Hollyleaf Speaks: A New Life

Prologue
Ah, two loners in love? How cute. You ask what my name is, and who I am? Well I will tell you my name is Holly, formerly Hollyleaf, a warrior of ThunderClan. I was betrayed by my mother and my aunt. I don't trust ThunderClan, the Clan of hidden lies, anymore than I trust a hungry fox. What happened after I "died" in the tunnels, you ask? I fell in love.

Chapter 1
Hollyleaf struggled and let out a yowl. "Lionblaze! Jayfeather! Help!" she shrieked, only to be stopped as dirt flew to her mouth. She was lying on her side, and dirt completely covered her. The only thing that was stopping her from dying was a rotting log stuck above her head jammed between the two sides of the walls, allowing her to breathe. She coughed. "Help!" she wailed. Memories flooded in her head: she was running into the tunnel, it collapsing on her, drowning her, suffocating her- she let out a screech again as more dirt got in her face.

Determined not to die here, Hollyleaf closed her green eyes and took deep breaths, thinking hard.

I need to stay away from ThunderClan. I can't go back. I need to run, far away.

Hollyleaf squirmed under the log and spat out a curse as she realized her back paw was swollen and bloody, hit by a rock. Crawling under the log and realizing that after it, there was more tunnel, Hollyleaf quickened her pace and managed to squeeze under the log.

I'm so lucky, she thought.

Able to stand up now, she limped through the dark tunnels that smelled of water, cold, dirt, and... cats.

How was that possible? She didn't want to take chances and go looking.

The tunnels widened.

Hollyleaf walked for hours.

Chapter 2 It was completely dark in the tunnels, but Hollyleaf guessed it was night time. Her paws were cracked and ached from walking on cold stone and pebbles, and a drip drip sound almost scared her to death.

Stopping for a rest, Hollyleaf sighed and curled up against the wall, closing her eyes.

I guess I can sleep for a little. I have been walking for hours...

Something woke her up.

A claw poked into her side. Snapping her eyes open, Hollyleaf leaped up and let out a fierce yowl. A paw slammed into her muzzle.

"Shut your mouth, mouse-brain. I'm helping." The voice was silky, smooth, and mesmerizing. She could tell it was a tom, but she couldn't see him. The cat wrapped his tail around her shoulders and began walking, dragging a helpless Hollyleaf behind him through the pitch-darkness. Hollyleaf issued a low growl as she tripped over unseen stones.

"Let me go before I claw your eyes out." she spat furiously. The tom in front let out a sigh of exasperation.

"If you don't shut your big mouth I'm going to shut it for you." Hollyleaf's fur bristled.

"Don't you dare talk to a ThunderClan warrior like that." she snarled, and unsheathed her claws, raking him across his back. She expected him to let her go in terror and pain, but he just hissed, spun his face around to meet hers, and let out a growl.

"Words are more dangerous then claws, my lovely."

Where had I heard that?

"Who are you, and why are you helping me?" Hollyleaf asked, promptly changing the subject.

"Would you rather I left you here to fend for yourself?" The voice said. His voice dripped with sarcasm and Hollyleaf didn't answer. Hollyleaf could feel the tom smirk in the darkness.

"My name is James. Why I help you is none of your concern."

After walking for about five more minutes, the James stopped and Hollyleaf sensed his tail flick upwards.

"Climb." he said, simply. "What?" gasped Hollyleaf. "Look, if you climb up that inclined wall, you'll see a hole that you can squeeze through, out to land." Despreate to see the sun again, Hollyleaf ripped herself from James's grasp and dug her claws into the clay wall. Latching a claw into the soft stone, Hollyleaf pushed herself up until she saw the hole. Light shone through. Hooking her paws around the entrance, Hollyleaf dragged herself out and collapsed onto soft grass. She took several deep breaths of relief. She looked around and was shocked to see she was in a meadow. Butterflies flitted through the air, and the sweet scent of flowers and prey awoke her dirt-clogged nostrils. Not a Twoleg was in sight.

A grunt sounded from the hole as James leapt out of the hole gracefully. Hollyleaf bit down a gasp as she looked at the tom.

He was definitely good-looking. He was tall, young, and lean, with a white pelt and wide, clear gold and black patches with glittering amber eyes that seemed to twinkle with humor. He looked familiar.

"Ah... Um..." Hollyleaf mentally smacked herself for being so speechless.

James sat down neatly and tilted his head. "I guess you want some answers," he purred. Hollyleaf's brain thinned. "Yes. Who are you. You look familiar."

"My name is James. I'm a loner. My father is well known in the Clans." Hollyleaf's curiosity got the best of her.

"Yes?"

"His name is Sol."

Chapter 2
Hollyleaf's head whirled. This is why he seemed so familiar, when he said, "Words are more dangerous then claws," he was talking about Sol and ShadowClan! And his angular face.... it really was Sol's son. Was he dangerous? Something told Hollyleaf no. "And your name is....?" he inquired, deftly changing the subject.

"Hollyle-." My name isn't Hollyleaf anymore.

"Holly. My name is Holly." she mewed. Sunlight bounced off her sleek black coat, and her stunning green eyes glinted.

"Well, my dear, this is the Meadow of Murderers."

"What?" screeched Holly.

James laughed. "No, no. I was just kidding. This is the Meadow of the Gifted." He eyed Holly, eyes glinting. "But, my lovely, you look no more innocent then a fox does." he added. "But as radiant as the sun." His mouth curved up into a lopsided smile.

Holly's fur flushed and heat crept up her face as she angrily willed it away. "So, why did you bring me here, James?" she prompted.

"Because, sweetheart, my father told me that there was a... special black warrior. He had a vision. He knew something tragic would happen to you, and I needed to save you."

"Save me?" gasped an outraged Holly. "I can do fine myself!" James grunted. "Yeah, right. You couldn't catch a dead rabbit down there without me." he quipped with a smug smirk.

"Back to the point." snarled Holly. James's tail wrapped around Holly's face and he studied her intently. "You're going to live here, where only gifted cats can live."

"Oh yes?" mewed Holly. James grunted. "You're a feisty one; good. I've always wanted a she-cat with a tongue." Holly bristled in outrage. James laughed again, a beautiful, sweet sound to her ears.

"You were destined to be with me, Holly."

Epilogue (Six Moons Later)
Holly sighed contently as the four kits at her belly squirmed contently. The soft moss and the contentment of the life under her body flushed away the aches and pains of the birth. Gentle sun shone through the wide opening of the shallow cave. A soft tongue rasped her ear. "You did amazing, Holly, and now you've added four kits to our family." James's eyes shone with love for his mate and the new kits.

Holly purred softly and pressed her head in his lean chest. "You are amazing." she sighed. James smiled and murmured, "The names?" The first was a she-kit was dark ginger, dark as Firestar. The second a tom, black like Holly; and the third was a light brown tabby, delicate as Leafpool. The fourth was a tom, gray and speckled, like Ashfur. Holly shook her head and erased the flecked tom's name from her mind.

"Two toms, two she-cats. You name the first two." she decided. "Hm, the ginger one Leaf and the black one Ian."

Holly smiled. "And the light brown one is Cream and her brother is Mist."

Holly allowed herself a smile. She was so happy here in the Meadow of the Gifted, which she learned was a safe haven StarClan allowed for cats with a destiny: In her case, finding a love in James and her kits.

She was forever safe in this haven. She would never leave, never grow tired of James and her kits.

She had a new life.