Elsi: Hello, friendlies! I have a whole new round of chapters for you - this one, a one-shot for Sunstrike's Story, another chapter of An Endless Reign...ahhh, it all looks good. This is...an okay level chapter, I would say. Okay. :D Read and enjoy, and we'll keep going. Hopefully, I'll get into another round of character chapters soon! I have another Lionblaze chapter next, I believe.

Elsi: Okay, well, enjoy!

Chapter 4

Ivypaw

As much as she loathed what ThunderClan was turning into, Ivypaw hated to see any cat sick. It made them pathetic, unable to fight, unable to even think, and that feeling had to be paralyzing. How did someone like Jayfeather live with it? He could never fight in battle, nor stare into an enemy's eyes to read their intentions. He was stuck in a world of death and sickness every day. For some reason, Ivypaw found herself pitying him more than she knew that she should. Briarlight was in an even worse scenario, but at least she knew what it was to dig her claws into the scruff of another cat and tumble down a hill. Just the thought of battle made her pelt buzz, and Ivypaw's paws began to twitch as she remembered her most recent trick. Hawkfrost was teaching her techniques from other Clans now! She would be one of the greatest warriors ever!

Shaking her thoughts from her head, Ivypaw placed Jayfeather's meal at the entrance of the den, announcing her arrival with a brief mew. She turned to go, wishing to get away from the suffocating scent of white-cough, but a husky growl caught her off-guard. Surprised, Ivypaw turned to see the grouchy medicine cat standing there, glaring at her – if he even knew what glaring was. She glared back, just for the fun of it.

"I need a capable set of paws," Jayfeather announced.

"Briarlight?" suggested Ivypaw. Jayfeather didn't reply, turning towards the back and beckoning her with a sweep of his tail. Sighing, Ivypaw slunk after him, skirting the nests of her sick Clan-mates and brushing into the back part of the den. Apart from the sleeping form of Briarlight, she saw nothing but herbs. "What do you need?"

"I need you to hand me things when I ask for them," Jayfeather decided, and then, unceremoniously, he began to list herbs for her. Surprised, Ivypaw set to work. The task was boring and mundane; all she really had to do was nuzzle into the herb stores, check to make sure the leaves smelled "right," and give them to Jayfeather. He did the rest, his paws working with surprising speed, judging on his disability.

"So," Jayfeather said as Ivypaw fished another stalk of coltsfoot from the store. "Tell me about your training."

Ivypaw gave him an odd glance, relieved that he couldn't see any of her reactions. Why did he care about her training? Wasn't he a medicine cat?

"It's fine," Ivypaw replied stiffly. "Cinderheart taught me how to follow a squirrel up a tree."

"And your other training?" asked Jayfeather casually. Ivypaw stared at him, forgetting for a moment what she was doing. The blind medicine cat stared up at her, his eyes milky and haunting. "I'm sure it's more interesting anyways."

"I don't have any more training," Ivypaw bluffed. Her heart began to beat faster and harder, almost as if she had been chasing a rabbit like a WindClan cat. "I only have Cinderheart."

"Of course," Jayfeather muttered, turning back to his herb bundles. "But if you did, I am sure that it would be far more interesting." Those cloudy eyes turned up to her, blindly gazing at her. "I don't think you would do that. If you did…you could easily get out of it before you made a mistake. That's what I am here for."

She left as soon as she could, flustered and muddled by his statement. Did he know? He had to know – why else would he have said something so open and warm, yet vaguely threatening? How would she continue?

Ivypaw stopped short. It wasn't as if she was doing anything wrong. She was only getting extra training from Hawkfrost. He was a StarClan warrior, and he had helped her in that battle! There was nothing that she was doing wrong – nothing.

When she curled up, however, she was hurled into the Dark Forest with an urgency that seemed unusual. Ivypaw woke with a jolt, standing suddenly before Hawkfrost. That was odd as well – usually she had to wander around until she found him. The dead cat's eyes were narrowed in a glare of dissatisfaction. At once, Ivypaw took a step back.

"You're growing too close to your Clan-mates," Hawkfrost snapped, lashing his tail. Ivypaw opened her mouth, appalled, but he cut her off. "You don't want to become corrupted like them, do you?"

"Of course not!" declared Ivypaw. "You know that I want to become stronger and better than all of them. ThunderClan is weak, and I can make it stronger."

Hawkfrost nodded.

"That's right," he agreed. "But do you believe it?" With a sweep of his tail, the mighty tabby marched into the woods. Desperate with desire for the training he had offered her, Ivypaw scrambled after him, trying to come up with some sort of proof.

Hawkfrost turned to her suddenly, and behind him, Ivypaw could see the silently gushing dark river. With a tilt of his head, Hawkfrost indicated to it.

"We can train like RiverClan cats today," he suggested. "Unless you're afraid of the water?"

"It's fine," spat Ivypaw. Her heart began to beat harder, and her fur whispered its protest as she stepped into the river. In truth, she was a little afraid of the water, but she couldn't let that show if she wanted to be a brave warrior! Hawkfrost nodded thoughtfully.

Then he lunged for her, and his claws caught her even as she stepped to the side. Ivypaw kicked him back, her paws slipping under her. Suddenly, the water crashed up around her face, and she gasped for air, her head breaking the surface again. She had time to see Hawkfrost flying towards her, and she dove forward as she would in any other situation. Hawkfrost's paws caught her back, and she was down into the water, the cold current engulfing her. It was impossibly dark, and at her moment of weakness, Hawkfrost pushed her down.

Everything was a dizzy blur of water, and Ivypaw's lungs threatened to explode. She squirmed helplessly, but he was too heavy, and she felt herself slipping. Was she dying? Could she die in a dream? No…she wouldn't leave the world like that, not without making an impact. Furious, Ivypaw let herself flip, her stomach scraping painfully on the river stones. With all of her strength, Ivypaw raked her claws down Hawkfrost's chest and stomach, finding that after a moment, his weight shifted. She pushed upwards, and as air filled her again, Ivypaw splashed onto shore. Her world still swam, but she could breathe, and so, on the ground, she did so, clinging to life. A few moments passed, and Ivypaw struggled to her paws. Hawkfrost sat there, his face blank.

"What in StarClan's name was that?!" roared Ivypaw, her fur standing on edge. "You…you tried to drown me!"

"Training," Hawkfrost answered coolly. Ivypaw wouldn't settle for that, and she bared her teeth at him, making Hawkfrost raise an eyebrow.

"If that was training, then we're done," she spat. "I'm here to become a better warrior. I'm not here to let you shove me in a river and try to kill me."

Her words caused a smile to spread over Hawkfrost's face. Ivypaw hissed back, stepping away in case he did something more.

"I knew you were the right warrior," he said with a grin. "You're courage is commendable, Ivypaw."

"What?!" roared Ivypaw. She found that she was already fluffed up, but if she had any more anger in her, it released then in one savage growl.

"I had to test you," Hawkfrost snapped. "You're…you're finally ready, it seems."

"I guess I am," spat Ivypaw. Hawkfrost nodded.

"Why don't you come with me, then?" he suggested. "That was the final test, Ivypaw. You're ready."

"Ready for what?" Ivypaw inquired. Her anger suddenly vanishing, she scampered after him. "Hawkfrost! Is this some other test?"

"Listen," Hawkfrost answered, but he slowed enough to let her walk beside him, which was something he hadn't done since they had first met. "That was the final test. I'm taking you to my father now, and we're going to tell you exactly why we chose you for training."

Tigerstar…Ivypaw took a deep breath, but let herself follow. Around them, the forest seemed to get darker and more maze-like, and the fungus on the trees began to glow with a greater intensity. Ivypaw forced herself not to panic, instead taking in every detail of her surroundings. She would never get lost in this endless forest, she decided. Training in the dark forest was helping her with her skills of observation as well as her fighting skills. After the ShadowClan battle, she was positive that she was making some sort of an impact on the world around her. She would be the best warrior in ThunderClan – one day, she would even beat Lionblaze!

They stepped into the darkest clearing yet, where, in the shadows, he sat. He was a monstrous cat, huge and towering, with amber eyes that stared into her soul. The huge tabby had claws the size of her face, she thought, and seemed to grow stronger in the shadows, as opposed to fearing it.

All in all, Ivypaw decided, he was not as fearsome as the elders made him out to be.

"Ivypaw," rumbled Tigerstar, and he stepped out of the shadows. As soon as he did so, he shrank a bit. "You are not as frightened as the others have been."

"What is there to be afraid of?" Ivypaw demanded, knowing very well that she was trying her luck. "If you had wanted to kill me, Hawkfrost actually would have drowned me in that river."

"See?" Hawkfrost mewed, nodding his satisfaction at Ivypaw. "She may be just a kit, but she's braver and cleverer than any of ThunderClan's other warriors."

Ivypaw glowed under the praise, but Tigerstar took both comments in, unblinking.

"Allow me to explain why you are here, Ivypaw," Tigerstar said after a few hostile moments. He paced forward, taking a seat. Hawkfrost fell to his side, and Ivypaw stared at them both, for the first time feeling a little intimidated. These cats really could rip her apart if she displeased them. You could easily get out, a memory of Jayfeather reminded her. But Ivypaw stood tall. She wouldn't want to get out.

"The Clans are corrupted," Tigerstar began in a rumbling, low voice. He sounded almost like Brambleclaw, except perhaps he was stronger. "You know this, of course."

"Yes," agreed Ivypaw.

"It was Firestar that began it all," Tigerstar admitted with a flick of his tail. "He brought in his kittypet ways, and then ThunderClan turned away from what it had once been." The mighty leader shook his head, and darkness seeped through him for a moment, reminding Ivypaw that these two cats really were dead. "That spirit slowly spread to the other Clans as well, and now they are what they are. Divided even in themselves, open to strangers, slowly filling themselves with traitors."

"Traitors?" questioned Ivypaw. She scratched at the moss below her paws. "Like those cats who have taken cats from other Clans as mates."

"Just the same," agreed Tigerstar. His eyes flashed once more. "Your sister seems to be growing fond of them, too."

"Dovepaw is nothing compared to me," Ivypaw said fiercely. "That's why you've chosen me, right?"

"Precisely," Tigerstar responded. "Of course, you knew all of this before."

Ivypaw gave a nod of confirmation. Tigerstar exchanged a glance with Hawkfrost.

"Now, here's what you don't understand," he continued. "StarClan keeps encouraging this behavior, partly because they have gained members full of this same mindset. The older members of StarClan, however, understand that we are growing ready to act. They fear that our power may overcome theirs."

Ivypaw blinked. Were they suggesting that she go against StarClan? She would receive their training, of course, and help to fix the corruption in the Clans, but…StarClan's word was law, wasn't it?

"They continue to make up their little words and signs," Hawkfrost said angrily. "They push cats to do things they otherwise wouldn't do. They give power to the worst of the traitors – Firestar, Leafpool, Jayfeather. One a kittypet, the other the mate to a WindClan cat, and the third an abomination. And look – they're all kin."

Firestar is my kin, too, thought Ivypaw. Does that make me a traitor?

"StarClan is falling apart," Tigerstar said, silencing his son. "Before they destroy the Clans entirely, we must act. We have to purge the Clans of these traitors and rebuild them. Everywhere you turn, there are useless cats. Cripples, kittypets, blood traitors, abominations, and the warriors…the warriors are growing soft and useless, all of them." He tilted his head. "But you won't be like that, will you, Ivypaw?"

"I'm going to be ThunderClan's best warrior," Ivypaw promised.

"Then we need your help, which is why Hawkfrost found you," Tigerstar responded. "We need you to help us rebuild the Clans in their strong, rightful forms. You're going to be the best warrior in ThunderClan, so we were wondering if you would like to lead the ThunderClan portion of our initiative."

Ivypaw paused, wondering. What did that mean?

"We're training more warriors from your Clan," Hawkfrost promised her. "You are by far the most promising recruit, so we want you to lead them when we begin to act."

Ivypaw pondered the offer, mulling it over in her mind. If they were right, then the Clans desperately needed cats like her to help. But at the expense of cats of her Clan…Jayfeather, Lionblaze, Firestar, Briarlight, Leafpool…all were still ThunderClan cats, regardless of where they came from or what happened to them in their lives. Then Ivypaw decided: if there was something that she could do to save her Clan, she would do it, no matter the cost.

"I would love to," Ivypaw said warmly, flicking her tail. "I want to save my Clan."

Tigerstar began to smile, a malicious, dark curl of his lips. Hawkfrost's eyes picked up the glow of the moss, and he nodded in satisfaction.

Ivypaw took a deep breath and made herself relax. She was going to save ThunderClan!

Then she awoke, finding herself in the unsatisfactory daytime glow of the apprentice's den. A shadow blocked the doorway – was it Dovepaw? Ivypaw sat up, but her sister was already marching away and leaving the den empty.

Sighing, Ivypaw pulled herself to her feet, finding her muscles tired and sore, as they always were after these nights. Her lungs hurt, too, even though she hadn't actually been drowned. Water would never scare her again, though, and that was some sort of comfort. Despite the danger Hawkfrost put her in and the bruises he gave her, she was improving and overcoming the limitations other cats faced.

Turning her tired mind to her duties, Ivypaw moved out of the apprentice's den and into the early morning light. She liked being up at dawn, unlike most of the Clan. It was almost refreshing – the afternoon sun made her sluggish, and at night, the world settled into a melancholy glow, but in the morning, everything was crisp and new.

Her stomach growled, revealing her effort from the dream the previous night. Looking around the camp, Ivypaw headed towards the fresh-kill pile. There was no sign of Cinderheart yet, so she had time for a snack. As she bent to pluck a small mouse from the pile, a huge yawn burst from her jaws.

"You're up early," said a low voice. Ivypaw identified it, bending to pick up her fresh-kill. Perhaps she could avoid the grouchy medicine cat – what was he doing out of his den anyways? "Did you give any thought to what I said?"

Ivypaw's heart clenched, and she dropped her fresh-kill for a second to face him. There was no one around, and she was getting frustrated by his approaches. What was he playing at? Did he know her secret?

"I still don't know what you mean," she insisted. Jayfeather wasn't having that this morning, it appeared, for he gave her the darkest of looks, despite his blindness.

"You know precisely what I mean," he countered. "You should not trust the darkness, Ivypaw. Tigerstar has no room for allies."

Ivypaw considered denial again, but then she paused. The only reason he had influence was due to StarClan…and StarClan had no power over her.

"I would appreciate it if you did not advise me on what I should and should not do," she snapped. "Goodbye, Jayfeather."

"If you change your mind, I will be waiting," Jayfeather countered. Ivypaw gave him a queer and hateful look, knowing that he couldn't see it, and prowled away. Jayfeather didn't know what he was talking about – he was only making speculations, anyways. Even if he did know her secret, what could he do? He was only a useless medicine cat. Ivypaw had more important tasks than lying to blind abominations.

Elsi: DESTRUCTION. DAAAAAARKNESS.

Elsi: Really, though. Those are my favorites. Death and Destruction, Darkness and...okay, my three favorite things for a story. And they shall be coming at you shortly! WOOHOO!

Elsi: Now, if you enjoyed this, review and tell me what you thought! Summer's starting, although I don't have much time to write with camps and work and...ugh. But I'll try. :D See you guys soon!