Warrior Cats; Smokeskull's Revenge [ 1 ]

Chapter 3

Shocked by this expression, Lionstripe sighed and stretched his tail around Smokekit's upper neck, slowly laying down her bristled fur as he pulled her closer. "Why would I do that?" He lapped at her head lovingly.
Smokekit's head swirled. Her anger was still crawling through her bloodshot veins. "Because you care more about her." She said, lowering her head but remaining filled with hatred towards the dumb black she-cat who had stolen her best friend's heart.
"You are irreplaceable to me." He meowed reassuringly to the jealous grey kit. He must have noticed the downing look on Smokekit's face. "What else is the matter, Smokekit?" Lionstripe asked, tipping his head to the side.
She looked up to see his worried face gazing down at her. "My mother..." Smokekit started, not knowing whether or not to tell Lionstripe what had happened to her mother. Coalstorm had been impregnated again and was going to start her kitting in a few moons. Smokekit didn't even know until today. It wouldnt be fair to tell someone who had just ignored her all morning a secret whom her mother had just told her personally. "She, uh..." Smokekit finally met his eyes and spat it out quickly, "Coalstorm has started her kitting again. She is due in a few moons and I didn't even know until today!" She growled and turned her head to face the floor.
Lionstripe wrapped his furry pale sand-coloured tail around her body and paws. "Why didnt you tell her that you felt that way?" Lionstripe suggested mildly. "I'm sure she would be fine about it." He smiled at the grey kit and nuzzled her gently.
Smokekit gazed up at him. Her tail flicked nervously. "But she..." Stopping in her tracks, Smokekit shook her head. Delicately, she dropped to a hang of the head and mumbled, "I don't trust her." Smokekit told him, finally standing up straight. "And you shouldn't either."
Surprised by this, the pale warrior swayed back a minnow-length. "Smokekit!" Lionstripe stood up too and a small rumble started down in his throat. "You have no right to tell me who to love! You're a kit. Get back to the nursery before I-"
The gray kit had already began tear-shedding. She instantly turned and started to gallop away. Her paws running as fast as they could take the little body. "I don't need him..." Smokekit told herself, slowing down her steady pace. She glanced back. In her heart hoping he'd be there behind her, ready to apologize. But her head told the truth; Her tearing emerald green eyes scanned the sun-fallen woodlands. There was no sign of Lionstripe. No sign of hope... at all.

As another tear rolled down Smokekit's gray cheek, she fell to her paws and made a huff of wet dirt sink into her sadness-drenched fur. She could feel her heart aching, racing, and somehow, not even giving a beat anymore. Paws sucked over her muzzle, as Smokekit felt a touch on her side. She instantly popped up, growling, as if thinking it was Lionstripe.
It wasn't. A drop of water bolted through the sky and onto her pelt. As she realised this, more drops fell from the clouded -and clouding still- above land.
Deeply poor and upset, the grey she-kit sighed and let another tear roll of her cheek. Smokekit shook her head and sat down, hanging her head near her paws. "Why do I bother?" She mewed to herself.
Feeling helpless, Smokekit fell to the ground again. This time, her head hit the floor painfully. It struck her hard, as her head bashed into the wet dirt carelessly. It was also hard enough to force her into a coma, sleeping until woken by the only cat Smokekit wanted it to be; Lionstripe.
As she slept, her thoughts were corrupted by hatred and only self-obedience. Smokekit's ugly thoughts told her no one was to be trusted. Especially with this new kit -or kits- on its way, no one would be around to talk to, play with, or chat with.
None of the other kits from the nursery were old enough to play outside with Smokekit. She knew -as her thoughts had told her- the only way to get out of this without shedding another tear, would be to either; Befriend Hollywish and accept that Lionstripe would always choose love over their friendship, or befriend this kit and take out all the cats who once abandoned her.
To Smokekit, the choice was clear; She had to make this new kit her best sister friend and destroy anyone who gets in the way.
'Dark thinking for a kit', Smokekit thought through the tough barrel of a coma. That's what Lionstripe would say.
Pain was but a sudden ease at the thought of her lost friend. Smokekit could not recall the last sight of relief in her short time of a life she had already lived, but it was enough to know what this dark forest is capable of, and what it's really like-including the cats inside.

Wind whirled around in the cold air as another breathless tear rolled down the grey fur. The frozen kit lay on the damp floor, upset by the previous memories and motions. But a sudden call made Smokekit's ear twitch curiously. Her sadly painted face glanced up from her wet paws.
The cat who had called was in front of a bright beam of light. The sun, Smokekit guessed. But who could be the one casting that shadow? Her eyes narrowed at the oddly shaped object.
As Smokekit got to her paws weakly. She wanted to know who it was, but her throat was caught in a bundle. "W-who are you?" Smokekit finally stuttered out loud.
The cat turned. Long black fur whipped around. Blazing emerald green eyes shone brightly through the rays of sun.
Familiar of this friendly face, Smokekit's isolated felt face was drowned of sadness, and instantly lit up with pure happiness. "Echoleaf!" The grey she-kit galloped over to the medicine cat and smiled.
"Smokekit! Where are you?" Echoleaf lapped at the kit's furry head gently and comfortingly.
Confused, the she-kit looked up at Echoleaf. Both of her green eyes met the medicine cat's. "What are you talking about? I'm right here!"
"I know," Echoleaf nuzzled Smokekit warmly. "The whole Clan has been looking for you for the past five moonhighs!" She explained, scanning the kit's grey fur. "Are you... dead?" Echoleaf wrapped her tail around the kit, preparing herself for the response.
Smokekit pulled back, "No!" she growled. "Do you think I'm not good enough to care for myself on my own? Because I can!" Backing up, her eyes dropped to her paws doubtfully. She had never been disrespectful to a medicine cat before.
The medicine cat shook her head through barrels of tough wind. Smokekit could see that there was a hint of sorrow in her eyes too. "I would never say that to you," she started softly. "The Clan is worried that some other Clan had stole you, or a fox snatched you up. Lionstripe was the last to see you, and some cats are starting to assume he killed you."
"Maybe it'll teach him a lesson," Smokekit mumbled to herself.
"Smokekit!" Echoleaf hissed.
"Okay, okay, sorry." The grey she-kit apologized. But it was his fault; Lionstripe acted so mean and careless towards her earlier. Smokekit growled to herself for a moment, but then stopped thinking about it and pushed the subject aside. "But if you are in my dreams..." Smokekit thought. "Are you dead?"
Echoleaf stared blankly. The light was crowding her shadow. "No, Smokekit. You are in my dream." She started to stutter in fright. "The only question is; how?"
Moments passed with no answers. The two cats hung their heads low, near their paws, thinking of what could be happening. But no one came up with a solution.
It was silent for many short minutes until Smokekit spoke, her voice rusty with short-temper and fear. "I ran out into the rogue lands," Smokekit started, not bearing to glance up at Echoleaf's fully horror-painted -and very worried- facial expression.
"I didn't mean to! It was Lionstripe that chased me out!" As the words slipped out, the lie was hidden in Smokekit's eyes and it was not visible to Echoleaf at all.
Of course, the medicine cat couldn't believe it. Smokekit saw the confusion that was quickly drawn from the black-furred cat's face and spirals of disbelief overflowed in her eyes.
Lying to a medicine cat was pure sin. It was against the warrior code, and it was pure disrespect to StarClan. But now, Smokekit couldn't turn back. Lionstripe would get in trouble for this, and she knew it. It would be revenge all over again. For the second time; and he deserved it. The pain he had put her through by showing how he loved another and ignored her for it.
Smokekit growled bitterly, but she bit down hard on her lip. She tried not to show Echoleaf the hatred she had for Lionstripe's new mate and her ways of changing him into the cruel cat he is now.
"That can't be," Echoleaf stated fiercely.
A medicine cat cannot fight back against a warrior; it was the warrior code and the ways of StarClan. But it was clear that this medicine cat was not afraid of Smokekit. It feared her.
As a true warrior, Smokekit followed the rule and bit back her response. But she let out a shaky sigh and pushed her forehead into Echoleaf's arm gently.
"Smokekit," The black she-cat meowed as a start, "Lionstripe is not trying to hurt you by being mates with Hollywish."
"How do you know that?!" The kit snapped at her, breaking the code she had learned from her short moons in the forest so far. But then Smokekit took a breath in and said briefly, "It's not Lionstripe I'm worried about."
Echoleaf, surprised, leaned in to hear more. Her interest was slim, but it was there.
Continuing, Smokekit was more worried about breaking the promise of friendship to Lionstripe than disobeying the warrior code. She kept silent now, knowing there was nothing left to say; unless she were to lie. But that would get Lionstripe in more trouble than ever, and that's not what Smokekit wanted. She wanted Hollywish to disappear and never return. It was dark, but so true.
With feelings pure, Smokekit looked up at the medicine cat who was waiting desperately for a response. Then she felt it. The silence was starting to shake, and the light behind the black she-cat started to burn out. The whole forest was throbbing and only Smokekit knew why.
"Goodbye Echoleaf," She backed up and sat, watching the medicine cat be sucked into the last drop of light there was.
After that, everything was hushed. Smokekit felt herself being pulled down. She let the feeling go and her neck was instantly pulled to the damp floor.