Book 1: Echoing Voices - Warriors

Chapter 29

Ivypaw's POV

Ivypaw stared in shock at Ashfrost's body. The frail grey she-cat that was once her mentor, was gone.
Ivypaw took a step back, slipping on the bloodstained grass.
"W-wait...I-" she rasped, stopping mid sentence.
The whole area was silenced. Raven sat to the side with her eyes narrowed, the crowd was hushed and other than a few whispers.
Ivypaw couldn't stop staring at Ashfrost's body. The lifeless cat had a desperate expression on her face and her eyes were round and glazed. Her muzzle was twisted in agony, as if she had tried to get out one more plead.
"I...I didn't. I don't know..." Ivypaw trailed off again.
It was her fault and she knew it.
Ivypaw panted lightly and turned her head away, there were no excuses for what she did.
She could here the pawsteps of Raven approaching her and Ivypaw flattened her ears, waiting for the she-cat to claw her or something, but nothing happened.
"So, it looks like you're different than the others." she meowed.
Ivypaw didn't reply. Even if she could, she wouldn't.
"You're the first cat that I've seen do this out of the Clan cats. That easily at least." Raven meowed, slowly beginning to circle Ivypaw, "My question is; would you do it again?"
Ivypaw lowered her head and she stared at the ground, wide-eyed. She did everything she could to avoid looking at Ashfrost's, even a glimpse.
"I couldn't." she whispered.
Raven's tail brushed under Ivypaw's chin, forcing her head up easily since she was so shaken, "I think you could." she meowed with a hint of her growl in her voice.
Ivypaw exhaled and tore her head away from Raven before backing up, "No...I shouldn't. I wouldn't." she insisted.
I'm just insisting myself.
Raven's voice rang in her ears again, sending a chill down Ivypaw's spine.
"Oh, but you will."

Raven left Ivypaw in the tunnels that
night. She wondered if she would go insane if she stayed here for too long.
Ivypaw curled herself into a ball and closed her eyes tightly. Maybe if she tried hard enough, she would find Snowpaw was laying next to her the whole time and they were in the safe nests in ThunderClan camp. Nightmoon would be well and healthy again and Ashfrost's would still be alive.
Ivypaw flung her eyes open, she needed to stay in reality. It's those kind of things that would make her go crazy.
Sleep. Just a bit of rest. She told herself.
Ivypaw let out a long exhale, watching a bit of dust fly up from the force of her breath. She closed her eyes and rested her tail over her muzzle to cover her eyes.

Ivypaw let out a slight cough when she awoke. She blinked a few times and her pupils dilated.
She was still in the tunnels, but the difference?
Ollie was standing in front of her.
"O-Ollie?" she rasped.
The tom's eyes widened, "Oh good, you're alive. I had to keep poking you with a stick to be sure-"
"Ollie!" she hissed, her throat tightened slightly.
He stopped mid sentence.
"How did you find me and how did you get in?" Ivypaw demanded.
She wasn't sure whether to be relieved or upset. It was seriously stupid of him to try and rescue her, but she couldn't shake the feeling of maybe...anger? Or was it violation?
No.
Ollie was in Raven's camp somehow. It's not like Ivypaw should feel violated in anyway. She shook her head.
"What are you doing here?" she repeated.
Ollie flattened his ears, "Trying to get you out, stupid!" he snapped.
Ivypaw clenched her jaw, "You can't." she muttered.
He scoffed, "I got in, didn't I? I know the way out of the tunnels. It leads out of the camp." he urged, "Let's go while we can."
Ivypaw hesitated, "No...no way. Raven will just come after me." she meowed.
Ollie's tail twitched, "Come on, please? Maybe she'll come after you, but she's been after me forever. I know how to hide from her and-"
"Look out!" Ivypaw interrupted.
She leapt forward and shoved him out of the way. Her muscles felt like the might've snapped, even though they didn't.
A cat landed on top of her and she felt the wind be knocked out of her.
It was the cat that walked around the tunnels. No one really knew his name.
"Well, well, well. Ollie. I know someone in particular will enjoy seeing you." the cat's low voice sounded, tuning through the caverns.
Ivypaw struggled to breath as the large tom's paw pressed down on her windpipe.
"Let her go." Ollie muttered.
He almost sounded terrified or angry. Probably terrified.
"Just go!" Ivypaw hoarsely whispered.
She didn't deserve saving. Maybe that's why she didn't leave. She knew she deserved this. She deserved to be just another one of Raven's cats. She deserved to have every cat see her as she was; a murderer.
Ivypaw flattened her ears and she narrowed her eyes.
As the tunnel-cat released Ivypaw's throat, he began advancing towards Ollie.
She wasn't going to let him die.
She slowly rolled onto her belly not-so gracefully. Ivypaw took in a few deep breaths before turning towards the scene.
Ollie was backing up as the larger tom moved towards him.
"I'm sure Raven will be very pleased with this catch." he meowed observingly.
Ivypaw narrowed her eyes. Wait...
Ollie met the wall, not being able to back up anymore. The large tom made a creepy chuckling sound and drew his lips back into a snarl, preparing for attack.
Now.
Ivypaw unsheathed her claws and leapt at the large tom. She snapped her jaws down onto his tail and yanked him back. He was caught off-guard and was easy to pull back, easy for only a moment.
He quickly regained his composure and spun around, dragging his claws against her cheek.
Ivypaw let out a yowl, releasing his tail. Ollie reached out his paw and brought his claws down the tom's face.
The tunneler let out a yowl and shoved Ollie into the wall, pinning him there.
"If you don't come now, I'll just have to kill you myself." he spat.
Ollie's muzzle wrinkled, "Yeah, I'm sure Raven would be real proud of-"
Ollie's sentence was cut off when the larger tom reached out for his throat and wrapped his jaws around it.
Ivypaw shook her head and quickly pushed her claws into the tom's flank. He let out a snarl as she sunk her fangs into his spine. With his jaw loosened, Ollie wiggled out of his grip and dug his claws into the chest of the tom.
Ivypaw felt claws drag down her stomach and she let out a loud yowl of pain, opening her jaws and letting go of his spine. She reached out and managed to hook her claws onto his shoulder.
She made a deep cut and he backed away, shaking Ollie off his face, literally.
"Raven had high hopes. I understand now. You really are one of them." he growled before backing out and hurrying down a tunnel.
Ollie looked like he was going to follow, but he stopped when he looked over at Ivypaw.
One of them? Who are the others? Ivypaw couldn't let herself think about that at the moment. She had a bit of an issue, like bleeding to death from her stomach.
She squeezed her eyes shut and laid her head on the ground as she panted for air.
"Oh, that's not good." Ollie mumbled.
"No kidding!" she snarled and sheathed her claws.
"I...I don't know what to do!" he exclaimed.
"Just-...get out of here!" she spat.
"W-what?"
"Leave!" she hissed.
Suddenly, she just scratched his muzzle and the wound looked deeper than she had intended.
Intended? I didn't intend to attack at all...
Ollie backed away for a moment after looking shocked, "I...I can't leave you here to die..." he objected, but he didn't seem as insistent this time.
"Just go already!" she demanded.
Ollie looked like he was going to say something else, but she sound of paw steps approaching made him think twice. His gaze flickered uncertainly, but he quickly headed off through another tunnel.
"Ivypaw!" a voice echoed through the walls.