Well here I am, back again! I got this super nice review so I'm gonna reply to it, and then chapter time!
DawnFrostofThunderClan74 - Thank you sooo so much [insert hearts here] this is the best review everrr! I'm so glad you like it that much! And thank you for the fav!
So when I stop my mini party I'll start writing. OK done, mostly because no one showed up thanks to... Guess who it is... *drum roll* CORONA and you guessed it, the one and only coronavirus is right here for your service.
I'm doing another fun fact: I'm planning to kill Ivy off early! Don't hate me, but she might die real soon, I already have this idea...
Haha you believed me. Of course I won't kill Ivy, I've come too far, but not far enough, to drop her now!
So we stopped when Crystal was going on and on about a fire cat who was cold and that didn't make any sense. Haha, who guessed who it was? I'm pretty sure I made it fairly obvious.
Chapter 23 (no I can't believe it either!)
Ivy's eyes blinked open, reflecting the light that filtered through the branches of the Trainees' bramble den. She had shifted away from Night in her sleep, and now she was on the outside of the den. A draft was ruffling her fur, that was probably what had awakened her. She sighed and rolled over out of the cold air, trying to get back to sleep. She had spent most of the night training with Crystal in her dreams, and, though she had definitely been asleep, she didn't feel rested at all. Her muscles were aching, and she attempted to find a sleeping position which wouldn't hurt.
But she was woken again by somecat barging in and shaking her hard. Ivy blinked one eye open, a slit, as they were still too sensitive to hold the light yet.
"Wut..." she said very eloquently.
"Wake up Ivy!" She jerked completely awake at the voice. Oh Ivy, everycat here is deadly...
She shuddered inwardly. It was Cloud's voice. She would forever associate it with that short, clear, extremely disturbing, sentence. "What do you want?" Ivy questioned, pelt standing on end.
"Whoa, calm down Ivy." Cloud sat down, fur flat, ears pricked, legs relaxed. She wasn't afraid of Ivy. "I just wanted to tell you, rumours spread through camp like wildfire, everycat knows about you now, but it's mainly weird, untrue stuff. They're saying you still have your citypet collar and you smell of Twolegs!" She giggled.
Ivy's tailtip flicked, and her ears laid against her head. Her fur bristled again as Cloud continued.
"They think you're a soft citypet!" She was outright laughing now; Ivy wouldn't have been surprised to see her rolling on the floor.
The other Trainees were gone, she guessed they were off training. She hoped for their sake that Frost and Raven hadn't been the ones to start the rumours, or she would destroy them, just to prove what a cute fluffy tame kitty she was.
Cloud had stopped laughing. "Seriously though, what they're also saying is that your Teacher will be appointed today! That other black cat you came with is going to get a teacher too, but I think he'll do less Training, and skip the Testing - after all, whatever cats say, size can be an advantage and he's bigger than us. Maybe we can train together, if you reach my level!"
Ivy was disliking this cat more and more every heartbeat; she didn't know if she was overanalysing everything that Cloud was saying because she was a paranoid madcat, or if her words the day before had just shaken her a bit harder than they should have - but then, maybe Cloud didn't even realise that she had sounded so... weird, or that she was actually saying words that could be hurtful, though that seemed doubtful.
Ivy didn't really like the implication that she was still a citypet, illustrated by the idea of the collar, or that she belonged to Twolegs and that their stench still clung to her like the cobwebs of old memories (believe it or not I'm really proud of that (: ).
Also, that cleverly disguised comment... The "if you get to my level". Cloud was so sure of her superiority. Some cats think they're so tall, but that only makes them easier to strike and topple over. Know your strength. If you think you're weaker than you are, you won't dare to put up a fight, but if you think you are too strong, you will one day get into a fight you will lose.
"So anyway, the Governor will call an Assembly soon, to declare your Teacher." The light grey tabby said. "You might want to get cleaned up before that. Image counts for a lot, you know." Then she stalked out of the den, leaving Ivy alone with her thoughts. Not very pleasant thoughts they were.
Maybe I was wrong to suspect Frost and Raven for the gossip.
She was licking herself clean, starting with face, then back, belly, flank, tail, and paws last. By that time, her tongue was aching, but her pelt was fluffy yet shiny,her paws were white as snow, and she felt ready. She just hoped it was enough.
"Everycat of the Blood, come forth to Assemble before your Governor. I have something of importance to do." The cold emotionless voice was worse than Cloud's, infinitely worse. It chilled Ivy until she felt like a statue of ice, a shard that would shatter if it was dropped - and right now, it wasn't in very reliable paws.
She had thoroughly washed, attempted to mentally prepare herself, imagined what it would be like - but nothing like this. The whole Blood was in a wide circle around the Governor, though Ivy suspected it was less because of respect and more because of fear. Violet eyes swept across the crowd, finding Ivy and Slick.
"Ivy, Slick come forwards." Still no emotion whatsoever. Didn't she care? Ivy followed Slick into the circle, staying as far away from the Governor as they could. "Slick, you are old enough to be a full Blood member, however, you must train in our ways. I have assigned you Tiger and Ash. They will never leave you, or let you leave. This is where you are now - and where you will stay. Up to them to figure out a Training schedule."
A brownish orange tabby she-cat and a solid grey tom stepped out from the ranks, looking honoured. They came up on either side of Slick and steered him back to the crowd. Ivy was alone in the middle now.
"Scar. You will be Ivy's Teacher. You will Train her like you would any Trainee. All of your Trainees have passed the Testing, hope that this one does too."
The first thing that came to mind about Scar was that he wasn't scarred. He had a small nick in his ear, and if Ivy looked really closely she could see a place or two where the fur was parted by an old badly-healed scratch, but otherwise, nothing. Plenty of cats in the Blood looked a lot more scarred than this. Does that mean that he's an amazing fighter?
It probably did, but Ivy didn't know whether to be glad or afraid.
Aaaaaaaaand... CUT! Yep I'm leaving you hanging. Cliffhangers are just the best, don't you think? And aaaall my chapters are specifically measured out for all of them to end in a cliffie that will torture you for a week or so until I update! Good luck surviving - ah. I was about to forget again.
Disclaimer:
Crystalshine: Scar, say the disclaimer.
Scar: the disclaimer
Crystalshine: you know what I mean. Now do it.
Scar: Explain why I should do it.
Crystalshine: well you're the new important character, soooo...
Scar: I see. Actually, this is sooo clear that i think this is the clearest thing I've ever seen. Of course, I must be disturbed from what I was doing to say this disclaimer. I see. It makes so much sense... That it doesn't make sense at all. EXPLAIN.
Crystalshine: what were you doing before I called you?
Scar: do I ask about what's your business? OK, I do, but you're only allowed to do it to idiots.
Crystalshine: You're INSUFFERABLE, why did I even create you!
Scar: I'm not Insufferable, I'm Scar.
Crystalshine: Ugh.
Scar: you're pronouncing it wrong.
Crystalshine: why do you have to be so sarcastic all the time?
Scar: *sarcastically* I have absolutely no idea. Maybe because I am surrounded by idiots. (see what I did there? The Lion King (Disney) anyone? ;))))))
Crystalshine: *huge sigh* *wondering how Ivy will survive with such an annoying Teacher* I'll have to say it myself. I own just the plot and my characters, everything else belongs to the fabulous Erins, otherwise Tawnypelt would have become leader of ShadowClan!
Well, this is the longest A/N ever so bai.
B
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~Crystalshine of LightClan