REPLY TO REVEIWS

Sorrelheart: You got it!

Lilacstream99: Thank you for submitting Chestnut!

Pebblewish: Thanks for submitting Bob, Shroom, Ukulele, and Burr! And Spottedkit is an Arabian Leopard, the smallest kind, and one of the most endangered. If you want to know the answer to the rest of your questions, read my new story, When the Poachers Came.

Guest: Thank you for your cats!

Winxclubfan1: I do like Lilycloud for Lilypaw's warrior name, but I already have Seedpaw's warrior name planned out. You'll find out what they're called in this chapter, actually.

RagingContent: Thank you for Silverkit, Trixie, and Chase!

George: Thanks for submitting your cat!

Amberstorm233: :)

SnowCrystal802: Your welcome :)

Redfire: Yeah, Redfire is an awesome name. Thank you for submitting your cats!

Thank you guys for all your awesome reviews! We're just nineteen away from a hundred! And I got 15 reviews this chapter! That's a new record! Also, sorry I haven't updated in a while.

Check out my new story, When the Poachers Came. It's about what happened before Spottedkit was found on the Thunderpath, and how she got into the monster.

Oh, and I'm having trouble figuring out who Ivypool's mate should be. Should it be Mousewhisker, Foxleap, Toadstep, or Moleclaw? I have a poll on my profile I would like you guys to vote on about that matter, and guests can submit their opinions in reviews.

I found a new cover for this story! I think this one is pretty cool, but the old one was awesome too. Also, in case any of you were wondering, I decided to put updated allegiances on my profile page. It shows everyone currently, like Cinderheart and her kits, and all the OCs submitted (whether they're an apprentice or not by now, who their siblings and mentors are, stuff like that). So check it out to see if you kind find your OC! (If it's not there, it's probably not born yet.)

And Sorrelheart, Pebblewish, and Winxclubfan1 found out about my little trick and guessed the surprise P.O.V. right! It's Ivypool! *Hands each of them a three layered cake with leopard print frosting designs.* Oh, and here's the plushie! *Throws three super soft huggable Spottedkit plushies.*

Phew, that was a lot of authors notes. Anywho, on with the long-awaited chapter 9!


Chapter 9

"Ivypool!"

Ivypool turned her head to see Millie calling to her from the camp entrance.

"We're patrolling the WindClan border. Join us!" Millie exclaimed.

Millie's tail was twined with Graystripe's as they headed to the WindClan border. Blossomfall fell in step beside Ivypool with Dewpaw scampering behind.

Once they arrived at the stream marking the borderline, Graystripe renewed the scent marks, but Dewpaw quickly yelped to alert his mentor.

"Graystripe! Over here! I smell WindClan scent on our side of the border!"

Graystripe dashed over to his apprentice and sniffed at the ground.

"Your right," he murmured.

Ivypool followed the tom and sniffed the scent with Blossomfall beside her. She narrowed her eyes. The scent was faintly recognizable. Blossomfall met her gaze, and mewed, "I think I've smelled this scent befo-" she was cut off as a hiss exploded from a nearby bush.

Ivypool swung around to see a scrawny tom pinning Dewpaw, the apprentice's eyes wide with horror and shock.

"Breezepelt!?" exclaimed Blossomfall.

Breezepelt glanced at her, and his eyes lit up as if he spotted a juicy piece of prey. He leaped on Blossomfall, with Dewpaw laying on the ground behind him, gasping for air.

"Get off her!" Graystripe flung himself onto Breezepelt and held his leg in his teeth. Ivypool suddenly felt claws dig into her tail.

"Nightcloud?" she wondered. The black she-cat didn't respond, but jumped at her, with her claws extended. Ivypool dodged and raked her own claws across Nightcloud's flank, and Nightcloud howled with pain.

Breezepelt jumped off Graystripe and skidded beside Nightcloud, his claws leaving scars in the dirt.

"Don't touch my mother!" he spat.

Ivypool pricked her ears at the sound of running. She turned her head to see a WindClan patrol consisting of Ashfoot, Gorsetail, Sedgewhisker, and Crowfeather. Ashfoot leaped on top of Nightcloud and twisted her paw with her teeth. Breezepelt's burning amber gaze turned to Crowfeather.

"You!" he snarled. Breezepelt turned on Crowfeather, his eyes burning with hatred, and jumped on his back, but Crowfeather rolled with him, and Breezepelt was flattened under his father's weight. Breezepelt and Nightcloud, realizing that they were terribly outnumbered, took off into the heather, with Gorsetail and Sedgewhisker streaming after them.

Ashfoot turned to the ThunderClan patrol. "Thank you for catching Nightcloud and Breezepelt. They will be punished for their crimes."

Out of the corner of her eyes, Ivypool thought she saw Crowfeather stiffen at the deputy's statement. Graystripe nodded to the deputy, and the two WindClan warriors dashed where their clanmates ran off to.


When the ThunderClan patrol arrived back at camp, Lilycloud glanced up from the magpie she was sharing with her sister. She and her sister, Seedstem, had taken on their warrior names two moons ago.

"What happened to you?" Lilycloud asked. Blossomfall flicked her tail.

"Breezepelt and Nightcloud happened."

"Did you bring them to WindClan?" Seedstem wondered.

"Who are Breezepelt and Nightcloud?" asked a small voice behind her. Ivypool turned to see Mudkit standing next to his brother, Hedgehogkit.

"Just a couple of rouges," Ivypool answered dismissively. Barkpaw poked his head out of the apprentice den.

"Rouges? Near the WindClan border? I thought I smelled something when I went training with Poppyfrost."

Ivypool glanced at the apprentice. A moon ago he had been given to Poppyfrost to mentor him, and his brother Smokepaw had been given to Bumblestripe.

"Why didn't you say anything?" demanded Blossomfall. Barkpaw looked down at his paws.

"I thought it was my imagination," he mumbled.

Ivypool suddenly felt the pain in her tail from Nightcloud's claws. She stalked off toward the medicine den, where Leafpool was pressing marigold on Dewpaw's shoulder, and Jayfeather was tending to Millie's paw. Briarlight saw her, and carried over some cobwebs and marigold.

"Where's it hurt?" she asked.

"My tail," Ivypool answered. She tried not to flinch as the stinging juices of the marigold went into her wound. When the brown she-cat finished wrapping it up in cobwebs, Ivypool blinked her thanks, and went outside.

"Ivypool!" Ivypool turned to Graystripe, who was padding out of Bramblestar's den.

"Bramblestar wants to talk to you," he informed her. Ivypool jumped on the Highledge into her leader's den. She found Bramblestar sitting in his nest with Squirrelflight beside him.

"Ivypool," Bramblestar greeted her. Ivypool dipped her head.

"You are aware that Cinderheart's kits are six moons old now, right?" he asked. Ivypool nodded. Does Bramblestar want me to mentor one of them? she hoped excitedly.

"I've been thinking, and I've decided all the kits mentors but one," he continued.

"Who?" Ivypool couldn't stop herself from asking.

"Spottedkit. If you're up to the task, I would like you to mentor her," Bramblestar meowed. Ivypool snorted.

"Up to the task? What's so hard about mentoring a kit?"

Squirrelflight spoke up this time. "Nothing would be to complicated if Spottedkit were a kit. But Spottedkit isn't a kit. She's a cub. A leopard cub, for that matter." Ivypool's jaw dropped.

"H-How many cats know about this?" she stammered.

"Cinderheart, the medicine cats, and the senior warriors," the ginger she-cat replied.

"You want me to mentor a leopard?" Ivypool asked.

"That's exactly what I'm asking. I believe there's no better cat to teach her the warrior code, and the meaning of loyalty." She quivered with pride at the fact the Clan leader trusted her with this task in her paws.

"I won't let you down," she promised.


"All cats old enough to catch their own prey join me beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Ivypool looked up from the vole she was sharing with Toadstep.

"I wonder what this is about," Toadstep grunted as he got up to his paws. Ivypool didn't reply, but settled down between him and Smokepaw.

"Hedgehogkit, Hollykit, Mudkit, and Spottedkit, step forward," Bramblestar ordered. The four kits, with their pelts neatly groomed and shining in the moonlight, scampered up. The leader gestured to Hedgehogkit, and put his tail on the cream-and-brown tom's shoulder.

"From this moment forward, until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Hedgehogpaw," Bramblestar announced. He scanned the crowd, until his gaze landed on Berrynose. "Berrynose," Bramblestar called. Berrynose, not looking at all surprised, with his head held high with pride, stepped forward.

"Berrynose, this will be your first apprentice. You are a wonderful father, and I'm sure you'll be a good mentor and pass on your strength to young Hedgehogpaw." Berrynose stepped forward, and touched noses with Hedgehogpaw.

The other three kits looked enviously at their brother, who got to go first, and Hollykit lifted puffed out her chest fur as Bramblestar called her name.

"From this moment forward, until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Hollypaw. Cherryblossom, this will also be your first apprentice. Pass on the determination that makes you an excellent warrior," Bramblestar meowed. Cherryblossom, with her tail high in the air, tapped her nose against her new apprentice's.

Mudkit, who was calmly waiting with his tail wrapped neatly around his cream paws, stepped up when it was his turn.

"From this moment forward, until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Mudpaw. Brightheart, it's about time you had an apprentice! Show Mudpaw the courage that you have that makes you a warrior, despite your injury," Bramblestar mewed. Brightheart, her single eye shining with happiness, walked toward Mudpaw. He had no hesitation as accepting her as his mentor. Ivypool wasn't surprised Bramblestar chose Mudpaw to be Brightheart's apprentice; he was the most calm and easy going of the four.

Spottedkit straitened and stopped impatiently fidgeting her paws as it became her turn.

"From this moment forward, until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Spottedpaw. Ivypool, you have shown great loyalty from risking your life every night to spy in the Dark Forest. Pass on this loyalty to your apprentice," Bramblestar declared.

Spottedpaw's eyes were shining with excitement as she half padded, half scampered up to Ivypool. Ivypool needed to bend down just a little bit so Spottedpaw could touch noses with her, as the cub was already very big.

"I'll be the best apprentice ever," Spottedpaw whispered in Ivypool's ear. Ivypool gazed into her apprentice's large, round yellow eyes.

"And I'll be the best mentor I can be," Ivypool replied.


*Wipes tear from eye* Little Spottedpaw's growing up.

I hope everyone will have an awesome school-free summer!

I liked doing the guess that P.O.V. thing in the previous chapter. Can you guys guess this one?

I am Jake's son's sister's son's former apprentice's daughter-ish. It's not a new P.O.V., they had a point of view in this story before. Whoever guesses it right will get a virtual Spottedpaw with Ivypool plushie!

~Petalsplash