~ stuck in the tunnels ~ holly x cinder au

~ Chapter 5 ~

Cinderheart was back in the old ThunderClan camp, sprinting through the trees. Her body felt so excited and free, like nothing would stop her. The scent of the forest filled her senses, the moment of pure freedom and joy of experiencing something new made her feel like she was on top of the big, wide world. Wind brushed her fur and she felt endless joy of witnessing the grand territory for the first time. The sunlight creeping through the trees invited nothing but excitement. That was until the trees that blurred past her started to look more familiar.

The once-warm sunlight that filtered through the trees took on an eerie, unsettling quality. The wind, which had initially been a gentle caress, turned colder.

It sent her a shiver down her spine and she couldn't escape the impending horror. Even though she was reveled in the thrill of the sprint, a cold, thick knot tied in her stomach. She knew what was coming. It was happening again, and every time, it followed the same dreaded script. 

She watched herself sprint toward the Thunderpath. Her paws couldn't stop running and controlling her. Frustration morphed into helplessness as the unseen force carried her. Bursting out through the bushes and shrubs, it was there, right in front of her. The warm, rough black path laid out. The Thunderpath looked as though it sucked all the sunlight and absorbed it. Just how it sucked her past hopes and dreams. Like a gaping hole that was ready to consume her.

 Cinderheart screamed a desperate plea.

'No!' Nothing changed. No scream was let out. Dreaded events continued.

Her paws carried her closer and closer and there was nothing she could do to prevent it. It was if she had lost control of herself. She watched as her body in her point of view leaped out in excitement, only to be blinded by a pair of lights. The continuous rumble of the monster grew louder and louder, exploding her eardrums. Her heart felt as though it was in her throat and threatened to explode out. 

Everything became a blur and once again, shrubs around her became green speckles. Everything formed into pure chaos. An aggressive force knocked Cinderheart onto the floor. She felt her legs flail in the air and her body sink. It was a nightmare she couldn't escape. A relentless cycle of her past life she was now cursed to relive again, again, and again. A wicked pain ached in her leg as she thudded on the unforgiving Thunderpath. 

As she laid there, all went quiet. Darkness was all that she could see.