The Unknown Flame

Chapter 1: Morning's Conflict

As Morning slowly made her way to the healers, the conversation that she had had with Daisy the day before kept echoing in her mind.

"It just isn't fair Daisy!" Morning whined, her tail flicking from side-to-side in agitation. "I shouldn't be forced to be mates with a tom I don't love!"

The cream-colored she-cat sighed and took a deep breath before continuing. "I mean... Slate, he's nice and all... but he's not my type."

Daisy frowned and flicked an ear, "well, if not Slate, then who?" The golden-furred healer meowed, her green eyes shimmering.

Morning looked down and avoided looking her friend in the eyes. "Hm, umm... Fang?"

Daisy's eyes widened and her neck fur stood up in alarm. "Fang? But why?"

"I-I love him," Morning meowed, a hint of pink dusting her cheeks as she stared down at her paws. "And I think I'm expecting his kits."

Morning was nervous, she was expecting the kits of a dirt-blood cat. She took a shaky breath and made her way to the healers den. Her best friend, Daisy, looked up from sorting herbs at the sound of approaching pawsteps. The golden-colored she-cat smiled brightly at her friend, however, that smile soon formed into a concerned frown when she saw the nervous look on Morning's face and the way she kept shuffling her paws.

"What's wrong Morning?" The young healer asked, a hint of worry in her meow. "Is everything alright?"

Morning sighed softly and shuffled her paws together nervously. "Daisy, I, I have to tell you something very important!" Daisy nodded her head for her to continue speaking.

"I'm expecting Fang's kits," she mewed, her eyes lowering and she avoided looking her friend in the eyes.

Daisy's jaw dropped and she stared at Morning with wide leaf-green eyes. "You had kits with the dirt blood cat?!" She mewed, her eyes going even wider as she continued to stare at her friend.

"Daisy, you have to promise to tell no one!" Morning begged, staring at Daisy with pleading eyes. "I plan on telling the Clan myself."

"B-But what about Slate? How are you going to tell him that you're expecting Fang's kits?"

"Well, I guess I'll just have to tell him that I don't love him." The cream-colored she-cat meowed simply. "I'm sure he'll understand."

"But, I'm not sure how long you can keep this a secret, you really should be in the nursery." Daisy mewed, noticing that her friend was starting to show signs of an expecting mother.

"But that would be a little too obvious, wouldn't it?" She asked it in a 'I won't tell' kinda way. Morning laughed and playfully nipped at one of her friend's ears.

Morning nodded her head and grinned at her friend's knowing look. "Right!" She meowed, her eyes gleaming with mischief as she continued speaking. "And don't worry about me, I'll manage."

•••

As Morning patted out of the healers den, she tried not to show her annoyance when she saw Slate waiting for her. Instead she gave him a sweet smile.

"Morning," the black-furred tom meowed, "I've been looking for you."

Morning blinked and tried to act like she was curious to hear what he had to say. She wasn't ready to tell Slate just yet. She would keep playing this game for a little bit longer until the time came for her to tell the Clan.

"Oh? What happened?"

She saw Slate's yellow eyes narrow and he seemed to tense up as she asked him the question. "Badger attack," he told her grimly. "I got a little too close to one, as you can see."

Morning's eyes popped wide open at that and worry knotted in the pit of her stomach. "Badger attack-" she gasped and trailed off, "oh no! I-I've got to get going!" Turning away and racing away from Slate, the cream-colored she-cat quickly dashed out of camp and began to make her way as quickly as she could to the forest.

She could hear Slate calling after her but she payed him no mind as she raced onward, trying to get to Fang as fast as possible.