Hey! Its ApolloKitty! I tried to make this chapter longer than usual! Hope you enjoy it. Oh, and one more thing: REVIEW! :3

Chapter 5:

Ivypaw woke to Reedheart's meow. "Yes, we'll train with you today. I was wondering if I could teach Ivypaw the fishing crouch first.."

Ivypaw padded out of the den, greeting Reedheart with a flick of her ears. "Are we going hunting?" She asked her mentor.

Reedheart purred. "Yes. You'll be hunting with Icepaw. Echostorm and I have decided that Icepaw can show you around."

Ivypaw almost flattened her ears. She couldn't express her feelings for the tom, but his feelings towards her were clear. She turned to look at him. He looked the other way; Ivypaw felt her stomach tie in a knot.

"Well, you two go on. We'll be watching from a distance." Echostorm growled softly. Ivypaw padded a step forward, Icepaw following.

"So... Are you going to the river?" Ivypaw asked.

Icepaw growled. "Where else?"

Ivypaw twitched her tail, fear storming through her. She thought that she liked Icepaw. But Icepaw didn't like her.

It's stupid to think about love, Ivypaw thought to herself. What matters is being the best warrior I can possibly be. No distractions.

Icepaw's meow broke her thoughts. "Well, this is the river." Ivypaw almost fell for his strong voice; she shook herself.

What are you doing? She scolded herself. He's just an apprentice!

"Wow. It's..." Ivypaw suppressed a shudder; she wasn't fond of the river ever since she fell into it. She looked at Icepaw, who was licking his paw. Frustration surged through Ivypaw. Wouldn't he say anything?

"Well, I'm guessing you don't know how to catch a fish." He growled.

"Well, this is my first day as an apprentice! What do you expect?" Ivypaw snapped, her annoyance spilling.

Ivypaw couldn't sworn she saw a flash of hurt in Icepaw's eyes, but if she did, it lasted for less than a heartbeat. "Just crouch for awhile, and swipe when the fish comes towards you. You have to be quiet, which I'm guessing is something you probably can't do." Icepaw explained, his voice cold.

Ivypaw opened her jaws to snap a sharp insult towards him, but immediately shut them as Icepaw came back with a large fish in a few moments.

"Your a good hunter." Ivypaw murmured, sniffing the fish. Icepaw shrugged; Ivypaw stifled a purr of amusement, knowing it would get on his last nerve.

"Well, I've shown you the river. I guess we could go see SunningRo-" Icepaw's scowl was cut off by a yowl. Ivypaw turned, surprised to see Swanstar.

"Swanstar? Your back early!" Ivypaw purred, then she recoiled. "Where is Streamflower?"

Swanstar panted. "We were supposed to go to look for a cat named...Brokenheart. He used to be part of RiverClan, but he had information about ThunderClan and WindClan. We both went to him...He took your mother..."

Ivypaw stiffened, a hard lump rising in her throat. "Streamflower is dead?" She choked out.

Swanstar gasped for breath. "I don't know. Brokenheart tricked us. He took Streamflower, and I ran."

Ivypaw felt fear and horror numb her body. "So Streamflower could be dead, and all you did was run away?" She snarled, her limbs shaking.

Swanstar's eyes showed shame. "I'm sorry, Ivypaw." She whispered.

Ivypaw backed away from her, anger and pain surrounding her. "No...Leave me. You excuse for a leader!" She hissed, not even caring she was speaking to her leader.

Fur brushed her side. Ivypaw was startled to see it was Icepaw. His eyes showed sympathy; Ivypaw snarled. "Go away! I don't need any of you!" She ran back to camp, loss surging through her. Her mother was probably dead. It was all Swanstar's fault.

Ivypaw entered the camp, her whole body trembling. Cats immediately came running up to her; Ivypaw ignored them all, running to Mintsplash.

"What's wrong, Ivypaw?" Mintsplash asked. Ivypaw hissed.

"Streamflower is probably dead thanks to Swanstar!" She growled with fear. Mintsplash dropped the bass in his jaws.

"What?" He snarled. Ivypaw felt her heart being scratched to pieces. Her mother was dead. Dead to this clan forever. Snowpaw came up to her, her eyes clouded with grief.

Swanstar entered the camp; every cat snarled with fury towards her. Swanstar jumped up onto the log, explaining everything. Ivypaw covered her ears, her thoughts in a frenzy. Streamflower was her mother. She couldn't be dead. Not ever.

She could be alive, she told herself. Slowly, it began to make sense. This...Brokenheart would want cats to come to him, to retrieve Streamflower. So he would keep her alive. Ivypaw spoke up.

"I'm going to find her." She snarled. "I will search every single part of this forest until I find Streamflower, even if it means leaving this Clan."

Ivypaw flashed a look to Swanstar. "At least, if I don't come back, I'll die as a hero instead of a coward who has lives and doesn't want to waste them." She looked around.

"If any cat wants to come, you may. I understand if you want to stay here." She snarled. She couldn't believe her own words; would she really leave this Clan to find her mother?

Of course, she told herself. My mother is everything to me. Unlike Swanstar, who is just an excuse for a dumb leader.

"I'm coming with you." Snowpaw growled, siding with Ivypaw. Ivypaw's fur bristled with relief. She looked around, anger making her hackles rise.

"Mintsplash? You'd stay with this Clan and abandon your family?" She snarled. Mintsplash looked down; Ivypaw looked away, angry. She glared at Otterfur; even the cat who loved her didn't speak up.

A beaming voice meowed. "I'll go." Ivypaw turned, shocked. Troutpaw? Why would he want to come?

As if reading her thoughts, the tom explained. "You'll need a medicine cat. I guess I should come."

Ivypaw nodded her gratefulness, then looked to her side. Icepaw stood, his eyes narrowed.

Ivypaw knew he wouldn't come. But, to her surprise, he stood up.

"I will go with Ivypaw, only because some cat needs to protect her and..." Icepaw turned his gaze to his sister. "And.. Snowpaw.."

Ivypaw purred softly, happy with her gang. They were all apprentices, but that wasn't the point. She realized the only apprentice who hadn't spoken up was Waterpaw. The she cat was staring at Troutpaw; to Ivypaw's surprise, Troutpaw didn't meet her gaze.

"We will leave," Ivypaw growled. "At sunset. We will come back, but it isn't promised."

Swanstar growled. "Fine. You may leave this Clan until you find Streamflower. Good luck."

Ivypaw turned her back on the idiotic leader; she couldn't believe her. She hoped Swanstar would be dead by the time she came back.

Snowpaw spoke up. "Troutpaw, can you get traveling herbs? If you can. Icepaw, you may as well stay here with Ivypaw while I go get ready."

Ivypaw felt her fur bristle. Why did she have to get left alone with Icepaw. Sure, she liked him, but he was always cold towards her.

"Icepaw," Swanstar meowed. Ivypaw watched as Icepaw turned to see her. "You should get your warrior name before you leave, just in case you don't return."

Ivypaw held back a snarl; she made it sound like the journey would take forever and would be ruthless.

"Icepaw, you will be known as Icestorm. StarClan honors your bravery and intelligence." Ivypaw realized it hadn't been a proper warrior ceremony. She bristled again.

Once more, she was left with.. Icestorm. He sighed. Ivypaw pawed his ear with caution. "You don't have to come, you know." She murmured.

Icestorm flicked his tail. "You'll need a cat to protect you. Besides," He added, "I don't want to stay in this Clan for that long. It'll be fun to go on an adventure!"

Ivypaw purred with amusement, surprised at Icestorm's happy tone. She sat with him, watching the sun as it slowly made its way down.

"It's time," She meowed.

"Time to leave."