Fallen Holly Leaves (Storm)

It took Holly Leaves an equally long time to fall asleep and when the sun rose she felt like she’d barely slept at all.

Fallen Leaves had a hard time getting comfortable on the small pile of, well, leaves he’d amassed, especially without the warmth of his mate, but eventually managed to fall asleep.

Holly Leaves cast a wistful look at Fallen Leaves but curled up next to Half Moon instead on a bed of leaves. She closed her eyes.

Fallen Leaves also gratefully laid down right where he stood when Stone Song called for a break, not bothering to seek out any cat as he yawned and blinked sleepily.

They walked until they could no longer see the lake and the moon was high in the sky, when Stone Song called a break for the rest of the night. Holly Leaves breathes a grateful, relieved sigh at that, having been awake since dawn.

Fallen Leaves didn’t look back, so he didn’t notice the disappearance of Jay’s Wing right away. He continued to trudge in miserably instead.

When they crossed into what would one day be WindClan territory, something made Holly Leaves look back. She saw the form of Jaypaw/Jay’s Wing, who was apparently not coming, and another cat. Briefly, she met Jaypaw’s gaze before turning back. I hope you make it home like I can’t. 

Fallen Leaves dreaded the sunset, but when it Came he joined with the cats leaving.  He didn’t see his mate straight away in the crowd and so walked alone on the fringes, stewing to himself at the sheer ridiculousness of the day. If- no, when- this turned out to be a terrible idea, he blamed every single cat who voted in favor, even his mate, which stung particularly badly the more he thought about it.

Is that her way of saying she doesn’t want a family with me? He doubted it, but he couldn’t push the nagging thought out of his mind no matter how hard he tried, his uncertainty weighing every pawstep he took away from the old Camp.

Before Holly Leaves knew it the sun had set and they were all gathering to leave. Doubting Fallen Leaves would want to speak to her, she stood with Half Moon, who had become a good friend in the past moon.

Fallen Leaves didn’t see Holly Leaves or either of his parents in the whirlwind of preparation that suddenly got underway, and that was probably for the better. The dappled tom could hardly believe that the three of them had voted to put the livelihood of the entire group in jeopardy, and his head swirled as he unwillingly helped with the preparations. He managed a glare at Jay’s Wing when he made eye contact with his friend, but that was the extent of his retaliation.

Eventually things quieted down and Furled Bracken handed over the leadership to Stone Song. Stone Song announced they would leave at dusk and the cats scattered to prepare. Holly Leaves took a deep breath before getting up and hurrying off to help Rising Moon and Running Horse gather herbs.

Beside her, Fallen Leaves was silent besides taking a few deep breaths.

Jay’s Wing padded into the cluster of cats who had voted to leave, disappearing into that mass of fur.

Holly Leaves closed her eyes, letting out a breath as the clearing erupted into yells at the outcome. The cats who voted to stay were understandably upset, while the cats who voted to leave were cheering.

Fallen Leaves had been watching his mate vote idly, believing her vote would go the same way as his. When the black she-cat cast her stone in the other pile, the Tom’s eyes briefly widened before his gaze hardened. He glanced away when Holly Leaves turned back around to return to his side, not even wanting to look at the female as so many emotions churned in his belly he thought he was going to be sick.

The Tom certainly wasn’t in the mood to talk to her now, but then again, the clearing was completely silent, every cat watching Jay’s Wing intently.

Jay’s Wing was itching to cast his stone by the time his turn finally came around. The Tom cast a nervous glance around the clearing at the sensation of so many eyes burning into his pelt, with Fallen Leaves being essentially the only member of the Ancients that was looking off somewhere not directly T him. Finally, the tom padded up to the two piles, the rounded stone tasting of the earth between his jaws. He felt a pang of guilt shoot through him as he cast a glance at Owl Feather, the mother with young kits, and then at Fallen Leaves, who he knew would be especially distressed. Jay’s Wing is supposed to be his best friend. What will happen if I vote this way? The dappled tom May never speak to Jay’s Wing again, even if Jaypaw returned to his world the way Hollyleaf could not.

This is the way it must be.

With that, Jay’s Wing cast his stone in the ‘leave’ pile, with that option winning by the narrowest of margins.

Holly Leaves closed her eyes briefly before opening them again. Casting a quick, pained glance at her mate, she stepped forward and pushed her stone into the ‘leave’ pile. It was a tie, and whatever Jay’s Wing voted they would be doing. The black she-cat rejoined her mate but she carefully didn’t look at him, instead watching Jaypaw.

Little debate was required for Fallen Leaves, The tom firmly placing his stone in the ‘stay’ pile. He couldn’t fathom why the vote was as close as it was, having missed a lot of the supplementary information, but even still-how could anyone want to leave home?

The Tom returned to sitting beside Holly Leaves, nudging her to remind her that it was her turn to vote. He wasn’t going to try and influence her decision. He didn’t think he needed to, after all. Staying seemed like the best choice for their future family.

Holly Leaves glanced briefly at her mate, pinning her ears back, before watching the rest of the cats vote. As she and Fallen Leaves had only been sharpclaws for a moon, they would only vote before Jay’s Wing, who would be last. Furled Bracken, Running Horse, Cloudy Sun, Jagged Lightning, Rising Moon, Fish Leap, Dawn River, and Shy Fawn all voted to stay, while Stone Song, Broken Shadow, Dark Whiskers, Owl Feather, Chasing Clouds, Whispering Breeze, Dove’s Wing, and Half Moon voted to leave. (Owl Feather’s kits were too young to vote.) Then it was Fallen Leaves’ turn.

Fallen Leaves bristled as he realized what was being discussed. “This place is as good as any!” The tom growled softly, only Holly Leaves able to hear him. The Tom was thinking of his mate and his future family. He wanted to raise them here, not go on some harebrained trek into the snow capped crags where they may or may not find a viable camp.

Holly Leaves’ eyes widened when she heard what was going on. Mountains. This… is the Tribe of Rushing Water?

Fallen Leaves quickly followed Holly Leaves, perking his ears attentively to try and learn what was going on.

Holly Leaves frowned, getting to her paws and padding over to the gathering of cats.

Fallen Leaves’ ears twitched curiously. “I wonder what Stone Song wants us to vote on?”

Holly Leaves opened her mouth to answer but stopped when the call for a casting of stones went out.

“Come back to our den,” suggested Fallen Leaves. “I want to give you a nice, long grooming.”

Holly Leaves shook her head. “No, it’s fine. I’m not ever going to forget it.”