Fallen Holly Leaves (Storm)

Holly Leaves took a moment to let his words sink in before she realized what he was saying. There was a pause. “..No.”

“Are you... alright?” Fallen Leaves finally asked, some of the other ancient cats beginning to emerge from their dens as the storm subsided.

By the time the storm passed hours later Holly Leaves was utterly exhausted and clinging to Fallen Leaves so tightly and closely that if it weren’t for the difference in fur colors they’d be indistinguishable from each other.

Though soaked through, Fallen Leaves did his best to remain still for Holly Leaves to lean against whenever thunder crashed through the trees around them. I wonder why she’s so terrified. while lightning and thunder were certainly unpleasant, to the red and white splotched tom, she seemed to be overreacting quite a bit.

Holly Leaves practically dove underneath the bush after him, cringing against his side every time thunder crashed despite her best efforts not to.

Finally, Fallen Leaves burst into the camp of the Ancients, as Hollyleaf would know them, the tom panting softly after managing to get under a bush that was growing just overhead, extending its branches and leaves invitingly for him and Holly Leaves.

Holly Leaves flinched each time thunder sounded, causing her to fall behind, but she caught back up every time.

Fallen Leaves gritted his teeth as he led the stranger back to his home, running through a few bullies along the way that he had never seen full of flowing water like this before. The lighting lit the whole forest a blinding white every time it hit, and the thunder that followed was almost deafening.

After another moment of hesitation, Holly Leaves bolted after him like a startled hare when thunder sounded again.

Fallen Leaves, as opposed to flinching, took in a deep, gasping breath as he broke to the surface, the claustrophobic nature of the tunnels having nearly driven the tom mad. He did also startle when the lightning flashed and thunder struck only a heartbeat afterwards. The Tom looked around to get his bearings before pointing in the direction of his group’s home. “Run!” He yowled over the rain, dashing for his den.

Reluctantly, Holly Leaves moved, instantly getting drenched by the downpour as she stood just outside the tunnel, glancing back at the tom. She flinched at the sound of thunder nearby, jumping slightly.

Fallen Leaves’ eyes narrowed as he noticed the silhouette of the feline before him halt just before safety. The torrent of water was strong even right here at the entrance, and as he stopped he felt the dirt being stripped away from beneath his paws. “Holly Leaves, we have to go!” The tom huffed insistently, nudging her forwards when she didn’t respond right away. He was unable to walk around her.

Finally the two of them reached the exit to the outside and Holly Leaves halted just inside, not wanting to leave the tunnels and out into the open, into the thunderstorm.

The flow of rainwater was growing deeper and faster around the paws of the two cats, stripping away the dirt floor of the tunnel as they ascended towards the surface. Fallen Leaves could feel the earth being stripped away from beneath his paws by the torrent and was almost certain they would both be swept back down into the tunnels if they didn’t reach the surface soon.

Holly Leaves flattened her ears when she heard the sound of thunder, slowing down slightly before she forced herself to speed up again. She couldn’t let her fear of thunderstorms keep her from saving Fallen Leaves and herself.

Seeing the slight amount of light ahead gave Fallen Leaves new hope. The Tom began to run as much as he could against the increasing current of rainwater rushing past and flooding the caverns below.

The tunnel started to lighten, but only a little, as it was also quite dark out in the rain.

Fallen Leaves ran along with Holly Leaves, not wanting to discover what would happen if he fell behind, the torrent of water around their paws increasing in strength and volume.

“I know that!” Holly Leaves snapped. “I’ve lived in these tunnels for a while; I know my way around.” Nevertheless, she sped up more until she was practically running, glancing back at the tom.

Fallen Leaves’ eyes widened when Holly Leaves mentioned the possibility of a flood. I hadn’t even thought of that... The male’s eyes and expression darkened with concern, his anxiety rising with every turn they took.

The Tom let out a surprised gasp when something cold began to run over his paws. Straining his eyes in the darkness, the tom noticed water trickling between his pads, confirming that by pressing one of his paws to his face. “Follow the running water, it must be flowing in from the surface!” Suggested the male, panicked.

Hollyleaf winced and glanced back at the tom, quickening her pace. “Hurry up. We want to be out of the tunnels before it floods,” she ordered him, ears pricking to keep listening to the rain and any sounds of water rushing towards them.

Fallen Leaves began to walk behind Holly Leaves. Something unknown compelled the tom to follow the stranger before him, a pull that he simply couldn’t place. The Tom followed behind her, getting hopeful every time the tunnel sloped upward before feeling his heart sink down again along with the terrain. At one point, the Tom’s ears flicked when he heard a sound from above. “Do you hear that?” The tom stopped, going totally silent so Holly Leaves could listen in as well. They were close to the surface, close enough that a light thudding could be heard from above. “It’s raining,” The tom mewed flatly, not realizing immediately what implication that had for them.

Holly Leaves stared at him silently, remembering that it was supposed to rain that night and he would drown. And in that moment, she decided she wouldn’t let it happen. She nodded her head. “Follow me,” she turned and disappeared into the tunnel.

Fallen Leaves looked off to his side, a little embarrassed by his own lack of composure. “Well... could you show me the way out, then?” He glanced back over at Holly Leaves, her green eyes the only thing standing out in the darkness. “I’m afraid I’ll lose my way. I might already have done so, since no cat who made it out has mentioned you before.”

Holly Leaves frowned at him. “Of course I do. I could hardly live down here if I didn’t know my way around, now could I?”