A/N: Hello, readers! This, although the second one published, was actually my first fic. I hope it will go somewhere, but I'm not too sure...
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Warriors; that is owned by Erin Hunter.
I heard my brothers calling my name, as if from fox lengths away. I turned, saw their concerned, confused, and bewildered faces for a heartbeat, illuminated by a large lightning bolt. As the thunder that followed the lightning started, I turned and fled down the tunnel. I raced toward the dark river in the center cavern, fleeing from everything that was familiar, fleeing into the unknown. I only knew that I was leaving my kin; leaving my friends; leaving my life, leaving all the lies I'd told and had been raised on.
Then, I heard it. It was like the whole of ShadowClan was bearing down upon me. I don't know how I knew, but somehow, I just knew that the tunnel was collapsing.
"Hollyleaf! No!" I heard Lionblaze calling me.
Then came Jayfeather's distressed voice, calling, "Hollyleaf! Come back!"
The last thing I heard was Jayfeather's panicked plea, "Hollyleaf, please! Come back! At least tell us why you killed Ashfur, Hollyleaf…"
Terrified, panting, and afraid that my brothers knew about me murdering Ashfur, I burst into the chamber just as the roof of the tunnel that led to ThunderClan territory collapsed fully. There was no going back now.
…
As I finished washing away my own fear-scent, I went over my list of the certain:
1. I am Hollyleaf.
2. Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw weren't my parents.
3. Leafpool was my mother.
4. Crowfeather was my father.
5. I was a warrior of ThunderClan.
6. I was one of three kits raised on lies.
7. My brothers were Jayfeather and Lionblaze.
8. My mother was a medicine cat.
9. My father was a WindClan cat.
10. I was lost in the tunnels.
I shook my head, turned around, and added one more thing to my list:
11. My Clanmates probably thought I was dead.
I was half WindClan, my mother was my Clan's medicine cat, and my Clanmates thought I was dead. How much worse could it get?
…
When I woke up, I was no longer in the cave. A pretty, young she-cat, whose silver fur shone like the moon, was sitting in front of me.
"Hollyleaf. It's good to finally meet you," the she-cat said.
"H-How, how do you know my name?" I asked.
"I am Feathertail. Crowfeather, your father, l-"
"He loved you. But aren't you in StarClan? Wait! Am… I… am I… dying?"
"No, Hollyleaf. I have a message for you. You weren't ever one of the Three. You aren't part of the prophesy. You need to get out of the cave, Hollyleaf. It is flooding. Follow the river, going the opposite direction from when you rescued the WindClan kits. You'll find a way out." Feathertail started to fade away. "I believe in you, my young warrior…"
"Wait! Feathertail! Don't go!"
…
When I woke up, the water was almost up to where I was lying. Suddenly, I whipped my head around and my nose shot into the air. "Feathertail!" I gasped.
"Follow my scent, young one," Feathertail's voice said.
"Okay, Feathertail."
I started to run after the scent of the ghostly she-cat. Feathertail lead me through a maze of passages. Suddenly, her scent stopped moving forward. If she were alive, I'd have run directly into her.
"I can go no further, Hollyleaf. You're on your own from here on out. Good bye, and good luck," Feathertail said.
"Good bye, Feathertail. Will I ever see you again?" I inquired of my friend and guide.
"Maybe. Good bye." After a few heartbeats, Feathertail's scent faded away. I was on my own once again.
…
Later, I thought to myself, Hollyleaf, you need to get some sleep. Why not just lie down and take a quick nap? So, I lay down, closed my eyes, and waited for sleep to come.
…
"Hey, you! I know you! Wake up!"
"Huh? Wassoninhohn? Imiszumin? Immotseepnungurdootie! Immup!"
"No, you didn't miss any thing. I mean, well… I don't think you did… Maybe? Anyways, hi! Don't I know you?"
"Um… maybe…?" I replied after much thought.
"Yeah! You were in the tunnels when I helped Jaypaw save those kittens!" the strange cat said. I sat bolt upright.
"You know my brother? How? And just who exactly are you?"
"I'm Fallen Leaves. Who is your brother?" the tom replied.
"My brother… Jayfea- Jaypaw. He's called Jayfeather now, Fallen Leaves. I'm Hollyleaf."
"Oh, yeah! That's right. Yep, I do know your brother, Hollybush! He tried to save me when I was drowning SEASONS ago. Here, follow me!"
"Famous last words," I muttered, too quiet for Fallen Leaves to hear, I hoped.
…
After we had gone a few fox lengths, there was a loud, but slightly muffled growling noise from behind us. Fallen Leaves and I stiffened.
"What was that?" he asked cautiously.
"I'm sure I've no clue. Let's just hope that, whatever it was was in a good mood!" I exclaimed softly.
Then we heard it again, a few tail lengths later. Fallen Leaves stiffened slightly. I just scuffed my right forepaw against the floor of the tunnel and tried mo to look embarrassed.
A few heartbeats later, we heard the noise again. It was a little longer and louder this time. I winced. Fallen Leaves turned around with a glint of laughter in his eyes.
"Either we've found the 'monster', or it's found us. Oh, yes, the mighty 'monster' of Hollybush's belly!" he said, teasingly.
"Well, I haven't eaten in two days, so what did you expect? And it is Hollyleaf, Fallen Leaves." I replied defensively.
"Okay, okay. Just teasing! There is a tunnel leading outside right here. Go hunt, and when you've finished, come back," he said, then added, as a second thought: "Hollyleaf." As I was leaving, he muttered, half to himself, "Hollyleaf, Hollybush, what's the difference? It is the same cat, right?"
"Well, Fallen Leaves, how would you like it if I started calling you 'Fallen Branches'? You are, as you put it, the same cat, just with a different name," I threw over my shoulder, as innocently as possible. Then I went out to hunt, stifling gales of laughter.
…
After a good hunt, catching a rabbit, we continued our journey. Around what I thought was just before sunset, Fallen Leaves said, "Rest. We'll arrive just after sunhigh tomorrow if we start around dawn. So, get some rest," and I drifted into a deep sleep.
…
When Fallen Leaves prodded me awake the next day, I almost bit him, in my tired confusion. Thank StarClan I restrained myself. I would have lost my guide through the tunnels, and that wouldn't be good.
We started at a run, and time passed in silence, besides the panting that betrayed the fact that I was still half asleep. As we ran, I noticed that the tunnel appeared to slope downward a bit more, and the air grew colder. Suddenly, I stopped. The air was colder, and we stood on a gradual decline. "I thought you were leading me out of here! We're going downwards!" I yowled in surprise and betrayal.
"But… but we… are leaving the tunnels. To leave the way I was to- the way we need to go, we need to go under the mou- we need to go down first," he stammered nervously. "Anyways, we're almost there."
After this exchange, we continued running in silence again. I wasn't completely done being mad, but I wasn't seething anymore. If we don't start to go up towards the surface soon, I'll- I started thinking. But then, before I could finish my threat, sure enough, the ground started to slope upwards after a while. Then, Fallen Leaves stopped, and I did run into him.
"Hollyleaf, I can go no further." Why did that sound familiar? Oh yeah! That's what Feathertail said to me yesterday!
"You will find a familiar face soon. Just follow the tunnel we're in; it'll lead you to the surface. I hope to meet with you again," he continued, almost sadly. I bid him farewell, turned around, and almost ran straight into Feathertail.
"Hello, Hollyleaf," she said pleasantly, as though the last time we'd met, when I'd almost drowned and joined her forever, hadn't happened. "Follow me."
…
After what felt like seasons, but was probably only heartbeats, I finally felt fresh air on my muzzle. Feathertail turned to me one last time.
"I believe you can find your way for the rest of the way. Just don't leave this main tunnel. Farewell, Hollyleaf. You will survive here, I'm certain." with that, the silver she-cat was gone, leaving me to figure out what she meant by that.
…
I followed the tunnel for a few foxlengths, and, finally, I burst out of the tunnels. I was near a Twoleg nest, and I smelled cats, so I went to investigate.
"Hello?" I called, tentatively, on the edge of the territory. Suddenly, a sleek back tom with a white-tipped tail jumped out of the bushes in front of me. "MEEROWW!" I yowled in surprise.
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" the cat cried. "I have a question. Are you a ThunderClan cat?"
"Uhm, yes. Yes, I am. Why?" I replied.
"You're the one Feathertail told me to wait for, then! I was once a ThunderClan cat. I'm Ravenpaw," he said, almost wistfully. My eyes widened in shock. Respectfully, I dipped my head in greeting.
"I have heard about you! We tell stories in the nursery about a tom named Ravenpaw who helped to save the clans! We owe you so much!" I mewed in awe. "I never thought I'd actually meet you, though!"
"You weren't born during the Great Journey, were you? Because I don't recognize you at all," he said cautiously. "What's your name?"
"H-hollyleaf," I stammered. "I was born after the Great Journey. Leafpool and Crowfeather are my parents."
At the last part, Ravenpaw looked startled. "Leafpool? Who's she? Is that… Leafpaw? And Crowfeather has to be… Crowpaw? Your parents are the ThunderClan medicine cat apprentice and a WindClan warrior?" he asked, confused.
"No. I am the daughter of the ThunderClan medicine cat and a WindClan warrior. Jayfeather, one of my brothers, is the medicine cat apprentice. He wanted to be a warrior like me and Lionblaze, my other brother, but he's blind." I clarified. He shot me a look that said What in StarClan's name are you talking about? Leafpool isn't the ThundreClan Medicine cat, Cinderpelt is! And what's this about a blind warrior? I decided to clarify my clarification.
"Cinderpelt… Cinderpelt died protecting Sorreltail, one of our queens, while she was kitting in the middle of a badger attack."
"Oh no! I'm sorry! Did Sorreltail and the kits survive? I hope so; Sorreltail was such a nice cat! Who's her mate?" Ravenpaw asked. Of course, my stomach decided that it was a perfect time to start growling again. Ravenpaw looked at me sympathetically. He took me to the barn and told me to catch some mice before answering his last questions. I nodded thankfully, and started to hunt.
…
After I had finished hunting, Ravenpaw and I settled down. An older tom who was introduced as Barley came over to listen to my story, too. So, I started at the beginning, with what I know about how the Clans came to the lake, many seasons before I was born. After that, I told Ravenpaw that Leafpool had run away from the Clans with her forbidden love, Crowfeather. Then I told them about the badger attack and Sorreltail's kits coming in the middle of the battle, and her littermates dying to protect her even before the kits came. About then, Barley left to do something or other. I kept recounting the tale.
After the badger attack, I told Ravenpaw about my kithood with Lionblaze and Jayfeather.
"We were raised as the kits of Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight. Were they still apprentices when they left here?" I inquired.
"Squirrelflight… she'd be Squirrelpaw, then? Leafpool's sister?" I nodded, and continued with my story.
"Lionblaze, Jayfeather, and I were proud to be the kits of the leader's daughter and the deputy, but we felt that no one let us do anything. When we heard about a mother fox being killed on our territory, and patrols being sent to find the cubs, we decided to sneak out and find the cubs ourselves.
"We were not yet six moons old, so it was against the Warrior Code for us to leave the camp, but we wanted to help. We found the cubs, and they chased us back toward the camp. Lionblaze and I found Thornclaw's patrol, but Jayfeather was chased over the edge of the hollow, on the high side. He nearly died." I concluded.
I finished my tale with what had happened over the past moon, with my brothers, Ashfur, and I learning about Squirrelflight's secret, me murdering Ashfur, and then finding out who my real parents were, and finally revealing my brothers, my parents, and myself at the next Gathering.
By the time my story was finished, it was nighttime. Ravenpaw told me to go to sleep and that we'd discuss my tale in the morning. I drifted to sleep, and was overcome with a dream almost immediately.
…
I dreamed that I was by the entrance to another cave. A pretty tortoiseshell she-cat stood in front of me.
"Greetings, Hollyleaf. I am Spottedleaf. I have a message for you." she said. I nodded in response, and she continued. "Tomorrow, you need to come here at sunset. Ask Ravenpaw to take you to Highstones. He will understand. If he asks, tell him I told you to. There is someone who has something very important to tell you."
I agreed, and then I woke up.
So, how do you like it? I don't actually have any ideas for chapter 2, so if you want to have your ideas in my story, PM me, and I'll see if I can include them. Thnx!
Review nicely, now, or I'll sent Lionblaze after you! *Lionblaze hisses menacingly*