STARRING: Hollyleaf & Fallen Leaves
WORD COUNT: 2,160
SONGSPERATION: This Is Home by Swiftfoot
The numerous tunnels beneath the territories were dark and empty as normal, the sounds of the rushing river echoing through the hollow tunnels. No one's presence was here. But wait. A shadow–like being flashed through the darkness, faint paw steps making but the slightest sigh upon the rocky ground beneath those padded mitts. Shoulder muscles rolled with strength, moving with precise decision and graceful ease. The long-legged femme felt at home in this desolate, uninhabited place. Here she knew she was alone. She could think. She had what philosophers called peace. The slender feline liked the darkness, felt the power of the waters which drained ever downwards from the floor of the temple. The smell of the water on the rock, a metallic sort of aroma, greatly appealed to her nostrils, lulling her into a state of a twisted kind of euphoria. A high no one else but she could understand. Her cyan gaze penetrated though the darkness as the onyx tabby easily navigated her way through the name corridor of this labyrinth. Finding a tunnel farther inside, the femme halted, relaxing her muscles as sat down, beginning to relax her weary appendadges.
A warm breeze flowed through the tunnels, greeting Masked's nostrils with the familiar foresty tang it held within its zephyrs. The female inhaled deeply, closing her eyes, completely relazing. This was her type of therapy; it kept her from going mad. It kept her from realizing who and what she was. That was why Hollyleaf needed this as much as fish needed water, as much a plants need sun and rain, as much as animals needed to breathe. This was her release. Her breathing slowed, a sign of her complete tranquility, serenity. Her soul was once again in harmony with her body. Neigh, with the world. A charteruse eye slid open as the tabby's ears swiveled about upon her cranium. As faint as they may be, she heard paw falls; someone had invaded her version of heaven. And but the speed of their pawsteps, they had not long before they came upon her. As if she belonged there, the sable feline slithered further into the darkness, the shadows engulfing their own. And belong there, she did.
The sable body skillfully weaved through the shadows, the darkness clinging to every feminine curve. emerald orbs wandered over the not–so–newcomer. The sylph had sensed his presence from a while back; ever since then, he had been trailing her. She had no doubt succeeded in deceiving him to think that she had all along been oblivious of his presence. And the exotic had given leeway to the norm. Now she finally saw his face. she could clearly see through the mask which barely covered the restrained animal in those cold, blue eyes. she did not fear it. no, she was fascinated. perhaps, this male had come to be tamed. to truly be tamed. the moon shone over the two, giving light to the eyes of Hollyleaf.
Purposefully, an ebon paw emerged from the shadows which had enclosed it in a dark embrace, and soon followed the body which it belonged to. "Well, you have finally come forward, coward. it took you long enough." She studied the stranger's face once more, noticing his look of despise. She thought it a mix of a grimace and a smile. if there was such a witchery. The former Thunderclanner purred, blinking as she settled herself down, blinking sweetly at the newcomer.
"Why have you come, Hawkfrost?" Her voice spilled from the sable maw, her tone was frigid, and her words had been coated with a deadly hatred.
The visitor from the Dark Forest was not to be so easily driven away however, and Hawkfrost's eyes roved over her body like two glowing moons of blue. It was a vexation to the tabby, as there was inside her an inner struggle was taking place. Her jaw clenched, and her optics narrowed with emnity towards the Riverclan warrior as he spoke.
"I do not come on my own accord, Hollyleaf." His voice ran smoothly through the tunnel, his words, unlike hers, dripping with sweetened venom. The sable feline suppressed a shiver. This smooth talker; his words would soon be the death of him. The ebon warrior despise the fact that she was even alloquying him. Her hatred towards the dark warrior was amorphous, yet so large to the point that it almost engulfed her in complete, inky blackness. It was apparent that the Riverclan warrior still thought himself as part of her ancestry. "I do not come alone."
His blue optics were aphotic, the color of ice as he gazed upon her, his maw contorting into a savage smirk. About her, eyes glimmered from the darkness, like many luminescent moons in an ebony sky. The she-cat's head swiveled about on her neck to take in the assemblage; they had come for her soul. Was there no asulym for her? They had found here, even in her place of comfort. There was a reason as to why she was not in Starclan at this moment–there was always a cause behind her afore pondered actions. It was obvious to the Thunderclan warrior that she was not deserving of such an honor as Starclan; she had taken the life of a fellow clan mate. She had broken the hearts of those who loved her and called her their own. She had betrayed her family for her own obsession, her own need to be loyal to the warrior code. And for what case? For a freed conscience? Much good that had done her, Throughout the moons, her mind had been plauged with many nightmares and dream of what was, what had been, and what was to come concerning her. This had been a fear... and nightmare that she was now lost in.
"You desire to recruit me?" His azuline orbs twinkled at her utterance, and the tabby knew she had been correct in her assumption. All the Dark Forest had come to take her... home? From the caliginous recesses of the multidtude of those passed on, emerged the bellicose Tigerstar, flanked by Thistleclaw and Darkstripe. His amber eyes were ablaze; each step was made with a certain celerity. her muscles tensed as the macabre legend approach, a dark twinkle in his eye. He bore the exact resemblance of her father, Brambleclaw. She didn't like it. But then, Brambleclaw was not her father. And neither was Tigerstar her grandfather. Why was she allowing his presence to affect her? Because deep down inside, you know who are just like him. The voice inside her head taunted her, coming to life as Tigerstar halted before her. The dark tabby eminated a rather dank musk. She didn't like it.
"I see that Starclan has left to your own devices," the amber–eyed leader began. His mew was gruff, and his smirk held something of those with wild minds. He had that same sickly sweet tang to the air about him. The slender femme wanted nothing to do with this one. she could clearly see through the mask which barely covered the restrained animal in those cold, amber eyes.
"I have simply chosen to make my abode here," she replied, her voice hauntingly quiet. Though she skirted around it, Tigerstar was right, and there was no doubt that he knew it. His chatoyant orbs narrowed, a smirk donning his features.
"The Dark Forest has come to bring you to where you truly belong." He lifted his chin to her, his eyes glaring down at her from their sockets.
Hollyleaf growled at his gesture – she was not to be coerced into allying herself with the lifes of evil. But then, the cosmopolitan world above them was divided into two groups. The good and the evil. And through her act of murder, she had already chosen the side of wrong-doing; had she thought she would atone for it now. How pathetic. As the daedalian she-cat was about to riposte, another feline appeared before them, seemingly materializing out of air. Those familiar green eyes, and those broad shoulders. This was Fallen Leaves.
"Tigerstar, do you deign this she-cat of having such low morals that she would even consider diablerie?" The gossamer tom neared them, his iris' appearing to be the color of flint, rather than green. His voice held no warmth, and had only the elements of winter lining this tone. "Do not dissimulate Hollyleaf, for she has done nothing to deserve the denial of entering into Starclan." Fallenleaves stood beside her now, the ginger a fascinating contrast to black. His tail flicked in an effleurage, touching her shoulder kindly, so that she knew she was not alone.
The fuliginous warrior beside Tigerstar growled, his optics wincing in a frosty glare. "What does he know, Tigerstar?" Darkstripe glanced up at his consort, a look of absolute malice in his eyes. "Let me end him." The dark bron tabby flexed nocive claws against the stone floor, the racuous sounds echoing through the tunnels and deafening all those present. The revenant shook his head at his comrade, his eyes hard. "No," was all he said. Fallen Leaves took that as the cue to continue.
"You want her simply for the fact that she is the sister of Lionblaze, one of the most powerful cats in all of history. And you will not have her – no you will not use her." Tigerstar snarled, striding forward to push his muzzle into the ancient's face, his nose was scrunched into a wrinkling state to reveal pearly fangs. The snarl that promised death. "Do not pry in business that is not of your concern." The words dripped from the fanged jaws of the specter, and with the soft ushers of the rivers, he was gone, and all of the Dark Forest with him.
A fresh gust of wind swirled through the tunnels now, removing the dank smell which plauged the air. It brushed though the sleek pelt of the two felines, whispering haunting promises to the silhouettes who stood shoulder–to–shoulder. Slitted gren eyes found their way to the other, her expression thoughtful. He spoke without laying his eyes upon her.
"Guilt is not to be fostered when one has been forgiven." His tone was one of sorrow, one of exprerience.
"Yet, forgiveness does not wipe away the memory," she replied, her muscles relaxing as she sat herself down beside him, wrapping her sable tail over her paws.
"Starclan will accept you – Ashfur has forgiven you." Fallen Leaves turned to her now, his emerald gaze searching her face. "WIll you not go to them?" If she was honest, Hollyleaf had known that Starclan would accept her, after all, clemency had not part with guilt. However, if she was also honest, she did not want to remain in Starclan for the rest of whatever eternity may remain until she faded. No, her heart had always remained here with her ginger friend, the savior of her heart. She could see that he desire all that was good for her, and that in his eyes, that meant her depature to the skies above. Yet, he was selfish enough to desire her love, her presence, her very will. The sable warrior rubbed her head beneath his chin, purring. She needed to put his lonely heart at rest.
"I am sure Starclan is a beautiful, wonderous paradise," she inserted a cessation here, and smiled to herself as she felt him hold his breath. "However, I have lived in these tunnels for so very long, it has become my home." Above her, the ginger tom nodded slowly, however she could tell he was slightly disappointed.. her reason for staying was not him. Then, as an afterthought, she added, " And even though Starclan is a utopia, it would never be my paradise without you." The ebon sylph pulled away from him, embarrassment in her green eyes. Had she truly just spoken her heart to this friend she had kept for so long? He had been her anchor in a world of loneliness and uncertainty. And here, he had stood up for her once more. He was still taking care of her. What else could she do but love him?
Hollyleaf gingerly rotated her crania to sneak a glance at the tom she had come to love. However, soon, she was reduced to simply staring at his beauty, lost in those green eyes which told her more than she could ever express. He loved her. He truly loved her. The way his eyes softened as he looked at her, it was comforting, and a soft warmth rushed inside her. With her tail entwined with his, the couple padded away from the river, back to the place where they had first laid fated eyes upon one another. This was home. She was finally where she belonged.