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Sudden, torrential winds buffeted Talonblaze's auburn fur and pulled at her tail, encouraging her to lose her balance at the current of air. The deputy dug her claws into the soil and clung on tight to keep her place. Squinting her eyes to prevent debris from flying in. She looked towards the sky and a wave of black rolled over the clear blue, enveloping the bare plains beneath it with darkness.
The brewing clouds came as quickly as the unexpected winds. They grew closer with every heartbeat, and the she-cat's breath hitched in her chest as panic swarmed within her. She couldn't flee, or she would be swept up by the winds and she couldn't stay where she was or she would be caught in the oncoming storm. Thoughts and ideas that had just been flying through her mind we're now absent as the panic overwhelmed her thoughts. She searched for the best option that would save herself. The oncoming storm however prevented her from being able to think straight. Before she could clear her head, time was up and the storm upon her. Shadows that had crossed the land ahead of her, have now washed over her, leaving her in near blackness. The molly couldn't see more than a few paw step ahead as she searched before her for a way to escape.
The deputy crouched when the winds become impossibly stronger, folding her ears and straining her claws into the earth, clinging on with every shred of strength she possessed. As the torrents steadily continued to grow, a monsoon of rain began to descend onto the molly. Her dark fur, even darker while growing heavy as the rain persisted and soaked through her pelt; numbing her to the bone.
Worry clawed at her belly before she quickly turned around, remaining in her crouch to keep from being picked up by the wind. The she-cat's panicked thoughts flew to the clan, she could see the end of the storm that has already passed her, allowing her to see the direction of the storm. With this ability she realizes that is where the stone is heading. Her heart pounded in her chest when she thought of the family that took her in as a kit and raised her to be who she came to be. Panic pulled at her paws, calling her home. Encouraging her to race the storm, that has already been given a head start. Hopelessness swamped the deputy and she cried out at the unfairness of the situation, he home, her family, and herself, it would be a miracle if any of them survived this storm.
When Talonblaze turned around to face the forest, she failed to notice the river, overflowing from the downpour beside her. It began licking at her paws but she remained unaware because of the rain that continued to pelt her. The deputy let out a yelp when the growing current grabbed her legs and dragged her into its depth. The she-cat flailed in the rushing waters, surfacing for mere seconds, spluttering and coughing water before being pulled down again, her heavy fur weighing her down.
The deputy fought with the current. tying with every morsel of strength she could muster to propel herself to the bank on either side of the river. The she-cat tried, but was unable to identify up from down as her lungs inflamed with the need of oxygen. Her head began to spin and black overtook her as the she-cat stopped fighting the current and unconsciousness overtook her.
The tabby resurfaced once more, far down the river. The she-cat's limp form began to float in her unconscious state and the swift water carried her further and further away. The rapid tides soon grew calm and slowed to a steady pace. As the deputy's body continued to float through the currents, her dark ginger fur shown bright in the murky waters as she passed.
The sun reflected off the surface of the water. Small ripples of the current distorting the image and flashing the blinding light towards the shore. Tiny splashes echoed in the clearing as young frogs slipped in and out of the water. A shadow looms under the surface near the edge and a paw flew into the air, splashing at the slow moving river. A moment later, a fish flopped beside silver fur on the bank. The molly mewed in delight and clamped her teeth around the neck of the slick creature. It stopped thrashing as the loner cut off the nerve in its neck and the creature lay limp on the pebbles.
The silver tabby looked out into the shallow water in search of another fish only to be met with russet colored fur being dragged through the current. The fur pulling at the pebbles in the shallow water, pushing the molly towards the shore. With a gasp, the loner waded through the river and grabbed the deputy's scruff. She pulled the molly through the current and onto the pebbles. They shifted under her paws with the combined weight, but she persisted until the half-drowned cat was in the reeds.
Talonblaze opened her eyes as an argument filled her ears. Her heart skipped a beat when she didn't recognize where she was. The last thing she could remember, was being swept away by the river the night before. Her eyes wide as she examined the den, it was a simple cave with lichen that hung just outside giving the she-cat privacy. As the deputy examined her sleeping quarters she listened to the voices that grew louder and filled the den.
"We can't keep her here. We know nothing about her. For all we know, she could be here to capture us." A gruff voice spoke harshly. The response of a much softer voice came with a sharp edge as it spoke the to former. "She is weak and needs to rest. I'm not asking that she stays with us forever, I am only asking that we give her the time she needs to restore her energy." A moment of silence was followed by an angry scoff. "Fine, she has three days. After that, I want her gone." A sigh of relief and a gentle purr came from the soft voice. "Thank you, Patchoak." A grunt was followed by the crunching of receding paw-steps in the reeds.
To be continued?