~ stuck in the tunnels ~ holly x cinder au

Prologue

In a surreal world, Hollyleaf crept behind Ashfur to the border of WindClan. Stalking him like a piece of prey, her claws were sheathed to prevent them from scratching any surfaces that might alarm him. He reached the bank of the stream as the water foamed below. Hollyleaf felt adrenaline but tried to keep her emotions down in case anybody noticed her scent. The grey cat walked foolishly, Hollyleaf noticed. She smirked at how oblivious he was to her and watched as he stared in his reflection in the stream. She finally spotted some bushes that grew lavender and crept in them, masking her scent with the strong scent of the lavender remaining hidden altogether. Then, she leaped. 

She sprang on him, twisted his head to one side as she felt her teeth sink deep into his fur and skin. She ignored the voices that were begging for her to stop and she kept chanting to herself, 'This is the only way!' That phrase seemed to boom in her head louder and louder, like cats gasping with shock and murmurs at the last gathering she had. All voices had combined into one. Voices from Squirrelflight, Leafpool, Crowfeather, Cinderheart and Ashfur. Everyone. Everything was happening. All. At. Once. 

'Fine, kill them, then. You won't hurt me that way. They're not my kits.' Squirrelflight.

'There is no right thing. Everything to do with this leads to more pain.' Cinderheart.

'I am your mother, Hollyleaf. Squirrelflight was trying to protect me.' Leafpool.

'You mean nothing to me, Leafpool. I have no kits other than Breezepelt.' Crowfeather.

'I'll purr over what will happen after I've revealed the truth.' Ashfur.

All the voices seemed to stop. Ashfur dropped to his belly and Hollyleaf jumped back as his corpse rolled into the stream. Hollyleaf glanced at her bloodied paws and frantically tried to wash them off in the stream, the water being colder than usual. As though it started to leak in her body like the guilt.

'Why won't it go away? Please, please! Just go away!' Hollyleaf stuttered in anxiety. The red doubt lingered on her paws, refusing to wash away. 

Panic invaded her mind until her vision started blurring. Everything looked like colours, not objects. Trees were green triangles that started to disappear.

The only thing that did not disappear was the grey and red shape in front of her. It seemed still, until it twitched and staggered up to its paws. It stared at Hollyleaf with menacing blue eyes.

'This is the only way.' it seemed to repeat Hollyleaf's words until it leaped at her, bearing its rotten teeth. Everything went quiet. Hollyleaf saw nothing. But darkness.