When The Earth Shook

by Blueheart22

Highclan use to be known for their large oaks and safe territory but one day a large earthquake hit, causing the trees they were so proud of to fall and the rivers that gave them fresh water and food to flood. Only ten cats survived. With loved ones lost and their camp destroyed, the cats must rebuild and cope with the terrifying events that happened

1. chapter 1

[Chapter one]

The earth shook violently, causing the enormous oak trees that Highclan was so proud of to crash onto the ground and on the elders bramble covered den. The river overflowed from the amount of rubble being dumped in. A small ginger kit was torn from his mother's grip as the waves crashed over them. She screamed for him but couldn't do anything to help him. A grey tom carried a kit on his back and in his mouth trying to climb one of the trees to get away from the river which was growing by the second. Tiny claws digged into his back. The tom winced and tried not to bite too hard on the other's scruff. The kit hung from his back with only three of his claws one one paw and soon enough the kit plummeted into the cold, unforgiving waters. The leader of the clan, Batstar, was trying her best to help a small tuxedo apprentice get to the high part of camp with seven other cats. His breathing quickening and his yellow eyes widening from fear when he joined the others and saw that his mother and sister haven't been found. Mud made the pelts of other cats too heavy to swim and slowed down the others trying to run from falling branches and trees. Screams of cats were drowned out by the roar of the earth trembling and waves crashing. Shrewpaw, the medicine cat apprentice, dragged a golden she-cat by the scruff through the mud and struggled to drag her up the hill. The clan's medicine cat was crushed under a tree slowly dying in a pool of blood causing the water to turn to a dirty looking red. Soon the trembling stopped and the earth stood still. Trees clung to the ground half way and the river calmed down. The medicine cat den had nothing but mud and branches inside and the nursery held dead queens and kits who couldn't get out when the river flooded. The whole clan was lost. Stacks of tall oak trees scattered across the camp, holding trapped clan members. The water was so high that it wasn't safe for even the clans best swimmers to help try to get the others unstuck.

"What are we going to do now?" Batstar stared at her clan with horror.

"It looks like only eleven of us left" Spiderheart, a tall, white and grey spotted, tom mewed.

Shrewpaw looked at Batstar, worry in his gaze. "I'll make a trip to the Moonstone as soon as I can an see what guidance they have to give."

Batstar bowed her head, barely making out the words "it's all my fault." As others huddled together. Their fur soaked to the bone with cold river water on a chilly, Leafbare night. Later that night, a warrior died from hypothermia leaving only ten members of Highclan to rebuild the clan.