Pine Frost

This is for Petal's contest of it gets approved, if not, then well, I'll write it xD

Pr ol og ue

It was a dark, cold night. The leaves above rustled, and the trees danced. A storm was brewing. "Hiss..." One, pale she-cat froze. "Who's there?" She glanced terrified at the trees around her. She wished she was under open sky, like back at home on the moors.

"Hiss..."

It came again. The she-cat froze, whispering. "Whoever you are, tell me what you need, and go." She was shivering. "Hiss..." Over and over the she-cat heard the noise. She shrank back in fear, murmuring. "StarClan, please help me."

"Hiss..."

And it came again and again. The she-cat wailed in fear, and then... "Give up... Your kits are mine..."

"No!"

"But you know who I am... I'm someone who is special to the kits."

The pale she-cat snarled. "They aren't born yet. Come back next moon when they're born."

Eyes flashed in the dark. "Not born yet? You told me they would come in a moon." Hissing, a brown tom appeared. "Why are they not born yet?"

Terrified, the she-cat backed away. "Because I estimated wrong. I didn't know that they would come late." She eyed the tom warily.

His yellow eyes searched the floor. "I smell milk. If you're kits aren't born, how do you have milk."

The she-cat lifted her chin. "Don't you know? A pregant queen can produce milk before the young'uns are born, that way they can feed the moment they are born."

"A moon before?" The tom slithered closer. "Explain that to me Paleflutter."

"Snakeheart, you aren't welcome." Paleflutter snarled. "The Clan will shred you if you are found." She continued to back away.

Snakeheart eyed the bushes, and noticed something. "You've been hiding them." He snarled. "You're belly has shrunk. And the milk scent is clear. The kits have been born, and you just want time to bring them away."

"If the Clan finds you, then they'll shred you!" She warned, but she quivered in fear.

"Oh really." Malice glittered in the tom's eyes. "Then why are you not at the moors, where you belong?"

"Because..."

"Because what."

"Because..." She stopped. There wasn't any way she could get out of this. "Snakeheart, you said you didn't want the kits. Your kits."

"I change my mind. Give them over."

Paleflutter challenged him. "And what are you going to do with them?"

"Take them in as their father. What else?"

"Why don't you live with me, so we can watch them together?"

He bared his teeth. "Isn't it obvious? You don't trust me. And I can't trust you. No, I have to take them myself. If you don't give them over, I'll take them by force."

Paleflutter shook her head. "You can't. They're in the Nursery."

"And you?"

"Out here."

He swung his tail in a wide arc, and hissed. "Hurry and run Paleflutter. Because I'm getting the kits now."

She hissed. "Watch your own tail, the Clan will be watching the kits closely." And then she ran. Our into the night. Away from her beloved kits, and her own, crueal mate.

Ch ap te r O ne

"Hurry! Snakeheart is waiting!"

Shadowpaw stretched, and yawned. "Wait Pinepaw, I'm coming."

Frostpaw laughed, "You lazy paw!" She danced away as Shadowpaw raked her muzzle. "Wait until one day you can't get up, then we'll see ywho's the lazy paw!"

"I wish it wasn't a father and kit thing, then I could come with you!" Frostpaw sighed, nuzzling Shadowpaw in the shoulder.

Shadowpaw muttered. "I wish you'd come too, our family stuff aren't exactly pleasant." She stalked out before Frostpaw could answer.