Chapter Two

Stonepaw barely felt himself being pulled from the water and dragged across the marshy shore. His body was far too weak to move, and he laid limply as he scarcely heard his Clanmates concerned mews. Paws thrust across his flanks steadily, forcing him to vomit up mouthfuls of water. Coughing heavily he lifted his head weakly. The images of his littermates and mentor were blurry, and he tried his best to clear his vision.

"Will he be okay?" Heronpaw's anxious mew could be heard nearby.

He felt himself being lifted up and then draped across Spottedfern's back. "He will be," Goosefur assured her. "Reedsplash will take care of him."

Heronpaw let out a tiny wail. "It's all my fault!"

"Hush," Specklerock comforted her. "It was an accident."

The last bit of Stonepaw's consciousness slipped away then. When he came to his senses once again, he could pick up the familiar scents of Reedsplash's den. Wearily opening his eyes, he could see the ReedClan medicine cat busily organizing herbs nearby.

"How is he?" Dapplefoot's anxious mew could be heard outside.

Reedsplash poked his head out of the den. "He's resting now. There's nothing to worry about, he'll wake on his own."

Stonepaw staggered to his paws, shaking the moss from his nest out of his fur. The brown-and-white tom's ears swiveled towards Stonepaw's shuffling. His silver eyes lit up.

"Ah! I was wondering just when you would wake up."

Shakily, Stonepaw blinked at him. "How long have I been asleep?"

Reedsplash nosed through his store of herbs. "Not long. You just needed to sleep off the shock. Other than that, you're fine."

His mother barged in then. "Stonepaw!" Before he could say anything, Dapplefoot was on him in an instant covering him in licks. "Oh my precious kit! I was so worried I may had lost you!"

Ducking away from his mother, Stonepaw fluffed out his fur. "I'm fine! Reedsplash said nothing's wrong with me."

Dapplefoot frowned. "Yes, and I'm glad that is the case. But you and your littermates need to be more careful! I don't what I would do if I lost any of you."

Feeling guilty, Stonepaw nuzzled his mother affectionately. "I know. I'm sorry."

"This is quite touching an all, but how is a medicine cat supposed to work with so many cats under their paws?" Reedsplash chimed in, his eyes glowing with slight amusement.

Stonepaw dipped his head. "Oh, right, sorry Reedsplash. I'll go and let everyone know I'm okay now."

"Yes, you do that," Reedsplash folded his tail over his paws. "Just be sure not to get into any more fights with reed beds, eh?"

Ears hot with embarrassment, Stonepaw shot him a glare and stormed out of the den. Great, now I'll be remembered as the stupid apprentice who almost drowned because of reeds! Glancing around camp, he saw his littermates outside of the apprentices' den. Heronpaw looked completely guilt ridden, picking absently at a fish she and Minnowpaw had been sharing. Minnowpaw was beside her, trying to comfort their sister.

Upon Stonepaw's arrival, Heronpaw sprung to her paws. "You're okay!"

"Reedsplash just said I had to sleep off the shock," he told her.

Heronpaw's eyes were round. "Oh Stonepaw, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean for you to get caught up in those reeds!"

Nudging her side with his muzzle, Stonepaw purred. "Frog-brain, as if I would die that easily," when she frowned, he went on. "Seriously, don't be so upset. I'm fine, really."

"And it's a good thing you are," rumbled their father's voice as he approached. "You three need to remember you aren't kits anymore. You must take your training more seriously."

The three apprentices ducked their heads shamefully. Marshpool sighed and licked the top of Stonepaw's head. "I suppose that scare was enough of a lecture. I'm glad you're all safe."

"Stonepaw!" Specklerock was quickly padding over. "How do you feel? Are you alright?"

Everyone is making such a fuss! Stonepaw thought irritably. Though I could have died. He instantly felt guilty at the thought. Of course his Clanmates would be worried! He shook his head. "I'm fine," he told his mentor. "Reedsplash said I just needed some rest."

Giving him a quick lick on the head, the tortoiseshell warrior purred. "Good. You had me worried there for a moment."

"Specklerock!" Spottedfern called to his sister. "If Stonepaw is feeling well, we should take the apprentices out to the marshy pool."

Heart soaring, Stonepaw looked eagerly up at his mentor. "Can we go?" There was a look of slight concern in his mentor's eyes. "I'm fine! I want to train with my littermates."

"If he's able to complain about it, he's well enough to train." Goosefur pointed out as she came over from the fresh-kill pile.

Minnowpaw pranced around Stonepaw. "Yeah! Let's go!"

Specklerock dipped her head. "Very well, let's go then."

Following his Clanmates out of camp, he froze in his tracks as they reached the narrow river. Fear pulsed through his body, and he remembered how unforgiving the water could be. He was flashed back to earlier in the day, where he been tangled among the reeds. Struggling to get free. Struggling to breath the air above. Darkness had come to him then like an old friend, ready to welcome him into its warm embrace…

"Stonepaw!"

His mentor's sharp mew had jerked Stonepaw out of his trance. The young warrior's eyes were round with concern as she gazed at her apprentice. "Spottedfern, Goosefur, go on ahead," she told them quietly. "We'll catch up."

Heronpaw and Minnowpaw stared at him with worried eyes, but were quickly ushered off by their mentors as they moved on. Specklerock padded to stand before Stonepaw, frowning. What kind of ReedClan cat am I? He thought miserably, staring down at his paws. I'm afraid of the river!

"It's okay you know," she murmured to him softly. Stonepaw looked up to meet her gaze; full of warmth and understanding. "What happened today was very traumatizing. Even the strongest warrior would be fearful of the water after that."

Trembling, Stonepaw dug his claws into the soft marsh underpaw. "But how can I be a ReedClan warrior if I'm afraid of something so important to us?"

Specklerock turned to look at the water. "Every ReedClan warrior holds fear of the water in their hearts," she told him. "Water is powerful. It must always be respected, and always must be feared. Unlike other warriors, water is unpredictable. It has no conscious, nor does it listen to any cat's commands. ReedClan cats know this best. We have lost cats the river, but yet, even while it brings death it also brings us life."

Coming to stand beside her, he looked at the water below him. "How can we rely on it so easily then? When it's so dangerous?"

"Without water, there is no life," she explained quietly. "It is the source of all living things in this forest. We cannot simply avoid it because it is to be feared. What makes us different from the other Clans is not that we swim or fish. No. What makes us different is that we have found a way to live alongside something so dangerous, and thrive. We have found a way to co-exist with this powerful force of nature; while also respecting the life it brings to us all. There is so much more to being a ReedClan warrior than being able to swim, or to fish. If we do not respect the very thing that sustains us, then we are nothing."

A new understanding of the river, and the very life of a ReedClan warrior glowed inside Stonepaw. What Specklerock told him made much more sense than anything he could have thought up. Gazing into his mentor's eyes, he felt a spark of courage deep in his heart.

"Let's go," he told her determinedly. "I'm ready to face the river as a ReedClan warrior."