A light breeze blew over the starry river, its soothing sound drifted through the trees. A hunting patrol was heading back with great success, three apprentices with their mentors. "You all did well," one of the mentors praised all the beaming apprentices. The six cats were heading towards the Sunclan camp, the hills beyond the trees slowly swallowing the sun.
"We've got enough prey for whole clan!" Stonepaw meowed through a mouthful of prey.
"Ok now, pay attention, we have to cross the river," his mentor, Featherclaw, mewed.
"Remember to be careful, we've had lots of rain these past few moons." a silver tabby, Greywing, mewed sternly.
"We wouldnt want to pull an Amberfoot." Brightpaw mrrowed, remembering the day the tom had come into camp soaked to the skin. All the cats purred and one by one started to carefully make their way across the log that was laid out across the river. Stonepaw was the last one to cross when the tree started breaking. He started to panic and leaped for shore but he missed by a mouse-length. The log snapped and Stonepaw plunged into the river. Webpaw, Stonepaw's sister, dove in after him in a heartbeat. Stonepaw was thrashing his paws, desperately trying to keep his head above water. Webpaw was gaining on the young tom, "running" against the water. Stonepaw was heaving for breath when he swallowed a mouthful of water, and his head disappeared beneath the water. Webpaw dove after him and dragged him above the water, clawing at the sides of the river, she shoved Stonepaw onto shore. Stonepaw flopped onto the bank, the rest of the patrol dashing towards him, while Webpaw's weak self tried to heave herself onto the shore, the river swept her away. The other cats hadn't noticed Webpaw had been taken by the river until Thistleclaw spotted her head sink beneath the water.
"NO!" Webpaw's mentor, Thistleheart, screeched, about to dive into the water.
"Don't! the river night take you too." Greywing choked, blocking Thistleheart with her tail. She sobbed, her head bowed in sorrow. Stonepaw was on the bank, pressing his face into Brightpaws fur as she gave him soothing licks. Featherwing slowly walked over to the two grieving apprentices and flicked Brightpaws shoulder with her tail, motioning her back to Greywing. Feathertail looked at her apprentice.
"I'm so sorry about your sister, if only she..." she meowed sympathetically. Stonepaw looked up, then at the river, blood red from the sun down, "she what?.." he hissed, "had a voice?"