It's so nice being a warrior," Snowfall meowed, stretching lazily in the sun, "we just have to hunt twice a day and then rest, no elder duty, no training."
Ivyshadow laughed, rolling onto her back next to Snowfall. It was less than a week after Snowfall's warrior ceremony, but the she-cats were already getting used to being warriors.
Snowfall rolled to face Ivyshadow, a playful glint in her eyes, "I wonder if-" she cut off suddenly, jumping to her paws.
Ivyshadow rolled to her own paws in confusion, "What?"
"Winterthorn is coming over here," Snowfall hissed, her voice low, "I'm giving him the silent treatment."
"What, why?" The grey-white tom was indeed approaching them, slowly making his way over.
"The other day we went hunting, and I told him an entire story, and at the end he didn't say anything," Snowfall raised her chin, looking annoyed, "He hadn't been even LISTENING. And, when I ignored him for the rest of the hunt, he DIDN'T EVEN NOTICE."
Ivyshadow laughed, "That's just Winterthorn."
"Well, it was rude, and I'm embarrassed. Clearly he doesn't care about what I have to say." With that, Snowfall turned and hurried away, attempting to join a leaving hunting patrol.
Winterthorn padded up to Ivyshadow, watching Snowfall leave. "Where is Snowfall going?"
Ivyshadow rolled her eyes, "She's avoiding you, you squirrel-brain." She found the whole situation incredibly funny. Winterthorn had never had consequences for outright ignoring somebody, and he had never cared whether anyone liked him or not.
But now, his eyes flashed with confusion and worry, "Why? Did I do something?"
"You ignored her. To most cats, that's considered rude."
Winterthorn blinked. "Really? I was just... it wasn't on purpose."
Ivyshadow rolled her eyes, pushing his shoulder, "don't tell me that! Go apologize."
Winterthorn shot her a dismayed look, but did as he was told, running to catch up with Snowfall. Ivyshadow watched them, highly entertained. Winterthorn was trying to keep his air of confident mystery while simultaneously begging Snowfall to talk to him. Snowfall was trying her best to stay offended, but was looking flattered that he was even apologizing.
"You watching the show?" Birchpaw padded up, dropping a rabbit at her feet.
Ivyshadow took a bite gratefully, smiling at him, "This must be weird for you too, seeing Winterthorn actually show emotion."
Birchpaw laughed, "Hardly. He's been talking about her for moons. Like the other day, I was telling him about how my nest was uncomfortable and I need to add feathers, and Winterthorn goes 'Snowpaw likes feathers. I should find some for her.'"
Ivyshadow laughed at Birchpaw's 'Winterthorn' voice. It was deep and emotionless, sounding all too familiar.
"I call all cats of the Clan of Tall Trees to gather for a clan meeting!"
Ivyshadow turned towards the stump, interested. Birchpaw took another bite of the rabbit, then meowed through his mouthful, "I bet it's about Ava."
Ivyshadow turned, and sure enough, Ava was padding out of the nursery, head hanging low. She was fully walking on her own now, but she still looked weak. "How can Acornstar be so cruel?" Ivyshadow murmured.
"This isn't anything new," Birchpaw's voice was hard to read, "this is the same cat who began battle training her kits at 2 moons old, kicked out a kit for sneaking out of camp, and banished a pregnant queen."
Ivyshadow blinked in surprise, trying to turn back her mind to when she, Birchpaw and Winterthorn had all been kits. Acornstar had trained them from a young age, now that she thought about it.
"Too bad her training never worked," Birchpaw meowed with dry amusement, "I can't kill a flea, and Winterthorn sucks at fighting."
"I have called you here today to make a decision," Acornstar began, "It had come to my attention that all of our clan is not behind me regarding the recent events. So I will hold a vote."
Birchpaw and Ivyshadow exchanged surprised looks.
"Everycat please but your tails down. If you wish to vote for Ava to stay, you will have the chance to do so."
Murmurs rippled through the cats, and Ivyshadow put her tail down along with all the others.
"Those who wish for Ava to stay, raise your tail."
Ivyshadow raised her tail, along with several other cats including Runningmouse and Larktail.
"Those who wish for Ava to go, raise your tail."
Blackstripe and Sunshine shot Ava a guilty look, but raised their tails. Pebbleclaw, Oakwhisker and Riverflower easily raised their tails, along with Branchfall. Violetfang, Redclaw and Morningpaw also added their vote. Ivyshadow stared at her clanmates in dismay, and Birchpaw beside her shook his head. "Ivyshadow, don't blame them too much. You haven't experienced a leaf-bare yet - kittypets can't hunt."
"I will add my vote, and so it is final." Acornstar yowled.
Ava slumped to the ground, the fight leaving her body. Larktail began licking the kittypet's ears, glaring fixedly at her mate.
"She will be given the choice of leaving her kits here, with Larktail to raise as her own. The gathering is dismissed."
Everyone's eyes turned to Ava as the gathering dispersed. "Would she really leave her kits here?"
Birchpaw shrugged grimly, "She might. Her twolegs will take her kits away from her anyway."
Ava and Larktail sat together, the two she-cats murmuring together. Ivyshadow was surprised that Larktail had grown so close to the kittypet in such a short amount of time - Larktail struck her as a rough, fiery cat. Ivyshadow pricked her ears, trying to discretly listen to what they were saying.
"-Petalkit," Ava was saying, "Moonkit is so weak, I can't leave her."
"You don't have to leave her, Ava. It's up to you."
"I have to bring Moonkit back to my twolegs. They can fix her."
Larktail licked the she-cat's ear comfortingly, but didn't say anything to sway her decision.
"I will leave Petalkit with you, and take Moonkit with me." Ava meowed, sounding sad.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. Please take good care of Petalkit, Larktail." Ava's voice shook.
Ivyshadow was impressed by her brave decision. Maybe my mother's choice wasn't cowardly, but brave. Ivyshadow tried to picture her mother for the millionth time. I need to find her.
○○○
"The cats going to the gathering will be Pebbleclaw, Birchpaw, Violetfang, Ivyshadow, Runningmouse and Branchfall. I will be leaving Blackstripe in charge."
Acornstar was leaving more cats at camp than usual, Ivydhadow assumed because the threat of battle was still fresh. "Aww, we can't go," Snowfall meowed, but judging by the looks she was sending Winterthorn, she wasn't too sad about it.
Ivyshadow rolled her eyes, "stop the bad acting and go have fun. I can walk with Birchpaw."
Snowfall grinned back at her, giving her ear a quick lick, "You're the best, Ivy!"
"I know, I know," Ivyshadow smiled as her sister ran up to Winterthorn, practically jumping with joy, while his stoic frown cracked into a small smile.
Ivyshadow turned back to the leaving cats, looking around for Birchpaw. Spotting him leaving with his mother, she started towards him.
"Hey, Ivyshadow."
Ivyshadow turned to see Runningmouse padding up to her, easily falling in step beside her. "Daypaw is staying home today, I'm worried he has whitecough."
"Whitecough? What's that, is it bad?" Ivyshadow asked worriedly. She liked the shy apprentice.
"Birchpaw keeps assuring me he'll be fine, but..." Runningmouse shrugged, "I still want him to rest as much as possible."
Ivyshadow wondered if he was sad that Ava was gone, but didn't dare to ask. "He's a strong young cat, he'll be fine."
Runningmouse smiled sheepishly, "you sound like Birchpaw and Windfur."
Ivyshadow laughed, "Maybe it's worth believing then."
They walked together all the way to the gathering, Runningmouse telling her how his training with Daypaw was doing and his worries about the coming attack. Ivyshadow told him about Petalkit staying with Larktail, and even joked about Snowfall and Winterthorn. He was somehow shy but easy to talk to all at once.
When they reached the gathering, only the Clan of Falling Rocks were those, so Ivyshadow and Runningmouse settled down to wait.
"I wonder what Boulderstar will try to say now," Runningmouse remarked, "As leaf-bare approaches, he'll just keep getting more and more desperate."
"Why doesn't he move up north? Or west?" the Clans' territories sat in a line; Tall Trees in the middle, Swaying Grass and Falling Rock on either side.
"There's no prey in the mountains up north, it's pretty desolate up there. And west; that's where the twolegs are."
Ivyshadow's eyes focused on something behind Runningmouse; Violetfang was having a huddled conversation with a cat Ivyshadow didn't recognize.
"What are you looking at?" Runningmouse asked, glancing in the direction of Ivyshadow's gaze.
"Who's that cat with her?" Ivyshadow narrowed her eyes suspiciously as the two cats leaned closer, serous looks on their faces.
"Hmm?" Runningmouse turned around again, "Oh, that's Rockwhisker. My brother and the clan deputy."
"The deputy?" Ivyshadow now recognized him as Quartzpaw's father. But why was Violetfang discussing anything with the deputy of Falling Rock?
"Excuse me," Ivyshadow nodded to Runningmouse and stepped around him. She tried to approach the conversation casually, as if she normally walked over to stand in the midst of the Clan of Falling Rock. She edged closer until Violetfang's voice was audible.
"- Forestkit and Goldkit," Ivyshadow caught the end of Violetfang's sentence.
"Well, Acornstar likes you. She just might," Rockwhisker responded, sounding thoughtful.
"Yes but what do I have to do to make her choose me? How am I going to become a leader if I don't have an apprentice?" Violetfang snapped.
"Start mentioning apprentices around her and play with the kits. If she sees you teaching them battle moves, she just might pick you." Rockwhisker reasoned.
"I hate kits," Violetfang sighed, "but I'll do it. As soon as I get an apprentice, we can proceed with the plan."
"Sounds good to - why is your sister sitting over there?"
Ivyshadow casually turned her head away, heart thumping. What was the plan? What was Violetfang willing to do to become leader?
Quick as a viper, Violetfang was at Ivyshadow's side. "Yes, what is my lovely sister doing here?" Violetfang slid in front of Ivyshadow, meeting her eyes, "eavesdropping, perhaps?"
Ivtshadow blinked in feigned confusion, "Eavesdropping on what?" With a burst of confidence, she leaned forward, taking in a sickly sweet tone, "what exactly would I be hearing, my sweet sister?"
Violetfang's eyes flashed with rage, "You don't want to cross me."
"Crossing you? What plan is there to cross?" Ivyshadow held her ground, planting her paws into the dirt.
Violetfang sat back, her rage fading into amusement. "You aren't afraid of me anymore."
That wasn't true. It took all Ivyshadow had to keep her paws from shaking, and meeting Violetfang's gaze was terrifying. "That's right. I'm not."
"Looks like you need something to remind you who I am," Violetfang leaned so close their noses were almost touching, "I can break you, Ivyshadow."
It was the first time Violetfang had used her name, and somehow it was worse than being called Traitorkit. Ivyshadow felt a shiver run from her ears to tailtip. Please don't hurt me.
This is Petalkit, the adopted daughter to Larktail. She has one sister, Moonkit, who's whereabouts are unknown.
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