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Chapter Text

"What a wretched soul you are," a voice whispered in his ear, and Hawkfrost shot up, feeling his head spin. Feeling as if gravity had been turned up to five times its original strength, his legs buckled beneath him, and, with a grunt, he fell to his side.

"Who are you?" Hawkfrost snarled, trying to lift his neck. But for now, he remained indefinitely pinned.

"Who am I? Don't you have any better questions to ask?" Footsteps sounded in a way that made Hawkfrost think that this cat—creature?—was circling around him like a predator about to devour prey. His heart, racing he tried to push himself up again, but to no avail.

"You can't kill me," the tom declared, practically spitting the words out. "I've already died. Twice." And both times at the paws of his traitorous, bloodline betraying brother. Why am I here then? Is this the realm beyond the Dark Forest?

"Kill you...? Why would I want... to take another life? Especially one as insignificant as yours."

Fury burned through him. "You—"

"Then again," paws finally came into view, "I suppose my life isn't all that important anymore. Especially since I'm stuck in this body. You can get up now."

It was as if a miracle had happened. Slowly, Hawkfrost stood, the atmosphere no longer pushing him down. Tail lashing, the tom turned around to see a russet-furred tom. Without warning, Hawkfrost lunged at him, hissing. He pinned down the male, ready to tear out his throat.

Before he could act on it, however, the mysterious cat kicked him off with surprisingly powerful hind legs. "Off," he said dryly. "We're in the same boat. If you kill me, you'll be all alone."

Hawkfrost sneered, his tail curling in amusement. "You don't seem to understand your situation."

"Nor do you. Do you know why you're here?"

It made him pause. "If you're going to ask these mundane questions, I'll make sure to draw out your death."

The red tom shook his head. "While I'm sure that would be wonderful for you, your presence triggered something that I've never seen before. Before I was trapped in this body, I wasn't able to see that."

"That?"

"Come."

Hawkfrost wasn't so sure what the tom was referring to, but his bloodlust was slowly ebbing away, replaced by a need for answers to too many questions. "Do you have a name, at least, or do I have to call you 'fleabag'?"

The tom scoffed, tail slicing through the air in irritation. "It's Sasori," he said tartly. He looked like he was about to say something else at first, but then bit his tongue.

In hostile silence, Hawkfrost padded after him. What kind of name is that anyway? Was he a kittypet in his past life? Tch. Pampered pest.

But Sasori did not disappoint. He only stopped when they reached the edge of the white world that they were both in. Below them was the earth. The image wavered as if a stone had been dropped into a pool, and then changed into something else.

Someone else.

Hawkfrost stiffened, loathing oozing from his voice as he hissed, "Ivypool."

"So you do know her." Sasori blinked those brown eyes at him slowly, his ear flicking. "That confirms it. You two are connected somehow, and I've been dragged into whatever scheme this is."

"Connected? Dragged into?" Hawkfrost chuckled. "Don't make me laugh, Sasori. As if a kittypet would know a thing about the clans. Whatever bond I might have shared with that traitorous foxheart has been severed for good."

Sasori smiled, and Hawkfrost instantly stopped his cackling. What was that smile? There was something behind it. Something like...

Cruel amusement, Hawkfrost realized. He'd seen it on his own face, reflecting in still waters. A growl rising in his throat, he narrowed his eyes at Sasori. "What are you hiding from me?"

"Merely a suspicion..." Sasori, still sitting by the edge of the white cliff, turned his head back. "You're taking this better than I expected. Unless you haven't realized that we're on top of a cloud."

"I've realized." Hawkfrost paced back and forth, glaring down at the world below as if he had been terribly wronged by it. "Death isn't new to me, kittypet. Maybe it isn't what I imagined, but at least it isn't the Dark Forest."

Sasori didn't rise to the bait. "That makes two of us. Is this your first lifetime?"

"... It's complicated. I've lived one life but died twice." If I've ever lived any others, I don't remember. It doesn't matter.

"Hmph. That is complicated; more than it needs to be at any rate. Mine is simpler." He stretched out across his belly, curling his tail around his body. "I've died the same amount of times I've lived. Fifteen times."

"That's nice." He didn't really care. "Now why don't you share with me your... suspicion?"

"Are you sure you're ready to know?"

"Yes."

Sasori's tail flicked. "Then figure it out yourself."

And Hawkfrost's expression soured.

Ah. Why does this scene seem so wrong, yet so right? Ivypool's heart sank as she sat in group with Birchfall, Blossomfall, Thornclaw, and Mousewhisker. It was high noon, and time for sharing tongues. Normally, it was a time of lighthearted conversations and friendly interaction between clan members, but...

She was entirely aware of how everyone else seemed to be avoiding her group.

The worst thing was that she couldn't even fault them. They were not blameless, having chosen to train in the Dark Forest on their own accord. Feeling ill, Ivypool halfheartedly groomed Blossomfall as Millie's daughter talked idly of a lost kittypet she had encountered during this morning's patrol.

"Ivypool?" Her father, Birchfall, stopped grooming Thornclaw briefly, raising his head to look at her. "You don't look so well. Is everything fine? Should I call Jayfeather?"

"What?" Ivypool blinked. "I—er, no thanks. I'm feeling fine, Birchfall. Jayfeather will claw your ears off if you bother him. Um, do you know where Dovewing is?"

Birchfall shook his head. "Afraid not."

She'd better not be meeting with Tigerheart again. She wouldn't. 

"I saw her going out with Bumblestripe," Mousewhisker offered, Blossomfall halting her mostly one-sided conversation with Ivypool at the mention of her littermate. "I'm sure they've just gone out for some exercise."

Blossomfall cackled. "It's about time he made a move! I keep telling him—she's never going to reciprocate if he doesn't make his feelings clear enough."

Thornclaw suddenly spoke up, "Quiet. I sense something."

There was a beat as they all deferred to the most experienced warrior among them.

Then Birchfall said, "What is it...?"

Thornclaw shook his head. "Never mind." He shifted uncomfortably, lifting his leg to scratch an itch behind his head. "It felt, for a moment, that we were being watched. And," he added pointedly, "I don't mean our clanmates."

"Clanmates?" Blossomfall echoed, no small amount of bitterness in their voice. "If they were really our clanmates, we wouldn't be huddled here like lost kits without their mother!"

"Blossomfall," Mousewhisker reprimanded, clearly not comfortable with this kind of conversation.

A part of Ivypool wanted to agree with Blossomfall. All of them had been tricked one way or another by the wretches of the Dark Forest—none of them had gone there with the intention of selling out their clan. But again, she couldn't blame her clanmates for the wide berth they seemed to be giving them.

Many of them saw things as black and white.

Ivypool saw the situation as gray, with things a bit dimmer and darker on her side of the story. But for some of her clanmates, such a situation was incomprehensible. It was on the same level as saying that a cat could be both dead and alive.

Though, she thought wryly, Wasn't that the case for those Dark Forest fleapelts?

A breeze blew through the quarry and she involuntarily shuddered. Leafbare was approaching.

You didn't think he was a fleapelt, a small voice whispered in her head. Why, you even let him—

"Enough," Ivypool said aloud, standing up. "I'm going to find Dovewing." The eyes of her clanmates followed her with suspicion as she left the camp.

"Someone should follow her." Berrynose didn't even bother lowering his voice, which easily carried across the whole camp.

Blossomfall bristled. "That isn't necessary!"

"Yes it is!" Berrynose glared at her. "Of course you wouldn't think so, since you're Dark Forest chums."

Birchfall, eyes steely, stepped forward. "Blossomfall, stand down. Berrynose, she's only gone to find Dovewing—"

"My tail she is! What if she's planning something—"

"You'd think he be more understanding," Jayfeather, having come out of the medicine cat den, deadpanned at the cats with their hackles raised, "Considering his own littermate was also mousebrained enough to fall for the ruse."

Eventually, Bramblestar broke up the argument with sharp words, glowering at both parties. When sharing tongues was over, the cats slowly dispersed, Squirrelflight assigning patrols. Thornclaw, who prior to his training in the Dark Forest was usually picked to lead at least one patrol per day, was brushed over. The tom winced, but he understood when Squirrelflight glanced at him apologetically. Most of the clan weren't ready to forgive him just yet—if she assigned him as a patrol leader, it could quite possibly go horribly wrong.

Meanwhile, Ivypool had tracked her sister's scent to the edge of the lake. Dovewing's ears pricked when Ivypool approached, purring at the sight of her sister.

"What are you doing out here?" Ivypool asked as she sat down beside her littermate, curling her tail around her paws. "And where's Bumblestripe?"

"I told him I needed some time alone, so he went back to camp. He probably took the long way around if you didn't see him." Dovewing sniffed, blinking. "You smell different."

Ivypool startled. "Do I?"

"You've been a lot jumpier lately, too." Dovewing was concerned at this point, standing up at sniffing at Ivypool's scruff.

Her stomach churned. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Mildly exasperated, Dovewing sat back, the tip of her tail flicking side to side anxiously. "Ivypool... If something's wrong, you'll tell me, won't you? Is it because of our clanmates?"

"I'm fine, really." The blue-eyed tabby gave her chest fur a few agitated licks. "I don't know what's gotten into you. Are you sure I'm the jumpy one?" she joked, purring in amusement.

Dovewing huffed. "I just need some time to adjust to my new ears. Listening to the water helps."

In actuality, her ears were the same pair she had had since birth. But the far-hearing power granted to her had disappeared, and it was almost as if she were living in a world of muffled silence now.

"I'll join you," Ivypool said, Dovewing holding no objections to that.

As they watched the waters lap at the shore, their minds were occupied by other things. Dovewing with her lost power, and Ivypool with...

"I-I'm going to make some dirt," Ivypool stammered out, standing abruptly. "I'll be back in a bit."

Dovewing stared after her, a niggling suspicion in the back of her brain. "Take your time!"

His senses seemed to go numb as he watched Ivypool throw up her lunch, panting heavily. He was vaguely aware of Sasori's brown gaze boring into his soul, as if the other tom could see every layer of him.

Hawkfrost turned away, ears flattened. "That's impossible."

"Is that so?" Sasori's voice was dry. "Your mate doesn't seem to think so, nor the kits in her belly."

"It's impossible!" Hawkfrost snarled at him. "The dead and the living can't make kits! You must have bees in your brain. She's obviously eaten something bad."

Sasori tilted his head languidly. "Maybe. But in the off chance that she really is expecting your demon spawn, what are you going to do?"

"Nothing," he answered stiffly, lip curling. "Even if I were able to do something about her... condition, I wouldn't bother. Maybe she was my apprentice once, but now she means nothing to me." And he meant it. He meant it with every fibre of his being. "If kits of mine are ever born from her belly, they'll probably be dead anyway. There's no point to any concern."

"Apprentice?" Sasori echoed. "Never anything more?" 

Hawkfrost didn't answer immediately, staring him down.

Sasori met his gaze evenly, wholly unfazed. He spoke first, "We're going to be here for a while. We should exchange stories."

Growling, Hawkfrost turned away from him, laying on his belly. "Do as you wish."

Sasori stretched out beside him, displaying all of his teeth when he yawned. "I had a mate once. Her name was Deidara."

"She was a kittypet, too, hm? Typical."

Sasori almost laughed. Undoubtedly, Hawkfrost was picturing her as a cat with soft fur and squishy paws—the quintessential pampered house cat. How wrong you are, fool. Even in this inferior body, I'm certain she would've been able to kill you fifty times over. He continued, "She was like me. A warrior."

There was no reply.

"The life I remember most vividly is the life I got to spend with her." Sasori frowned. "Although it was marred by war and destruction, it was still one of the best lives I've ever lived. Because she was there."

"Sentimental fool."

He smirked. "Is that so?" You remind me a lot of myself back then... Hawkfrost. I never thought a cat would be able to feel such a sentiment.

"Of course," Hawkfrost said immediately. "A mate will only ever tie you down. The same can be said for other bonds. They're nothing but hindrances to your own goals. You will never go far if you're forced to stay confined in their presence."

This time, Sasori purred, heavily amused. "Maybe if you'd met me earlier, we would be plotting some sort of bitter revenge scheme together over lunch. But I learned a long time ago that it really isn't worth it."

"Isn't it? There is no greater satisfaction than having the blood of your enemies on your paws—no greater satisfaction on bringing justice onto those who deserve it."

"Justice? What you're talking about is retribution, not justice. Besides," Sasori rested his chin on his paws, "why should I take this from someone like you? You obviously haven't lived for very long. Whatever gods are up here did the world a disservice removing you from the living too early. You've never learned about the rules of life."

"Enough. I don't want to hear anymore of this. I'd rather watch Ivypool hurl up her guts, honestly, than listen to you preach about justice."

And Sasori gave his usual infuriating response, "Is that so?"

This cat knew how to press his buttons, that was for sure. Stifling the urge to just tear his throat out, Hawkfrost stood and stalked away, a dark cloud hanging over his head.

Sasori wasn't so concerned. After all, they had an eternity.

Chapter Text

Sometimes, Ivypool still felt him as she curled up in her nest, the sensations sending shivers down her spine. She remembered him vividly—how his hot breath tickled the hairs on her torn ear; how large and warm and heavy he was on top of her, his fangs buried in her scruff as he mounted her. They'd only done it a few times, but each time left her sore and bleeding, much like the aftermath of her warrior training in the Dark Forest.

She'd relished in it.

Ivypool woke up with a start, ears pricked upward as she gazed around, observing her sleeping denmates. She—as well as the other former Dark Forest trainees—had been given a larger berth than most others, but that wasn't unusual nowadays. Stretching, she quietly padded out of the den, careful not to brush against the other sleeping cats.

She only looked back once at her sister's sleeping face, blissfully unaware of her nighttime escape now that her super hearing had been taken away. In a way, Ivypool almost pitied her. Almost. She could not forget how Dovewing had been showered with praise and attention while she had been left to be stifled under Cinderheart's soft guidance.

But she did not begrudge either of them. It hadn't been Dovewing's fault, and Cinderheart had been undeniably good to her, both as a friend and as a mentor.

But Hawkfrost was better, a snide little voice whispered in her ear as she padded through the forest, having exited through the dirtplace. If she'd gone through the main entrance, she'd probably be interrogated—Berrynose and Rosepetal were on guard tonight. He never hesitated to tear you down and rebuild you back up as a better, stronger warrior. Not to mention, the voice purred, causing Ivypool to almost trip over a root, he made an excellent lover—

"He was a traitor and an enemy to the clans," Ivypool told herself firmly as she broke through the trees, arriving at the lake shore where she and Dovewing had conversed just some hours ago. He used me. Manipulated me. And it almost worked, didn't it? I was young, foolish, and bitter—and the fleabag didn't hesitate to take advantage of that.

The wind blew, kissing her cheeks and ruffling her fur. Ivypool stretched out upon the grass comfortably, setting her chin on her paws. Her eyes closed as a good sleep finally claimed her, the lake calming her inner turmoil. How strange it was, she thought before she fell asleep, that she would feel safer and more accepted in an empty, open place like this than among her own denmates.

"Psst!" someone hissed, and Dovewing was startled out of sleep, blinking blearily.

"What?" she muttered crossly as she sat up. It was barely sunup.

Yawning, Graystripe awoke, too. "What's the problem, Molepaw?"

The apprentice's ears flattened against his head. "I was going to the dirtplace when I smelled Ivypool's scent. It led out to the forest."

What are you implying? Dovewing frowned. "Are you certain?" she asked tersely.

Molepaw looked annoyed. "I wouldn't lie about this."

"She's definitely not in here," someone called. "Maybe she's just constipated."

"That's a likely story." Molepaw's voice was decidedly sarcastic, and Dovewing didn't care one bit for it.

"Enough," she said sharply. "Don't speak about your clanmate in such a tone, especially one senior to you." Then, roughly, she pushed past him, the outdoors air hitting her face in a refreshing burst.

Graystripe's tail swatted Molepaw's ear when the young cat muttered, "Is she really our clanmate, though?"

"That's enough out of you for this morning," the old cat said scathingly. "If you have nothing better to do than to spread baseless worries, then go and tend to Purdy. He complained to me about his ticks yesterday."

As Molepaw left, ears burning red with shame, Graystripe's shoulders did not relax.

The divisions in the clan were troubling.

"Where are we exactly?" Hawkfrost eventually asked Sasori. The ground in this world above the earth was soft, much unlike his calloused paw pads. The air was constantly refreshing and light and smelled like rain. He found it, at times, it really soothed his blackened soul. But he was curious —this place was clearly neither Starclan or the Place of No Stars.

Sasori, in the middle of rolling through the fluffy ground, sat up, eyes gleaming. "Oh, so now you ask? What brought this on?"

He grunted, trying to seem uninterested. "Just mere curiosity."

"Curiosity can take you far," Sasori replied mildly, evidently thinking of some other cat. The only sign that betrayed Hawkfrost's impatience was a flick of his ear.

"It'd be normal for anyone to ask," Hawkfrost said evenly, meeting his brown gaze. "Considering this place isn't Starclan or the Dark Forest. Don't tell me it's just a mere cloud."

"Your Silverpelt is far more vast than you could ever imagine." If he didn't know any better, he'd think that Sasori was mocking him. The other cat was older, wiser, and more experienced—or so he claimed. But other than being irritatingly vague at times, the red tom had done nothing to convince him otherwise so far. Unlike most of those Starclan fools, he didn't seem so soft—but he wasn't vicious. At least...

Hawkfrost narrowed this eyes, assessing Sasori's still form.

Not anymore. There's something about this cat... He has the name of a kittypet, but claims to have lived through war throughout multiple lives. Is this the result? Often times, he seems almost senile, but other times...

Sasori's eyes glinted. "You can speak your mind if you want."

Tch! There it is! Hawkfrost's tail flicked, nervousness crackling around his pelt like electricity. How effortlessly off-putting he is. "So you don't know then? Where we are?"

The red tom snorted. "Did I ever say that?"

Hawkfrost's ears burned. "Why can't you be direct with me for once?"

A deep purr rumbled from the strange cat. "Now, where would the fun in that be? You're the first soul I've ever conversed with for centuries." His eyes grew faraway. "How long has it been? It feels as if an eternity has passed me by already."

Enough of your rambling, you old fool. Hawkfrost narrowed his eyes. He's a lost cause for answers. Huffing, he turned and stalked away to the edge of the world, where the blueness beyond rippled like water.

As soon as he arrived, he saw what he'd seen last time—Ivypool. She looked worse for wear, her fur slightly matted and wind-blown. Had she been sleeping outside of her clan camp? How intriguing.

"Why don't you stay there a little longer?" Sasori suggested when Hawkfrost got up from his haunches. "You might see something worth your time." He yawned, baring all of his teeth in an almost sinister way. "After all... we've got nothing but time up here."

 As soon as the dawn patrol was sent out, Squirrelflight padded over to the medicine cat den, poking her head in. As she suspected, Leafpool was already awake, cleaning out the herb stores.

"Can I speak to you?" she meowed.

Seeing her troubled eyes, Leafpool immediately dropped what she was doing. "Let's talk somewhere else," she mewed.

Squirrelflight nodded tersely. This was probably a good idea—Jayfeather was curled up in his nest, asleep, but would be awake soon. The same could be said for Briarlight.

"What did you want to talk about?" Leafpool said once they were in a small clearing, alone. Her whiskers twitched in amusement. "You're not having a tiff with Bramblestar, are you?"

"It's not quite as simple as that," Squirrelflight sighed. "It's about the Dark Forest trainees. Especially Ivypool."

Leafpool blinked slowly. Does she also suspect...? "Go on."

"It's obvious that our clanmates have little trust in them. Some more than others." She sighed again, and Leafpool touched her shoulder with her tail sympathetically. "As deputy, it's my duty to make sure that the clan isn't torn apart by these internal conflicts. I've tried appealing to both sides before, but many of our younger warriors aren't willing to see reason and listen to compromise. And Ivypool, especially, has been receiving the brunt of prejudice, considering she was trained personally by Hawkfrost. Oh, Leafpool, what should I do?"

"Before I say anything," answered Leafpool after some thought. "I think it's important for you to know something."

"What is it?"

"Ivypool... She's expecting kits."

Ivypool was not quite as dense as she hoped she would be. She felt and knew the signs.

There was only one cat that could be the father.

Swallowing her fate—it landed with a heavy thud in her stomach—Ivypool slunk back to camp, feeling her pelt crackling with nervous electricity.

In another world, one far away from the clouds that Hawkfrost and Sasori roamed, Bluestar paced back and forth above a pool of water, stems of ivy decorating the trees around her.

A Riverclan cat and a Thunderclan cat, she thought, worry forming a tight knot in her chest. Again and again. It's as if it's a cycle...

She thought of her own kits, two of which now walked Starclan with her. Then an image of Graystripe and Silverstream's deceased kit, Feathertail, flashed across her mind.

A cycle that will always lead to tragedy.

And then there were the cases of the parents—

Leafbare never came to Starclan. Not unless things were truly dire. But there were certain environments which were colder to suit their moods and preferences. Such was a place that Bluestar currently sat in, contemplative.

She touched her nose to the icy cold pool, murmuring her blessing, before turning around and stalking past the frost-encased ivy around a great oak tree.

Those kits will have a heavy burden on their shoulders, she mused, sadly. There is nothing I can do to prevent destiny, only give out warnings in the form of omens and prophecies.

In the end, destiny will win anyway.

That is how it always has been, and how it always will be.

But Naruto had taught him not to believe in destiny.

Moons later, Neji opened his eyes.