"Why is no one talking about what Rainwhisper said?" Willowpaw whispered loudly.

Yarrowbreeze shot the young tom a sympathetic glance. "No one knows what to make of it."

Whispering Brook slowly made their way back to camp. The path back was now almost entirely submerged in water excluding some small hills. Yarrowbreeze felt uneasy as her paws splashed through the water, unsure of where her paws might meet solid ground. Suddenly the earth shook, and a massive, thunderous boom followed shortly after. The patrol lowered themselves instinctively. Yarrowbreeze gasped as the cold flood water lapped at her belly fur.

"We need to get back to camp quickly." Beetlespots remarked, her eyes dark with worry.

The cats picked up the pace, and soon realized that they had to wade in water to get to their territory. Yarrowbreeze felt a pit in her stomach as they peered over the final rise before getting to camp.

The patrol darted forward, but Yarrowbreeze was frozen in place. Empty nests swirled around the camp entrance, caught on loose brambles. Dark water smothered the floor of the forest, and the cats returning from the Gathering struggle against the torrent.

"Yarrowbreeze!" Sunpaw shrieked.

Shocked back to reality, Yarrowbreeze swiveled her head to see Sunpaw barely clinging to scraggly moss on a boulder, being slammed repeatedly by the torrent.

"I'm coming!" She cried, bounding down from where her paws had taken root at the crest of the incline. Her paws splashed and she frantically searched for footing, the dread of not being able to feel the ground beneath her paws where she knew the earth should be shook her to her core. She swam hard against the black floodwater, and suddenly she was slammed in the chest by a broken branch being swept away. A loud oof! Escaped her, and for a moment she felt herself lose the battle against the water. Fear gripped her in it's icy clutch. How could she be afraid of the water? What she grew up being taught to love, what gave Whispering Brook their name now felt as though it would be the very thing to snuff them out. Yarrowbreeze pushed hard, every pawful of water felt as though it would be the one to pull her under.

"Please! Help me!" Sunpaw wailed, and Yarrowbreeze could smell his fear-scent. There was another scent too, something familiar…

"You can't let him die, he can't die in the same way he lost his mother." A desperate voice pleaded.

A fierce flame burned in Yarrowbreeze's chest. Her body ached in the chilly water as she flailed wildly against the heaving current.

"Hold on!" She sputtered. "I'm coming Sunpaw!"

Suddenly her paws knocked against the boulder, sending shooting pain up her claws. She fought the pain, scrambling to heave herself out of the water and onto the slippery boulder. She shuddered as she felt her claws splinter as they scraped the jagged rock face. Finally, she heaved herself onto the rocks surface. She looked down to see Sunpaw grimacing, his paws bloody and raw from fighting to cling to the boulder.

She reached down to grab the apprentice by the scruff, his long soggy fur practically drowning her. She heaved backwards, almost too strongly. She felt her hind paw slip across the moss covered stone. The surprise caused her to bite down on Sunpaw's scruff harshly, and she could taste the warm metallic tang on her tongue.

"Hmph!" Sunpaw gasped as he dropped onto the boulder. "Th-" the tom started, but was stopped short by a blood-curdling screech from behind the camp walls.

Yarrowbreeze and Sunpaw leapt carefully from one boulder to the next, until they were close enough to jump and climb the camp walls. The camp entrance was almost entirely covered by the muddied water.

As they reached the camp walls' edge, the two cats peered down into what used to be the clearing. Minnowpelt and Bramblestep were helping Whiskerpelt carefully up the sodden stone steps to Fernstar's den, with Salmonshine and Willowpaw behind to block the ferocity of the current from the eldest Teller in the cynn. The apprentices were all already at the top of the rock formation, their young legs not quite ready to brace the floodwaters.

"You need to get to your brother and the other apprentices." Yarrowbreeze told Sunpaw.

Sunpaw looked at the she-cat with eyes so wide that Yarrowbreeze could see the white behind them. "I know it's scary, but I know you can do it. We're two squirrel-lengths from that rock." She said, pointing to a formation that jutted out of the rock formation. "If you get to that, the older apprentices can help pull you up."

Cries from below sounded, and Yarrowbreeze could barely make out tiny mews from the roaring water below.

"You have to go now!" Yarrowbreeze shouted, and she leapt down into the water filled camp. I can't force him to listen. She told herself. He can do it, I know he can. She directed her attention to where she heard the cries from the camp walls.

Mossjaw and Berryclaw were grasping desperately at their kits, who were so terrified that they had wedged themselves behind a willow's roots, where the rising water made it nearly impossible to grab the nest they floated on without tipping at least one kitten off.

"My babies," Mossjaw sobbed, "please come to me, I promise you'll be okay."

Berryclaw wept as he swung wildly with unsheathed claws at the willow roots, praying to the Great Pool that he'd have the strength to rip them from the earth to save his kits.

Yarrowbreeze swam frantically over to the distressed family. "What can I do to help?" She asked. She was barely more than an apprentice herself, and suddenly she felt much, much smaller than she had moments ago saving Sunpaw.

The water roared loudly, nearly drowning the cries of the kits out.

"Someone needs to swim around behind the kits in case they fall off." Berryclaw shouted. Mossjaw did her best to position herself behind the roots, and pushed her forelegs through the tightly knotted tree roots.

Yarrowbreeze felt as if she'd be sick. The churning water was doing any favors, and now the fate of more young cats was thrust into her paws.

"Okay," Berryclaw breathed, "Yarrowbreeze, you and I are going to climb on top of the roots and place ourselves as close to the kits as possible. When I say go, grab as many kits as you can. Don't worry about hurting them. I'd rather them have a few small wounds than…" he drifted off, as if even uttering the very words would solidify their doom.

Yarrowbreeze nodded, and launched herself onto the willow's slick roots. She dug her hind claws in as best she could, but the soft bark made it difficult. "I'm ready." She said shakily.

The water below them churned and splashed, each time making Yarrowbreeze flinch. An all black kit looked up at the she-cat and held her gaze. You're going to be okay, she wanted to say.

"Now!" Berryclaw shouted. The two cats plunged their forelegs through the roots and forced their heads through. Yarrowbreeze hooked one of the kits with her right paw, and winced at the sound of the kits' cries. She nipped the black kit who stared at her between her teeth, and just as she reached for a gray and white tabby, the nest they floated on collapsed, sending the kit underwater.

"I've got him!" Mossjaw cried.

Yarrowbreeze heaved the kits up onto the roots, but they were so slick that she had to dig into the kits' fur just to keep them from falling to a watery grave.

Berryclaw helped Mossjaw climb up onto the tree roots, and all three cats and five kits were now perched precariously over the floodwaters.

"What now?" Yarrowbreeze managed to ask between her teeth.

"We have to swim to Fernstar's den. It's our only hope." Mossjaw said.

There were at least 5 fox lengths of space between where the three stood and where solid land was near Fernstar's Den. A sick, churning dread twisted in Yarrowbreeze's stomach. She was already feeling weak from going to the gathering and back, and swimming and saving Sunpaw, climbing the camp walls, and swimming even more. She was exhausted, her muscles trembled fiercely as she used all her strength to cling to the kits she saved. Thick, black doubt washed over her. I can't do this.

"Are you okay?" Berryclaw asked, concern and exhaustion swirling in his warm green eyes.

"I don't know if I can make it." She sniffed. It terrified her to hear the words out loud.

Her cynnmates were silent for a moment, and Yarrowbreeze couldn't blame them. She held two of their kits in her paws, she determined their fate.

Berryclaw sighed. "I'm going to swim across with Thornkit. I'll be back to help bring the other kits across safely." He licked his mate on the cheek and passed a small ginger kit to her. "Watch Sagekit while I'm gone."

He shakily lowered himself into the water, fighting to keep himself and his kit above the water.

"I'm sorry." Yarrowbreeze choked out. Mossjaw said nothing.

As Berryclaw reached the edge on the other side, Fernstar reached out to grab the small bundle of fur, and she began to carefully bring the kit to the top of the formation. Without a second look, the ginger tom splashed back to the willow.

"Okay, Mossjaw." He panted. "Take Troutkit, and stay on that side."

"I'm coming back to get my other kits!" She hissed. The kit between her teeth mewed and thrashed.

"Listen to me!" He snapped. "The kits need their mother. You have to stay. Please." He pleaded.

Mossjaw's gaze softened, and she flicked her ear. The queen made the same treacherous journey across the harsh current, and was pulled up with the help of Mintbranch and Larkbelly.

Yarrowbreeze felt a little stronger now after staying put, but the muscles in her legs and jaw ached from the weight of soggy kits and the slick roots.

"I can do it." She told Berryclaw.

"Are you sure?" His voice sounded dubious, as if he dared her to drop his offspring into the floodwaters. She passed the black kit to Berryclaw.

"I promise." She plunged into the dark water below, and her limbs were shocked by the cold. The small dusty brown kit hung limp in her jaws, and she sent a silent prayer to the Great Pool that the kit was still breathing.

Despite the voracious chill of the flood water, Yarrowbreeze's chest and limbs were filled with fire. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had a good meal, and her body felt weaker for it. The wet slate edge of the Great Boulder grew nearer, and Yarrowbreeze heaved with all her might as her paws met the rocky surface. "I've got her!" Rookstep assured Yarrowbreeze as he nipped the kit from her. She felt the world around her spinning, as if she were still caught in the current. She gripped the stones sloppily, trying with all of her might to heave her waterlogged body onto the stones.

"Yarrowbreeze!" Bearstrike cried. The she-cat felt a sharp pain meet the nape of her neck as her brother dragged her body out of the floodwaters. "You have to stay with me, okay? We're gonna be okay." He said shakily, rasping at her fur to warm her up. Her jaw felt funny, like she could still feel the kit in her mouth.

Larkbelly padded up to the siblings. "Yarrowbreeze, are you going to be okay?" She pressed.

"Help Berryclaw." Yarrowbreeze panted. It was all she could think to say.

Larkbelly looked across at the tom, still holding three of his kits above the perilous torrent. "Great Pool, help us." She prayed, and the deputy splashed into the water below.

Yarrowbreeze's hearing faded in and out, but her body felt every tiny crack and pebble that her brother dragged her over to get to higher ground. Finally the dragging stopped.

"Where's Berryclaw?" She heard Mossjaw ask, and lowered her voice. "Is Yarrowbreeze alright?"

I feel like I'm dying. She wanted to reply.

"Larkbelly went to help him bring the last three kits over. And she'll be okay." Bearstrike replied.

Yarrowbreeze lay still for a moment, listening to the sounds of her own labored breathing and distressed cynnmates clash against the booming sounds of the flood. Fearful cries filled her head. I… have to.. help them.. she grimaced, collecting her trembling limbs beneath her. This was the promise she made- to protect her family. To protect her cynn.

"Yarrowbreeze, you're going to drown yourself if you try going back out there. You've done enough." Fernstar scolded, "Look at the the cats you've helped today."

Yarrowbreeze slowly and achingly turned her neck to face the cynn. Sunpaw was still shivering from the cold, but his gaze was full of warmth and gratitude. Mossjaw nodded in agreement. "My kits and I would still be down there if it wasn't for you." She meowed.

Yarrowbreeze wanted to relent, to agree and just this once

be able to say "I've done enough.", but she couldn't. Heavy rain continued to patter around them, echoing off the den walls and creating a thunderous cacophony of rain, the raging flood, and the cries of cats that still hadn't made it to Fernstar's den.

"Just let me catch my breath for a moment. I can still help." She grunted meekly.

Bearstrike whisked around. "You can't leave if I bring the others back first." He growled, and crept carefully down the slick stone.

Yarrowbreeze sighed, and watched her brother until his brown pelt disappeared from view. She turned her attention towards the cynn. Not including Berryclaw, Larkbelly, and Bearstrike and the kits, three warriors were missing: Leapfoot, Greywhisker, and Mousenose.

The pale she-cat pulled herself as close to the edge of the den as she could, hoping to spot any cat she could. She could just make out Berryclaw and Larkbelly, and Bearstrike was walking cautiously near the edge of the water.

The storm seemed to grow louder and louder, and a gust of wind made Yarrowbreeze shiver. Did Rainflower predict the end of the Cynn? The thought couldn't seem to escape her mind. What did they do to deserve this? A small movement down below caught her eye.

"Mousenose! Mousenose is stuck!" She shouted.

Fernstar rushed to her side, trying to find the small tom among the wrecked camp. "He's under that branch, his leg must be caught on something." She mused aloud. "Salmonshine, Sprucefur. Come with me." The leader demanded, and the three cats made the perilous journey down below, leaving Yarrowbreeze to watch helplessly.