Ivypool's Heart || Warriors ✔

Chapter 36

The news of Blossomfall and Ivypool's return has spread through ThunderClan fast as the patrol return to camp, and Thornclaw wasn't lying when he said that the Clan had missed them. It seems as though every single member of the Clan have come out to greet the two she-cats and Snowbush.

This welcome is certainly not what they had expected, but is much better than they had hoped.

As they enter through the bramble thicket entrance, both Ivypool and Blossomfall suddenly become overwhelmed with the scent of ThunderClan after being away from it for so long, but most importantly they feel home. They're back where they truly belong.

Though they'll always consider the barn to be their second home, and each and every one of the barn cats their second family.

"Give them some space." Bramblestar says, as he makes his way through the crowd of ThunderClan warriors that have started to crowd around Blossomfall, Ivypool, and Snowbush. "I'd like to speak with them before they get settled back in."

Dovewing, who's standing over by the nursery with three young kits peering out of the entrance of the den, seems about ready to protest, but Bumblestripe is quick to rush over and assure her that it won't take long till they can see them.

Ivypool casts a glance over at her sister, wanting nothing more to go straight over to her, but she and Blossomfall must speak with Bramblestar first. Then as soon as that's out of the way she can go straight over to her sister.

Glancing at Blossomfall, she notices that her mate is also casting longing glances over at her brother Bumblestripe and her sister Briarlight. Ivypool knows that Blossomfall has missed her littermates just as much as she's missed hers, they've been away from them for many moons now after all.

With one more glance over at her sister, Ivypool follows Bramblestar, Squirrelflight, and Jayfeather up to the leader's den with Blossomfall and Snowbush at her side. She just hopes that they won't take too long, cause she really wants to go over to her sister.

"Blossomfall, Ivypool." Bramblestar starts. "Welcome home."

Both Ivypool and Blossomfall dip their heads at him. "It's good to be back, Bramblestar." Blossomfall says. "We've missed being home."

Bramblestar nods. "We bet you have." He says, before his voice grows somber. "I made a mistake in letting you both leave so easily." He says. "The other Clan's had no right in making you leave, and I should've done better in convincing you to stay."

"It's not your fault, Bramblestar." Ivypool says. "We left because we thought it was best at the time to avoid conflict between the Clans."

"Besides, I think us leaving was potentially somewhat of a good thing." Blossomfall adds. "We met other cats just like us. We had been staying with them these passed moons." She says. "We're not sure what we would've done without those cats."

Both Ivypool and Blossomfall will forever consider it a good thing that they had left and met the barn cats. They're not sure how different things would have turned out if they hadn't met those cats, and they're forever glad that they had met them. Those cats had shown them that cats like them aren't a bad thing, and that there's others like them out there, maybe just not a whole lot of them, but there's others like them nonetheless.

"We're glad to hear you had found a place to stay while you were gone." Squirrelflight says. "But what matters most, is that you're home." She purrs. "And if the other Clans aren't happy to hear this once word gets out, then that's their own business, they have no right to dwell on what goes on in ThunderClan."

Bramblestar nods, before turning to Snowbush. "Well done, Snowbush." He says. "I was uncertain whether you could find them on your own, but you've surprised us all, and have done well in bringing our warriors home."