Chapter 14
I was right. We didn't find shelter. I don't know how long we were out in that rain, but it was too long. Poor Petal was crying because she was cold and wet, Shadow kept his face buried in Night's fur, and Tiger kept asking if we'd be dry soon. I wasn't able to answer his question. I would have lied to him and told him of course we'd be dry soon and we'd all be alright. But it would have been just a lie- the farthest thing from the truth I could have ever said.
After walking all the way across our side of the forest, Night and I came to the river. We hadn't found any safe place to stay. There wasn't a dry place to be found. Night set Petal down on the soaking riverbank and said we'd have to cross the river. I looked at the raging water in horror. The water level was rising quickly and was flowing so roughly I was sure even the fish couldn't keep up. The stepping stones that usually poked through the surface were far below the water now. I didn't see how we could cross.
Night had an idea. We pushed our kits under a tree and told them to huddle together for warmth while Night and I hauled a thick log toward the river. Night said he would have to swim across the water, pulling the log with him so we would have a bridge. I begged him not to. I was sure he would drown. He said it was the only way we could get the kits to safety. There was a twoleg farm across the river, so there was a warm and dry barn we could shelter in if we could just get across the river.
I still didn't want him to swim across, but I saw his point. Worriedly, I watched him plunge into the water, shoving the log with him. He pushed the log as hard as he could with his paws. I could tell Night was struggling to keep his head above the water, but slowly and steadily he managed to stretch the log across the water. When he reached the other side, Night dug down in the ground to make a rut that would hold the log still. When the log was in place, I actually thought his plan might work. It looked safe enough to cross, anyway.
Night padded back across the log to our side of the river. He picked Petal up in his jaws and I lifted Shadow onto his back again. I then picked Tiger up and followed Night back to the log-bridge. He climbed up on the log, nearly slipping on the soaked wood. I hauled myself up after him, Tiger swinging in my jaws. Slowly we began walking across the log, now bending under our weight.
When we were about halfway across the river, the log groaned violently. I tried to ignore it, pushing the feelings of fear down. We were so close to safety. The log couldn't give out now! But it did. The log swayed roughly, the rain having washed away the rut it had been placed in. A gust of wind finally did the log in, sending it down into the roaring water with Night, the kits, and me with it.
Submerged in the water, I struggled to find the surface of the water. Tiger still hung in my jaws, jerking around uncomfortably as the water flowed around him. Suddenly something hit me under the water. I think it might have been a stone or piece of wood, but I'm not sure. As the thing hit my head, my jaws opened in a silent yell. My mouth filled with water as Tiger slipped away. Panicking, I tried to find my son, but I couldn't see under the water.
I couldn't find the surface of the water. I was running out of air and couldn't hold my breath any longer. Tiger was gone. I couldn't find him in the cold, raging water. Twisting and turning in search of my son, I suddenly became very tired, worn out from struggling under the water. The world became very dark and I stopped moving my paws. I felt myself begin to sink, knowing this was the end. I couldn't save myself or my kit. I was drowning.
Sharp teeth suddenly pierced the scruff of my neck. Strong paws were pummeling through the water, hauling me toward the shore. I felt myself being dragged onto the stony bank. Out of the river, I began coughing violently. I didn't open my eyes, afraid of what I might see. A tongue began lapping at my chest, trying to clear my lungs. I coughed up gobs of water, and finally began to breath normally again.
I opened my eyes, the rain blurring my vision. Night was standing in front of me, his amber eyes wide with fright and worry. I thought I could just barely hear him asking if I was alright, but the words seemed mixed up and confusing. The wind roared too loudly and there was so much water in my ears that I couldn't hear straight.
Night didn't wait too long for my reply, which never came. He took me in his jaws again and dragged my across a field of grass. I closed my eyes, trying to shield myself from the wind and rain. I could no longer feel my paws, and my head was throbbing from the blow I had suffered underwater. I wondered if Night was as worn out as I felt. He had to have been, but at least he could still walk. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to.
Finally we reached the barn Night had mentioned. He dropped me in the soft straw and sighed loudly. I opened my eyes. We were out of the rain. We were in a warm and dry place. We had made it to safety. Relieved, I sunk into the straw, feeling as if I could sleep for a moon. It wasn't until I was almost asleep before I realized none of the kits were with us.