A/N: Here we go again! (starts singing some derpy song)
Okay, where was I?
Presentpaw's Moon of Fun: Thanks for the submission! I will definitely use that! Here's your cookie: (::)
(BTW everyone there will be TWO MORE CHAPTERS AFTER THIS ONE ONLY to post your ideas for OC's. Unless they are a Mary-Sue, Gary-Stu, or totally unrealistic (i.e. Smokeweed: exiled Dark Forest warrior, was kicked out of it and back into the living world for smoking too much weed, green tabby tom with weed for a tail and rainbow-colored eyes), I will use them at some point.)
(No, I never considered naming Smokepaw Smokeweed. This is not a trollfic! Although, if any readers are writing a trollfic, feel free to name any of your characters Smokeweed, I'm sure I'm not the first one to think of that.)
Anyway...
Goldenwing is Loki'd: Yeah, I should definitely take down the chain letter post and combine the first two chapters.
Remember, I will try to respond to ALL REVIEWS!
Okay, let's go.
Chapter Five.
In we go.
Smokefrost wasn't exactly accepted as a member of the Tribe. Everyone knew he'd be leaving as soon as possible, but at least they were a little friendlier. Stormfur was, of course, always willing to share fresh-kill with him, and Brook was also nice to him. Cloud that Drifts at Dusk, one of the first to-bes he'd met, was a little jumpy and wild, but she was okay, too, and she had quickly become his friend.
Despite what they said, Smokefrost felt like a prisoner here. Every time he asked to leave, Stoneteller came up with a reason he couldn't: not enough prey, too much snow, one of the kits was sick and he wanted an extra paw to help him treating her. Rainfur had appeared in a dream to him once, reprimanding him gently and telling him he needed to seek out SkyClan.
It was an entire half-moon later that Smokefrost first saw his chance to escape and quickly ran over to the pile of prey, and grinning, nosed each piece of prey, ensuring to make it look like he was just looking through them. Eventually he picked up a mouse and sat over in the corner of the cave with Cloud. He was sharing prey with her when he noticed the cave-guard at the entrance lean against the wall in a tired way. Trying to be inconspicuous, Smokefrost finished his prey and fell into his nest, noticing the cats around him do the same. Pretending to sleep, he noticed Cloud pad over and settle down next to him. Smokefrost waited patiently until the guard finally toppled on his side and lay there, snoring.
Smokefrost smiled. Earlier he'd talked to Stoneteller and asked him carefully about each of the herbs until Stoneteller had finally told him about a herb that worked the same way poppy seed did: it made cats fall asleep. When he'd been nosing the prey, he'd carefully stuffed a piece of the herb inside each piece of fresh-kill except his own. Now is my chance to sneak away! I know perfectly well what Stoneteller is trying to do: he wants to turn me into a Tribe cat. That's not who I am and it never will be.
Smokefrost gently nudged his way away from Cloud, and he felt a small pang of sadness. She had been a good friend. Maybe I'll come back someday and visit, he thought, although he didn't expect to see the mountains ever again.
Smokefrost made his way past Stormfur and Brook, curled up next to each other. They were good friends too, he thought and felt a worm of doubt. Maybe I should stay...
NO! I'm not a Tribe cat! I'm a Clan cat, and I have to believe that or I'll never summon the heart to leave.
Smokefrost padded confidently out of the cave and looked out at the gray sky, mottled with blue and purple. I can't believe I'm leaving at last. It's so... easy.
The yawning sky stretched above him as he ventured out further into the mountains. I need to find SkyClan like Rainfur told me. They're my only hope of ever finding my Clan again.
A yawning ravine stretched ahead, and Smokefrost padded forwards calmly. They won't find me again! He leaped over it and landed soundly on the other side. Flexing his leg, he marveled at its new agility and realized that he was almost to the edge of the mountains. Ahead of him stretched a proper forest and beyond it, a Twolegplace, its lights flickering on against the beginning dusk.
Smokefrost continued on until the first stars of Silverpelt began to shimmer above him, and exhausted, he curled in a ball with his tail over his nose. I should be far away enough that they'll never find me. Cloud will be sad, but she'll understand why I had to leave. She might come running after me, but Stormfur will stop her. He'd know why, and if I'd told anyone that I was leaving it would have been him.
Smokefrost sensed a presence nearby as he turned his body atop the bedding of heather and moss he'd clawed together. His eyes snapped open and he scanned the darkness. There were a pair of glowing eyes in the darkness, staring at him...
Smokefrost cursed himself. Frog-brain! He'd been so well adapted to life with the Tribe, he'd completely forgotten about the fact that there might be hostile rogues or worse, foxes or badgers abroad. Maybe I should have stayed with the Tribe...
But, no. I may be out of practice from a moon and a half of sedentary lifestyle, but I can still fight, and I will if I have to! Smokefrost arched his back and prepared to fight as the animal moved closer... and then stopped in surprise as he realized what it really was.
"Cloud, is that you?"
A/N: Ah, plot twists! Don't you just love them!
By the way, I've completely changed what my original plans were for Smokepaw's Quest. If anyone spots any continuity errors, don't be afraid to point them out.
Two more chapters to submit OCs!
