Ivytooth

**Ivytooth** is a shorthaired, thin, sleek black she-cat with hints of brown rusting. She has darker ghost tabby markings most visible in direct sunlight. Her eyes are orange with a ring of yellow around each pupil.

## Personality

Ivytooth is very protective of her son Toadpaw, both as her only kit and the only surviving reminder of her mate, and despairs over his recklessness. Ivytooth blames her mate's death on herself, for not being able to defend him in that fateful battle. Somewhat more irrationally, she thinks that Cricketpaw may not have died if she hadn't been so distracted in her duties by her grief; this recent event has sent her backsliding into the same gloom she was in when her mate had first died. She retains the same vicious protectiveness of her Clanmates that her suffix was given for, and seeks to remove threats to HollowClan as quickly as possible. She often tries to talk about her mate to Toadpaw, oblivious to his discomfort.

## History

Ivypaw and her future mate Barkpaw trained as apprentices alongside Duskpaw and Swiftpaw, as well as the medicine cat apprentice Birchpaw. She and Barkpaw soon became close and were often troublemakers, earning many tick-picking and nest-cleaning sessions as punishment for their mischief. At one point during her apprenticeship, she snuck onto a patrol of BriarClan's border in the hopes of encountering a fight, promising Swiftpaw a fat squirrel in return for cleaning the nursery in Ivypaw's place.

After becoming warriors, Ivytooth and Barkstripe became mates, and at the age of 32 moons Ivytooth bore their son Toadkit. The DriftClan war broke out during their warriorhoods, and both fought in it, as at this point Toadpaw had been apprenticed. During battle, Ivytooth discovered Barkstripe dead with his throat torn open.

### First Leaf-fall

Ivytooth is awakened when Toadpaw pranks her by running a leaf along her muzzle. She gently scolds him, and is amused when Darkspring bowls Toadpaw over, Ivytooth taking the opportunity to begin grooming his face. Upon Stagleap's arrival, she tells him a playfully exaggerated summary of Toadpaw's prank.

Later that morning, she is selected for the patrol led by Stagleap to remove the fox from their territory, alongside Darkspring and Burnetfang. She becomes nervous at the thought of a nearby predator. When they go out into the Conifer Grove and sight the fox, she growls but is silenced by Stagleap. Ordered to swipe at its hind legs to destabilise it, she runs forwards and does so, causing it to snap at her neck. Distracted by Darkspring on its back, the fox staggers around and steps down hard on Ivytooth's paw. Ivytooth briefly leaps onto its back after Darkspring is thrown off, but is thrown off herself soon after and nearly attacked in her winded state. Rescued by Stagleap's distraction, she pins it down alongside Burnetfang and Stagleap as Darkspring gives a killing bite to its throat. Ivytooth tells Darkspring that she made a good kill.

On the arrival of the GrimeClan border patrol, Ivytooth is aggressive in her fear of the newcomers. She spits an insult at Clawface, and prepares to do battle again, but Stagleap suggests the GrimeClan cats go back and ask their leader and deputy to meet himself and Adderstar in the same place at sundown. Ivytooth understands the logic in his decision, but is frustrated nonetheless that she appeared weak before the strangers.

Returning to camp, Ivytooth is immediately set upon by a worried Toadpaw, who sees her injured paw. She assures him that she's fine and they killed the fox that injured her. As she and Darkspring enter Birchthroat's den, he shooes the curious apprentices and tends to their wounds, checking Ivytooth over after applying a poultice to Darkspring's shoulder. He tells her that her paw is only bruised and will be fine by the next day.

While Birchthroat goes to fetch Toadpaw and Sappaw, Ivytooth reflects on her memories of CedarClan and Barkstripe, recalling how she had found him dead in the thick of battle. The thought that the meeting with GrimeClan might go badly and they might face another war sends her into a panic attack. Darkspring asks if she is alright, and Ivytooth tries to reassure her, feeling embarrassed. Birchthroat notices Ivytooth's anxiety and returns, telling Darkspring to reassure Ivytooth while he searches for herbs, and goes to her side and grooms her when he cannot find any.

Toadpaw follows Birchthroat in and is followed himself by Sappaw. Birchthroat shooes Sappaw and asks Toadpaw to fetch them all some prey. Ashamed that her son had seen her in such a state, Ivytooth explains that the encounter with GrimeClan frightened her, though Darkspring misunderstands and thinks it to be the fox. Further embarrassed, Ivytooth corrects her and explains to Birchthroat their encounter with a GrimeClan border patrol, and the planned meeting between the Clans' respective leaders and deputies at sundown.

As Toadpaw returns with prey, Birchthroat suggests they postpone their discussion, but Toadpaw protests and argues that it's his right to know what happened. Ivytooth and Darkspring silently agree that he should be told, though Ivytooth first remarks that Toadpaw is so much like his father, not noticing Toadpaw's discomfort. He urges her to explain about the patrol, and she does, telling him of their encounter with GrimeClan. Toadpaw's worry and questions set her on edge again, and she silently appeals to Birchthroat for help, at which point Birchthroat suggests he and Toadpaw go and speak to Stagleap.

Ivytooth keeps an eye on Toadpaw while they wait for the return of Adderstar, Stagleap, and their hind-patrol after the sundown meeting. When Adderstar returns and calls a meeting, Ivytooth goes to sit by Toadpaw. She is delighted when Adderstar confirms that they have been allowed to stay, though her happiness is tinged with grief at the thought of Barkstripe not being present as part of their future.

The next day, Ivytooth awakens and goes to sit outside briefly, then returns to the warriors' den with the intent to go back to sleep. However, Darkspring enters the den and asks Ivytooth if she would like to share a squirrel, to which Ivytooth agrees. Leaving the den, they notice Mothdust, and go to sit with her at Darkspring's suggestion. Mothdust asks how they are doing after the battle with the fox, and Ivytooth assures her that it only trod on her paw. They begin reminiscing about the old CedarClan territory and their time as apprentices. The conversation turns to the future warrior names of Ivytooth and Mothdust's kits, with Mothdust asking what sort of name Toadpaw might prefer. Ivytooth suggests that he might be given the same suffix as his father, though adds that she's not sure Toadpaw would want to have it.

Asking if Darkspring has any ideas what Sappaw's suffix might be yet, Ivytooth recalls the death of his and Lichenpaw's brother Willowkit, and is saddened for a moment. Darkspring asks if either Ivytooth or Mothdust would be interested in mentoring an apprentice themselves, and Ivytooth replies that she would be honoured to have the chance to teach the next generation of HollowClan.