Post by Kendra on Sept 16, 2010 21:53:47 GMT -5
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Chapter Two
Ashtail
[/shadow]Ashtail
"What?!" Ashtail stared in dismay. "But you're the first Clan cat I've seen in moons!"
"Well." Smoothstar grinned. "Have you been around any creatures who have been visiting FrostClan?"
Ashtail thought a moment. Surely Steel hadn't been visiting a Clan cat! And he couldn't remember if he had crossed a border recently... Ashtail shook his head.
Smoothstar dipped her head. "Well, nice meeting you, ringtail. I must get back to my Clan now. I'm on the sunhigh hunting patrol." She flicked her tail in farewell and disappeared into the green forest. He noticed for the first time how unbelievably skinny Smoothstar was. He could see her bones underneath her blue fur. For a brief moment, Ashtail wondered which was harder: life as a loner, or life in a Clan?
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Ashtail padded back to the clearing, where Steel was grooming himself.
"Hey."
Steel jumped, startled. His fur flattened when he saw it was only Ashtail. "Oh. Hi." He went back to grooming.
Ashtail walked over to Steel and laid a gentle tail on him. "Is everything okay?" His eyes were glazed over with worry. "Something seems.... weird."
Steel didn't look up. "I'm fine."
"Don't--Oh, never mind. What was that cat doing in our clearing?"
Steel lashed his tail. "Just a trespasser. I simply told her to go away. And stay out," he said briskly.
Ashtail was still suspicious. How did the cat know his name? He decided not to ask.
There was a long silence. The only sounds were the rustling of leaves and Steel's coarse tongue scraping against his fur. Ashtail longed to break the awkwardness. He decided to do it with a test.
"A cat told me I smelled like FrostClan. The leader of LushClan."
Steel finally looked up, eyes wide. "Er... what was her name?¡¨ Ashtail could tell he already knew. But he played along anyways.
"Smoothstar. She asked if I had been around any cat who visits FrostClan."
"Er...well, you've only been around me, so your answer was no, right?" Steel shook as he spoke.
Ashtail nodded, but he felt guilty. Was it right to test his best friend?