Hollyleaf's mind was whirling as the three's story came to an end and sat down heavily, as if the onslaught of information was physically weighing her down. A thousand thoughts, laced with varying emotions, ran through her mind at speeds that could rival a WindClan cat and she wasn't sure what to do about it.
The most concerning point was, obviously, that her brothers had been driven out of the clan but Hollyleaf couldn't help but set that aside for now. She felt guilty about it since her littermates' entire world had been turned upside down but that didn't change the fact hers had as well.
Since she'd been an apprentice, Hollyleaf believed was the third cat of the prophecy. It was a defining part of who she was. Regardless of whether or not she had powers, however much it added to her guilt for leaving the clans, it was a part of her. But now she was being told it wasn't. And her brothers were okay with that? Jayfeather and Lionblaze called this Dovewing cat the third without the slightest hesitation in their mew and Hollyleaf had to say that hurt just a bit. More than a bit. It was world rocking.
It wasn't important though. Significant? Yes. To her at least. Important? No. Her feelings didn't matter right now. She was just one cat, not even a clan cat. Compared to everything the prophecy existed for, she was nothing.
The prophecy existed to protect the clans. Her brothers and their friend existed to protect the clans. Hollyleaf may not have seen them in seasons but she could imagine how much each one of them put into and gave up for the prophecy, to protect the clans, and the clans just… just…
How could they turn their tails on them? How could they attack them? How could they chase them out with so much hate? It made Hollyleaf's blood boil. Cats she knew giving into such senseless fear and rage. She never thought she'd see the day.
Once, she existed solely for the prophecy. Solely for the clans. She knew how strongly Jayfeather, Lionblaze, and Dovewing felt. How devoted they were. She knew exactly how loud the blood roared in their hearts and she knew what it felt like to have her soul ablaze with such a powerful purpose. Hollyleaf knew how much the three cats standing beside her were willing to do for their fellow clan cats.
She couldn't imagine just disregarding something that strong.
Those emotions were powerful yet in the end, they were just emotions. They left no mark on the real world. They were so strong, so real, yet they meant nothing. Less than nothing. They meant absolutely nothing to the clans. If they spoke up and tried to express it, all that passion would just become words and words were powerless to cats who didn't listen. The three could say nothing to defend themselves.
It was ironic in the cruelest way. The very cats they lived for turned against them for that reason. Hollyleaf would have laughed if it didn't shake her so deeply. Blinking her emerald green eyes, Hollyleaf opened her mouth but said nothing. What could she possibly say? Nothing. That's what. There was nothing she could say to console her kin nor did she know how to express her outrage. So, she was silent.
"It's a lot to take in, isn't it?" Lionblaze asked, breaking the silence. Mutely, Hollyleaf nodded.
"I can hardly believe it myself." Dovewing chuckled but there was no amusement in her laugh. "One heartbeat everything was fine and the next we didn't have a home."
Hollyleaf's blood froze. They didn't have a home… She knew what that felt like. "You can stay here. In the tunnels, I mean. I don't know where Fallen Leaves is but if he's Jayfeather's friend, I don't think he'll mind."
"Thank you," Jayfeather murmured with a dip of head. "I don't think we'll be down for long though."
"Why? If you go up to the surface, the clans will hunt you like mice."
"We know," Dovewing said quietly. "But we have to try."
"Try what?"
"Try to convince them we're not… not… We're not tainted blood or… or some kind of unnatural monstrosity that will destroy their way of life," Lionblaze explained. Amber eyes met green and Hollyleaf could see the fire roaring behind the fear. "We've got to convince them that we live to protect them. Without us, who knows what will happen to them. Even if they don't listen, I don't think any of us can walk away without knowing we didn't face the danger and try to talk to them."
"No. You can't do that."
"Hollyleaf, we have to try."
"No, you don't." Hollyleaf lifted her head, gazing in the direction of the nearest tunnel to the surface. "You three stay down here where it's safe. I'll talk to the clans."
After three sunrises, Cinderheart didn't know what was happening. The clan was still buzzing with something she couldn't quite pinpoint but otherwise, life had returned to normal. Patrols picked up again and cats spent their days sharing tongues like nothing happened. Cinderheart couldn't wrap her head around it.
The loss of Jayfeather shook the entire clan but no one seemed to care. Granted, there were no major injuries and not everyone interacted with the crabby tom on a regular basis but they should have at least noticed the loss of two warriors on the warriors' den. To Cinderheart's dismay, Lionblaze and Dovewing's nests were just ignored. Not replaced, not avoided, nothing. It was like they weren't even there.
Part of Cinderheart wondered if this was all a dream. Or all her memories of the past were a dream. If not for Ivypool's support, she probably would've lost her grip on reality or succumbed to the denial that seized the clan.
The whirlwind of emotions was starting to settle when Cinderheart's entire world was shaken a second time.
Later, she couldn't quite recall what she'd been doing when that familiar, black figure appeared at the bramble barrier but she would be able to remember her thoughts with crystal clarity. She remembered freezing so fast that she felt a pinch in her muscles. She remembered all the emotions flooding her drain away, leaving her mind blank and her heart feeling empty. She remembered that emptiness being replaced with electrifying shock and giving her a surge of energy that sent her bounding toward the entrance. "Hollyleaf!"
Her yowl rang through the camp, alerting any cats who weren't out in the main section of the camp, but no one managed to beat Cinderheart to the newcomer. She skid to a stop, kicking up dust, as she gaped with wide eyes. Long black fur, sharp green eyes, compact form… It looked just like her.
Hollyleaf broke into a purr, green eyes glowing. "Hi Cinderheart."
Cinderheart's mouth forgot how to speak. "Hollyleaf? Wha- How d… StarClan!"
Cinderheart gave up and reached forward to rest her head on her friend's shoulder, hardly believing it when she felt Hollyleaf was solid under her touch. This was real. She was really here.
Hollyleaf lapped the top of her head. "You have no idea how much I missed you, Cinderheart."
"If it's anything like what I felt, I think I do."
"It's a sign from StarClan!" some cat yowled and both she-cats whipped around, ready to tear some cat's tail off.
"Hollyleaf!" a different voice cried and Cinderheart spotted Leafpool rushing forward. "Oh, my beautiful daughter."
Hollyleaf reeled back slightly and opened her mouth to respond when another cat caught her eye. "Firestar!"
"Hollyleaf?" the leader whispered, padding forward with the most peculiar look in his eyes. Cinderheart stepped back, shooting Leafpool a glance of sympathy, and closed her mouth to listen to what her clan leader had to stay. "Is that you?"
"Yeah, Firestar. It's me," Hollyleaf responded. She closed her eyes for a heartbeat. "I… I know I've been gone for a long time but I'm not going to explain myself. It's not important right now. I heard what you did to the three."
"You knew too?" some cat hissed.
"Shut up!" Cinderheart snapped and the onlookers fell silent again.
Firestar sighed and dipped his head. "I'm sorry for what happened to your brothers, Hollyleaf. I wish I could've done something but even I can't change the will of four clans."
"But you can," Hollyleaf protested, voice desperate. "The clans need the three. You can call everyone together. Make them understand."
Cinderheart never thought she'd ever seen a cat look so tired when Firestar looked up. "I don't know if I can… But I'd give up my ninth life before I gave up without a fight."
Ivypool couldn't help but claw the ground until her claws ached as she sat under the sunhigh light. She wasn't quite sure how many sunrises had passed since she was last on the island but it didn't matter. Time was an illusion now and her mind was too numb to observe it.
Ivypool didn't know who this Hollyleaf cat was but she'd been overjoyed to learn that she knew where the three were and how to find them. Once the relief of knowing Dovewing was safe passed, the anxiety set in. Sitting here on this island at sunhigh would normally bring Ivypool a sense of tranquility but now it felt like a dozen sets of claws coated in lightning were tearing at every muscle in her body. Uneasiness sat in her belly like the pit of a rotten fruit and nothing she tried could quell it.
Knowing Dovewing would be here soon provided some comfort.
"Ivypool!" a voice called, snapping her out of her thoughts. Ivypool looked up to see Tigerheart bounding over. She blinked. She hadn't realized ShadowClan had arrived yet. Glancing around, she realized she'd been zoned out long enough for not just ShadowClan but also WindClan and RiverClan to join ThunderClan on the island.
Ivypool blinked for a few heartbeats, needing a moment to register who exactly was standing before her. "Tigerheart, what are you-"
"It's a trap!" Tigerheart told her hurriedly, amber eyes alight with fear.
"What?"
"Blackstar, Onestar, Mistystar, and a bunch of ThunderClan cats met here last night. They plan on-"
Tigerheart didn't have time to finish because an impersonal, unanimous motion seized the four clans, prompting every cat on the island to look over to the tree bridge. Ivypool's heart stopped when she saw the three cats step off the tree bridge.
Ivypool jumped to her paws and couldn't yowl fast enough. "Dovewing! Lionblaze! Jayfeather! Run! It's a tr-"
The warning didn't have the chance to leave her mouth because paws were suddenly on her mouth. She heard a grunt and saw Tigerheart go down beside her, a white tom she didn't recognize pinning him down. Not a moment later, shoulders pushed down on her shoulders and forced her into the ground. She struggled against the cat's grip but was able to do little more than wrestle her head to face the three. Blue eyes wide, she watched the three step back in fear as clan cats moved in around them.
Breezepelt stood at the head of the group, lip peeled back in a vicious snarl. "I knew there was something wrong with you, brothers."
Lionblaze flinched as Breezepelt spat the last word. "Breezepelt…"
"Attack!" Onestar howled and WindClan cats rushed forward. ShadowClan and RiverClan followed close behind. ThunderClan looked confused but a number of cats found their paws quickly.
"Dovewing!" Tigerheart cried and his face was forced back into the dirt.
"No!" Firestar cried from his place standing on the oak, green eyes wet with despair and his mew laced with anguish.
Lionblaze took a step back, pushing Jayfeather and Dovewing behind him protectively. Jayfeather snaked his way out from behind his brother and took a bold step toward Breezepelt. "Fallen Leaves!"
A ginger and white tom suddenly appeared out of thin air and launched himself forward. With a battle cry, he threw himself at Breezepelt and scored his claws across Breezepelt's face, making the WindClan warrior yowl in pain.
It was in this moment that Ivypool realized she could see through this cat's pelt.
What in the name of StarClan was happening?
"Go!" the ginger and white tom yowled over his shoulder. The front wave had skidded to a stop, shock clearly preventing them from making any more moves forward.
Lionblaze, Jayfeather, and Dovewing needed no second telling. Turning their tails, they leaped back onto the tree bridge and began running back toward the mainland.
"Don't let them get away!" Blackstar barked but his voice lacked its usual sharpness. It seemed even ShadowClan's fearless leader was shaken by whatever the clans just witnessed. In all honesty, Ivypool was pretty spooked herself. What was that? Was that Jayfeather's power? She didn't think so. Cats couldn't just conjure other cats out of thin air.
A few cats started after the three but their movements were hesitant. It was like they didn't have full control of their muscles. They were too slow to really do anything and the ginger and white tom was ready to take full advantage of that. Snarling, his paws flew at the forefront, keeping back any and all pursuers as the three fled toward the horizon.
Author's Note: The perspectives will alternate. Some chapters will have Jayfeather, Lionblaze, and Dovewing while others will be Hollyleaf, Ivypool, and Cinderheart (Female majority for once!). More protagnonstists will be added later.
Edit 3/13/2021: Some details added.