Ivylight's Journey

Ivylight's journey is a fanfic written by Sandstone. It is about a young apprentice called Ivypaw when Nutshell, a TunnelClan warrior is murdered and she sets out on a patrol to find out who did it.

WARNING SPOILER ALERT!

This is the secret page: https://blogclan.katecary.co.uk/2018/12/14/cadvent-day-14-3/sandstone/

Chapters
So far, there is the first chapter posted on the fanfic page.

SwiftClan

Leader: Leapstar – wiry dark gray tabby she-cat with white paws

Deputy: Driftshadow – gray and white tom with amber eyes

Medicine cats: Duskfrost – brown and golden tabby she-cat with white paws and chest

Liongaze – golden tabby tom with bushy fur around his neck

Warriors: Skyfrost – blue-gray she-cat with green eyes

Apprentice, Dapplepaw (Siamese tom)

Rainblossom – white she-cat with a gray tabby mask, tail and back

Sunlight – light golden tabby tom

Apprentice, Ivypaw (long-haired tortoiseshell dappled she-cat)

Leafstorm – brown she-cat with leaf-like patches

Apprentices, Haypaw (golden she-cat with stripes)

Queens: Cherrysplash – tabby she-cat (mother of Ripplekit, a small gray tom, Blizzardkit, a white she-cat, Dawnkit, an orange she-cat)

Elders: Cloudpetal – pure white tom

Vineflash – old, brown tabby she-cat with darker stripes

ShadeClan

Leader: Sagestar – dark ginger she-cat with a lighter paw

Deputy: Ryewhisker – brown tom with long whiskers

Apprentice, Dandelionpaw

Medicine cat: Hollybriar – splotched yellow and black tabby she-cat

Apprentice, Snowpaw

Warriors: Robinfrost – small gray tom with a reddish chest

Dreamsong – cream coloured she-cat

Apprentice, Flamepaw

Copperflame – copper she-cat with white paws

Stonecrack – gray tabby tom

Sunflower – yellow she-cat with black ears

Blackbird – black she-cat

Elders: Shatteredfrost – gray and white tom

Chapter 1
Ivypaw shivered. This was her second gathering. She’d met some friendly apprentices called Flamepaw and Dandelionpaw. Haypaw held her head high. Dapplepaw gave a little bounce. They were her littermates. There’ve aren’t nervous at all, Ivypaw reflected.

SwiftClan’s leader Leapstar, jumped onto the Gathering rock. Fallstar, the TunnelClan leader nodded. Leapstar dipped her head. Beside him, Sagestar the ShadeClan leader sat, her white pelt glowing in the moonlight.

“Let the gathering begin,” Fallstar mewed. Leapstar nodded and Sagestar dipped her head.

“Newleaf brings prey and healthiness,” Fallstar announced. “One of our kits, Sorrelkit, has passed away. While our other kit, Bluekit, has become an apprentice and has been apprenticed to Starspirit.”

“Bluepaw! Bluepaw!”

A young cat hung her head down in embarrassment next to Starspirit. That must be Bluepaw, Ivypaw guessed.

“Then other else,” Fallstar mewed, “TunnelClan has nothing to report.” He nodded to Leapstar.

The dark gray tabby raised her head. “Like TunnelClan-”

A screech cut off her. Warriors swung their heads in the direction of the screech. Leafstorm ran towards that sound of the screech.

“Who is it?” asked Dandelionpaw. Her brother Flamepaw shrugged.

Ivypaw stood next to them. “Whatever it is, it’s nothing good I think.” She warned.

Dadelionpaw nodded. Her eyes grew wide. “Look!” she whispered.

Leafstorm was carrying a cat. Warriors stared in horror. Dripped with blood, the cat had a broad shape. Could it be…?

“Nutshell!” Starspirit screeched. She raced towards her brother, a lapped his blood-soaked pelt.

Fallstar stared in dismay. “Who did this?” he asked Leafstorm, his voice hollow. Leafstorm stared at him.

“It was a rogue,” she explained. “It went the direction of the Twolegplace.”

Fallstar growled. “We must average Nutshell’s death!” he demanded.

Sagestar twitched her ears. “But how?” she questioned. “Starspirit and Oakbranch are your only warriors!”

“It doesn’t matter,” Fallstar hissed. “All clans will help!”

“I’ll send a few warriors,” Leapstar offered. “Tomorrow at dawn, we meet at TunnelClan camp.”

Sagestar let a snort of disgust. “I’m not helping TunnelClan because one warrior died!”

Fallstar rolled his eyes. “It doesn’t matter. SwiftClan can help us enough.” He mewed.

“The gathering is the end,” Leapstar mewed as she jumped off the Gathering rock.

Ivypaw stared at her sister Haypaw. Haypaw gave a bounce. “Isn’t it exciting?”

“I guess so.” She mewed dully. She would rather continue with her apprentice duties. Hopefully Haypaw got chosen and she didn’t.

Dapplepaw hovered around Ivypaw. “If I get chosen, I’ll slice the rogue’s ears!”

His mentor Skyfrost waved her tail around. “Hush,” she ordered. “Let’s catch up.”

“Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the highrock for a clan meeting!”

Ivypaw slid out of her nest. Haypaw’s nest was empty and so was Dapplepaw’s. She padded out of the apprentices’ den.

Leapstar held her head up high. “I have chosen who is going to average Nutshell’s death.”

Please not me, Ivypaw begged silently.

“I have chosen,” Leapstar announced. “Driftshadow, Rainblossom, Sunlight, Leafstorm, Ivypaw and Haypaw.”

''What, me? No!'' Ivypaw let out a breath. Dapplepaw pressed against her.

“You’ve lucky,” he mewed. “I wanted to go.”

Lucky? This was the worst thing ever.

Chapter 2
Ivypaw set out with the patrol. The cats from TunnelClan were Starspirit and Bluepaw, the new apprentice. She seemed nervous.

“Hey, I’m Ivypaw.” She introduced. Bluepaw nodded.

“I’m Bluepaw,” the small gray apprentice told her. Ivypaw dipped her head.

Rainblossom nudged them. “C’mon,” she encouraged. “Leafstorm’s found that patch of blood,”

Leafstorm led them to a dry patch of blood with dark gray tufts of fur. Fresh rogue scent bathed Ivypaw’s tougue.

“The rogue’s fur is dark gray,” she realized. “This is the way,” The scent trail led to Twolegplace. Ivypaw shivered. She’d never been to Twolegplace.

Sunlight, her mentor flicked his tail. “It’s ok,” he assured. “I’ll protect you.”

Haypaw let out a snort of laughter. Ivypaw rolled her eyes.

Twolegplace was huge. Twoleg dens stretched over the sky. Bluepaw widened her eyes.

“I’ve never thought Twoleg dens were this tall!” she exclaimed. Ivypaw nodded.

“I know,” she agreed, but she realized the patrol was lost.

“What do we do now?” Bluepaw wailed. Her mentor Starspirit calmed her.

“We can ask a kittypet.” She explained. ''What? Has'' she gone mouse-brained?

Driftshadow nodded. “Let’s do it. Haypaw, Ivypaw, Bluepaw and Sunlight. Stay here. The rest of you, come.”

Ivypaw stared at them in dismay. Why were they going to ask a kittypet? Couldn’t they ask a loner?

“Why are they asking a kittypet?” she asked Sunlight. His whiskers twitched.

“Don’t think they’re mouse-brained talking to a kittypet,” he mewed. “A kittypet might know if the rogue passed.”

Ivypaw looked over the Twoleg ‘fence’, that’s what the elders called it. Vineflash told her that kittypets call it that.

Driftshadow leaped onto the fence. “Hey kittypet!” he called.

She saw a sleek, mottled black tom leap next to him. The kittypet glared at him. “What do want, forest cat?” he snarled. She was surprised how the kittypet’s growl was brave, not scared. Driftshdow looked surprised.

“Actually,” he mewed, “Have seen a rogue passing through here?”

The black kittypet thought for a while. “Yes, I have. Was his fur dark gray?”

Rainblossom brightened up. “Yes!”

The kittypet nodded. “Then it’s him. I can show you the way,” he offered.

The SwiftClan deputy dipped his head. “Thank you,” he mewed. “What’s your name?”

“I’m Shadow.” Shadow mewed.

Driftshadow dipped his head. “Lead the way, Shadow.”

“That’s it.” Shadow pointed to a patch of ferns. “Follow the trail.”

Ivypaw sadly dipped her head. “May StarClan light your path, Shadow.” She pressed against him. “You were like a warrior.”

Shadow waved his tail. “Goodbye,” he mewed. “We can see each other again.”

Crunching ferns woke Ivypaw. She stiffened. Cat scent!'' A black shape was moving. “Come,” the cat whispered. She twitched'' her ears. “Why?”

The cat’s eyes flashed. “Don’t you know? It’s me, Shadow!” Ivypaw’s eyes widened.

“Why are you here?” she asked.

Shadow looked urgent. “Come live with me.” He begged. “I abandoned my housefolk. Come live with me.”

Ivypaw breathed. If she abandoned her clan, she wouldn’t see Haypaw, Dapplepaw or any of her kin again. But if she abandoned Shadow, the guilt would live inside her forever. Living with Shadow is easier, she reflected.

“I choose you,” she whispered, pressing against Shadow. She closed her eyes. Goodbye clanmates, she thought, Goodbye SwiftClan, Haypaw and Dapplepaw. Goodbye Watermoon and Rosewing in StarClan. Goodbye everyone in SwiftClan. May StarClan light your path.

Ivypaw opened her eyes again. This time Shadow was waiting.

“I will always be with you,” she whispered as she padded away.

Chapter 3
''Ivypaw crouched in the forest. ''A mouse scurried under the leaves. She leaped. The mouse had no time to move. She knocked in down with her claws. Shadow skipped towards her, with a vole dangling from his jaws. I’ve been away from SwiftClan for so long…How many moons?

Since she’d move in Shadow, they loved each other.

She suddenly thought. I’m not an apprentice anymore, “I should change my name,” she mewed. Shadow nodded.

Ivypaw held her head up. “I want my new name to be Ivylight” She declared.  ''In the memory Sunlight. He was a great'' mentor. 

Shadow rubbed his cheek against her’s. “I love you.”

“Me too.” She whispered.

Rustling woke Ivylight. Whispering. Two shapes of cats. She listened.

“But you killed Nutshell!” a voice came. Ivylight’s eyes widened.

“I set the trap. They’ve crowfood now.” Shadow laughed evilly.

Ivylight’s mind was spinning.  I can’t believe it!  She exclaimed. Shadow actually killed Nutshell! I have no right to love him!

She raced out of the bush that they were sleeping in. “Ivylight?” Shadow’s confused voice echoed.

She ran faster. Her paws skidded the earth. She knew how to get to SwiftClan camp! Across the Thunderpath, then the Twolegplace!

Monsters growled. Their lights flashed and made honking sounds. She skited across the Thunderpath.

She leaped onto the fence and started sprinting. “Ivylight? Ivylight! Where are you?”

She couldn’t turn around. Shadow had caught up!

The forest was nearby. She leaped off the fence and raced into the forest.

“Ivylight!” Shadow yowled. He was close! A patch of brambles lay nearby.

Then she remembered. Shadow couldn’t get out of brambles easily! Ivylight smiled. She remembered Shadow wiggling and screaming for help. She had purred with amusement. He was scared as a newborn kit! She race to some brambles and hid behind a tree.

A black shape crashed into the brambles. Smash! The brambles were piecing his fur. “Help!” he screeched.

Ivylight ran towards the camp. Past the river, past the trees. She scrambled down the rocky ledge. Rainblossom was guarding the entrance. Her fur stood on an end. “Who goes there?” she snarled. Suddenly, her eyes brightened. “Ivypaw? Is that you?”

Ivylight nodded. “But I’m Ivy  light   ''now,” she mewed. Rainblossom nudged her. ''

Rainblossome didn’t look surprised. “C’mon.” she ordered. “Come talk to Driftstar.”

“Drift star?” Ivylight’s eyes widened. “Did Leapstar  die  ?”

Rainblossom nodded solemnly. “She fought bravely in the dog attack. She saved Blizzardpaw. Now she blames herself.” Her whiskers twitched. “She shouldn’t do that. But why did you leave us?”

Ivylight flinched. “Driftstar can judge that.” She mewed quietly.

Rainblossom marched into the camp. It looked the same. Gentle snores came from dens. She leaped onto a tall rock, with an entrance which was Driftstar’s den.

Rainblossom softly called though the hole. “Driftstar! Ivypaw, no, Ivylight came back!”

A gray and white tom yawned and stretched. It was Driftstar. “Ivylight?” he asked, “Where have you been? We were worried!”

Ivylight hung her head down. “I’m sorry. Shadow, the kittypet who guided us, was so handsome…and I wanted to live with him. So I did…” Driftstar stared at her in shock. I’m sorry…but he was so…

Ivylight grounded her teeth. No! I will never love Shadow again!

Driftstar sighed. “Go on.”

She had to tell him the truth! “Shadow…” she managed to choke out, “…he actually killed Nutshell!”

Driftstar’s eyes widned. “Him?! Did he pretend to be a kittypet?” he asked Ivylight.

She ducked her head in embarrassment. She didn’t know. “I don’t know.” She replied.

“Thank you Ivylight. Find yourself a nest and sleep.”

Rainblossom’s ears were twitching. It was quite unusual.

“Why are you twitching your ears?” Ivylight asked. Rainblossom started purring.

“Ivylight, your’ve expecting kits! Although I assuse they’ve Shadow’s kits, right?”

Ivylight stared at horror. ''Kits? No!''

If Shadow found out that they were his, he would teach them how to get revenge on abandoning him! Those kits will not leave the clan! I’ll die for them, anything! she vowed.

More chapters coming soon!