Elsi: A Lionblaze chapter! I actually really enjoy the Lionblaze chapters. They're the most tangible to me, probably because Lionblaze has the most tangible power out of the Three/Four. Yes. I know. Ivypool doesn't have any special powers in canon. SHE DOES HERE. THAT'S WHY IT'S FANFICTION.

Elsi: On that note, I really don't own Warriors. Or any of these characters.

Elsi: You should expect more of this story soon, probably, well, okay, maybe not. It's my goal to write two WaS chapters to every chapter of the regular series. I've hit a point where I'm bringing in aspects of this story to Book 3, so I need to reveal them here first. Chronology and stuff.

Elsi: Read on, good readers!

Chapter 8

Lionblaze

Lionblaze stretched in the morning light. Where should he and Cinderheart bring Dovepaw and Ivypaw today?

Oh, no. Doveheart was a warrior now. She and Ivypool had pushed into the den early that morning and were just beginning to stir. He felt bad about sleeping in so late, but with nothing to stop him, he had enjoyed sleeping for the first time.

"Hello, lazy furball!" Cinderheart bounded up to him, beaming. "Want to do something now that we don't have any apprentices?"

She seemed far too cheerful for the situation. Only a few days ago, Jayfeather had ripped a ball of darkness out of her leg. Add that to the fact that ShadowClan had attacked, and none of this made sense. Lionblaze shrugged mentally, deciding that he wasn't bothered by it. He opened his mouth to reply, but then remembered Cinderheart's confession, and the strange way she felt for him, and…if he accepted her invitation, it would be like promising her that he felt the same way. Did he? He wasn't so sure. Jayfeather would be angry if he just tossed her around, too. He had to be careful.

"Sure," Lionblaze said. "Let's see what Brambleclaw needs us to do." Cinderheart's face fell, but Lionblaze pretended like he didn't see and trotted up to his foster father.

"Good, just who I need," Brambleclaw said. "Cinderheart, I need you to go down towards the lake with Dustpelt and Whitewing and Foxleap. They're going to investigate for any shadow activity."

"Lionblaze can come," Cinderheart said. "He was there."

"I need Lionblaze to go hunting," Brambleclaw cut in, making Lionblaze immensely relieved. "You and Brightheart and…you know what? Take the new warriors with you. They seem awake enough." Lionblaze looked over his shoulder, relieved to see Doveheart and Ivypool emerging from the warriors den for the first time. He ushered his party together quickly, and they set out.

"How does it feel to go hunting as a warrior?" Brightheart asked pleasantly. Doveheart beamed her reply. Ivypool shrugged her shoulders.

"Hunting is hunting," Ivypool answered. "Either way, it's about feeding the Clan."

That's a good answer, thought Lionblaze, but Ivypool doesn't seem to believe it.

They traveled in silence for a while, until Brightheart tugged Lionblaze aside.

"You were Doveheart's mentor," Brightheart said. "Has something come between those two? They're usually so close." Lionblaze shifted uncomfortably for a moment before nodding.

"I don't know what," he said. Truthfully, Lionblaze was almost positive that it had to do with Tigerheart, which made him uncomfortable. Was Doveheart growing too close to Tigerheart? They'd been friends, but his name kept popping up. Why else would Ivypool have told him about their conversation at the Gathering?

Doveheart paused, flicking her ears. Then, without a word, she dropped into a deep hunter's crouch. Lionblaze beamed – it was, as always, flawless. Ivypool stepped back beside him to watch as Doveheart set her eyes on a clump of vibrating ferns. Lionblaze sniffed the air, catching the smell of mouse she was after, and watched Doveheart creep and spring. The mouse was pinned under her claws, and Doveheart sat up, proud.

"My first catch as a warrior!" she said, muffled by the fresh-kill. Lionblaze and Brightheart exchanged an amused glance.

"Wasn't particularly special, was it?" Ivypool said, cutting into the peace. Lionblaze rounded on Ivypool, ready to scold her, but Doveheart spoke up before he could react.

"It's not supposed to be special."

"Isn't it, though?" asked Ivypool. "With you, it's all supposed to be special. Special training. Special privileges. Special senses. Special friends from -."

"Ivypool, that's enough," Lionblaze cut in, but Ivypool wasn't done. Horrified at what was about to be revealed, Lionblaze turned to Brightheart.

"Can you go get Jayfeather?" he asked quickly. "I think something's…er…well, I need him very much. Please, Brightheart."

Skeptical, Brightheart started to refuse, but at the look in his eyes, conceded.

"I got it," Brightheart answered. "I'm sure you can handle this."

"Thank you," Lionblaze said. He was utterly relieved that it was someone like Brightheart, who understood and respected that she wasn't the most important cat in the Clan, that she played a part just like everyone else, and that Lionblaze, Jayfeather, and Doveheart had something special between them.

"You two need to cut it out, now," Lionblaze said, but Ivypool had just gotten started.

"It's your fault that we got attacked!" said Ivypool. "You shouldn't have told Tigerheart anything! Maybe you shouldn't be sneaking off to hidden meetings anymore! Huh? Ever thought of that? Ever thought that maybe Tigerheart is reporting your every move to someone more important?"

"Blackstar is more important?" spat Doveheart, puffing up her already fluffy fur. "What's gotten into you, Ivypool?"

"Blackstar is like Firestar," said Ivypool darkly. "Another stupid leader making stupid decisions. Firestar thinks you're the special one, huh? That's mouse-dung. I'm the special one now. I've been training harder than you could ever believe. You wouldn't last two minutes in my training, but me…I'm amazing now." Ivypool beamed, lifting her chin up.

"You're not…what training?" Doveheart's ears flattened to the back of her head, and Lionblaze felt the same happening to him. He didn't want this to be the truth.

"I'm being trained to stop the corruption in this forest," Ivypool reported. "Soon, we're going to stop everyone who has hindered the Clans."

"Who is we?" Lionblaze asked as calmly as he could. Ivypool ignored him.

"You think Tigerheart is just going to listen to you calmly, is that right? No, Doveheart. He's working with me. When he's not spying on you, he's with me. Me, training to see a better future."

"Training where?" Lionblaze asked, his voice rising in anger. Ivypool tilted her chin in the air.

"I don't have to tell you abominations anything," she said. Lionblaze was sick of asking, so he strode up to Ivypool and towered over her, baring his teeth.

"The Place of No Stars," he said in the meanest voice he could think of. "You're training with Tigerstar."

"To save the Clans," said Ivypool, confirming all of his fears.

"No…" Doveheart's voice was feeble, hidden. "This isn't true. Tell me you're lying, Ivypool…"

"Me and Tigerheart and the others," Ivypool said, glaring at her. "I know everything, Doveheart. He doesn't love you. You're just another piece for the cause."

"Ivypool…you're about to make me extremely angry," Lionblaze said, gaining her attention. "I suggest you back up a few steps."

"That would be preferable." All of a sudden, Jayfeather appeared at the side of the clearing. "Brightheart's in camp. It's just us."

"Jayfeather," Lionblaze said, relieved. He left Ivypool for a moment, making her wince, and strode to him. "She's with Tigerstar. Could she be…?"

"I don't know anything about the fourth," snapped Jayfeather. He turned to face Ivypool, who glared in his direction. "Ivypool."

"Are you going to lecture me again, Jayfeather?" laughed Ivypool. "You can't stop what's happening. You're just some stupid blind medicine cat. No one needs you."

"Go," Jayfeather said quietly. "I'll get to you one day, Ivypool, but that day isn't today. Leave Lionblaze and Doveheart alone."

"She's betraying the Clan, you know," Ivypool said sharply.

"Yes, I know," said Jayfeather. "And so are you." Ivypool glared at him and stiffened. "I'm not going to tell Firestar. But I won't give up on you, either."

"What do you know?" said Ivypool. She spat at Jayfeather's paws and stalked away. Lionblaze felt the fury edging into his paws. No one disrespected his brother like that.

"Stay, Lionblaze," Jayfeather said in a soft voice. The medicine cat jerked his head to Doveheart, who was now a fluff-ball of defeat. Her ears drooped, her tail sat limply behind her, and her shoulders were hunched over her paws.

"Hey," Lionblaze said, reaching over to her. "It's okay."

"I just want my sister again," said Doveheart. Then she was sobbing, and Lionblaze wrapped his tail around her. "She's in the Dark Forest, Lionblaze! With Tigerstar and Hawkfrost and those horrible cats. And Tigerheart…"

"We'll get Ivypool back," Lionblaze said, letting her lean into him. "Jayfeather will get her back." His brother nodded solemnly. "Could she be the forth?"

"It's very possible," agreed Jayfeather. "I don't know. Keep searching." He heaved a sigh and turned away again. Doveheart ceased her weeping for a moment and looked up at him. Then she broke again.

"It's alright, Dove," Lionblaze said quietly. "Jayfeather will bring Ivypool back. Promise."

XXXX

"All cats old enough to catch their own fresh-kill gather beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!"

Half a moon since Doveheart and Ivypool had become warriors – and Doveheart's world had fallen apart – and somehow, Clan life never changed. It had been a calm half-moon…no shadow warriors to report, no more ShadowClan attacks. Maybe their response to the attack had proven their strength – for the moment. Lionblaze was relieved for a little peace, even if it was hard-fought. He stretched and plodded over to sit by Doveheart, like he did more often than not. It was that or sit by Cinderheart (nearly a moon later and he was still uncomfortable being around her for too long), which he did often enough to keep her believing that they were still close. Lionblaze didn't want to lose Cinderheart's friendship. She had always been one of his closest companions…he just didn't think about her romantically. Or did he? He didn't want to think about it.

"Today, ThunderClan celebrates how life continues with the naming of two new apprentices," called Firestar. "Molekit and Cherrykit, step forward."

The two kits in question staggered up, bouncing like kits all did. Lionblaze looked over to see Berrynose and Poppyfrost beaming side-by-side, and a pang hit him. He looked across camp to Cinderheart, who smiled back at him. Maybe he did want to grow close to Cinderheart. She would be a good mother…

Disturbed by his train of thought, Lionblaze wrenched his gaze back to the kits, who were dwarfed by Firestar.

"Molekit and Cherrykit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to become apprentices. Molekit, from this day on, until you earn your warrior name, you will be Molepaw. StarClan, I ask you to guide this new apprentice. Set his paws on the path he must follow to become a warrior." His eyes flashed away. "Rosepetal. You will be mentor to Molepaw. You have shown courage in the face of danger and have proven your loyalty to the Clan. I am sure you will train Molepaw to do the same."

Mentor and apprentice united, making Lionblaze smile and nudge Doveheart. She had been so very excited as an apprentice. She'd been an amazing apprentice, really. Now she was a warrior.

"Cherrykit, from this day on, until you earn your warrior name, you will be Cherrypaw. StarClan, guide this new apprentice and teach her your ways. May you guide her well until she becomes a warrior. Icecloud. You will be mentor to Cherrypaw. You are a hard-working and strong warrior, and I trust that you will pass these qualities down to Cherrypaw."

As Icecloud and Cherrypaw met as mentor and apprentice, Lionblaze found himself crying up into the sky with the rest of the Clan – "Molepaw! Cherrypaw!" Doveheart did the same beside him, and he knew that she had found some sort of excitement in the ceremony. Hardly anything excited Doveheart these days, so the cheer of a celebration was good for her. Relieved at her reaction, Lionblaze moved forward to greet the new apprentices.

"I hate to pull you away now," said Jayfeather's voice in his ear. Lionblaze turned and promised that he was indifferent. The medicine cat pulled him back towards his den and faced him.

"Sorry to pull you back," Jayfeather said again. "I just thought that now, while the Clan is busy, is a good time to warn you."

"Warn me?" asked Lionblaze. His nerves lighted in his chest.

"I just had a warning from StarClan," Jayfeather murmured. "I was told that those new mentors and apprentices are in danger of some sort. I don't know who…I don't know how…but one or more of them is in deadly danger." He tilted his head. "I don't want anything to happen to new apprentices, or good warriors. Would you and Doveheart keep an eye on them? Seeing as I am incapable of doing so myself." That last bit was dry enough to make Lionblaze snicker, even in the severity of the situation.

"If StarClan has put them in particular danger, it must be important," he said. Jayfeather nodded, his face grave. "I'll see if I can help."

"Thanks, Lionblaze," said Jayfeather, sounding relieved. "Oh…how's Cinderheart?"

He asks about Cinderheart, when Doveheart is the one that's upset.

"Fine," said Lionblaze, shrugging. "She doesn't seem upset to me." Jayfeather nodded pensively. Seeing it as a dismissal, Lionblaze brushed outside. More missions. Fantastic.

XXXX

Lionblaze found his eyes slipping short, and he jerked them open when he heard his name. Icecloud stood over him, her blue eyes intense. It was late, but the low light gave Icecloud's pelt a shimmery, star-like feel to it. He smiled at the effect on his Clan-mate, who smiled back.

"I never got a chance," he said. "Congratulations on your apprentice. Cherrypaw looks like she'll make a good warrior someday, especially now that she has a great mentor." That was good flattery, he figured. Icecloud laughed at this, making him grin.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about," Icecloud said. Her voice took a suddenly shy tilt, one that he rarely saw in Icecloud. "You were a really good mentor to Doveheart, and I want to do the same for Cherrypaw. Do you think you can help me brush up on my battle skills? If you're not busy."

That was a good idea, really, and it would fulfill Jayfeather's request. Nodding, Lionblaze stood up and stretched.

"I'd be happy to help out," he said. "What were you hoping to do?"

"Just the basics," Icecloud said nervously. "I mean, I know what I'm doing, but I don't know how to teach. I figured that if I was more comfortable with the moves in the context of training, it would help."

"That makes sense," Lionblaze said, because it did. He respected the way Icecloud was actually asking for help – few mentors did that. He certainly hadn't, and it had shown in his first few lessons with Doveheart.

"It's lovely out today," Icecloud commented, bouncing a little bit as they walked through the woods. "Thank you for helping me."

"It's no trouble at all," Lionblaze answered with a smile. "I kind of miss battle training, to be honest. I got so used to training with Doveheart and Ivypool."

"Sure," Icecloud said. "You and Cinderheart often worked together. I bet you were really close." All of this was said super quietly, as if Icecloud didn't want to pry. Lionblaze nodded, avoiding the sensitive subject.

"It was nice to have someone to catch my teaching mistakes," he said. "Maybe you and Rosepetal could team up, too."

Icecloud nodded in agreement. They arrived in the clearing then, and Icecloud turned to face him. Lionblaze took up his fighting stance on the other end of the clearing. Just like he was fighting Doveheart – not too hard, but a challenge. Icecloud had to be ready for everything.

"Just a quick bout, to warm up?" he suggested. Icecloud nodded. "You attack first."

She leaped for him, her jump skillful and surprisingly successful at catching him, despite his side-step. Impressed, Lionblaze regained his balance and sprung for Icecloud. She ducked, but he grabbed her tail and yanked her around. Spitting, Icecloud smacked him with a firm paw and butted into him. She wasn't bad, not in the slightest. He crouched down, waiting for her next attack, and sprung up to knock her back when she pounced. Icecloud squirmed under his pin, effectively pushing her paws between them and shoving him back. Though she was small, Icecloud was surprisingly strong, and he reeled for a moment before leaping back into battle. They went on like that for a few more minutes, until Lionblaze finished the fight by pinning Icecloud by the back of her neck.

"That was fantastic," Icecloud panted when Lionblaze released her. She sat up and shook dirt out of her face. "I'd forgotten how good of a warrior you are." Icecloud twitched her white tail.

"It's been a long time since we've fought together," said Lionblaze. "But you're a good fighter, Icecloud." He looked at her in surprise, not expecting such clever tactics from the snowy warrior. She was often clumsy, and not the best hunter the Clan had to offer. But here, on the battlefield, she had been calm, smart, and graceful. He was excited about working with her further.

"So, what do you think?" Icecloud asked. "Will I be good enough for Cherrypaw? I don't want to let the Clan down."

Lionblaze laughed at the insecurity, somewhat amazed. She honestly doubted herself, but it was all for the good of the Clan. So few cats these days gave themselves so entirely to ThunderClan – it haunted him everyday, because it seemed like Tigerstar had a point. Everyone seemed dedicated to themselves above the Clan, but here was a she-cat putting her dignity on the line to make sure she could give the Clan a good warrior.

"What's so funny?" asked Icecloud, fake-pouting. Lionblaze stopped laughing, but he couldn't shake the merriness from his heart. This was such light-hearted fun. Fighting with a friend, and finding one of those rare cats that could impress him just on their personalities. Cinderheart could do that, too. That was why he liked her.

"You're going to be a spectacular mentor," said Lionblaze. "I'm just happy to actually have met a cat who puts her Clan before her pride." Icecloud shrugged, accepting the praise.

"I figured you would be the best cat to ask," she said. "You would treat me like I'm doing the right thing."

"You are," said Lionblaze. "Plus, this is fun. I'm very happy to be here."

Icecloud's whiskers twitched.

"I am, too," she admitted. "Can you show me that recovery you did earlier?"

Lionblaze sprung back into his element, not quite realizing that it was Lionblaze that needed something to celebrate as well as Doveheart.

Elsi: I have written three DIFFERENT ceremonies today. I'm so done with ceremonies. No more. I did the warrior ceremony for Doveheart and Ivypool, the apprentice ceremony for Molepaw and Cherrypaw, and I did a medicine cat ceremony for the regular series early. SO DONE.

Elsi: That aside...if you've read the original series, you probably know where that last scene is going...if not, you probably still know where it's going. I'm really excited that Icecloud is a major character...I always wanted more of her in the books.

Elsi: If you would be so kind, review, please! It often inspires me to write more...especially if I've had a break between updates...