Disclaimer: I do not own, or claim to own, warrior cats.
A/N: I'm really starting to feel ashamed of this story, as I have read most of the other fanfics with the plotline of hollyleaf being reincarnated, and they are all so much better than this one, but I still feel really grateful to everyone who has favourited, followed and reviewed this story. Thankyou!
Hollypaw snapped her head up to see deeppaw standing over her, an expression of horror on his face.
"Hollypaw… what happened to you?" his voice was hoarse with shock, and his ears were swung flat against his head.
"I-It's not as bad as it seems!" reassured hollypaw, but she knew inside that it wouldn't be any good. Please can you understand that I'm doing this for you! Reasoned hollypaw silently, sending a desperate prayer to starclan. Please forgive me!
"No. I'm taking you to see jayfeather" Deeppaws voice was stern, and hollypaw decided that it would be best not to argue, so she staggered to her paws, wincing at the pain that lanced through the gash in her side. The sudden movement seemed to re-open the wound, and blood began to ooze out, wetting her fur, which was already crusted with dried blood. Hollypaw felt sick at the sight and turned her head away, shuddering visibly.
"Come on." Meowed deeppaw comfortingly, pressing his pelt against her uninjured side and guiding her out of the den, whispering reassuring words in her ear.
Jayfeather was less than welcoming when the two cats arrived at his den, and hissed,
"Honestly! Can I not go two heartbeats without having to see to some mouse-brain or other?!" Deeppaw scrunched up his eyes in anger and let out a long, hissing breath.
"I think you should see to Hollypaw. She is hurt quite badly." the grey apprentice advised in a dangerously calm voice, which hollypaw had never seen the young cat use before. Jayfeather grunted irritably and gestured to a nest in the corner with his tail.
"Sit" he ordered, not even looking at his patient. Hollypaw bit back a sharp retort and collapsed heavily into the nest, muttering about how bossy some cats could be. Suddenly, a voice sounded behind hollypaw and she jumped in surprise.
"Alright, young un'?" it asked, and the apprentice whipped her head around to see greystripe grinning at her.
"Oh, hello greystripe!" hollypaw greeted, letting out a sigh of relief.
"Are your joints playing up again?" she asked the elder, who nodded in a slightly creaky way.
"I'm afraid so. My days of fightin' and huntin' are long gone!" he replied, a wistful look in his clouded gaze.
"Well, I'm sure being an elder isn't all that bad?" hollypaw Queried, tipping her head to one side inquisitively.
"No, no, not at all young un'. It's good having time to relax an' all, but you still miss the feeling of the wind in your whiskers and the prey beneath your claws…" Greystripe trailed off with a yawn.
"But now, I need a nap, if that's ok with you, young un'?"
"Go ahead. It's fine by me!" assured hollypaw, and the grey-furred elder placed his head on his paws and promptly began snoring.
"Honestly! I don't know how anyone could sleep when he was a warrior!" hollypaw grinned as deeppaw padded over with a mouthful of marigold.
"Hold still. It might sting a bit." he warned, and pressed some pulp on the wound above her eye. Hollypaw hissed quietly and unsheathed her claws as the medicine cat apprentice moved onto the gash on her side, then onto her cheek.
"What happened to you?" asked deeppaw, concern in his dark blue eyes.
"Oh… erm…" hollypaw shifted uncomfortably. Think hollypaw think! She urged herself, and an idea came to her.
"A thorn!" she blurted out.
"A thorn got caught in my fur on my way back from the dirtplace, and it cut me while I slept." Deeppaw looked unconvinced.
"A thorn did all that?" he asked, gesturing to the wide cuts and scratches that laced hollypaw's body.
"Erm… It was a big thorn." She lied. Deeppaw nodded. I'll get some cat to check the dirtplace. I don't want you or any other cat getting hurt." Deeppaw padded away and hollypaw sighed in relief, but groaned as jayfeather came over and placed cobwebs over the marigold-covered wounds.
"You can go now. Just look out for…" Jayfeather trailed off as if in deep thought
"Thorns; wasn't it?" asked the blind medicine cat, twitching his tail in a way that seemed to show some sort of amusement.
"Yes." He confirmed.
"Look out for thorns." Hollypaw narrowed her eyes. She knew how jayfeather said things, and it was obvious what he was thinking.
He didn't believe a word she said.