Chapter 21

As we walked back to camp, Smoke asked, "Hey are you okay? You seemed... a little off." I sighed and said, "I'm fine Smoke. I just got a little mad." Smoke started purring, and he said, "You like Yuna, don't you?" I said, "That's not it. Chill out, will you?" Smoke stopped and he said, "You need to chill! It looked like you wanted to murder Kyle."

I stopped as well, and I said, "It was about the secret Yuna and Birch shared. If you want to understand, ask Yuna about the secret tonight." Smoke sighed and said, "Fine! I'll do it. No eavesdropping!" I said, "A promise is a promise."

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"And I am obviously going to break that promise." I said while walking the forest. It was late at night, and Smoke was gone when I woke up. Then I heard Smoke whispering. I jumped into a tree, and I saw Smoke with Yuna. Smoke asked her, "So what's the secret?" She lowered her head and took a deep breath. Then she said, "I-I like you a lot Smoke."

I heard Smoke's heartbeat increase. He sat down and asked, "Really? Why me?" She said, "Well... you're cool and nice. You also look after your brother." Smoke's tail was slightly moving around in excitement, and he said, "I don't know what to say..." She purred loudly, and she got a little closer to him until her nose was only a few centimeters away from his.

Then Smoke pressed his nose against Yuna's, then they started walking back to camp together. I purred loudly, and Yuna looked back, and Smoke said, "Damn it, Bandit. I knew he'd be out here." Yuna laughed and said, "So he already knew?" That made Smoke mad because I knew that Yuna liked him, and the Kyle thing had something to do with it.

He shouted, "Bandit! Get down here!" I said, "Nah I'm fine up here. Keep going on your lovely stroll, will you?" Smoke snorted, and said, "Sure sure. But you better be in bed by the time I get back to the den or I'll be clawing your ears off." I didn't want my ears to be clawed off, so I watched Smoke and Yuna for a little bit, and then I rushed back to the den, but I couldn't keep still. I was too excited because of that moment.

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I woke up early in the morning. Jay was still resting next to me, so I stayed there for a bit, and watched the clearing. Echo walked out of camp, and Bandit was walking out of camp as well, and Smoke was, as usual, close behind. What was unusual is that Yuna was going with them. Maybe she's finally going to tell him? Anyway, Grace took Salt out to sunbathe, and Lu went out to check on Grace's swollen belly.

The day was pretty much normal. Then I remembered that we had to move, or else. I nudged Jay, and he instantly woke up and asked, "Wha- what's the problem!?" I sighed and said, "We need to move, remember?" Jay was silent for a bit, and he said, "We won't move. I have an idea." He stood up and walked into the clearing.

I stayed at the entrance as he yowled for everyone to come back to camp. When everyone gathered into the clearing, he announced that we were going to stay. Like so, everyone thought it was a terrible idea. "We could get ambushed, and get killed!" Lu shouted. Salt said, "I'm too old to die." Then Smoke said, "We might be ambushed by an entire clan or two."

Then Bandit said, "That's a lot of cats." Everyone was talking about dying or about being ambushed. Then Jay said, "We're staying underground!" I shouted, "Wait what!?" I don't like the dark at all. It seems that Bandit and Grace didn't like this idea too much either. Smoke said, "That may be a good idea, but it's too risky for several reasons."

Smoke yawned then said, "For one, we won't get the proper sunlight we need if we're staying under. Second, we aren't diggers. Third, dangerous wild animals could just wander in, and drive us out." Jay flattened his ears and said, "Who died and made you leader?" Smoke stood up and he said, "Not you."

Jay stood up and growled, "Was that a challenge, squirt?" I stepped up and said, "Both of you, chill out! We need to make a decision. It's now or never." Smoke and Jay finally relaxed, and Lu said, "We might be safer underground, but how about in the trees?" Echo said, "There is a hawk and a few owls out here that could see us and take away the kits. That might not be the best choice."

Then Grace said, "Wait! Moe and Oliver can dig tunnels! And we might find Rooster with them too!" Salt mumbled, "Damn that Rooster." Then Jay said, "Alright. We're going to find them today!"