A Kit's Jealousy

She was beautiful, all curled up with her sparkling green eyes closed in her sleep. A small smile rested on her face, ears perked and alert. Her shoulders were hunched, tail wrapped around her and a different shape. But that shape, he didn't like. It was Blazingkit: The tom-kit who took away his best friend. The small gray tom shifted in his empty and cold nest, and his amber eyes narrowed to slits. He flexed his small claws and growled, careful not to wake the queens and kits. "Hollykit, I will find a way to get rid of him..I promise..." He didn't know why he said what he did, or why he felt what he felt, but those things just came to him naturally. He shook his head and lifted himself out of the nest, plodding sorrowfully to the entrance of the nursery.

            Hollykit sensed slight movement on the other side of the nursery. Opening one bright green eye, she scanned the den for the target. A small, hunched shape was moving slowly toward the entrance of the den. Hollykit opened her small mouth in a yawn, revealing her pink tongue. When she opened her mouth, scents flooded her and settled on her taste buds: Milk....queens....mossy nests... Graykit! She looked over at her best friends, but stood up and silently slid out of the den. Stopping a tail-length away from the kit, she placed a paw on his back. "Graykit, what are you doing out in the cold? At night?" He hissed. "I...you....Forget it...You wouldn't understand, anyway." The tom scoffed, and pushed a small paw through the snow. Hollykit sighed and turned back toward her sleeping..or so she thought...companion. "Good-bye, Graykit."

A cold, ginger ball of fur was curled up beside Hollykit in the nursery. Blazingkit was sleeping peacefully until he felt the warm body next to him go away, thats when the tom was pulled from his sleep. Blazingkit twitched his ear, hearing quiet voices from outside. The kit suddenly grew afraid as his mind wandered to the worst scenario. He thought that a cat had broke into camp and captured Hollykit to take her away, but then he opened an eye, and saw two shapes of kits standing outside the nursery. Blazingkit opened the other eye and looked harder, then sniffed the air. It was Hollykit and Greykit. Blazingkit rolled his eyes at the thought of Greykit. That cat always seems to dislike me, he thought. Blazingkit decided that it would be best to pretend he was asleep, not wanting to start a big commotion in the middle of night with Greykit. When Blazingkit saw Hollykit start to turn around, he flashed his eyes close, but he kept listening to hear what was going on.

Hollykit cast one long look at her friend, then padded softly toward the nursery when she felt eyes burning into her pelt. The feeling vanished abruptly when she turned around. She heard him turn around, but she shook her head fiercely. Her tail tip twitched, and her paws itched to turn around. "Good bye, Graykit." she repeated, pushing the urge to whip around and confront the tom. She padded into the nursery, and heard him following her. Curling up next to Blazingkit, she stared at him adoringly. "Blazingkit..." she whispered softly, nudging him gently. "Was that you watching me?" she asked so only they could hear.

Graykit hissed when his friend padded away. "Wait! Come back! I'm sorry.." he whispered softly. When she didn't stop, he ran after her. She disappeared into the nursery, and he stood at the doorway and watched them. Hollykit gently shook Blazingkit from his sleep, and whispered something to him with love in her eyes. Graykit felt a growl rise in his throat, and his sharp kit claws popped out of his paws. He whipped around and ran to the other side of camp.

Blazingkit yawned and slowly opened his eyes. "W...what?" He asked tiredly. He opened his eyes just in time to see Greykit run away, but turned his gaze to Hollykit. "What did you say?" Blazingkit felt bad for Greykit, but he didn't feel like chasing after him in the freezing cold.

She purred, closing her eyes. Opening them, she smiled. "I asked if that was you watching me." she repeated. Taking a quick peek at Graykit, she scowled.

Graykit was watching Hollykit with his eyes narrowed and claws shredding up the snow and frozen nature under his paws. "Why does she have to make things so complicated? I just...ugh! Why can't I do anything right?" He raised his head and quietly wailed the last sentence.

Blazingkit didn't want to lie to Hollykit, but he also didn't want to say that it was him. His instinct took over, and he lied to the she-kit. "What do you mean?" He sat up and looked worried, following Hollykit's look to Greykit. "Is he being mean to you? I can go over there and talk to him if you want," He said.

Hollykit immediately shook her head. "No, he was just...I mean...." The tiny kit sighed. "I asked him what he was doing out in the cold, and he acted all rude and stuff, and..." The words trailed off, and she felt embarrassed for putting her petty troubles on her best friend's shoulders.

Blazingkit nodded. "Yeah, he doesn't seem to like me very much," he said in a quiet voice, not wanting to disturb any sleeping cats or let Greykit hear him. "I wish that me and him could be friends, but he doesn't seem up to it. I wonder if it is something that I did." Blazingkit shivered, then moved closer to Hollykit for warmth.

Hollykit curled up against his stomach, laying her head on her paws. "I don't think that's the problem...I've seen him staring at me...We used to be really close, but now I'm with you... I think he's jealous of you." she whispered.

Why would he be jealous that I am friends with Hollykit? Blazingkit looked at his friend. "Oh," is all he said as he wrapped his tail around The she-cat. "Maybe soon he will find another friend, or a way to be friends with both of us." Blazingkit doubted it though.

As if guessing what the tom was thinking, Hollykit shook her head. "I mean, I.. I lo-..love...you.." she stuttered. Sighing, she explained the rest to her friend. "He is jealous because we are together, and he loves me.." she finished, her fur starting to heat up at the mention of love.

Blazingkit was caught by surprise at Hollykit's words. His cheeks grew red, and even though he was cold, he could feel himself start to sweat a little. He didn't know what to say or do. After a long pause, Blazingkit finally spoke. "H...Hollykit, I think we are too young for this." He immediately wanted to take back what he said. The truth was, he was afraid to fall in love with his best friend, even though he already had. Blazingkit wanted to say more, but he didn't know what to say. He also didn't want her to leave him because of what he had said.

She flipped onto her side, away from him. "I...I...." She felt moisture pool at her eyes, but she blinked it away. "Fine." she snapped, immediately taking back what she said.

Blazingkit felt like someone had stabbed him in the heart. "B...but I..."  He couldn't say it. He squeezed his eyes shut. "I love you too." He let a tear fall from his eye. It accidently landed on Hollykit. "Please, don't leave." He put a paw on his friend's shoulder.

She stiffened, then let the tears flow. "I'm sorry..." she whispered, not trusting her voice. "I won't leave you, I won't leave....us..." The kit curled up to the tom, burying her head in his soft fur.