Secrets Of The Wisteria (Velvetfrost)

Chapter 5

Ant sat at his desk, ears pressed flat against his head, eyes darting around wildly as he thought.

They know. They know someone is coming over the border. They're going to find Red and they're going to execute him. I can't let that happen.

Ant thought for a long while, before realizing he was going to be late for his latest meeting with Red. His room was on the second story of the four-story castle, looking out just over the garden hedge separating the magnificent structure from the small village of townspeople.

The prince jumped gracefully from the ledge, landing elegantly in the soft grass below. Few could perform such a daunting task, but it was hardwired into the heirs of the Frost Kingdom's systems to be able to do things such as these.

Ant was awfully quiet as he ran across the undergrowth, another skill he'd acquired from the family. The prince had learned how to run swift and quiet, feet barely touching the ground as he sprinted and rarely if ever, making a sound.

Ant dashed quickly through the forest, so fast he would've been blinded by the leaves if he hadn't grown up racing through the greenery.
He hardly panted as he slammed into the other prince, eyes splitting open when he collided hard with Red's chest.

"Ant, what's wrong?" Red sounded concerned, shoulders on Ant's shoulders as he panted Ant heaved a breath in and looked up at Red.
"S-sorry. But I gotta tell you something! Now!" Ant rushed his words, "My father knows someone has been sneaking over the border! We need to do something!"

Red panicked too, "What!? How'd he--"
"It's because we're cat hybrids! We have a better sense of smell than most and he picked up on your scent!" Ant cut him off.

Red stumbled down against the dark of the Wisteria tree, sinking down to the iris' and lavenders.
Ant sat next to him, shaking slightly as they both thought of what they were meant to do.

"I don't wanna stop seeing you," Red admits, slightly ashamed of himself.
Ant shakes his head, "Me neither."
"But what are we meant to do?" Red sighed, head in his hands and curled against the old bark of the ancient Wisteria.

"I could deture the scent! I'd cover it up and my father wouldn't be able to pick up on it!" Ant perks up slightly, smiling.
Red seemed to get a kick of energy and grinned, "Ant! You're a genius! I just hope it works!"

The two laughed victoriously but soon heard footsteps approaching quickly. The strangest thing is it was coming from the direction of the Velvet kingdom.
"Shit!" Red hissed, tackling them both into some nearby berry bushes, ignoring how it scratched his skin as he pinned Ant under him and hissed a 'shhh' to the other, who quieted down.

"ANT!" WHERE HAVE YOU GONE!? GET OUT HERE, NOW." Came the furious, bellowing, yell of Ant's father.
Ant sighed a breath of relief and sheepishly slunk out of the bushes, hoping against hope his father hadn't caught sight of Red.

"Y-yes...father?"
"DON'T YOU DARE ACT INNOCENT, I TRACKED YOUR DAMN SCENT ACROSS THE BORDER WHEN YOU WERE MEANT TO BE IN THE CASTLE! WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU DOING!?"
Ant flinched, trying to explain himself between stutters. "Father, please, listen!" He pleaded.

The king huffed and glared down at his son, "Explain yourself. Now."
Ant sighed a breath of relief, coming up with a lie on the spot.
"There was a trespasser from the Velvet Kingdom, I chased them back across the border."

The king raised a brow, "Why were you in the bushes, of all places?"
"O-oh um," Ant glanced around before making up a new lie, "I-I was picking berries! I-um fell into the bush, that's all!"
He smiled nervously, but thankfully the king seemed convinced enough and huffed.

"Fine, meet me back at the castle in the next hour. We need to discuss something with you."
"Yes father," Ant bowed his head respectfully.
The king left, and the two let out a sigh of relief in unison.

Red came out of the bushes and gasped air back into his lungs, not realizing he had been holding his breath until now.
"What the hell?" Red huffed.
"That's my father for ya," Ant mumbled breathily.

Ant turned to the other prince sadly, "I'm sorry, but I need to go soon. I'll meet you here again in...how about, in two days?"
Red nodded, "Sure. Seeya."
"Seeya."
The two went their separate ways, and soon Ant was standing at his father's throne, the king looming over him as he leaned in to speak with his son as if he was telling Ant a secret no one else in the world could hear.

"We need to talk," the king grumbled lowly, "I want you to stay away from the border."
Ant's eyes went wide, "W-what!? No! Why!?"
The king only shook his head, "You know exactly why. Someone from the Velvet kingdom has been sneaking over the border. I don't want you getting hurt."

"I know," Ant mumbled, "I just-- I don't wanna stop going there."
He only realizes the mistake he'd made when the king gave his son a suspicious look.
"Why?"
"N-nothing!" Ant quickly lies once more, "I just like the Wisteria tree there."
The king shrugged, "Makes sense. However, you still can't go there. Understand?"
"Yes, father..." Ant mumbled drearily.

Ant retreated up to his room and sobbed, not realizing how much Red meant to him until that point. Gods, why was he so upset that he couldn't see his enemy anymore? He should be glad his father had banned him from the border, he would have probably been manipulated or kidnapped or murdered-- but deep down, Ant knew Red would never do such harm to him.

Ant sighed, trying to figure out out to do with this situation. Thoughts wracked his brain, trying to fathom how he'd manage to see Red again.

Wait for a second, when did he care so much about seeing Red? He was the enemy, or that's what he had been told. Then again-- Red had asked him that question, the one that had been stuck in his brain since it was first spoken.

"Are we tho? Or is it just our parents?"

Ant knew Red was right-- neither were bad people like they'd been told by their parents and maybe the two had come to like each other somewhat.
Ant sighed and came up with a plan, he'd simply tell his father he was taking a walk and run to the north border, cover the scents quickly, and came back before anything could be suspected.

But that was for tomorrow, and
Ant resigns to roll over on his side and fall into a dreamless slumber.