Two worlds collide
Chapter 10 Brothers and sisters
The next day, Ivypool and Twigbranch came to visit. Kovu told them about the omen from Starclan.
"You saw it?" asked Vitani.
"So starclan has not only sent the clans the omen," said Ivypool. "But you guys as well."
"Well, Starclan did bring you to us," Nala pointed out. "So Starclan has been watching us too since you got here."
The royal family looked up to see a gray she-cat with green eyes approaching.
"Dovewing!" exclaimed Ivypool. "What are you doing here?"
"I never officially met the pridelanders," said Dovewing. "So I wanted to check it out. Leafpool allowed me in."
"You're Ivypool's sister?" asked Kiara. "One of the three?"
"Yes, I am," said Dovewing softly. "It's nice to meet you."
"Aren't you Tigerstar's mate?" asked Simba.
Dovewing nodded.
Ivypool looked away, while the royal family talked with Dovewing. Ivypool and Twigbranch walked out side and met Kion.
"Hello Kion," said Twigbranch. "Where are you going?"
"Hi," said Kion. "We just finished our morning patrol, so I'm going to the outlands to visit a friend."
"But isn't the outlands a wasteland and has predators?" asked Ivypool.
"Not all outlanders are bad," said Kion. "My friends are very nice. I'm sure they'd like to meet you."
Kion led Ivypool and Twigbranch through the outlands. As the two Thunderclan cats looked around, they saw canyons and rocks. They had never seen anything so lifeless, even from after fires or storms.
Eventually they arrived in a clearing with a waterhole. They could see animals with gray fur and spots.
"What are those?" asked Twigbranch.
"They're hyenas" explained Kion.
"Hyenas?" asked Twigbranch.
"They look like oversized dogs" muttered Ivypool.
One of them walked up.
"Hey Kion" she spoke.
"Guys," said Kion. "This is my friend Jasiri. Jasiri this is Ivypool and Twigbranch. They're some of the clan cats I've told you about."
"Hello," Jasiri said kindly. "Kion's told me a lot about you cats."
Then some other hyenas walked up.
"This is my sister Madoa and Janja, Cheezi and Chungu" introduced Jasiri.
"So, these are cats?" asked Cheezi in amazement. "They sort of look like lions."
"They're pretty" added Chungu looking at Ivypool's silver and white tabby fur.
"Um thanks," said Ivypool.
"They look small to be lions" said Cheezi.
"They couldn't be related to lions," agreed Chungu. "They don't have manes."
"Those guys are mousebrains" Ivypool said to Janja with a weirded looked.
"Yes, but they're my mousebrains" sighed Janja.
Twigbranch looked at the clan and noticed two hyena cubs.
"Oh," she said excitedly. "The hyena kits look so cute."
The two cubs walked up to them.
"Hi," said the female. "I'm Wema, that's my brother Tunu!"
Twigbranch introduced herself and began to talk with the cubs.
Kion noticed Ivypool was looking away sulkily.
"What's wrong Ivypool?" asked Kion.
"My sister Dovewing came to visit today" explained Ivypool.
"Tigerstar's mate?" asked Kion.
Ivypool nodded. "I love My sister, but I don't really like her being with Tigerstar."
"Why not?" asked Madoa.
"Tigerstar and I aren't exactly each other's favourite cat," explained Ivypool. "Dovewing and I were close when we were kits, but ever since she fell in love with Tigerstar and moved to Shadowclan I've been strained with her. Tigerstar and I were friends once, but when I found out he was in love with Dovewing, we fell out. I wasn't too happy when they ran off when Dovewing got pregnant and then decided to join Shadowclan."
The group listened understandingly.
"I understand how Ivypool fells," Twigbranch spoke up from where she was sitting with Tunu and Wema. "I know what it's like to live separate from my sister, Violetshine lives in Skyclan and I live in Thunderclan. Violetshine and I were very close too. Our mother died when we were kittens. When the clans left the old forest Skyclan remained at the gorge where our territory was. But then rouges attacked the clan and they fled. Our mother was killed. When Alderheart was an apprentice, he found us and brought us back to Thunderclan. Violetshine was raised in Shadowclan because a Shadowclan cat named Needletail took part in finding us. When I found Skyclan and met our father Hawkwing, we moved into Skyclan. But I eventually decided I really belonged in Thunderclan."
"You mean you left your sister to stay in Thunderclan?" said Tunu sounding surprised. "I mean Wema and I have always been so close and we could never be apart from each other."
"It's hard," replied Twigbranch. "But Thunderclan raised me and I realized it was where I belonged. And Violetshine and I still love each other. No one's saying you two have to stop loving each other too."
"So, you're upset because Dovewing left to live in another clan?" asked Jasiri.
"I guess" muttered Ivypool.
"Madoa and I have always been close too," said Jasiri kindly. "And I'd be upset too if she went to live in another clan. But I'd respect her choice and we'd still love each other. She's still your sister you know."
"Thanks Jasiri," said Ivypool with a small smile. "I've been getting a lot better now. I've realized that looking after my kits is more important."
…
Back in the pridelands Kovu was out for a walk when he saw Jayfeather walking through.
"Jayfeather," Kovu exclaimed. "Is that you?"
"Good day Kovu," said Jayfeather dipping his head. "I was coming to visit Rafiki. I wanted to talk to him."
"I was going to see him too," admitted Kovu. "I saw the omen the leaders have had."
Jayfeather's blue eyes widened in surprise.
As the two walked across the savannah, they talked about the gathering.
"I noticed Lionblaze talking with your father Crowfeather at the gathering," said Kovu. "He's the deputy of Windclan you know. Who was that other cat with them? That black cat with amber eyes."
"That was Breezepelt," sighed Jayfeather. "Our half brother. After he and Leafpool broke up, he mated with a Windclan queen to prove his loyalty. But I don't really like Lionblaze hanging out with them."
"Why?" asked Kovu.
"Crowfeather was never really part of our lives," explained Jayfeather. "He never knew about Leafpool getting pregnant. When Hollyleaf reveled to everyone the truth, he denied us as his kits. His relationship with Breezepelt was pretty strained too, Breezepelt didn't like us too much and wanted to kill us. He even joined the place of no stars but Crowfeather convinced him to stop."
Jayfeather paused for a minute.
"Crowfeather's been trying come back in our lives," Jayfeather continued. "And Breezepelt's no longer made any attempts on us. Lionblaze has forgiven them, but I've never really forgiven them for what they did. Sometimes I think Lionblaze was foolish to forgive them."
Kovu's eyes widened in surprise.
"You remember my brother Nuka?" he asked.
Jayfeather nodded.
"He and I never really had a good relationship either," he explained. "I loved him, but he was jealous because back when our pride was enemies with the pridelanders, I was chosen to be king even though he was the oldest. He loved to pick on me and Vitani and would leave me out in the outlands on my own whenever he had to watch me. He didn't have much brawn or brain, but he still wanted to prove himself to mother."
"Didn't Simba kill him?" asked Jayfeather.
"It was an accident," replied Kovu. "Mother loved Nuka too in her own way, but Nuka wanted to prove himself worthy to her to be king. which costed his life. I still wish he could have lived to see the prides join together. He deserved a chance too and probably would have switched sides like the rest of us."
"A while after the great battle," Jayfeather said softly. "Crowfeather came to Thunderclan asking me for herbs to heal Breezepelt. I didn't give them to him at first. But I did give it to them knowing it would go against the code of medicine cats."
"So, you do still care for them" said Kovu humorously with a smug smirk.
Jayfeather shrugged. "I guess I do hold some appreciation for their apologies," he said admittingly. "Bramblestar's been more of a father to me then Crowfeather though."
"It's too late for me and Nuka," declared Kovu. "Crowfeather and Breezepelt are still your kin. Family is very important you know."
"I'll think about it" said Jayfeather thoughtfully.
Kovu and Jayfeather then walked on.
…
Meanwhile Kion, Ivypool and Twigbranch were walking home. When they heard the sound of rocks falling. They looked around with their ears pricked.
Then a lioness leaped in. Kion looked at the lioness. She had orange fur, amber eyes and white fur on her muzzle, paws and underbelly.
"It's the rouge lioness!" he cried.
"You must be Kion, the son of Simba" taunted the rouge.
Ivypool gasped, the rouge's voice sounded familiar.
"Mapleshade?" she gasped.
"You know her?" asked Kion.
"She's one of the dark forest cats," explained Ivypool. "But she's dead!"
"I was," said Mapleshade with an evil smirk. "But this staff I found brought me back to life and transported me here." She motioned to the staff her tail was wrapped around.
Kion growled and jumped forward. He smacked Mapleshade in the face sending her over.
Mapleshade held the staff out. Kion and the cats felt the ground shaking and rocks crumbled. Mapleshade unleashed a bolt of green lightning. It hit a rock making it explode.
Kion, Ivypool and Twigbranch jumped out of the way to avoid the blast.
"Kion!" cried a voice.
The three looked around to see Jasiri jumping in and pounced on Mapleshade. Mapleshade and Jasiri bumped heads and tried to hold each other down.
Kion growled and pushed Mapleshade over. Mapleshade got up and ran off.
"Come on," said Ivypool. "We should go back to pride rock and tell the others."
Author's note; The warriors have had their first meeting with the hyenas and the pridelanders have finally met Mapleshade. How do you think things are going to turn out?