Ivypool's Heart || Warriors ✔

Chapter 19

Making their way to the gathering along with the rest of the group from ThunderClan, both Ivypool and Blossomfall find themselves filled with nervousness once more.

Even though their Clan is supportive of them, there's no knowing whether or not the other three Clans will be supportive too. All the two she-cats can do, is pray to StarClan that the other Clans are accepting of this.

Bramblestar is aware of the fact that Ivypool and Blossomfall are wanting to announce this to the other three Clans. He had hesitated for a bit, before finally allowing them to announce it to ShadowClan, RiverClan, and WindClan at the gathering. But he had also warned them that the other three Clans might not be so accepting.

At least, Bramblestar is hoping that he's wrong about the other Clans not being accepting of this. He doesn't want to have the other Clans doing something bad about this towards two of his valued warriors.

As ThunderClan arrive at the Island, Ivypool and Blossomfall sit together in the crowd of cats, with Snowpaw, Dovewing, and Bumblestripe sitting close to them. Both Ivypool and Blossomfall appreciate their immense support, and are glad that they are here with them at this gathering tonight.

They just wish that Briarlight could join too. Blossomfall feels as though she definitely needs the support of both her littermates. But considering Briarlight's condition, it wouldn't be possible for her to make it to the Island. Not that she wouldn't try to make it to the Island anyway. But even if Briarlight did manage to make it to the tree bridge, it would be much too difficult for her to get across. Though, Blossomfall has a hunch that Briarlight may at least attempt to make her way across.

As the Clan leaders, Blackstar of ShadowClan, Mistystar of RiverClan, Onestar of WindClan, and then finally Bramblestar have shared good news to the gathered cats, both Ivypool and Blossomfall both sit close together, their pelts touching, and both their tails twitching nervously behind them. Soon, the other three Clans will know about them, and from then on, everything will change.

"Before this gathering eventually comes to a close." Bramblestar starts, after the gathered cats have quietened down. "Two of my warriors have an announcement they'd like to make."

"What type of announcement?" Blackstar queries, from where he sat on the branch just above the branch Bramblestar sat on next to Mistystar.

"You'll find out soon enough." Bramblestar assures him, before scanning through the crowd of cats, before his gaze settles on both Ivypool and Blossomfall. "Ivypool, Blossomfall? May you both step forward please?"

Ivypool notices Blackstar's gaze drift curiously onto both her and Blossomfall. It's known that she and Blossomfall are two of the cats that had trained in the Dark Forest many moons ago, and Ivypool can't help but wonder if part of Blackstar's curiosity about what they have to say has anything to do with that. After all, Ivypool isn't quite sure if the Clans are still wary about their Clanmates who had trained in the Dark Forest, but in the end had fought alongside their Clan instead of against them in the end.

Both Ivypool and Blossomfall make their way to the front of the gathered cats, painfully aware of all the eyes on the pair of them. This is it. The moment to announce this to the other Clans, and either have their lives ruined, or give other cats like them the courage to come out just like them.

They don't exactly know what the reaction from the other Clans would be. As soon as they tell them, the island is thrown into a shocked silence. No cat dare spoke a word, not even the ThunderClan cats that already knew about this announcement. Either they didn't know what to say, or they just didn't care.

Oh how Ivypool and Blossomfall hoped that it was the latter....

"Two she-cats as mates?" A ShadowClan tom is the first to break the silence. "That's simply unheard of!"

More cats start voicing their opinions on the matter, which cause Ivypool and Blossomfall to shrink closer together. The only support being given to them, is from the ThunderClan cats who are quick to defend the two she-cats from the other three Clan's obvious disapproval. The loudest of all the ThunderClan cats being Snowpaw, Dovewing, and Bumblestripe, who make their way up to the front of the gathered cats to stand with Ivypool and Blossomfall.

"Throw them out!" A WindClan apprentice yowls. "This isn't right!" She says. "They're sick!"

"I'll show you what's right and what isn't if you call Ivypool and Blossomfall sick again, you foxheart!" Snowpaw hisses hackles raised ready to attack and to defend his mentor and her mate in whatever way he can.

Ivypool certainly admires her apprentice's courage for wanting to do whatever it takes to defend her and Blossomfall. But she also doesn't want any of this to end in a fight. Especially not at the gathering.

"There's no clouds covering the sky!" A RiverClan warrior gasps, causing all the cats to cast their gaze up towards the sky. "StarClan aren't trying to do anything to stop this! They don't think this is right either!"

Sure enough, there's not a single cloud covering the moon, as it shines brightly down onto the island. StarClan don't appear to be doing anything to stop all of this. They're not making any clouds cover the moon to stop the Clans from arguing.

Ivypool whimpers, as she shrinks away from all of this. Just wishing that a great big hole would open up beneath her and suck her away from all of this. ShadowClan, RiverClan, and WindClan aren't as accepting as she and Blossomfall hoped that they'd be. Not even StarClan are doing anything to stop the gathered cats from arguing.

Does StarClan agree with the other three Clans about this? That what her and Blossomfall are doing is wrong?