Um Smokeblaze and Nightfrost are in quarantine everyone
Smokeblaze took a second to register Shadestar's words. He wants me… to have kits with Nightfrost?
He glanced at the black she-cat, she looked just as shocked as he felt, but slowly, his shock faded, and he began to laugh, a wheezing, quiet laugh, that grew until he was practically doubled down with laughter. Shadestar looked confused at Smokeblaze's reaction, but Smokeblaze calmed down, taking several rasping breaths before answering. "No."
Shadestar's confusion faded into anger quickly. "Excuse me?"
"You can't actually make me." Smokeblaze spat, his familiar anger rushing back. "If you knocking me out didn't wipe my memory completely, I remember that I have a power, and you don't. Again, no."
He wasn't sure where this newfound courage was coming from. "Also, what if our kits, if they even happen, don't have the power? What if it's not a genetics thing at all? What if it doesn't get passed down?"
"That's a lot of what-if's that you don't know the answers to." Shadestar pointed out smoothly.
Smokeblaze's yellow eyes blazed. "Well, you don't know the answers to them either. Also, if you kill me or Nightfrost, I guess you just killed some of the most powerful cats in your Clan… The only reason that we're stuck in this hole is because you're afraid that we could beat you if we weren't."
"You can't beat me." Shadestar sneered. "We saw how that played out last time, didn't we?"
"Bet I can." Smokeblaze challenged, staggering to his paws. "To be fair, that fight wasn't very even, was it?"
Shadestar smirked. "You are a sore loser, aren't you? I guess that Crowtalon was right about you."
Anger rose in Smokeblaze, and he opened his mouth to respond, but Shadestar continued. "And just because you have a power doesn't mean you're the most powerful."
He padded closer to him, and his yellow eyes burned with anger. "Step out of line, Smokeblaze, I dare you."
He slashed his claws against Smokeblaze's cheek, but the gray warrior didn't react, staring at Shadestar stonily.
The gray leader turned and padded out of the cave, plunging them into darkness.
"Are you okay?" Nightfrost whispered when Shadestar was gone.
"Fine." Smokeblaze winced, but lay back down again, glaring at the entrance. They sat in silence until Smokeblaze broke it with a comment. "I just wanted to say, this entire thing is crazy."
Nightfrost smiled slightly in response, her eyes tired. "Totally crazy."
The two of them looked at each other, and Smokeblaze grinned. "I mean, I obviously don't hate you anymore, but I just think that it's funny that-"
His sentence was cut off as sudden light shone into the small cave, and he squinted, blinded by the sudden light.
For a moment he thought that it was Shadestar again, but realized that it was someone worse. It was Crowtalon. The black warrior eyed them both disdainfully.
Smokeblaze shot to his paws, baring his teeth at Crowtalon. "What do you want?"
"I didn't want to talk to you, I wanted to talk to Nightfrost." Crowtalon spat at him, smirking. "What happened to you, by the way? Shadestar didn't look happy when he came back out."
"You want me to beat you again?" Smokeblaze hissed, his temper shorter than ever. Crowtalon's green eyes narrowed in anger. "You're not really one to be making threats right now, Smokeblaze, judging what position you're in."
"Try to stop me." Power surged through Smokeblaze. "I bet that you'll lose."
"Crowtalon, I don't want to talk to you." Nightfrost mewed angrily. "It's your fault that me and Smokeblaze are here now. Just leave."
The black warrior didn't move. "It's your fault that Mother is dead."
Nightfrost lunged at him with a shriek, but she was injured still, and Crowtalon batted her away.
She landed on the ground with a thump, and Crowtalon kicked her flank. "Stupid mouse-brain."
Anger flooded through Smokeblaze and he unsheathed his claws, but Nightfrost yelled out. "Wait! Smokeblaze! Stop!"
Smokeblaze paused, and Crowtalon shoved him. "Stupid Smokekit never learns."
"Crowtalon, I have one thing to say to you." Nightfrost mewed evenly, hate glittering in her eyes. "Tigertalon wasn't our father. Shadestar is. He killed his former mate, and guess who else he killed? Our baby sister Tinykit who barely lived at all." She took a trembling breath and glared at him. "And I really, really, wish, that you had died instead of her."
Crowtalon took a step back, his eyes wide with shock. "You're lying."
"Why would I lie?" Nightfrost asked him, amber eyes full of hate. "Now get out. Leave us alone. If we're going to die down here, I'd rather die without you."
"Get out of there, Crowtalon. They're not worth it." A high voice came from the entrance, and Willowface smirked at both of them, her gray fur silky. "Hello, brother."
"You're no littermate of mine." Smokeblaze spat at her, anger filling him.
Willowface's expression didn't change. "Well, that's a shame. I really do hope that my dear Shadestar kills you."
My dear…
"You're MATES with him?" Smokeblaze exclaimed, disgusted. Willowface gave a small smile.
"Yes. You're mates with Nightfrost, so what's your problem?"
Smokeblaze glared at her. "Nightfrost and I are not officially mates, actually."
"Well, Smokeblaze, I'm sure that your kits will be beautiful." Willowface purred. "Too bad that their father isn't the same."
"Well, what if I spite you, and don't get killed? What will happen then?" Smokeblaze asked.
"Well, you'd have to have kits." Willowface replied, rolling her eyes. "I mean, what else do you think that you'd have to do?"
"What if I escaped?" Smokeblaze challenged. "What if I take Nightfrost away and we run far away from here?"
"In your dreams, brother." Willowface laughed, a high lilting sound that set his nerves on edge. "You'll never escape."
With that, they were plunged back into darkness, and Smokeblaze sat back down in frustration. "It's like I never knew her."
"Maybe you never did." Nightfrost suggested quietly from beside him.
"You're right." Smokeblaze sighed. A random thought entered his head, and he turned to face Nightfrost. "Do you love me?"
"What?" She replied, taken aback.
"Well, since it seems that we're really going to have no choice but except to have kits, I would like to know."
"I…" Nightfrost sighed. "I really don't know. I think I do, but-"
"Good." Smokeblaze touched his nose to hers. "Because I don't know either."
Her tail slid around his and he smiled at her. "But I think that I do."
She leaned into him, and he rested his head on hers, a peaceful silence filling the dark space. Nightfrost's scent was comforting, and Smokeblaze realized that he did love her. I guess I just never knew until now.
The stress and sadness of the past quarter moon began to catch up to him, and he began to cry, something that he didn't do very often.
"Nightfrost?" He whispered.
"Yeah?" She glanced up at him.
Smokeblaze gulped. "I'm scared."
Nightfrost's gaze softened. "I am too."
Well Willowface sucks... Stay safe, everyone!
Have a good day (or night) everyone, and keep writing!
-MintflightPhoenixEcho2007