Tinyclaw stood in horror as he saw Mistyfoot's kits being swept away by the raging river. He then started to go run into the water, only to be stopped by Ruby's tail.
"Are you mad?!" she asked, shocked. "You're going to get yourself killed!" she exclaimed.
Tinyclaw was getting ready to protest, but Socks beat him to it. "Ruby's right, Tinyclaw," he stated. "We don't need any more deaths in RiverClan," he mewed, as he shuddered to the kits wailing. "It's bad enough we're losing two Clanmates right now," he stated, grimly.
Tinyclaw then unsheathed his claws. "And you're not even going to try to help them?!" he asked, growling.
Before his siblings could reply, Tinyclaw dived into the roaring waters. He then saw a flash of ginger, which made Tinyclaw confused for a moment. The black tom then shook his head and swam up to the surface to get a breath of air, only to see that Fireheart and Graystripe had recused the kits.
Tinyclaw then gasped with surprise, and quickly swam out of the water, to where Socks and Ruby were.
He then shook out his pelt and then stood in front of Fireheart and Graystripe. "Greetings," Tinyclaw mewed, dipping his head to them.
"Mello," Graystripe greeted back, muffled by Reedkit's fur in his mouth.
Ruby then padded up beside Tinyclaw. "Thank you for saving our kits," she mewed, as she took the kit from Graystripe's mouth.
Graystripe then puffed out his chest in pride, but Fireheart flicked him in the ear with his tail. "You are most welcome," Fireheart mewed, still eyeing Graystripe, which made Reedkit giggle.
Ruby then put the wriggling kit down. "I think it's time we head back to our own Clans," she suggested, bending down to lick the dark kit's fur.
Fireheart nodded but Graystripe narrowed his eyes at the RiverClan cats' bellies. "Do you want us to help you hunt for food?" he asked.
Tinyclaw let his claws unsheathe a little, he knew that the gray ThunderClan warrior said that because of Silverstream sake. "No, we're perfectly fine-"
"No, Tinyclaw," Crookedstar ordered, walking up to the black tom. "RiverClan needs the help," he stated, sadly.
Tinyclaw and Socks were shocked at what the leader said, but Ruby seemed perfectly fine with it.
"What?!" Socks asked, shocked.
Crookedstar ignored him and walked over to Fireheart and Graystripe. "We are grateful that you saved our missing kits, but I would like you to help my Clan some more," he mewed. "Are you two willing to help us gather food, please?" he asked.
Tinyclaw couldn't believe that Crookedstar was actually pleading to two plain ThunderClan warriors.
Graystripe nodded almost instantly, but Fireheart was more hesitant.
Tinyclaw then looked at his Clanmates and did notice that some of their ribs were sticking out. Then he shook his head. But it's Newleaf. He thought. We'll be fine without these ThunderClan scums. Tinyclaw then swallowed a growl in his throat.
"Come back tomorrow after my Clanmates have calm down from Mistyfoot's kits," Crookedstar ordered.
Both Graystripe and Fireheart nodded and Fireheart put Perchkit, the kit he was holding down, and then the two ThunderClan cats left.
Socks then padded up to Crookedstar. "Why did you do that?!" he asked, growling. "RiverClan is perfectly fine with the hunters we already have-"
Crookedstar then shot Socks a scary glare from his green eyes, making Socks shudder and shut up.
The leader then grunted and started to head back to the camp.
Socks just rolled his eyes and picked up Perchkit and started to follow his leader along Tinyclaw and Ruby carrying Reedkit.
Tinyclaw then caught up with his brother, who was muttering curses at Crookedstar, quietly. Tinyclaw then placed his tail on Socks' back to calm him down.
Socks then looked at Tinyclaw and sighed. "Don't you think what Crookedstar's doing is frog-brained?" he hissed, though it was quiet enough where Crookedstar couldn't hear it.
Tinyclaw nodded. "He should know that we're trained RiverClan cats who know how to hunt and fight well, and he should respect that instead of having help from rival Clans," he growled.
"I think what he's doing is a brilliant idea," Ruby mewed, walking up to her brothers. "Yes, we may be able to fight and hunt ok, but we're tired and hungry and we need the help right now," she stated.
"How could you think that?" Socks hissed, quietly.
"Well, look what's going on!" she hissed back. "RiverClan is being picked off, one by one, by those dogs! We can use the extra paws!" she growled.
"Are you saying we're weak?" Reedkit squeaked.
"Shush," Ruby mewed to the kit. "This isn't your time to speak," she stated.
Reedkit just grunted, but then drifted into a sleep.
"Um…guys?" Socks asked a little worried.
"Yes?" Tinyclaw asked back.
"Perchkit isn't breathing…" he stated in horror.
Ruby then gasped and walked over to Perchkit's little head and slowly nodded. "He's dead," she stated, grimly.
"The cold water must have been too much on the little guy," Tinyclaw stated, making both Ruby and Socks nod to his words.
"Mistyfoot won't be too happy about this…" Ruby stated.
Tinyclaw just nodded.
The six cats then made it to camp, to see that most of RiverClan had already huddled by the entrance.
"What were you guys doing?" Loudbelly asked Crookedstar.
Crookedstar then flicked his tail to the gray tom and then padded up to his den. "Let all cats old enough to swim gather to hear my words!" he yowled across the camp.
Most of RiverClan had been gathering in the center of camp. Most of them were confused and worried to what their leader was about to say.
Ruby and Socks then padded into the queens den, where Mistyfoot shrieked in horror a heartbeat later.
They probably told her that Perchkit died. Tinyclaw thought. He then found a spot to sit close to the medicine cat den, where Roselily laid, still unconscious. Tinyclaw sighed; it felt weird not having the beautiful cream she-cat sit beside him. He then looked up at his leader, who was beginning to speak.
"I have some great news," he mewed. "Fireheart and Graystripe have saved Mistyfoot's missing kits!" he exclaimed. "It turns out that the river current had swept them away," Crookedstar stated.
The Clan then yowled in happiness.
"Sadly though," Crookedstar continued, "Perchkit didn't make it," he murmured.
The Clan was then silent for the dead kit.
"However," Crookedstar mewed. "Fireheart and Graystripe have offered to hunt for us tomorrow," he mewed, happy.
The Clan then gasped.
"What?!" Mosspelt spat.
"Why would you let them do that?" Silverstream asked.
"Hush now," Crookedstar ordered, beckoning the cats to be quiet. "This Leaf-bare has taken its toll on us, and we need the extra paws-"
"Are you saying that your skillful warriors don't know how to hunt well?" Leopardfur challenged her leader, to Tinyclaw's amazement.
Crookedstar gave her a mean glare before turning his attention back to his Clanmates. "Fireheart and Graystripe will hunt for us tomorrow and that is clear!" he hissed, obviously growing angry. "If any of you yell or hurt them, you will be punished!"
The Clan reluctantly nodded to their leader.
"I also want to appoint two apprentices," Crookedstar mewed, eyeing Socks and Ruby.
Tinyclaw gasped. Crookedstar was going to make his siblings into official Clan cats of RiverClan! Tinyclaw then held back a purr of happiness.
"Socks and Ruby, please come forward," Crookedstar ordered.
Both of the cats gasped, but did what their leader said.
"Now," Crookedstar started, "would you like to be a warrior or medicine cat?" he questioned them.
"Warrior," Socks answered, his chest swelled with pride.
"Medicine cat, please," Ruby mewed, her long gray fur flowing through the wind.
Crookedstar then nodded and turned his attention to Socks. "Socks, you came to RiverClan unexpectedly, just like your brother Tinyclaw," Crookedstar mewed, looking at Tinyclaw with amusement in his eyes. "It's time for you to become a RiverClan apprentice!"
"Socks, from this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Patchpaw," Crookedstar mewed for RiverClan to hear. "Your mentor will be…" Crookedstar then looked behind him and nodded. "Leopardfur!" he yowled across camp.
Tinyclaw purred quietly in happiness. Patchpaw got the best mentor in the world! Well, other than Silverstream… The black tome thought.
Tinyclaw then focused back on Crookedstar and Ruby.
"You came unexpected also," Crookedstar stated. "I hope Mudfur will be able to train you well," he mewed.
"I already know a lot from him, and I'm grateful for that and RiverClan," Ruby mewed, dipping her head to Crookedstar.
Crookedstar smiled. "Ruby, from this day on, until you receive your medicine cat name, you will be known as Flowerpaw," he yowled throughout camp.
"Patchpaw, Flowerpaw! Patchpaw, Flowerpaw!" the Clan cheered, though Tinyclaw made sure he was the loudest.
After everything died down, Flowerpaw went into the medicine cat den, and Patchpaw headed out of camp with Leopardfur to go bury Perchkit.
Tinyclaw then padded into the warriors den and yawned. He then curl up into a neat little ball, and drifted into a deep sleep…
A/N
I'm going to have State Test next week and may not be able to update. Then I will be going out of town for a little bit so it might be a couple of weeks before I can update. Bye!