"Opalmist!"
Foxfrost spat with shock and fury.
"The leaders finally found out, didn't they? Praise their minds for me, sweetie."
Foxfrost already had one paw raised, claws out, pointed at her mother.
"Who's that old tom with you?"
Foxfrost hissed.
"Oh, that adorable tom, you mean? Figuring that your father died, I went off to find a new mate."
Foxfrost snarled.
"He died?!"
"Yes, sweetie. I figured he wanted all the power. I needed someone that would simply obey my commands. So I killed him."
With a screech, Foxfrost leapt at her. She tackled Opalmist to the ground, and started to lunge down to her throat. just as her jaws were curling around her mother's dusky grey throat, Opalmist's amber eyes widened and she shoved Foxfrost off. Foxfrost crouched, expecting an attack, but her mother simply sprang up and dashed away.
She sat up, confused, but she jumped as the ferns rustled and the leaders walked out.
"Foxfrost!"
Adderstar's shocked meow made Foxfrost freeze.
"What are you doing here?"
The dark snarl of Dawnstar made her flinch.
"Did you hear the meeting?"
Smallstar's voice was the most neautral of the three, and his blue eyes showed no emotion.
"Yes."
Just that. A short answer, yet enough to rely on. The three leaders sighed.
"Foxfrost, let's go."
The she-cat spun around and followed her leader off, ignoring the other presences as she slid through the bushes without a rustle. The duo walked on in silence, until finally, her leader spoke.
"Foxfrost... I know that your mother is the rogue."
Foxfrost didn't reply.
"I know that you do not, did not, want to ever remember her again."
Foxfrost felt a growl in her throat as she remembered the shock of her mother's raspy voice sting her neck.
"I saw her."
Adderstar stopped short. Foxfrost sighed and sat down, curling her tail over her paws.
"When I was eavesdropping, she came."
Adderstar blinked, shocked. Then he regained his nobility.
"What did she want?"
Foxfrost telled him what her mother had said.
"Then I attacked her."
Adderstar sat in silence. His eyes were conflicting emotions. What came out next was unexpected.
"Foxfrost...I..."
He shut his eyes, then whispered,
"I love you."
Foxfrost gazed at her leader. His eyes were glowing bright, but his face was drawn with worry for her response.
" I know. Why else would you keep calling me to your den?"
He shuffled his paws, his fur catching the moonlight.
"Do you...lo-like me?"
Foxfrost sat in silence. Adderstar padded over to her and put his head on hers.
"I know. I know. Its okay."
His pelt was scented of summer and ashes. She felt, vaguely, his tail slightly curl around hers. Then he let go, falling back.
"It's okay, Foxfrost. I don't want to force you do feel-or do-anything if you don't want to."
Foxfrost gazed at him as he turned around slowly and walked out of the tiny clearing. She followed him.
When they reached the clearing, he stopped and glanced at her.
"Sneak to the den. I don't think us walking in together would be such a smart idea."
Foxfrost nodded. Then she brushed her cheek against her leader's sad face.
"I'm sorry."
She whispered, gazing into her leader's strong amber eyes.
"Its okay."
A tongue rasped slowly over her ear, then a gentle push lead her into the clearing.
"Bye."
Foxfrost purred ever so slightly, then went over to the secret tunnel that led to the warrior's crack.
As soon as she knew that Adderstar's gaze was out of sight, Foxflame cautiously started to creep, body flattened, towards the border of CliffClan. The, once she was completely sure that Adderstar's could not see her, she sped, full speed, towards the border. There she waited for Stormfeather to come.
"Foxfrost! You there?"
Foxfrost's ears twitched at the voice, barely a whisper.
"Yes!"
A relieved sighed rustled from a bush, and out slid the handsome brown tabby.
"You okay?"
Almost at once, Stormfeather caught the agonized look in her green eyes.
"Yes. "
"No, something is wrong. Tell me!"
His voice was worrying and urgent. Foxfrost sighed, then started to tell him all that had happened.
"Wow..."
His voice was shocked. Silence stretched out until he spoke again.
"I remember your mother. She...she came to our camp when I was still a kit in the middle of the night. I was curious. So I followed her. She went to the leaders den; then she killed him. Slitherstar."
Foxfrost flinched. Stormfeather took in a breath. Then he reached for her and wound around her, warming her body from the cold night.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."
"No, no. It's okay. I've heard worse, and it just makes me hate her more."
She pushed her nose into his fur. They sat in silence.
" Well... Remember that I am always here."
Foxfrost pulled away.
" I know you are. And I trust you for that."