Everyone was on edge as they padded back into camp. There was something unnerving about worrying if your own leader would just give you up in exchange for land. Ivyshadow ran immediately to Runningmouse, telling him all she knew.
Runningmouse's eyes widened when he heard Acornstar had tried to give away Petalkit. "She wouldn't really do that... would she?" He sighed, "so my brother is dead." His voice was dull, unconnected. As if it was too many deaths to register.
"Cobaltwhisper is alive," Ivyshadow knew that fact wouldn't make his grief lessen, but it was all she could think to say.
Runningmouse nodded, "We were the closest, Cobaltwhisper and I. I wish I could comfort her now."
"I call all cats of Tall Trees to gather for a clan meeting!" Acornstar leapt up on the stump as soon as she got back.
The cats immediately gathered, tension high. Ivyshadow spotted Snowfall prying information out of Winterthorn, and she settled next to them, Runningmouse at her side.
"For those who weren't at the gathering, we have exchanged help and prey for the stretch of land near the Twolegplace." Her eyes scanned the cats, before landing on Ivyshadow and Runningmouse. "Runningmouse."
No, please don't take him, Ivyshadow though desperately. What sort of trauma would Runningmouse go through, having to see all that for himself?
"You will be tasked with catching the three rabbits. I want them as soon as possible, I do not enjoy being indebted."
Runningmouse nodded, glancing at Ivyshadow. She knew he'd been hoping to go to his birth clan.
"As for-"
"YOU TRIED TO GIVE AWAY MY KIT?!?" Larktail leapt to her feet. Apparently Branchfall had just told her what had happened. "How dare you?" Larktail hissed, her tail thrashing.
"She is not your kit," Acornstar narrowed her eyes, "she's a kittypet."
Larktail's claws slid out, and Branchfall had to step in between the two she-cats. "She is our kit," he meowed quietly, "and if Marblestar had taken her, we would've stopped at nothing to get her back."
To Ivyshadow's surprise, she felt tears well in her eyes. She blinked them away rapidly; why was she crying? Her eyes snagged on Riverflower, the cat who'd adopted her. She knew without doubt that Riverflower wouldn't have cared if Acornstar sold Ivyshadow to Falling Rock.
"I understand your confusion," Acornstar responded curtly, "I had no intention of actually giving Petalkit away. Marblestar is a father himself; I knew he wouldn't take her."
"You didn't know for sure," Larktail spat. Branchfall was doing all he could to keep Larktail back.
Acornstar met Larktail's eyes without remorse. "We can speak later in private."
Larktail glared back, but the older she-cat didn't say anything else.
"As I was saying, three cats will join Falling Rock for two moons." Acornstar's eyes pierced her clan, "The first two: Ivyshadow and her apprentice Forestpaw."
Why am I not surprised. Ivyshadow sighed. Of course Acornstar would send the replaceable warrior. Ivtshadow glanced towards Forestpaw. Her apprentice was sitting next to Goldpaw near the back, looking shell-shocked.
"The final cat will be Redclaw."
Ivyshadow's eyes snapped back to her leader, shocked. Why Redclaw, of alp cats?
"I trust you will honor our clan well while you are there." Acornstar's eyes moved from Ivyshadow, to Forestpaw, to Redclaw. "I trust that you will retain as many... secrets as possible. This meeting is dismissed."
The cats burst into noise as soon as Acornstar leapt off the stump. "Ivy, let me go instead of you." Runningmouse meowed, turning to her immediately.
Ivyshadow shook her head, "I think it would be better for you to stay here."
Runningmouse shook his head, glancing away from her. "No. I can't let you go."
Ivyshadow blinked in surprise. Runningmouse had never told her what she could and couldn't do before. "I have to prove myself to Acornstar."
Runningmouse kept his head tilted away, "Don't go, Ivy, I mean it. If you go..." he trailed off.
Ivyshadow leaned her head down, trying to meet his eyes. "I have to go."
Runningmouse jerked up, frustrated, "Ivy, you are the last cat I have. I can't afford to lose you!"
Ivysahdow took a step back, surprised at his outburst. "Runningmouse, I'll be fine!"
"Can you promise that?" Runningmouse snapped back.
Ivyshadow finally met his dark brown eyes. He was so full of pain, of grief. "Yes," she whispered, "I promise." But how could she promise? What if she did die?
Runningmouse took a deep breath, in and out. "Come visit me at half moon."
"Where?"
"Near the old spruce tree, south."
Ivyshadow nodded, "I'll be there at midnight."
○○○
Early the next morning, Ivyshadow, Redclaw and Forestpaw set off without ceremony. Ivyshadow walked next to Forestpaw, with Redclaw alone a few steps behind.
"This sucks, I already miss Goldpaw," Forestpaw grumbled, "and I'll miss Petalkit's warrior ceremony."
Privately, Ivyshadow agreed with Forestpaw. How was she supposed to train him if they had to hunt in a bunch of tunnels? Ivyshadow realized with a pang that she would also miss Snowfall's kitting. Not to mention Morningpaw and Daypaw's warrior ceremonies... so many things happened in just two moons. And yet - she was a mentor now, not just a warrior. She had to see the positive. "It'll be a good experience for us! Maybe some hunting or fighting moves we learn here can help us back home."
Forestpaw snorted, "Yeah, if the sun falls. When am I going to need to know how to hunt in the pitch black?"
This was true; even at night, the moon and stars were more than enough for Ivyshadow to see. "Well, we're doing this for territory. We'll get that at least."
"Yeah, but-"
"Do you know where we left off on the warrior code?" Ivyshadow asked, purely to shut up his complaints.
They ran into Mistyweb waiting by the border for them, and Ivyshadow gave her a respectful nod. She knew Mistyweb vaguely as the young Swaying Grass Medicine Cat. "Greetings!" the pretty white she-cat dipped her head in return, "I thought I'd wait for your patrol."
Ivyshadow frowned. Did she think they were weak? "That's wasn't necessary, but I appreciate the gesture."
Mistyweb smiled, looking sheepish, "the truth is, I was a little worried to enter the camp on my own."
Ivyshadow relaxed some of her natural boundaries. Mistyweb was a Medicine Cat; that was different than trusting a warrior. "No problem! We would be happy to walk with you."
Mistyweb purred, relieved, "Thank you!"
Mistyweb fell into step beside Ivyshadow and her apprentice, and they started up the hill again. "How have things been going in Tall Trees?"
"Good," Ivyshadow replied curtly, "we have plenty of prey."
"That's wonderful to hear! Our pond froze over, so we've been using the river to fish," Mistyweb wrinkled her nose, "it's much harder than pond-fishing, so our cats have been having a hard time."
Ivyshadow decided that she liked Mistyweb. She was the only cat Ivyshadow had ever met from another Clan that was open and honest. "I'm sorry to hear that."
THey exchanged a few more pleasantries, but fell silent as they approached the Falling Rock den. Just like the last time Ivyshadow had been there, Granitefur was standing watch. The ash gray cat looked the same as he had at the gathering; sickly and starving. He jumped when he saw them before skittering back into the den.
Ivyshadow and Mistyweb exchanged a look, then settled down to wait. It wasn't too long before Topeazleaf appeared at the ledge, "Granitefur, you could have at least greeted them, for Rising Star's sake." She turned from her clanmate to the four cats, calling, "come on up!"
Ivyshadow, Mistyweb, Forestpaw and Redclaw climbed hesitantly up the mountain face, Ivyshadow leaping onto the ledge first. The camp looked desolate, too large for the amount of cats it contained. Topazleaf and Granitefur joined Marblestar, Quartzcluster and Cobaltwhisper in the center. The five cats stood were a sickly, skinny bunch, but each of them stood tall. Marblestar gave them a nod of his head. "Greetings, and welcome to the Clan of Falling Rock."
"I appreciate your kindness," Mistyweb dipped her head, "I am Mistyweb of Swaying Grass."
"I am Ivyshadow of Tall Trees," Ivyshadow bowed respectfully.
"I am Redclaw of Tall Trees," Redclaw said quietly, "I hope to help you however I can."
"I'm Forestpaw." Forestpaw meowed.
Ivyshadow shot him a glare, in which he shrugged defensively, "Isn't it obvious which clan I'm from?"
Was it really necessary to embarrass her every time he spoke?
"Quartzcluster will show you four around, please make yourselves comfortable. We welcome you to make this camp your home for the next two moons." Marblestar meowed, looking respectful.
Ivyshadow appreciated the gesture, but knew this desolate cave would never feel like the beautiful, lush Tall Trees camp. Quartzcluster stepped forward, nodding to them jerkily, "follow me."
Ivyshadow's mind snapped back to the battlefield, her claws sinking into Quartzcluster's tan fur. It reminded her of Nightkit, and why she could never truly trust these cats.
Quartzcluster gave them a quick tour of the camp, showing them the various dens. Mistyweb broke away from the group as soon as she saw the Medicine Cat den, and began tidying it immediately.
Although they hadn't walked for Ling at all, Quartzcluster was visibly tired. Her stick-like legs shook simply from the effort of walking. So this is why they need us here so badly. There was no way Quartzcluster could run, let alone hunt.
"Would it be alright if I went hunting? I wanted to try tunnel hunting." Redclaw asked.
Ivyshadow turned to look at her brother in surprise; since when was he polite?
Quartzcluster looked at her paws self-consciously. Her claws flexed, forcing her legs to stop shaking, "That won't be necessary," she paused, then in a softer tone meowed, "you could, if you wanted to."
Ivyshadow's attempt to block out sympathy for the she-cat crumbled. "Forestpaw and I can do some hunting down south," then, seeing Quartzcluster tense up, added; "He needs the training."
"I was supposed to teach you how to hunt in the tunnels..." Quartzcluster trailed off.
"That won't be necessary," Ivyshadow meowed quickly. The last thing she wanted to do was climb into more tunnels.
Quartzcluster shrugged, "fine, you two can go."
Ivyshadow bristled, not liking being ordered around by the she-cat, but let it go reluctantly. She turned to her apprentice, "you ready for some hunting?"
○○○
Prey was scarce in the small forest south of the camp, but Ivyshadow managed to catch a squirrel. Forestpaw made his first ever catch; a small rabbit.
"Nice job!" Ivyshadow praised, going over to sniff the kill.
Forestpaw puffed up with pride, "I used the crouch you taught me! The rabbit had no chance."
Ivyshadow laughed, "you sure your going to be able to carry the rabbit as well as all that ego back to camp?"
Forestpaw snorted, his eyes dancing, "an ego I deserve. My prey is bigger than your prey."
Ivyshadow rolled her eyes, picking up her squirrel, "congratulations. You've passed up your mentor in skill."
The two cats padded back to Falling Rock camp, spirits high. The sun was already setting, but it always set early in leaf-bare. Ivyshadow found herself glancing in the direction of her camp. A camp full of cats she knew and loved. She already missed the nest she and Runningmouse shared.
By contrast, the Falling Rock camp was just as desolate as it had been when they left. Marblestar, Cobaltwhisper, Quartzcluster and Redclaw sat in the middle of the camp, all sharing two small shrews. Forestpaw Walked up confidently, setting his rabbit in the middle of the small group. It was a small rabbit, and yet it dwarfed the other two tiny peices of prey.
Cobaltwhisper jumped to her feet, tugging off a chunk of flesh immediately. Quartzcluster And Marblestar simply stared at the prey in shock. Redclaw didn't look up from his shrew but meowed, "nice catch, Forestpaw."
Cobaltwhisper finally seemed to come to her senses, backing off the prey. "You take some, Marblestar."
Ivyshadow took the opportunity to set the squirrel in front of the mottled colored Tom, shoving it towards him. He blinked in surprise, "You two caught all this?"
Ivyshadow shrugged, embarrassed, "Well, we-"
"It was easy," Forestpaw meowed smugly, licking his paw. It hadn't been easy: they'd been out there from sunhigh to sunset.
"Thank you so much," Marblestar dipped his head, "please, take whatever prey you want."
"Alright, let me just-" Forestpaw leaned towards his rabbit, but Ivyshadow grabbed him by the scruff, pulling him gruffly backwards.
"We can take the two shrews; I want to share them with Mistyweb." Ivyshadow spoke over Forestpaw's complaints.
Marblestar tactfully didn't mention her unruly apprentice, shoving the two half finished Shrewsbury towards them. "I appreciate it, Ivyshadow. And if Mistyweb needs anything else, don't hesitate to let me know."
Mistyweb was still in her den, and accepted the shrew graciously, "Ivyshadow, I was wondering if I could ask you a favor?"
Ivyshadow dipped her head, "of course."
"Tomorrow I was wanting to stop by my camp for some herbs - could you escort me there? I might need some extra paws."
Ivyshadow hesitated, glancing at Forestpaw, who was already eating both their shares of the final shrew. It really would be smarter if Redclaw went instead of her, but... "No problem! We can leave in the morning." They would pass over Tall Trees territory, and just might run into Runningmouse.
Mistyweb dipped her head, "Thank you."
That night, Ivyshadow lay, hungry, in an uncomfortable nest, a rock poking her side and surrounded by enemies. And yet she fell asleep immediately.