Thank you (An IvyxHawk Fanfic)

Part 8

The scent of a familiar cat scorched Ivypool's nose and, surely enough, stood a smoky grey pelt she thought she would never see in her life.

"Ripplepaw?" Everything around the wiry she-cat disappeared and only her deceased littermate stood there, still like a stone.

"Hurry Ivypool! We must go now!" Ripplepaw's smoky grey pelt was neatly done and her amber eyes shone brightly, even more than before she was killed by the Twoleg.

"Where must we go?" Ivypool got on her swollen grey paws but stumbled because of how weak she had gotten in the last three sunrises.

"There is no time for that. We must go now or it will be too late!" Ripplepaw urged her small and wiry apprentice. Ivypool obediently listened to her deceased littermate and took a step forward. The pain immediately surged the wiry silver and white tabby she-cat, making her moan. Her vision became even more blurry and Ripplepaw started to fade, obvious disappointment filling her amber eyes.

"Hawkfrost. Hawkfrost... I saw her..." Ivypool moaned as pain struck her as she twitched in the scorching heat.

"Hawkfrost... Hawkfrost? Hawkfrost!" Ivypool wailed as the pain and intense heat controlled her body and mind.

"Ivypool, are you okay?" Hawkfrost's worried meow made her relax some bit, but the pain jabbed her once more.

"G-get Mothwing..." She barely gasped as the intense pain thundered in her swollen and grey paws.

"Hawkfrost... please get her now." Ivypool's vision had already disappeared and she saw nothing but the blurry figures of the medicine cat den.

"She's out getting herbs." Hawkfrost raced to the silver and white tabby's aid.

"DO SOMETHING! MY BODY IS IN HEAT AND IM IN PAIN!" Ivypool cried.

"Is she okay?" Mothwing's meow sounded more like 'If fhe ofay', making Ivypool sort of giggle, but the pain controlled her once more.

"She's in pain. I'm pretty sure it's her paws." Ivypool felt Hawkfrost's pelt brush hers, causing a purr to stumble out her throat, but cut short by the intense pain.

"Calm her down and I'll see what I can do."

"What do you by you'll see what you're going to do?! DO SOMETHING!!" Hawkfrost snarled.

"Okay, okay! Great StarClan Hawkfrost! They won't take her, yet."

"DON'T YOU DARE SAY THAT!"

"I say what I want, Hawkfrost."

"NOT ABOUT DEATH, I HOPE!"

"STOP YELLING SO YOU WON'T GET OTHER'S ATTENTION!"

"STARCLAN LET'S JUST STOP! IVYPOOL IS GOING TO DIE IF WE KEEP ARGUING!"

"Just calm her down. I'll get water and all those things that would help." Hawkfrost started to lick Ivypool's head.

"Please don't leave me yet, Ivypool. I need you more than anything in the world!" Hawkfrost whimpered.

"I won't... but if I do, promise me you'll cooperate without me..." Ivypool whispered.

"Don't say that. Mothwing is a great medicine cat, I know she'll save you. Just please don't ever leave me alone as Sasha did."

"I'm not Sasha, I'm Ivypool. You know that. As we are different cats, that means we are nothing alike..."

"Oh, great StarClan I can hear your life fading away from your voice! Don't you dare leave me..."

"But I'll be next to you if I do..."

"That isn't the same. I need you here with me, physically."

"Hawkfrost, I-I love you..."

"Don't worry, my love. I love you too. You're like the moon and stars for me. Lossing you will be one of the biggest boulders in my life." Hawkfrost nuzzled her neck with his bright pink nose.

***

Feathertail heard what Hawkfrost told sick Ivypool. He loved her, and I thought he loved me. She thought with sadness. Feathertail had been mooning over the dark brown tabby for moons, and knowing that his heart had been stolen by a silver and white tabby she-cat with deep aqua eyes made her dig her claws in the dirt with envy. Why can't life go right for once in my life? The light grey tabby she-cat lashed her tail before heading into the warriors' den, fury drifting into her paws with every step.

***

"Is she okay?" Hawkfrost demanded, standing in front of his littermate, Mothwing, who sighed, obviously annoyed by his constant meowing.

"You could say kind of. Her fever is worse than the journey. I'm guessing two or three times worse." Mothwing loomed over the weak silver and white tabby she-cat, who layed down on her nest, useless.

"What have you been giving her?"

"I mixed some borage leaves and chamomile together, but they don't seem to be working."

"She's not going to make it, isn't she?"

"I don't think so. Let's just hope for the best." Mothwing put her paw on Ivypool's head, then immediately pulled back.

"Is she that hot?" Hawkfrost walked closer to the two she-cats.

"Oh, great StarClan yes. Feel for yourself. Be careful not to disturb her." As soon as Hawkfrost placed his paw on the she-cat's forehead, he regretted it.

"She feels like if I felt lava."

"But it is not. This poor she-cat. She hasn't even gone through two moons of being a warrior and yet, StarClan wants to take her."

"Maybe because they want her to be happy with Ripplepaw. Just imagine it. The two long lost littermates finally happy in a place where they won't be hurt." Hawkfrost sighed as he remembered the young smoky grey she-cat.

"Just because I'm asleep doesn't mean I can't hear you two..." Ivypool murmured quietly.

"Hush. You need to rest, Ivypool." Mothwing gently ran her tail on the she-cat's back.

"But I want Hawkfrost next to me." Ivypool glanced at the tom with love gleaming in her eyes.

"I don't want to risk you getting even more fever. He is a pretty fluffy tom and him next to you won't help." Mothwing shook her head.

"I'll stay with her tonight. She needs me more than anyone now." Hawkfrost settled beside the silver and white tabby, but not close as he wanted.

"If you insist." Mothwing turned her back and mixed some herbs together.

"Thanks. I wish... we could get more then we wanted." Ivypool whispered quietly, so quiet that Hawkfrost barely heard.

"I do too. I want to call you mine, forever." He fought the urge to cuddle the she-cat.

"You can call me yours from now on if you want." And that might have been one of the last times Hawkfrost saw her beautiful smile.