Hey guys! ApolloKitty here, up with Chapter 6!

Frost of Fire: Aww! Thank you so much! You don't know how much that means!

QuietStreamThorn: Thanks for the comment and advise! I'll try to make these chappies longer!

Chapter 6:

Ivypaw stood up, shaking herself. She looked at her little group of cats. Troutpaw was with Icestorm, talking excitedly about the journey. Ivypaw rolled her eyes, padding out of camp. She didn't even say goodbye to any other cat.

Ivypaw sensed Snowpaw catching up to her. She looked at her sister. Her eyes were full of sadness. "What's wrong, Snowpaw?" Ivypaw asked.

Snowpaw sighed. "It's just that... The Gathering was only a few days away. We could've gone."

Anger surged through Ivypaw. "You want to go to a Gathering instead of finding our own mother?" She hissed.

Snowpaw sighed again. "No, I guess not. Let's keep going."

Ivypaw glanced at Icestorm. He looked worried. "What if we have to pass through another Clan's territory?" He growled.

Ivypaw realized she should've asked where Swanstar and Streamflower had gone. Now she'd have to guess. "Um, Brokenheart should be in HighStones, or near it. It's the most likely place he'd go. I guess we'll have to cross through WindClan territory."

Icestorm nodded slowly, then took the lead. Ivypaw watched his tail swish across the floor neatly. She didn't even realize that Troutpaw had come up to her.

"I haven't talked to you since you were a kit!" The medicine cat apprentice exclaimed.

Ivypaw purred. "A grown kit."

"Yeah, a grown kit that fell into a river."

"Well, that was, like, almost a Moon ago!"

"Smh. Sure..."

Ivypaw rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say, I guess."

"Yep. I'm a medicine cat!" Troutpaw said proudly.

"A medicine cat apprentice," Ivypaw corrected.

"I'm older than you!" Troutpaw growled mockingly.

"By three moons." Ivypaw meowed.

"Guys! Stop chatting! We're entering WindClan territory," Icestorm growled. "Let's try to stay quiet so no cat makes a big deal."

Ivypaw nodded, embarrassment flooding through her. She should be the one in lead, not the one having fun and talking!

Icestorm turned around before entering the border of WindClan. "In battles with WindClan, I've studied their moves. They like to first spot us from a high hill, then come down, making us fight uphill. Make sure to run downhill if there is fighting."

Ivypaw nodded, amazed at how Icestorm learned so much from a few battles. "Okay. I'm sure there won't be any harm done." She meowed, padding into WindClan territory. She sniffed the air; WindClan's scent was fresh.

"They just renewed their borders. They shouldn't be back." Ivypaw growled softly, breaking into a run. "We have to get through their territory fast!"

Snowpaw and Troutpaw ran fast behind her. Icestorm was in the lead, panting. "Hurry! We're almost out-"

A yowl sounded from their side. Fear stormed through Ivypaw. She dared to look. A dark brown tom stood with a white tom and a golden she cat.

"Run!" Troutpaw hissed, running faster. Ivypaw ran faster, her heart racing with her. Her paws ached, but she ignored it, lunging through WindClan territory.

"We can make it!" Snowpaw gasped with exhaustion, running past her. Ivypaw struggled to catch up, but she tripped on a rock. She tumbled through the ferns, slowly getting up. Horror surged through her as she saw cats coming from behind her.

Jaws sank into Ivypaw's scruff. Ivypaw looked up, surprised to see Icestorm. He was carrying her! Was she that slow?

As Icestorm dropped her gently, Ivypaw huffed. "Thanks." She panted, then started running again. Renewed energy struck through her legs. She made her way through the long grass, stumbling into a new scent.

"We escaped!" Ivypaw gasped for breath. She couldn't believe how fast every cat ran. I have to work on my running skills, She told herself.

Icestorm nudged Ivypaw with his muzzle. "Thanks to me, you escaped."

Ivypaw purred. "Yes, thanks to you."

"Hey! Let's not get all happy here! I smell a ThunderPath!" Troutpaw growled, glaring at Icestorm. Ivypaw's eyes widened. Was Troutpaw jealous of her growing relationship with Icestorm?

"I heard that WindClan has tunnels that go under the ThunderPath." Icestorm mumbled, looking at the ThunderPath distantly. Ivypaw almost rolled her eyes.

Toms, she thought to herself with amusement. Always jealous because a certain tom gets a pretty she cat.

Ivypaw shook herself. Was she that pretty? She looked at her silver and white fur. It gleamed under the moonlight. I guess I am pretty. To Icestorm and Troutpaw, at least.

"Maybe we can see the Moonstone and greet StarClan!" Snowpaw exclaimed. Ivypaw had never thought of it; she looked up. The moon was almost high in the air.

"Well, if we want to, we should go fast." Troutpaw muttered, going through a tunnel. Ivypaw followed.

"Woah! This is way easier than going over a ThunderPath!" Ivypaw exclaimed.

Troutpaw flicked his ear gently, running through a dusty path. Every cat followed, and soon, the gleam of the moon showered them.

"That was fast!" Snowpaw purred with enthusiasm, running up a rocky path. Ivypaw sighed, looking at her energetic sister. Wasn't she tired?

"Hurry up, Ivypaw!" Troutpaw meowed, running after Snowpaw. Ivypaw glanced at Icestorm, who was padding slowly up the path.

"Wanna race?" Ivypaw asked him. Icestorm didn't budge. "Aw, are you not trying because your afraid I'll beat you?"

At this, Icestorm sprung up. "Your on!" He hissed playfully, running up the path. Ivypaw followed him, making sure he won.

As they reached the top, a cave sat there, waiting for them. "This is the Moonstone," Icestorm and Troutpaw declared at the same time, staring directly at Ivypaw. They then both glared at each other. Ivypaw held back a cry of laughter.

Snowpaw growled. "Okay, love birds, let's go inside. Troutpaw, lead the way."

Icestorm flanked beside her, muttering to himself. Ivypaw caught a few words. "Love bird...Sure...Troutpaw can't even mate...So mouse-brained..." Ivypaw nudged his flank, amusement bubbling up inside of her.

Troutpaw broke her amused thoughts. She had been following his scent through the dark tunnel. "Touch your nose to it." He growled, crouching beside the rock. Ivypaw stared at it with amazement.

"It's beautiful." She gasped, enjoying its beautiful gleam. She realized every other cat had already touched their noses to it and were asleep. Ivypaw touched it with her nose, and soon fell into darkness.

Ivypaw arose, starry fields around her. A tom sat next to her. She stared at him. "Who are you?" She asked.

The tom purred. "I am Riverstar, the first leader of RiverClan," Ivypaw gaped, not believing it. This tom was Riverstar, the great founder of RiverClan?

"Come with me." He meowed. Ivypaw followed him. She spotted Snowpaw. She was talking with a dark brown tom. Ivypaw looked at her surroundings; it was spooky.

"Is this StarClan?" She whispered. She focused on her sister.

"You are training in the Dark Forest, Snowpaw! You can't act like a ThunderClan cat! You are trying to help your Clan!" The dark tom snarled, then slashed at her cheek. Ivypaw gasped as blood flowed from it.

"Snowpaw! No!" She hissed, running up to her. Both cats vanished. A midst of blood surrounded her. Voices all spoke in unison.

"The Ivy's power is great, but blood will shed blood unless the darkness is stopped."

Ivypaw backed away, but she bumped into a she cat. She had long fangs, and snarled, attempting to bite at her neck. Ivypaw screeched, fleeing.

"Help me, StarClan!" She looked frantically for Riverstar, but he was nowhere in sight. The ominous words kept repeating around her, surrounding her.

"The Ivy's power is great...."

Ivypaw snapped awake, gasping. Her heart pounded with fear. Questions strolled through her mind. What was the Dark Forest? What did the Ivy's power mean? She realized Icestorm was awake. Ivypaw tried to act normal.

"Ivypaw, you were meowing in your sleep. You also screamed. Are you okay?" Icestorm asked, his voice stiff with concern.

Ivypaw couldn't help but feel amusement. Only a day or two ago, Icestorm was cold with her. Now, he was steady, calm, and even protective over her. Why? What had changed in that small time?

"Uh, yeah, I'm good." Ivypaw muttered, looking away. She stared at her sister. Horror churned through her as she saw the same gash on her cheek. Blood still flowed from it. Ivypaw's back arched, and her tail fluffed up.

I won't ask her what she's doing yet, She told herself. Maybe it's just a misunderstanding.

But as Snowpaw arose, Ivypaw knew something had happened with her sister.

Something horrible.