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I have a Battle Master Fighter with the Pushing Attack maneuver. It states that you can push someone 15 feet away from you.
Would that include also behind you as well, since you would be pushing them away from you but also repositioning them behind you to be ambushed by your group? Or does "pushing away" mean at no time can they be pulled towards me and it has to be completely away from me?
From my understanding of Pushing Attack, you must move the creature you attacked away from you.
The description of the Battle Master's Pushing Attack maneuver (PHB, p. 74) says:
When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend one superiority die to attempt to drive the target back. You add the superiority die to the attack's damage roll, and if the target is Large or smaller, it must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, you push the target up to 15 feet away from you.
The language “you can expend one superiority die to attempt to drive the target back” and “you push the target” imply that you do, in fact, push the creature.
The English definition of push is:
exert force on (someone or something), typically with one's hand, in order to move them away from oneself or the origin of the force.
The spell Telekinesis conversely states “you move the creature up to 30 feet”.
But you definitely could talk to your DM about allowing a 5-foot pull first. I would recommend explaining how the maneuver would look and offer to quest or train for the ability. Also at no point should you expect your DM to allow the change, but you can ask.
