(Wake me up)
Wake me up inside
(I can't wake up)
Wake me up inside
(Save me)
Call my name and save me from the dark
(Wake me up)
Bid my blood to run
(I can't wake up)
Before I come undone
(Save me)
Save me from the nothing I've become
"And we were running away from the wildcats, and even though we both were as fleet as anything, they caught up to us."
"Then what happened?"
"They forced us to tell them what we were doing in their territory, and when we refused, they started to break your legs, and so I had to tell them... I couldn't stand watching them hurting you like that…."
Sol's voice trails off dramatically, and he watches Hollyleaf's eyes brighten with curiosity. This was working wonderfully. When Sol brought Hollyleaf to the abandoned twoleg nest, she had fallen into a horrible depression that lasted for almost half a moon. She rarely moved from the corner that she had curled up in, and barely ate. Sol became increasingly worried, especially when her fractured leg was taking so long to heal. He soon realized that she felt incredibly empty, as she was lacking the knowledge of her past. So, Sol decided to make up a new story for her, one that would help bend her to his will, one that would set aside all good memories of the Clans.
Hollyleaf lays her tail-tip on Sol's shoulder as he closes his eyes and shudders, seeming to relive terrible memories.
"It's okay," she mews. "You can tell me the rest later."
"Alright…" replies Sol, trying to hide a sob. "I'm…I'm going to go and hunt…"
And he swiftly stands up and pads out of the den, silently praising his excellent acting skills.
Hollyleaf, left alone in the dark ad slightly mildew-y twoleg nest, sighs and settles back down on the wonderful bed of bird feathers and bracken that Sol prepared for her. She reflects upon what he has told her over the past suns; she cannot believe the hardships that they both have gone through.
She used to live with her parents and two siblings by the ocean, and she was very happy. Sol didn't really know what her kit-hood had been like, only that Hollyleaf had spoken fondly of it. But Sol could remember when he had passed through the area, and introduced himself to the five cats. He had essentially become part of their family, hunting and living with them.
"It was one of the most happiest times in my life…" Sol had said wistfully one rainy afternoon. "But it was too bad that it couldn't last for long."
Indeed, it hadn't. Soon, twolegs started to move to the beach. They wanted the beautiful place for themselves, and had set traps for the family of cats who had lived there. After the death of one of Hollyleaf's sisters, the remaining cats decided to leave.
They traveled through the mountains and to a lake, where they thought they could live happily. But alas, they couldn't. A band of uncivilized cats swept through their makeshift camp one night, killing all but Sol and Hollyleaf.
So the two cats had set out, trying to avenge the death of their loved ones. But the expedition had ended badly, and Sol stopped just as the wildcats caught up to them…ah, how she wishes he had been able to continue! It is hanging in her mind, the possibilities of what could happen next…did the wildcats take them to their camp and try to kill them? Or did Sol manage to talk themselves out with his silver tongue? Or did Hollyleaf escape somehow? Well, of course she did, but how?
She sighs again, and flexes her claws in the soft feather-fluff. A feeling comes over her, something that she had felt while Sol related the battle that killed her family…she can remember fighting. Fighting someone. Someone with deep blue eyes…she can sort of remember what he (it was a he) looked like…but most of all, she can remember her feelings.
She had been hurt…angry…and betrayed. This someone had toyed with her emotions, had made her feel. But that had been before…and that battle was the now. She would take her revenge on these cats; and no, this isn't something that Sol told her-–she came to her own conclusions.
"They will pay…" she hisses to herself, and then ducks her head in embarrassment, realizing how cliched that sounded. The blue eyes flash before her again, and with them, she discovers a new feeling.
Doubt.
It mingles with the anger and turns it sour, unappealing. There is something wrong here…but she doesn't know what…
xXx
Sol leaps and lands, his claws snagging on the fur of a mouse. It squeaks in alarm, but Sol pays no mind. He knocks it over it's head, and lets it go, watching in amusement as it stays in one place, stunned. His long tail brushes the dead leaves as he waits…and waits…there. It's beginning to move again. With a grin on his face, he reaches out with a paw, and bats it towards him. The mouse scrambles to its paws and tries to run away again…but it meets Sol's sharp claws. It's not the end, though. The dusky colored mouse is still alive, just barely. He crouches down. He can hear its ragged breathing, can see it's frightened brown eyes. Sol lets them focus on his face, and then, he slowly opens his jaws, exposing brilliant white teeth. Sol feels it's neck snap; the sharp snick! rings through the air for a moment.
"Too easy…" he mumbles around the mouthful. "You'd think that living nearby a colony of cats would make them evolve or something…"
Finishing his meal, he picks up the rabbit that he caught earlier, and begins to head back to the abandoned twoleg den. He had been a little wary about settling there are first, seeing that it was on ThunderClan territory, but because Hollyleaf's leg was fractured, it isn't a good idea to start traveling. Just yet. He needs to make sure that the story that he had given Hollyleaf had been permanently engraved in her memory. If not, the smallest detail could trigger a complete recall. That was the only thing he is truly worried about. Perhaps he should suggest a new name for her…yes that would work out wonderfully. But what name? Perhaps a name of a constellation, or a star. Maybe it would just be best to shorten it to 'Holly', so she would feel a bit more comfortable with it. Either way, the last thing that he needs is for her to recall her memory. Sol has created an entirely new set of plans that revolve around her powers (for after all, she is one of the "three", correct?).
"Hollyleaf," he calls out, his voice a little muffled by the rabbit. He is nearing the nest, and is surprised as he sees Hollyleaf' green eyes glow out from the darkness. She grins, and steps out into the light. "What are you doing? Your leg will take even longer to heal if you put too much weight on it. Why aren't you in your nest?"
"I just tested it, and I can stand!" she mews happily, trotting over to him. He seems a little startled as she (accidentally) brushes his flank, but she doesn't mind. She can walk! She can run! She might be able to jump as well, though she doesn't fancy trying just yet. Seeing the slightly skeptical look on his face, she added, " And it doesn't even hurt!" for good measure.
"…it doesn't hurt?" he mews.
She shakes her head happily. "Nope!"
"How long to you think that you could last if we leave today?"
"Um…maybe half a day. Maybe less. I guess it depends on what sort of terrain we're traveling on."
"I see…"
"…were you planning to leave today?"
"Not really. But since you're leg has healed…I suppose that the sooner we leave the better."
"That's true…so, where are we headed?"
"I thought that we could keep moving in the direction that we were traveling in originally." He flicks his tufted tail towards the tall pines that border one half of the lake. "I haven't traveled further than the forest."
"Alright then."
"Here, eat the rabbit before we head out. You'll need your strength."
And so they began. It is a long trek, obviously, but not necessarily a hard one. They skirt around the bulk of the pine forest ("I wouldn't want to risk another skirmish with those savages until you're better," Sol explains.) and begin to climb the hills that are to the east of the forest. But they stop several times, as Hollyleaf's leg begins to hurt. Sol hunts for a while and manages to catch something in the scrubby brush, and they stop to make camp for the night, taking shelter beneath a withered raspberry bush. He tells her the rest of the story, creating images in her mind so vivid that she would swear that it was real. He realizes that, somehow, he is enjoying himself by making her emerald eyes grow wide and her face light up with mirth with words, simple words.
A golden sun rises, shedding brilliant light on the sleeping pair of cats. Hollyleaf wakes up with a yawn, stretching, and to her surprise notices that the tortoiseshell is practically sleeping at her paws. She thought that he was sleeping on the other side of the raspberry plant…but it's not a big deal. She pokes him with a paw, and he wakes instantly. "I'll hunt and then we'll get started again."
The journey isn't hard today, although they both can feel the tightening in the air and the coming storm. The moors give way to a small marsh, similar to the one in RiverClan's territory. Not that Sol mentioned the resemblance, of course—no need to bring back her memory. Soon, freezing rain was pouring down in torrents, slicking their fur to their flanks and making them shudder with cold. They continued to troop onwards, needing to find a decent place to rest.
"Look, over there," Sol mews, jerking his chin in the direction of a shape that looms out of the gloom of the rain. "I believe that's a barn. Shall we go and see if the inhabitants are friendly?"
Hollyleaf nods, shivering violently. She doesn't care if she has to fight a thousand foxes to get to the barn, she just wants someplace to sleep and dry off. A sudden jolt of pain flashes through her leg, and she gasps, pressing herself to Sol for balance. The tom flinches, then pauses, pretending to flick a pebble out of his paw to cover his mistake.
"Is your leg hurting? Lean on me for the rest of the way; come along, it's not too far away."
She obliged, and they staggered to the barn, pushing their way through a crack in the broad wooden doors. The two cats stood there for a moment, shivering.
"W-who are you?"
Hollyleaf wheels around, seeking for the source of the voice. Through the dark gloom of the barn, she can see a set of pale amber eyes glinted out from under a shelf covered in hay. Sol narrows his eyes; the voice didn't sound too confident, but perhaps it was a ruse.
"We are merely travelers," he purrs, resisting the urge to unsheathe his claws and rake them across the rotting wooden floor in warning. "And who, may I ask, are you?"
"J-just a barn cat. Nothing n-new."
Hollyleaf leans forwards, trying to get a better look at the cat who was shivering beneath the shelf, but as soon as she did, the cat shrunk back.
"We're not going to hurt you," she mews, limping forwards.
"Don't make any promises…" hisses Sol in her ear as he slinks past her to stop in a crouch before the cat. Through the gloom, he can tell that it's a small cat, with large eyes and a smattering of dark tabby markings around his face. Seems gullible, muses Sol.
"I-I don't w-w-want to get into any fight-t-ts!" he stammers, pressing himself against the wood of the wall. "J-just l-l-leave me, and I won't d-do anything! M-my twolegs will c-come if I c-call!"
"Don't worry," meows Sol, adding just a tint of charisma to his voice, just enough to . "Nothing will happen to you, just so as long as you let us stay here for the night."
It seems to work; his eyes look a little glazed. But he musters enough will to ask, "But, you're n-not from those c-clans of w-w-ild cats?"
Hollyleaf blinks; she remembers something…but the fragment of memory slips away before she can fully relive it. Something about…kittypets? It's an odd word, but it's associated with a set of emerald eyes rimmed with orange fur, and rumors…
She presses forward, asking the cat; "What are these wildcats? These clans? Can you tell me more, because I'm sure that I've heard about them befo–"
"Enough!" snarls Sol, the menace in his voice hiding the sudden jolt of fear that raced through his spine a moment previous. He pushes Hollyleaf out of the cat's view–she tumbles over in a heap of wet ebony fur–and turns to face the cat, who cringes at the fury in Sol's mottled face.
"Never," Sol hisses, layering his voice over and over again with charisma until it makes even him a little dizzy. "Never speak of that again! Do you understand?"
The cat nods violently, as though trying to free himself from an iron trap. He opens his mouth to speak, but all that comes out are unintelligible squeaks. Sol exhales, and then notices that his claws are digging into the floor. He has to practically tear them out before he can walk towards Hollyleaf, and cover her memory of the last five minutes with golden words. He sighs in relief once it's done, but he doesn't really like the vacant look that has entered her eyes. Or the way she curls up and falls sound asleep without a sound. Perhaps he overdid it this time. But as he watches the gentle rise and fall of her breathing, he realizes, that he can't lose her, not to her Clan, not to her prophesy, not to herself.
And if keeping her means to completely sever herself with her past? Her history? A snide voice in his head wonders.
It doesn't even take a moment; he knows the answer.
Yes.