Hello again! :) Thanks for all the support so far; I know that about 500 words isn't a lot to go on so thanks for all the positivity ^^. I would just like to say before the chapter begins that I am currently studying A levels which is a heck of a lot of work along with my part time job which takes up some of my nights. I only say this to give y'all an idea of what I have to do as well as writing this but I'll try my best to update regularly :D Enjoy the chappie ^^
The Rogue
Ivypool crept forward into the dreary forest. Terror coarsed through her veins as she past her old training hollow where she was taught to kill mercilessly. A whisper came from within the forest. Her head whipped round to the noise.
Why was she here.
It had been moons since she trained here. Moons since she was loyal to them and they bring her back to scare her? She'd show them who's scared; She has Starclan on her side.
"Tigerstar!" She howled. Ivypool sat down tracing her paw in the grass. A bush rustled to the right and a huge cat prowled out of the bushes, an amused smirk on his face. Ivypool straightened her back involuntarily and met his amber eyes with her own.
"Ivypool was a pleasure to have you back with us. Bored of clan life already?" He asked. Ivypool hissed.
"Why did you bring me here Tigerstar? You can't hurt me. You can't hurt anyone anymore. You're no more than a shadow amongst trees." As if to prove her point she lifted a paw and sliced it through where Tigerstar stood. Her paw went straight through as though touching a vapor.
"My physical body doesn't matter anymore," He said simply. "Sure you weren't looking for anything in particular."
Ivypool looked confused. "What do you mean?"
Tigerstar purred and looked up. His amber eyes penetrated Ivypool's soul as he looked at her. "So they didn't tell you..."
"Wha-"
"-I think Starclan's less on your side then you think." He smiled showing a large array of teeth before pouncing away.
"Tigerstar!" Ivypool bounded after him. His prints dotted the forest, his scent catching on branches. Following these she reached a small stream, she hurtled up the hill following the fading footprints of Tigerstar. The paw prints began to grow fader and disappear. Breathing heavily, at the top of the stream, she gave up. A small ivory pool fed the murky brown water that ran through the dark forest. Ivypool had never understood how such a luring, beautiful pool could belong to such a dark place. It had an aura of mystery and, suddenly finding herself thirsty, she bounded up to it and lowered her head over the surface. Ice blue eyes gazed back into hers, eyes she'd seen before, eye's she'd tried to forget.
Those eyes belonged to Hawkfrost.
"Ivypool! Ivypool!" A paw prodded her in the side. Gasping she jumped up looking around, trying to forget her dream.
It was just a dream. She thought to herself. Just a dream.
Green eyes looked at her warily. "Ivypool?" Ivypool glanced up into the eyes of her sister, who was looking at her quite like she'd gone mad. "Are you okay?" She asked worriedly.
"Yeah." She mumbled, "Just a dream." Dovewing began to look even more concerned.
"What was it about?" She asked hinting at something Ivypool knew was too close to the truth.
"Well-" Ivypool began.
A young black striped tom burst into the warriors den. "Dovewing hurry up, Squirrelflight's furious!" He looked apologetically at Ivypool "Dawn patrol," He said. Ivypool nodded in understanding.
"I'm coming Bumblestripe," Dovewing said pressing her muzzle to his. "Sorry Ivypool I've got to go. Tell me later okay?"
"Yeah, don't worry about it." Ivypool replied. Dovewing cast her a worried look before exiting the warriors den.
Ivypool yawned and got up trying to throw the dream out of her mind. Spotting a white tortoiseshell curled up in the corner of the den she stretched and walked over to her. "Blossomfall?" She prodded her friend. An eye opened and glared up at her. "Coming hunting?" She asked.
The she-cat gave her one exasperated look before producing a muffled "Fine"
Both she-cats made their way out of the thorn barrier into the forest. "I love it when it's like this," Blossomfall sighed. Ivypool couldn't help but agree. The autumn air held a fresh scent of prey, showing this morning would be an easy hunt. The forest swirled with reds, coppers and gold's as the leaves spiraled down from the trees.
"Yeah it's a change from the dark forest heh?" Ivypool replied.
Choking Blossomfall gaped at her.
"Bad dream..."
Horror filled Blossomfall's eyes. "They're back?" She whispered.
"No." Ivypool said quickly, seeing where Blossomfalls thoughts were taking her. "Well I don't think so anyway. I met Tigerstar but he seemed little more than a vapor. He acted like he was giving me a warning." Ivypool cautioned. Blossomfall quickened her pace.
"You know I'd rather not talk about it," She whispered. "It brings back bad memories, you know?"
Ivypool looked up in understanding. The dark forest had almost torn Blossomfall and she didn't want to lose a friend over a nightmare.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to upset you. It was just a nightmare." She said catching up with Blossomfall. Blossomfall looked up at her gratefully and twined her tail with Ivypool's.
"Thank you Ivypool."
It was a good morning for hunting. The wind was constant, the birds were quiet and the prey plentiful. The two she-cats returned to camp at mid-day mouths full of prey.
Having dropped the subject of the dark forest completely Ivypool and Blossomfall felt content. Since the dark forest Ivypool had appreciated Blossomfalls friendship over everybody else's, except Dovewing. They had both had trouble regaining trust from fellow camp-mates although Bramblestar had never treated them any differently because of it.
"We're going to eat well tonight," Blossomfall said happily after depositing the last of the prey into the growing pile.
"You'll need it you two," said Squirrelflight coming up to them. "You're both coming to the gathering tonight,"
They exchanged happy looks. "Is Dovewing coming?" Ivypool asked. Squirrelflight rolled her eyes and muttered something that sounded like "inseparable" before adding "Yes her and Bumblestripe will be there too, Bramblestar will be making the announcement shortly."
"I'm going to take some prey to the elders talk to you later Ivypool," She grabbed a mouse and bounded to the elders den. Ivypool looked around for Dovewing and noticing her in a quiet corner with Bumblestripe, turned sharply around. Blue eyes flashed in her vision again.
Why was he doing this to her? To make her feel guilty? Ivypool pondered. Was he even aware of him doing it. Why would Hawkfrost want her to remember him?
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather for a clan meeting!" She heard Bramblestar howl. She padded over to see a huge tabby tom on top of high rock calling a meeting. She jerked involuntarily remembering her dream
Why couldn't it just leave her alone.
"-Ivypool," Brought back to reality, Ivypool listened as Bramblestar relayed the cats coming to the gathering tonight.
Dovewing and Ivypool sat down in a group of mixed warriors exchanging tales of past battles, many of them being the dark forest battle.
"Pressed down I was by Mapleshade," A dark tom Undertail began.
"Mapleshade!" Someone gasped, "I've heard stories about her. She's really ferocious." He added sounding impressed.
"Yes that's her." He said looking around for a reaction. Many cats gaped at him. "Being an apprentice at the time I was terrified but then I had a thought..." Ivypool drifted off sighing quietly. None of the stories told about the dark battle these days were true. Always adapted to give others pride. No-one dared utter the truth. All the death and destruction caused and cats used it as something to boast about. She hissed quietly.
Dovewing nudged her. "Don't take notice of them Ivypool they're just stories." She whispered.
Ivypool nodded vacantly. "I'm going to see the elders I'll see you in a bit," She walked away without giving Dovewing a chance to stop her. Her sister wouldn't understand. Nobody understood really, maybe Blossomfall, but she wasn't part of it for as long as Ivypool had been. She sighed again.
"Who was Hawkfrost?" Asked a squeaky voice. Ivypool turned in surprise and followed the voice. There was a small group of elders surrounded by apprentices. She slunk round the side and settled in the shadows behind Seedpaw.
"A great warrior once," Pouncetail sighed. Some of the elders around him hissed. "I said once, you fools."
"What happened to him?" An apprentice squeaked.
"I heard he was a clan deputy," added another and all eyes turned to him. Pouncetail coughed.
"True all true these stories. He was a brilliant fighter, loyal to the dot. Ambition was his downfall without that he could-"
"Cats of all Clans may the gathering begin." Ivypool continued to stare at Pouncetail as though in a trance. Why did she care so much to hear all this? It wasn't anything more than she knew. Again a pair of icy blue eyes blinked through her vision. Shaking her head she looked up at the tree.
Bramblestar flicked his tail at Rowanstar to begin. Rowanstar shied away creating whispers among some. Blinking in confusion, Mistystar stepped forward. Her, Ashstar and Bramblestar gave short reports of how prey was plentiful and that they should all be grateful to Starclan for providing them with such brilliant conditions. Getting slightly bored Ivypool glanced round to see Dovewing twining her tail with Bumblestripe's.
Feeling a sharp pang in her chest she turned back around. Why was she jealous?
"-Prey is plentiful and ur. We have accepted a rogue into Shadowclan," Rowanclaw said glaring as muttering broke out below. "He has proven himself loyal to us and I assure you all he will be a great asset to Shadowclan. His name is Darkheart and he is here tonight." He finished flicking his tail towards a tall black and grey tabby tom who's head was held high with confidence.
"If that is all the gathering is over," howled Bramblestar and he jumped off his branch. As cats clambered together and began to depart a howl broke out below. Several cats dashed away from the tree bridge. Ivypool tried to peer over to the tree bridge to discover what had caused the commotion.
He heard Bramblestar gasp and saw him push through the cats in front of him.
"Hawkfrost?" She heard and her heart began to pound.
The mutter was repeated throughout the clans. "Hawkfrost? But he's dead!" Some cats flattened their ears and began hissing as the sky remained peaceful and sound.
It couldn't be.
Ivypool crept around the bushes to the left and lifted her head. She gasped as a familiar pair of ice blue eyes stared back at her.
Thanks for reading! This seemed a bit too long for a chapter when I was writing it but turned out to only be 1900 words :p Let me know what you think of this sort of length if it's okay or if it would be better shorter.
5 more reviews to get me working on the next chappie ^^ Thanks y'all.