CHAPTER FIFTY ONE
Smokefrost watched as the snow fell silently on the already frost-stricken forest. Her tail wrapped neatly around her paws while she waited for the rest of the hunting patrol to catch up. After spending nearly half the day looking for prey, she was ready to head back to camp. Her pile of prey had been buried at the base of a birch tree, and she stood not far from where that prey was buried. The others split off into different areas to try expanding their hunting territory. In an effort to find more prey for the ever-growing Clan, Smokefrost knew that they had a better chance in splitting up.
She almost purred as she recalled how her warrior ceremony came to be.
Many cats had argued that Russetstar was too quick to trust her. Others such as Briarheart and Snowstorm jumped to her defense, reminding them that Smokefrost had earned her place in ShadowClan. She was pleased to see how many cats trusted her. Moons ago, she knew that they wouldn't have done so. Snowstorm was one of the few friends she'd kept within the moons that were spent in the Clan. Briarheart had trained her well, but truthfully, it was Russetstar's secret training that meant more than she would ever admit.
She marveled at the way her muscles now rippled beneath her thick black fur. She loved the way it felt when her claws dug into the flesh of her enemies. Russetstar had been able to teach her many ways to harm an enemy without killing them, but death was her favorite part of their training regime. To watch the enemy suffer before she inflicted the final blow... it sent shivers of excitement through her. Watching the fear drain from their eyes as they drew their last breath... there was nothing like it.
She realized with a start that she would have never made it this far if it wasn't for the cats who seemed to think she would amount to something. Her mother had given her up when she ended up getting herself hurt. Letting her stay in ShadowClan hadn't been a difficult decision, and resentment for what that she-cat had done burned within her.
But I wouldn't have been given the opportunity I was offered, she reminded herself. Smokefrost was beginning to understand that things happened for a reason. Her mother had given her up so that her wounds would be treated properly. In the end, she had been better off staying in ShadowClan where she could learn how to fight and make a better cat of herself.
"We managed to find a couple of rats in the dump," Mousefang meowed as he finally reached their meeting point. "I saw Barktail catch a fairly large frog, so that'll fill the fresh-kill pile."
"Thistlepatch will appreciate a good frog," Smokefrost replied with a dip of her head.
The spiky-furred queen hadn't been the friendliest with her, but Smokefrost knew that taking care of the queens and the elders always came first. While she detested some of what the warrior code said, a lot of it did make sense.
Besides, if she got to know her kits better, there would be the slightest chances that Russetstar would name her as one of their mentors. She quickly gave her chest fur a few quick licks at the thought. Becoming a mentor meant she would be one step closer to achieving her goal - becoming deputy, and then eventually becoming the Clan leader.
Of course, I would have to show them that a mere rogue can become such, she added silently.
"It won't be long until her kits are here," Mousefang commented while stretching himself out. "More kits will be good for the Clan."
It also means more mouths to feed, Smokefrost narrowed her eyes at the thought. She often wondered where she would be if her mother never dropped her off at the Clan. Something told her that she would have been in a worse position. I would have found another way to survive... I would have proven that I will always survive.
Mousefang shuffled his paws uncomfortably when he began to notice the uneasy silence that followed. She had a feeling he was just trying to make small talk to pass the time. He'd never acted out against her when she first joined the Clan, but there was always an uneasy respect between them. She didn't miss the way he kept glancing at her as if he expected her to lash out at him.
"So... I was wondering how you feel about the deal Russetstar made with Icestar?" he suddenly asked.
His question caught Smokefrost off guard. Her ears flattened as she remembered the meeting Russetstar had with the WindClan leader. They struck a deal to share hunting territories. Though she had been reluctant to hunt in WindClan territory, it was now allowed. And Smokefrost was anything but happy with the idea.
"I'm not overly fond with the idea of hunting in another Clan's territory," she explained, lashing her tail with unease.
It was always in the Clan's best interest to stick with their own territory. Smokefrost knew from experience that this had been engraved in the minds of every apprentice and kit. The warrior code stated how important it was for a reason.
"I don't either," he admitted after giving it some thought. "The Clans have always been separate... combining WindClan and ShadowClan is a mistake."
Smokefrost's tail lashed in agreement. She could see that nothing good would come out of their agreement. Icestar was practically wrapping himself around Russetstar, forming some kind of relationship between the two Clans. It was easy to see that the WindClan cats weren't happy with the arrangement either. She had a feeling that whatever Icestar had been planning came as a surprise to WindClan. But, the leader's word was law, and they had no choice but to obey his commands.
"It isn't as if we have a say in the matter," she muttered with a shrug. "Russetstar is set in his ways."
She watched as Mousefang tilted his head to one side thoughtfully. He was about to say something else when Barktail finally returned. The older warrior looked equally uneasy as he carried a large frog between his jaws.
"What are you two talking about?" he growled irritably after putting it down.
"Nothing," Mousefang quickly meowed. He ducked his head in embarrassment as Smokefrost rolled her eyes.
Mousebrain, she thought after noticing the look Barktail gave them.
Instead of defending herself, she padded over to the spot where her prey was buried and unearthed it. She was suddenly thankful that she had her mouth full. Mousefang looked as if he wanted to keep running his mouth off, and she wasn't in any hurry to talk.
Lately, all Mousefang ever seemed to do was try and talk with her. His behavior was beginning to unnerve her. She knew toms all seemed to think she-cats wanted nothing more than to start a family and spend the rest of their lives in the nursery. But she had plans of her own. Kits were the last thing on her mind, especially when her plan involved too much scheming.
No... cats like Snowstorm and Sleetstorm are better off in the nursery, she told herself.
She shook herself from those thoughts as they finally headed back to camp. Smokefrost's fur bristled with unease when she picked up the familiar stench of WindClan almost as soon as they reached the camp's entrance.
Since striking a deal with Russetstar, Icestar had been sending his Clanmates to collect whatever prey and herbs they could. Russetstar had been doing the same, taking advantage of a deal that would surely end in disaster. Most of the Clan didn't like the idea, but there were a few who seemed to see the benefit of uniting the two Clans.
"I see you were able to find a good haul this morning," Grayshadow purred when Mousefang and Barktail flanked her on either side. "Take that frog to the fresh-kill pile. Rowantail mentioned that the WindClan cats were interested in the taste."
"Actually, I was hoping to give this to Thistlepatch," Barktail admitted after dropping the frog. "She's so close to kitting-"
"I said, leave it at the fresh-kill pile," Grayshadow snapped.
Smokefrost narrowed her eyes when Barktail flinched at the icy way Grayshadow spoke. Even he didn't dare argue with those orders. As ShadowClan's deputy, Grayshadow always had the last word when Russetstar didn't say anything.
"I'll give her the newt I caught earlier," she whispered to Barktail once they were out of ear-length.
The light brown tabby tom looked at her in surprise. She wasn't normally this kind to her Clanmates, and he was more than suspicious with her odd behavior. Yet seeing the way everyone acted around WindClan only left her feeling annoyed rather than cynical. The Clan should have always come first. Thistlepatch was a queen expecting kits, and Grayshadow should have thought that through.
"Thank you," he sighed after realizing that she was being sincere. "I don't know what's gotten into Grayshadow's head, but Thistlepatch needs this prey now more than ever."
Nodding in agreement, Smokefrost dropped off the rest of her prey into the fresh-kill pile and grabbed the newt. While it wasn't nearly as tasty as a frog, or as large, it provided Thistlepatch with something at least.
She padded across the clearing to the nursery where Thistlepatch was staying warm from the cold wind. Though it wasn't nearly as cold as it had been, the nursery was being patched up since Thistlepatch was the only queen at the moment. Russetstar wanted to ensure her that she would have a safe, warm nursery for when her kits arrived.
Thistlepatch lifted her head in surprise after noticing the new arrival. Smokefrost kept her approach cautious and wary. She noticed with a start that the queen's belly was swollen. Snowstorm had informed her that the kits would arrive any day now, and judging from the exhausted look Thistlepatch gave her, she wanted them out.
"Is my useless mate expecting me to accept prey from a rogue?" Thistlepatch growled out the words, narrowing her eyes when Smokefrost dropped the newt at her paws. "I should have known he would be too lazy to fetch prey himself."
Smokefrost flattened her ears, and she was tempted to claw at the grumpy queen when she thought better of it. She knew better than to lash out at a queen. Thistlepatch had never been kind to her in the first place, and now she had even more of a reason to hate her.
"Mousefang told me that you wanted a newt," she explained warily, ignoring the suspicious glare Thistlepatch gave her.
It isn't as if you'll ever trust me even if there weren't kits to protect, she thought bitterly. While she managed to gain the trust of a few Clanmates, most of them still saw her as an enemy. She knew it would always be like that unless she managed to claw her way to the top. Taking over as leader was the one conviction she had to putting up with their lack of trust.
"I suppose you're expecting me to thank you," the queen muttered as she accepted the fresh-kill.
"I'm not," Smokefrost lashed her tail irritably. The words came out in a growl, and Thistlepatch looked at her warily once more. "I'm doing the right thing by bringing you fresh-kill."
Thistlepatch was quiet for a few heartbeats as she studied the newt carefully, as if she expected it to be poisoned. Smokefrost nearly rolled her eyes again after realizing that the queen didn't trust her enough to bring decent fresh-kill. She knew for a fact that Thistlepatch wouldn't have questioned anyone else giving her fresh-kill, even if that someone was from WindClan.
"Fine," she grumbled after carefully taking a bite out of the newt. "Now get out before I decide to claw your ears off."
She didn't bother arguing with those orders. With a sigh of frustration, Smokefrost backed out of the nursery and decided it was better to leave Thistlepatch to someone else. The only positive outcome of that confrontation was that some cats were willing to trust her.
The camp itself was bustling with activity by the time she left the nursery. Smokefrost stiffened when she caught Grayshadow glaring at her. The ShadowClan deputy didn't seem all too happy that she was visiting the nursery, and she suddenly recalled why. He was Thistlepatch's mate. She gave her chest fur a few quick licks while trying to ignore the hostility between Grayshadow and Thistlepatch.
"Smokefrost, I'd like to have a word with you." Smokefrost glanced in Russetstar's direction warily as the leader emerged from his den, with Icestar flanking him. The WindClan leader narrowed his eyes as she approached Russetstar cautiously. Confusion swept through her when Icestar gave Russetstar a curt nod and left without another word, looking more irritated than usual. "We need to talk... somewhere the others won't hear us."
Smokefrost glanced over her shoulder, not missing the fact that others had begun noticing the fact that Russetstar was talking to her rather than Grayshadow. Swallowing hard, she trailed after the ShadowClan leader without another word. Arguing was the worst thing she could have done. Russetstar led the way through the sparse undergrowth, moving forward until they put distance between themselves and the camp.
"Icestar has informed me that he wishes to keep warriors posted at the camp at all times," Russetstar began before Smokefrost could ask why they were out in the forest.
By now, the snowfall from earlier had ceased, coating the trees in a thick layer of white snow. Smokefrost shivered and wrapped her tail around her paws as she sat down to take in this new information. She suspected Icestar was trying to take advantage of Russetstar's openness. She knew for a fact that letting WindClan deeper into ShadowClan territory was bad news. Maybe now he would realize what a mistake it was letting Icestar take advantage of him.
"And you decided to share this information with me rather than Grayshadow or your medicine cat because...?" she pressed, knowing that she wouldn't get an answer if she didn't ask.
"I know that you are capable of so much more than those mousebrains," Russetstar replied without missing a beat. "I also know it would be wise to send you and another to WindClan. We can't afford to let Icestar believe he's won."
She gave a nod of understanding after realizing the reason behind Russetstar's secret meeting. Yet, that left her feeling even more uneasy as she thought of living with WindClan. ShadowClan was just as bad when it came to treating rogues differently. She had no doubt WindClan wouldn't be much better.
"Do you honestly think it's a good idea to trust Icestar?" she demanded. She tried keeping her fur from standing on end when Russetstar glared back. "Everyone is on edge because of his presence, and WindClan will begin seeing this as a way of taking over our territory."
She knew it was dangerous to speak out against Russetstar. Experience taught Smokefrost that it was sometimes better to accept their rules than argue. And unfortunately, Russetstar wasn't happy with the idea that she was questioning his methods. The ShadowClan leader suddenly lashed out at her, swiping his claws across her face. Smokefrost staggered back in shock from the sudden pain that bolted through her.
"You do not speak against me, rogue!" he snarled furiously. "I am your leader, and you will obey my every word, do you hear me?"
It took everything she had not to spit back in retaliation. Her right eye had closed from the impact of his claws striking her face. Horror surged through her when she realized that she might never be able to open it again. The ShadowClan leader wasn't above punishing her when it came to putting her in her place. And tonight only proved what she first thought of him.
"I understand," she replied through gritted teeth.
Russetstar narrowed his eyes, but at least he didn't strike at her again, "Good. Now get your wound tended to by the medicine cats. You'll be leaving with Mousefang first thing tomorrow."
Hatred for what he had done swept through Smokefrost. She desperately wanted to spit at him and storm away, but she retained what little dignity she had left. She stood up and tried to ignore the stinging pain in her eye.
I'm not going to let you get away with treating me like an outcast, she thought determinedly. Determination was what had gotten her this far. Even if Russetstar taught her so much more than she would have learned on her own or with Briarheart, that didn't mean she couldn't fight him off. He's going to pay for everything he did, along with the rest of the Clans.
She just needed to bide her time. She would find a way to lead this Clan without Russetstar's help. And more importantly, she would get her revenge on everyone who ever saw her as nothing more than a mere rogue.
AN: And we have a long overdue Smoky chapter. To be fair, I do love writing from a cynical character's point of view. And this is only the beginning. I also apologize in advance for the chapter title; I'm not very gifted when it comes to naming chapters XD Big thanks to Somerandomperson, Clear Water, Guest and Niqhtshadow for reviewing!
Somerandomperson - Luckily, I'm not dead. I just keep my updates scheduled once or three times a month to give me time to write newer chapters. As for Birdpaw's warrior name, I do like your suggestion, but I'm going to keep that a secret ;)
Clear Water - It's always uplifting, isn't it? I'm looking forward to seeing how readers react as well; it's going to be fun :P
Guest - Nope.
Niqhtshadow - Aren't they? I'm glad that you enjoyed reading this chapter; it was certainly fun to write about. And yeah, Emberstar finally has some character development. I'd say I like the newer arc better than the older ones. It has a more developed plot that keeps it interesting, so it has that going for it.