Chapter 33 - Moon 18

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“Ivyshadow!” Forestpaw crashed into her the second she stepped back into the Falling Rock camp. “Marblestar said I had to stay here and I couldn't go looking for you!” To Ivyshadow's surprise, her apprentice was crying.

She leaned down to give his head a lick, “I'm alright. You shouldn't have worried.”

Forestpaw straightened, sniffing back tears, “I wasn't worried.”

Ivyshadow laughed, giving his head another lick. Marblestar leapt over to her, his eyes concerned, “what was it? I sent out a patrol to help you - they should be coming back soon.”

“A bear,” Ivyshadow's voice turned serious, “near the west side of the border. There was a kit trapped in a tree near it,” Ivyshadow gestured Moonkit out from behind her, “here she is.”

Moonkit stared wide eyed up at Marblestar and Forestpaw, shrinking into Ivyshadow's side.

Marblestar’s expression immediately softened, and he leaned down to the kit's height, “hello, what's your name? I'm Marblestar.”

“Moonkit,” she whispered, still stuck to Ivyshadow's side.

“Well, it's nice to meet you. What clan are you from?”

“Moonkit?” Forestpaw leaned forward, suddenly interested. “You're Petalpaw's sister!”

Moonkit's eyes widened, “you know Petalki-paw?”

“A Tall Trees kit, then.” Marblestar asked, turning to Ivyshadow.

“Not exactly,” Ivyshadow replied. She glanced down at the kit, feeling a strange connection to her. A need to protect, to nurture her. “Where's Ava?”

Moonkit's gaze fell to her paws, “our twolegs took her away. They were angry that she kept trying to escape the house, so they just took her.”

“That was very brave of you to find us,” Marblestar meowed, his voice reminding Ivyshadow of Blackstripe.

“My mom told me to go here if anything happened to her. She said I have to find Larktail.”

Ivyshadow opened her mouth, but Marblestar spoke first. “You could stay with us, if you want.”

Ivyshadow closed her mouth. Privately, she agreed with Marblestar. Even after all the kit had been through, she knew that Acornstar would feel no remorse in treating her like dirt.

Moonkit looked nervously up to Ivyshadow, as if depending on her to make the decision. “Well…” Ivyshadow glanced at Marblestar, then back at the kit. “You could stay here for half a moon, to see if you like it.”

Moonkit nodded, although she clearly didn't understand what was going on.

“I'm Forestpaw,” Forestpaw announced, “the best fighter in the whole clan.”

Moonkit blinked, and once again looked to Ivyshadow for guidance. Ivyshadow shrugged in response, not sure why the kit had attached herself so easily. “I'm Moonkit.” She looked back at Forestpaw, causing her collar to jingle.

Forestpaw narrowed his eyes at the sound, “Is that a COL-”

“That's enough.” Ivyshadow interrupted. Forestpaw was not the most tactful of cats.

“Ivyshadow, you're okay!” Cobaltwhisper, Redclaw, Topazleaf and Quartzcluster had just returned from looking for her.

Ivyshadow nodded, giving Cobaltwhisper a lick on her ear, “I'm ok!”

“Now that we're all back…” Marblestar turned to leap up onto the rock, “I call all cats of Falling Rock to gather for a Clan meeting!”

Ivyshadow led Moonkit over to the edge of the small crowd, where they settled down. Granitefur peeked his head out of the warrior den before climbing out to join them.

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