Run Away Bravely (Stormwind)

“I keep telling you I don’t want to go back!” Hollyleaf practically shouted at her half-brother before deciding to cut her losses and flee. She bolted towards one of the tunnels, hoping to make it before anyone thought to tackle her.

Unfortunately for her, she passed right by Rowanclaw, who had been a deputy and so did think of tackling her. Which he promptly did. He didn’t particularly care about her but, well, they couldn’t leave a cat on their own and this patrol had been about taking her back to the Clan (even if they hadn’t known who she was then).

Breezepelt frowned. “You’re a clan cat first, and a cat second.” The tom Replied. “Come back with us, so the cats who broke the code can face the proper consequences.”

Hollyleaf bristled, taking a wary step back. “I don’t want to go back!” She hissed.

“I think we should take her back,” Mewed Ashfur, smirking superiorly. “After all, Lionblaze And Jayfeather have missed you.”

Hollyleaf darted a quick glance at the tunnels around the cave, calculating her chances of being able to reach one. If she made it into one of the tunnels, she could easily shake them off. Her chances didn’t seem to be good, though, not with five of them spread out like that, blocking her way.

The majority of the patrol looked a little unsure as they glanced back at Hollyleaf. Breezepelt looked ready to tear the pelt off of either Ashfur or Hollyleaf, while the former continued to smirk over his muzzle at the Thunderclan she-cat turned loner.

Hollyleaf was trembling slightly as she stared at the patrol of five cats, her body language defiant yet still fearful. She lifted her chin slightly. “Yes, my and my brothers’ birth broke the Warrior Code in so many places. That’s why I don’t want to go back. What are you going to do now?”

“That little secret came out. I won’t say who I overheard, but somebody didn’t know when to keep their muzzle shut, and now your fake family is just as fractured as your real one.” Ashfur gave Hollyleaf a sickening grin. “Born to a medicine cat, no less.”

The older members of the patrol put two and two together quickly, remembering when Crowfeather and Leafpool had run off. That would make Hollyleaf and her siblings just about the right age...

Breezepelt looked shellshocked for a moment, while other members of the patrol set their stern, questioning eyes on Hollyleaf. Ashfur’s expression didn’t change.

Hollyleaf pinned her ears back, clenching her jaw. She wanted to speak, but she also couldn’t help being afraid of the tom that had once tried to kill her.

Ashfur sneered. “Squirrelflight never had kits. It didn’t take a genius to know that about her.” Glancing at the patrol, he added “Surely you wondered why Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight would suddenly leave one another, out of the blue?”

(:O Clearly, he eavesdropped on conversations about it)

Hollyleaf stiffened, taking a small step back. She’d seemingly forgotten the rest of the patrol, wide, horrified eyes focused on Ashfur. “How do you know that?” She demanded.

(But what if he does? > )

(But he doesn’t know who her parents are, just that Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw aren’t them)

The eyes of the rest of the patrol focused on Ashfur as well, wide with interest.

“You know exactly what I mean,” Replied Ashfur casually. “Jayfeather, Lionblaze, Crowfeather, Breezepelt-“

Breezepelt hissed. “What are you talking about, mousebrain!?”

Hollyleaf bristled a little, her gaze shooting to Ashfur. “What’s that supposed to mean?” She asked warily.

“I thought you would have missed your kin a little more, Hollyleaf.”

Ashfur Mewed this casually, grooming his forepaw before and after uttering the question.

Hollyleaf bared her fangs at her half-brother, glaring into his amber eyes. Standing so close to each other like this, their resemblance was striking. “My reasons are my own,” she hissed.

Breezepelt stepped up, putting his face right in Hollyleaf’s. “The clans have done nothing. It provide for you since you were a helpless kit! Why wouldn’t you want to come back?”

Ashfur pinned his ears back, about to ask a question he wasn’t sure he should ask.

Hollyleaf hissed softly, leaving the shadows now that they knew who she was. Her green eyes flashed as she glared at the five cats. “Maybe I don’t want to go back. Did you think of that?”

Sorreltail, Robinwing, and Rowanclaw all stared at Hollyleaf in shock.

Breezepelt was taken aback by not only the accusation, but also by the lack of a denial from the She-cat. “Hollyleaf!”

Ashfur tilted his head. “Why have you been hiding?”

Hollyleaf flinched slightly when Ashfur spoke her name and her silence was conspicuous in her lack of denial.

Breezepelt narrowed his eyes, his momentary flash of eagerness to discover the mystery cat evaporating, and he was just about to make a scathing reply when something clicked in Ashfur’s head.

“Hollyleaf?”

Hollyleaf scoffed. "I've been living on my own for moons and I'm perfectly fine. I don't need 'rescuing,'" she spat the word out, while panicking inwardly. I don't want to go back! She wailed inside her head.

(Don't forget Breezepelt is grumpy lol)

Breezepelt didn’t recognize the faint scent beneath the surface. “We’re rescuing you! A cat can’t live out here alone anymore!”

Ashfur narrowed his eyes, taking another breath of the air as he thought he recognized the faint scent of someone familiar.

Hollyleaf pressed herself back into the corner, bristling with both fear and anger. "What are you doing invading my home?" She spat. The slender she-cat smelled of stone and earth and water, but underneath that there was faint ThunderClan scent and her own, personal scent.