The Forgotten Warrior/Chapter 18

==Chapter description==
:Ivypool wakes up in the Dark Forest and hears flying paws. Avoiding a collision, she leaps back suddenly, and finds herself staring into Breezepelt's eyes. He snarls at her and runs off. Brokenstar then calls a Clan meeting, making a spin-off of the regular call, saying that all cats who can kill their own enemies are to gather. Hollowflight rushes over to Ivypool and tells her to come, since something is going on. Ivypool is scared because there are so many recruits as she and Hollowflight run towards Brokenstar. They soon come into the clearing where Ivypool had killed Antpelt, and that is where Brokenstar, Mapleshade, Tigerstar, and three other cats unknown to Ivypool (whom are noted to be even fainter shadows than Mapleshade) are perched on trees. Hawkfrost is pacing at the foot of the heap, almost like a deputy. Ivypool also sees Darkstripe staring up at the perching cats with adoration clear in his eyes.
:Hawkfrost then snarls at Darkstripe as he joins the others, and Darkstripe creeps away. Ivypool takes a look around the clearing and recognizes Tigerheart, Redwillow, Breezepelt, Sunstrike, Hollowflight, Icewing, Beetlewhisker, Blossomfall, and Birchfall, her father. Brokenstar steps forward and the soft murmur of conversation ceases. The leader tells the cats that they have trained well and now it is nearly time. Ivypool thinks that Brokenstar will reveal his plan to everybody and that the Clan cats will rebel, or at least stop visiting the haunted forest. The corrupted Dark Forest leader goes on about how every cat will honor his recruits. Ivypool notices that cats around her are nodding and showing agreement, but she knows that Brokenstar will make them attack their own kin.
:She notes how Breezepelt's eyes are gleaming and he is digging his claws into the ground excitedly. Ivypool mutters to herself how Brokenstar isn't telling them when this will be, but a white she-cat overhears and mews that she shouldn't doubt Brokenstar's decisions and even asks if Ivypool trusts him. Brokenstar finishes by declaring that everyone should go back to their training and be ready for the final signal that will come soon. Wanting more information on the battle, Ivypool goes up to Hawkfrost and announces that she wants to speak with Brokenstar.
:Hawkfrost quickly replies that Brokenstar is busy. Ivypool insists that it is important and Hawkfrost asks if she has important information for them. Ivypool replies that she wants to know what she needs to do to be considered a Dark Forest warrior and to be treated like one. Hawkfrost goes up to Brokenstar and tells him that his apprentice wants a word with him. Mapleshade lets out a furious hiss, but Tigerstar beckons her forward, and tells her that she can say whatever she has to say in front of everyone.
:Ivypool thinks that this is the most important thing she will do for ThunderClan, and tells Brokenstar to make her a Dark Forest warrior and lies that she wants to earn trust and wants to help them defeat the Clans. A very old cat, only barely visible, comes forward, and Brokenstar snaps at the cat, revealed to be Maggottail, to leave her alone. Brokenstar then orders Antpelt to come forward and tells Ivypool to defeat him again. Ivypool knows that Brokenstar means that after this, there will be one survivor. Ivypool thinks about fighting Antpelt and the cat himself for a few moments, and then springs forward towards the dead brown tomcat.
:Antpelt rears up to meet Ivypool and fixes his claws into her shoulder. Ivypool then makes herself fall back and is temporarily satisfied to see that she is ripping out tufts of Antpelt's fur. Ivypool then realizes with horror that Antpelt is much stronger than before and thinks that he must have been training all the time since his first defeat. Ivypool's enemy's attack wavers as she bites down hard on his tail-tip. Antpelt then slouches on the ground, almost struggling to get up. Ivypool leaps in to deal the fatal blow, but then Antpelt slides underneath her and heaves himself on top of her, hissing that he can't believe that she fell for that trick.
:For a few moments, Ivypool feels beaten; her wounds are very painful, and she has no strength left at all. But then she remembers how much ThunderClan depends on her victory. She then makes a visual picture of Firestar, Dovewing, and her Clanmates, and soon feels new energy. She throws herself at Antpelt and slams him to the ground. Then she rips his belly open from throat to tail. Her defeated enemy lays on the ground, makes one spasm, and lies very still, and Ivypool sees his outline waver. Then she sees that he is now transparent; she could see the grass underneath him. Antpelt was gone, and only his blood remained, but was fading quickly.
:Ivypool wonders if she did the right thing. Brokenstar then tells Ivypool that she is a Dark Forest warrior. She thinks that that is the worst thing a cat could ever say to her. Ivypool then tries to act eager and asks that he'll tell her when the final battle will be and let her fight beside them. Brokenstar responds with a 'maybe'. Ivypool protests that she had just proved her loyalty to him. Brokenstar growls that she should have been loyal already. Hawkfrost comes over and tells his former apprentice that she has earned her place among the warriors and even promises to tell her anything if she asks, and orders her to train the apprentices.
:Ivypool, after watching Hawkfrost leave, wipes her paws on the ground to rid them of Antpelt's blood. Breezepelt then runs over to Ivypool and asks what happened to Antpelt, and adds, scared, if she had killed him a second time. Ivypool replies by saying that it was necessary. Breezepelt tells her that they may be Clanmates here, but he isn't, and threats that she will be punished. Ivypool is afraid because she knows that Breezepelt means every word that comes out of his mouth, but also knows that she had broken the warrior code by killing to win a battle. But she knew that she needed to sacrifice the code for her Clan loyalty.
==Characters==
===Major===
===Minor===
===Mentioned===
==Important events==
===Deaths===
*Antpelt: Killed by Ivypool
==Errors==
*Brokenstar is mistakenly called by his warrior name, Brokentail, twice.
==Notes and references==
fr:La guerrière oubliée/Chapitre 18
Category:The Forgotten Warrior
Category:Omen of the Stars arc
Category:Chapter subpages