The curtains opened to reveal as usual a tom and a she-cat sitting on two bean bags. one navy blue and the other an emerald green with darker flecks in the middle.
The audience claps.
Ivy: Welcome warriors of all clans! and im soo sorry for not being able to make it yesterday...
Ashfur: I don't think they really care...
Ivy: Shut up!
Ashfur rolls his eyes
Ivy: As you probably already know we need some backup assistants so if you click on the authoress's profile you should see a poll to be able to vote for guest hosts also we even added a new option and i- Ashfur why is Squirrelflight's face on that mug?
Ashfur: Because she is my girlfriend and I love love love her! if you are not impressed you should see my dressing room? her face is everywhere, in fact, you may even find a few Leafpool's pics in my dressing roo-
Ivy sweat drops (anime style) as Ashfur continues talking.
Ivy: She's your girlfriend...
Ashfur: Yup! she and Brambleclaw actually managed a smile at me so now we are practically dating...
Ivy: Well, wow please ignore that and we should start NOW! please enjoy this chapter of Hhollyleaf's promise and- ahem Ashfur what are you doing? why aren't you going backstage...?
Ashfur is staring lovestruck at his...beanbag?!
Ashfur: Ever since that day when she smiled at me I specifically made this bean bag... did you know it's the exact color of her eyes! forest-green with darker flecks and pretty emerald specks, yup I memorized them!
At this point, Squirrelflight and her friends who were sitting in the audience had enough and Brambleclaw, Leafpool, Crowfeather, Feathertail, Stormfur, Tawnypelt and Sorreltail were busy ushering Squirrelflight out of the building.
Ivy: Umm hey Ashfur if you don't do your job Squirrelflight will...umm...dump you!
Ashfur: What!? that's possible? if so then yes of course! yes, mam at your service.
Ashfur runs out to control everything going on backstage. the lights dim as the chapter starts.
Ivy: Great Starclan he's obsessed Although...I wish he could act like that all the time! anyway please enjoy jealous much? of Hollyleaf's promise.
It was dawn the sun soaring above the clouds. I had been a few days since Hollyleaf had met the cats at the barn and now Hollyleaf yawned sleepily as she woke up, bright and ready. The rays of the sunlight filtering in from the holes in the walls of the barn shined down on her. She blinked her eyes tiredly and took in her surroundings she was in her nest, in between two others resting at the back of the barns. Feathers lined her nest, making her slumber all the more enjoyable.
She stretched lazily enjoying the warmth of the sunlight on her pelt. It wasn't as hot as it had been the day before. Definitely much nicer.
She stumbled out of her nest and ran her tongue down her fur, picking out stray hay stalks and taming her ruffled black fur from sleeping.
She looked at the other nests scattered around the barn except for the one on top of the hay stack, perched there dangerously, threatening to fall. Most of the cats were up except for two sleeping bodies lazily snoozing in their nests, Ivy, and Alfie.
There flanks rising and falling with each breath they took but I could help but feel a little spark in my heart when I saw Alfie. As I passed by Ivy's nest making her way around the corner of the barn where everyone else was sure to be she was hit by one of Ivy's flailing paws, batting at her ear. She was muttering nonsense under her breath. Hopefully, she had a good dream.
I snorted, ducking her other flailing paw, just barely missing it and quickly made my way away from the nests to join the others. I turned the corner. I remembered what happened days ago...
It had only been a few days since I met the barn cats. The night after I had met them Ivy and Alfie had returned from the forest with presumably Rose, Emerald and Rust trailing behind them glumly.
Ivy was fuming and her tail lashed furiously and Alfie looked agitated. You could practically see the huge clouds of smoke coming out of her nose.
"We found these mouse brains wandering around the Twolegplace aimlessly. Apparently, they and their kittypet friends were attempting to steal some chickens. They and the kittypets got caught by the Twolegs who lived there. The Twolegs would have almost caught them if I and Alfie hadn't jumped in! they didn't even bring back any chickens!" she had explained to me and Jasmine that night.
Jasmine took this a little more calmly saying that they were kits and what else should we expect from kits but Alfie though her reasoning was pointless.
Rose looked very annoyed but before she could retort about being called a kit Rust had jumped in. "Hey who is she?" He asked curiously forgetting the fact he and his buddies had messed up.
Ivy still looked like she wished to kill them but she took in a deep breath and calmly allowed me to explain who I was and how I bumped into Alfie.
After I finished speaking I looked at them to see that Emerald was awestruck that we managed to defeat the dogs, Alfie had raised his head proudly and I swatted him with my tail in mock annoyance. Then Emerald and Rust had jumped up excitedly and started to ask us question after question.
"How did you survive?"
"Why were you here?"
"Was it scary?"
"Was it fun?"
"Are you okay?"
"Did they follow us back?"
As they asked us questions Rose was casually sitting to the side, suspicion evident in her gaze as her eyes scanning me thoughtfully. Other than that not much had happened the next couple of days.
Although I had noticed over the past few days a few traits of the trio. Rust, a golden-brown tom with amber eyes was very energetic practically never let me breathe for a second. He was also a quick strategist although he didn't come up with the most amazing ideas at this age.
Emerald was a silver tabby she-cat with pretty green eyes. She was very sweet, kind, caring, loving and compassionate but was equally curious and energetic as Rust. She was also kind of flirty with all the careful hints she threw at Rust.
Rose, on the other hand, was quite the opposite. She was fairly sassy she even made a rude remark or two but Jasmine shut her up. After that, though she seemed friendly, overall she was kind and thoughtful but feisty and you could easily tell she and Ivy were related. She was definitely darker and the most jealous personality wise out of the trio.
We had chatted some more although I probably talked the most with Jasmine. She had an interesting personality.
She had just talked the whole night about her sister and asked me about some stories. I hadn't known what to say so she skipped the question and moved onto whining about Twolegs.
Surprisingly I was completely at ease chatting with her and thankfully she even got the minor hint about no talking where I had come from which must be hard being the curious she-cat she was.
Later that night we had said our good night's and fell asleep although I had been thinking for the past couple of days about what Starclan said. With the many cats, I had already found surely building a clan couldn't be this easy? I pondered this for a while and I still do now there must be a twist no challenge is this easy…
You don't even know if they accept of how they react to your proposition...
I know what will happen if they don't accept
My conscience didn't answer and I proceeded to make my way where they were sitting, questions still whirling in my head.
I arrived where they were sitting. Emerald and Rust were talking softly to each other and Jasmine were grooming her pelt in swift strokes of her tongue.
Rose was munching on a mouse, freshly caught but she looked strangely distant which nowadays was how she usually was. Her eyes were unfocused, her lips curled back in a snarl as though she was disgusted.
Weird but why is she glancing at emerald and rust? I noticed making a note to ask Jasmine about Rose later as I padded to take a seat in front of Jasmine, quietly observing Rose's peculiar behavior.
"Good morning." I greeted them sitting across from jasmine. Jasmine looked up from grooming her pelt, she had an irritated gleam in her eyes, her shoulder slumped tiredly and her eyes blinked sleepily.
"Ivy up yet?" she grumbled, irritatingly, getting straight to the point, ignoring the greeting.
"She's still sleeping she had a long night," I muttered, instantly my bright cheery atmosphere was dampened by Jasmine's foul mood. Jasmine opened her mouth to retort but I beat her to it, "I am not a morning cat either just so you know."
She clamped her jaws shut and huffed. "Well, we were hoping to go hunting," Emerald told me ending her conversation with Rust.
Jasmine looked up from her already clean fur "it would be nice to get out of this barn." she admitted. "Besides I have had enough of mice, we could always go fishing?" her annoyance from before dissipating slowly as a cheery smile planted itself on her face.
"With so many cats? Perhaps Emerald or Rust should stay behind" Rose urged although I had got this strange feeling it had nothing to do with the number of cats going hunting.
Rust groaned. "But I was hoping to show Emerald this really cool spot for fishing I caught so much fish last time that no even a fox could eat all of I," he whined casting an annoyed glance at Rose.
"I think I could settle for some land prey thank you very much." I chimed in my paws kneading the ground I was not one to waste prey but fish really?
What about when you were captured and you had to stay at Riverclan you ate fish with no complaint then?
I wouldn't say no complaint…..
I jerked out of my thoughts from dreaming about the clans in time to see Rose shoot Rust and Emerald an annoyed glance back but what I didn't notice was the dark, jealous gleam in her amber eyes when she looked at Emerald.
The pair either completely ignored her or they didn't notice as they were busy attacking Jasmine with questions.
"Hey calm down I may not even let you go for what you did last night!" She reprimanded. They both shrunk back alarmed by the threat of not being able to go.
I let out a chuckle quietly. jasmine's ears turned in my direction indicating she heard me and I was instantly silenced by her fierce glare.
"We can go hunting." she decided her flaring temper slowly dissolving. "BUT!" she added loudly making me jump. "No messing around from either of you too," she demanded sternly giving both of them a long hard look before turning on her paws swiftly heading towards the entrance to the barn.
Emerald gave Rust a cheeky smile as Rust replied: "We won't!"
"At least not yet" he added to emerald and they both let out hushed giggles before streaming out the hole in the barn, passing jasmine and out into the Twolegplace.
Jasmine stood by the hole waiting impatiently. "Come on let go!" She called her eyes flashing in excitement.
I nodded and padded there calmly but then I noticed rose wasn't following. "You coming?" I asked, curious as to why she didn't move.
"You go I'll probably go for a walk by myself." she answered bitterly before getting up and leaving to a secluded area of the barn her pelt turning a lighter brown in the bright rays of the sun.
I nodded unconvincingly and squeezed out of the hole with jasmine right behind me.
"Just so you know behind the barn is a Thunderpath and on the other side is the forest."
I nodded and was greeted by a warm breeze that filtered through the air, ruffling my fur and sending a happy feeling down my spine. We were still in the Twolegplace but Rust and Emerald raced happily, going behind the barn, racing across the Thunderpath, crossing the edge of the Twolegplace and into the lush green forests.
I uneasily crossed the Thunderpath and entered the forest. The puddles of mud that had laid on the ground had almost completely dried up and the tall birch tree cast shadows turning Jasmine pelt to a darker gray, illuminating her icy blue eyes. The leaves hung gingerly from the tree, threatening to fall as they danced as the breeze past.
There were many mingled scents of crows, sparrows, voles, squirrels and if you're lucky a pigeon and It was hard deciding which scent trail to follow. The leaves that previously clung to trees now crunched under paw as we made our way through the forest.
The ferns rustled as Rust and Emerald jumped through them and kept racing alerting prey with their thundering paws, their fur flying in the wind as they made their way to the stream where we would be fishing.
As we walked further into the forest I noticed blossoms dried up from the sun, that entered from the gaps between the leaves in the trees. They lied on the ground limply, there once pink petals now gray and battered.
"We are passing by some blossom trees," Jasmine explained as I examined the terrain closely.
"If you look up you can see they are falling gently from the trees above us."
I looked up and saw the flowers floating gently as they tore out of the tree and left to simply fall. There petals wavering as they floated in no real rush to make their way down. The green and brown forest now looked as though there were floating pink spots everywhere.
"It's so pretty…" Hollyleaf breathed as a flower fell on her nose. She blew it off and it tumbled down to the ground she glanced at Jasmine who said nothing though you could tell she silently agreed. She was staring at the flowers in wonder amazed by the beauty of something as simple as a flower.
"It never gets old." she finally agreed, snapping out of her trance and looking back at me.
"So much better than the Twolegplace." I stated, happy to be out in the forest after being so miserable after being lost in the Twolegplace.
"The Twolegplace is fine but it would be better without the Twolegs."
"And the monsters."
She purred in agreement and I smiled.
This isn't so bad…
So I started as we made our way through the forest in front of us were the bodies of Rust and Emerald. They were seemingly talking playfully and teasing each other. As Emerald said something Rust immediately burst into a fit of laughter collapsing on the ground and after a moment or two emerald joined him.
"Those two seem to be having fun." I began, observing them amusedly.
"Yeah, they are best friends."
"What about Rose?" I questioned, eager to know why she had been so upset earlier.
"What about Rose?"
"She was fairly…bitter towards Rust and Emerald."
"W-was she-e?" Stammered Jasmine, what really brought me to my attention was why she sounds so worried.
"Why was that anyway?" I asked. "You don't have to tell me I if you don't want too."
"Well…" Jasmine started nervously her shoulder slumped. "It's a long story." I gestured for her to begin.
We kept walking as Jasmine explained what had happened. "She and rust were really close before he met Emerald. When we first found her he just turned all of his attention instantly towards her. It wasn't Emerald's fault she and Rose were actually really good friends until rust started hanging out with emerald more often. She-
"How long has this been going on?" I interrupted
Jasmine's eyes glazed over as she thought about an answer. "About 7 or 8 moons" Jasmine finally spoke. "when they were kits did Emerald arrive.2
"When they were kits did Emerald arrive."
"Oh."
"Rose was always the jealous type, it's sad I'm usually the one who has to break up fights between them. Rose won't even look at them anymore and Rust is too dense to understand how much his sister is hurting."
"Ever try telling him?" I couldn't help the sarcasm edging its way into my voice especially in a sad moment, hey! it was natural.
"Oh, I can't believe we never tried that I mean we were too dumb to anyway of course you mousebrain we told him!"
Her temper getting the better of her intercepted my way, her fur lifted of her spine and she threateningly glared at me.
A bit much don't you think...
"Calm down I was just kidding!" I reassured. Her fur stopped bristling and she stepped out of my way quickly. She licked her chest fur embarrassed at her dramatic reaction.
"Sorry…" she apologized. "I got a bit of a temper." she apologized sheepishly giving an awkward smile.
I rolled my eyes but apologized anyway. We continued trekking towards the lake but as I opened my jaws to say something I heard the swishing of leaves. My ears instinctively angled towards the interruptance and I was hit with the juicy scent of a thrush possibly close by.
"You get it or should I?" I asked impatiently hoping to sink my fangs into that thrush quickly.
Jasmine shook her head and said no more as I turned away and stalked the scent trail.
I hoped Jasmine would wait for me as I stalked the trail I didn't know the way to the lake and Rust and Emerald were probably already there.
I found myself heading deeper into the forest but I could tell I was getting closer to the scent. I checked the wind direction and thankfully realized the gentle breeze was blowing my scent back the way I had come from.
I followed the scent trail closely, my paws carefully avoiding sticks and leaf that would make the thrush hear me, this had to be perfect. I looked up, at the base of a blossom tree in time to catch the blossoms violently rustling. No breeze could cause that. Feathers poked out from behind the flower, confirming my suspicions as I hungrily stalked the thrush.
The thrush was perched delicately behind a few flowers on a branch. The branch appeared sturdy enough for me to climb onto and kill the thrush.
As I made my way to the roots of the tree I crouched low, unsheathing my paws so I could pull myself onto the branch but before I could hook my claws into the trunk of the tree I heard a soft meow behind me.
Startled I turned around to stand face to face with none other than a sleek silver tabby she-cat with gentle blue eyes and a serious grim face,
I blinked I was positive I knew who this cat was but how was it possible…? She couldn't be standing there? Or could she?... a few mouse lengths away she stood, her pelt shiny and dull at the same time, a face she had been friends with since she arrived, Silverstream.
I gasped and I heard the thrush now alerted of the predator awaiting the kill, hurriedly flew of its wings flapping wildly but I didn't care.
I was simply staring at the Starclan she-cat now before me her pelt duller than when I had left but stars still littered her pelt.
She stared, I stared the only difference was that her stare cut right through me as if I wasn't even standing in front of her.
Her gaze slowly lifted and I followed where she was staring at, the large blossom tree, where the thrush was. An ominous breeze, stronger and darker than before blew making many blossoms fall hastily of the tree.
Then she spoke, the voice that came out didn't even sound like her. "Your clan the tree and the flowers your cats."
When she said that I didn't even look at her simply because I couldn't. My head was held in place by a strong force. My paws planted to the ground unable to move, my eyes fixed on the tree searching every inch and detail. I was confused at why I couldn't move but strangely I didn't mind it.
Why do I feel so…calm I can't move! and yet I feel so at ease…
She spoke again. "The breeze will blow even more blossoms of the tree, hoping they hit the ground."
Suddenly more blossoms joined the others into floating down onto the ground. As they floated, the first blossom neared the ground but before it's Patel barely grazed the surface of the ground it engulfed in flames.
The blossom was on fire. It was burning, red-hot flames destroyed the beautiful petals, the flower blackened and charred, obliterating it triumphantly into nothing.
As it touched the ground the still burning flower instantly turned into ash, the flames flickering out and dying as soon as it made contact.
"As they will fall they will burn painfully, inside and out but they are just a flower and no one will notice a mere flower" her voice rose fearfully, "and they will go from an enchanting blossom to a smoky, dark ash left to join and blow with the breeze."
Her voice echoed in my head as I was left to stare at the rest of the blossoms who withered under the intense flames of the fire. They burned helplessly and the pile of ash growing bigger and bigger beneath it.
I blinked furiously. Suddenly the tree and flowers were gone and I was transported to a battle field, a bloody battlefield.
It was a massacre, flowers replaced with cats, trees replaced with clan leaders. The worst part was the land was the one on fire.
I watched fearfully and sorrowfully as the flames grew larger and larger engulfing every cat and everyone except for two large toms. Both standing triumphantly over the battle field watching everything beneath them burn.
I could barely make them out as the smoke messed with my vision, making me squint my eyes.
One of them stared at me with a cruel amused glare and laughed. His laugh raking my ears and sending my heart spiraling as tears trailed down my cheek as I watched everything burn. Jayfeather, Lionblaze, Bramblestar, Ivypool, Cinderheart, Leafpool, Tawnypelt… they were all burning and all I could do was watch helplessly as the hungry flames ate them up.
Suddenly the vision cleared, Thankfully and I was left in a messy heap on the ground. My pelt wasn't on fire or charred by the flames. It was fine. I was fine.
"The first flames will flicker be prepared…" were Silverstream's last words.
I frantically turned my head. I stared frighteningly at where Silverstream was standing. Just one teeny tiny problem she was gone but in her place was the thrush I had been stalking, killed and lying lifelessly on the grounds but I could care less.
I panted heavily. My shivering body slowly stilled to a slow rhythm. I just stood there for what seemed like moons until I heard Jasmine's frantic shrieks.
"Where are you Hollyleaf?! Did you die? Did you drown? Where are you?!"
"Dear Starclan..."
I hastily grabbed the thrush, thanking Starclan, pushing my way through the undergrowth, practicing my fake I'm absolutely fine smile but not before I had this thought forcefully cross my mind.
Two she-cats as opposite night and day
The first flames…..
I found jasmine. She wasn't worried or anything I mean to her I had barely been gone for a few minutes but Starclan did she scream loud. Anyway, we continued to make our way to the lake.
I shivered after this whole traumatizing experience I knew one thing very clearly…..
I can't believe I was so mysterious as a Starclan cat?
Ivy: That was great, I loved how you mentioned the jealousy between my siblings! Also Ashfur I really think you should get rid of that bean bag...
Ashfur: NEVER IN A MILLION CAT YEARS!
Ivy: Don't make me do this.
Ashfur: You let me have this bean bag or else.
Ivy: Or else what?
Ashfur: I quit!
Cheers erupted from the crowd.
Ivy: What-Wait you can't quit, please don't go keep the bean bag just don't quit!
Ashfur: I thought so.
Ashfur grins obsessively and continues to stare obsessively at the beanbag.
Ivy: Well, that's great! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and hopefully, in the next one, we will include two new POVs.
Ashfur: If they aren't mine then they won't be that exciting.
Ivy: If they were your's there wouldn't be any audience!
The crowd cheers.
Ashfur groans.
Ashfur: Thanks everybody for reading and all these lovely reviewers I hope you continue to hate Ivy and I'll see you next time.
Ivy: Yeah bye my dear readers- Wait, What did you say?
The curtains close as furious arguing can be heard backstage thankfully Ivy understands that her show needs more hosts otherwise Ashfur would be going to the hospital.
I hope you guys enjoyed... Whatever that was :)
Anyway as always I will answer to your reviews
Replies:
Hawkf1ight: You have a really interesting question and this gets me thinking... and I have decided that I will confirm the answer in a later chapter :) Although that was a very good question.
BrightMind: Thanks for your OCs and I hope you enjoy the story! and I'm glad you liked the story!
Cloudstone: Thanks for your OCs really appreciated!
Cityskyliinee: I'm glad you liked Alfie and I promise we will see more about him in future chapters.
HollyXCinder: I can promise you there will be a lot of HollyXFallen but it will happen in later chapters not really in the beginning as much.
Anyway, thanks for your support and all your reviews makes me really happy!
Once again I still accept OCs if you wish for your character to be in the story but I'm not in desperate need of them!
As Ivy said we will have two new POVs in the next chapter or one POV... and after the next chapter, I can assure you that you can meet your new guest hosts!
Keep in mind that Rose and Rust are littermates. Also, expect more jealousy from Rose and did any of you see Moonshine, I had to change her name but thankfully Moonshine likes it.
Finally a few questions.
Who do you like better AshXSquirrel or BrambleXJessy? Personally, I really love BrambleXJessy but I like SquirrelXBramble more.
What do you think of Emerald, Rose, and Rust?
Do you like the short Vision from Starclan?
And finally, who do you want Ivypool to be with?
I just had to use the whole blossoms on fire idea im obsessed so expect more crazy flower warnings in the future :) but it's not an actual prophecy and is simply a warning.
Anyway, Bye my lovely reviewers and readers and ill see you n the next chapter of Hollyleaf's promise.