Authors Note: Sorry I haven't updated this story. As I said, my other story comes first, and I just didn't have the tim for a quick update here. Well, anyways, sorry if theres mistakes here. As I said, I haven't read about Smudge in a couple of years so I may have forgotten things (is he even alive...?) didn't he help the cats on their journey (to find Barley?) if he did...this is...um...Smudge's twin, not the real smudge :D
Disclamiers: *sniffle* Me no the own the cute little kitty's...
Firestar stared at Smudge in bewilderment, "Home? Smudge, you should know by now, I consider the forest my home. I'm already there."
"What forest?" Smudge flicked his tail, indicating at the barren camp, "This wasteland? It's nothing more than a pathetic clearing!"
Firestar flattened his ears slightly, "I will not have you insult my Clan." He spoke in a low voice as a small fluffy grey she-cat stared at them. Smudge took in that one of her back legs was misshapen.
"Can we talk somewhere else? Outside of your camp?" Smudge asked, his eyes meeting the grey cats blue ones until she turned away and limped into a den that smelled of herbs.
Firestar gave a small nod, "Of course." He looked over at a grey tabby, "Graystripe, you're in charge for now. I'll be back soon." Graystripe nodded, casting Smudge a weary look.
"This should be good." Firetsar jumped up onto some rocks, which were by a river. "What is it?"
"You have to come back to you're home, Rusty!"
"Firestar." Firestar corrected, "And I can't. This is my home, Smudge. My clan needs me now, I can't just leave them. What kind of leader would do that?"
"One that values his own life!" Smudge cried out. "If you stay here, you'll die! I've seen way to many cats from this forest die of hunger, or be taken away by humans." He leapt to his feet, "And I don't want you to die like them. You have to come back to you're home."
Firetsar looked down at Smudge with calm eyes. "I understand what you're trying to say, but I simply can't return." He let out a small sigh, "It's been much too many moons for me to return to my tw-humans. And if I leave my Clan now, more cats are sure to die."
Smudge shook his head, "Who cares? I thought wild cats could take care of themselves? And what about Grayshock…Gray…Graystripe? If anything happens, he can take over! You're Clan will be perfectly fine." Smudge hissed out the last bit.
"If my Clan is to go through though times, I'll go through them to." Firetsar gave a small smile, "And as you said, we wild cats can take care of ourselves. I'll be fine."
Smudge grit his teeth, and turned his head away. He ran his claws through the dirt, digging small grooves. "You…you really did stop, huh?"
Firestar cocked his head to the side in slight confusion, "Really stopped what?"
"You…you really stopped caring about me, haven't you?" Smudge whispered.
They were both silent for a while, nothing but silence was heard. There wasn't any prey around to makes noise, not a breeze to stir leaves or ripple the water.
"Smudge," Firestar spoke softly and slowly, "if that's what you think, you're wrong." He leapt down from the rocks, padding over, "I still care about you. You were, you are, my best friend. But as my friend, you should understand what I'm going through right now."
Smudge turned his head away as Firestar tried looking at him, "If that's what you say…" Smudge leapt up, whipping around and sending Firetsar stumbling back, "I suppose we aren't friends any longer!" His fur bristled, "If we're friends, you should have thought of me! How do you think I felt when my only friend, my only stable post, left because of his dream? Shattering mine? You didn't even ask if I wanted to come with you." His lip curled up in a bitter smile, "You didn't even think about me. Is that how friends act?" He took a step forward, his claws slowly sliding out, "Is is, Firestar?"
Firestar stared at Smudge with wide eyes, "Smudge, calm down. Think through this calmly. You have no idea—"
"Oh, you have no idea, Firestar. You have no idea what I'm thinking." Smudge let out a snarl, leaping into the air.
Firestar stared as he watched his friend jump higher than he possible could, and land square on his shoulders, "How, how can you jump so high?" He grunted out. Firetsar refused to lay a claw on his friend.
"Training." Smudge hissed into his ear, 'And this is hardly showing what I can do. Now, I'll say it one more time, come home, Rusty."
Firestar craned his neck around to look at Smudge, "I…can't." He gripped Smudge's head in his paws, and rolled him over, sitting on top of him. "Smudge, I suggest you leave. Clan cats don't like having kitty-pets on their territories, let alone have one attack their leader!"
Smudge let out a small laugh. "Kitty-pet, huh?" He narrowed his eyes, kicking Firestar's belly, knocking him off. "If you're to good to go back home, so am I!" he unsheathed his claws, and ripped off his collar.
Firestar shook his head, backing up slightly, "Smudge, you're making a mistake. You should leave while you have the chance."
"The chance?" Smudge gave a grin, "Is that a threat, Rusty old pal? I never thought that friends would threaten each other. So it must be true. We're no longer friends." He gave a cold laugh, "Lets see, if we're not friends, then we must be enemies, right? That's certainly how I see it!" Smudge crouched down, leaping at Firestar, his claws outstretched.
Firestar quickly ducked to the side, and reared up on his back legs and crashed down onto Smudge's back. Smudge let out a yowl, and withered under him.
"I didn't hit your spine, but I will attack you as if you were an enemy cat if you don't leave right now." Firestar let out a small growl.
Smudge lay still for a second, before kicking back with his legs, his claws snagging the skin along Firestar's ribs. Firestar let out a small hiss, before leaping off, looking at his wound. It wasn't to bad, but he would have to be more careful. He looked up, just catch a glimpse of black and white, before he was tackled to the ground, his breath getting knocked out of him. When had Smudge grown this strong? It was like he had the strength of a ShadowClan cat, speed of a WindClan cat, agility of RiverClan and the intelligence of ThunderClan. And the way he could jump so high and far, he was like SkyClan as well. He was going to be a tough opponent. Firestar grit his teeth, and kicked hard with his legs, raking his claws across Smudge's stomach.
"Oh Firestar, getting a bit harsh, aren't you?" Smudge winced as his skin tore open. He gave Firestar a quick slash over the eye, before jumping back, his blood splattering the dirt slightly.
Firestar got up, closing his eye from the wound, he let out a small hiss as he herd a rumble and before he knew it, rain was spraying against the ground. He winced as it touched his scratch, the water stinging the cut, "Smudge…I gave you chances, but you wouldn't take them!" Firestar puffed out his fur, and leapt onto Smudge, tackling him to the ground. He dug his claws into his shoulders to keep his grip and he bit into he scruff, "Now you're nothing but an attacking rouge. One that should be dealt with immediately!"
Even though Firestar was strong, he was weakened from the lack of food, and he showed signs of it. Smudge snarled and rolled over onto his back, shaking him off. She stood up, placing his paw on Firestar's neck, "You always were to confident!" Just as he was about to slice at his soft skin, Smudge was thrown off of Firestar and tackled to the ground.
Smudge blinked the rain out of his eyes and struggled to focus on who was above him. He looked up at a slender gray she-cat with piercing blue eyes, her lips drawn back in a snarl.
"Mistyfoot!" Firestar scambled up, "What are you doing here?"
"Seemed as if you could use the help. I was just checking on our borders. Besides, in times like these, the Clans have to stick together."
Smudge let out a chocked laugh, "Isn't that something? Two rivals fighting together." His eyes sparked and he twisted his neck around, biting into Mistyfoot's leg. She let out a yowl, and leapt off of him. Smudge ripped his teeth out, tearing allot of skin as he did so. She limped over to Firestar, holding her injured paw up, and met Smudge's eyes.
"The two of us won't let out get away." Her voice was sharp, and Firestar blinked as he looked at her. He was sure he could see the outline of another cat standing over her; a blue-grey she-cat with broad shoulders and thick fur. Her muzzle was tinged slightly with silver and her tail was held high.
"Bluestar..." Firestar whispered.
Mistyfoot turned to look at him, as did the cat above her. Mistyfoot gave him a confused look, but Bluestar only smiled slightly, before melting away, disappearing into her daughter.
"Yes, Smudge, as Mistyfoot said, you will not escape!" Firestar yowled, burning with new energy.
Smudge eyed the two of them. Time to get things started.
Ok, so there you have it! Another chapter done. There's probably only going to be one chapter after this and I'll try putting it out sooner this time. Please review! =^.^=