An Appearance Doesn't Define Me

Chapter 14: Ivypaw Does Stuff

"What do you want from me!" Ivypaw shouted into the void - frustrated at the silence from the surrounding darkness, loneliness tugging at her heart.

"Friendships pass through borders." a voice whispered before a flash of light awoke Ivypaw. She sat up - lungs heaving as she scanned her surroundings, she made out Tallshade's flank moving up and down as he slept. A gust of leaf-fall wind made its way in from the entrance causing her to shiver, it carried a scent of a cat hovering by the ferns.

"Apricotfrost?" she questioned, a tang hit her nose as it mixed with the young Warrior's scent. She sighed, standing out of her nest, making her way out of the den.

She emerged to find her friend asleep at her paws, a nasty chunk of her ear missing. Ivypaw prodded the figure, "Apricotfrost?" she whispered.

A groggy mew cursed her, "What?"

"You ok?" She asked, eyeing the wound.

The Warrior exhaled loudly, "I caught it hunting earlier, didn't think that much of it - but I think I tore it further in my sleep."

Mousedung. Ivypaw thought. That lie couldn't be more obvious if she told me the truth right after! She decided, however, that if the warrior was willing to lie to her face, then there was no point trying to push. "Stay here - clean the wound." She ordered before disappearing back into the den. After grabbing small amounts of Goldenrod, Marigold, and Cobwebs, she walked back out, finding the beige Warrior grooming the damaged ear.

Apricotfrost flicked her tail in annoyance, "Can we get this done with quickly?"

"I'll try." Ivypaw stated, starting to prepare the poultice.

"Done. Just," Ivypaw sighed, "Just stay out of trouble."

"Thank you Ivypaw." Apricotfrost dipped her head, trotting away to the Warriors' Den- passing Dacestripe and Icewing as they left to wake the rest of the Dawn Patrol.

Ivypaw yawned, re-entering the den. A grunt came from Tallshade as she tripped over some moss trailing from her nest. "If you're up - go check on Echotail and the kits" he mewed, "Or hunt if they're not up." He stood up, turning around in his nest before going back to sleep.

Brill. Ivypaw thought looking at her nest longingly, she sighed - knowing that if she did manage to go back to sleep, she would only be plagued with worry for Apricotfrost and StarClan's Prophecy. Ivypaw slipped out of the den and padded across the clearing. She pushed through the reeds and crossed to the other side of the small river surrounding the camp. She turned around at the sound of cats, only to find Eelstripe and Icewing in conversation as they lead the Dawn Patrol as it emerged from camp.

"Hey." Dacestripe greeted groggily as she passed Ivypaw, following the two 'early birds,' as the Elders called them.

Rosecloud tagged along behind her Deputy, yawning uncontrollably. "Want to join us?" She asked. Ivypaw shook her head declining her mother's offer, "Fair." Ivypaw saw the she-cat's eyes glitter with concern in the faint moonlight before she joined the rest of the patrol.

Ivypaw turned her gaze to the sky, the moon peaked out from under the cloud cover, raining white moonlight into Ivypaw's eyes. Transported into her nightmare, fear-filled, she began to run through her territory. What do you want from me? She silently screamed at StarClan – wishing Bluekit had told her more. She slowed, thinking back to when she had told Tallshade while walking back home. He had thought about it, deciding it was not a 'herald for doomsday,' he told her to figure it out herself.

Water splashed at her paws, causing Ivypaw to look down – finding herself at the Lake's shore. She lifted her paws out of the water, eyes falling on the Island. She lifted her nose to the air, it had been windy, but not wet since the gathering. Her mind raced as she crept towards the Tree-Bridge. If anything goes wrong, the Dawn Patrol isn't that far away. Ivypaw weighed her choices, Pass through borders? Pass through Clans? The Island seemed to call her, unsheathing her claws, she jumped up – scrambling across the bridge and jumped down at the end. She dashed across to the tunnel, feeling her fur stand on end at how quiet it was compared to the full moon.