Warriors #2: Warrior Rising

Chapter 25

Goldenpaw's POV

It felt like seasons that Hollyleaf and I just sat there, staring into the small cave in awe, the only sounds I could hear being the quiet rippling of the stream and the distant chirping of crickets. I mean, it was so pretty that I almost forgot that there was no way out, and that we were stuck in there.

I then flicked my ears as I came to a realization. Well... at least as far as we know! I thought. I had come to terms with the fact that trying to dislodge the dirt wall that had originally collapsed would be no use. My claws would all fall off before I got anything accomplished!

But, I still refused to believe that Hollyleaf and I were completely trapped, there was no way. With this in mind, I finally averted my gaze away from the beautiful sight in front of me and trying to find any possible means of escape.

"What are you doing?" Hollyleaf asked, narrowing her eyes as she watched me.

I paused from where I had begun to pace around. "What do you mean?" I asked the warrior, tilting my head to the side. "Are we ever going to find a way out of here?"

I nearly flinched as Hollyleaf hissed, then whipping her head down to break her gaze from mine. "What's the point?" She muttered through gritted teeth. "You'd just be wasting your time, at least I know that I would."

I continued to just listen as Hollyleaf then stood up, her eyes glowing with fascination as she began to look around the cave. "And anyway, why would we want to leave?" She asked, actually sounding bewildered at the fact that I wanted to escape. "This place is great!"

I was shocked at her words. Had tonight really messed with her so much that she never wanted to see ThunderClan again? Her Clanmates? Her brothers? "But we have a Clan that we need to stay loyal to and protect with our lives!" I insisted to the black she-cat. "What about your friends and Clanmates? Hunting out in the forest? Fighting for your Clan in battle?"

When Hollyleaf stayed silent, I found myself suddenly overcome with sympathy as I almost felt her sadness and sense of loss. I sighed, padding up to the she-cat and putting the tip of tail on her shoulder. "You really want to stay here?" I asked her more softly. I hoped that Hollyleaf wouldn't pull away from my touch, and luckily, she just sighed and lashed her tail.

She then managed to meet my gaze as she finally spoke. "Again, what's the point?" She rasped. "ThunderClan, no - all of the Clans probably think that I was out of my mind for revealing that secret. They, let alone ThunderClan, will want nothing to do with me."

She then sighed again, shaking her head slowly. "I thought it was the right thing to do... but I guess I was wrong. Staying right here is probably best for me."

"That is not true, Hollyleaf!" I exclaimed, standing up. "Every cat makes mistakes."

Hollyleaf snorted before I could go on. "Mistake, huh?" She murmured. "What I did was not a mistake. A mistake is missing a piece of prey on a hunting trip. What I did, Goldenpaw, was far worse than that."

I sighed, realizing that Hollyleaf's words were not completely outrageous. I mean... a secret like that couldn't be kept all of their lives, I thought, but I do agree that it wasn't the best idea to reveal it that way. Even though that was how I felt, I knew that I wasn't going to share that with Hollyleaf, for it wouldn't help her at all.

I hesitated, trying to find the right words to say. I pricked my ears as I finally came up with something. "Listen," I began, "Facing ThunderClan will be difficult, I know, but won't lingering around down here with your thoughts be even worse?"

I watched as Hollyleaf pricked her ears, then looking back up to meet my gaze.

"I know that either way it will be hard to live with what you've done," I continued. "But I can see it now, you will be watching cats grant you their forgiveness before you know it!"

Hollyleaf sniffed, and I couldn't tell if she truly believed my words or not. "You think so?" She muttered.

"I do," I responded, touching my nose to Hollyleaf's ear. I then pulled back and simply watched as Hollyleaf seemingly tried to gather her thoughts.

Hollyleaf looked back at me with admiration and gratitude glowing in her green eyes. "You've grown to be quite wise, haven't you?" Hollyleaf managed to purr. "You know, Goldenpaw, I'm actually glad to have you here with me."

I gasped, surprised at the she-cat's praise. "You are?" I questioned. "Really?"

"Yeah, I am," Hollyleaf responded. "And... it was brave... very brave for you to save me and push me out of the way like that. Who knows what could've happened if you weren't there?"

Before I could respond to Hollyleaf's words, she let out a snort and then meowed, "It at least shows that one cat in my Clan isn't infuriated with me."

"Of course I'm not infuriated with you. I'm glad to keep you company, and I was glad to save you," I told the warrior before beginning to hesitate on my next words. "But... as much as I want to stand by your side, I... I can't. If you really want to stay, I won't make you do something that you don't want to, but I have to get back! I have my family, my apprentice duties..." I trailed off as I heard Hollyleaf snort again.

"You're definitely not going to be an apprentice for long!" Hollyleaf meowed more brightly, to my surprise. "You can fight well, you're almost too loyal of a Clan cat, and you're a great hunter!"

I looked away from the black she-cat, barely being able to take it as she threw even more praise at me. I realized then that my ears were growing hot with embarrassment. There would have been a time, moons ago, where praise like this would send me flying up to the top of an oak tree, especially when it came from a warrior like Hollyleaf. But now, as I had grown, the attention did nothing but humble me.

"The Clan respects you," Hollyleaf then went on. "I agree, you do need to go back."

I shrugged. "I just want to be the best warrior I can be!" I told Hollyleaf before giving her a nudge on the shoulder. "But you're a fantastic warrior! You are so brave, you honor the warrior code like no other cat does. I look up to you so much!"

Hollyleaf didn't say anything to my affirmations, but she looked at me with gratitude glowing in her eyes.

Realizing that I may have finally been able to pull her in, I put my tail tip back on the she-cat's shoulder, insisting, "The Clan needs you, Hollyleaf!"

Without waiting for Hollyleaf's response, I whipped myself around and began to trot around the cave, looking for a possible escape route once again.

"Let's find a way out here!" I shouted.