I actually got a review begging me of no more HollyAshness! xD But that's the whole Dark Forest thingymajiga, right? So I gotta do it. Sorry. Maybe you should just read the StarClan one. Don't know. Your own choice, you know. If you don't want HollyAshness, you can not read this story if you want. Anyways... Here's our second chapter in the Dark Forest! ^^
Chapter Four
DARK FOREST
Survival
Hollyleaf's POV
I never thought I would say this, but I think Ashfur isn't that bad. Yes, he nearly killed me, but I killed him instead. You know, he can be just a hurt cat. Squirrelflight hurt him, and that's why he wanted to hurt her back. I actually feel bad for him. That heartless she-cat hurt me, too. I've been with Ashfur for so many moons I can't count. He's not the worst companion, just a little prickly at first. I had to lie a lot. That was the bad part. But now…I felt kind of weird when I'm with him. We've grown to become friends, but I'm well aware that he
He forgave me for killing him, and helped me survive as well. I don't know why we need to when we're dead, but we still had to eat regular meals, live our lives (in a way), and drink normal water. That's the tricky part. I have no idea either, but it seems as if it's possible to starve to death even after you're dead. Complicated, huh? Well, you got to be in the Dark Forest to know that. It should be so much easier in StarClan. They had proper hunting grounds and pools of water. In the Dark Forest, everything is tricky. Ashfur explained that he had to fight his way to survival when he first came. There were no rules in the Dark Forest. You got to play dirty, that is. In the Dark Forest, there is no such thing as "fair".
"I know a good source of water," Ashfur taught me on the first day. "When I first came, I found it myself." He flicked his tail proudly. Then he mewed, "Prey isn't actually scarce here. There's always enough for every cat here to… well, survive while being dead. It's quite complicated, and I still haven't had everything figured out yet." I nodded; glad to have a mentor to survival. The gray tom led me to a vast, clear pool. It's almost surprising that there could be such a wonderful water source in this dead forest. I quickly crouched down to drink the water, but spat it out quickly. It was disgusting!
Furiously, I spat, "What kind of water is this?" Ashfur blinked. Then he meowed, "You need to get used to it, Hollyleaf. It's all we have to survive. Even if the taste may seem foul, it should be the key to survival. When you get used to it, you will find that it is not that bad." I nodded weakly. Yuck. So many bad things happened ever since Yellowfang rejected my entrance to StarClan. First, I had to be with Ashfur, because he was sort of my key to survival. Second, Ashfur seems to have scary feelings for me. Third, nothing is good in this dead forest. Boldly, I took another sip of water. This time it didn't seem as foul-tasting. I should get used to it soon.
"Let's catch some prey now," I croaked after swallowing a mouthful of water. "I'm starving." So Ashfur led me under a lifeless pine tree, and we dropped into hunter's crouch. I felt like I was back in ThunderClan again. But this was a very dead forest for the dead. That sounded weird, did it? Sniffing for prey, I listened carefully for the rustles of the forest floor. With deceased bracken and ferns all over the ground, it was easy to hear a mouse scurrying over a dried oak leaf ten fox-lengths away. That was exactly what I heard, and so I crept quietly and began stalking the mouse that was out of sight with my senses. Finally, a small furry brown shape emerged into my green gaze, nibbling on a fallen, colorless flower in search of a seed. The russet-furred mouse didn't notice me at all. It kept nibbling the flower, from stem to petal. What a desperate little creature. Too bad it was put here to get eaten.
I continued to stalk it, and with each pawstep I tried my best not to step on dead bracken or leaves. This was not a cautious mouse, fortunately. I pounced on it and killed it with a strike of my claws. Smugly, I carried the mouse back to the pine tree. There I saw a wood pigeon already placed there. Ashfur was apparently making a fresh-kill pile, so I placed my mouse there, too. At the end, I caught two more sparrows to add to the pile. When I returned, I saw that Ashfur was already chomping down a starling. This forest was dead, yet filled with all sorts of prey. After placing my sparrows on the pile, I stared thoughtfully at the fresh-kill we've caught. One wood pigeon, two sparrows, and one mouse. I took a wood pigeon and a sparrow, and settled beside Ashfur.
The food was okay. I thought they tasted a little more bitter than usual, but I guess I'll just have to get used to it, like Ashfur says. I hope I'll get to fulfill that prophecy Yellowfang gave me soon, and zoom to StarClan in a heartbeat. I don't want to keep staying with Ashfur, I guess. He does get annoying. With a full belly, I lay down to sleep, and realized that Ashfur had snuggled beside me. Yuck. What does he expect from me? Oh, right. He thinks the wrong way, as always. And I lied to survive. I actually regretted a bit for lying, but I had to live even when I'm dead. Again, that didn't make sense. But all I've been through hadn't either. The holly leaves will push away the darkness of the ash. Maybe I am the holly leaves, and Ashfur is the ash. But how can I push away the darkness of him? I have no idea. But I guess that means I'll have to stay longer in the Dark Forest. Good to see you again, bad luck.
Hmm... Ashfur is getting weird and out of character in my story. But so? Take it on, my friends! xD Well, see ya. Hope you liked this chappy. R&R! Please! xD
~~Rainy