Lionblaze has a Shadow

Part 17 : Liar, Liar

"Will this be enough?" the man asked. Briarlight took the money from him and counted it.

"This is good," she said. "You ready?"

"This is going to be discreet, right?" the man asked, warily looking around. "I can't have my wife find out about this."

Briarlight smiled sadly. "Don't worry, cutie. No ones gonna see us."

"You're so freaking cold," Cloudtail snapped. "What the hell did they do to you, make you sleep in the freezer?"

"The heater broke down," Jayfeather replied, his teeth chattering.

"And so you just expect me to let you come back home?" Cloudtail asked. "You haven't even apologized yet."

"I didn't do anything!" Jayfeather cried. "All I did was talk to Mothwing on the phone. Mothwing, for crying out loud! She's my freaking cousin!"

"Not legally," Cloudtail retorted. Jayfeather groaned in frustration. "I love you, Cloudtail. What's with all this jealousy?"

"I just really missed you," Cloudtail said, wiping his eyes with his sleeve. "I'm sorry, alright? My emotions have been all over the place lately."

"It's okay, hey don't cry-"

"I can't help it!" Cloudtail cried, throwing his arms around Jayfeather. "I'm sorry for being such an idiot," he whispered. "I promise I won't do it anymore."

"Good," Jayfeather said, awkwardly hugging him back. "Now can we please go inside?"

"Oh yeah you're cold," Cloudtail said, releasing Jayfeather from his death grip. Jayfeather leaned back over to him and kissed him on the lips. "I love you," he said. Cloudtail smiled. "I love you too. And you didn't even turn red!" he exclaimed. "I say we're making progress."

"Be quiet," Jayfeather mumbled.

(Page break)

Hey it's Briarlight. Leave me a message!

"Goddamn," Lionblaze cursed under his breath.

"Is she still not picking up?" Hollyleaf called from the kitchen. Lionblaze slammed the phone on the coffee table. "No, she's not," he sighed. "Where is she?"

"She probably left her phone in her bag," Hollyleaf said. "I wouldn't worry too much about it."

"I guess not," Lionblaze said glumly. Then the smell hit him. "What the hell are you making?" he coughed.

"A meatloaf!" Hollyleaf said as Lionblaze entered the kitchen. There was smoke everywhere, the oven was nearly invisible in the black cloud of smoke surrounding it. Then Hollyleaf somehow found the oven door and opened it. A mushroom cloud of smoke blew up in her face. Lionblaze watched as she pulled out the meatloaf, coughing like mad. She threw the charred pan onto the counter and proceeded to cough. Lionblaze peered into it, expecting to see a mix of meat and roasted onions.

"Where the hell is the meat?" Lionblaze asked. What he was looking at was a pan full of burnt onions, carrots and cheese.

"I forgot we didn't have any," Hollyleaf said, her voice raspy from the coughing.

"You're dumb," Lionblaze snapped. "Where did the recipe call for all this cheese?"

"I was experimenting, all right?" Hollyleaf cried, throwing the entire pan in the garbage. "We'll just order take out again."

"Let's get thai food," Lionblaze said. "All we ever eat is hamburgers anymore."

"And whose fault is that?" Hollyleaf snapped. "That's all you ever want."

"I don't want it today."

"You're so frustrating," Hollyleaf sighed, picking up the phone. "Hey, do you know where Mothwing and Hawkfrost is? We should ask if they want take out too."

"I think they're playing Mario on the gamecube," Lionblaze said. "I'll go ask them."

Lionblaze walked up the stairs and opened the door to his cousins room.

"Hey!" Mothwing exclaimed. "Want to play with us?"

"Maybe in a bit," Lionblaze replied. "Hollyleaf wanted to know if you want any thai food,"

"Oh god she's not making it is she," Hawkfrost groaned. "Everythings gonna be charred."

Lionblaze knew he was right, but still didn't like it when he made fun of his sister. "She's ordering takeout," Lionblaze said defensively.

"Good, then we won't all have to go to the hospital with food poisoning."

"Stop that," Lionblaze snapped. "I've never seen you once even attempt to make dinner! Hollyleaf at least tries to. The least you can do is be grateful!"

Hawkfrost stared at him, eyes gleaming.

"He's right, you know," Mothwing said quietly. "She does try to make supper every night-"

"It sucks," Hawkfrost cut her off. "Lionblaze, your sister sucks."

That was the last straw. Lionblaze yanked his pack of smokes out of his pocket and lit one up.

"You know your not allowed to smoke in the house!" Hawkfrost screamed. Lionblaze took a big puff and made a point to blow it in Hawkfrosts face. Hawkfrosts mouth gaped open, as if he didn't know what to say. Lionblaze took another deep drag off his smoke, and held it in. "This is for making fun of Hollyleaf," he said, then blew out a huge cloud right into Hawkfrosts face again. Then, with as much dignity he had, Lionblaze stomped out of the room, poking the door with his smoke to put it out on his way out of the room. When he got back downstairs, it was obvious Hollyleaf had heard them screaming at each other. She was smiling, her eyes crinkled up with happiness. "Thank you for standing up for me," she said. "It makes me feel good to know someone out there appreciates my attempts to cook, even though I can't do it."

"Well, you try so hard!" Lionblaze exclaimed. "It's mean that Hawkfrost doesn't even care that you're trying."

"Well, thank you," Hollyleaf smiled again. Lionblaze thought something over for a second. "Want me to teach you to make something?" he asked. "Then we can serve it to Hawkfrost and laugh at the look on his face when we tell him you made it."

Hollyleafs face lit up like a light. "I'd love that!" she cried. "Can I choose the recipe?"

"Choose whatever one you like, and we'll make it," Lionblaze said. As Hollyleaf flipped through the cookbook, Lionblaze pulled out his phone and dialed Briarlights number again. Please pick up, he thought. He was just about to hang up when she picked up on the last ring.

"Hello?" Briarlight answered, sounding out of breath.

"Hey, its Lionblaze," Lionblaze said worriedly. "Are you okay? You sound like your out of breath."

"I was just running on the treadmill," Briarlight answered. "That's why I didn't pick up your calls, sorry."

"Its okay. Want to come over tonight for dinner?" Lionblaze asked. Briarlight didn't reply for a second. "Um, I can't. I have to stay home with Blossomfall tonight, I already promised."

"Oh, well, okay," Lionblaze said dejectedly. "Bye," then he hung up the phone.

Why do I get the feeling she was lying to me?

Lionblaze forced himself to push away his thoughts, and returned his attention to Hollyleaf.

"I found a recipe!" she said proudly. Lionblaze peered over the counter to see what she had chosen. It was shrimp pasta.

"You are aware this is the hardest recipe in the book right?" Lionblaze sighed.

"I know, but it looks so good!" Hollyleaf cried. "I can't wait to eat it!"

"Well then, let's get started," Lionblaze had a feeling this was going to be a terribly long evening.

"Okay let's see," Hollyleaf read the first instructions. "Get a large bowl for the pasta. That's easy!" Hollyleaf yanked out a small bowl from the cupboard.

"Not big enough," Lionblaze said the second he saw it. Hollyleaf dejectedly put the bowl back and grabbed a larger one.

"Okay, you can get started on the shrimp," Lionblaze pulled a bag of shrimp out of the freezer. "Run them under warm water and tear all their tails off."

"Tear their tails off?" Hollyleaf cried. "That's disgusting!"

Lionblaze sighed. "Just do it. I'll put the pasta on."

Hollyleaf started de-tailing the shrimps, grumbling the whole time about how gross it was.

Later

"I can smell it!" Hollyleaf cried from the living room. "And it actually smells good!"

Lionblaze smiled. "I knew you could do it if you put your mind to it."

Lionblaze heard Hawkfrost and Mothwings footsteps walking down the stairs.

"Something smells good!" Mothwing exclaimed. "Lionblaze, did you make this?"

"I did!" Hollyleaf stated proudly. Hawkfrost snorted. "Yeah right."

"She did," Lionblaze snapped. "I watched her make it."

Hollyleaf was flushed with pride. "Thank you... oh yeah and Lionblaze, did you get a hold of Briarlight?"

Lionblazes sinking feeling that something was wrong returned. "I did," he said glumly. "But for some reason, I think she was lying to me."

(Page Break)

Briarlight pulled on her coat and watched the man from the corner of her eye. He was strong, and at least three heads taller then her.

"How old are you again?" the man asked.

"24," Briarlight lied.

"Okay. Same time next week?" he asked. Briarlight felt tears brimming her eyes. "Yeah," she whispered. "You know where to find me."