I just wanted to truly thank all of the people who follow and review these chapters; the reviews are really the icing on the cake when it comes to my love for this story and its characters. For the next couple of weeks, possibly months, I'll be posting a new chapter for this story every Sunday starting today. If you saw that I renamed chapter one to "Part 1: Trapped," it means that I have a lot more planned for this story. Enough for the story to be organized into three parts. If you want to support this story, all I ask is that y'all keep leaving reviews on what you thought of each chapter. Thank you, and I hope y'all enjoy this chapter :)
Three Moons Later, Auroradawn's POV
After the vigil was over, I told Grizzlyheart and Crowsky about the prophecy, and what Redblossom and Voletooth said we had to do. They refused to leave without me, and me and Smokycloud had come to a compromise of sorts: faking a StarClan sign to get the Clan to drive out Goldenstar and Darkheart.
But then, only a moon ago, Goldenstar announced that she was having Darkheart's kits. Smokycloud left camp and sobbed the entire day. The moons were ticking by, and each of them brought me closer to my deadline to have kits with Crowsky. We were still not sure of what to do going forward.
"Smokycloud," we heard our leader wake us up in the warrior cat's den. "Come, and choose the tom that'll become your future apprentice and mate."
"Yes, Goldenstar," Smokycloud got up and left my side, following the bright yellow she-cat.
Noticing that the den was now empty, I stood up and walked out of the den, approaching Darkheart.
"Hey, Darkheart," I greeted our deputy. "May I lead a patrol today?"
"Walk with my son, he has something important to address," Darkheart nodded in Crowsky's direction. "If you two can come to a decision benefitting the Clan, then you can lead as many patrols as you want."
"I...okay," For fuck's sake. "Crowsky, let's g-"
"You bitch."
I froze up, those two words had come from the last cat I'd expected. Mom came storming towards me, the hairs on her back raised up as she stared at me with those piercing eyes. Stopping just short of slamming into me, Mom bared her fangs in my direction.
"It's already been three moons, and you're not expecting my grandkits?" Mom snarled. "How hard is it to get fucked for a minute or two, and then sit around all day? You don't even have to take care of them, just leave them to deal with their own shit."
"Like you did?" I puffed up my chest, stretching myself to appear taller.
Mom jerked back, exposing her wide-eyed expression for only a second before lunging for me. In the nick of time, I rolled out of her reach and tumbled to the side, holding in the laugh that nearly escaped as she ended up tackling Darkheart to the ground instead. Darkheart shoved her off him, getting up and glaring at both of us.
"Swancry, I would appreciate if you left me to take care of the Clan," Darkheart shook his head.
Before he could continue, I felt Smokycloud bump into me as she ran out of camp. My heart skipped a beat, and I jumped on all fours, following Smokycloud and hearing the choked sobs escaping her mouth. The yowls and attempted grabs at my tail faded in the background as my paws hit the ground in an attempt to catch up with my secret lover. As soon as the Clan smells died out in the open field, I called out to her as the wind whipped the fur around my face.
"Smokes!" I yelled. "Stop! What's wrong?"
I ended my run as Smokycloud stopped in her tracks, whirling around and revealing her wide and watery amber eyes.
"Moonblaze tried to...tried to…" Smokycloud whimpered.
I felt my heart drop like a stone in the water.
"Oh my StarClan, oh no," I felt my throat closing up, my senses dizzying and my heart beating fast. "We have to leave, I'll get Crowsky and Grizzlyheart."
"No!" Smokycloud shrieked. "Don't you see, Auroradawn? It's a sign, remember what we were taught about that prophecy many seasons ago? Only fire can save our Clan?"
"Yes? What does that have to do with anything?" I tilted my head.
"It means that we must fight fire with fire," Smokycloud glanced briefly at the bright sunlight. "Goldenstar may be expecting, but doesn't that make this all the easier? All it takes is one walk close to the Raging River...and then-"
"Smokycloud," I took several steps back, red waters and struggling paws entering my vision. "We've talked about this, and quite honestly, we should've left during the vigil. What is left for us here? For you?"
"...do you want me to show you?" Smokycloud's tense muscles relaxed as she stepped closer, not that different from a cat slowly stalking an unsuspecting mouse.
"What are you showing me?" I didn't have to wait long for the answer as Smokycloud pushed me onto my back, her predatory eyes glancing into my eyes before trailing down my chest, my stomach, and then…
I squirmed as I felt her paw running circles between my legs, causing mind-blowing pleasure to shoot up my body as I barely covered my moan with my paws.
"S-Smokycloud, is this really how you want our first time to oh StarClan!" I nearly screamed as her paw kept hitting the right spots. "Stop, they're going to hear us."
"Seems like it's too late for that, isn't it?"
Smokycloud jumped back, and I felt my world crumbling around me as I heard the voice of our leader behind me. Smokycloud glanced down at me, and I felt time stop as she took a deep breath before meeting Goldenstar's eyes and saying words that dug into my body like the stones of the Raging River.
"I'm sorry," Smokycloud said. "But she's one of the gay cats, Goldenstar. She practically jumped at the opportunity to be 'mates' with me."