Ivypool's Decision

First Night

"Hello, Ivypool. I received your telepathy." A deep meow made Ivypool's eyes shoot open. "Hawkfrost! Is Toadstep coming after all?" she purred, padding towards him and just stopping herself from touching noses with him. Dark Forest warriors did not like soppiness as they considered it as weakness. 

" Yes, I believe he is coming soon. Would you like to come with me to greet your Clanmate?" Hawkfrost invited, twitching his tail. Nodding, Ivypool bounced forward and the two cats padded away side by side. Ivypool thought her heart would burst with nervous excitement.

Soon, they reached a brighter grassland. Ivypool recognised the gray-and-white pelt of Mousewhisker- the ThunderClan tom was pacing around anxiously. "Greetings, Mousewhisker. Has our new recruit arrived yet?" Hawkfrost questioned. Before Mousewhisker could reply, Toadstep materialised in front of their eyes, his own eyes shut lightly.

"Toadstep!" Ivypool called softly, and Hawkfrost gave her a sharp look. "Ivypool, follow me. Brokenstar has told Mousewhisker what to do; our job is to make sure that he does it well." He beckoned Ivypool into a thick clump of bushes behind, and they crouched down, their fur pressing against each other's awkwardly. Though Ivypool knew it was due to the cramped space and not affection, her heart began to thump faster.

"Ivypool?" Toadstep opened his eyes, looking bewildered, and saw Mousewhisker standing confidently in front of him. "No, Toadstep. It's me, and I'm going to train you for now." 

"What does he mean 'for now'?" Ivypool whispered quietly. Hawkfrost murmured back, "Tigerstar thought that it was best for the actual Dark Forest warriors to lay low and let Clan cats do the job first. Toadstep will train with many different cats before he is assigned a real mentor."

Mousewhisker was meowing, "Fight me." Instantly Toadstep's eyes widened and he meowed, "You? But you're-" he didn't get to finish his sentence, for Mousewhisker had bowled him over and placed a paw over his throat. Legs jerking frantically, Toadstep wriggled furiously until at last, he escaped and faced Mousewhisker boldly, all hesitation gone. The black-and-white tom hurled himself at his Clanmate, paws swiping at his muzzle.

But Mousewhisker was fast. He ducked one way then another, confusing his opponent. When Toadstep finally crashed down, exhausted, the gray-and-white tom leaped onto his back and pinned him down again. Toadstep grunted, then fell still as triumph flashed in Mousewhisker's eyes. He let his opponent go. "All right," Mousewhisker panted. "That was a good battle, but you get tired very easily. We can work on that tommorrow, though. There might be another cat taking my place, I don't know."

When Toadstep had thanked Mousewhisker and completely faded away, Hawkfrost and Ivypool emerged from the bush, shaking their fur to get rid of the lingering leaves. "There, you have one," pointed out Hawkfrost and he flicked it off her shoulder. Confused, Ivypool stammered, "Oh thanks, Hawkfrost." The dark brown tabby tom licked his chest fur, like he knew that he'd messed up.

Mousewhisker bounded up to them, his forest green eyes wide with worry. "Did I do okay? Was I too soft on him? Was it correct to unsheathe our claws?" he babbled, clearly anxious that he did something wrong. "No, Mousewhisker. You did fine. By the way, Applefur, Thornclaw, Minnowtail and Shredtail are waiting for you by the river." Hawkfrost reassured him, though his gaze had turned unreadable.

When the gray-and-white tom had bounded away, the mist swallowing him, Hawkfrost turned to Ivypool, his ice-blue stare penetrating. "We need to talk, Ivypool," he meowed, surprising her with the desperation in his mew.