Warriors: The Gates of StarClan

Chapter 11

Ivysplash squeezed out of the camp through the hole behind the elders' den, heading for WindClan territory. When she crossed the border, she scented the WindClan dawn patrol. After creeping carefully around them, she ran straight for the camp.  "Who's there?" a voice rang out from the tangle of brambles along the edge of the WindClan camp.  Ivysplash raised her voice to the twisted branches. "I need to speak with Tigerpelt. Amberstar sent me."

A slim light gray she-cat emerged from the bracken and looked Ivysplash up and down. "Fine." Turning behind her, she called, "Cloudstripe, make sure the RiverClan cat doesn't do anything mouse-brained."

After a little while, the gray she-cat returned with Tigerpelt padding behind her.  Ivysplash dipped her head to the WindClan she-cats.  "Tigerpelt, may I speak with you for a moment?"

Tigerpelt gave her a kind look.  "Of course."

Once the pair of she-cats was out of earshot of the two hostile WindClan cats, Tigerpelt mewed, "What's wrong?"

"My mother spoke to me again.  She said if four cats didn't leave in two sunrises, we wouldn't return in time."  Ivysplash flicked her tail.

"Then we have to get Lionstorm and whoever Raven is." Tigerpelt was already padding toward ThunderClan territory.

Ivysplash ran forward.  "Wait."  She turned and padded back toward the WindClan camp.  "There's no Raven in the other Clans.  It has to be Ravenfrost of WindClan."

Tigerpelt's eyes lit up, and then her face fell.  "But isn't Raven supposed to be ShadowClan?  After all, there's no ShadowClan cat coming with us so far."

"If he's willing to come, he should.  We can worry about the exact words of the prophecy later."  Ivysplash hoped with all of StarClan that she was right.

Tigerpelt led her back to the WindClan camp, where Ivysplash crouched behind a rock while the dark brown she-cat asked around for Ravenfrost.  "He's in the warrior's den.  And that RiverClan cat had better not be lurking around here," the gray she-cat hissed.

Tigerpelt led Ravenfrost beside rock where Ivysplash was hiding and told him about the prophecy.  "You are Raven," she mewed.  "And this is Ivysplash of RiverClan.  She's Ivy.  We're about to go find Lionstorm of ThunderClan."

Ivysplash nodded.  "Will you come with us?"

The dark gray tom paused for a moment before meowing, "Yes, I will."

"Great!" Ivysplash sank her claws into scrubby ground in relief, realizing what her mother was telling her in the dream.  Black ice.  Ravenfrost.

"We need to leave now." Tigerpelt flicked her tail to a looming shape in the distance.  "We're leaving from Horseplace, but first we have to get Lionstorm."

The three cats ran toward ThunderClan territory as Tigerpelt mewed to Ivysplash, "Sorry about Feathershade.  She's always prickly."

Ivysplash purred amusedly and mewed, "It's okay.  There's one in every Clan."

Ravenfrost stopped abruptly.  "Ivysplash, you should go to the ThunderClan camp alone, and we'll hide in the trees nearby."  He nodded toward the ThunderClan camp.  "We'll seem like less of an attacking patrol."

Tigerpelt gave her Clanmate a warm look.  "Good idea."

When Ivysplash, Tigerpelt, and Ravenfrost arrived at the ThunderClan camp, the ThunderClan dawn patrol emerged from the undergrowth on the other side of the clearing.  Ivysplash padded toward the patrol and mewed, "Could I please speak with Lionstorm?"

"Sure.  I'm right here."  The golden tom stepped out from behind the other cats to address the RiverClan she-cat.  When they were out of earshot of the patrol, Ivysplash meowed, "We found Raven!  It's Ravenfrost of WindClan!"

Lionstorm gaped at her.  "Really?  Where is he?"

"Over here," she mewed.  "We have to leave right now."  She quickly explained her dream to Lionstorm.

"Then there's no time to lose." Lionstorm began padding away.  "We have to go past Horseplace.  I've heard of this watery place.  The Twolegs call it the awshin or something."

Ivysplash followed him.  "Then let's go!"