Return- Hawkfrost x Ivypool

Chapter Five

Hawkfrost watched as his fellow Dark Forest cats stared hungrily at the dark pool, watching the birth of a kit. "We'll sabotage the next one for sure," Mapleshade snarled, keeping her eyes on the rippling water. A ripple of revulsion made its way down Hawkfrost's spine as his father nodded.

That's not good, Hawkfrost thought to himself.

A moment later, Mapleshade screeched, "BIRDKIT? YOU NAMED YOUR ONLY KIT BIRDKIT?" Hawkfrost glanced at his clanmate as she sneered at the pool. "Such disappointment in ThunderClan. Birdface the mighty warrior! His name will make his enemies tremble!"

"If you're making fun of a kit, you must be truly insecure," Brokenstar mewed, fixing her with a glare. The huge she-cat settled herself, but still gave her clanmate a dirty look.

Slowly, the image faded from the water and the Dark Forest cats around it stood up and padded away from it. "Whose kits are next?" Tigerstar asked Mapleshade.

"Rosepool's," she told him, flicking her tail. "Thistlefur's littermate."

"Perfect," Tigerstar meowed.

Suddenly the pool behind them exploded with light. Hawkfrost hesitated, then rushed to it. "What's-" No one even glanced at him, their attention solely on the pool, which was growing brighter. Sighing, Hawkfrost hurried over to stare at the pool, his clanmates following him. "There's a cat coming out," Hawkfrost remarked.

"Yes, we couldn't tell," Mapleshade drawled.

The cat burst out of the pool in a shower of star-like sparks. "Ugh, I will never do that again," the she-cat mewed, spitting out sparkles.

Tigerstar gave her a skeptic glance. "Who is she?"

The cats around him shrugged helplessly. The she-cat shook her fur out, releasing more glitter, and stood firm. "I'm Ravenwhisper," she mewed. "From ThunderClan."

ShadowClan's former leader hissed. It was clear what he thought of this ThunderClan she-cat. "Why are you here?"

"To train," Ravenwhisper told him, licking her paw and drawing it over her ears. "What else do you do here? Growl and look menacing?"

Tigerstar swiped at her ear. She ducked under it, smacking his paw away. "Hey!"

"Oh, I like her," Mapleshade meowed. "Even if she is ThunderClan." The huge she-cat sniffed the newcomer, a glint lighting her eyes.

Ravenwhisper paused. "Rosepool isn't due for another... moon, I'll say. That gives you plenty of time to scout out cats from other Clans."

He gave her a nod. "Do you have suggestions?" Hawkfrost was surprised at his father's lack of suspicion. Not that he really cared. Maybe he could get this cat to somehow take him to ThunderClan! Maybe they knew Ivystar. Maybe they were a spy like her, or....

He shook his head. This was not the time for wild fantasies. Hawkfrost knew that while his father trusted the newcomer, Tigerstar didn't trust him. Possibly because of Ivystar, but what was Hawkfrost supposed to do about it? He just hoped that Tigerstar wouldn't have any common sense and would send him to the Clans to infiltrate them.

"You know, I've heard that Ivystar and Tawnyfur are mates," Ravenwhisper mewed easily, watching Hawkfrost for his reaction. Hawkfrost shivered. Who in StarClan's name was Tawnyfur? To his relief, Ravenwhisper started laughing. "They're not mates," she snorted.

He growled a little, but he couldn't help but wonder who Ivystar's mate would be...

~~~~~~~~~~

Hawkfrost blinked, looking impressed. "I knew you were special," he meowed. "I'm glad I chose you..."

The dream haunted her still as Ivystar lay sleeping in her den. Antpelt was fading under her claws, but there was still so much blood... The dream had returned after the stress of the Dark Forest's rising. How is it rising so fast? Ivystar thought as she felt the hot breath of Brokenstar on her face, telling her that she was a true Dark Forest cat...

She woke with a start, panting heavily as she looked around the walls of her den. There are no Dark Forest cats here, she had to remind herself. She growled at herself. What if the Dark Forest had attacked once she dozed off? Ivystar stiffened at a kit's wail. What was that? Are they in trouble? Sighing, Ivystar stared at her paws in front of her. Lately, she'd become more and more skittish, but for good reason. Dovewing's senses were only starting to return, so until then, Ivystar would keep watch.

As if he was reading her mind, Jayfeather poked his head into her den. "Ivystar?"

"Yes," mewed Ivystar, shredding the moss under her paws. "What did you need?"

Jayfeather's expression turned slightly annoyed. "Well, I was having a midnight stroll when I heard your panting. Can't you keep it down?"

"I have to watch over the camp," Ivystar told him. "Dovewing-"

"Is improving. She's just terrified that her senses will never be like they used to be, which is stupid. Just like it's stupid that you think the Dark Forest will attack now."

"That's what she said, and look how well that turned out," said a new voice.

Jayfeather didn't turn around, probably because he wouldn't have been able to see the newcomer anyway. "You're not helping, Ravenwhisper."

Ravenwhisper padded closer to the Highledge. "Neither are you, flea-brain. Look, Ivystar, why don't you get some rest and I'll take watch."

"Are you sure?" Ivystar rasped.

"Of course I am. Just sleep."

Jayfeather and Ravenwhisper left, the medicine cat grumbling under his breath. Ivystar watched the she-cat position herself by the barrier and face the outside. She's not actually concerned, she's just doing it to reassure me.

Ivystar began to drift off into sleep, but as her vision blurred, she could have sworn she saw a blue-eyed tom watching her, whispering the words. "...just ask me. I can see how much this means to you."

Those are some actual lines from Hawkfrost, if you didn't know. I almost DIED when I found them. They're in the fifth book of Omen of the Stars