The Forgotten Prophecy | Book 1

Chapter 3

Ivoryfrost waits for the she-cats answer. Who does this cat think they are? Talking to me like that! They should be executed! The black she-cat only looks down fearfully. I sense movement from the corner of my eye and see a tom hesitating to go comfort her. Pathetic. The best he can think of is this mangled rat?

"What's your name?" Ivoryfrost asks, tired of waiting for a response.

"Onyxflare." The warrior reply's.

"Well, Onyxflare. Do you know what happens when diseased cats like you talk back to cats like me?" Ivoryfrost hissed, unsheathing her claws. Onyxflares whiskers twitched as she raises her head. Ivoryfrost looked alarmed as she saw the determined look on the Copperclan cats face.

"No. I'm not a diseased cat after all. Unlike you, who would actually know what it's like being diseased. Just look at you!" As soon as the words fell out of her mouth Ivoryfrost drags her claws along Onyxflares muzzle. She yowls in pain as the tom finally runs to her side with a pleading look. Ivoryfrost grins maliciously and shakes out her fluffy white fur in pride. That ought to teach them a lesson.

"Ahem." Owlcreek cleared his voice in annoyance. Ivoryfrost turns around. She frowned at the older toms disappointed look. My father would be praising me by now. She thought angrily, slowly walking over to his side.

"The prey is fine. So is everybody else. Is that a good enough answer?" Raggedstar mewed forcefully through barred teeth. Owlcreek shakes out his mottled brown fur, looking at Coalstrike up and down. Ivoryfrost stares at the ragged gray she-cat and then her kits. Scoffing, he looks away from her and nods. Raggedstar sighed and looked back to Coalstrike who was already heading back into the nursery.

"Come along you two." Owlcreek mewed, leaving the camp. Ivoryfrost looks at Murkynose, then Owlcreek, and quickly runs after him. What was that for? She wondered. The she-cat knew about Coalstrike and Owlcreek, but why not bring the queen back to Pureclan? Surely they could have made her wade in the Pool of Pure and made her one of us. It's what many Copperclan cats did after they lost some battle a few moons ago. Sighing, she decided not to think about it anymore and walked back to camp with her patrol.

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Ivoryfrost bounded into camp, rushing to her fathers den. The camp was in the middle of a meadow, where most of the dens were dug out of the ground. The leaders den in this case was a hole dug inbetween two boulders. As she enters, she is met by her mother, Frozenfur. The plump she-cats ears perk up as her daughter walks inside the den. Brightstar only sighs, and shakes out his gray fur.

"My dear, your back!" Purred Frozenfur, padding up to the young warrior. Ivoryfrost grumbled as Frozenfur began to lick her ears intensively. My fur isn't that dirty. Ivoryfrost thought with a huff, pulling away from her clingy mother. Frozenfur only sighed and sat next to her mate.

"So?" Brightstar asked, rubbing his face.

"Hm?" He gave Ivoryfrost an annoyed glare and the white she-cats eyes widened.

"Oh! Yes. Everything's fine in Copperclan. One was a bit snappy but that's all."

"Which one?" Frozenfur and Brightstar say hurriedly at the same time. Ivoryfrost tilted her head ever so slightly at their quick response. Suspicious, she straightens her shoulders and stands a bit taller.

"Just some cat names Onyxflare. It doesn't matter." Seeing the worried look on her parents face, Ivoryfrost adds in a hush whisper. "Does it?"

"Er- no dear! Onyx...flare you said, right?" Frozenfur slowly turns her head to look at Brightstar who does the same, but with a more sinister look. Ivoryfrost nods and flicks her plumed tail.

"You can go now." Brightstar hissed harshly, turning his back on Ivoryfrost. The white she-cat dipped her head, swallowing a snarl. Just ignore him. Just ignore him. Sighing, she raised her head and walked out confidently with her tail high. Ever since she became an apprentice Brightstar has been expecting her to do all of his dirty work. Go get something for me to eat...take care of this, take care of that.

Of course, being helpful was what got Redstone to be deputy. Ivoryfrost even hoped that Brightstar would put in a good word for her to the deputy so then she could take his place when her father died. It seemed irrational, sure, but it was better than what Frozenfur expected her to be.

"I don't see the use of becoming a deputy. The last she-cat deputy we had was seasons ago, way before our oldest elders were born!" The white she-cat rolled her eyes.

"Being a queen gives you more of a purpose. Take it from me."

Ivoryfrost was so busy complaining to herself that she didn't even notice her apprentice, Deadpaw slowly limping after her. The tortoiseshell she-cat twisted her paw as a young kit and Brightstar was on the verge of making the young she a medicine apprentice.

"I'll take her." Mewed Ivoryfrost, walking out of the crowd and next to the whimpering Deadpaw. Brightstar scowled as the two she-cats shared a thankful smile, and sighed.

"Fine." He sighed in annoyance, waving his paw around.

"Deadpaw, your mentor will be Ivoryfrost, I hope she can pass on her skills to you. Meeting dismissed." The grey tom mewed hurriedly, leaping off of the meeting rock in anger.

"You told me we'd train today." Deadpaw hissed. Ivoryfrost sighed and nodded.

"I know. I just got caught up in-"

"That stupid check-up patrol?" Her apprentice retorted, her tortoiseshell fur bristling like bramble thorns. Ivoryfrost ducked her head in shame. She hadn't been able to spend time with Deadpaw ever since she was dragged along to those stupid patrols. The pearly-white she sighed again and forced a smile.

"We can go train now then. No need to get so upset." She cooed, placing her plumed tail on the young apprentices back. Deadpaw sighed and rolled her eyes.

"I would have been better off being a medicine apprentice. At least then I'd get some attention." Ivoryfrosts heart dropped and she took a step away from the tortoiseshell, quietly walking out of camp with Deadpaw walking in front of her out of anger. How am I supposed to become deputy if I can't even train my apprentice right?