Updating at last! Meant to do it sooner, but homework sucks, and there's a lot of it. I hope that you like this chapter! MORE FLUFFINESS!
Review Answers:
Ambershine200: It'll get more dramatic as the story goes on! Thank you so much! I hope I updated soon enough.
Erin Hunteress: Oh, I'm so sorry that I took so long. Ivypool and Dovewing already punished me. XD I'm so glad you like it! Thank you for the praise that I shouldn't get! I LUV Bumblestripe. He's such a sweetheart. I hope you like this chapter, even though it doesn't have any Bumble in it.
Queen June: Yes, it's a bit far-fetched, the whole TigerxIvy thing. But it could happen! I'm glad someone likes Toadstep. He's kind of alone out there...
Meta-If: Okay...? That's, um, cool. Why are you telling me this? Stoneteller isn't even in this story.
Ivypool POV
Her pelt grew warm as it brushed against the black and white tom beside her. Her ears grew hot, and she broadened the space between them to avoid repeating the scene. Toadstep had been oddly clingy the last few days. He hadn't left her side since she had fallen into the lake.
The full moon danced in the dark water and lit up the snow as Ivypool traveled alongside her clan to the island. She was excited to see what news each clan had to bring, and the difference in relationship since the last gathering. But most of all, she was excited to see Tigerheart.
Their last few meetings had left her so happy, and she had felt restless until the sun set and she could slink off to meet his secretly. There was nothing she wanted more than to look into his amber eyes and feel his breath on her cheek.
Ivypool's sister Dovewing heaved as she lugged her weight up the slope toward WindClan territory, struggling to walk with her swollen belly.
A wisp of pity blew through Ivypool, but it drowned in a thick wave of anger. She deserves it! she thought bitterly.
Toadstep noticed her distressed expression and touched her gently on the shoulder, amber eyes filled with concern. "You alright, Ivypool?" he asked. Ivypool nodded, not looking at him.
"Fine," she mumbled, her paws dragging. Her muscles were still sore from the fall, and one of her scratches stung.
The oak forest opened up into the moor. The nearest white hills were dotted with WindClan warriors traveling their way. Ivypool caught sight of Onestar padding at the front, his white fangs gleaming with a cheerful grin. He was apparently in a good mood.
"Greetings, Bramblestar. How is your clan?" he asked, interested. Bramblestar held his gaze steadily.
"We are doing quite fine, actually," he mewed. Onestar's gaze turned solemn, and he let his shoulders slump down.
"It seems strange that Firestar isn't here with use, doesn't it?" the light brown tabby said sadly. Ivypoolwas surprised that he was so sad. Wouldn't he be happy at the thought of weakness in a rival clan?
Bramblestar also dropped his hard composure, sensing that the old leader was serene. "It is strange, but he lives on in the clan, his legacy strengthening us. He will never be forgotten, for every generation. His story will be passed on from elder to kit, until the world itself disintigrates."
Ivypool wondered if this was true. Would Firestar truly be a legend? He had done many great things in his long life, and no one who had known him when he was alive would ever forget him, ever.
Her thoughts wandered to the WindClan cats, and she could see that they were skinnier than the last time she had seen them. The coming of leaf-bare was stealing prey from the rabbit-hunters. She couldn't tell if they'd suffered any losses, because she had no way of knowing who was still at camp, and who was at the Gathering.
The island came into view. She could already smell RiverClan and ShadowClan there. Lilypaw and Seedpaw ran ahead of the two leaders. It was their first Gathering.
"We get to see ShadowClan cats, for real?" Seedpaw asked. Purdy chuckled, his tail twitching.
"Yes, for real. But don't worry, young'un. There's a truce. And if any cat tries to lay a claw on you, I'll teach 'em a lesson."
When they reached the tree-bridge, Ivypool observed that it was slippery with ice. "Careful," Toadstep warned. Ivypool swallowed, and began to make her way across the fallen log. She placed each paw carefully, gripping the hard wood with her claws.
"Get moving!" Spiderleg hissed from behind. Ivypool tried to move faster, but just as she reached the end, she lost her balance and began to slide into the icy water. Before a screech could escape from her jaws, she felt teeth meet her scruff, and was dragged onto the shore of the island.
"Thanks, Toadstep," she said as she turned around. But her breath caught in her throat as she realized that Toadstep wasn't there. She jumped in surprise as she saw instead the brown tabby pelt of her favorite cat in the world.
"Tigerheart!" she exclaimed. Tigerheart laughed and rasped his tongue over her muzzle. She ducked away. "Not where everyone can see!"
Tigerheart just laughed again.
"Ivpool! Ivypool!" Toadstep's cry rose to their ears. "Ivypool!" The black and white tom burst through the trees. "There you are," he said, brushing against her. He glared daggers at Tigerheart. "What did you do to her?" he demanded.
Tigerheart grinned at him. "Nothing. She fell of the tree-bridge, so I helped her out of the lake, that's all."
Toadstep narrowed his eyes until they were slits, and wrapped his tail around around Ivypool's shoulders. "C'mon, Ivypool," he hissed, and tugged her away. Ivypool shot an apologetic glance at Tigerheart, and then followed Toadstep.
"Applefur!" Ivypool mewed delightedly at the sight of her friend. It had been just a little less than a moon ago that they had fought together. New, deep scars ran across the she-cat face, no doubt from the battle against the Dark Forest.
"Hey, Ivpool!" the brown she-cat answered, gesturing for her to come and sit by her. "How is your clan?" she asked casually, swiping her paw over her ear.
"We're good. Building back up strong," Ivypool said proudly. Applefur was about to reply when a harsh snarl sounded from behind.
"Applefur! Get away from those mouse-chasers and with your clan!" Crowfrost growled, tail held erect behind him. He hissed at Ivypool and Toadstep before turning. Applefur bit her lip and scampered back to him.
"I-I didn't expect all the tension," Ivypool said, perplexed. Toadstep nodded, a worried expression on his face. While the other clans greeted each other warmly, ShadowClan was not mingling. They sat in a tight clump, glaring coldly at all who passed them. Lilypaw padded up a young ShadowClan warrior, but darted away when he spat at her.
"They better start the gathering or a fight will break out," Toadstep murmured as they watched the hostility in the eyes of the ShadowClan cats gleam viscously.
As if on cue, Mistystar yowled for attention. "Cats of all clans, let the gathering begin!" The quiet conversations slowly faded into silence. "Onestar," Mistystar said, dipping her head to the WindClan leader. "Would you like to begin?"
Onestar stepped forward on the branch he sat on. "WindClan is well. The rabbits are beginning to recede into their burrows for leaf-bare, but we are blessed with lack of sickness. In the battle, we lost two loyal warriors, Whitetail and Gorsetail, and a wise elder, Tornear. But, on brighter events, our apprentice Boulderpaw is now Boulderfang. Also, Heathertail is now expecting kits!"
Mews of congratulations rang on the island, and Ivypool was glad that it wasn't all gloom and darkness that had befallen the clans.
"I will go next, if you please," Mistystar announced. "Fish are plentiful in the lake at the time. Grasspelt, Robinwing, and Troutpaw fought bravely against the Place of No Stars, but it cost them their lives. They have joined StarClan."
"'Troutpaw' is an apprentice name," Toadstep whispered. "It's so sad when an apprentice dies before they become a warrior." Ivypool sighed in agreement. At least they hadn't lost Molepaw or Cherrypaw. The only cats who had died in ThunderClan had already become warriors, or more. Only Hollyleaf still had had a long life to live ahead of her. Pain rose afresh in Ivypool, but she began to composure as Bramblestar began to speak.
"We come tonight without our amazing former leader, Firestar. He perished in the Dark Forest Battle at the claws of Tigerstar," Bramblestar mewed, grief thick in his voice, though he held his head high.
"He will be greatly missed," Mistystar said, forehead creased.
"Of course," Onestar added. Blackestar didn't comment.
"Also, our queen, Ferncloud, our elder, Mousefur, and our warrior, Hollyleaf, have joined the ranks of StarClan," the brown tabby leader said. Ivypool noticed that Toadstep was wrapped up in the gathering, and not paying attention to her. She slipped away from him silently, and made her way across the clearing unseen.
When she reached Tigerheart, she knew that it would hard to squeeze into the chunk of inseparable ShadowClan warriors unnoticed. So she flicked a pebble at the brown tabby tom, and dove under the frosted brambles. Tigerheart whipped around, and crept after her.
"I thought I'd never get to talk to you!" he mewed. He pressed himself against her and wrapped his tail around her shoulders. Ivypool felt her skin sizzle under his touch.
"You really should try to be more careful about that around other cats. It's a dead giveaway! Maybe we should go back to sit with our clans-"
"No," Tigerheart whispered. "Stay here, with me, forever." Ivypool purred quietly, and rubbed her cheek against his. "I love you."
"I love you, too," Ivypool breathed. She had never felt this way before. About Hawkfrost, or Toadstep, or anyone. She wanted to run with him at her side, forever and ever, and never look back at her clan once.
"Ivypool?" Tigerheart asked suddenly. "Have–have you thought about what I said?" Ivypool cocked her head, wondering what he meant. "About running away?"
Ivypool hadn't exactly thought about it. She had been pushing it from her mind, not wanting to think about it. It made her feel sick. But hadn't she just told herself that she wanted to never leave him?
"I have thought about it, a little," Ivypool mewed, looking away. "And I think I have an answer."
She didn't continue. "And?" Tigerheart prompted. "What is that answer?"
Ivypool shifted on her paws uncomfortably. "I-I want to tell you at the end of the gathering. Is that okay?" she asked. Tigerheart looked confused, but didn't say anything. He nodded with his amber eyes narrowed in concern.
Ivypool gave him one last affectionate lick, and then slipped out of the leafless bushes and into the clearing. Blackstar was just about finished with his report as she slid in next to Toadstep, who still hadn't noticed her absence.
"I have one last thing to say before we end the gathering," Blackstar mewed, glaring down at the cats in the clearing. "ThunderClan are prey-stealers! We have scented them all along to border of our territory."
"How dare you accuse my warriors?" Bramblestar snarled. "Were there any remnants of prey?" he demanded. Blackstar shook his head slowly.
"No, but what else would your excuses for warriors be doing on our territory? Sleeping?" Blackstar hissed menacingly.
"If your so great," Toadstep yowled. "Then how come your patrols haven't caught us?" Squirrelflight shot the black and white tom a meaningful look from the roots of the Great Oak, silencing him.
"Look!" Mistystar yowled. "StarClan has hidden the moon!" A dark cloud had traveled across the sky, and now veiled the silver orb in the sky. "The gathering is over!"
The scents that the ShadowClan patrols found were me! I hope I didn't start a fight. Tigerheart and I are going to get caught sooner or later, and I think I know what I have to do... Ivypool thought.
Bramblestar beckoned ThunderClan, and they began to make their way off of the island. Toadstep was murmuring angrily to himself, clawing at the ground, and not paying any attention to her.
Ivypool veered off to the edge of the crowd, looking for Tigerheart. She spotted him at the back the ShadowClan clump, his eyes darting around, searching for her. She kept her head low as she crept up behind him.
"Tigerheart," she said softly. The tom jumped, and turned around, but smiled when he saw Ivypool.
"So... are you ready to give me your answer?" he asked nervously. Ivypool swallowed and nodded. "So...?" Tigerheart said, eyes searching her. Ivypool took a deep breath, and a step forward. She knew that she was doing the right thing. It was what was best for their love, and for both of their clans. It was the only way that they could be together.
"I will go with you."