Hollyleaf's Divide

Hi! Like in my introduction topic, I explained that I would be moving some of my fan fics from the offical forums to here. This is one of them! I decided to move the story here to gain a new audience, and hopefully one that gives feedback! Tell me what you think!

Chapter 1
"Hollyleaf!" The call was faint over the roar of falling rocks, but the frantic echo still reached my ears. I leaped forward to avoid a large boulder and splashed into the river, gasping at the sudden cold. But the water was low, and I pulled out onto the other side with ease.
I looked over my shoulder back at the collapsed entrance. Jayfeather's call echoed down the cave, growing fainter and fainter as the current of the underground river carried it away.
Tears flowed down my cheeks and joined the murky water, failing to hold back my sobs.
That was the last I would ever see of my brothers, and my life. Would they even miss me? Would they even aknowledge that I was gone, that I had faded away from their lives like Jayfeather's call?
I remembered all I had done tonight, and knew that wasn't true.
I stood on a rock with my eyes closed, running through my memories of the time me, my brothers, Heatherpaw and Breezepaw rescused the apprentices in the river here. The path we took opened up to me like an over turned leaf, and a splash made me open my eyes. Ripples danced with the current where a pebble dropped into the water, and I hopped off the rock, confidence giving my paws a new bounce.
Ah, this looks familar now. I thought as I followed the path, led by my memory.
I never thought rescuing those kits so long ago would ever benefit me. I always looked as it as a misson to stop the brink of war between my clan.. no ThunderClan. I corrected myself, a little pained at the reminder.
As the slightest hint of moonlight began to show, I started thinking over stragtey.
ThunderClan won't be out on a night like this, but I still can't let my scent show. I thought, sniffing the fresh air that lured me closer to the surface. I caught an acrid scent of garlic, and an idea formed in my head.
Guilt mixed in with the storm of anxiety in my belly, and I felt like I would collapse in a dizzy state. Everyone and everything I knew was in ThunderClan, I shouldn't have to hide from them.
Then I remembered.
Everyone I knew would be set out to kill me once they knew the truth.
I trotted up the last few pawsteps and broke into a clear night.
The tress cover was thin, and I could easily see the layer of stars gazing down on me from far above. The ferns overcrowded the soft ground, agressive about finding a good place to root down, and the delicate leaves reached to my belly.
I don't regonize this part of the forest. I noted, looking around. The tunnel must stretch to the outskirts of the territory.
I didn't have to go far through the thick undergrowth to find the garlic patch I scented. Wrinkling my nostrils, I fluffed up my fur and rolled through the plants, making sure every hair was covered in the revolting stench. Once I was satisfied I was unregonizable, I moved on.


ThunderClan will always remember me as the one who betrayed them, the one who tried to kill my own mother, and if Lionblaze and Jayfeather can't keep their mouths shut, as Ashfur's killer. I thought miserbly. They would never understand I did it for my families own good, and to bring justice to my littermates and I, but bitterness drove those thoughts away.
I shouldn't even have been born. I thought, viulalizing Leafpool in a puddle of blood.
I shook myself and started walking along the riverside, embarrsed at my foolishness. There would be time for thinking this over later, but now, I had to get out of these caves.
I followed the path that seemed to spiral upward, trying my best to smell past the layer of garlic on my fur. The path started to get rockier, and I started to stumble over sharp stones in the darkness.
By the time I reached the top of the hill, my pads were torn and bleeding. I stopped to lick furiously at my paws, not wanting to give ThunderClan a taste for blood if they searched for me.
Once the wounds had stopped bleeding, I surveyed my surrondings. The trees were starting to thin out, and then the treeline stopped as the grass streched over the horizon like a wonderful echo. But I was to focused to admire the beautiful sight.
I am far from WindClan's boundries here. I shouldn't have to cross their territory from here. I thought, swinging my head to my left. I heard the faintest trickle of water, and immideatley concluded it as the Moonpool.
So I am defintley going the right way now. I thought, starting my way down the steep slope. But I had made an awful mistake on my route. By the time I put the trees behind me, dawn broke through the horizon's borders, and I could clearly detect WindClan's scent markers. I looked around, sniffing the air, but it was to late. I was deep into WindClan territory, and it would be to risky to find a short cut out.
I have to hurry, I thought, starting to run. It's all over if WindClan even scents me. As the sun rose, I found myself running faster and faster, aware that my dark pelt would stick out like snow in a tree in the morning's colours. Eventullay the hills blended with the orange and godlen hues of the sunrise in my blurred vision as the wind whistled like thunder in my ears and flattened my fur.
I've never ran this fast before. I realized, then I remembered. I was part WindClan. But when I finally stopped to catch my breath, the sun warmed my face,and instintcvley I looked up. The sun shined on the lake, layering it in a brillant gold like leaves in Leaf Bare. The ribbons of pale colours dissolved into thin clouds that seemed to dance in celebration of the new day as the weak sky brightened to a blazing, hopeful blue.
But now I understand why WindClan call this home. I thought, turning away with high spirits.


Chapter 2
I hadn't gone far before I reached a crowd of thorn bushes, and was I ever lucky they were there. A WindClan patrol approched, and I dived into the cover of the bushes. I flattened myself to the ground, still feeling exposed in the bushes bare branches. As the four cats came closer, I felt my heart sink into my belly. Of all the WindClan cats I didn't want to see, these were the ones.
It was Crowfeather and Breezpelt, who looked identical in the frosty grass. Heathertail and an apprentice I didn't know were also there.
I felt like I was trying so hard not to speak when they inspected the markers right next to me that I would bite off my own tounge. It looked like a normal patrol routine. They exchanged words as they sniffed at the scent markers, but it was obvious that there was a wall between Crowfeather and Breezepelt that defintley wasn't their usualy definace of eachother before.
And it's all because of me.I realized, and I became even more determined to stay still.

Good story! But I don't think cats cry tear like humans do...

Thanks for reading it! I am not sure if all cats do, but sometimes my brother's cat cries visible tears, or the fur around his eyes are wet. Sometimes you just want to adjust things your way. I appreciate the advice though!

Chapter 2;Continued

I felt like my heart would burst from my chest as Breezepelt came closer and closer until he was sniffing the branches right in front of me. Breezepelt continued to carefully check the markers, and I began to wonder if he was purposefully torturing me. Breezepelt leaned forward to sniff at a barb, and I closed my eyes, unable to watch any longer.
Just go away! Go away! I silently willed him to leave, biting hard from my tounge to keep from yowling the words in fustration.
Finally, Breezepelt turned away, reporting that all was well, his back turned to Crowfeather.
Before I could heave a sigh of relif, I felt the wind blow up my back fur. I slowly turned around to lick it down, but I stopped cold. If the wind was blowing my fur up, that meant it was carrying my scent strait to Breezepelt.
I flattened down as much as I possibly could, but I knew it was to late. Breezepelt slowly turned around and locked his cold gaze on the bush I was hiding. He growled lowly, and before I knew it, my scruff was aching with pain and I was dragged out into the clearing. Breezepelt dropped me like a dead mouse onto the grass, and I yowled in agony as blood from Breezepelt's fangs trickled down my fur.
"Wht are you doing in WindClan territory!?" Breezepelt hissed, unsheathing his claws. I was to bewildered to answer. My mind was like a hornet's nest, buzzing with wild thoughts.
Breezepelt hissed impateintly, and before he could pounce, Crowfeather held him back.
"Wait." He commanded to Breezepelt, and when Crowfeather turned away, Breezepelt spat in disgust.
"Your that Warrior who ratted out the truth at the gathering last night, aren't you?" Crowfeather snarled.
Are you so deep in denial you can't even tell yourself that I am your daughter? I thought angrily. I swallowed the statement and faced Crowfeather, but I could tell by his confused expression that my rage was still clear in my eyes.
"What does it matter to you?" I said coldly.
"What does it matter-!? You're trespassing on our territory! Even if you are a half breed, you still have ThunderClan's stupid attitude, don't you?" Breezepelt protested.
At that moment, all my patience snapped for this brute. I tried to attack, but Heathertail stood in my way.
"We don't need a fight. Perhaps you would be willing to tell Onestar about all of this." Heathertail commanded firmly, but her expression was unreadable.
The patrol circled me and led me away, making sure I had no room to breathe. The apprentice, who hadn't breathed a word during the entire hostile encounter, was at the back, his eyes wide with wonder. I could tell the apprentice wanted to question me, but Crowfeather held him at bay.
After a long, unneverving escort, I began to pick up more scents of WindClan, mingled with the grass and heather.
This is it,I realized, panic begginning to flutter in my chest. After all this, I'll be led back to ThunderClan, and then what? I'd rather be held prisnor in WindClan then go back to ThunderClan, if Leafpool told them about Ashfur.
I shuddered, and not from the cold wind that was picking up.
The patrol finally stopped, and I could see a dip in the land that had to be there camp. I remembered when a patrol was sent out to find Sol, and realized it was.
Heathertail stepped forward and went into the camp, along with the apprentice, leaving Crowfeather and Breezepelt with me.
Oh great. I thought, feeling even more hopeless. Then I realized, no one was blocking my way in front of me.
I springed forward without a second thought. Breezepelt yowled an alarm and tried to catch me, but I side stepped to easily. But then I saw the problem; Breezepelt's jump left me with no room to turn. I would have to go strait through the WindClan camp.
I darted down the hill and into the clearing, bringing immideate chaos with me.
"That's the intruder! Grab her!" I heard Heathertail howl. All at once, the camp exploded like a swarm of angry bees.
"Don't let her get into the nursery!" A warrior hissed as I sidestepped two large apprentices. Another warrior was instantly on top of me, pinning me to the sand.
"How dare you try to harm my clan." The warrior hissed. I scratched at his muzzle, the stupid she cat was obviously not prepared for it. She collapsed off me, startled. I leaped to my feet and ran like a rabbit for the other side.
The Warriors and some of the Queens had formed a semi circle, blocking off all the possible escape routes. At first, I felt myself instinctvley slowing down, knowing it was over, but then an idea formed in my head. I had never felt so alive and free when I dashed as fast as I could run, much to the WindClan warriors confusion.
"Give it up! You can't win!" I heard a queen growl, but I ignored her. As I approched the line that blocked me from the leader's den, the warriors prepared themselves, unsheathing their claws and hissing, all together sounding like a dying badger.
I had to admit, they terrified me, but that's what made it fun.
When I was nose to nose with the line of Warriors I leaped and soared right over them. I heard some of the warriors cry in dismay as I clung to a rock in the hillside, scrabbling to the top.
Onestar was waiting for me, his tail lashing furiously as he stood ferousily in front of his den.
"How dare you mock my clan like this. You are no match for WindClan against your foolish, mousebrain ideas, whatever sick thing your trying to do." Onestar growled, and I shuddered from the pure rage focused in his eyes.
I felt a little gulity at that moment. They were only trying to defend their clan.
And I am only trying to save my own hide. I reminded myself, and I took action. I leaped on top of Onestar, much to the horror of the witnesses below. Before Onestar could throw me off, I bounced off him and reached for the tree roots sticking out of the cliff, barely digging my claws into the soft flesh. I pulled myself up as the roots shed dirt on the WindClan warriors below, to shocked to move a muscle.
One of the roots tangled into my leg, and I yowled in pain as it snapped, taking some of my fur with it as it fell back into camp.
One of the warriors stepped forward, sniffing at a tuft of fur in the root.
"Get that tyrant, along with the rest of her fur!" the warrior yowled, and WindClan surged forward to climb up the wall after me.
No clan would honestly strip a cat of all their fur? I thought in horror. As I locked eyes with that tom who called the battle cry, the cold revenge glittering there didn't make me feel any more certain of the answer. I kicked a dirt clump down, and to my statisfaction, it landed on that dumb tom's head. I continued to climb, feeling the roots give way as some of the warriors started going up after me. I felt claws tear fur from my tail, and I whipped around, hissing wildly. My attacker was Onestar.
"Don't worry. When we catch you, you can keep your disgusting fur. Unlike you, WindClan isn't savages." Onestar said, throughly enjoying this torment.
I insticntvley reached higher, and to my joy, I felt the top of the cliff.
"I may be a 'savage', if you want to use that word. But at least I am..." Hollyleaf paused, feeling triumph warm her from her nose to tail tip as she looked down on the WindClan cats, who falsely thought they won.
"As free as a bird!" I yowled at the top of my lungs as I finished my statement, lodging a rock loose and throwing it onto Onestar's head.
Onestar howled in agony, but amazingly, I didn't feel gulit smother my happiness.
I quickly climbed over the cliff. WindClan may no doubt catch me if I ran now, but I was smarter than that.
I popped my head over the cliff and placed my claws over the roots.
Seeing what was going to happen, the WindClan cats started retreating, yowling in horror to call the alarm as they pictured what the 'savage' was going to do.
I could see Onestar by thr Medicine Den already, a Medicine Cat treating his head. Onestar glowered angrily at me as the medicine cat laid soaked moss on his head.
But one warrior didn't retreat off the roots. It was the warrior who had encouraged his clanmates to tear out my fur and in responce I had dropped a rock on his head.
He continued to climb to the top, and I impateintly waited for him to join his clanmates at the bottom. But to my fustration, he slowly continued his ascent.
Does this warrior want to die!? I thought, my ears flat in anger.
I finally saw the crafty smirk on the tom's face, and it all came crashing down on me.
I may have tricked WindClan into thinking I was dangerous, but this tom remembered that a clan cat, even a former one, would never kill a warrior on such a low scale. If I cut off the roots now the warrior would surely die from the fall.
What about Ashfur? A small voice inside me said, but I shook the question away.
And I am not like Leafpool; I won't sink to her level, even if I may be forced to. I'll have to try something else to get him off the cliff. I thought, an idea slowly crafting into shape.
I waited until the warrior was within earshot, his false sense of trimuph radiating off him now.
I leaned down until I could whisper into his ear.
I hope this works, this could still go either way. I thought.
"You are the handsomest cat I ever seen.. have my kits." I whispered quitely.
The warrior was so startled he didn't even react when I pushed him off the cliff. Thankfully, the roots slowed down the tom's fall, and a group of warriors was there to catch him at the bottom.
I quickly hacked off the roots so they tumbled down into camp, forcing the WindClan cats to run as they collapsed in a pile.
I quickly rsn away, hoping WindClan would be distracted enough not to come running after me.
I didn't care stop until I felt like my chest would explode and night started to fall.
When I felt like I couldn't run another step without cracking my ribs, I collapsed in the grass, laughing at my victory.

Wow, thats good!! I liked hearing about Hollyleaf being all Warrior-code-following, but this is a really interesting take on her!

Chapter 3
After a long, light hearted moment, I fought hard to catch my breath.
Exhaustion screamed in my muscles as I stood up, but I ignored the pain.
I may have outsmarted WindClan this time, but if WindClan decided to chase after me, I wouldn't be so lucky in escaping then.
I swung my head around to find the horseplace. I remembered sleeping there on the first night on the Sol Patrol, and it was tempting to go there and fall asleep with a full stomach in a nest of warm hay..
I shook my head a turned away, blocking out the thought. ThunderClan still might be looking for me too, and the Horseplace would be an obvious place to rest for the night. They're was no way they would find me there.
Even though I didn't like it, I knew that the only place where I would be safe from both ThunderClan and WindClan was a long way away from here.
So I kept walking despite the growing weight in my limbs and the fog that invaded my mind. I lost track of how long I walked until my head was so fuzzy for fatigue that I couldn;t even think.
Keep...going... I tried to tell myself, but I only managed two more feeble paw steps before I collapsed in the tall grass and sleep took over.

The sun was high in the sky when I finally opened my eyes. I immideatley thought of the dangers I was trying to get away from last night and leaped to my paws, looking around frantically.
But the only thing that moved was the grass in the lazy breeze, and I slowly relaxed.
It was obvious I needed to hunt before I went anywhere today. It was unusually warm for Leaf bare, and I caught two mice and a vole before long.
I carried my vole proudly back to the spot where I buried the two mice. I dropped the vole at my paws and sniffed at the ground, looking for a peice of bare earth were the rest of my meal was waiting underneath, when I saw her.
I thought it was my imagination, but the longer I stared, the more the she cat stared back, blinking pateintly.
I slowly stood up and met my former clanmate's eyes, trying to hide my fear.
"How did you find me, Cinderheart?" I growled.
"ThunderClan easily accepted your death, but I didn't. I went out myself to see if there was a chance you were still alive. The trail I followed led to WindClan, where they told me a fasinating tale of your escape. It was easy to follow you from there." Cinderheart expalined casually.
I narrowed my eyes in suspicon.
"WindClan told you about that? I thought a clan would be more secretive about one warrior escaping an entire clan." I said carefully.
"Well, they made me promise to bring you back to them if I ever found you." Cinderheart said before she could hold her tougne.
I tensed my muscles and crouched, ready to fight.
"I knew it! I knew you weren't here without an ambush!" I hissed angrily.
But instead of summoning the cats in hiding, Cinderheart's eyes sparkled with sadness.
"Hollyleaf, what happened to you? It was only two nights ago that you were a warrior of ThunderClan, just like me and our clanmates." Cinderheart mewed.
I lashed my tail, hesitant to answer. It might be a test. they could be trying to find out something before they attack. I thought. But then I realized that would be silly. If they were trying to get something out of me, then it would make more sense to attack now and question me back at ThunderClan camp, where I have less of a chance to escape.
I relaxed from my fighting stance, but I didn't let my gaurd down.
"That clan means nothing to me now. Leafpool and her vixen sister lied to me my whole life, and those mouse brains didn't even appreciate me for freeing them from the lies." I replied, bitterly thinking of the cold glances her clanmates had given her on that night.
"But the Warrior code used to mean everything to you! You would always tell me how important it is that we live with honur and courage by the Warrior code, and now look. Your acting like a rouge! I barely regonize you." Cinderheart cried.
I felt sad when I heard the pain in my friend's voice, but I pushed it away.
"What do you want, Cinderheart? Your not dragging me back to ThunderClan. You didn't have the foresight to bring other Warriors with you, and I've always been a good fighter." I questioned.
"This is exactly what I am talking about! Only a lowly rouge talks to a Warrior like that!" Cinderheart said.
I blinked, keeping my expression blank. I had to know what Cinderheart was up to, and to do that, I would have to be firm.
After a long moment, Cinderheart sighed.
"I didn't intend on taking you back to ThunderClan. But I wanted to convince you that what you are doing is wrong. Your brothers still care about you, and so do I! Our entire clan still cares, about you. The real you, not this hard, outer shell. Please come home, Hollyleaf." Cinderheart pleaded, despration raising in her voice.
For a moment, I did want to go back to ThunderClan with Cinderheart, and see my brothers and friends again. But then I remembered the chaos. The revelation of her birth, the clan's outrage, ThunderClan's cold stares for her, Ashfur's murder.
If I did go back, ThunderClan would still be angry with me about telling the clans about Leafpool's treachery. And I knew that someday, the secret of Ashfur's killer would be discovered, just like the secret I had revealed. ThunderClan's fury probably wouldn't let me escape alive.
I looked into Cinderheart's eyes and stood tall.
"Your wrong, Cinderheart, you know that as well as I do. I'll never be fully welcome into ThunderClan again. Escpically if they find out the truth." Cinderheart looked confused, but that was the only clue I would ever give her about Ashfur's killer.
"Some wounds don't heal with time, and time also brings change." With that, I pushed past Cinderheart and dug up the two mice. I picked up my prey and nodded farewell to my friend, and trotted up the hill, away from the last connection to my previous life.
That was the hardest time I've had to swallow my emotions from all the memories and misery I left behind in ThunderClan,

cool story!