Second Chances

Hello, all! It took me forever to write my entry for Ottie and Moon's contest, so i decided that it would live on, here! The contest had a forbidden relationship prompt, where we had to find a forbidden relationship that never happened, and write what would happen if it did! It was fun :P I decided to call it Second Chances, just because. --

No. She was there. She was finally there. Not in the darkness, or underground. The light shown on her black pelt, a light she had so often yearned for. But never would she see that light again. Because far more noticeable then the light shining on her fur, even more noticeable than the odd way her neck stuck out, was blood. Pooled around her neck, scratches in her fur. And her eyes. Glazed over, staring at nothing. They would never again glitter mischievously in the dark. She could never lay those green eyes on anything again. For a moment, all the tom could do was stare. Surely, she would wake up. She would get up, tease him for being so worried, and immediately go back into the fight. Because she would give her life for her Clan. No, not would. Had. A steady beat was felt in his ears, drowning out the noise of screeching and fighting from all around the tom. The fighting was everywhere. If he didn’t move, one of the bad cats would take him. But it didn’t matter. Because the entire meaning of his useless existence was to save her. That’s what it all came down to. There was him, and there was her. She was supposed to help save the forest, and he was supposed to save her. But he hadn’t been able to save her. He hadn’t been fast enough. So there she was. Gone. In an instant. Even the thought of freedom would do nothing. Freedom. A cruel joke. They took him away from everyone. From his family, his friends. Then he was alone. He was alone for so long, he didn’t think anyone would ever find him again. Then she came, and he had a purpose. To save her. And he wanted her to stay. But he also had wanted her to be happy. More than anything. So he had let her go. Now she was gone. So this word, this freedom. It did nothing. He could finally leave his prison that he had wanted to escape for moons upon moons. He could see his family. But he could never be happy knowing that upon his freedom, she was torn away from everyone she had loved. “Fallen Leaves!” He recognized that voice. He hadn’t heard it since he had been lost. It was his mother. “There’s no time to grieve now.” Broken Shadow meowed gently. How he had longed to hear his mother’s voice again. But not like this. Not in the battle between Dark and Light, when the only cat he had ever loved had been torn away from her redemption. He had earned his death. He had been arrogant, and had been greeted by his demise in return. But she didn’t deserve it. He finally tore his gaze away from the black she-cat. Hollyleaf. He ignored the sharp pain in his chest as he turned away from her, and saw a very frail, very faded she-cat standing in front of him. The trees could be seen clearly behind her glittering orange-and-white frame, Broken Shadow looking as if she could be blown away by the smallest breeze. Looking into his mother’s eyes for the first time in seasons upon seasons, all he could feel was heart-wrenching sadness. “She wasn’t meant to die here, Broken Shadow.” He murmured. “I… I promised I’d see her again.” “She died defending her Clan.” Broken Shadow assured him. He felt himself being torn away from Hollyleaf’s body, his mother nudging him towards the battle whirling around him as if he were a lost kit. Broken Shadow turned to face him, defiance glittering in her amber gaze. “Honor her memory by fighting.” She meowed. He pulled himself up, not daring to look back at Hollyleaf. She died trying to stop this battle, so he would end it for her. He gave a sharp nod to his mother, flinging himself into the swarm of Dark Forest warriors and swiping wherever his claws met flesh. He was a whirlwind the entire battle. Swipe. Claw. Tear. Shove. Bite. He had one cause. To end the battle, no matter the cost. The shrieks echoed through his ears in a steady rhythm, pushing him to push faster, harder. And then it was over. He was covered in blood, and bodies littered the camp, but it was over. Deaths. A confrontation. And the Dark Forest warriors fled. He paid no attention to the ThunderClan leader’s battle, not even as the flame-colored tom fell. His gaze was trained on Hollyleaf, her body so still, yet he could sense her spirit. Almost as if she was the wind whispering through the forest, the water flowing in the streams, the insects buzzing through the air. Almost as if in a trance, he watched her spirit rise from the black huddle of fur in the clearing. She padded after her recently deceased Clanmates, paw-steps leaving trails of stars on the ground as she floated toward the tunnel. As her tail swished through the brambles, she was gone. Off to StarClan, without a word of goodbye. Fallen Leaves stared at the ground, astonished to find his paws beginning to fade. I finally get to be with my ancestors, my family, my friends, again. But what about Hollyleaf? Would he see her while she was in StarClan, or would he be cut off from her forever? Before he could entertain the thought, he was completely faded away, and everything was made of darkness.



Fallen Leaves opened his eyes to the roar of a waterfall, and the murmur of water dripping from the top of a large cave. It was as if the cave was lit from the inside by moonlight itself, the white light creating crescent shapes on the dark stone. He felt different. Lit from within, as if he finally had peace. But underneath that light, was darkness. As if the seasons and seasons of living in the loneliness of the tunnels had left a void in him that could not be filled. He noticed a glimmer of movement from the corner of his eye, and sharply turned his head. He saw a speckled, pale brown she-cat standing beside him, her eyes lighting up in joy. She was faded, her coat just barely visible and the stones behind her showing clearly through her pelt. It had been seasons and seasons, but he still recognized her. “Owl Feather?” He croaked. She licked the top of his head, her eyes brimming with affection. “It’s been so long, Fallen Leaves.” It had been so long since he’d been treated that way. As if… as if he belonged. Owl Feather had been a queen when he’d ventured into the tunnels, stubborn and strong. He had a vague memory as a kit when he’d ventured too close to the lake, and Owl Feather had fished him out. She’d given him a firm scolding, but had promised she wouldn’t tell any other cat because his mother would have punished him way harsher than she would’ve. My mother. He’d been so focused on Hollyleaf during the battle that he hadn’t been able to reconcile with her. What had she gone through, all those moons away from him? She had been so concerned for his safety when he’d ventured into the tunnels. But he had been a stubborn mouse-brain, not listening to his mother’s advice. Owl Feather nudged him gently. “Would you like to see your mother?” He nodded numbly. “You read my mind.” He murmured. He pushed himself to his paws, stunned by the stars that now shimmered on his fur. He’d been nothing but a spirit in the tunnels, slowly fading away. He suddenly remembered something Hollyleaf had told him. “Is this StarClan?” He asked Owl Feather. She shook her head. “No, this is the Tribe of Endless Hunting.” Without further explanation, Owl Feather padded away through a small tunnel, her tail disappearing into the darkness. Fallen Leaves stood frozen, a vision of water filling his mouth, his throat, his nose, engulfing him. His paws were suddenly lifting off of the ground, the icy-cold water running through his fur, pushing his head underneath the unforgivable weight of the dark river. Owl Feather popped her head out of the darkness, her eyes narrowing in confusion. “Are you coming?” She asked. Fallen Leaves snapped out of his vision, his paws once again firmly on the ground and no trace of water dripping off of his pelt. Still, he shook out his fur. He nodded stiffly to Owl Feather, and followed her into the tunnel. There were no familiar paw-prints to guide him, only darkness. Still, the path was short and straight, and the tunnels were comfortingly warm, in a way. Still, when he and the brown queen exited, he released a breath of relief. He gasped when he saw the starry shapes weaving through the large cave. A wide, winding river led through the cave, and a large hole cut through the stone at the roof of the cave. Stars shimmered through the glimmer of night, seeming closer than they had ever been before. The rocks felt hard on his pads, but the moons of living in the tunnels had made them hard and stiff. Small openings to more tunnels dotted the cave. Probably the dens. The thought suddenly struck him that he would be living here. He would have one of these dens, one of his own. He could run, and hunt, and be with his friends and family. He could be normal. But he didn’t feel the exhilaration he thought he would feel the countless times he had imagined this moment in the tunnels. Instead, he only felt the emptiness he never thought would leave him since he had witnessed Hollyleaf’s body lying still on the ground. His head snapped up as he heard his name. Many of the cats in the cave had noticed him, stopping their tasks and staring at him in wonder. A small white she-cat trotted up to him, giving a loud purr. She was faded as well, but not as faded as most of the other cats. “Fallen Leaves!” She meowed, her voice projecting waves of joy. “Half Moon?” He questioned. It looked like Half Moon, but it didn’t seem like her. She held herself high, her tail raised in the air, almost like a leader. Her voice projected natural authority, and her eyes were tired. This was not the same young she-cat he had known. She had been light-hearted, and playful. She looked like she had been through more than most cats should have. She nodded, then her eyes softened. “I’m so sorry that you had to endure what you did.” He merely dipped his head, embarrassed at the attention. He gave her another once over. “You’ve changed.” He ventured. Half Moon let her gaze rake over him. “So have you. You would have basked in the fact that you were the center of attention.” He shrugged, his pelt prickling nervously, and looked over the group of starry cats behind her. He recognized many of the familiar faces, and they gave him small waves with their tails. “Where’s Jay’s Wing?” He asked, remembering the gray soft-paw. “And Dove’s Wing?” He added, mentioning Jay’s Wing’s sister. Half Moon stared out into the piece of sky that was visible in the top of the cave, her emerald-green eyes reflecting a look of deep sorrow. “They are carrying out their duties elsewhere.” She meowed, her voice choked with longing. He remember how much Half Moon and Jay’s Wing were together, and it occurred to him that Half Moon must have loved Jay’s Wing. He felt a pang in his heart. I know the feeling. Half Moon shook out her pelt, as if ridding herself of the memory. She met his eyes once more. “Would you like to see your parents?” She asked. He nodded, following the white she-cat through the throng of Tribe of Endless Hunting members. They gave him looks with different emotions; some with joy, some confusion, and some pity. He felt their starry pelts brush his, and flinched at the contact. Seasons of living alone didn’t create very good social habits. A cat sticking to the edge of the crowd made his heart leap to his throat. He felt tears rising, and blinked them back. “Father?” He called. Stone Song lifted his head, his ice-blue eyes filling with joy. The black tom leapt from his spot in the cave and raced to Fallen Leaves, jutting his muzzle towards the orange-and-white tom and letting out a long purr. Fallen Leaves felt his father’s breath next to his, and let the thought sink in that he would never lose his father again. Stone Song backed away, his tail curling above his head. “I thought I had seen you during the Dark Forest battle, but I thought it was just my imagination.” He paused. “How were you saved, Fallen Leaves?” He asked. Hollyleaf saved me. He met his father’s gaze. “Someone reminded me of who I really am.” He meowed. The black tom nodded, leading Fallen Leaves to the side of the cave. It was darker in this corner, more familiar. He was glad that no one else could stare at him now. The murmuring of cats from the center of the cave grew louder, the fallen seeming to lose interest in him for now. Stone Song disappeared for a moment into one of the tunnels, and reappeared with a faded orange-and-white she-cat in tow. Broken Shadow paused in front of Fallen Leaves, her gaze brimming with love. “I didn’t know if I would ever see you here.” Fallen Leaves dipped his head. “I should have listened to your advice. It was going to rain.” The she-cat gave a dry laugh. “It’s a little late for that now, isn’t it?” She asked. “Rather late than never.”



His den was large, way larger than he needed. Fallen Leaves still didn’t understand the concept of night and day in the Tribe of Endless Hunting. Could he just sleep whenever he wanted? And what was the point in having his own den? He shook his head, plunging into his nest. He had never needed sleep after his death before, and he didn’t think it was any different in a new setting. For the thousandth time since arriving in the Tribe of Endless Hunting, he thought of what Hollyleaf might be doing. Was she happy? Had the StarClan cats welcomed her? Curling his tail over his nose, Fallen Leaves sighed. He didn’t know what to do without her around. He’d come to rely on her, and her on him. His gaze trailed over the stones that bordered the cave that made up his den. Of course, the only way to get in was through a tunnel. He felt grateful to be out of the tunnels and missing them at the same time. In the tunnels, it had only been him. He’d been lonely, but a part of him knew that he deserved it. There’d been no cats to please, no responsibilities. He’d welcomed the solitude, relished it, because he didn’t deserve anyone else. Until Hollyleaf came along, and changed everything. He hadn’t meant to, but he’d began to fall in love with her. He’d known that she had to leave eventually, and he told himself not to get too attached, but it had happened anyway. He felt the urge to swat himself with his tail. What was he doing? He’d finally gotten everything he had wanted: his family and friends back, out of those forsaken tunnels, forgiveness. So why was he still so attached to Hollyleaf? They could never have been together. The best thing to do was finally enjoy his afterlife. But there was a yawning hole inside of him that he feared could never be fulfilled. The best thing to do was to catch up with his friends and family. His paw twitched. He couldn’t bring himself to move. He didn’t know if it was self-pity, or regret, but he didn’t think that he deserved to get up. Not when he failed to save her. So for the first time in seasons upon seasons, Fallen Leaves truly slept.



The orang-and-white tom blearily opened his eyes. How long had he been in this den? A quarter moon? A half moon? He didn’t remember. He just knew that his muscles ached from lack of use. He didn’t even know that dead cats could ache. Letting his gaze sweep over the cave floor, he felt no change in how he felt. A small part of him hoped that in time, he would have gotten over Hollyleaf. But he hadn’t. He’d been constantly thinking of how she was doing, if she’d been forgiven, and, most importantly, if she was happy. “Fallen Leaves?” He perked his ears, noticing Broken Shadow slipping through one of the tunnels. Her amber eyes glittered with concern as she gently padded up to him. “Is something wrong?” She asked. “You haven’t left your den in half a moon.” He shrugged, not putting in the energy of answering. “Who was that she-cat?” She asked gently. He looked up at his mother, letting his shoulders slump in defeat. “She’s the reason I’m here. The reason I can feel anything at all.” Broken Shadow’s eyes hardened. “Well I’m sorry, Fallen Leaves, but I don’t think you’ll ever see her again.” His heart fell, and he looked up at her with anger that she would say such a thing. But she didn’t stop. “It’s not fair for you to feel so much undeserved self-pity for yourself when we’ve all been waiting so long to see you. You’ve barely even spoken to any of you’re friends. You can’t just wait for her. She’s probably already forgotten about you.” His claws unsheathed, gripping his nest tightly. A hiss rose up in his throat. “ You don’t know her. ” “Well it seems as if I don’t even know you.” Fallen Leaves turned away as his mother left the den, not daring to meet her gaze. But what if Broken Shadow’s right? What if I never see Hollyleaf again? What if she has forgotten about me? He shook his head, refusing to believe it. He pushed himself to his paws, his legs aching in protest. Pacing the cave, his mind whirled with thoughts. He had to find a way to StarClan to check on Hollyleaf. He just had to see her once, and he would be okay. He needed to talk to some cat and see if they knew how he could get to StarClan. Silently slipping into the tunnels, Fallen Leaves racked his brain for who might be willing to share information with him. A dazzling light greeted his eyes as he emerged from the darkness, seeing many cats chattering in the main cave. His heart stuttered at the idea of talking to all of them. They’d probably have a lot of questions, and he didn’t want to have to answer them. Padding up to the first familiar cat he saw, he tried to seem as if he was at ease. “Whispering Breeze?” He asked a slender silver-and-gray tabby she-cat. She turned around, her blue eyes alighting with joy as she saw the tom. “Fallen Leaves!” She exclaimed. “It’s so good to see you.” He nodded, giving a small purr to see the sharpclaw again. “So…” he ventured. “What exactly do we do in the Tribe of Endless Hunting?” He asked her. Whispering Breeze shrugged. “Catch up with each other, have fun, hunt as much as we want, watch over the Tribe; anything, really.” Fallen Leaves’s ears perked as he heard the last suggestion. “Watch over the Tribe?” “Oh, yes. We like to watch over the Tribe of Rushing Water from time to time, and sometimes give them advice in the form of prophecies.” Fallen Leaves felt his paws begin to prickle in anticipation. “How?” The she-cat gave a signal that he should follow her as she turned toward a smaller section of the cave with a small pool alight with stars glittering on the stones. Whispering Breeze motioned with her tail towards the pool. He narrowed his eyes, studying the water. It didn’t look particularly special. Suddenly, his reflection in the water shimmered into an image of a yawning cave with a waterfall in the entrance atop a mountain. He balked. “This is the Tribe?” Whispering Breeze nodded. “This is how we watch over them.” He tried to keep his tone nonchalant as he asked his next question. “Is there any way we can watch over the Clan cats? Or go to StarClan to watch over them?” The she-cat tilted her head, as though in thought. “We’ve never done it before. Why would we care, anyway? We don’t even know the Clan cats.” “And going to StarClan?” She shrugged. “It’s one of the unspoken rules that we don’t go over there.” “Why?” He asked, narrowing his eyes. “They have their business, and we have ours.” Whispering Breeze answered before wishing him goodbye and trotting to the other side of the cave, probably bored of having to answer all of his questions. Fallen Leaves let his head hang, studying the pool of water intently. Was there no way to escape this place? Is this just another prison that he had to stay in for eternity? He watched the shadows dance on the far side of the cave, showing the outlines of cats that were having fun, and happy. He didn’t notice the she-cat that had padded up to the pool of water before she had spoken. “I like to watch my brother through this pool, to remind myself that he’s happy.” The tom whipped his head up to see a pretty silver tabby she-cat sitting opposite him, looking into the pool. The starry depths reflected into her clear blue eyes, and frosted stars glittered on her fur. He noticed that her frame wasn’t faded at all, and she could almost be mistaken for a living cat. She must have died more recently. A long silence passed between them before the she-cat spoke again. “Did you leave anyone you love behind?” She asked. Fallen Leaves sighed, not sure how to answer the question. “No cat that’s living.” “If they’re here, then why do you look so solemn?” She asked, her tone all curiousness. He opened his mouth, then closed it again. Instead of answering the question, he changed the topic. “What’s your name?” The she-cat gave him a small glare, knowing what he was doing. She sighed, as if she was tired of being asked. “I’m Feathertail.” She finally said. Fallen Leaves jolted up, letting his gaze rove over the she-cat. “But that’s a Clan name.” He meowed. Feathertail sighed, looking like she had been having to explain herself too often. “Yes, I was a Clan cat. But I died here, and my brother lives here. My soul is tied to the Tribe.” He had too many questions, but he had to know the answer to one of them. “Do you ever go to StarClan?” He asked. She gave him a strange glance, surprised to have been asked. “Yes, I go occasionally.” He scrambled to his paws, giving her an intense stare. “Can you take me?” Feathertail tilted her head, looking as if she was actually considering his question. “Who do you want to see?” She asked. He backed up defensively. “How do you know I want to see some cat?” She gave him an amused glance. “I know that look of a cat that’s in love.” Fallen Leaves sighed, knowing he had to tell her or he would never make it to StarClan. “Her name’s Hollyleaf.” He finally meowed. The silver tabby’s eyes lit up. “I know her!” She exclaimed. “Have you seen her since she died?” He asked. She shook her head. “She’s been mostly secluded. Some of the StarClan cats don’t trust her, so she stays away from them.” He felt a pang in his heart, saddened by the news. “Please, can you take me?” He begged. Feathertail’s eyes softened. “Of course. I’d hate not knowing what’s going on with a cat I love.” Bouncing on his paws, Fallen Leaves followed the silver she-cat to a tunnel near the side of the cave, slipping in right after her. The journey seemed endless, and his paws began to ache. It was a straight tunnel, with no turns, no dips, nothing. He wondered if they were even going anywhere. Feathertail didn’t have a scent, considering that she was dead, nor were her paw-steps audible, but Fallen Leaves could sense her ahead of him. After what seemed like forever, the two cats finally emerged from the tunnel. He had to squint at the harsh light that greeted his eyes, and his pelt burned from the sun after being in the dark for so long. He let out a long sigh, amazed at the lush, green forest that was StarClan. Feathertail’s eyes lit up with joy as she took in the greenery, and Fallen Leaves could tell that she missed being around these cats. A flash of gray streaked across the grass, skittering to a stop in front of Feathertail. He gasped as he saw that it was a small, dark-gray she-kit. She must have died very young. Even so, the small kit bounced up and down on her little paws in front of Feathertail. “Feathertail!” Squeaked the small kit. “It’s so great to see you!” The silver tabby purred, giving the small kit a nuzzle. Then she glanced to Fallen Leaves. “This is Minnowkit.” She said. “She’s my mother’s sister.” He bent down to look at the little kit. “Hello,” He murmured gently. “I’m Fallen Leaves.” Minnowkit frowned. “That’s a strange name.” He chuckled. “Well, I’m a strange cat.” Feathertail gave him an amused glance before motioning to him with her tail. “It might take a while to find Hollyleaf, so we should probably start searching now.” He nodded, already itching to see the black she-cat again. Waving goodbye to Minnowkit, he and Feathertail entered the forest, looking around for any cat that might know where Hollyleaf was. Finally, Feathertail stopped in front of a broad-faced gray she-cat who was sitting in the shade of a large oak tree. Fallen Leaves gave her a quizzical glance, wondering who the cat was. “Fallen Leaves, this is Ashfoot.” Feathertail meowed. “She’s Hollyleaf’s father’s mother.” Ashfoot dipped her head. “Greetings, Fallen Leaves. I know where Hollyleaf mostly stays, if you need to find her.” He emphatically nodded. “Thank you, Ashfoot.” The gray she-cat pushed herself to her paws and led the two cats through the StarClan hunting grounds. Finally, they arrived near a large overhang, lichen hanging from the top and covering the entrance. Suddenly, Fallen Leaves stopped in his tracks. Feathertail turned towards him, her eyes concerned. “What’s wrong?” She asked. “What if she doesn’t want to talk to me? What if she’s happy she left me behind? What if—” “Fallen Leaves,” Feathertail interrupted. “ Of course she’ll want to see you. You know what I would give to see the cat I love again? Don’t throw away this chance.” He nodded, gulping loudly. Ashfoot stopped next to the overhang, nodding toward the lichen. More nervous and excited than her had ever been during his short life, Fallen Leaves slowly padded towards the entrance of the cave. Pushing his way through the lichen, his heart started to stutter. The cave was mostly dark, with small bits of dust floating in the air, and the ferns pushing through the ground gave off a soft green glow. The back of the cave was swathed in shadow, and he could hear slow breathing coming from it. “Hollyleaf?” He called. Bright green eyes blinked open from the shadows, and before he knew it, he had been knocked over, the breath pushed from his lungs. Hollyleaf was standing above him, her eyes alight with joy. “Fallen Leaves!” She exclaimed. He gave out a small laugh, feeling as if he was filled with light. “Sorry I’m late.” She shrugged. “Better late than never.” The black she-cat silently slid off of him, giving him room to push himself to his paws. “How do you like being a StarClan cat?” He asked. “I feel free.” Hollyleaf paused, staring at her paws. “But lonely.” He nodded, the understanding flooding his senses. After a few moments of silence, Hollyleaf finally voiced what he was thinking. “What now?” He sighed. “I think I have to stay in the Tribe of Endless Hunting.” “Why?” Hollyleaf snapped. He shook out his pelt, looking down at his paws. They were fading away, scraps of green grass throwing clearly through his orange-and-white pelt. “No one would tell me anything, but I think I figured out why StarClan cats have to stay in StarClan and why Tribe cats have to stay with the Tribe of Endless Hunting.” He paused, swallowing. Hollyleaf stared at him, waiting for an answer. “You know how if you’re forgotten, you fade away?” He asked. Hollyleaf nodded, still looking confused. He sighed. “I think that if I live in StarClan, since the Clan cats don’t know me, I’ll fade away immediately. But since I’m with the Tribe, surrounded by cats that knew me in life, I won’t fade away as quickly. And I also died with the Tribe, or at least, the group of cats that became the Tribe.” He meowed. Her green eyes flooded with understanding, and her tail drooped. “Will you be able to visit?” Hollyleaf whispered. Shaking his head numbly, he touched noses with the black she-cat. “I’ll try.” He meowed, but he didn’t know if he even could go back to StarClan at all after this. Slinking out of the cave, Feathertail was waiting for him outside. Ashfoot must have left, because he didn’t see a trace of the gray she-cat anywhere. “How did it go?” Asked Feathertail. Fallen Leaves shrugged, already pushing past the silver tabby and into the trees. Letting his paws drag on the ground, it took him ages to find the tunnel entrance that opened up from the ground, leading towards the Tribe of Endless Hunting. He looked back, surprised to see Feathertail appearing from the trees, her eyes concerned. “What happened?” Feathertail asked. Instead of answering her question, Fallen Leaves asked a question of his own. “Why did you follow me? Don’t you have former Clanmates to see?” “I can always come back.” She murmured, but her eyes revealed that she wouldn’t be able to come back any time soon. Fallen Leaves padded into the tunnel without another word, letting the darkness swallow him. What was the point of his existence when he wouldn’t be making himself and Hollyleaf happy? The tunnel felt strangely cold, and he had the same prickling sensation along his spine that he had right before his death. He felt his pace quickening, and his heart racing, until he finally emerged into the Cave of Endless Hunting, which was what he assumed the cave was called. As soon as he slinked out of the entrance, an orange-and-white shape blocked his way, Broken Shadow’s eyes burning with anger. Her tail lashed back and forth, and her claws were scratching into the stone. “Where were you?” She growled. He shrunk in his pelt, feeling the boring gaze of his mother burning into him. “I was visiting StarClan, to see Hollyleaf.” He murmured. “Hollyleaf!” Broken Shadow hissed through her teeth. “What did that she-cat do to you?” “She didn’t do anything to me. She just helped me discover myself.” He growled. The she-cat glared at him. “She took my son away from me! You’ve been so distant, and I hadn’t seen you for seasons and seasons.” She sobbed. “My choices are my own .” He spat. “I’m sorry that I haven’t been spending time with you, but Hollyleaf is the only cat that got me through the tunnels. I want to be able to see her.” Broken Shadow’s eyes flashed. “If you want her, then you can have her.” She hissed. He hissed at his mother, ignoring the strange words. Turning tail on her, he ran back into the tunnel that led into StarClan’s territory, not caring if he faded away, not caring about anything, if he got to see Hollyleaf one more time. Letting his paws guide him along the tunnel, he turned a sharp corner, and accidentally stepped on something sharp. I thought there was nothing to get hurt on in these tunnels? Shaking the thought away, he turned another corner. The scent of water hit his nose, and he felt a faint breeze ruffle his fur. He saw a faint light up ahead, and his heart skipped a beat. StarClan must be right ahead. Something felt wrong. He had just travelled in this tunnel earlier, and there weren’t supposed to be any turns. And why did he scent water? Feeling his pelt prickle in nervousness, he quickened his pace until he was running towards the light ahead. Skidding to a stop, his eyes widened as he saw what awaited him on the other side of the light. It wasn’t StarClan. It was the dark river. His dark river. In his tunnels. How did I get back here? His heart fell as he realized something. Broken Shadow must have banished me back into the tunnels. Padding into the cave, he saw the familiar paw prints of the countless sharpclaws to-be that had entered the tunnels. Looking above, he saw the full moon clearly through the hole in the cave ceiling. Following his memory, he padded through the tunnel that he knew led into the open moorland, which was where the Ancients’ camp was before they had left for the mountains. When he emerged from the tunnel, he saw the glimmer of stars in the night sky, glittering restlessly. He cocked his head. The first time I was trapped in the tunnels, I couldn’t leave. Now I can. Large hills rose up from the ground in the moor that awaited him near the tunnel entrance, and tufts of heather peaked from the long grass. A stream marked a border between the moor and a large oak forest. A dark gray tabby tom suddenly appeared from the trees behind the tunnels, running up to Fallen Leaves. The tom jutted his head out to Fallen Leaves’s, giving out a loud purr. “I knew you could do it.” The tom meowed. How can a living cat see me? Fallen Leaves cleared his throat, giving a strange glance to the other tom. The gray tom backed up, his blue eyes narrowing. “Is something wrong?” Fallen Leaves stilled. It wasn’t possible. Stone Song couldn’t be alive. But the tom standing in from of his was his father… But he was alive. The stars that usually glittered on his pelt was no longer there, replaced by a dark gray tabby coat that rustled in the breeze. A thought suddenly occurred to him. He slowly looked down at his paws, astonished to see that he was no longer a spirit. He could feel the grass underneath his pads, and the wind ruffling his fur. He looked up to Stone Song. “How are we alive?” His father gave him a strange look. “Did you hit your head while you were in those tunnels?” Fallen Leaves opened his mouth to question his father, but then a white she-cat appeared from behind Stone Song, her green eyes glittering in excitement. “How does it feel to be a sharpclaw?” It was Half Moon. But she was younger, and none of the tiredness and experience that had previously been in her gaze was there. It was replaced by curiousness and excitement, almost like a kit. “Is… Jay’s Wing here?” Fallen Leaves asked her. Half Moon and Stone Song exchanged a worried glance. “Who’s Jay’s Wing?” Half Moon asked. His breathing came in quick gasps. What’s happening? “Calm down, son.” Stone Song murmured. A large group of cats appeared from behind one of the hills, probably hearing the chatter, all giving out a large cheer when they saw Fallen Leaves. He tensed as they converged upon him, all giving out mews of congratulations. One of them, Fish Leap, who had been a softpaw when Fallen Leaves had died, chuckled. “Holly Leaf will be so mad that she missed you coming out of the tunnels!” Fish Leap meowed. Fallen Leaves stilled. “Did you say Holly Leaf?” He asked, sure he had misheard. Fish Leap nodded emphatically. “She went hunting, and said that you were so slow she would be back way before you came out.” He gave a meow of laughter. “She’ll be so mad!” Hollyleaf must have been sent here too. Fallen Leaves stumbled out of the crowd, going towards what he remembered was supposed to be his den. Half Moon caught up to him, her eyes narrowing in concern. “What’s wrong?” “I’m just tired.” He said, glad that it was nighttime. Half Moon nodded, and she broke into a grin. “I can’t wait to be a sharpclaw, like you and Holly Leaf!” He stilled. “When did Holly Leaf become a sharpclaw?” He asked, his curiously too much for him. The white she-cat tilted her head. “You don’t remember? It was only a moon ago, silly! You must have hit your head pretty hard.” He shrugged, pushing into his nest. He screwed his eyes shut, pretending to be asleep, hoping the rest of the Ancients would sleep soon so he could talk to Hollyleaf. He kept his ears perked, and listened to the silent breathing of the other cats as they began to sleep. Confident that all of the other cats were asleep, he picked his way through the sleeping bodies and exited the den. The full moon was farther in the sky, and Fallen Leaves knew that he had to find Hollyleaf before morning. She must be so confused. An idea struck him. I know where she’ll be. He quickened his pace, and he began to run. He slipped into the forest, dodging undergrowth and trees as he flew by. Finally, he skidded to a stop in front of a large hollow. It was what would become the ThunderClan camp. He picked his way through the tunnel, a mess of thorns, and padded into the middle of the clearing. His gaze slipped to what would become the warrior’s den, and he slowly walked towards it. Pushing through the bracken, he saw a black shape slumped on the ground. “Hollyleaf!” He called. Her head jerked up, and she turned her head sharply. Her green eyes glittered with recognition, and she scrambled to her paws. “Fallen Leaves.” She gasped. “What’s going on? And how are we alive?” He sighed, and shook his head. He had none of those answers, but he didn’t know if he wanted them. “Hollyleaf, we somehow went back to the time where I died… Except, I never died. And somehow the Ancients think you’re one of them, and they call you Holly Leaf.” She stared at the ground, her mouth gaping open. “Fallen Leaves,” She meowed. “We can be together here.” “What about your family? Won’t you miss them?” He asked. Hollyleaf looked up at him. “Of course I will… But the StarClan cats wouldn’t even let me see my brothers. I have no idea what’s going on with them. They said that I had to prove myself to see them. So being here is better than that.” Fallen Leaves gulped. “We can be together.” Hollyleaf stepped closer to him. “Finally.”

He was racing along the moor, in pursuit of a particularly fast hare. His legs burned in protest, but he kept going. As soon as his paws were almost on the hare, A black shape, fast as an adder, pounced on the prey. He skidded to a stop, giving Holly Leaf a glare. “That was mine.” He complained. She snickered. “Well, I got to it first.” He rolled his eyes, helping his mate drag the rabbit back to camp between the two of them. When the finally got there, they were out of breath, but the other cats were ecstatic for the food. Owl Feather’s kits came running up to the hare once he and Holly Leaf had dropped it in the fresh kill pile. Running Fox, a small dark ginger she-kit, licked her lips. “It looks tasty!” She squeaked. Owl Feather padded up to her kits, herding them away from the catch with her tail. “You can have a hare when you become softpaws.” Lapping Wave, Running Fox’s brother, snorted. “It’ll only be about a moon before we become softpaws.” Owl Feather gave her kit an amused glance. “Then you’ll only have to wait a moon before you can taste one.” Holly Leaf and Fallen Leaves exchanged a look, and he curled his tail around hers. They were probably thinking the same thing. Stone Song padded up to him, giving an approving glance at the catch. Soon after Fallen Leaves had came back to life, about six moons before, he had discovered that Broken Shadow had died while he was a softpaw. Despite his last argument with her, he missed his mother every day. He and his mate moved to the side of camp, lying down next to one another. He lied his head on his paws, looking up at Holly Leaf. “Do you want to tell them?” He asked. She shrugged, slumping down next to him. “You can do it.” She meowed, looking at him affectionately. He cleared his throat, moving into a sitting position. “Attention, everyone!” He called. The rest of the cats stopped what they were doing and turned to look at him and Holly Leaf. Feeling more nervous than he had been in moons, he said his news. “Holly Leaf is expecting my kits.” Cheers of congratulations rose up from the gathered cats, and Stone Song ran up to Fallen Leaves. His father touched his shoulder with his nose. “Congratulations!” Half Moon, who had become a sharpclaw a few moons before, broke into a grin. “Your kits will be so cute!” Holly Leaf lied her tail protectively over her belly. “I care more about them becoming amazing warr— I mean, sharpclaws— than being cute.” She purred. She gave him a guilty glance as she caught herself, but he shrugged. He moved closer to her, and she once again gave out a loud purr. She whispered in his ear so only he could hear what she said next. “I’ve never been happier.”

He gave a soft growl, pacing restlessly outside of the den. Fur bristling, he tore up tufts of grass from the ground. He noticed a cat slide up to him out of the corner of his eye. “Calm down, Fallen Leaves.” Chasing Clouds meowed. “But what if something’s gone wrong?” He asked. Half Moon was helping Holly Leaf with the birth, since she had started taking an interest in healing, but he still didn’t have complete faith in the small white she-cat. He knew that she had become the first Healer of the Tribe in Holly Leaf’s time, but she still hadn’t helped any queens with births yet in this time. Chasing Clouds, who was Half Moon’s father, gave him a gentle look. “There’s nothing you can do to help with the birth. And nothing will go wrong. You just have to trust in your mate and my daughter.” He sighed, his fur lying flat as he began to relax. He watched the moon steadily travel across the sky, growing even more nervous with each passing moment. Finally, Half Moon poked her head out of the den. Her eyes shined with joy, and she motioned with Fallen Leaves with her tail. He padded into the nursery, and gasped at the three bundles suckling at Holly Leaf’s belly. He lied down beside his mate. Her eyes were glazed with tiredness, but were still shining with joy. He looked down at the small kits, and sucked in a breath. One, larger than the rest, was a thick-furred ginger tabby tom with a bushy tail. Another was a long-legged, scrawny white she-kit with black patches. The last was a sleek, slender brown tabby she-kit with a white chest and paws. Holly Leaf sucked in a breath. “The last one looks just like my mother, Leafpool.” “Then let’s call her Fluttering Leaf.” He meowed. Holly Leaf gave him an approving glance, and touched her nose to the ginger tabby tom. “This one can be named after Squirrelflight, who raised me. He’ll be called Leaping Squirrel.” “And the white she-kit with black patches,” Fallen Leaves meowed, thinking of Feathertail, who had helped him get to StarClan to see Hollyleaf, “Will be Feather Fall.” He and his mate looked on at their kits with pure joy, and Fallen Leaves felt like his heart was about to burst. That was when everything disappeared.



Fallen Leaves opened his eyes to find that he was back in the Cave of Rushing Water, but there was not a cat it sight. He looked around, and stood up. Was it all a dream? His heart lurched when he caught sight of a cat at the edge of the cave. It was Broken Shadow. He ran towards her, about to ask her what was happening, when he saw the cat that she held with her claws, pinning her to the ground. Broken Shadow had her claws digging into Hollyleaf’s flesh, the black she-cat shoved to the ground. Hollyleaf was struggling to kick away from the orange-and-white she-cat, but Fallen Leaves’s mother’s grip wouldn’t release. It took him a moment to realize that both he and Hollyleaf were once again spirits, with stars glittering in their fur. “Broken Shadow!” He begged. “What are you doing?” His mother met his gaze, and her green eyes had a crazed glint about them. She broke into a maniacal grin, and she looked back down at Hollyleaf. “I want you to know what it’s like to loose your kits, and then feel helpless to stop the death of the cat you love.” All the seasons without me must have truly broken her. “My… kits?” He croaked. “That was real?” Broken Shadow cackled. “It was a vision. I wanted you to experience losing your kits.” He opened his mouth to question how she could have even been able to give him and Hollyleaf a shared vision, but she interrupted him. “Fluttering Leaf, Leaping Squirrel, and Feather Fall are beautiful names, by the way.” He growled, making his way closer to his mother. “Why are you doing this to me?” He hissed through his teeth. Hollyleaf glared at Broken Shadow from her position on the ground, but Fallen Leaves’s mother ignored the black she-cat. “I warned you that it would rain, but you went in the tunnels anyway. I turned into a shell of my former self when I realized you weren’t coming back. You were gone for so, so long. When I died, I thought that I would finally see you. But I didn’t.” “That wasn’t my fault.” He hissed. Broken Shadow glared at Hollyleaf, and the black she-cat returned it. “But it was her fault that you didn’t even care about me when you did come back.” “Even if you do kill her,” Fallen Leaves hissed, “You’ll never get me back.” “I wasn’t getting you back either way.” Broken Shadow raised her unsheathed claws over her head, poised to strike. Broken Shadow brought her claws down toward Hollyleaf’s throat. As they were just about to cut through Hollyleaf’s flesh— “Wait!” Hollyleaf’s voice cut through the cave like thorns. Hollyleaf, completely helpless, still had eyes that glimmered with courage and fearlessness. Broken Shadow’s paw hung suspended in the air, still unsheathed, but she paused. Hollyleaf continued, “I know what it’s like to feel as if your family has abandoned you. I know what it’s like to feel as if you’ve lost everything. And I killed a cat because of it. I regretted it for the rest of my life, and still regret it to this day. But you can be better than me, Broken Shadow.” Broken Shadow slowly sheathed her claws, and set her paw down beside her. She still held Hollyleaf to the ground, but her eyes started to soften. Hollyleaf kept talking. “You don’t have to lose your family. I’ll forgive you.” Her voice caught. “I do forgive you.” The orange-and-white she-cat suddenly released her grip on Hollyleaf, collapsing onto the ground in a chorus of sobs. Fallen Leaves suddenly rushed to Hollyleaf’s side, pressing up against her in comfort. She was shaking, but she lied her tail gently on Broken Shadow’s shoulder all the same. “What now?” He asked Hollyleaf. She rose up to her full height, and she met his gaze clearly. “I’ll go to every StarClan cat, every single one, and encourage them to remember you. Then we can be together.” He opened his mouth, then closed it again. “We don’t know if it’ll work.” “It will work.” Hollyleaf meowed. “I know it will.” Fallen Leaves dug his head into her shoulder fur. “Our kits are gone, Hollyleaf. And there’s no way to get them back.” “Fallen Leaves,” Hollyleaf meowed gently. He rose his head up, meeting her gaze. “We have each other.” He slowly twined his tail around hers, and rose their two tails up, as if it was a promise. “Always.” Hollyleaf nodded confidently. “Always."