Chapter Two – The barn

I'd been walking since around sunrise, and now it was sunhigh. I wasn't tired though, I'd gathered a lot of stamina and muscles by wondering those tunnels, although I was dying of thirst! I was surprised that the tunnels hadn't flooded...Weird! Maybe there was just no rain for a while...still odd though. But as I walked, I spotted a puddle, I charged towards it but gasped when I saw my reflection, my pelt colour had turned...well, it was still black, but it was a much darker shade, I hadn't even thought that was possible! It was as dark as the night sky. But my eyes had changed as well, they were lacking their usual brightness, they looked sad and tired.

Then my gaze shifted, I had muscles, I mean, it's not like I didn't have any before, but now I was loaded with them! I mean, honestly, I bet that I could've beaten Lionblaze, and that's saying something since he's invincible an' all.

Then I remembered why I'd came to the puddle, to drink, so, I bent my head and drank, the water was heavenly and after I'd drunk my fill I sat back, just enjoying the sun on my pelt. Then I scented something that I thought I'd never scent again. Mouse.

The scent was coming from an old abandoned twoleg nest like thing. I padded cautiously towards it, then I recognised it, it was a barn, like Daisy's barn! I padded through the large 'door' and into the barn, the scent of mouse was overwhelming here and I almost started dribbling, but I managed to hold it in and started to hunt, soon I had three big fat mice in front of me and I liked my lips hungrily, after moons of eating rocks and small scrawny, stringy prey I was going to enjoy this meal!

I started eating and I was rather sad when the meal was gone, but I was full now and I was about to fall asleep when another scent hit my nostrils – the scent of cat.

I leapt up and started to bristle when a black tom with white paws, chest and tail tip padded into the barn, he looked surprised to see me and he flicked his tail slightly.

"Hello, I'm Ravenpaw, and who might you be?" He asked happily, although I could detect the sadness in his voice.

"Oh. I'm Holly-" I cut myself off, remembering what Bluestar had told me. "I'm Holly, just a travelling loner."

"Right, so, where are you heading?" Ravenpaw asked.

"All over the place, really," I answered, but then words came to my head "But right now I'm heading to SkyClan,"

"Hmmm, SkyClan, a friend of mine went there once, in fact, he restored it! I'd be happy to tell you but-" He stopped himself, "Look at me! I'm turning into an elder!"

I purred and my fur flattened and I collapsed onto the hay. "Sorry, do you mind if I stay here? I can be on my way if you want, it's just, I've travelled a long way today,"

"Sure, you can stay for as long as you want, it's been getting a bit lonely around here ever since-" he stopped and went into a sad silence, I was feeling a bit awkward so I quickly buried the mice I'd had.

"Want me to hunt for you?" I asked,

"No way! I may be getting old but I'm not and elder yet! Plus if I don't hunt I'm worried that I'll get fat like a kittypet!" Ravenpaw insisted before getting up to hunt himself.

I didn't worry about what he was hunting, I was just too tired and I felt my eyes starting to droop and I fell asleep.

My eyes popped open, I let out a groan, couldn't I have one proper night's sleep? Never mind, better see what Bluestar wants now.

I looked up at the sky and thought one word; Uh-Oh.

I was in the dark forest, the place of no stars, anti-StarClan, hell, whatever you wanted to call it; I was in Tigerstar's land.

I heard his voice.

"I believe that when the time comes, Ivypaw will fight for us." He mewed.

I felt a niggling at the back of my mind. Ivypaw. Where had I heard that name before...Ivypaw...That's it! Ivykit! Ivykit and Dovekit! Oh, poor Ivykit! She'd been recruited!

As I was lost in my thoughts I didn't notice the dark tom sneak up behind me, he gave me a fright when he started talking.

"Ah, the lovely Hollyleaf, so protective of the Warrior Code!" He hissed into my ear and I flinched when his tail rested on my shoulder.

"Ivypaw! It is true that you will stick with us when the fight comes, but we need to make sure you won't get...scared. You must kill Hollyleaf!" Tigerstar hissed.

Ivypaw seemed uneasy, and then it clicked in my mind...or, at least, some of it. Ivypaw was a spy!

Ivypaw gave me a pitying looking and it was almost as if she was telling me that she was sorry. She slid out her claws and bunched her muscles ready to leap... Then she started to fade and I let out a sigh of relief and then, my vision too started to blur, and everything faded from view.

I opened my eyes and stood up. What a terrible dream! I'm so lucky Ivypaw woke up when she did or I might have died...the thought of that was terrible and it ate my mind thinking of an innocent cat having to kill, what kind of cruel cat could put an apprentice through that? I know that I wouldn't be able to!

I stretched and hunted two mice, I ate them both quickly and buried the bones, I stood up and walked out into the sunshine, I saw Ravenpaw, his head was dipped sadly and his shoulders were sagged.

"Ravenpaw, I need to leave now but I don't know the way, could you show me the way to the end of RiverClans old territory?" I asked.

"Sure." He answered, snapping out of his sadness, "Maybe I could show you ThunderClans old territory while we're at it."

I smiled "I'd like that." I answered and we started to leave, little did I know that this was the start of a big journey.

A/N: What about now? If anyone can guess the two cats that will be joining the journey in the next chapter you'll get a Hollyleaf plushie!