Chapter 3

Ivypaw was running through the forest, trailing behind Thunderpaw. Then, he turned around. Smiling, the tortoiseshell tom began to run back through the lush trees. A cliff began to appear into Ivypaw's vision. "Thunderpaw!" She shrieked as his legs slipped off of the edge.

"...Ivypaw! Get up!" Dewheart's angry voice boomed in her ears. "You shrieked and woke up the whole clan!" Hisses and growls echoed through the medicine cat den, followed by Olivestar's voice. "Quiet down. Ivypaw, what happened?" Olivestar's voice was luckily soft. "Oh, just a bad dream…," she muttered in reply.

Cats began to turn their backs on Ivypaw as their tails streamed behind their bodies as they left. Dewheart shook his head, and Ivypaw closed her eyes. She heaved, and tucked her nose into her tail. "Now that you woke every cat, it's time to get to work." Her mentor grumbled.

Ivypaw groaned. "Why? It was only-," Chivefur burst in. "I heard that you woke every cat up. Why though? You can't be doing that if you're going to be a medicine cat! Everyone will hate you! Your brother never yowls whatever name you yowled in his dreams!" He growled. She gasped at her father's unusually harsh words. Chivefur gulped in regret. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have made such a huge deal." He came closer, and quickly licked Ivypaw's ear.

Chivefur decided to leave after that, and Dewheart was out collecting herbs. Ivypaw pawed at some old moss, and it rolled slowly away. She reached out her paws, claws unsheathed. The brown she cat hooked her claws into the moss and tugged it towards her again. There's nothing to do. Ivypaw rolled over, shaking the ball off of her claws, and then she sheathed her thorn sharp little claws.

"Help! I'm kitting!" Ivypaw heard Honeymask's voice from the nursery. She got up, trotting towards the panting queen. Lionsplash, the father, was waiting nervously outside of the nursery, his eyes clouding with worry. "We need a stick! Get a stick!" She ordered him, and the light ginger tom sprinted off, coming back with a long, sturdy stick. Ivypaw snatched it from him, and nudged it towards Honeymask. She clamped the stick in her jaws, pushing hard.

"Breathe," Ivypaw soothed. "It'll get better. Don't worry." Honeymask panted, before pushing again. A tail began to slither onto the nest, and a wet bundle slipped into the moss. "A tom!" Ivypaw announced, beginning to lick it. Honeymask pushed again, and then breathed. "This one is big." Ivypaw mewed in mild worry. Lionsplash nudged the tom-kit towards Honeymask, and it began to suck.

Honeymask pushed even harder than before, a large kit popping into the mossy nest. "A she-kit!" Ivypaw mewed. "Lionsplash, lick this kit." She commanded. Lionsplash started licking the mewling kit. Honeymask panted hard, before pushing. "This one is small. Don't worry." Ivypaw meowed. The queen shook her head weakly before pushing. "Another tom!" Ivypaw nodded, licking it. She began to make out tortoiseshell fur. No! He can't be here now! Ivypaw was slightly frustrated, but continued on with her duties. "Here's another one!" It was easy as well, and it slipped into the nest. A spasm shook Honeymask as Ivypaw opened her jaws to speak. "It's a she-kit!" Ivypaw rested her tail tip on Honeymask's shoulder. "Here's the last one." Honeymask took a breath in response before pushing hard. The last kit slithered into the moss. "And this one is a she-kit too! Congratulations, you have given birth to 5 healthy kits."

Honeymask panted, trying to catch her breath. Ivypaw snatched up some moss, and dipped it into a large puddle in the clearing. She went back into the nursery, and nudged it towards the other she-cat. Honeymask licked it fiercely as if it was a kit. Every one of her kits crawled up to her milky scent, drinking her milk.

Ivypaw nodded, her head like a blur as she dashed towards seemingly Thunderpaw's pelt. "What are you doing here?" Her voice was hostile, and only a bit of love edged her voice. "I wanted to see you! You did a really good job, too." He shrugged, his tune slightly frustrated. Ivypaw growled loudly. "I don't care! Go home!" She forced her fur to rise along her spine. "Fine. Maplepaw likes me anyways, so I don't care." Thunderpaw began to stalk away until Ivypaw gasped. "No! I didn't mean it!" Thunderpaw whipped around. "I thought so." He muttered, a light purr rumbling deep inside of his throat.

"Sorry, I just didn't want you getting caught. And what's this about Maplepaw I heard?" She swatted her paw at his ear as their tails entwined. They began to head towards Fang Barn, their favorite place to meet. "Oh, nothing exactly. Her mother, Jayscar, is a good friend of Tawnybee, my mother. And Jayscar overheard Maplepaw telling her sister, Dustpaw, that she loves me with all of her heart. So Jayscar told Tawnybee and Tawnybee told me." Ivypaw giggled, and then stopped. "You'd never pick her over me, right?" She asked. Thunderpaw looked down at her. "Of course not. You'll always be my precious medicine cat." Ivypaw purred. "You'll always be my warrior."

The two reached a small holly tree, and sat down together. "I love you so much." She mewed, slightly blushing. Thunderpaw's fur brushed against Ivypaw's. "I love you to StarClan and back." He murmured, pressing his muzzle to her's. The sun made Ivypaw's fur shimmer, and she noticed Thunderpaw staring at her. "Hey mouse brain, what are you doing?" She snorted, licking his cheek. "Oh, nothing. Just looking at your beautiful fur." Ivypaw laughed. "I'd say I'm not exactly the prettiest she cat, but you have your opinion and I'll have mine." Thunderpaw shrugged, a smile still on his face.

Ivypaw closed her eyes, wanting a nap. Thunderpaw's voice was drowned out as she closed her eyes, and sleep slowly swept over her.