Oooh, hello there, fellow adventurers! (if anyone got that reference, yay)

First, check out the bolded italics under this. Also, I'm stopping giving my excuses and wasting words in long A/Ns. (I've gone back through old chapters and taken out long, unnecessary A/Ns).

Thanks to all of those who actually are still sticking with this story, and for everyone who has reviewed. :)

*****Pawsteps will now have a new chapter out once a week (100% promised for the next five weeks) and I can only post more chapters if there are prompts! Thanks :)******

ThunderClan, Ivypool and Hawkfrost

After Dark Forest Battle

The first cool breeze of leaf-fall whisked Ivypool's fur as she padded into the clearing, sending a chill down her spine. She had just come back to camp with the last patrol of the day, and their hunting had been successful.

"Hey, young 'un, would you bring that fresh-kill over here to us? Graystripe's really craving rabbit." Purdy meowed from across the clearing. With a polite nod, Ivypool trotted over to the elder's den where he was laying with Graystripe.

Both of their pelts were sleek and well groomed, proving the good care they had received the past greenleaf. The upcoming leaf-fall was the second since the battle against the cats of the Dark Forest. Memories of the blood-bathed battle poured into Ivypool's mind, and she quickly tried to shake them off with a ruffle of her fur.

"Ivypool! Do you want to go for a walk?" Dovewing asked, walking up to her sister's side and breaking her from her thoughts.

Ivypool shook her head. "No, I'm a little tired. I'm going to head into the den and rest. Sorry."

"It's no problem," she responded, turning to run up to Bumblestripe. The fluffy grey tom greeted her with a lick to the ear, and Ivypool couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy towards the closeness of the two.

Forgetting her envies, the silver and white she-cat walked into the apprentice's den, where she had been sleeping for a while since there was no more space in the warriors' den. Curling up into her warm, mossy nest, she tucked her nose into her paws and soon drifted off into the dark vastness of sleep.

"Get up!"

Pain seared Ivypool's flank like a fire as she felt claws rip through her fur. With a screech of pain, she leaped up from her sleeping position and whirled around to see her attacker. However, after a moment of looking around, she realized that she was no longer in her comfortable bramble den. Instead, she was standing in a beautiful meadow, surrounded by vibrant flowers and lush, green grass. This is the meadow where I first started to train for the Dark Forest, she recalled with some confusion. Before she could wonder about it anymore, teeth clamped down on her tail, causing her to yowl and whip around to shake of whoever it was. The tight jaws set her tail free, and she sprang up with her claws outstretched to land on the cat in front of her. Shock ran through her body as her deep sapphire eyes met a familiar pair of icy blue ones.

Hawkfrost…?

She was about to say something when his claws raked down her soft belly fur, causing her to clumsily on the grass where he had been standing a heartbeat ago.

"Never let your guard down! You should know better!" He snarled before leaping to pounce on her. She scrambled away and got to her paws just a mouse length from where he landed.

"Y-you're supposed to be dead! I saw Brambleclaw kill you a second time! I s-saw you disappear!" She spat, stunned by confusion and the adrenaline of battle. Rather than responding, the massive tom let out a wordless yowl before launching himself in her direction. Using a move he had taught her long ago, she dodged and raked her claws through his pelt while he was still in midair, before turning and rounding on him when he landed. He was ready for her, however, and quickly flashed out a large paw that sent her flying to the ground. He jumped on top of her, pinning her on the ground. She struggled to get free, but she was no match for the weight of his body.

"I trained you! I trusted you! I made you a Dark Forest warrior, and you betrayed me!" He screeched, his fur bristling. Ivypool did not give a response, rather stared back at him coldly. His icy blue eyes were filled with fury and betrayal, but there was something else. It couldn't be- affection?

Whatever she had seen was gone, because in an instant he was raking his claws through her beautiful silver and white fur, causing even more blood to stain it. Ivypool screamed and tried to wrestle herself free, but her effort was still to no avail. Blood welled from her belly as well as some scratches on her side as she panted, realizing that her old mentor planned on killing her. StarClan, help me! She inwardly pleaded, hoping desperately that they could hear her even in this forbidden meadow. She screwed her eyes shut, waiting to feel his jaws clamp down on her throat in a killing bite.

However, it did not come.

The weight off of her lifted, and Ivypool opened her eyes to see that Hawkfrost was standing in front of her, staring right at her. The anger that had lit them a moment ago was gone, replaced with nothing but sorrow.

"Hawkfrost, I-" she started, but an inky black pooled her vision, and she felt like she was plummeting endless to her death. She let out a strangled cry as she fell farther, farther, farther down into the dark abyss.

"Ivypool? Ivypool, wake up!"

A paw frantically jabbed her side, hitting the still fresh claw marks on her flank. With a gasp of pain her eyes flew open, only to see Dovewing's light green ones staring frantically back at her.

"Are you okay? You were tossing and turning and- oh, great StarClan, you're bleeding! I'll go fetch Jayfeather, stay here!" She meowed urgently, plunging out of the bramble den. The metallic scent of blood quickly filled the air as it continued to ooze from her wounds. The cats around her began to stir as their noses twitched at the gagging scent. Panicking, Ivypool desperately tried to pull herself out of the den, despite what Dovewing had told her. Before she could make it out, Jayfeather's silhouette appeared against the entrance, outlined in moonlight.

"Ivypool! What happened?!" He demanded as he started to furiously lick her wounds. By now, the other cats around her were fully awake, staring at her in shock and confusion. Too tired and shocked to answer the blind medicine cat, Ivypool laid her head on her paws, trying to ignore the stinging sensation coming from all of her wounds. Jayfeather gave up on trying to get her to speak, and instead focused on treating her cuts. She stared into nothingness as questions whirled through her mind, and she struggled to find out which one to try and answer first.

As she closed her eyes, the only thing she could see was the cold image of his eyes, staring at her through the darkness, pooling with sadness and betrayal.