Okay, Why She Fell is back on! I've decided to postpone my other fanfic's writing until this one is finished or at least hits a good stopping point.
Time had passed since her confession. I don't know how long; entire days feel like only moments when you're as old as I. Her leg was completely healed, and I figured that injury must have been the reason for her panic attack during our race. She said she had lost focus almost immediately, which seemed less anxiety and more... the shock that comes with such a sudden burst of energy.
I'm sure you're not hear to listen to what Hollyleaf calls "medicine cat babble", however, so let's continue with the story.
Hollyleaf had learned much under my watch; her vision was sharp enough to navigate even the darkest of the catacombs, and no fish could escape her swift and calculated swipes.
But one aspect of the Tunnels she did not know much of at all was eating her inside, I could feel it.
Me. She knew nothing about me. This became apparent one day, when I was once again showing her the cave scrawlings, but the ceiling ones this time.
"It's you!" she gasped, reaching her paw out. Indeed it was; a crude inscription showing a cat underwater. A leaf symbol was marked in the cat's belly- that was my identifier. Each 'cat' mark, in fact, had a symbol inside that gave a hint as to who the drawing was referring to. "But who are the other cats?"
Beside the image of my untimely demise were three cats stood beside an empty pit. My grave. But, alas, they had no body to bury, which explains its, erm... vacancy.
Two of the cats had no real features of note, though one was more slender than the rest, with a crying eye held in her belly.
"That's my family." It was difficult to hold back the cracking in my mew. So long it had been...
I must have done a great job disguising my sorrow, because Hollyleaf's voice remained upbeat. Oddly so.
"If they're your family, then they must be Ancients, too?"
"I... yes, I suppose so."
"Then why don't you go see them? They must miss you."
I had been keeping it in for so long, I guess. That's really the only excuse for what followed such an innocent question.
That wave of loneliness, of isolation, of being stuck in these tunnels for far to long... it had crashed at the shore. And, when it pulled back, I felt as if it had took the whole beach with it.
Nothing but water, forever. Separating me from the family once so close.
It seems like an overreaction now, I'm sure, but you must understand that I had spent the better part of ten thousand moons trying to forget my family.
And she had brought those memories flooding back.
I shook my head and stood up. So did she, too, worry flashing in her emerald gaze.
"I-I need to go..."
"Wait!" she called. "I'm sorry! Where are you going?"
It was too late. I was already gone.
Was I going to get away from her? From the memories?
Or was I going to someplace? To my family- to the resting place of the Ancients?
I don't think even I knew then.
But I knew I couldn't stop.
