Prologue

Feathertail could feel the giant cat's breath on her tail, knew that the beast known as Sharptooth, the lion who ate cats, was just behind her, gaining with every step. Her only hope was to get to the ledge her brother, Stormfur, was desperately calling her name from and pray to Starclan that Sharptooth couldn't climb after her. Feathertail jumped desperately, knowing that if she failed she would die and the last thing she would see would be the eyes of her beloved brother gazing back in despair. She landed on the ledge with only her paws on top of the rocky outcrop, leaving her hindlegs dangling beneath her. All Sharptooth would have to do would be to jump up and swat her off of the ledge. She closed her eyes, waiting to feel the sharp sting of the lion's claws. Instead she felt her brother's teeth grasp the scruff of her neck and he pulled her up. Feathertail's eyes met Stormfur's and she gave a sigh of relief. She was alive.

"I'm sorry…" murmured Stormfur whose eyes turned to face his paws. "This is all my fault."

"No! Don't think that. You just made a mistake with what you could and couldn't do." Feathertail insisted, trying to get her brother to accept the fact that he wasn't guilty for the scene taking place before them. Even though he sort of was…

The Tribe of Rushing Water had managed to hide themselves well. Brambleclaw and Tawnypelt shared another rocky outcrop, safe as well. Squirrelpaw had hissed out from her own hiding spot to taunt Sharptooth away from Feathertail. Everyone was safe.

"Feathertail?" Asked the voice of the cat Feathertail was closest to on this journey, excluding her brother of course. Crowpaw had stuck his head out from his hiding spot, a shallow dip into the wall, barely enough for him to fit inside. Sharptooth seemed to smile, knowing his meal was as good as caught. Crowpaw ducked his head back inside the dip, trying desperately to escape from the giant claws.

Feathertail looked down in horror, realizing for the first time that she was going to watch her beloved killed before her eyes. Nothing she or her brother could do. The situation was something she couldn't stop.

"Feathertail." She heard a voice very similar to her own, calling her name. She gave a quick glance around, yet didn't see anyone but her brother who was also looking down at the scene in horror. "Feathertail. It's me. Your mother." Feathertail blinked. Her mother, Silverstream, had died giving birth to her and Stormfur. "Please listen to what I have to say." Feathertail nodded. "You can save Crowpaw. All you have to do is jump on that pointed rock hanging from the ceiling." Feathertail saw which one her mother was pointing to and was met with a cold realization.

I can't survive a fall from that hight.

"No you can't. If you choose to save Crowpaw, you yourself will join Starclan. The rest of Starclan was opposed to me telling you this information. They don't believe you will make the right decision. No, not the decision they desire. There is no correct decision."

Feathertail blinked to herself. There was no question. She turned to her brother. "I'm sorry." Not just for the action she was about to take, not just for distancing herself from her brother in favour of Crowpaw but for everything she had every done wrong to him. This was her last chance. Her last choice. She tensed her legs and jumped.

But she did not jump up toward the but down. The force impact almost took her breath away but she broke into a full sprint. Sharptooth turned from Crowpaw to her and she realized something. If this didn't work, she would die. Her friends would die. The tribe would die.

She rushed towards the entrance to the cave. As she did, she heard the pounding of the beast's paws behind her. They were far too close. She sprang forward and the beast's paws slammed behind her. Had she not, she knew she would have been killed and eaten.

She kept running as fast as possible, knowing that her goal was just a little farther. Sharptooth was right on her heals. Feathertail realized that the beast chasing her was far faster than her. The reason why he had not caught her was because he was playing with his prey. He could catch her at anytime. She was nowhere near as experienced with the Tribe's territory as Stormfur was but she remembered a river ran through it. She and Crowpaw had taken a drink from it when hunting a few sunrises ago. She came to the edge of a cliff, with a river flowing through it. She took a deep breath and jumped.

Please, Star Clan, let this work.

The beast was going too fast to stop and fell with her. The fall was thankfully not enough to hurt her and she immediately dived deep. The Sharptooth hit the water with a massive splash and after a moment of deciding what to do, he followed his prey. But in the water, Feathertail had the advantage. Yet the beast probably could hold his breath for longer than she could. He would win in the end, even if she could out swim him.

But she knew rivers. She had grown up in River Clan. She had learned to swim before she could hunt. She understood every part of a river. So, she knew exactly what she was swimming towards. Suddenly, she darted towards the surface. The beast tried to follow but was sucked lower. He was caught in an undertow, one powerful enough that he couldn't escape. After a few powerful kicks, Feathertail broke the surface and swam to shore. She glanced back and saw several large bubbles break the surface of the water. She hesitated for a moment before moving into a position to get a better look into the depths. She saw Sharptooth floating limply in the current. Shock filled her. But also something else.

She had done it.

The beast had drowned.

Sharptooth was dead.

And she had survived.

She felt a sense of triumph surge through her.