The Unknown Flame

Chapter 2: The Confrontation

"Morning!" Slate called after her, but it was no use. Morning was long gone. After the cream she-cat ran off, Slate sighed and entered the healer's den. He needed to speak with Daisy. After all, Morning and Daisy had been best friends since kithood. So maybe the healer knew something that he didn't.

"Daisy, do you know what's up with Morning? She always seems to be running off these days. It's like she doesn't care about me anymore."

At the jet-black tomcat's words, Daisy seened to grow nervous and her eyes kept darting around her den.

"Uh, I-I don't know anything!" Daisy mewed anxiously, her voice high-pitched and nervous-sounding.

Slate's eyes narrowed suspiciously as he stared into Daisy's leaf-green eyes. "Are you keeping something from me? Because if it's about Morning, I'd like to know."

"Haha! It's nothing, really. She's just been busy." She trailed off with a nervous laugh.

"Doing what?" Slate growled under his breath, making Daisy quiver in fear.

"Uh... Slate, I-I promised I wouldn't tell." Daisy protested hastily.

"Daisy!" Slate hissed, unsheathing and sheathing his claws angrily. "I have a right to know, she's practically my mate!"

"B-but she doesn't like you! She like's Fang!" Daisy shouted before she could think about what she was saying.

Once the words had finally sunk in, she gasped and put her tail over her mouth. "Oops!" Daisy mumbled, but it was too late, the damage had already been done.

Slate yowled in rage and leaped on top of the healer, pinning the golden-colored she-cat to the floor of the den with a low growl. "What was that?"

"Nothing-Nothing! I was just kidding!" Daisy mewed nervously, her green eyes going wide and her body trembling with fear.

"You'll tell me everything this instant! Or else I'll-" but before he could finish his death-threat toward the young healer, she cut him off with a panicked meow.

"Ok I'll tell you!" Daisy yowled, just wanting the larger cat to get off of her. And much to her delight, Slate did just that.

"Morning came in here saying that she was expecting Fang's kits and I was like-" but she was cut off before she could finish by Slate's angry hiss.

"Morning's expecting the dirt-cats kits? No! This-This can't be happening!" Slate growled, turning and racing out of the den in a full-blown fury.

•••

As the black-furred tomcat excited the healer's den, he saw Morning's sister, Mist. "Where's Morning?" Slate all-but growled at the white-furred she-cat.

"I don't know," the pretty white she-cat meowed sweetly, seeming to be unaware of Slate's internal conflict. "What's wrong?"

"Morning's broken my heart for the last time!" Slate growled viciously. "She's expecting Fang's kits!"

Mist chuckled and rolled her pale blue eyes. "Morning's never had good taste in toms, but, never mind about her." Mist purred and stepped closer to Slate, her eyes gleaming. "Let's talk about us."

"Us?" Slate gave a humorous laugh and narrowed his eyes at her. "There is no us! That was just a one time thing, Mist."

"But Slate! I'm expecting your kits!" Mist protested sorrowfully.

Slate's eyes widened and his jaw dropped in shock. "What? No! No! They can't be mine!"

Mist hissed lowly and her fur bristled. "Well they are! What kind of cat do you think I am? I'm loyal only to you!" Mist cried desperately, trying to get him to understand her feelings for him. Her kits needed a father, and Slate, weather he liked it or not, he was their father.

"No! No! No!" Slate yowled angrily, glaring daggers at Mist. "This isn't happening! Morning is going to be my mate! And she's going to have my kits! And I will be the next leader of FeralClan!"

"Well I'm sorry you feel that way," Mist huffed, clearly annoyed. "I will always love you, even if you don't love me."

"I'm going to find Morning!" Slate growled, still glaring at Mist. "And we're going to settle this, once and for all."

And with those last few words, Slate turned away from Mist and stormed out of camp, his eyes narrowed in fury as he ran through the forest. He was going to find Morning. And she was going to be his mate whether she liked it or not.