Chapter 13
"Keep the dens patted down!" Icepaw was woken up from a fitful sleep when she heard Flarepelt's yowl sounding outside.
It took her a few heartbeats to realize that it was past dawn. It was still raining, and the nests around her were empty. She rose to her paws and blinked in surprise when she noticed that the nests were covered in water. When she looked up she noticed that a gaping hole had opened up on the den's roof.
"What happened?" she asked when she pushed her way through.
The camp was normally protected by the rain thanks to the large trees that surrounded it. But it was pouring now, and the water managed to seep between the leaves. Flarepelt was helping Ashcloud and Whitefoot patch the warriors' den. Fallenstar was helping Seawhisker and Yellowtail keep the elder's den from leaking.
"It's been raining all night," Owlsong explained after bounding out of the warrior's den. "That moss should hold for now, but not for long. We need something stronger to keep the water from breaking it," she added to Flarepelt. The deputy nodded in response and flicked his tail towards Appleheart and Foxwhisker.
The two warriors looked more annoyed than happy to be helping out. But when Flarepelt told them to keep an eye on the gorge they accepted the mission without question. Icepaw's nose wrinkled at the thought of checking the gorge. She imagined that by now it was a churning river that could rip her away from everything she knew.
"Are you alright?" Icepaw nearly leaped out of her fur when she felt a tail brush against her soaked fur. She whirled around to see Bramblepaw sitting beside her, eyes gleaming with worry. "You were trembling like a scared rabbit," he added warily.
"I'll be fine," she spat. Bramblepaw looked taken aback by her sudden anger.
At this point she could care less whether or not she had heard him. If he had noticed her fear of water than other cats would begin to notice. She was about to turn and leave when Appleheart bounded back towards the clearing.
"The gorge is flooding!" she cried.
"Everyone, I need your attention now!" Fallenstar's voice rose above the roar of the rain. Icepaw's fur bristled with unease when she watched the LeafClan leader's eyes flash. "I need you all to evacuate the camp and reach the highest point of the forest. Make sure the kits and elders leave first. Greenclaw, make sure you gather as many herbs as you can." He looked down at the medicine cat, who nodded in agreement.
A shudder coursed down Icepaw's spine as she followed the warriors in their rush of panic. She didn't want to be caught in the water's current. She bounded past her Clanmates, ignoring their yowls as water surged towards the camp.
She didn't care were her paws took her, as long as it was away from the water that was rushing towards her. By now most of the camp had been cleared. Icepaw felt her shoulders heave with effort as she tried to keep one pawstep ahead of the floodwater.
But even that wasn't fast enough to keep her away from the water. Icepaw let out a terrified wail when she felt her legs being pulled by the water's current. Her heartbeat quickened and blood roared in her ears as she struggled to keep her head above the water. Icepaw found her strength failing when exhaustion began to take over.
"You're not joining StarClan that easily!" Surprise flared within Icepaw when she felt a pair of powerful jaws grab her by the scruff. Her paws flailed wildly in the air when she was dragged out of the cold water. It took Icepaw a few heartbeats to recognize Seawhisker's voice. Another cat was with her mentor, but Icepaw was too tired to make them out. "She needs a medicine cat, and fast!" Seawhisker snapped when the other cat stood beside her.
"Greenclaw isn't around to help us," snapped the other cat. "We need to keep her warm, otherwise she'll get sick."
Silence followed as Icepaw felt the comfort of other cats beside her. Chills swept down her spine as she struggled to cough out any water she had swallowed. Something told her this was going to be a long day.
. . .
"You're not going now." Rosefall studied the river's current warily. Her eyes were narrowed into tiny slits when she realized that Graystar was right. As much as she hated to admit it, the river's course was too strong.
It had rained for the last two days, straight in a row. And now the river was flooding into the forest around it. Any cats with nests in that part of the forest would have drowned in their sleep. The thought made Rosefall's stomach clench with pity.
"Perhaps we are not meant to find them," meowed Birdsong. The black she-cat was standing beside Mallowfall, whose tail flicked from side to side as she studied the river.
"No, I'm not giving up on them!" Rosefall hissed. Her claws scraped against the mossy ground as the others looked at her in shock. "If they are warrior born kits than they will know how to survive in times like these."
She looked back at Graystar hopefully. His support meant the world to her. She didn't want to admit that this would have never happened without his help. But he was her kin, and they cared for one another. This time however Graystar only shook his head in response.
"I am not sure that even a warrior would have survived such damage," he admitted. "Only time will tell whether or not StarClan are watching out for them."
Rosefall's eyes narrowed once more when she realized that his mind was made up. She looked back at the river, chest clenching with pain when she saw nothing but darkness in it's depths.
How many lives have you taken? she wondered bitterly. How many innocent kits have died because of you?
She could do nothing but wait now until the river swelled down. She sent a silent prayer to StarClan that if the kits were alive they would have survived the flood. And that they would forgive the Clans for what had happened all those moons ago.
AN: So a lot happened in this chapter. Floods are never fun to deal with, especially when you're out alone to face them. Thankfully Icepaw wasn't alone. And I bet anyone could guess who the second cat with Seawhisker is ;) Thanks everyone for your reviews, you're awesome!