Ivytail's choice: A warrior cats OC story

Chapter 2

Ivytail padded over to where the reddish tom was eating a squirrel. "Would you like to come hunting with me?" She asked forcing herself not to add 'because Fawnstar told me to.'

His face lit up and he started at her in shock for a moment. "Really?" He finally asked.

Great Starclan, does he have a crush on me? Of course, Fawnstar must have set me up.

"Yes." She responded simply. 

He stood up quickly, his half-eaten squirrel rolled away covering itself in dust. He winced in embarrassment and hurried to pick it up. "I'll um, deal with this later." 

Unseen she rolled her eyes and began heading toward the entrance. Cedarscar quickly hurried over to fall in step beside her and the two cats padded out of camp. His golden eyes were bright with excitement, and a something else she couldn't place. When he saw her looking at him he quickly turned away. The excitement fizzled from his face. "Sorry, I know you can't help staring at my face. It's terrible, I know." 

"Actually, I don't really notice them." She meowed earnestly. "I don't get why every cat makes a big deal about them, they're just scars." 

He pause and looked at her. His face, covered in thin pale scars, illuminated by his round golden eyes. "Do you really mean that? I mean you heard Willowclaw-"

"I don't give a mousetail what Willowclaw says. You know how much she values her appearance."

He blinked kindly. "That means a lot to me, you know. I uh, don't think you're too bad either." 

She blinked thankfully. Not knowing how to respond. 

Suddenly, he dropped into a crouch. "Look!" He hissed quietly. He angled his ears in front of him, about four fox-lengths away, where a rabbit was nibbling on some Greenleaf acorns. He waved his tail at her, indicating that he would go around. Ivytail nodded, understanding what he wanted her to do. He crept in a wide circle to the back of the rabbit, then let out a loud yowl.

The rabbit shot forward, straight into a waiting Ivytail's paws. Fast as lightning she broke its neck, instantly killing it. Cedarscar padded up behind her. 

"Thank you StarClan for this prey." He meowed. He then turned to Ivytail "Good catch." 

"Thanks." She answered. "You did well too." 

Their eyes met for a moment and Cedarscar quickly looked away. "We should take this back to camp while it's still warm. The queens or elders will appreciate it." He picked up the rabbit in his jaws. 

Ivytail nodded. At least he's not trying to make small talk. StarClan knows how much I hate that. 

The two cats padded back to camp in silence. When they reached the entrance Cedarscar dropped the rabbit and glanced at her. "We should do this again sometime. It was fun." 

"Sure. That would be nice." Ivytail responded, realizing she meant it.

He blinked at her kindly and picked up the rabbit, padding away. She looked behind her, suddenly noticing Fawnstar staring at her from across the camp. Her face was an expression of, I told you so. Ivytail rolled her eyes. Fine. Fawnstar one, Me, zero. 

She padded to a secluded corner of camp and began grooming her long black fur, unsure of what to do next. She felt her mind wandering until it wandered to the night she had been taken into ThunderClan.

Cold. Ivytail's first memory was cold. She was huddled next to the body of her only surviving littermate, in a cold, brown box. She was too cold to open her eyes. Too cold to move. Freezing, white flakes drifted around her, melting into her fur. Suddenly, voices filled her ears. "Kits! Those are kits! Hurry we have to help them!" 

"Are you sure? They don't smell like clan cats. They must be rouges. Are they really worth saving?"

"Great Starclan Blossomtail! Of course they are! Every kit is precious."  A tom's voice meowed.

She felt herself being lifted from the damp, cold box into the bitter night air. She let out a tiny mewl, the only sound she could force her body to make. "Poor little scrap." The cat holding her murmured. "She's practically ice."  

"There are four, not including that one." The tom voice reported. "Three are dead. This gray tabby one is still alive though." 

"Come on, we'd better get them to Frostberry quickly if we want them to have any chance of survival."

Ivytail was broken out of her thoughts by someone calling her name. "Coming!" She called. She padded over to where the medicine cat, Frostberry, had called her name. "Yes?" 

"I'm sorry Ivytail. I was wondering if you could help me carry some thyme I found earlier. Oakpaw is out gathering borage, and all the other apprentices are out training. Everyone seems to be taking advantage of the warm weather lately."

Ivytail shrugged. "Why not. I have nothing else to do right now." 

"Thanks." Frostberry meowed. "This way." 

She led Ivytail through the forest until they were almost to Snakerocks. A massive patch of thyme surrounded a large boulder, and the strong, dizzying scent made Ivytail wonder how Frostberry could be around this every day. 

The white medicine cat instructed her on how to carefully nip off the stalks of thyme, leaving just enough stem for them to re-grow. The pungent scent and bitter taste filled her mouth. Ivytail gagged. These taste horrible! I'd rather eat mouse-bile!  They began to pad back to camp, when Ivytail caught the scent of an unfamiliar cat on the breeze. 

"I'm going to go check this out." She told Frostberry. 

"Alright then." The medicine cat responded. "Just stay out of trouble." 

Ivytail nodded and opened her mouth to taste the air. The scent was sharp and smelled like crow-food mixed with twolegs. Must be a Twolegplace rouge. But what are they doing so far from twolegplace? 

She stalked through the undergrowth, tracking the scent until she could see the cat. It was a brown tabby tom, his pale green eyes glancing around warily. His ears were perked, and he was tasting the air as if looking for something. Like prey! Ivytail realized angrily. Well not today! 

With a yowl, Ivytail burst from her hiding place and sped across the forest. The tom's eyes flashed in alarm, and he shot off. Ivytail raced after him. He zigzagged through the forest, surprisingly agile around the roots and tree trunks of the thick forest, and Ivytail followed in his footsteps. 

After what felt like only a heartbeat, the trees changed to sparse pine, and Twolegplace came into view. I can't let him escape! Ivytail though desperately. Her paws flew beneath her as she pushed herself faster. Most likely noticing Twolegplace was getting nearer, the rouge sped up too, his ears flattened against the wind. Ivytail's breath came in ragged gasps, but she pushed on. Her eyes fixed on the rouge, she didn't notice the tree stump in front of her. She tripped over it, letting out a surprised yelp as she tumbled forward. Pain flared in her shoulder.

"Fox-dung!" She muttered. Ivytail let out a hiss of pain when she stood. It must be sprained. Ivytail's eyes widened when she noticed where she was, and her heart leaped into her throat. For a moment Ivytail was in a river of grief, fighting to stay above the water. She limped over to a patch of ferns, specs of dry blood still lingering even two moons later. She remembered the promise she made to her sister. I vowed I would get revenge for you Mistpool, and don't worry I haven't forgotten. I will.