Running Up That Hill

Ever since the war, everyone has honored Ivypool for her bravery as a spy in the Dark Forest…perhaps too much. Many cats argue over becoming Ivypool's mate, much to Ivypool's dismay. After all, Ivypool doesn't want a mate. But is she going to have a choice? So many cats keep bothering her…how long can she take this? She can take care of herself, that's for certain, but that's only physically. Can she reestablish her emotional stability, or will all of these cats tear her apart to the point where death is the only answer?

Allegiances

ThunderClan

Leader: Bramblestar—dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Deputy: Squirrelflight—dark ginger she-cat with green eyes

Medicine Cats: Leafpool—light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Jayfeather—gray tabby tom with blue eyes, formerly blind

Warriors: Brackenfur—golden brown tabby tom

Cloudtail—long-haired white tom with blue eyes

Brightheart—white she-cat with ginger patches

Thornclaw—golden brown tabby tom

Sorreltail—tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with amber eyes

Spiderleg—long-limbed black tom with brown underbelly and amber eyes

Birchfall—light brown tabby tom

Apprentice, Lilypaw

Whitewing—white she-cat with green eyes

Apprentice, Amberpaw

Berrynose—cream-colored tom

Apprentice, Snowpaw

Mousewhisker—gray-and-white tom

Apprentice, Dewpaw

Hazeltail—small gray-and-white she-cat

Poppyfrost—tortoiseshell she-cat

Apprentice, Seedpaw

Lionblaze—golden tabby tom with amber eyes

Foxleap—reddish tabby tom

Toadstep—black-and-white tom

Rosepetal—dark cream she-cat

Briarlight—dark brown she-cat

Blossomfall—tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat

Bumblestripe—very pale gray tom with black stripes

Dovewing—pale gray she-cat with blue eyes

Ivypool—silver-and-white tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes

Cherryfrost—ginger she-cat

Moleheart—brown-and-cream tom

Apprentices: Lilypaw—dark brown tabby she-cat with white patches

Seedpaw—very pale ginger she-cat

Amberpaw—gray she-cat with white paws, white muzzle, a white right ear, and amber eyes

Dewpaw—gray tom with amber eyes

Snowpaw—white tom with amber eyes

Queens: Cinderheart—gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes, expecting Lionblaze's kits

Icecloud—white she-cat with blue eyes, expecting Mousewhisker's kits

Daisy—cream long-furred she-cat from the horseplace

Elders: Purdy—plump brown tabby tom with a gray muzzle, former loner

Graystripe—long-haired gray tom

Dustpelt—dark brown tabby tom

Sandstorm—pale ginger she-cat with green eyes

ShadowClan

Leader: Blackstar—large white tom with jet-black paws

Deputy: Applefur—mottled brown she-cat

Apprentice, Dewpaw

Medicine Cat: Littlecloud—very small tabby tom

Warriors: Crowfrost—black-and-white tom

Ratscar—brown tom with long scar across his back

Snowbird—pure-white she-cat

Tawnypelt—tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

Kinkfur—tabby she-cat, with long fur that sticks out at all angles

Ivytail—black, white, and tortoiseshell she-cat

Owlclaw—light brown tabby tom

Apprentice, Sparrowpaw

Shrewfoot—gray she-cat with black feet

Apprentice, Mistpaw

Scorchfur—dark gray tom

Tigerheart—dark brown tabby tom

Ferretclaw—cream-and-gray tom

Starlingwing—ginger tom

Pinenose—black she-cat

Stoatfur—skinny ginger tom with green eyes

Fowlfeather—black-and-ginger she-cat with amber eyes

Apprentices: Sparrowpaw—large brown tabby tom

Dewpaw—pale gray she-cat

Mistpaw—spiky-furred pale gray she-cat

Queens: Olivenose—tortoiseshell she-cat, expecting Owlclaw's kits

Dawnpelt—cream-colored she-cat, expecting Scorchfur's kits

Elders: Whitewater—white she-cat with long fur, blind in one eye

Oakfur—small brown tom

Smokefoot—black tom

Toadfoot—dark brown tom

WindClan

Leader: Onestar—brown tabby tom

Deputy: Ashfoot—gray she-cat

Medicine Cat: Kestrelflight—mottled gray tom

Warriors: Weaselfur—ginger tom with white paws

Harespring—brown-and-white tom

Leaftail—dark tabby tom with amber eyes

Emberfoot—gray tom with two dark paws

Heathertail—light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Sedgewhisker—light brown tabby she-cat

Apprentice, Cliffpaw

Sunstrike—tortoiseshell she-cat with large white mark on her forehead

Apprentice, Blackpaw

Whiskernose—light brown tom

Furzepelt—gray-and-white she-cat

Boulderfur—large pale gray tom

Apprentice, Buzzardpaw

Crouchleap—light brown tom

Larkstrike—tortoiseshell she-cat with large white mark on her head

Apprentices: Blackpaw—black she-cat with dark blue eyes

Cliffpaw—light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Buzzardpaw—ginger tom with amber eyes

Queens: Whitetail—small white she-cat, expecting Onestar's kits

Swallowtail—dark gray she-cat, expecting Emberfoot's kits

Elders: Crowfeather—dark gray tom

Owlwhisker—light brown tabby tom

Gorsetail—very pale gray-and-white she-cat with blue eyes

Webfoot—dark gray tabby tom

Tornear—tabby tom

RiverClan

Leader: Mistystar—gray she-cat with blue eyes

Deputy: Petalfur—gray-and-white she-cat

Apprentice, Maplepaw

Medicine Cats: Mothwing—dappled golden she-cat

Willowshine—gray tabby she-cat

Apprentice, Dockpaw

Warriors: Duskfur—brown tabby she-cat

Mosspelt—tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes

Minnowtail—dark gray she-cat

Pebblefoot—mottled gray tom

Mallownose—light brown tabby tom

Robinwing—tortoiseshell-and-white tom

Grasspelt—light brown tom

Apprentice, Thymepaw

Rushtail—light brown tabby tom

Troutstream—pale gray tabby she-cat

Hollowflight—dark brown tabby tom

Heronwing—blue-gray she-cat with blue eyes

Grackletail—black she-cat with a long tail and amber eyes

Apprentices: Thymepaw—light brown she-cat with green eyes

Maplepaw—tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes

Dockpaw—tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with green eyes

Queens: Mossyfoot—brown-and-white she-cat, expecting Rushtail's kits

Elders: Reedwhisker—black tom

Graymist—pale gray tabby she-cat

Mintfur—light gray tabby tom

Icewing—white she-cat with blue eyes

Not much to say...they're allegiances... There were a couple or random apprentices in The Last Hope so I gave them each a sibling and made them warriors in this story because of the amount of time that has passed...that's all, really...

And now you can enjoy the prologue if you want to.

Prologue

"The war is finally over," Bluestar meowed.

"Yes, it is," Yellowfang agreed.

"Finally," Cinderpelt meowed.

"But not without its casualties," Firestar reminded them. "Ferncloud, Mousefur, Hollyleaf…Spottedleaf…"

"Spottedleaf will be missed, but she did this for you, remember?" Bluestar meowed.

"She died to protect me…but then I died, anyway. What was her loss for?" Firestar fretted.

"Her loss was for peace. The peace that the Clans are about to enjoy," Yellowfang meowed.

"I wouldn't be so sure if I were you." The four cats turned to see a black she-cat with green eyes padding up to them.

"Hollyleaf? Why are you here? This is a place for leaders, medicine cats, and deputies only," Yellowfang reminded her.

"I see danger," Hollyleaf replied.

"But you aren't…" Yellowfang began, but Cinderpelt shook her head to her former mentor. The younger dark gray she-cat stretched her legs, which were no longer crippled now that she was in StarClan.

"She is kin of the Three. Of course she can be here. Her destiny was not to have the stars in her paws down below, but perhaps now…perhaps now she has a stronger link with the stars than any of us," Cinderpelt meowed.

"We have the stars in our fur!" Yellowfang protested. "We are StarClan! How can she have…?"

"I think it's possible," Firestar meowed.

"Me too," Bluestar meowed.

Yellowfang sighed. "Very well, Hollyleaf. What is the danger that you see?" she asked.

Hollyleaf shifted her paws. "It is not a…normal danger, let's say."

"For StarClan's sake, what is it?" Yellowfang snapped.

"Something horrifying," Hollyleaf replied. "Someone who worked so hard during the war is going to be repaid with such sorrow…it isn't fair…"

"Hollyleaf, where did you see this danger?" Cinderpelt asked curiously.

"I—I…in the pool," Hollyleaf stammered. "I know I wasn't supposed to be there, but I got lost, and there was no one around to help me, so I decided to look into the pool to see if there was anything to help me find my way."

"No one was with you? This is StarClan! We are together!" Yellowfang exclaimed.

"Most of her family are down below, still alive. She is practically a loner up here," Cinderpelt reminded Yellowfang softly.

"I'm not a loner! I'm a Clan cat again!" Hollyleaf snapped. "I just…"

"I'm sorry, I should not have added that last comment. But you are lonely up here, aren't you?" Cinderpelt asked.

"Y—yes," Hollyleaf replied slowly.

"Well, we're going to change that," Cinderpelt meowed, lightening up. "Come on. I'll show you around StarClan so you don't get lost."

"Really?" Hollyleaf lightened up. "Thanks, Cinderpelt!"

When the two she-cats were gone, Firestar, Bluestar, and Yellowfang all sighed.

"This danger she spoke of…what was it exactly?" Firestar asked.

"I think I know," Bluestar replied. "I thought I'd seen something, but I tried to shake it off…"

"What is it?" Yellowfang asked curiously. "There isn't a new prophecy already, is there?"

"No…it's nothing like that," Bluestar meowed, "but…no one deserves that much pain, and this is coming from me."

"Can we do anything to help?" Yellowfang asked.

"We can't keep cats from loving," Bluestar replied sadly. "So no, we can't."

"Loving? What exactly is this danger?" Firestar exclaimed.

"You'll find out soon enough," Bluestar replied. She shook her head and turned around. "I'm going to speak with Oakheart. Now that StarClan is one again I'm going to go see my mate."

"Of course," Yellowfang replied. She looked to Firestar after Bluestar left. "I guess we'll let time reveal itself."

"What if we don't have time?" Firestar fretted.

"I guess we don't have a choice," Yellowfang replied.

"Surely there's always a choice," Firestar argued. "You can…"

"Choices…" Yellowfang suddenly whispered. "I understand the danger that Bluestar spoke of."

"What is it then?" Firestar asked curiously.

"Just let me say that the poor choices of the future are going to tear apart our honored spy. Choices…they're just awful…" Yellowfang whispered, hanging her head.

Firestar left the she-cat to herself and padded over to the pool. He looked into the pool and jumped back in terror as soon as he looked. His fur began bristling and he arched his back.

"Great StarClan!" he exclaimed. "This…no…"

Firestar sat next to the pool, feeling defeated.

"No one deserves a fate like this…especially after all they've done for us…Oh, that poor cat!"

And thus we conclude our prologue.

Well, I wrote this story a while back, so I'm honestly not that interested in it anymore, but maybe some of you will find it interesting.

If I'm not that interested in it anymore, then why the heck am I choosing to put it online now? I've already finished this story. I wrote in in Microsoft Word a while ago, but now I am putting it into Open Office. It's just one file in Word, but I'm transferring it to each chapter a file itself in Open Office.

By the way, this story takes place a few moons after the war. How many, exactly? I honestly can't remember...it's at least six, maybe seven or eight... I really can't remember, though.

Well, that's it for now. I'll probably upload the next chapter tomorrow. It's the first day of school tomorrow but parents have more homework than the students on the first day. Heh. Students usually don't have any homework, except for giving more paperwork to parents. :D

Well then, enough carrying on the extremely long AN. Herein lay the end of the allegiances and prologue.

~Icy