CHAPTER FOUR
"Flood!"
Mintpaw jolted up, hearing Flynight's screech resound through camp. He scrambled to his paws and darted outside, almost slipping on the flooded ground. Horrified, the white apprentice spun around and into the apprentices' den, waking everyone up with a yowl.
"Flood! Flood, everyone out!"
Tansypaw woke up by Mintpaw's frantic yowls, and finally grasped what was happening. Silverpaw was already on his paws, blinking the sleep out of his eyes. The tortoiseshell clambered to her paws and roughly nudged Rainpaw, and the silver-furred she-cat groggily opened her eyes, when a fresh wave of water invaded the apprentices' den.
The clan was stirring, and horrified yowls spiked the damp air. Flynight was crossing the flooded clearing to help the three elders who had come back from the burial. The water was up to her underbelly, and the deputy was having a hard time making her way to the terrified elders.
Wind rattled the branches of the willow trees and tore the reeds from their beds.
"Pikestar!"
Thick storm clouds swirled across the night-dark sky. Rain battered the tightly woven dens where the Riverclan warriors had been sleeping.
"Pikestar!"
The Riverclan leader flattened his ears as he heard his mate's terrified cry. He dug his claws into the mud, steadying himself against the water that swirled around his legs. The river had broken its banks and was streaming into the camp. He twisted his head around, searching the shadows.
"Pikestar!" Brokenwing shrieked again. Her cry was muffled for she was trying to stop her daughter, Carpsplash from slipping down into a ravine, which would definitely mark her death. Brokenwing desperately fastened her teeth into the spotted golden she-cat's scruff, but as the water rose in height, the stone they were clinging to became slippery.
Pikestar dived for his family, and staggered up to Brokenwing. With no time for explanations, he reached down and fastened his claws in the loose fur around her shoulders. Grunting, the Riverclan leader hauled his daughter up, and set her down gently. "Get to higher ground!" he ordered Brokenwing. She nodded, her eyes huge with fear, her long creamy-golden fur flattened to her body by the water and rain.
Pikestar scanned the camp. Gleaming pelts darted in the darkness like panicked fish. Snowpaw and Conchpaw's mother, Whitewhisker was clinging on to the remains of the warriors' den, trying to claw together its fast-fraying walls. A muscular white tom with one black paw tried to block the foaming channel where nests swirled out into the river.
The sky lit up with a white flare as lightning blazed. Thunder crashed and the wind sliced through camp like a claw, destroying dens and reinforcing the dangerous water. A new wave of water surged through camp.
"Flynight!" Pikestar called to his deputy. "What's your opinion?"
The slick-furred black she-cat was nosing the elders as she helped them up onto a small slope and turned to call back. "The water's rising fast, Pikestar. It might climb this hill."
Pikestar lashed his tail. "We'll have to abandon camp."
"No!" Whitewhisker let go of the den and faced the Riverclan leader.
"We must, Whitewhisker!"Pikestar urged.
"We can't leave everything our ancestors built for us!"
"We can rebuild it!" Pikestar snapped, his amber eyes blazing.
"It won't be the same," Whitewhisker growled and plunged through the floods and clamped her paws around a floating nest.
Flynight bounded down from the stump and splashed toward her clanmate. "Together we can rebuild everything," she insisted. "Except cats who have drowned trying to save bits of twigs."
Whitewhisker reluctantly let go of the nest and watched it spin away into the reeds, then raced for the high end of camp.
Black, bubbling water surged around the edge of the every den in sight, making the woven willow stems sway with the flood. Pikestar bounded up to the first and stuck his head in, checking for any of his struggling clanmates. On the last one, as his eyes adjusted to the darkness, a flash of terrified blue eyes stared back at him. A bright orange pelt gleamed, as the cat curled around herself into a tight ball.
"Dawnleaf!" Pikestar thrusted his head and shoulders in, roughly nudging the grieving she-cat. "Get out!"
The bright orange she-cat jerked her head up, blue eyes blazing with terror. "Pikestar," the warrior rasped, struggling to her paws. Water swirled roughly around her paws, threatening to unbalance the grieving orange she-cat. The huge light-colored tabby reached in and fastened his teeth in her scruff and hauled her out, muscles rippling. "Up you go." He grunted, nudging her forward. The Riverclan leader followed his clanmate, surveying the deserted camp, fighting to keep his balance as water tugged and pushed him.
The two struggling warriors finally made it up the slope, which now was almost covered in water. Pikestar reached his clan, where the assembled warriors huddled against each other. Stark terror flashed in eyes, and tension spiked the air.
"Is everyone here?" Pikestar asked, sweeping his gaze over the assembled cats.
Mintpaw pressed against his sister, searching desperately for his mother's creamy fur and bright ginger splotches. The brown-patched apprentice felt a stab of terror as he found his mother was not here. He left his bewildered sister and raced over to the Riverclan leader. "Pikestar!" He spoke, face tuned into despair. "Tanglefur isn't here." He meowed, his voice cracking.
Pikestar stiffened, and once he saw the feisty she-cat wasn't here either he flicked his tail worriedly. "Mintpaw, take care of your sister but don't tell her anything," the huge light-colored tabby turned to Mintpaw's mentor, Rushstripe and his sister, Riverheart. Next to the siblings was Troutstream, one of the best swimmers in Riverclan. "Go and try to find Tanglefur." He whispered quietly.
Troutstream dipped her head and descended the slope, Rushstripe and his sister following. The thick-furred tortoiseshell she-cat jerked her head to separate. "Rushstripe, go that way," she meowed. "Riverheart, that way. And I'll go this way." The slender warrior dived into the water, disappearing into a mass of black, bubbling water.
Riverheart was staring down at the floods. It was like standing at a riverbank and over a deep, dangerous river, wondering whether to dive in and catch the fish. Or in this case, catch the warrior. Rushstripe exchanged a worried glance with his sister, then began to carefully make his descend, keeping his claws unsheathed for balance. Riverheart shivered then followed Rushstripe, and dived in. The cold water embraced her roughly, swirling around her legs and threatening to pull her down. The water now covered her back, and the young she-cat was panting, at the effort of maintaining her head above water. Riverheart began to swim strongly towards the remains of a few dens, the wind whipping at her sodden fur.
Troutstream buried her claws in the mud, feeling the water raging over her legs, now onto her chest-fur. The sturdy tortoiseshell she-cat searched for her clanmate, but nothing shouted 'cream-colored cat with fiery ginger patches'. She sighed and lifted her muzzle clear of the bubbling, black water, and opened her jaws to catch the missing warrior's scent.
Rushstripe was having trouble just to keep himself balanced, and the black-and-silver furred tabby twisted his head, searching among the shadows. At the edge of his eye, the young warrior suddenly caught sight of a bright ginger flash.
"Found her!" Rushstripe yowled to his clanmates, and began paddling furiously towards the shadows. As he got closer in range, he saw Tanglefur lying unconscious on a piece floating bark, her eyes closed and her cream-colored fur drenched. "Hey," he murmured, prodding the tangled-furred she-cat's side. Riverheart was soon beside him, her sodden fur pressed close against her brother's.
"Good job," she meowed, her blue eyes bright with exhilaration.
"You found her!" Troutstream pushed her way through the wreckage, her gaze fleeting over Tanglefur's motionless form. "Come on. Let's get her back to Riverclan." The sturdy she-cat sank her teeth in the cream-colored warrior's scruff, and dragged her clear of the floods. Rushstripe was immediately by her side, straddling Tanglefur's weight with his broad shoulders.
Riverheart swam ahead, looking back behind her shoulder occasionally. She reached the beginning of the slope and dragged herself up. A pair of piercing green eyes glinted down at her, and a smoky grey-black pelt flashed into view.
"Riverheart!" the warrior's eyes glimmered, and he turned tail and bounded to where the Riverclan cats were still huddled together.
Pikestar pricked his ears as he heard Darkwhisker bounding up, and flicked his tail for Blackfoot to come with him. "Okay," he meowed. The huge light-colored leader left the group and began to make his way down the slope, his claws digging into the wet soil. Loose dirt crumbled beneath his heavy paws, and rocks tumbled into the floods. Blackfoot was close behind his leader, tail lashing for balance. They reached the bottom of the slope and peered into the darkness.
Rushstripe and Troutstream were swimming strongly towards the bank, Tanglefur's body straddled between them. Blackfoot dived into the deep waters, and took Tanglefur onto his broad shoulders. The white tom pulled himself onto the bank, his fur dripping wet. He gently laid Tanglefur onto the ground, and helped Troutstream up. The sturdy tortoiseshell she-cat blinked gratefully at him, as Rushstripe clambered out. The black-and-silver tabby shook out his drenched fur, spraying droplets of water all over Blackfoot and Pikestar. Rushstripe gaped as he noticed his leader, eyes dark with apology.
"S-sorry." He muttered.
Pikestar sighed and shook his head at the younger warrior, then hauled Tanglefur onto his own shoulders. "Well done, all of you." He meowed before starting up the slope, his claws leaving deep gouges in the sodden earth.
Mintpaw anxiously waited for the departed warriors, and jumped violently at a warm touch of fur.
Tansypaw was at his shoulder, blinking worriedly at him. "Is everything alright?" she asked.
Mintpaw curled his tail over her shoulders and pulled her close, then murmured in her ear. "Yes, of course," he responded.
The young tortoiseshell she-cat pricked her ears, her gaze flickering from one clanmate to another. "Where's mom?" the apprentice asked, concern bathing her angelic features.
Mintpaw didn't know how to reply to that, so he just pretended not to hear and shuffle away bit by bit. Unfortunately, Tansypaw was not going to let it go that easily. "Hey!" she growled, blocking off his passage. "Answer my question. Where is mother?" she repeated.
Mintpaw opened his mouth then closed it, a stunning imitation of a goldfish.
"Don't worry, she's safe." A deep voice interrupted them, saving Mintpaw from having to answer.
Tansypaw spun around, neck fur bristling. Pikestar stood behind the two anxious apprentices, a reassuring look plastered on his sharp features.
Mintpaw stared at the huge leader, asking the question silently. Pikestar nodded confirmatively, his amber eyes glinting. Tansypaw heaved a sigh of relief, and padded off in search for Snowpaw or Silverpaw, and Rainpaw. Mintpaw turned to the light-colored tabby leaser and dipped his head.
"Thank you. Can I see her?" he asked cautiously.
Pikestar didn't respond to the apprentice's question but shook his head. "She's getting treated by Patchnose."
Mintpaw stared at Pikestar, then nodded absentmindedly.
Meanwhile, Patchnose gazed at Tanglefur's body. "She needs herbs, but I don't have herbs." He muttered and placed a paw on the cream-colored queen's shoulder, heat pulsing. "She's getting a serious fever."
Troutstream stood beside her brother Patchnose, her thick tortoiseshell pelt barely dried. "I'll go and find some." Without a word, the sturdy tortoiseshell she-cat leaped away, picking her way down the slope and diving into the black, bubbling waters of the floods.
Patchnose snagged a wad of cobweb from a nearby spider web and began to treat the wound on Tanglefur's flank. Troutstream suddenly appeared, her jaws laden with different herbs, all soggy.
"Sorry," she mumbled through the leaves. "Your den was flooded, but on the high ledge I found this." She placed a few leaves of Soviet, Borage Leaves, Tansy, Burdock Root and juniper berries.
"How did you manage to get all this?" the tortoiseshell medicine's yellow eyes widened. Troutstream nosed her brother's shoulder affectionately.
"I told you, it was all piled up neatly on the ledge."
Patchnose released a rumbly purr and crouched down beside the herbs. "Well you just saved Tanglefur's life," he murmured then began sorting through the leaves. "Great! You brought Borage Leaves." The medicine cat bent down and plucked a few leaves off a healthy, dark green stem. "Troutstream, please wake Tanglefur up."
Troutstream nosed Tanglefur, then prodded the queen's side. Then the sturdy tortoiseshell she-cat dipped her paw in a shallow puddle close by and splashed water all over the ginger-splotched she-cat's muzzle.
With a gasp, Tanglefur rolled to her side and began hacking out water, her leaf green eyes darkened in fear. "What…?"
Troutstream licked her clanmate's ears soothingly, and nodded to Patchnose. The tortoiseshell medicine cat nudged the borage leaves closer. "Here. Eat this. It'll make you feel better."
Tanglefur submissively lowered her head and licked the herbs up, then chewed them. A disgusted expression appeared on her face, but she didn't complain. "Where's Mintpaw and Tansypaw?" the she-cat asked, unsteadily staggering to her paws.
"They're worried 'bout you." Patchnose muttered, turning back to his precious pile of herbs.
"I have to see them." Tanglefur rasped, loping towards the crowd of cats huddled not too far. She weaved her way among them. She saw a ruffled white coat with light brown splotches and leaf-green eyes. "Mintpaw!"
The young apprentice scrambled up when he heard his mother's purr, and he bounded across to meet her. Mintpaw rubbed his muzzle to her cheek, feeling emotions clog his throat.
"I'm so glad you're okay." He murmured as he nuzzled her neck-fur, breathing in Tanglefur's familiar, sweet scent.
Tanglefur purred and rasped her tongue over her son's cheek, her heart pounding in her ears. Relief threatened to spill over her, and she managed a wobbly purr. "Where's Tansypaw?"
"Mother?" a voice came from behind them, sharp with shock.
Tansypaw stood stiff-legged behind them, surprise rolling off her in waves.
"Tansypaw. Sweetie." Tanglefur spun around and hugged her daughter close, licking everywhere, limp with relief.
Tansypaw yowled in relief and scrambled to her mother, nuzzling Tanglefur's shoulder. "I was so worried." She whispered.
Just then Pikestar silenced the chattering clan with a deep yowl. "Okay. The camp is still flooded, and we cannot return. For now, I and Flynight have decided to stay here, above the levels of water. We will need to construct a make-shift barrier, against predators and other such creatures." He paused, scanning the assembled cats with his sharp amber gaze. "Flynight, divide the patrols." The huge light-colored tabby turned away and beckoned Patchnose.
A sleek black-and-white she-cat with round green eyes sank onto the ground, her pregnant stomach gingerly pressed against the hard ground. Tornear stood protectively over his mate's side, his dark amber gaze fierce.
Flynight dipped her head and turned to her clanmates. "Eclipsenose, Leafsong, Owlfur. You three are the most experienced, so you will hunt. I'll send another patrol later after you," she paused and studied the others. "Blackfoot, Riptide, and Troutstream. You will secure our temporary camp, while keeping an eye out for prey." She twitched her ear, considering the number of cats left. "Riverheart, Tornear, Whitewhisker, Rushstripe. Please search for such bedding, and thorns and ferns. Anything to build make-shift nests until tomorrow." The black deputy finished and left abruptly, nodding crisply to the patrols she had sent out.
Eclipsenose, Riverclan's most senior warrior flicked her tail to the members of her patrol, and then quietly they sidled out of the clearing. Blackfoot, Riptide and Troutstream quickly bounded through the ferns. Flynight watched as each of the assigned patrols padded away.
Fur brushed her black pelt as Pikestar appeared beside her. "What about the apprentices?'' he asked, his amber eyes narrowed.
Flynight jumped in surprise and sighed. "I totally forgot about them. Anyways, the higher ground is still our territory and they had a tour when they first became apprentices…so I guess they could go alone." The black-furred deputy looked away, shameful of herself for not noticing.
Suddenly four cats slid into view. A handsome smoky black tom with piercing green eyes stood next to Brokenwing, Pikestar's mate. Carpsplash, their daughter, stood off to the side. Dawnleaf was behind them, staring at her cream-colored paws.
Brokenwing narrowed her usually-mischievous blue eyes as she eyed the deputy and leader alone. "Ah, we weren't sent on a patrol and the apprentices are asking of what to do."
Carpsplash nodded warmly to Flynight, and shifted a bit closer to the other cat, Darkwhisker. Flynight twitched her ears in acknowledgement and returned Brokenwing's stare. "Well, can you four occupy the apprentices? Get them to retrieve bedding, something to help make our temporary camp more comfortable, as so the elders and queens." She paused, thinking. "You know what, I'll go with you." The pretty black she-cat pushed her way out, then disappeared through a clump of ferns. Brokenwing stepped forward and licked her mate's nose. "See you." She whispered then headed after her deputy. Dawnleaf followed suit, Darkwhisker and Carpsplash bringing up the rear.
Pikestar stood there, alone, feeling small and helpless despite the peacefulness. Why has this happened? Is it an omen from the stars, with Salmonclaw's death and the floods? Or…is it something else?
His eyes flashed to where Mintpaw was helping two elders climb up the slope, where Cloudpaw collapsed and breathed hard. An uneasy feeling filled his chest.
It was probably nothing.
