Well, here we are where Smokepaw is an emotional wreck literally 24/7

Smokepaw raised his head as Nightpaw came back from the Gathering with everyone else. "What happened, Nightpaw?"

"It's Nightfrost now, actually." She replied haughtily. "Shadestar made me a warrior at the Gathering."

Smokepaw widened his eyes in shock. "What?"

"Don't worry, Smokepaw." Nightfrost responded, smirking slightly. "It'll be your turn soon."

"Mhm." Smokepaw padded away grumpily, his tail dragging in the dusty ground.

"What did Nightpaw say?" Redpaw asked as he came in.

"It's NightFRoST nOW, ActuALLY." Smokepaw replied in an overexaggerated impression of Nightfrost. "Great Starclan, that cat." He grumbled as he curled up in his nest.

Redpaw gave a little snort of amusement. "You know, I'm getting the impression that you both like her and hate her at the same time."

Smokepaw rolled over to face him. That's kind of the perfect description of how I feel about her now.

It used to be just hate, when it was less complicated, but it had grown more so, to a kind of mutual agreement between the two of them. Well, now that we both have powers, I guess.

"Well, you're not wrong." Smokepaw replied, closing his eyes tightly, as if trying to block out the outside world.

Why has everything grown so complicated?

He awoke again, but he was back in the battle, with cats fighting around him.

What?

He spun around, his gaze freezing on a scene in front of him, one that he had reflected on several times. Hazelpaw was falling slowly, her face wide with horror, and Smokepaw found himself looking down on her again, but he didn't know what to do, he wanted to save her, but he knew that this was just a dream, that he couldn't actually do anything.

He remembered the sick feeling that had settled in his stomach when he saw what he had done to Hazelpaw.

I am a monster.

But just like before, like the first time, he watched Hazelpaw fall from the floor, and did nothing, because he could do nothing now, after all, it was too late now.

I should've stopped it. I should've saved her. I had the power to change the outcome, and I decided to do nothing, for what reason?

Guilt filled him as he looked down at what he had done, at what had happened because he was too cowardly to change it.

I'm sorry, Hazelpaw.

He found himself jerked awake, Redpaw was shaking him.

"Training time." He mewed calmly. "Nightfrost used to wake you up sometimes, but she's gone now."

Smokepaw wanted to feel indifferent, but he felt a little pang of sadness when he realized that he wasn't going to share a den with Nightfrost anymore, at least not for the time being.

Why do I even care?

"Whatever." He padded outside, looking around for Graymist, but he was nowhere to be found.

"He's talking to Shadestar." Tigertalon replied when Smokepaw asked him. "And since he is, you can go hunting. I hope that you're capable of doing that, at least."

"Yep." Smokepaw muttered in reply. "I can do that."

He stomped out of camp, in a fouler mood than ever, though he didn't exactly know why.

He was mad at Nightfrost, at Shadestar for making her a warrior, at Tigertalon for being annoying, at Hazelpaw for haunting his dreams, and at himself for being such a wimp.

Great Starclan, I'm a mess.

He sank to the ground and let out a tired moan.

"Something troubling you?" A familiar mew sounded from behind him, though Smokepaw knew she was invisible already.

"Just leave me alone, Nightfrost. I have nothing to say to you."

He heard her pad closer, and turned in the direction where he felt her presence. "I said, LEAVE ME ALONE. I have no need to play your dumb games right now."

Nightfrost appeared, her black tail flicking back and forth. "Someone's in a bad mood."

Smokepaw glared at her, his yellow eyes piercing. "And do you think that you're making it better?"

Nightfrost sat beside him. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Smokepaw lied. "Just tired."

Nightfrost smirked. "Really? You're a terrible liar."

She disappeared again, and he felt her tail flick his nose playfully.

He narrowed his eyes. "Stop it." He began to groom himself, a habit that he had, he would always do it when he was nervous.

For some reason, being around Nightfrost makes me nervous.

It made him angry most times, but he could feel his anger fading.

Why? She's nearly as infuriating as Crowpaw.

"Well, wherever you are, Nightfrost, I have to go hunt, so bye." He stood up and stalked away, leaving her, wherever she was, behind. He shook his head in confusion.

What is going on with me and her?

He froze when he heard the soft scuttling of a mouse, he crept up carefully on the small creature, killing it with a bite to the neck. He buried it and continued to hunt, catching two more mice, when he finally drew his mind away from hunting and focused on his surroundings, he realized that he was by the Mapleclan border.

Great Starclan.

The sun shone cheerfully on the border, and Smokepaw flashed back to that sunhigh, when he had seen Hazelpaw. He had come back to that border more than he would like to admit, not sure why, but part of him wanted to see him again.

If I saw her again now, I would like to apologize, I suppose.

It was a nice thought, but Smokepaw wasn't really sure if it was true. He turned away, forcing Hazelpaw out of his head, and picked up his catches, heading back for camp.

"Ah, there you are!" Graymist called as he came back in.

"I was hunting." Smokepaw looked at him curiously, dropping his mice on the fresh-kill pile. "Didn't Tigertalon tell you that?"

The gray tom narrowed his eyes. "He did not."

There was a tense silence between them for a few seconds until Graymist cleared his throat. "Well, anyways, I talked to Shadestar earlier today, and he agrees that you are ready for your assessment."

Smokepaw tried to keep his excitement down as it sprung up inside of him. "Really?"

Graymist nodded. "Really." His small smile turned to a look of apprehension. "But, you have your fighting assessment first, and you're against Crowpaw."

Smokepaw's gaze didn't waver, only narrowing with determination. "Alright then." He mentally prepared himself.

"I guess I'll have to win."

Well... We'll have to see what happens! Hopefully Smokepaw wins, but... I might just be evil... anyways, stay safe, everyone!

Have a good day (or night) and keep writing!

-Mintflight&PhoenixEcho2007