Warrior Cats/Recap/Hollyleaf's Story
Hollyleaf's Story is a short ebook-only novel that takes place from Sunrise to The Forgotten Warrior.
This short novel begins the instant the tunnels collapse in Sunrise. Hollyleaf realizes in horror that she's been buried alive, but she does her best to struggle out of the rubble, the whole time having flashbacks to when Squirrelflight revealed that she was not their mother, to when Jayfeather revealed who their father was, to her revealing their parentage at the Gathering. She manages to pull herself away from the worst of the rubble, but her leg is injured from the rockfall, and when she finally tries to stand up, the pain makes her pass out.
When she awakens, a strange cat is in the tunnels with her. He gives her herbs and fish, and introduces himself as Fallen Leaves, explaining that he knew who she was because he'd been in the tunnels when they collapsed, and that his group once lived on the hills above. Over the next moon, her leg mends, and Fallen Leaves continues to bring her fish and, once, a mouse. When she asks about his past, he simply says "This is my home now." The day finally arrives when her leg's fully healed. She asks Fallen Leaves if they can explore, and he's sad because he thinks she will leave now that she's healed. She assures him that he's been a good friend, and that she doesn't want to leave. Fallen Leaves shows her around the tunnels. First they start with the river cave (which is where's been getting the fish from), and then they run around some of the other tunnels. At one point, however, she loses track of where he went, and she doesn't know where she is: she's lost somewhere in the darkness of the tunnels, and it feels very claustrophobic. He comes back to her quickly, though, and reassures her that he'll never let her get lost. Still uneasy, she asks him to share her nest for the night. As she falls asleep, she notices how cold he seems.
Three or four moons later, Hollyleaf has adjusted to her new life: after she told Fallen Leaves about Clan life, he suggests they do the same down in the tunnels. They patrol the exit tunnels every day and fish in the river. She thinks about how Fallen Leaves is less demanding than her old Clanmates - he gives her all the fish, and he gives her some time to herself, too. Fallen Leaves mentions that it has rained, though the river hasn't flooded. He'd told her in the past that it had flooded when he'd done his sharpclaw initiation, though he hadn't told her anything else; she mentions that maybe he can go back now and they'd welcome him back. He tells her he can't, and this upsets him so much he runs off. Hollyleaf decides to spend some of her time outside, but before she can get there, she hears the barking of a dog, and a fox cub crashes into her in the darkness. Fallen Leaves comes and asks what's going on, and the two run. That night, the wailing of the fox cub in the tunnels keeps Hollyleaf awake. Irritated, she finally sets off to find it. She comforts it, sleeps next to it that night, and the next morning she leads it outside. When the cub is reunited with its mother, Hollyleaf is reminded of Clan life, and she realizes just how much she misses it.
A while later, during leaf-fall, discussion about the fox cub inspires Hollyleaf and Fallen Leaves to talk about family. Hollyleaf wants to know more about his - why did they leave? If he says his mother's going to look for him, why didn't she do so the moment he didn't come out of the tunnels? He refuses to reveal too much about himself. She suggests that they go looking for his family, but he says that he belongs in the tunnels. This sparks an argument between the two that ends with Hollyleaf going outside. She spends a few days out there, hunting for herself, reflecting on her situation in life. She doesn't feel like a rogue or loner, just a Clan cat without a Clan. A few days later, when it first snows, she sees a fox, and recognizes by scent the cub she'd helped out. She feels proud of his hunting skills and how much he's grown, and joyfully greets him.
He doesn't recognize her.
Hollyleaf just barely escapes with her life when the young fox attacks by climbing a tree and staying there all day. She returns to the tunnels afterward. During the two days she sleeps after her return, Fallen Leaves cares for her. Once again, they talk about companionship and family. Fallen Leaves tells her about his mother, Broken Shadow. Hollyleaf explains how she has two mothers - the forbidden relationship, the lies. Fallen Leaves explains that Squirrelflight and Leafpool really must love her and had been trying to do the best thing for Hollyleaf and her littermates. She realizes that he's right - and that everything's so complicated, what with her murder of Ashfur, who she'd killed to keep the informaton secret before revealing the truth herself.
As the winter goes by, Hollyleaf continues to hunt outside. Fallen Leaves goes out for herbs a few times, but he tells Hollyleaf he doesn't feel like he belongs out there. She keeps thinking of what ThunderClan must be doing nowadays, and Fallen Leaves suggests she go and see them. Just before dawn one morning, she goes to the top of the cliff on the edge of the hollow and watches the Clan, realizing in shock that a tree has fallen. She watches the comings and goings of her Clanmates, half hoping that she'll be found by Lionblaze's patrol, but she goes back to the tunnels. She tells Fallen Leaves about what she saw. Finally she reveals to him what she'd been keeping secret for moons: how she'd murdered a Clanmate. He asks a bit about it, and says that she could still go back to the Clan, if only her brothers and mother know - her secret will be safe, and her Clan will always need her.
Three-quarters of a moon later, she watches the Clan again. She overhears that Cherrykit is sick and they're out of yarrow. She knows where there's some growing by the tunnels, so she brings some to outside the camp. Not long after, she hears that Cherrykit is cured. She considers bringing more. Fallen Leaves seems impatient with this. She realizes that he's been behaving strangely, not being as close to her as he used to; she figures he's probably resentful that she's spending so much time watching her Clan. Later that day, Fallen Leaves awakens her from a nap and alerts her to the fact that Blossomfall and Ivypool are in the tunnels. He's tried to give them directions, but they got lost. She leads them out.
As greenleaf approaches, Hollyleaf reflects again on her life. She's been spending more time with Fallen Leaves, but they don't seem to talk as much anymore, and he doesn't wait at the mouth of the tunnel when she goes out. Wandering around the woods, she comes upon a rabbit eating a whole patch of marigold. She scares it away and decides that the best way to protect it would be to put it in a tree where the rabbit couldn't reach, so that's exactly what she does. When she goes back to check the marigold, there's a commotion in the forest. Cherrypaw, Molepaw, and their mentors are attacked by a fox. The warriors chase after it, but somehow it gets away from them and goes after the apprentices. Hollyleaf fights it, and when it hears the other warriors returning, it flees.
The episode with the fox makes Hollyleaf realize that she's a ThunderClan warrior at heart. She plans to go back, although she'll wait until she's ready. The time comes a moon later. Fallen Leaves and Hollyleaf realize that there are WindClan cats in the tunnel. She also recognizes Dovewing and Ivypool's scents. Because they know WindClan will attack unless Hollyleaf does something, Hollyleaf and Fallen Leaves realize that this is goodbye. He promises to never forget her. Hollyleaf leads the two young warriors out and introduces herself.