Hi again everyone and I hope you had an amazing Christmas and got everything you wanted :) Also, if anyone has any warriors fanfics (either your own or other peoples) then feel free to recommend them :D Thanks again for all the reviews, it made my Christmas and the time after extremely merry ^^:
BooksRCoolYeah- Thank you so much :D Here it is ^^
Emeraldswirl- Thank YOU so muchh! I'm glad it was adorable, was worried it might get cringy which is what I'm trying to stay away from! (Also, thanks for recommending this it means so much!)
Starrysong is on Winter Break- I completely agree! But I do think that it could've happened due to their personalities :p (hence why I put it in XP)
LuffyOmgCowz- Ahhhh thank you so much! Your reviews always make me so happy omg :') Glad it was cutee too that's what I was going for ^^ If more people are curious about the entire Foxleap/Ivypool situation I might write about it in more detail after this one's done :p That's why I left her words out; because I thought I'd leave it open! Battle coming right up XP
Nightstories123- Ikr all animals have emotions like us but people don't realize it! :o Thank you so much :')
Bartolomeo- Thank you! ^^
Hawkpoolrules- Thanks continuing now! What's the story called and I'll be sure to check it out! :D
Thank you all so much for your kind reviews! Remember to hit the favorite/follow on meh story to know when I update :D (It's the top right corner or when posting a review!) Also, (gawd I know I'm rambling) would you rather have replies to guest reviews at the beginning of the story and PM replies to people with accounts or is what I'm doing now alright? Let me know in the reviews or by PM thanks again :) 3
Unstoppable
It was a strange feeling Ivypool thought to herself, Freedom. Once she thought she'd felt most free learning to fight, being good at something but now, curled up with Hawktail's warmth surrounding her, she felt free. Not free in the sense that she could run forever and never get tired. Free in herself. She could be whoever she wanted to be around him without feeling vulnerable or scared. Looking up at the clear night's sky everything was peaceful. Peaceful and beautiful as though Starclan knew nothing of the battle to come.
Spottedleaf ran through the silent forest. Terror coursed through her as the vision she'd seen, sent from no-one except fate. She crashed into matted gray fur. A she-cat hissed and turned towards her.
"Spottedleaf? Are you okay?" Yellowfang asked seeing the fear in her eyes.
"She's going to die!" Spottedleaf cried. Yellowfang looked startled. "I've foreseen what's going to happen. Yellowfang we must stop it!"
"Who's going to die?" Yellowfang asked quietly, not answering her directly in fear of what must be done.
Spottedleaf looked up with tear filled eyes. "Tawneypelt."
Yellowfang hissed quietly, "I thought she might be planning this. Mapleshade has a cruel way of looking at the world. Only one way to her goals."
"What can we do?" Asked Spottedleaf.
"I'm not sure there's much we can do to combat fate," she replied sighing in defeat. "Go to Jayfeather. It might be worth nothing but it's the least we can do." Spottedleaf dipped her head before disappearing quietly into the woods.
Ivypool perched on her tree branch, looking out carefully for signs of Shadowclan. She'd been positioned furthest from camp by the border in the hope that her skills with tree hopping would give the clan more warning. It was hard to believe that just earlier she'd been wishing Hawktail luck before disappearing into the cold forest. She wouldn't let herself think about the possibility of his death. He'd promised her he could fight. As long as he hadn't lied, she had nothing to worry about. However, she couldn't dislodge the lump that remained in her throat when she thought about him leaving her. After so soon. After he'd said he-
She shook herself. She was on duty, her loyalty meant she had to be alert, or put the clan at risk. She strained her ears and looked out into the dark trees, dawn approaching.
Hawktail snorted quietly with incredulity as Bramblestar declared that he would fight next to Cloudtail, a senior warrior. He knew he'd given no indication of being a good fighter but being treated as an apprentice still hurt his pride. Blood had been pumping a hard course through his veins more than ever this morning. On the day of a battle he always felt this. Not fear but anticipation to prove himself. Now, having something to fight for, the feeling was enhanced leaving time behind him as he waited for dawn, trying desperately not to think of the silver cat perched far from his safety. He'd seen her fight. He knew she could handle herself, yet he still felt fear for her, more than he'd ever felt for himself. Realizing the distraction that lay in his mind, he delved back into a dark place where he knew he'd fight best. Thunderclan was fighting for him, so he'd fight, like a clan, for them all.
Orange swirled through the sky, like fire, as the dawn rose. Ivypool stilled, hearing a crack in the bushes.
"No patrol's out. He must be calling our bluff." She heard Rowanstar whisper to his clan behind him. "We'll show him not to underestimate us." She then saw Rowanstar's tail flick as he separated his clan into three groups before they all stalked away, approaching camp from different directions. Ivypool had seen enough as she stood carefully up before hopping onto the adjoining oak, having already planned her route to camp.
She hopped from tree to tree at a fast pace, branches tearing at her face and she wished she'd bent them out of shape before coming out this morning. She spotted a red blur in the corner of her vision and looked right quickly to spot Cherrypaw hopping, keeping speed with her as they raced towards camp. Fear trembled within her, although she'd never admit it, as the branch her and Cherrypaw both landed on the same branch, which creaked and probably would've broken had they not have jumped off and finished the last few meters to camp on ground. They burst into camp together as Ivypool started explaining what she'd seen, quickly and efficiently to her leader.
"Three groups. One heading directly to us, the others heading east and west. They're setting up a perfect ambush to trap us in. I suggest we meet them in combat, to keep them away from the vulnerable." Ivypool said quickly, Cherrypaw nodding along before quickly explaining the size of group she'd seen. Squirrelflight and Cloudtail appeared jumping down from the wall before racing towards them, explaining they'd seen a group to the east, stalking towards camp.
Bramblestar nodded before hastily splitting the clan into three groups. "We know their plan," He howled, obviously realizing time was all they had here. "Fight like you mean it. Fight for all you hold dear," he finished before flicking his tail in the air as he burst out of camp, Squirrelflight and Cloudtail behind him, heading to the east and west.
Ivypool raced beside Hawktail as they followed Cloudtail towards the rest. Howling rose out of no-where as they burst into combat. Shadowclan were caught off guard by their sudden attack, but not for long as they retaliated full force seconds later. The two forces met and Ivypool raced straight for a blood hungry tom, Scorchfur, who was glaring at her like he wanted to do more than rip her to pieces. Adrenaline coursed through her as she slipped past his defense, clipping his back legs and scraping her claws across his back as he collapsed to the ground. He managed to get a few claws in to her forearm but, as usual, no challenge came from his part. He rose and restarted his attack but she clawed him further dodging past his attacks with a fluid grace. She bit hard into his shoulder, hearing a crack before he howled and limped away into the forest, begging Starclan to forgive him. Whipping around for her next opponent she spotted Hawktail fighting a fast she-cat she could barely recognize. She raced towards him, worried for his lack of fighting training, before she saw him attack with a move she'd only seen once. So fast and perfect she could barely believe she was seeing it before he bit down, the she-cat going limp in his jaws. Her heart stopped as she stared, black vignette surrounding her vision. She looked until the she-cat regained her footing before running away in fear of the huge tom before her.
Hawktail barely had time to watch the white she-cat run before he felt a pair of eyes on his back. He turned to meet Ivypool, staring at him. She hadn't seen him, had she? She hadn't recognized the move, she couldn't have. Guilt filled him for only a short time before he was bowled over by Tawneypelt who'd come at him from the side, breaking her precious eye contact.
"You murderer," She hissed bloodlust entering her eyes.
"I didn't kill Littlecloud," he responded calmly, watching her every move for her next attack. He braced himself as she lowered.
"I don't believe you," she hissed and leaped, exactly what he'd been expecting before he used her weight to carry them over pushing her into the ground and scraping his long, curved claws down her belly. She howled before loosening her grip on him. He cursed, reminding himself to stay levelheaded and not let the darkness take over. He released her as she gasped for breath. A tom, the one announced at the gathering, raced towards her. Hawktail raced the opposite way towards Cherrypaw, who was fighting a small warrior, blood running down his back. He swiped forward, in time with Cherrypaw and they drove him backwards, leaving him with a long scar to remember him by. The battle continued to go by, a blur in Hawktail's eyes before he found himself face to face with a pair of dark blue eyes, which looked calmly up at him before she pressed her head to his blood coated shoulder. He calmed his breathing and breathed in her soft scent, mixed with blood. A scent he'd wished he'd never have to smell again.
"You really can fight," Cloudtail muttered striding over to them. "I'll make sure Bramblestar knows how hard to fought for our clan. It won't go un-noticed." Hawktail nodded his thanks before following Ivypool into the forest, the battle over.
Ivypool walked shoulder to shoulder with Hawktail into camp, eyes following them as the blood drenched duo walked through the entrance. She tried not to feel fear after seeing the look in his eyes, like he couldn't recognize her. The look had disappeared quickly, replaced by a softer one, but she couldn't shake how familiar it had seemed. Jayfeather rushed over to them, demanding to know what had happened
"We're fine," came the rumbling reply from beside her. "It's not our blood." Jayfeather's eyes widened but he dipped his head before muttering at them to wash and stay out of his way.
Ivypool looked quietly at Hawktail, unsure what to say, before guiding him quietly out of the clearing. They padded in silence, shoulders touching, all the way to the lake.
"What's wrong?" He asked, guiding her into the water, until their shoulders were covered. She looked up into his concerned eyes, knowing that whatever she said, she'd be safe.
"I don't know what to say after a battle," she admitted. "Why should we boast, when we've hurt others? When our fighting skills excel over theirs. I'm almost sick of it, being a great fighter. I'm not Lionblaze but after the dark forest I- I almost enjoy battles, it's something I'm good at. The way they make me feel. But the aftermath is something I can't think about. I feel guilty for loving fighting as I do when it's essentially destroying others. I just- don't know how to think." Ivypool stopped and looked at him, trust consuming her as she stared into his icy depths.
Hawktail stared at her as she recited his own heart, the way he felt, as though she could read his mind. As though she understood what he needed to hear more than he did himself. He couldn't comprehend it, how perfect she was to him, how he couldn't think of a single thing he would change about her, given the chance. Thinking about all she said and all he felt, he simply said the only thing he could think of.
"Then just stop thinking," he purred at her, sinking his and her feelings in one and giving them release from all the world.
Before she knew what was happening she was being thrown across the water to land with a splash out of her depth. She surfaced and turned to find Hawktail swimming towards her. Her paws kept her aloft as she did as she'd been instructed, and stopped thinking. She propelled through the water towards him and grabbed him with both her paws, spinning them round and round in the water. They got shallower and shallower until they both surfaced, laughing on the beach. She looked into his clear joyful eyes and pressed her nose to his.
"I love you so much," he said to her. Joy filled her and as she cried,
"Louder!"
Hawktail abandoned her on the beach and raced towards the line of the water, turning to look at her, a silhouette against the fading sun. "I love you Ivypool!" he howled to Starclan and all who could listen and in that moment Ivypool felt happier than she ever had in her life.
Thank you so much again for reading ^^ I really wasn't sure how to end this chapter so I just went for this and I hope it's okay. This chappie ended up way longer than I meant it to but I guess it makes up for the long break :) For future reference Hawk/Ivy smut yay or nay? Finally, I want to wish you all a happy new year and hope this year comes with all your wishes and dreams! :')
5 reviews till next :D
