Ashstar's like, why is he letting us do this?"

"You aren't going to get anywhere if you keep arguing with me...!" Deerleaf protested, shoving Olivepaw off. "Get going, now!"

"Why! Why doesn't he---"

"I'm doing it to make him happy again!" she snarled, voice loud but she showed no signs of concern. "I only became a warrior in hopes of finding the solution to the missing cats! If I had it my way, I'd be a medicine cat by now!" Deerleaf took a step back, realizing her outburst. Forcing her fur to lie flat again, she sighed.

"My father was never truly happy after my mother died at my birth. I wanted to become a medicine cat and stay by his side, soothing sweet nothings into his ears and hoping I could be the one to talk to StarClan. Instead, his pain made me change my plan and I became a warrior to make him proud. He wants to see somecat solve the problem MeadowClan and CinderClan are facing, no matter what the cost. Don't you see? He's telling you not to leave camp without permission, but he wants apprentices to leave camp and go to the Moon Tree, hoping that maybe one of them could be the one to save us." Deerleaf gave all of the apprentices one last look. "Go, get to the Moon Tree and come back alive. Don't ask any more questions."

With that, Runningpaw and Beechpaw took off, racing toward the exit of camp, Honeypaw following. Mothpaw got on her feet and padded off, glancing behind her to wait for Olivepaw. The warrior and apprentice gave one another a look, Olivepaw continued to glare at Deerleaf while the warrior only pleaded with her silently to move on. After what seemed like moons, her friend stalked off and broke into a run, brushing past her angrily.

Mothpaw watched Deerleaf run all the way up to the leader's den, slowly peeking her nose into her father's den. Whether she was going to call for them, she didn't care. Turning around, she ran out of the camp into the meadow, looking out for her sibling's tails sticking out from the green blades.

She's the complete opposite of us, she realized as she caught up to Beechpaw's striped tail. None of us share any love toward Ripplestone, where Deerleaf's love for Ashstar... Her paws hit the ground again and she sprung off them, landing beside her brother. The two exchanged a nod before breaking off to find the others in the field. The wet tips brushed against her pelt, allowing her to slide through the patches easily.

Neither of us would do or sacrifice anything to make Ripplestone happy, but Deerleaf... Mothpaw found herself looking at the sunrise, sorrow filling her eyes. She's willing to push away her dreams of becoming a medicine cat just to make her father happy. A true love between father and daughter.

Why can't I have that?