Hopefully I'll get this up quick. School starts tomorrow so I may be writing more I know that sounds odd, but doing my English work might kick up my (lazy) inner writer. I hope. (Of course, by the time I post this, school will have started -_-, I'm a slow writer xD)

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"It's so cold," shivered the fluffy black she-cat. It had to be the coldest leaf-bare ever. Or at least in her life.

Ravenpaw rolled his eyes. "You complain to much."

In the past moon the two black cats had become good friends. Ravenpaw was healing from Barley's death, and Hollyleaf was picking up the shattered fragments of clan life. It drew the two together.

The usual conversation consisted of arguments and sarcastic comments. To any other cat it would seem the two hated each other. It was no surprise that Hollyleaf replied: "What's wrong with complaining mouse-brain? It's not against the rules or anything."

Ravenpaw sighed, "rules, rules rules. Hollyleaf stop right there, just stop. Rules are made for breaking."

After a long while of bickering Hollyleaf sighed and rolled onto her back, looking at the barn roof. She felt a wave of claustrophobia pass over her. How long had it been since she was back in the forest? She tried to battle the feeling, it wasn't a new one...

Holly yawned, reaching out a black paw. She was laying on a twoleg nest, or 'bed'. She had to admit that it was almost worth being a kittypet. Almost.

However she had been forced to endure tortures no cat should. Namely a bath. Though she had screamed and clawed at the twoleg dipping her into a large white pool of water she had still been thoroughly soaked.

Another was nail clipping, where her claws were partially taken away, leaving blunt stumps. Though her claws grew back, in time, it had been humiliating and wrong. Who could fight with no weapons?

She licked her shoulder and looked around, she found it best to avoid the twolegs. She had assumed they were asleep, but she couldn't really tell.

Cautiously she leapt off the bed and peered around. No one really went into this room except for her. Spider had called it the 'Guest Room', still something made her uneasy.

It was all too quite, too peaceful. The room was small and the walls felt like a trap. She shivered and took a deep breath. Just walk Holly, she told herself.

She reached out slowly and then darted from the room.

Nothing happened.

"Ravenpaw, is it possible to get out of the barn?" she asked, fighting back panic.

He shook his head.

"You could try, but I don't think so..."

Hollyleaf got to her paws and ran to the door, jumping out into the snow. It was too deep. Over her head. This way way worse than being in the barn. It was wet and cold. She sneezed, her body shaking from whisker to tail tip.

Get out.

But Hollyleaf didn't listen to sense. No. Instead she curled into a ball and cried pitifully. It was all to much.

Her family, her home, her life, gone. Normally she'd curse herself for being so weak. Whatever, it didn't matter. Life sucked.

Now she was feeling sorry for herself?! Just when things were looking up?

She shook her head in an attempt to clear her thoughts, but proceeded in getting snow in her ears. Should she stand up? Jump back in the barn?

The decision was taken from her when something dragged her.

Hollyleaf let out a yelp of surprise and was promptly dropped onto the barn floor.

It was dry.

She looked with wide eyes at the chuckling black tom standing over her.

"Ravenpaw!" she hissed, licking her fur smooth.

"What? Afraid to jump? Hollyleaf you are the biggest wimp!" He meowed, sounding both amused and angry.

Hollyleaf thought a moment. What had really happened? It didn't really make much sense. She hadn't been herself, nor had she thought rationally. What was wrong with her? What was wrong with her?!

She shivered, narrowing her eyes. It wouldn't happen again, she wouldn't let it.

Smiling she chimed, "act-ing."

Her eyes gleamed, but behind them she was scolding herself for the lie. Not good Hollyleaf, bad girl, It was almost funny.

"Um, Holls, what are you doing?" asked Star, eyeing the black cat.

"What do you mean?" asked Hollyleaf, dropping the mouse into the pink food dish.

"The mouse! Why not just eat it? Or play with it?"

"I thought... maybe someone else would be hungry. 'Sides Spider left a shrew outside the door."

"Alright, well, whatever," Star purred.

Hollyleaf could see herself living here forever. She was really fitting in well, she had even acquired a taste for the rabbit-pellet foods. She had even warmed up to Ash, though Ash hadn't warmed up to her. The yard was big (bigger than most) and though there were dogs, they were manageable.

One thing that was truly amazing was that she was getting used to the twolegs. Though she didn't curl smugly into their laps like Ash, and she wasn't depended on them like Star, she was happy to receive a pat on the head.

Then there was catmint.

She had known it as an apprentice, to be used against coughs, however here it was given as a treat.

Even the smell of it was enough to keep her happy. The crunchy minty leav-- "Holly, um... you're drooling," interrupted a small dilute tortoiseshell (Star looked like a tabby to her, but there was no arguing against it).

"Thinking about catmint," meowed Holly.

Star purred, "yum!" then she looked down at her paws and turned her head away.

"Erm is there a problem?" asked the former warrior.

Star looked out the window, and Holly followed her gaze. There wasn't anything out of the ordinary; long grass, twoleg toys, trees.

"I just remembered something, I have to go... er..." Star ran down the hallway as Holly shook her head. That cat had problems.

"Holly!" squeaked a voice behind her.

The she-cat narrowed her eyes, "Ash..?" What did Ash want with her?

"I just need to tell you something," she meowed, her voice tinged with embarrassment. She looked away from the black cat.

"Yes...?" asked Holly, getting annoyed. If this cat wanted something she should just spit it out! It was immensely frustrating. Why couldn't she get a strait answer to anything? The annoyance must have shown, because Ash took a step back. Her tortoiseshell fur prickling up along her back.

"Look, Holly, you have to leave," meowed Ash seriously.

Holly laughed. "Leave? Why should I?"

Ash's face flooded with embarrassment. "Um... look this sounds so stupid, but sometimes I have d-dreams... and," her voice quivered, "Shade talks to me. I've never admitted it to anyone before."

Holly was stunned. This cat, a mere kittypet, had dreams strikingly similar to those from StarClan? But how? She hadn't been a warrior, much less a leader or a medicine cat.

Something tugged at Holly's memory. Ash wasn't born a kittypet! What if she had clan blood running through her veins?

"What did Shade say?"

Short chapter!! But I uploaded at a reasonable time so there. Anyway, I'll have another up shortly. I really can't think of what else to add. Holly and Raven sitting in the barn? Boring. I shouldn't have made it so snowy. They need to get out and have some fun!

Next chapter:

Why Ashyluff has dreams similar to those of a Medicine cat.

Random tidbits of Raven x Holly.

Um.. suggestions are always luffed.