Chapter 10

Ivypool

"Well, we wanted to ask if you knew how... this happened,…" Squirrelpaw explained, spreading her fore-feet, probably referring to being back in the old forest. "...and, how you're a RiverClan-cat and not ThunderClan."
"Why would I know?" Ivypool asked her, confused. "Honestly, I have no idea."

"Maybe you're a RiverClan-cat because you were born by the lake, and not here." Brambleclaw guessed.
"Is that what they wanted to know? Hmpf. Just a waste of time." Hawkfrost commented quietly.
"Okay, now we know nobody of us has any idea what happened." Ivypool declared, feeling hot beneath her coat. She wasn't used to talking to these cats like that. "What else did you want to know?"

"How well do you know what will happen in the next moons?" Squirrelpaw asked.
"Umm… I don't really know anything…" the silver tabby admitted.
"Then-" Squirrelpaw was interrupted by Hawkfrost.
"But I know what will happen. And why should she know about it, anyway? No other cat knows about the future, why should she?" The tabby snorted. "And Ivypool is a RiverClan cat, in case you hadn't noticed it. What will you do, sneak through ShadowClan's territory just to tell her what will happen by ThunderClan?" Hawkfrost demanded.

"She will be prepared. And at least I'm sure I'm not going to slice her troath open." Squirrelpaw rolled her eyes. Hawkfrost growled loudly.
"I don't need your help, Squirrelpaw. I can take care of myself, and Hawkfrost is here too." Ivypool mewed. The apprentice gave her a dark look. Brambleclaw's jaw dropped open for a heartbeat.
"You choose Hawkfrost, a Dark Forest cat, the cat who tried to kill you, over your clanmates?" she sounded as if she expected something else.
"Hawkfrost is my clanmate now!" the silver tabby replied, trying to stay calm. "He's okay, for his level, believe me. And yes, I'm choosing him over you."

"But why?" Squirrelpaw protested with a little wail.
"Oh my, no need to fight over me like that." Hawkfrost cut in, his voice amused. Ivypool couldn't repress a snicker.
"Shut up, you aren't worth a mouse's tail!" Squirrelpaw hissed at him. The blue-eyed tom let out a growl.
"You expect me not to attack you and your precious 'friend' there when you are in my territory, and you're insulting me? I'm doing a favour for you right now!" he spat, unsheathing his claws and growling menacingly. The flame-colored she-cat stared at him for a moment.
"Yes. Thank you for that." she said with a blank emotion. She knew too well that they were both on their own territories. But if she reminded the tom about that, he would only get madder.

"…Hawkfrost?" Brambleclaw asked,
"What, mange-pelt?!" the tom hissed.
"So you remember Ivypool?"
Ivypool stared at her former leader. Couldn't he tell?
Hawkfrost raised both eyebrows.
"Don't tell me you're not sure about that. Then you're more stupid than I thought." he said slowly, as if wanting to prove he couldn't understand his words. His half-borther glared.
"It is possible that you only remember me and Squirrelpaw, but not her." the amber-eyed tom mewed. Ivypool blinked. He had a point.

"Are there any other cats who remember in ThunderClan?" she asked. Squirrelpaw shook her head.
"It looks like we're the only ones, but that can change later. What's up with RiverClan?"
"I'm sorry to inform you, but you only have us." Hawkfrost told her with a smirk. Brambleclaw smiled back at him.
"And you only have us. I hope you're just as happy, as I am!" he said, and Ivypool almost flinched at his faked happy tone. It was obvious he hated Hawkfrost, so obvious it made her wonder why they hated each other so much.

"Stop arguing like two kits." she said, but her voice was frightened. "Did you think about the reason we are here and not someone else? And if we're here and remember the battle, then what should we do with that knowledge? Do you think that StarClan has to do something with this?" she asked. She didn't know how the others would react, but she had these questions on her mind for a time now.
Hawkfrost turned his attention to her. His icy eyes were dark.
"Don't you dare tell me I was sent on a 'quest' by StarClan." he whispered, his voice more threatening than ever.
Squirrelpaw cut in.
"That doesn't make sense. You're a Dark Forest cat. It has to be something else." she said.
"But what?" Brambleclaw twitched his ears. Nobody gave him an answer.

"It's late." Hawkfrost mewed after the silence that followed his half-borther's question.
"We should go back! It's so cold I'm freezing! I don't want to get sick." Ivypool agreed.

That was the very first occasion they all agreed.

"I hope nobody will notice their scents tomorrow. We'd be in trouble if they knew we didn't chase these intruders away." Hawkfrost said after they both lay down in their nests. Ivypool murmured a 'Mhm' as an answer. She was exhausted.

Hawkfrost

Hawkfrost awoke when it was sun-high. He yawned and stretched his limbs, not caring to be quiet and not to wake Ivypool, who was sleeping next to him. She moaned.
"Stoneheart…"
"Softpaw…" he muttered back. The she-cat moaned again, though she didn't respond. Hawkfrost narrowed his eyes.
"Are you okay?" he asked her. She still didn't answer. He nudged her softly with a paw, but nothing happened. She fell asleep? Impossible. Hawkfrost thought. Her breaths were unequal, she couldn't be asleep, only if…

"Hawkfrost?" Ivypool's voice was quiet and weak. "How late is it?"
"Sun-high."
"Sure?" she asked.
"If it's not sun-high then I'm a StarClan-cat." Hawkfrost replied. The she-cat chuckled quietly. She curled into a tight ball.
"Hey! Don't sleep, Mistyfoot will kill us if we don't make ourselves useful!" he mewed, and nudged her again. Then he rested his paw on her body. He was surprised at how warm it was. Now he remembered she complained about the cold last night. Maybe she was ill? No, she was definitely ill.
"I'll get Mudfur. I'll be back in a moment." Hawkfrost told Ivypool and left.

"Hawkfrost! Wow, you managed to wake up! You really outdid yourself today!" Mistyfoot commented when she spotted him. Hawkfrost forced himself not to growl or hiss.
"Yeah, I know." he replied, staying as calm as he could. "Is Mudfur here?" he asked.
"If you think you can go and collect herbs instead of collecting material for the nests, you're wrong." the she-cat declared.

Now Hawkfrost couldn't repress his rage.
"How great! I feel honored you don't allow me to tell the medicine cat my friend is ill!" he hissed, flattening his ears. The deputy gave him an apologetic look.
"Maybe if you had started with that, then…"
"Maybe if you hadn't been busy insulting me then you would have listened!" he growled under his breath, not hearing the second part of her sentence. He simply ignored her and entered the medicine cat's den.

"Mudfur!" he called.
"Hawkfrost, what is it?" Mothwing asked.
"Where's Mudfur?" Hawkfrost wanted to know.
"Collecting herbs." his sister replied. "What's wrong?"
"Ivypool. She's ill." he explained. He led his sister to his clanmate.

"Ivypool?"
"She's asleep."
"What did you two do last night? Did she fall in the river, or what?" Mothwing asked.
"We went for a walk, but we stayed for too much time." Hawkfrost answered.
"You should reduce the number of these walks." the she-cat commented. "Ivypool hasn't got a thick fur like you." she mewed.
"A lecture after the wrong move isn't quite helpful, dear sister." Hawkfrost told her. The brown she-cat rolled her eyes and awakened Ivypool. The silver tabby growled.
"Leave me alone, Hawkfrost!"
"Sorry Ivypool. I'm Mothwing, by the way. Hawkfrost told me to come." she explained, checking her body temperature.

"You should come to the medicine den." Mothwing told her. Ivypool's tired eyes were narrowed.
"Okay." she said and struggled to sit up. She breathed heavily, as if it was the most difficult thing to do. Hawkfrost sighed. He knew he had to help her.
"Come, lean against my shoulder." he offered. The she-cat gave him a grateful look.
"Thanks." she mewed. With his help she could make it to Mudfur's den, even if they needed 5 minutes for that. Ivypool was exhausted.

The silver tabby let herself fall down in the closest nest. She panted intensely, and Hawkfrost felt a little rush of guilt. It was his fault she was so sick.
"She has fever." Mothwing diagnosed. "We will need…" she muttered quietly to herself, sorting out the herbs she needed.

Ivypool slowly calmed down. She lay her head on her paws and fell asleep almost immediately.
"Do I get infected if I touch her?" Hawkfrost asked from his sister.
"I guess not." she answered. The tom sat down next to her nest.
"She's not going to die, is she?" he asked, suddenly not wanting to loose her. If she died now, Squirrelpaw and Brambleclaw would tear him to shreds.
"No, surely not. But if -for example- Leopardstar decided to move the whole clan to another place, she would need help to walk and breaks to calm down. You've seen how exhausted she got only from walking a few meters, with help."

Hawkfrost stared at Ivypool for minutes, then Mothwing touched his shoulder with her tail.
"You should go and catch something for her. You know, you could catch a mouse and that would make her happy. That's her favourite type of prey, if I remember it right."
"Ye-yes, that's her favourite." Hawkfrost stammered. He blinked, not understanding his sudden stumble.

"She should like fishes, not mice."
"But that makes her unique." the tom told her.
"Then why don't go and catch something for your love?" Mothwing whispered, her voice slightly mocking.
"She-she isn't- I don't like her that way!" Hawkfrost mewed hastily, ears burning with embarrassment.
"Okay." Mothwing shrugged. "But you know Mistyfoot would like if you actually did something." she smiled.
Hawkfrost sighed. "Alright. See you later." He mewed and left the den.

Ivypool

Ivypool awoke when someone nudged her softly. She blinked at Mothwing.
"Wha'?" she asked.
"Eat these herbs. You will feel better." she mewed, then left her alone in the den. Ivypool sighed and did as she was told.

She heard pawsteps and Stormfur entered the small den.
"Hey Ivypool! Mistyfoot told me you're sick." he mewed. "Are you hungry?" he asked.
"Yes." the she-cat replied curtly. She was so tired she had barely any energy to speak. The tom turned and moments later he dropped a fish in front of her paws. Ivypool stared at it for moments. A fish? Wow. she thought. She didn't like fish. The smell made her feel disgusted. Stormfur didn't seem to notice that, and he lay down next to her nest.
"Where did you leave Hawkfrost?" he asked and turned his head as if he was expecting the tom to appear.
"I guess he's out hunting." Ivypool mewed between two yawns. If he expected they could jabber all day long, he was wrong.
"Then he's not going to disturb us." Stormfur mewed. Ivypool was wide awake now.
"What do you mean?" she asked him, giving him a cold stare. The tom smiled at her and moved closer. Ivypool growled at him, but he didn't stop until he was so close to her their pelts brushed. The she-cat's fur bristled and she let out a wail.
"Leave me alone!"
"Shhh, no need to get frightened." Stormfur breathed in her ear. "Tell me Ivypool, do you like Hawkfrost?" he asked. Ivypool stared at him horrified.
"Maybe I do, maybe not." she hissed. She wanted to move away from him, but she had so few energy, she was forcing herself right now to stay awake.

"Give me a straight answer." Stormfur ordered.
"And what if I don't?" Ivypool challenged. The tom smirked at her and leaned even more closer. The she-cat shut her eyes tight, feeling more uncomfortable than ever. Just get lost! she wailed silently.

Stormfur opened his mouth to speak again, but then the warmth of his body suddenly disappeared. Ivypool opened her eyes and saw Hawkfrost standing defensively in front of her. He hissed at Stormfur.
"How dare you hurt her, mange-breath?!" he hissed. "Get lost and I won't slice your throat open!" he said menacingly. She couldn't see Stormfur anymore, but she knew he was gone when Hawkfrost turned to her.

"Are you okay?" he asked her in a sweet tone that made her smile.
"Yes." she sighed. "Thank you for saving me." she mewed.
"You're welcome." Hawkfrost replied. "He brought you a fish?" he snorted. "I brought you a mouse. It's still fresh. I caught it for you." Hawkfrost mewed and let the prey fall down in front of her paws.
"Thanks!" the she-cat exclaimed and ate it. She licked her lips when she finished.
"Are you still tired?" Hawfrost asked, sitting down next to her nest.
"Kind of." Ivypool yawned. She was glad the tom didn't move closer to her. She will need some personal space for a time.

"You've never been so kind to me before." she mewed.
"Oh, don't get used to it! A moment after Mothwing says you're healthy, you're my target!" the tom told her.
"But until then I can enjoy the sweet and nice side of you!" Ivypool purred.
"I don't care about you!" Hawkfrost declared.
"Same for me, mousebrain!" she replied.
"It's fishbrain!" he retorted and tossed her with a paw. The she-cat moaned and did as if he hurt her.

A brown tom entered the medicine cat's den. He had herbs in his mouth and an apprentice followed him, carrying even more herbs.
"Hello Mudfur, Reedpaw." Hawkfrost greeted them. After Mudfur lay down the herbs he turned to Ivypool.
"Thank you for your help, Reedpaw." He nodded at the apprentice. "What happened?" he asked.
"These two fishbrains went for a walk last night and Ivypool is ill now." Mothwing emerged. The tom sighed.
"Did you already give her some herbs?" he asked his apprentice. The golden she-cat nodded.

An other cat entered the den. She was the spotted she-cat.
"I've heard Ivypool is sick." she said as a greeting. Hawkfrost rolled his eyes.
"Leopardstar, did you call a meeting in the medicine den? I wouldn't be surprised if the rest of the clan suddenly wanted to visit Ivypool." he muttered, but not quiet enough. The leader's whiskers twitched.
"No, I didn't call a meeting, Hawkfrost. But I've seen that scene with Stormfur. What happened?" she asked the tom.
"Stormfur bullied Ivypool." Hawkfrost mewed so quietly neither Mothwing nor Mudfur could hear it.
"Really?" Leopardstar asked and looked at Ivypool, who nodded. "If he does anything else, tell me. He's been acting strange lately." the she-cat mewed then left.

"Is she Leopardstar?" Ivypool asked. "I've heard she wasn't the friendliest cat."
"Yeah, it was her. But we are his clanmates, and Leopardstar isn't a big fan of the other clans." Hawkfrost explained.
"Aham. And why did you dare to say something like that to her? If I said the same to Firestar he would have let me clean the elder's den!"
"Oh, Leopardstar was my mentor." Hawkfrost mewed proudly.
"Really?! That's cool!" Ivypool exclaimed. "And how was it? I mean, to be a leader's apprentice?" she asked curiously.
"It was... normal? I was only trained by her, you know."
"Oh. And did you have… did she taught you special moves or tricks? Or did you two go on a special mission? What did you usually do?" Ivypool asked.
"Special moves?" Hawkfrost chuckled. "Maybe there were some, I don't know- I mean, I can't remember." he mewed.
"Hawkfrost!" a yowl sounded. The tom cursed quietly.
"Mistyfoot. I need to go, bye!" he said and left.

"You should sleep a little bit." Mudfur suggested.
"Not a bad idea!" Ivypool yawned. She closed her eyes and moments later she fell asleep.

A/N (2018)

One thing I deeply regret is being mean to Stormfur and making him a plot device like this. Sorry, man.